Monday 12th August 2013

Dot is making a cake! For Jim! It's amazing she remembers he exists - no one even mentioned him when one of his sons died.

There's Lauren, running around the Square... good for her.

Back to work for Twitney, let's see how long that lasts.

Lauren stops by Dot, who tells her that recovering from addiction is hard and then she also discovers it's Jim's birthday. It seems Lauren feels that they should do something for her forgotten grandfather.

Kirstie and Max have re-established domestic bliss (except for the presence of Cora). Then Lauren comes in and says she wants to throw a party. DOHOHO!

Janine and Moonula continue to play their game - with Hollyoaks being the latest pawn.

Some squabbling about Lauren organising a party for Jim - yawn.

Kat isn't worried about Ronnie coming home anymore... and it looks like she's off to singles night.

Twitney returns to her job and apparently despite being an experience primary school teacher, Ava requires her to say "settle down"...

Lauren seems quite happy to just tell misery guts Carol about her recovery as if it's a discussion about the weather.

Twitney has the magic touch, it seems... that will surely be put to the test by the arrival of Sharon's freakish son...

Oh, wow - Jack and Poxy remembered they have a kid! Will wonders never cease?

Kat and Bianca laugh at how terrible a plot line the speed dating was, presumably in anticipation of singles  night being at least as bad.

It's been less than a week and Lauren's resolve already seems to be cracking. Actually, in fairness her constant joking about alcohol seems to be indicative of a deeper problem... kind of sad when that's as subtle as the foreshadowing gets and of course, then to remove any ambiguity - she insists there be alcohol... leading to the predictable faux pas at the party and then A WILD JOEY APPEARS!

Kat asks Moonula along to the singles night which is just a prelude to taunting him about his desire to get back into Janine's affections.

Then we find out - gasp - Janine was just using Hollyoaks. A truly shocking turn of events.

There's a surprise, Dennis is taking after his mother and her being

Lauren walks around the party and the topic of conversation is Lauren, Lauren and Lauren... and goodness, it seems Lauren might want a drink!

Moonula finds out from Hollyoaks that Janine and he aren't an item.

Dot gets herself worked up into quite a state about the birthday and does the sensible thing of pointing out that none of Jim's children bothered going to see him... to be fair, they don't even remember him so that's to be expected.

Sharon (looking almost as Oompa Loompa as Twitney) comes in and demands answers about Dennis's treatment, going so far as to say "Are you calling my son a liar?" Even the most fleeting experience with young children would afford someone that the vast majority of them lie with the same regularity as they breathe... so, that would be a bit of a no brainer. Sharon immediately concludes that Ava's decision is based on the whole catapult thing with Dexter and vows revenge before waddling off.

The Branning siblings go to see Dot and after a little pressing, she reveals the highly improbable fact that she goes to see Jim EVERYDAY. She berates all of them for not going to see him more often and then lots of empty promises about rallying around to help Dot. Nice to see the fact Jim has been forgotten actually being mentioned.

Joey and Lauren are still sweet on each other but he doesn't want to be the reason for her to relapse and then just before they kiss, Kirstie bursts in. What an original way to end a scene!