East of Everything: episode guide

Series 1 | Series 2

Gross National Happiness

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Episode 1.1
Sunday, March 30, 2008 (ABC1)
Ratings: 1.006 million viewers (11th)
Written by Deb Cox
Directed by Stuart McDonald

While working on a book about Bhutan, Art Watkins receives news that his mother Nancy is dying. Despite his panicked dash through the Himalayas, he misses the plane and moments later it crashes. He then receives news that his mother has died.

Arriving in Broken Bay for the funeral, he finds his younger brother Vance, full of grief and resentment over managing their mother's death alone. Vance has also fallen out with Art's childhood sweetheart, Eve Pritchard, who comes to offer her condolences.

Their old neighbour, Bev Flick, has recently returned home from prison after trying to kill both herself and her severely brain injured son, Aaron. As she hitches a ride into town, she's picked up by a young woman, Lizzy, who's come to Broken Bay to hook up with her boyfriend, Jai - who can barely remember her. Undeterred, Lizzy decides to deliberately strand herself in Broken Bay by selling her van to Bev.

Art, his own grief stymied by his sense of estrangement and regret, plans to stay only long enough to bury his mother, but his plans change when his mother's Will dictates that he and Vance will inherit nothing unless they re-open the resort within three months, and run it together for an entire year.

Also, Art is to hand over an envelope from her to his son, Josh, on his 17th birthday. When Josh challenges him to obey his dead mother's wishes, Art is torn between leaving a town where no-one seems entirely pleased to see him, and staying to prove his worth as a father and brother.

Guest Starring: Damien Garvey as Owen, Fletcher Humphrys as Jai, Imogen Annesley as Suzy Burns, Steve Bisley as Terry Adams, Glenn Shea as Edgar

And: Mariam Arcilla as Bhutanese Waitress, Shien Chee as Flight Attendant Nancy, Denzil Lloyd as Westerner, Peter Knapman as Ted, Kimberley Davenport as Funeral Parlour Assistant, Jan Carmody as Nancy Watkins, Lisa Finkenauer as Yoga Teacher, Mouche Phillips as Sandy, Neil Young as Tow Truck Driver, Petra Cremming as Owen's Receptionist

Viola Baby

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Episode 1.2
April 06, 2008
Ratings: 819,000 viewers (17th)
Written by Roger Monk
Directed by Stuart McDonald

Vance races to the resort to find Art packing to leave, but is able to convince his brother to wait while they contest Nancy's Will on the basis of her sanity.

Art takes the opportunity to reconcile with his son Josh, but this means fronting Suzy, his son's mother.

Vance and his girlfriend Melanie confront neighbour Bev in an effort to convince her to sell her land to fit in with their development plans, but as that looks increasingly unlikely, and with developer Terry Adams putting the pressure on them to deliver the land sale, Melanie resorts to more desperate measures.

Meanwhile, Lizzy discovers where Jai is working and 'surprises' him by getting herself a job in the same hotel laundry. While Dale, a young man who nursed Nancy during her illness, suspects a challenge to the Will and delivers Nancy's journal to solicitor Owen, to prove she was of sound mind.

Bev, realising it is Melanie who is trying to buy her land, goes to see Councillor Eve Pritchard for advice. Art persuades Josh to play golf, but their outing is a series of disasters, leaving them no closer than before.

Eve and Art meet for dinner as planned, but their romantic evening and reminiscing disintegrates into an argument over Art's loyalty to the town. Back at the 'Far Out East', the brothers confront the reality that they can't contest their mother's Will — and they take out their anger, grief and frustration on their estranged father's long-forgotten surfboard.

Guest Starring: Imogen Annesley as Suzy Burns, Steve Bisley as Terry Adams, Damien Garvey as Owen, Fletcher Humphrys as Jai, Glenn Shea as Edgar

And: James Mercy as Nick, Yvonne Stewart as Aunty Von, Dulcie Nicholls as Aunty Alice, Dianne Tweedie as Aunty May, Mouche Phillips as Sandy, Richard Vinycomb as Council Worker, Georgia Martin as Council Worker, Jesse Lawrence as Skateboarder, Eka Darville as Skateboarder, Tina Peatte as Laundry Maid, Brendan Glanville as Myles, Judy Mitchell as Lady Golfer #1, Phil Govett as Lady Golfer #2

The Shining Path

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Episode 1.3
April 13, 2008
Ratings: 743,000 viewers (20th)
Written by Deb Cox
Directed by Stuart McDonald

Art tells Vance that he can't stay in Broken Bay as his work takes him around the world, but Vance comes up with a solution. He will 'cover' for his brother as long as he checks in regularly with Nancy's lawyer Owen to fulfil the terms of the Will.

But once Art has committed to this plan, Eve tells him that he can't trust Vance. While Eve gathers the proof, Art makes another attempt to win favour with his son Josh by teaching him how to surf.

Meanwhile, Lizzy discovers she's pregnant to Jai, but when he offers her money for a termination, she tells him the baby isn't his.

And Bev's first attempt at running her new van as a bus service sours when the police turn up, accusing her of trespass and damaging Melanie's expensive car. Art's father-son surf trip ends with recriminations when Josh realises Art plans to leave town again soon, despite his promise to return for his birthday.

Art's life is further complicated when Eve proves that his brother's plans for the 'Far Out East' are worse than he imagined. Meanwhile, Vance discovers that Melanie and Terry's business partnership is more than just business, even though she assures him that she has no faith in love, and seduced Terry in the interests of their development plans.

Art has no choice but to stay, at least to see out the terms of the Will, but just as he commits to this, he receives news that his girlfriend Lara is about to arrive from overseas.

Guest Starring: Imogen Annesley as Suzy Burns, Steve Bisley as Terry Adams, Damien Garvey as Owen, Fletcher Humphrys as Jai, Errol O'Neill as Len, Glenn Shea as Edgar

And: Richard Vinycomb as Council Worker, Georgia Martin as Council Worker, Hamish Fraser as Backpacker, Rodney Sweet as Backpacker, Luke Weymark as Backpacker, Davi Soesilo as Man, Peter Knapman as Ted, Cameron McKendrick as Constable Jackson, Lisa Finkenauer as Yoga Teacher, Mouche Phillips as Sandy, Liana Cornell as Rebecca, Brendan Glanville as Myles, Caleb Monk as Cody; Lauren Teale, Kate Vidler, Stan Walker, Holly Stanton-Gillan and Cody Butler as Fellowship Singers; Sam Paquette as Cleaner, James Mercy as Nick, Andrew Wilson as Davo, Leah Vandenberg as Lara (Voice)

No Way To Nirvana

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Episode 1.4
April 20, 2008
Ratings: 717,000 viewers (20th)
Written by Roger Monk
Directed by Matt Saville

Art decides to stay in Broken Bay, but can't find Josh as he's off wagging school.

Bev applies for a bank loan to repay her debt, but both the van and Lizzy have disappeared. The van has been impounded by the police as being unroadworthy, but Lizzy steals it back and goes after Bev, only to be told to leave her alone.

Vance lands at the 'Far Out East' where Art confronts him about his development plans for the resort. They decide to tell Pauline Adams about Melanie and her husband Terry's affair.

Dale steals a horse that is being mistreated from a nearby property, while Art tells a shocked Eve about his girlfriend Lara arriving. Not long afterwards, Eve sees them embracing up at the lighthouse and thinks the worst. As Lara seduces a reluctant Art, Josh tries to take it too far with his girlfriend Rebecca.

Lizzy leaves the van with a mechanic to be fixed while she has an ultrasound. Meanwhile, Lara realises Art is no longer interested and angrily tells him it's over, packing her bags to leave again.

A troubled Bev hides when Lizzy comes looking for her, and Lizzy tells Edgar. He manages to find Bev and they talk about her being snubbed by the Indigenous 'aunties' over the sacred lake.

Josh steals Art's computer and Art and Eve agree to meet again for dinner. Melanie is attacked by Terry's wife Pauline in a yoga class and then goes home to find Vance is leaving her. With Josh missing, his mother Suzy becomes frantic and enlists Art's help to search for him. Consequently Art stands Eve up for dinner! But Josh is safe, hiding in Dale's bus reading his father's book.

Guest Starring: Imogen Annesley as Suzy Burns, Steve Bisley as Terry Adams, Paula Duncan as Pauline, Damien Garvey as Owen, Errol O'Neill as Len, Glenn Shea as Edgar, Leah Vandenberg as Lara

And: Greg Saunders as Loans Officer, Alexandra Kennett as Raver Girl, Nikki Payten as Waitress, Cameron McKendrick as Constable Jackson, James Mercy as Nick, Sasha Armstrong as Fleur, Daniel Sassi as Mechanic, Dr Brown [?] as The Doctor, Liana Cornell as Rebecca, Lisa Finkenauer as Yoga Teacher, Victoria Eagger as Yoga Student, Mouche Phillips as Sandy

Save Me Some Scones

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Episode 1.5
April 27, 2008
Ratings: 655,000 viewers (24th)
Written by Deb Cox
Directed by Matt Saville

Josh is still missing - along with Art's laptop - and the friction between Art and Suzy builds. And Melanie, now abandoned by Vance, has no enthusiasm for her schemes with Terry Adams.

Bev is threatened by Terry's thugs and told to pay the money she owes Terry or hand over her land. Unbeknown to Art, Lara has changed her mind and stayed in Broken Bay, and unaware who Eve is, starts a conversation with her on the beach, inviting herself along to Eve's yoga class. But Eve eventually admits to Lara that she knows who she is.

Eve tells her friend Sandy she has no interest in Art, but Sandy calls her bluff and Eve gives in and calls Art to complain about his behaviour. Meanwhile, hoping to further her cause, Lizzy takes Jai along to a pregnancy counsellor, but is then wracked with guilt when he ends up in tears.

After Josh's attempt to apologise to his girlfriend Rebecca is rejected, he's even more disillusioned with his father, his education and his previously certain life path.

Bev is touched when local cop Len offers her money, but rejects his help. Meanwhile, Edgar cooks up a plan to get the 'aunties' to forgive Bev, and co-opts Vance as his 'patsy'. And, after some prompting from Dale, Josh returns his father's laptop and Art finally confesses how much he regrets his behaviour as a father.

Edgar brings Bev and 'the aunties' together and the older women help her give in to her grief. Confronted by Len, Terry decides to bring on the big guns; and Lizzy is overjoyed when Jai agrees to have the baby and give life together a go.

Art reconciles with Josh, but having finished with Lara, realises he has a long way to go to make amends with Eve. All efforts are put on hold, though, when Eve delivers a demolition order for the 'Far Out East' - courtesy of Terry Adams's wheeling and dealing.

Guest Starring: Imogen Annesley as Suzy Burns, Steve Bisley as Terry Adams, Paula Duncan as Pauline, Damien Garvey as Owen, Fletcher Humphrys as Jai, Errol O'Neill as Len, Glenn Shea as Edgar, Leah Vandenberg as Lara

And: Mouche Phillips as Sandy, Ivy D'Orsogna as Rebecca's Friend, Liana Cornell as Rebecca, Caleb Monk as Cody, Brendan Grancille as Myles, Richard Cawthorne as Driver, Devin Campbell as Sidekick, Cameron McKendrick as Constable Jackson, James Mercy as Nick, Sasha Armstrong as Fleur, Dulcie Nicholls as Aunty Alice, Dianne Tweedie as Aunty May, Yvonne Stewart as Aunty Von, Cathy Campbell as Counsellor, Lisa Finkenauer as Yoga Teacher, Ben Jennings as Dreadlocks, J Walker as Guitar Player , Kurtis Retenmaier as Waiter, Shien Chee as Flight Attendant Nancy, Cliff Ellen as Dale's Dad (Voice)

Aesthetic My Arse

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Episode 1.6
May 04, 2008
Ratings: 781,000 viewers (16th)
Written by Roger Monk
Directed by Matt Saville

When Lizzy visits Bev, she likes the look of Dale, despite announcing her wedding plans with Jai.

At Council, Eve reluctantly agrees to help Art by calling an extraordinary meeting to apply for a heritage order in an effort to quash the demolition order for the resort. Meanwhile, Suzy enlists Art's help to get their son Josh reinstated at school.

Elsewhere, Melanie is increasingly disenchanted with Terry and the reality of losing Vance. And Lizzy is becoming similarly disillusioned with Jai as their differences become obvious, and she finds she is increasingly attracted to Dale.

As Eve works with Art nutting out a strategy for the heritage hearing, she tells him to follow her lead in the Council hearing, but that they should keep their relationship platonic. However, once back at the 'Far Out East', Art ignores Eve's advice about statistics and unearths some family memorabilia for a more 'emotive' presentation. Josh arrives, and father and son work together to that end.

Meanwhile, at the Council Chambers the hearing falters when Eve's statistics have little impact, and Art's 'touchy feely' address is eclipsed when the mayor questions the commitment of a man who no longer lives in the town. But Vance arrives in the nick of time with video evidence that Terry has bribed a number of councillors.

Owen conspires with Bev to have her debt to Terry wiped, and the heritage order for the 'Far Out East' is granted. The Watkins boys are handed the title to the property, the resort opens for business, and Nancy's sons scatter her ashes. Dale finally rides his adopted horse, and Owen, fit and healthy again, hits the surf.

Guest Starring: Imogen Annesley as Suzy Burns, Steve Bisley as Terry Adams, Paula Duncan as Pauline, Damien Garvey as Owen, Fletcher Humphrys as Jai, Errol O'Neill as Len, Glenn Shea as Edgar

And: Brendan Glanville as Myles, Georgia Martin as Council Officer, Cliff Ellen as Dale's Dad (Voice), James Mercy as Nick, Liana Cornell as Rebecca, Cameron McKendrick as Constable Jackson, Andrew Blain as Mayor, Sasha Armstrong as Fleur, Dulcie Nicholls as Aunty Alice, Dianne Tweedie as Aunty May, Yvonne Stewart as Aunty Von, Ron Kelly as Councillor 1, Adam Couper as Councillor 2, Cliff Edge as Council Worker, Lisa Finkenauer as Yoga Teacher, Mouche Phillips as Sandy, Makoto Matsumaru as Japanese Tourist