<Theme Music. Cue dramatic bit from the last episode...>
Helen: Jim's dead?
Harold: Martin! I came as quickly as I could.
Martin: But who is <Climax reached> Harold Bishop?
Harold: So anyway, what is Helen doing on the floor. As a good, loving grandson-in-law or whatever you are, shouldn't you help her?
Martin: I'm not her son <Dramatic music...> I'm <builds up...> Martin Daniels. I'm sort of filling in for Philip Martin. He's been KIDNAPPED! <Dramatic music ends>
<Cut to Mrs Mangle in England.>
Mrs M: Len? Where are you?
<Back to Helen's house.>
Harold: So Phil's been kidnapped? What are you doing here then?
Martin: Magic.
Harold: Magic?
Martin: Magic! Paul Daniels is my dad! We do magic!
Harold: Oh.
Martin: And I'd buy some deodorant if I was you.
<There is a knock at the door. Martin moved to open it. We see him talking to the people at the door and hear their voices, but don't actually see them.>
Voice 1: Hi! We're your new neighbours
Voice 2: I'm Jack. Jack Daniels. Pleased to meet you.
Martin: Likewise. Who is your friend?
Voice 1: Ben.
<Cut to view of doorway showing Martin talking to two whisky bottles.>
Voice 1: Ben Eagles.
Voice 2: Isn't that Helen over there?
<Unbeknownst to us and Harold Wilson, Helen has regained consciousness and is setting up her easel to do some painting.>
Martin: Helen! No!
Helen: Argh!
<Dramatic music starts. Helen drops her paintbrush and collapses. Theme music starts>
Every episode of Neighbours began with a recap, so Negbours couldn't be any different.
By now someone had read the first episode and wondered, naturally, who Martin Daniels was. The only Martin Daniels I knew was the son of magician Paul Daniels. Well, he'd just have to do.
Instead I decided Philip Martin had been kidnapped - kidnapping being a big part of Neighbours in the 1980s - and played more on the idea of complete miscasting by introducing a series of characters named after alcoholic beverages.
But my favourite bit of Episode 2 is the brief arrival of Mrs Mangle. A fantastic character, Mrs Mangle spent most of her time wandering around Neighbours shouting to her husband Len who was, mysteriously never seen on screen.
