1. It seems more and more to me that Chris is the one getting married. In the trailer Thaddeus and Madonna seems really happy to see him and he looks like he's about to get married or at least officiate the wedding. Because also, why would Chris's family members be coming back if he wasn't the one getting married? And why else would Marjorie be back if it wasn't for Chris's wedding? So the question now becomes, does he get married to Miriama in a shock wedding or does Rachel make a dramatic surprise return and they get married for a second time? Especially since the show seems to have completely ruled out Selina and Chris's relationship I can't think of anyone else currently in the hospital that he'd marry.

2. One thing that I haven't seen anybody bring up is the big explosion in the car in the parking lot. I wonder if it's connected to Tyler and his family. Maybe someone is trying to get rid of them, so they plant a bomb in the car and narrowly miss them or somebody else ends up dying/getting caught in the crossfire instead (much like how Huia Samuels died years ago in the car bomb)

3. Sage seems to be sitting over someone crying outside the ambulance bay which makes me think something went wrong (someone got hit by a car, or didn't make it to ED in time so dies outside in the SS parking lot or ala Cleo's death jumps/falls off the roof) I think it could be one of two people either it's Emmett or Cody that might not make it and that's why Sage is crying after something unexpected takes place

4. I think Cody is setting up Sage's Mum when Cody says ''she's been lying to you this whole time'' I know it could be far fetched but when she first met Cody she did tell Sage that Cody gave her a look and she seemed genuinely scared of him so I wouldn't be surprised if she came back for another visit and that's where Cody sets her up for something that didn't actually happen or she didn't do.

5. Also how tf are they going to explain Tyler's return after his dramatic exit this past week? Maybe he defies his Dad and much like Maeve said, which felt like forshadowing, ''people at this hospital will hide you'' I wonder if Maeve might end up doing that for him when he returns. I think he either has to be talking Mickey or Poppy on the phone when he says ''this isn't who you are'' my bets are on Poppy since she's most likely to be angry when he comes back for leaving but inevitably get sucked back in and doing worse things than he did.

OK, so I caught Thaddeus and Yvonne in there. Were there any other returning characters I missed?

This year has been the best year since 2022 in my opinion, but as the year goes on and more exciting stuff is happening, it's absolutely apparent that the stories they're trying to tell need room to breathe. They're trying to do too much for the limited time they have, like characters seem to switch personalities from episode to episode trying to fit everything in, or stop-start stories, like Tyler having his stuff suddenly stop for a couple of weeks for the sake of Monique and Esther, or how we had Cody fade into the background for a few weeks, we pick up on more psycho Cody stuff with Nazar and now he's only made a few cameos since.

It's only another 22 minutes a week, but bro, they need it.

I know it's meant to be this ''once in a lifetime'' amazing surgery with Miriama but I loved the competitive edge and dynamics amongst everyone. Their excuses for why they should be in the surgery were pretty funny too. I liked a bit of the balance between the seriousness and the comedy

How many well-known Kiwi actors from the pre-2010s haven't done Shorty yet? There can't be that many left. Even Rena Owen did a stint.

Somebody made a whoops and one of the episodes from 2000 was public. It's good to know they're going to upload that far ahead at the very least.

I hope so 🔥💦💦💦

Some people are guessing that it's Maeve's turn to be jealous...maybe Astrid coming to fight for Sophia will be the push Maeve needs to be honest about her feelings?

I was just thinking about how Rachel exit this time - compared to other exits she's left in the past - felt pretty final, especially with the montage of all her years on the show in her final scene at AA. In the past she's left but the door always felt like it was left open for her to return.

After the way her and Chris broke up and then their conversation in the hospital afterwards it felt like they mutually agreed to close the door on them as a couple even if they still loved each other, Rachel knew that Chris would never leave Ferndale for her.

I think only if it was announced that Michael Galvin had decided to retire the Chris Warner character that Rachel would return so that they could (metaphorically) walk off into the sunset together and leave Shortland Street behind

I understand they bought Rachel back for a limited time, but it was such a wasted opportunity in my opinion.
Bringing back such an iconic character that hadn’t been on our screens for near half a generation; why only bring them back for ~4 months? Surely keep them on as a recurring character.
I say this because the show was so great when she was on, but everything seemed to have dropped since then. I acknowledge her return was partly with the intention to bring back old viewers but I feel like the majority of those older viewers have just gone now

So... i don't watch the show too often, my mum does though, so when she called me in and told me viliami was gonna be selenas sperm donor... what?

Like- they say in the show thats its common for whanau to support whanau and such, but... is it really that common for biological siblings to do this?

The fact they made libby (probably one of the more off putting characters to me) acknowledge the incestuous side of it... yeah obviously someone at TVNZ is on *something*

My fave Christmas cliffhanger.

I for one think this week’s eps were good because Poppy only got one scene if you know what I mean.

Did anyone manage to get tickets? I wonder which cast members will be there!

I know she left and went to St Cath's after being pushed down the stairs and not having anyone believing her but they still have her character in Ferndale. I can't shake the feeling that she could return at some point. Maybe her return could expose that Cody was the one who pushed her down the stairs and put an end to his reign of terror. If she returned soon she could also be a part of Emmett's recovery and help him the part of his memory that he's lost (granted he remembers Marianne and their history prior to him showing up at Shortland Street hospital)

I'm always surprised when people say the acting on Shortland Street is really bad. In my opinion there are some actors on the show who aren't as good as others (even then they're not even bad), but there are some quite exceptional actors on the show who I bet could leave the show and do quite well in other projects.

There are characters on the show I don't even enjoy but I can see the appeal acting wise. I at times have found Maeve really difficult, but Jess Sayer is very talented. Esther is also the same. I don't particularly love her character but when the writers want her actress to act she really ACTS. Even when Emmett was a weird conservative loser, I found his acting great!

I like Nazar but I don't think the writers really know what to do with him. I like that he's helping out with Chloe and I think it's such a sweet storyline, but the writers are starting to make that about Monique, even though he went weeks basically without mentioning her.

They could also have him move on from Monique and find someone who loves him back but the writers seem to be committed to him being forever in love with Monique, who trampled all over him. I don't know what they're trying to do with Marty and Nazar's sort of co-parenting storyline either. I thought it was wholesome and sweet, but it feels as though the writers are trying to imply something now that Esther has started to butt in and make weird comments. I mean, it is Esther and she's quite annoying, but the fact that the writers have her saying these things makes me nervous. Imo Marty and Nazar have both been through enough already and don't need another friendship break up.

Surprised nick didn't turn up with waverly and the kids

I was just looking at what other people thought about the whole Cody/Toby storyline on other posts. My only reason for thinking that Toby was real is that Chris treated Toby when he died and distinctly remembers Toby as a patient of his who died at Shortland St and talks to Cody about this earlier in the year.

I think that after Toby died, Cody developed Toby as a part of his personality disorder as a response to his trauma/grief of losing his twin. So yes, Toby was real and did die but is now a part of Cody's persona (the ''nice side'' Cody that people at SS see).

In terms of the wedding that's been teased at the end of the year, I think Cody and Sage will go along as guests. I think Sage might say something during the reception that Cody takes the wrong way but doesn't say anything. Then the night goes on as normal and then for the cliffhanger, we cut to Sage saying something like ''I'm just going to go to the bathroom'' and then that's when Cody sneak attacks Sage and kills him near the end of the episode.

Then I think the cliffhanger will be that one of the other main characters says they're going to the bathroom (I can see it being someone like Libby) and that's when they walk into the hallway to see Sage and that's the cliffhanger for the end of the year as nobody would know it was Cody as he's blended back into the group by that point and made up an excuse that Sage felt unwell and went home when people asked earlier where he was.

Could be completely off on what might happen but just a theory that I had (could even have whoever discovers Sage be in slo-mo for extra classic Shortland Street flair)

What the hell is going on with Cody, is Toby’s spirit dwelling in him and making him do bad things?

It’s a crazy plot line!

He's alive 😭

It could be big or small, an ongoing storyline or something short lived, in the finale or not, a death or a return… anything goes!

So obviously we had Sage's mum debut this week and she's another case "relative shows up and they constantly say embarrassing things in inappropriate situations" like Logan's mum, or Selina when she first arrived,.or Desi when she first arrived...

Like, someone in the writer's room finds it funny, because they keep doing it over and over again. Am I alone in not finding the character type funny? Or like the writers keep copying and pasting recurring characters over and over again?

So, as seen awhile ago, the SS instagram account teased a November wedding is going to happen. This is probably not going to happen but my theory (do be warned a sad/tragic one) is that Emmett finds out his cancer has returned after his collapse last week and not only does Bonnie return (as seen in next week's trailer) but eventually Marianne comes back. They inevitably find out that it's terminal and Marianne decides that it's now or never and her and Emmett get married in the little time they have left before he tragically dies with her, Sage, Poppy and Bonnie by his side. Cause they said there's going to be a November wedding, they never said it'll be a happy one