-
Posts
5356 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
113
Posts posted by John
-
-
I don't normally read much fan fiction but just popped in. Nice story start RR1. Interesting pairing, I was always a fan of Bella. She had so many story possibilities that were never explored. You're doing something to fill the gap.
-
If you strip it down to the basics, it's still a show about families and found families living in a seaside town.The issue is that some people think they're the wrong families.Bringing back fostering wouldn't automatically solve that, because when they do that people often complain it's the wrong sort of fostering (Spencer and Maddy being the example that springs to mind).The cast's age has skewed older in recent years, and I can see why people would consider that losing part of its identity, but there's a feeling that that's the audience they have to cater for now, which may even be right.
I agree there are some aspects I'm not happy with, notably the tendency to expect us to side with characters in the wrong, which the Braxton era heightened although it was an idea that had been growing for some time beforehand.In the earliest days, we'd get tearaways that needed taming and teaching right from wrong, but these days there's a tendency to have them start off worse and not get better enough.I thought they were moving away from that a bit and maybe they have, but it feels like we're sliding back a bit with the regression of Tane, and Mali, a character who was introduced as an anti-River Boy (a tattooed muscly young guy who's honest, hard-working and law-abiding), starting to head the same way.
To try and answer the original question: I don't know. I think the worst thing a show can do is try and give the elder statesman fans the show they think they want, because they'll still find something to complain about. (It's what we do.) I enjoy the show as it is, but I'm very aware that other people don't.If there was some magic answer that could make the show appeal to the wider audience it needs, well, if I knew that I'd be making the show!
Great summing up RR1!!
My only addition to that would be that these days the writing is lazy. They seem very reluctant to tackle issues which arise in relationships and have people actually work through them.
It's also my feeling that there is too much reliance on constant and repeated high points of drama with the result that they lose their impact.
-
1
-
1
-
-
-
All of the characters you've mentioned are well in their forties or older. If they were brought back for an anniversary special, most of today's viewers would scratch their heads and wonder who the geriatrics were.
Home and Away is the ultimate shape-shifting soap, which pivots based on what will keep its audience. If they thought that pivoting back to Braxton-esque gang violence was the way to go, they'd do it in a heartbeat.
I have to agree with this post. I have been watching the show since the early 90's and have thoroughly enjoyed many of the iconic characters over the years. Unfortunately the producers are slaves to the harsh realities of commercial TV. If a show doesn't draw an audience and with it paying advertisers then it doesn't last. Hence the "shape-shifting".
-
4
-
-
I'm really dredging back in my memory now. That's a difficult exercise when you're a geriatric like me!!
I recall I was a member of a previous iteration of this site which combined with another one to form BTTB. I think it was a Neighbours site. I wonder does a history or timeline exist somewhere other than in Dan's encyclopedic memory.
I often wonder what happened to some of the previous staff members. Last time I heard of skykat she was travelling in Oz and jumping out of aeroplanes. Jen still makes the occasional appearance.
I recall the sadness around Frankie's passing. I think that she's still an honorary member of this Forum.
-
3
-
-
Thanks to Dan and Chris for all their work on this site.
-
2
-
-
Cold, wet and windy. Max temp 11 degrees C today. Snow on the surrounding hills.
-
-
This is an excerpt from Irene's character bio on the main site.
Having failed to find a replacement, Don arranged for her to attend secretarial classes and the rest as they say is history. She remained the school secretary for a long time becoming very much an integral part of the school. Whilst working there part time while she attended Uni to do an English Literature degree part time.
This bio can be found here. https://www.backtothebay.net/characters/irene-roberts/
-
1
-
-
Ugly. High winds!!
-
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. An oldie but goodie!!
-
Can we please keep this discussion civil and dial back on the provocative comments.
-
1
-
-
Peaked at 46.3 C
-
26 degrees. Very smoky.
-
37 degrees heading for 42.
-
I'm beginning to see some real potential in the character of Dean. Up to this point I've seen him as a waste of space who wouldn't work in an iron lung and was always looking for an easy buck often in crime.
However recent events have opened up some real storyline possibilities for his character. We can assume that his behaviour and attitudes to life are the result of some background events which would make really interesting storytelling particularly with the involvement of Colby and Willow. If his recent signs of turning his life around prove to be genuine there are also storyline possibilities in various community members helping him out with friendship, career training etc. I wonder if the writers will go down that path. I hope so.
-
4
-
-
I have locked this story until the issue of too many current Fics in breach of rules has been resolved.
John H
Moderator
-
A 16 year old who looks like one. I'm impressed!!
-
2
-
-
Some people just can't seem to take a trick
-
2
-
-
I have an issue when I "like" a members post. I get an error message and code as follows despite the like being accepted.
You are not allowed to give this member reputation
Error Code 1S136/M
-
I know I was a member of a Home and Away site before the advent of BTTB but I can't for the life of me remember which one
-
I understand that the character is being written that way and I don't want her gone. But these days I'm finding Leah to be really annoying. She has become something of a bully in her relationships with both Zac and VJ. Sure one is her husband and the other is her son but both are adults and surely have the right to control of their own lives without Leah demanding to know and pass judgement on everything they do.
-
3
-
-
Many thanks to Matt who has been very willing and probably more importantly able to update things on the Main Site. In my case this has usually been the myriad airing date changes to Australian Episodes due to AFL Football issues and other events.
-
1
-
-
Posts in this thread are straying into personal references. These posts should be made to the member in question via PM and should never descend into abuse.
-
3
-
Most Popular Character 2024
in Announcements
Posted
My thanks to all who make this annual "walk down memory lane" possible and so enjoyable. It always brings back memories of characters I'd forgotten all about and miss and also leads me to ponder anew ones I wish I had no memory of.