j.laur5

No surprise that Floss beat Neville because Neville only ever seems to be in scenes with Floss. Whenever you see him he's hardly ever on his own. I think Floss works better alone.

^I know. I would understand if it was Xavier on his own, but he's got his mother and Gina is big, strong lady who can take care of herself and Xavier and whoever else is living with her. Gina is older than Tony anyway. There's something else that puzzles me. How old is Tony because I remember seeing on Jack's grave that he was born in 1982 and then that would mean that Tony is coming up to 48 at least. So can anyone help me out on this?

I really don't get all the Gina dislike as I think she is the best new character in the last four years. Red Ranger, I think you are being hard on Gina because first off all Gina was dead set against Brendan moving into the home and it was only until she realised how happy he would be there. I think she did a good job towards Mink and I think it's good how Gina showed her tough love a bit more as I think it works, like with Xavier the other night. I hope Gina stays on the show for a long time and I have a feeling she will and she will be a good mainstay character.

I think the main problem with Pippa was that her storylines kept repeating. She lost two husbands and had two babies. I think ten years was a good run for Pippa and seeing her departure episode recently it was so badly written. I wish they had shown a bit more emotion in her leaving. I would have liked a phone call at the end of the episode from the foster service asking if Pippa could take in a new child and Sally saying she can't . It would have been the first time ever Pippa has turned down taking in a child. But I guess something happened to Sally and Leah. Their storylines repeating a couple of times. But at least Leah was the sort of character that didn't need to be in full storylines because she runs the diner which is one of the main venues in the show.

I actually think the character was worse off without those two and perhaps to a lesser extent Belle. They stuck her in a more conventional relationship which I found far less interesting than the sweet and quirky one she had with Jai.And without Geoff we didn't really see that affectionate, sarky side she used to show with him.If her last few months on the show are indicative of the direction they were planning to take her in, turning one of the few genuinely different characters into just another whiney teenager with only the occasional hint of the fun, caring character she was for her first two years, it's probably best she left when she did. I guess they gave her a "Everyone in the Bay turns up to say goodbye to her(except for her and Jai's best friends)" farewell when she left the first time so they didn't really need to do it again.At least she actually said goodbye to someone before she left town, that's more than at least one recent departure... But Annie and Jai were hardly ever going out like proper teens. They just seemed like 10 years olds going out. When Annie was with Romeo it seemed like they were proper boyfriend/girlfriend. I think Geoff was always bringing Annie down and she never could stand on her own two feet.

It's a shame that just when Annie looked like she was going to get proper storylines she left. l really thought her character was better without Geoff and Jai. Does anyone feel a little let down there wasn't a proper goodbye scene for Annie?

I think they have made the wrong choice to get married. I really wanted Leah to wait at least another year until she got married.

Does that include both Vanessa Downing and Debra Lawrence episodes? But I thought Leah would have overtaken her by now because didn't Pippa leave at the start of 1998? Also why did Pippa decide to leave Summer Bay after ten years? Thanks a lot in advance.

Really like having Colleen in the early years, she has such great sense of community and really is the biggest busybody ever and gives Celia a run for her money. Celia is a good character, but I think it would have been better if they had written her out in 1988 when she went overseas, and made Colleen a regular.

Does anyone know the age gap between Tony and Rachel? Because Jack's gravestone said he was born in 1982 so Tony must have been born at the least in the early 60s and I doubt he would have had Jack at 16 or 17. Friday's episode was funny I guess, but I do think it was childish for two middle-age characters going outside for a punch up. I can't believe it's been over a year since they got married.

Happy brithday loving Esther !.

It's a shame the producers made Hugo into a bad character. I mean, ok he loved Martha but he also did a lot of bad stuff. Did he kiss Xavier's ex-girlfriend (I can't remember her name) or did she throw herself at him?

I've been watching some 2009 episodes last night and i noticed how much Annie didn't have her own storylines almost the same as Colleen. Annie just seemed to be Ruby's shouller to cry on or Belles. As much as I love this show to death I must admit the producers have more interest in certain characters than do in other characters. It is highly possbile that Charlotte felt that acting was no longer her thing and felt like she wanted to return to the quiet life and just go back school and gain a new career. Because let's be truthful here could you really see Charlotte becoming a famous Hollywood actor.

O.K. that seems to be quite final, along with the stuff on the Y7 H&A website. Does raise one or two interesting points though, both about Annie and Charlotte Best. Annie's permanent departure, for those normal, untroubled souls who just watch the show, might well have gone unnoticed, and have been surprising if they had noticed, given her age and the story, until then, being about her return to Japan lasting 'just' another 6 months. The only clue was that cryptic little exchange about how nice it was of Annie to say goodbye to Alf (off screen,) who had done so much for her and Geoff, when Annie and Irene were walking to the car that last morning. 2 years as a parent to the girl, and all that can be squeezed out of it is "O.K. let's go" from Annie, not a whisper from Irene. So it goes. So, a goodbye from Irene would have been beyond her recent characterisation. Does raise the question as to how Annie, aged 16.5 when the 6 months exchange is over, is going to earn her keep in Japan ? Perhaps Irene, having rediscovered a caring parental side to her nature, has already suggested that, with her western good looks, Annie becomes a novelty Geisha. From Annie's point of view, based on Irene's behaviour over the 9 months, she'd undoubtedly get a more caring and sympathetic response from drunken Japanese businessmen (or drunken foreign tourists) than from Irene. Can't let this go without a reference to the pathetic 'Goodbye Charlotte' gallery on the Y7 H&A website. The last photo is of Charlotte captioned 'A cake was shared for the final farewell with cast and crew'. Except that it isn't. It's the photo they took, probably last June/July, and posted in October, when Jordan (Jai) left and Charlotte was taken off the cast list. No photographer was around during her final days on set ? Because she was only a 'guest' ? So let her go with a photo of her and half a cake, now 7 or 8 months old. Says a lot. So it goes. If, not that it does much good, I was to say that I think H&A lost interest in Annie as a character and axed Charlotte Best from the show, would anyone be able to dispute that conclusion ? I doubt Annie was axed from the show as there were many fields they could have taken the character. If the show had really lost interest in the character of Annie they would have wrote her out with Jai and not worried about getting her back and finishing her storyline with Romeo. I do think Irene had the wrong view about Annie's return and thinking she was only staying because of Romeo. But I really wish there was a proper goodbye scene between Irene and Annie. This is what I would have liked. A scene at the airport. Irene - Now, Annie love, I am so proud of how far you have come in the last few years and Belle would have been proud of you too. Annie - Thanks for eveything. Love you. Irene - No problem. Love you too and I will always have room for you when ever you need it, okay. Annie - Thanks. Annie and Irene hug and Annie moves to the next room to board the plane. Irene cries and waves goodbye. End of episode. PS. The other thing that annoyed me was that there was no Annie and Ruby final scene.

I really like Gina as a character and feel the producers are doing a good job and giving her character more focus than just being a mother-type character.

I used to hate Nicole until Roman went and then from that point onwards Nicole got nicer and less rude and big headed.

I think Irene is a much better foster parent to Annie offscreen because, lets face it, last year H&A was all dramatic scene to the next dramatic scene and didn't show any other scenes about their lives. But if Annie still alive from all the action that happened last year Irene must have done something right.

Don't worry Karen. From what I've read in week 16 they have a lot of stuff together.

I agree and Vanessa Downing will always been my favourite. I think she had charisma. From what I've heard around the net I think that Vanessa regrets leaving. I think what would be better is if they brought in Debra Lawrence as a new character and it would work with the right storyline. Yes, I wish Vanessa had stayed longer. Who knows, she might return as a new character one day. How about as Debra Stewart, Alf's unseen sister?

Can someone please tell me who is the next original character to leave after Lyn? Is it Celia or Bobby?

I think the reason why we havn't seen Irene and Marilyn in a scene yet is due to the fact that the producers want to take their time with her as she is a regular now. But, by the way, when is Marilyn going to get a job? Or will she be like Pippa was in the 80s? A housewife and just run the caravan park while Alf and Miles work.

I think you're forgetting one thing, she's a regular now.

1994-1998

Isla Fisher, Melissa George, Ryan Kwanten...just a few names that would probably be more sought-after than Emily. Are you sure you haven't just chosen those people because they're Hollywood stars now though? If they hadn't made it big, I doubt they'd be remembered any more fondly than Marilyn. And Ryan Kwanten, are you serious? Vinnie's in nowhere near the same league as Marilyn. He wasn't even there during the show's Golden Era. What do you mean? The whole point of my post was to say that we should be happy she's back. :???: Sorry Edward i was surpose to Qoute someone else but Qoute you by mistake.