The 1997-1999 Dip

[pluto]

That's a different opinion to usual, as the 1996-1999 credits are usually thought one of the best styles.

While the 96-99 credits were not my faves (at least at the time - i always thought the wierd neon H&A logo was bizarre aswell! lol) at least they followed the tradional credit format. From 2000 they've just gone down hill continually imo.

[Blaxland 89]

I agree the dip did happen, but early than in most peoples views, and i believe it picked up sooner too. I did not like the time when shane and michael had gone. And we were given Liam! This was before even Angel had left. I like the chloe rape story but curtis had become dull and storylines about stephanie's recarnation and barbara coming back to try and kill don befpre he married marilyn was ludicrous and the show had lost the plot. My favourite story of that time was Shannon and the Irish writer I believe that by mid 97 it got back on track. Liam and steph gone. Tiegan and Justine and Aaron for more individual characters. the drama died down and it felf more 88 89 to me. especially the intoduction to THE V MAN bringing good humour back. I certainly didnt want teen pregancy, anorexia, teen romance swapping that we had b4. and it was a nice break from all that. TOM nASH THE exepction. They were all good actors and we had Jesse, kylie lachie, chloe, fisher and Maz, alf and ailsa for drama and humour. Sam really came into his own at this stage and handled big storylines well. Loved Diana Fraser. And just my opinion, but I beleive 97-99 to be the best time for Irene. Loved the preist story and her school secetery stuff. Like the band story with the teens, Joey's cross dressing story, and later adittions Peta and Edward were fab. Mitch was a little dull though. Loved Travis and Rebecca scences together. They always seemed so in love. I will defend this era to the end.

[jodlebirger]

I actually thought this era was very good. It is one of my favourite eras,... together with 2000-2005 minus the Angie storyline, and late 2007 and 2008. Well, H&A is H&A and there

will always be one and another storyline and character that I don't like but in these periods I liked the most of them. ...

But there was so many storylines in that period that I loved.

I loved Travis and Rebecca, and the teens at that time, Tiegan and Justine, and the Nashes in general... well Gypsy was the weakest link there for me, but she was ok in the beginning. I have actually never understood what was wrong with Tom Nash, I liked him... And I liked Alf and Ailsa in that period... I loved the Chloe/Lachie/James/Diana storyline.

I also loved Irene in that period, her secretary storyline... and her role with Joey. I actually loved the storyline about Jesse and kylie too. really tragic, soapy - but not far too fetched. And I also loved the storyline about the Edward and Peta.

Well, the last two years of Marilyn and Fischer saga was awful... but then it wasn't that dominating. I actually think that the storylines were more balanced in those days, no storyline dominated the show... there was always some storylines to invest in, even if you didn't like some of them. And all in all a good mix of younger and older characters without no one of them were dominating the screen. And even if there were a lot of characters who were given equal screen time, we actually got to learn a lot about them - far more than what we do about those who are dominating the show now. And 1997-99 had a lot of drama without being very over the top or far too fetched.

I actually think that the dip was in 2005-06 and 2010-11, and sometimes before 97 I thought that the show was too slow, the storylines didn't move along.