Annie Campbell - Charlotte Best

[j.laur5]

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.

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.

[Red Ranger 1]

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.

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.

I agree that Annie and Jai's relationship was badly neglected, although the implication seemed to be they did a lot of "proper" boyfriend/girlfriend stuff off screen.If they'd given them the sort of scenes they gave her and Romeo, they'd have been a lot more interesting.Instead they wasted it and then stuck her in a pointless and shallow relationship that was no different from all the other teen relationships on the show.I disagree about Geoff, Annie frequently made decisions on her own and went against him(when he was against Jai and over Belle's drug addiction for instance).She was 15, standing on her own two feet was kind of against the law.

[-Kevin-]

Totally agree her character was changed to compliment Romeo's character!

Edited July 5, 2010 by -Kevin-

[idris]

By the miracle of modern technology I went back in time and watched the Campbell’s intro to H&A. Apart from C.B./Annie being more animated back then, and the antagonistic, one-dimensional portrayal of a religious family (and no, I’m not religious) I think that initially Geoff was a character who veered around from wanting to protect Annie from the wickedness he saw represented by SBH, by imitating ‘Pops’, and being tempted to join in the fun. Anyway, many older siblings do tend to behave like that until the younger one fights for their own independence.

I think Jai and Annie were progressing at about the right pace, especially considering her views regarding SBM, but there was a hiatus when both of them seemed to be just extras, hanging around Ruby and Xavier. Jumping from their screen life to real life; when the show knew that JR was leaving to do Dance Academy (or they released him and he then went for it ?) they deconstructed Annie/Jai’s relationship, then they trashed Annie’s character to suit Romeo‘s story line.

Initially I thought her relationship with Romeo was going to allow her to be more mature and have serious story lines, but that thought soon evaporated with the testy/immature banter that went on endlessly between them. Not sure how anyone can look back on it now and think it was a proper romantic relationship. In most ways it was a very contrived, paint by numbers, pseudo-teen relationship that seemed disappointingly, and perversely, aimed at pre-teens. Especially so considering the hype about how ‘mature’ Annie was going to be when she came back from Japan. In most senses it was never allowed to develop like other teen relationships on the show. It was never going to go anywhere except the dustbin.

[Bahorel]

Hi,

I may be prejudiced because I really don't like Annie so much as a character - I find her quick to judge, annoying and a little stupid. But I think part of the reason why is that I don't think the actor acts at all! Does anyone else notice this? Mind, I'm at about episode 4,700 - right after Jeff and Nicole slept together at the island and after we've discovered Melody is at a clinic. She might improve. But really, while Annie was supposed to be stressed out when Jeff was missing, etc, I really don't see much difference in her face than on a normal day! And when Jai was pushed into the water and Miles had to rescue him, it was the same - she just looks like she's not into it.

Anyone else feel this way? Sorry if I'm offending anyone.

Edited August 23, 2010 by Dan F
Merged with existing Annie thread - please check before creating a new topic

[idris]

Hi,

I may be prejudiced because I really don't like Annie so much as a character - I find her quick to judge, annoying and a little stupid. But I think part of the reason why is that I don't think the actor acts at all! Does anyone else notice this? Mind, I'm at about episode 4,700 - right after Jeff and Nicole slept together at the island and after we've discovered Melody is at a clinic. She might improve. But really, while Annie was supposed to be stressed out when Jeff was missing, etc, I really don't see much difference in her face than on a normal day! And when Jai was pushed into the water and Miles had to rescue him, it was the same - she just looks like she's not into it.

Anyone else feel this way? Sorry if I'm offending anyone.

I'm a little unsure as to how anyone can have a proper discussion about this with you Bahorel, without risking spoilers for you, and ennui for most of us. You're referring to episodes that are 2 years ago for most of us. Of course, those who never liked Annie/Charlotte can just reiterate what you've just written, in their own fashion.

I was going to suggest that since the episodes you are watching are from almost the same date that this thread started, your first port of call could be page 1, October 2008, and you will see that this topic has been well discussed already. But, if you do decide to do this, be warned that you will encounter spoilers.

The other course of action is that you swap places with me now, thus avoiding huge chunks of Annie, and far worse storylines and acting involving others on the show, than Annie was ever involved with.

That seems like a good deal, for you, to me. All I get is to live in a country with the most amazing coastline and no national debt. :cool:

Edited August 23, 2010 by idris

[j.laur5]

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.

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.

I agree that Annie and Jai's relationship was badly neglected, although the implication seemed to be they did a lot of "proper" boyfriend/girlfriend stuff off screen.If they'd given them the sort of scenes they gave her and Romeo, they'd have been a lot more interesting.Instead they wasted it and then stuck her in a pointless and shallow relationship that was no different from all the other teen relationships on the show.I disagree about Geoff, Annie frequently made decisions on her own and went against him(when he was against Jai and over Belle's drug addiction for instance).She was 15, standing on her own two feet was kind of against the law.

What I mean by standing on her own two feet is not being bossed around by her brother and knowing that if she had stayed with Irene as her foster mother, she would keep a close eye on her. But I think it would have been nice to see a more mature Annie. It's a shame the actress had quit.

[Bahorel]

Hi,

I may be prejudiced because I really don't like Annie so much as a character - I find her quick to judge, annoying and a little stupid. But I think part of the reason why is that I don't think the actor acts at all! Does anyone else notice this? Mind, I'm at about episode 4,700 - right after Jeff and Nicole slept together at the island and after we've discovered Melody is at a clinic. She might improve. But really, while Annie was supposed to be stressed out when Jeff was missing, etc, I really don't see much difference in her face than on a normal day! And when Jai was pushed into the water and Miles had to rescue him, it was the same - she just looks like she's not into it.

Anyone else feel this way? Sorry if I'm offending anyone.

I'm a little unsure as to how anyone can have a proper discussion about this with you Bahorel, without risking spoilers for you, and ennui for most of us. You're referring to episodes that are 2 years ago for most of us. Of course, those who never liked Annie/Charlotte can just reiterate what you've just written, in their own fashion.

I was going to suggest that since the episodes you are watching are from almost the same date that this thread started, your first port of call could be page 1, October 2008, and you will see that this topic has been well discussed already. But, if you do decide to do this, be warned that you will encounter spoilers.

The other course of action is that you swap places with me now, thus avoiding huge chunks of Annie, and far worse storylines and acting involving others on the show, than Annie was ever involved with.

That seems like a good deal, for you, to me. All I get is to live in a country with the most amazing coastline and no national debt. :cool:

Hi, thanks so much for your funny reply I didn't realize we were so far behind here, I probably should have. Thanks for not spoiling things for me - although I am tempted to go for the place-swapping! The country might have its upsides, but I'm not sure you'd love the schizofrenic weather

To re-phrase... did Annie's acting ever bother you way back? ;)

[idris]

You think Norway has weather ? (O.K. I've been on the Cairngorms in winter, and was told it's nowhere near as bad a downtown Oslo....)

But the Brits invented weather - just to have something to talk about, until H&A came along.

Anyway: - Annie. Poor Annie, poor Charlotte.

I've been time traveling myself recently (I won't say how in case the 'Yahoos' are reading,) and without, I hope, spoilerising you; here's my opinion: -

I think Charlotte was given a very difficult role to play at too early an age for the way that H&A has been going over the last 3 years. By that, I mean she was asked to play a 'mouse-like' character, whereas it soon became obvious she didn't look like that in reality.

In the episodes you are referring to she was just turned 14. Imagine you're in a scene with your 'best friend' Ruby (15 going on 22) , and / or Irene etc, and you are given few, or no, lines - just asked to give reaction shots. Easy ? Nope ! Add the strange camera angles chosen in many group shots - and it's not just H&A guilty of this - director's favourite gets the mug shot while the viewer gets to see the back of the other character's head, even if they are speaking.... it could well have been Coleen (or Alf ?) in a wig and Annie's dress, for all we know. Or she's just cut out of the group shot alltogether.

Annie/Charlotte was pretty animated when she first appeared in H&A, she was then given no interesting storylines, and was relegated to 'extra' status around the episodes we are discussing. I think it was very inconvenient for H&A that she developed physically so quickly, I think they wanted a 'nerdy' little girl. However, the 'teenage' girls who play the vamps - Ruby and Nicole, were soon being eclipsed by Annie, but the storylines, rightly, couldn't reflect that - because Charlotte was too young.

I can't say anymore , or it's spoiler time for you, but I would say that I'm sure Charlotte would have been much better received 10 - 15 years ago. I'm not sure if it's H&A or the public that has changed most over that period.

O.K. I will say something else - I remember seeing Michael Caine giving a movie acting class once (on TV, not in person,) and he stressed that the camera does all the work in the cinema (the same would apply to TV.) The screen actor is not on a stage, projecting themselves to the back row. The camera can, and should, get right up close to the actor's face. Stage acting isn't like screen acting. I think many soap actors/directors could learn a lesson from Mr. Caine. I'm not saying that Charlotte should be giving master classes in screen acting just yet, but some on H&A could learn not to overact as much as they do.

You keep on adding more and more spice to your food, and pretty soon you can't taste the food.

[jodlebirger]

You think Norway has weather ? (O.K. I've been on the Cairngorms in winter, and was told it's nowhere near as bad a downtown Oslo....)

But the Brits invented weather - just to have something to talk about, until H&A came along.

a bit off topic, but... Oslo is not whole Norway. It is a long country with a lot of various/variable weather conditions... The inland it is very stabile, but we have a very long and rural coastline, and there the weather can be really bad.

As for the character of Annie, I think she always was portrayed as a 13-16 school kid. Well she wasn't one of the "most experienced" but still she was like a lot of girls at that age. Because I do believe that kids at that age aren't sophisticated, experienced and confident. I think that she and Jai were realistic at some time, but they should have done more, talking about scool projects etc.. Because that would have suited their personalities. They were charming at some time. But after a while it was time to develope the characters further, because people do change especially from the age of 13/14 to the age of 16/17. So it was interesting and natural to have Annie to move away from the childish relationship with Jai (but they could have remained friends..), and it is normal for young teenage girls to have a crush on older boys. And romeo was introduced as the girls "romeo".., and he was much more flirty and experienced with girls/love/crushes... And that was normal because he was the oldest one, and he was introduced as a very independent character too. And he had dropped out of school for a while. I think he originally was thought to be older. I can't help thinking that Romeo was a totally different character from the beginning than he is now. and they used Annie to make the change in Romeo "invincible". Because after Annie returned from Japan we was tricked to think that Romeo was an innocent, insecure, very young teen. The whole history about Annie, and also about romeo and Annie as a couple was rewritten. We were manipulated to think that annie was a really "boys' girl"... she was a far cry from the girl we used to know. And I can't help thinking that this was done just as a step to move the teens in an another direction than we have seen the past years. Moving them from being cocky, independent and experienced to be innocent and what parents want their children to be...

I think they have gone too far.

There was no need to destroy the character of Annie... Especially because she really was an innocent character... But we are tricked to think that all the former teens were horrible, sex-fixated characters or murderous villains (they also destroyed Aden because of the same reason), so we can all like the new innocent characters.

I am not saying that there are wrong in innocent teens, but please don't change the characters just to prove a point or become popular along a certain groups of people... I think there should be place for both rebellous and also innocent teens in the show... it makes it more real and watchable (just as we need different types of adults). But there are a big difference between Romeo how he is now and also April.. and how Drew was.. sleeping with his girlfriends mum.. that was really over the top. And as a mother of young teens I wouldn't have been happy about them watching that...

To sum up Annie.. Sad that she was destroyed by the end. I kind of liked that she was different from the other kids, and she was years younger than the others too. And I do think that this character had much more potential, and should have been given more in her last year/year and the half of her stint on the show.

Edited August 27, 2010 by jodlebirger