Kirsty Sutherland Phillips - Christie Hayes

[Slade]

I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to post on this thread.

Kirsty’s always been one of my all time favourite characters. I liked her even before she started going out with Kane. I remember some of the episodes in the past that made me really appreciate the character, especially when she went of the rails. The nightclubs, the drugs, alienating herself from her family, her arguments with Shelly, and the failed relationship with Dillon - the person who they thought at the time was her half brother.

As with the KK discussion, I can understand completely why people don’t like Kirsty. At times she’s been quite selfish, she’s lied and refused to take responsibility for her actions. Most importantly there’s Kane.

Kane aside, it’s ironic because those are the reasons why I like her. I’ve never really been into the characters that are perfect. I much prefer those that are flawed. And it’s her faults which I felt have made her more interesting. Also, I’ve always thought Kirsty was pretty hot and when her and Kane got back together in 2003 I felt they were unstoppable and liked her even more. I think essentially she’s a good person but one of those people that simply does not consider the implications of her actions. And unfortunately she’s always been like this.

In regards to her return I was dead against it. The reason being that when she left in 2005 I thought her time was up. And the episodes she was in just weren’t as good anymore - At least not without the other Sutherlands.

Watching her in 2008 she’s been ok but I feel is a shadow of the character who she was previously and the show has now moved on. I’ve always been highly sceptical in regards to characters that return to the previous roles as history shows that they have been somewhat ruined (Shelly/Chloe/Jesse as examples). And already they are ruining her character as I’ve seen quite a few people who were fans of her before say they no longer like her.

I don’t really like her with Miles as I feel that contradicts everything her character stood for over the last few years. And as I’ve said before there are two things that really bother me:

1. The fact that she’s been able to move on so quickly (weeks rather than months) to another relationship. He was supposed to be the love of her life. The person she gave up her entire family for.

2. There has been no contact and hardly any mention of the Sutherlands since her return. This I feel is very unbelievable. I can’t for one second believe that they haven’t heard of her return and I feel it would be out of character for them to not have tried to get in touch with her as least for the sake of Oliver. Admittedly the actors are unlikely to return but the should have at least had a scene where Kirsty went to the city for a few days.

I just hope they somehow get her back together with Kane and write her out the show before they do anymore damage.

[Pacer]

I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to post on this thread.

Kirsty’s always been one of my all time favourite characters. I liked her even before she started going out with Kane. I remember some of the episodes in the past that made me really appreciate the character, especially when she went of the rails. The nightclubs, the drugs, alienating herself from her family, her arguments with Shelly, and the failed relationship with Dillon - the person who they thought at the time was her half brother.

As with the KK discussion, I can understand completely why people don’t like Kirsty. At times she’s been quite selfish, she’s lied and refused to take responsibility for her actions. Most importantly there’s Kane.

Kane aside, it’s ironic because those are the reasons why I like her. I’ve never really been into the characters that are perfect. I much prefer those that are flawed. And it’s her faults which I felt have made her more interesting. Also, I’ve always thought Kirsty was pretty hot and when her and Kane got back together in 2003 I felt they were unstoppable and liked her even more. I think essentially she’s a good person but one of those people that simply does not consider the implications of her actions. And unfortunately she’s always been like this.

In regards to her return I was dead against it. The reason being that when she left in 2005 I thought her time was up. And the episodes she was in just weren’t as good anymore - At least not without the other Sutherlands.

Watching her in 2008 she’s been ok but I feel is a shadow of the character who she was previously and the show has now moved on. I’ve always been highly sceptical in regards to characters that return to the previous roles as history shows that they have been somewhat ruined (Shelly/Chloe/Jesse as examples). And already they are ruining her character as I’ve seen quite a few people who were fans of her before say they no longer like her.

I don’t really like her with Miles as I feel that contradicts everything her character stood for over the last few years. And as I’ve said before there are two things that really bother me:

1. The fact that she’s been able to move on so quickly (weeks rather than months) to another relationship. He was supposed to be the love of her life. The person she gave up her entire family for.

2. There has been no contact and hardly any mention of the Sutherlands since her return. This I feel is very unbelievable. I can’t for one second believe that they haven’t heard of her return and I feel it would be out of character for them to not have tried to get in touch with her as least for the sake of Oliver. Admittedly the actors are unlikely to return but the should have at least had a scene where Kirsty went to the city for a few days.

I just hope they somehow get her back together with Kane and write her out the show before they do anymore damage.

I agree with most of your sentiments.

Kirsty is one of my all time favourite characters. I stopped watching H&A a few years ago when it got crazy OTT and all my faves left. But I tuned in last year when Sally left and Kirsty returned.

Kirsty was always one of the more believable and realistic teens of the Bay. Feisty and tough yet flawed and vulnerable with a good heart. She was a complex one.

I did prefer her back in the old days, and I do agree that she's lost that 'something'. She's always made stupid decisions (she's of the do before you think kind) however she's turned into quite the dumbass. Oblivious to Kane's indiscretions on the run, she's the most hopeless secretary the school has seen (incl Irene), taking the escort job and not telling Miles, seriously? Also she's become a tad boring. However every now and then the old Kirsty shines through. And I do love her with Ollie (who is just fantastic. He was cast well and IMO the best H&A kidlet ever) and I like her relationship with Miles. I do prefer Kirsty & Kane together but I really don't know how they're going to make that sucessfully work now and her & Miles make a great family unit.

I was very apprehensive at her returning. I also hate what they did to Jesse & Chloe (another one of my all-time faves), they do seem to ruin characters upon returning. But she's back now and although the writers have stupidly missed opportunites for some continuity such as stepsisters Kirsty & Matilda, and Martha with her going through practically the same storyline that occured to Kirsty 3 or 4 years ago (pregnant with a potentially fatal illness, putting off procedures/treatment until having the baby but unfortunately miscarrying) and timing wise it wasn't great (if KK had returned 6 months earlier it would have had a greater impact with more characters that new them i.e. Sally & Dan), it hasn't been all that bad. Yes she's seen better days but I'm hoping that she sticks around and they utilise her better.

Also, if she does stick around - perhaps we'll get to see some Sutherlands and/or Hunters. I'm all for the old gang.

I don't know, they seem to turn all previously great characters horrid these days (especially female ones such as Martha & Belle). But even if she does turn into some useless whiny Diner babe ala Leah, sleeping around the town and cheating on the guys ala Belle, and tragically featuring in practically every single storyline ala Martha, I still don't think I could hate her.

[Slade]

^^I actually think Kirsty should have returned a lot sooner than she did. I don’t think it’s plausible that she remained on the run for so long without being caught considering that Kane was wanted in almost half a dozen states and I can’t believe it has taken three years for them to go to the hospital. Also most of her friends that were there around the time of her departure (such as Flynn, Sally, Beth, Tasha etc) were gone by the time she arrived. I think it would have been better to bring her and Kane back a year to a year and a half after they left. By doing that some of the other Sutherlands would have been more likely to return for guest roles and most of the characters mentioned previously would have still been there.

I have to agree with you about finding Kirsty a bit boring. And my main concern is that she will eventually become like Leah – Criminally underused, simply part of the furniture and playing a support role to some of the other characters. In her heyday Kirsty did have quite a few storylines but to be frank it would appear as though she (like Leah and Irene) has been superseded by some of the others bigger/younger characters.

[I love music]

I have to agree with you about finding Kirsty a bit boring. And my main concern is that she will eventually become like Leah – Criminally underused, simply part of the furniture and playing a support role to some of the other characters. In her heyday Kirsty did have quite a few storylines but to be frank it would appear as though she (like Leah and Irene) has been superseded by some of the others bigger/younger characters.

Agreed, Kirsty has become boring and she irritates me these days. She used to be quite a feisty character but since hooking up with Miles it's like she's aged rapidly and become middle-aged overnight.

[grumble bum]

Hopefully Kane will be able to talk some sense into Kirsty and she will leave Summer Bay and Miles alone. Kirsty has done nothing but lied since she has been back. Miles deserves better,

[adellejefferiesxox]

God, I hate Kane and Kristy, back then and now. I wish they never returned. Sorry people who like them.

[adellejefferiesxox]

Kirsty has done nothing but lied since she has been back.

She's always lied. Keeping secrets from her family. Why on earth would you wanna date the guy who raped your sister. That's disgusting!!

[Claire]

I have to agree with you about finding Kirsty a bit boring. And my main concern is that she will eventually become like Leah – Criminally underused, simply part of the furniture and playing a support role to some of the other characters. In her heyday Kirsty did have quite a few storylines but to be frank it would appear as though she (like Leah and Irene) has been superseded by some of the others bigger/younger characters.

Agreed, Kirsty has become boring and she irritates me these days. She used to be quite a feisty character but since hooking up with Miles it's like she's aged rapidly and become middle-aged overnight.

Wholeheartedly agree that Miles was not good her the character, but also that she damaged his as well.

Miles' his former role as a loveable guy with larger-than-life hair and a laid back and slightly kid-like attitude to life was much better than the role he is playing as Kirsty's other half, where he has lost so much of his likeability. They shouldn't have tied a character like him into a serious relationship like that.

And Kirsty has become worryingly hated in the process, considering how popular she was when she left the show (the rape debate having been dead and buried a number of years ago and I don't see much point in re-hashing that). Miles has brought her down, and tied her into the role of mother-hen. She used to be carefree, spirited and yes, she has always been a bit selfish and has lied to protect herself / her family (I would say this makes her all the more fascinating, none of that holier-than-thou act that many characters are confined to). However, I can't really fathom why that's the reason everyone states for 'hating' her, when other characters have so many more flaws and have hurt more people (the overrated Aden and Belle pairing are hardly saints).

Kirsty was always much more likeable with Kane, perhaps because they were a better match personality-wise. They didn't bring each other down, but complimented one another's character. Whereas Kirsty has been forced to grow up waaay too quickly with Miles, she and Kane were on the same wavelength from the start.

[claire_louise]

Totally agree with everything Claire said. Obviously Kirsty got married and had a child at a very young age and so she was bound to mature more quickly than other girls her age, but I think the writers sometimes forget that she's only 21. Is it really plausible that she's become a mother figure to Jai and Melody when she's only about 5 years older than they are? Even after she and Kane got married and she became pregnant she was still believable as a teenager, but now I feel like they're forcing her into the role of a middle aged woman and it just doesn't sit right. I know it's been said a million times before but Leah would be so much better in that role - both as a partner to Miles and as the 'mum' of Summer Bay house.

[I love music]

Wholeheartedly agree that Miles was not good her the character, but also that she damaged his as well.

Miles' his former role as a loveable guy with larger-than-life hair and a laid back and slightly kid-like attitude to life was much better than the role he is playing as Kirsty's other half, where he has lost so much of his likeability. They shouldn't have tied a character like him into a serious relationship like that.

Kirsty was always much more likeable with Kane, perhaps because they were a better match personality-wise. They didn't bring each other down, but complimented one another's character. Whereas Kirsty has been forced to grow up waaay too quickly with Miles, she and Kane were on the same wavelength from the start.

Yes! Kirsty's character has been badly damaged because they've tried to turn her middle-aged and Miles' character has been totally ruined because he's become boring too in this unbelievable relationship. When he first appeared he was a fascinating, eccentric character and he loses that eccentricity once he's paired with anyone . Boring = short soap shelf life whereas a larger-than-life character stays indefinitely. I'm amazed whoever makes these decisions hasn't figured that out yet.

I think the writers sometimes forget that she's only 21. Is it really plausible that she's become a mother figure to Jai and Melody when she's only about 5 years older than they are? Even after she and Kane got married and she became pregnant she was still believable as a teenager, but now I feel like they're forcing her into the role of a middle aged woman and it just doesn't sit right.

Someone needs to let them know, they seem to imagine she's just hit 40!

ETA: Oops, I forgot, that last sentence might have been a spoiler so I've deleted it. G'nght!

Edited January 20, 2009 by I love music