Marilyn Chambers - Emily Symons

[Skylover]

I have to say that bringing Marilyn back smacks a bit of desperation, as if someone's acknowledged that they can't come up with any decent characters themselves and the best they can hope for is bringing back an old favourite.

No offence but that's just stupid IMO. Soaps have brought back old favourites all the time, not always out of desperation but because they have links with the show's history and are very popular. If it wasn't for Marilyn, I would seriously be considering tuning out right now. Why wouldn't the producers want Emily Symons on the show, who is a brilliant actress, and her character lights up the screen every time?

Plus H&A is serverely lacking in long-standing characters. To ensure its survival on telvision, in the UK at least, where the traditional soap format is much loved, it's very important to acknowledge the past. It's exactly what is needed to revitalise the show atm, and the effects are already being seen onscreen.

[ter06]

It's interesting that I was actually thinking that Marilyn was always a younger, better-looking version of Colleen:Somewhat narrow-minded and indiscreet, usually being the one to say what everyone else was too polite to, but also occasionally profound and usually well-meaning so everyone kind of loved her in spite of her faults.I don't want her to get together with Miles but it does seem slightly inevitable. I'm trying to keep an open mind because they might do it and it turns out very well, much as it did with Kirsty in my opinion.I actually like Miles a whole lot more than Marilyn which is another reason I'm not too keen on the idea.

I have to say that bringing Marilyn back smacks a bit of desperation, as if someone's acknowledged that they can't come up with any decent characters themselves and the best they can hope for is bringing back an old favourite.And having her open up a salon in a hitherto-unseen spare room in the Diner really would reinforce the "It's like 1996 never ended" feeling.Thinking about it, I'd quite like to see her working in Noah's with Alf and bring back the repartee they had when they ran the store together, that'd probably suit her best.

I have to disagree that it "smacks a bit of desperation". What makes H&A stand out from all the other soaps and makes it a little bit more realistic is that the show always refers to its past and brings back past characters. Every time we have a major wedding, funeral etc you can be almost guaranteed that someone will return and it makes it all the more believeable. I am impressed at the consistency in Marilyn despite a 10 year absense and major things from her past have been touched on within her first three episodes. She is being brought back at a time where there is a very high cast turnover and it is nice to have someoen familiar mixed in with a lot of new faces. And as H&A only has 4 people in its cast that have done more than ten years I reckon Marilyn is a fantastic addition to the cast and will appeal to both older and younger viewers.

[gazzalovesu]

I kinda get the feeling that Marilyn is dying for some reason

[alexx]

^I fear that too - but I'm trying to ignore it because it may not be the case - I dont see the point in bringing back such a well loved character to kill her off, it would be absolutely pointless and annoying. But like I said, theres no point thinking about it if it isn't happening...

[j.laur5]

^I fear that too - but I'm trying to ignore it because it may not be the case - I dont see the point in bringing back such a well loved character to kill her off, it would be absolutely pointless and annoying. But like I said, theres no point thinking about it if it isn't happening...

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

Edited March 25, 2010 by john003au

[gazzalovesu]

^I fear that too - but I'm trying to ignore it because it may not be the case - I dont see the point in bringing back such a well loved character to kill her off, it would be absolutely pointless and annoying. But like I said, theres no point thinking about it if it isn't happening...

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

For a Year anyway

All of the things she says sounds like she is dying

But i hope she isnt because i love her

Edited March 25, 2010 by gazzalovesu

[Red Ranger 1]

I have to say that bringing Marilyn back smacks a bit of desperation, as if someone's acknowledged that they can't come up with any decent characters themselves and the best they can hope for is bringing back an old favourite.

No offence but that's just stupid IMO. Soaps have brought back old favourites all the time, not always out of desperation but because they have links with the show's history and are very popular. If it wasn't for Marilyn, I would seriously be considering tuning out right now. Why wouldn't the producers want Emily Symons on the show, who is a brilliant actress, and her character lights up the screen every time?

Plus H&A is serverely lacking in long-standing characters. To ensure its survival on telvision, in the UK at least, where the traditional soap format is much loved, it's very important to acknowledge the past. It's exactly what is needed to revitalise the show atm, and the effects are already being seen onscreen.

Hate to say this but I think you've just proved my point.You say that if Marilyn wasn't on the show you wouldn't be watching.And quite possibly a lot of other viewers feel the same way, that there aren't any characters on the show worth watching anymore.Frankly, bringing back old characters often stinks of desperation, including in UK soaps(*cough*DeadEnders*), especially in this case when Marilyn doesn't have any link to the town at all except that she used to be close to Alf and Irene and spoke to Colleen a couple of times, it's not as though she has family there or anything.Acknowledging the past is one thing but trying to recapture it because the present isn't all that good is another thing entirely.

[Mistified]

^ I think Marilyn's return is realistic. It ties in with all that Alf has always said about the Bay, and Sally too when she was leaving, that the Bay is always home and that it spellbinds people. Marilyn explained too that she felt drawn back to it.

[alexx]

^ I think Marilyn's return is realistic. It ties in with all that Alf has always said about the Bay, and Sally too when she was leaving, that the Bay is always home and that it spellbinds people. Marilyn explained too that she felt drawn back to it.

Exactly, and this is perfectly in keeping with the character. She's run away and left a number of times, but always returned because she felt she belonged in Summer Bay, I think that's a good enough reason as any. Many people who leave a town they loved or lived for a long period of their life, return or feel connected to that town because it feels safe and they know it. I dont live with my parents anymore so live 1 hour away from the town I grew up in, but I miss it and would like to live there again if only I wasn't kept away due to work commitments. In terms of writing, H&A came up with Marilyn, they and Emily produced her and she was one of the most popular characters the show ever produced, I think its only logical they would want to hold on to their most popular cast whether they are part of the past or not...it just makes writing sense. I dont think they brought her back to recapture the past, they just acknowledged what a terrific and one off character she is and what she does for the show.

Edited March 26, 2010 by alexx

[-Kevin-]

bringing back old characters often stinks of desperation, including in UK soaps(*cough*DeadEnders.

I think you will find that EastEnders isn't desperate seeing as it is the most watched soap on UK tv

and anyway I do think Marilyn has been brought back to boost flagging figuresand besides the bay has been lacking some history for quite a while with barely no old faces living around the bay. At least Marilyn is linking the shows present to its past - something which has always been a big part of H&A - for me anyway.