Who agrees that the early years are FAR better than today's storyl

[matty]

IMO, there is no comparison.

[codyw1]

I've been saying that since about mid 1990.

[Old H&A Fan]

Here here!!!

The Early Years have been more watchable and a lot easier to follow than the current episodes ever since about 1997! & this still applies today, in 2010 in the age of digital and 7TWO!

[Lulu1978]

I agree.I love the early years of H&A.It was well written,the characters unique and more interesting.I have recently returned to watching the show after a 7-8 year break.It doesn't feel like the same show anymore.I find myself losing interest when some of the characters come on screen.Back in the day,I watched every storyline even ones not including my favorites.I was addicted to the show growing up and never missed an episode.I wish I could feel that way about the show again.

[ajm]

Yep - no two ways abt it - the Early Years were far better. For starters, as above the characters are more interesting, things were resolved quicker, and there was more humour. Even Colleen a couple of years ago was funnier with her mixed metaphors etc - now she just waddles around gossiping and being cranky.

The writers seem to use a 'slow burner' effect in most of the storylines and leaves me wondering if I even care. Needs to climax more quickly (so to speak).

[beau_t]

Completely agree. And I'm not one of those people who always says about everything "Oh it's not as good as it used to be". But watching the Early Years of H&A and comparing them to today's show, it was not only better back then, it was far better.

[alexx]

Yeah I agree, I've felt that way for the past 5/6 years, or at least that's when I really started seeing a big change in the show. Many people on boards have told me in the past that I am probably just looking back threw rose tinted glasses or its time to move on, so I'm glad others are able to back me up now when I say it actually was better then in terms of writing, scripts, characters...etc

It wasn't ever that I was saying I wanted the show to be exactly as it was in the 80's or 90's, I just wanted the same level of quality produced - theoretically you'd assume a really strong character driven show back then would only get better and better and the currant show would be just as good or better, but H&A has slowly drifted and changed direction totally. What I liked about most of the 90's was that it had moved with the times without selling out, it was still warm, still character driven, still emotional and still about a small seaside close knit community which had very strong links to its origins. These days, whilst I really do praise the writers for looking back at the past and referencing or bringing back past characters, it isn't enough just to hear names and see old faces if the writing doesn't do the show justice overall.

Do you think it is because the current writers are all 'fresh' (I have no idea if they are experienced or not, just wondering) - I mean, to me the scripts and plots especially of this year seem to be amateur when compared to the early years or newbies who dont really know what Home and Away is/was - but then the producers surely have a say and Bevan Lee is still credited as someone who appears to oversee the direction of the show..(?) - again I dont know if that is the case now, its just something I'm sure I've read in the recent past. But then again we did get some really strong material with the Gina/Mink storyline and Rabbit and Miles earlier in the year. I'm straying now, guess I'm just trying to figure out why it is the current producers just cant seem to get back the Home and Away momentum the show had until that big change in 2005.

[j.laur5]

Yeah I agree, I've felt that way for the past 5/6 years, or at least that's when I really started seeing a big change in the show. Many people on boards have told me in the past that I am probably just looking back threw rose tinted glasses or its time to move on, so I'm glad others are able to back me up now when I say it actually was better then in terms of writing, scripts, characters...etc

It wasn't ever that I was saying I wanted the show to be exactly as it was in the 80's or 90's, I just wanted the same level of quality produced - theoretically you'd assume a really strong character driven show back then would only get better and better and the currant show would be just as good or better, but H&A has slowly drifted and changed direction totally. What I liked about most of the 90's was that it had moved with the times without selling out, it was still warm, still character driven, still emotional and still about a small seaside close knit community which had very strong links to its origins. These days, whilst I really do praise the writers for looking back at the past and referencing or bringing back past characters, it isn't enough just to hear names and see old faces if the writing doesn't do the show justice overall.

Do you think it is because the current writers are all 'fresh' (I have no idea if they are experienced or not, just wondering) - I mean, to me the scripts and plots especially of this year seem to be amateur when compared to the early years or newbies who dont really know what Home and Away is/was - but then the producers surely have a say and Bevan Lee is still credited as someone who appears to oversee the direction of the show..(?) - again I dont know if that is the case now, its just something I'm sure I've read in the recent past. But then again we did get some really strong material with the Gina/Mink storyline and Rabbit and Miles earlier in the year. I'm straying now, guess I'm just trying to figure out why it is the current producers just cant seem to get back the Home and Away momentum the show had until that big change in 2005.

2005 is the year I liked the best. It had the stalker then the 4000th episode then all the Amanda drama and the start of the best teen group - Ric, Matilda, Cassie, Lucas, Drew, Belle.

[alexx]

^On whole I think 2005 was an interesting year and certainly addictive, lots of drama - but it did signify a change in the show, a major change which at the time came in gradually but come 2006 it was obvious Imo that 2005 had ruined the flow - it became very plot driven and the characters were ignored for the sake of the cliffhanger's. I dont think that teen group were the best, far from it, I feel they all became clones of each other, it came to a point where any one of them could have had each others storylines and it wouldn't be out of character becuase they didn't have any character to distinguish themselves from each other. I didn't like Amanda either, I kinda felt like she dragged the tone down and I found it hard to appreciate what sort of character she was.