Balance

[cadyctslover]

That's a good point about the cop shop. They said it would have less dominance on storylines after 2009, but I still think we saw too much of the police and that set last year. This year it's even worse.

I do like the RB characters, especially the substitute-father relationship between Brax and Casey, and the way they've learnt to look after each other thanks to their mother. However, I don't like the drama overkill they bring with them, we don't need to see a fight every week. The over-reliance on the police at YC Station, and their superiors is unnecessary. Again they already realised this in 2009.

I have enjoyed every other character and the majority of their storylines this year, for them there has been perfect balance. For the RB's however, we don't see nearly enough of their good sides. They did begin the year trying to show the good side to Brax, Heath and Casey but now it's only about the next drug deal.

An article in the TV Week a few weeks back said that it was risky for the show to be moving so far away from it’s core, especially as the RB won’t be around forever and I have to agree; will those who only watch because of them still watch when they leave? And how many long-term viewers would have turned off by then?

That's interesting, which issue was that? Was it put in the magazine scans section?

EDIT: Found it. I think..

[Jamie!]

There’s definitely an imbalance to Home and Away, especially in the past few months, with screen time, storylines and publicity totally dominated by Charlie and the River Boys; there’s barely a promo that doesn’t feature Chax or the River Boys. It’s like they’re trying to make out that Chax is the most amazing romance ever (with the hatchet job they’ve taken to Charlie, Chux just nauseates me now ) and the River Boys are the most exciting (and only thing worth watching) on the show with the way other characters have been shoved to the background, some barely more than supporting roles lately. The other storylines or lack of storylines given to other characters only seems to make the RB more exciting; John and Gina (two of the more talented actors) haven’t had a decent storyline in ages, Romeo’s business storyline just seems boring against all the gang violence and it’s dragged on for so long and other storylines are just forgotten while they focus on drugs and violence - what happened to that turn Gina had when they thought it was menopause? I thought they may have followed up but it’s gone, as has Bianca’s rape and her abhorrence to drugs; throwing herself at a dangerous drug dealer who gets off on hurting others is hardly the actions of someone who hates what drugs do and I wish the writers would get over this love fest they have with strong, independent, career minded women throwing their self-respect and reputations out the window because they’re not able to resist the lure of drug dealing thugs like Heath and Brax – I don’t believe for one second Charlie and Bianca, who have seen the damage of drugs would even talk to such men, let alone throw themselves at them. It’s all become so shallow and they’ve totally massacred Charlie and are heading down the same route with Bianca

Upcoming spoilers pretty much destroy what was left of Charlie by dragging her down to Brax’s level and Bianca doesn’t come off much better.

The shallow way they had Charlie strutting around in her underwear and sneaking around with Brax was just a way to make it seem like they were this hot, sexy couple and want people to like them so that despite the laws Brax breaks or the way he lies, uses and manipulates Charlie, we don't care and just want the hot, sexy couple together; they're now doing the same with Bianca and Heath – talk about shallow and a great way to ruin characters. Personally, I base my liking of a character on their actions, which is why I will never warm to Brax (a manipulative, lying, abusive bully) and probably not Heath (though he’s easier to like because he seems to do the wrong thing because of stupidity and being bullied by his brother) and thanks to the hatchet job, Charlie has gone from my favourite character to making me turn off.

The other thing I haven’t liked this year is the repeating storylines. I get that with a show that’s been on for so long it’s necessary to repeat storylines, but they shouldn’t be from the same year or involve the same characters. There’s quite a few similarities to 2009, after which it was said there would be less focus on police storylines – that’s all there has been this year, with all the crime and violence courtesy of the RB.

2009/2011

Raped and nearly killed by rapist, then quick to recover from rape – Joey/Bianca

Miles getting a woman pregnant, only she's not happy about it at first

And then when she warms to the idea, she has a miscarriage

- Miles/Kirsty – Miles/Leah

A pointless, drawn out police investigation full of police incompetence that will no doubt end up with those involved getting away with it – YLM Hugo/Brax

A cop involved with criminals – Angelo/Charlie

Police corruption – Angelo/Charlie

Charlie sneaking around with a guy because she’s worried about what people will think – Angelo/Brax.

I suppose just copying and pasting old storylines makes it easier for them to focus on more exciting storylines for the darlings of the show; Charlie and the RB.

I liked the RB and Chax at first but it’s all become about them and it's all just so shallow and ridiculous with what they’re allowing Brax and Heath to get away with and the way that the community which had such a problem when they first arrived in the Bay, don’t really seem all that concerned (with the exception of a few) that Heath and Brax have been linked to drug trafficking, gang violence and other crimes. Leah’s about-face in not being happy Brax was at her house because she thought it was too dangerous to changing her mind after he was stabbed – being stabbed just proved how dangerous it is to associate with him,

especially with Charlie’s shooting and kidnapping

. Joyce’s response to the news that the lead investigator was sleeping with the leader of the gang under investigation was also disappointing, making out it wasn’t that big a deal.

I'm still annoyed that Watson was made to pass it off as he’s hot, it could happen to anyone when she had such a big problem with Charlie and Angelo.

The entire police investigation has been full of holes with so much introduced but then never followed up on and just forgotten; it’s laughable the number of charges that weren’t even filed. The police, especially Charlie, have been portrayed as incompetent fools unable to catch them out, there was no surveillance when they were the main suspects, so many crimes have gone without a result and they seem to lack the ability to put two and two together – Charlie sleeping with a criminal involved in a gang always one step ahead of the police yet no one has wondered why? How about Sgt Blabbermouth. I don't see the point in them doing a police storyline in which the police aren't allowed to use their brains and commonsense, or when the whole thing is just so predictable because we know that Mr I Can Get Away With Everything won’t go to jail for all the major crimes he’s committed. It’s like drug trafficking isn’t that big of a deal and they’ve just been handing lollies out and not drugs that destroy lives. It's really become the RB are wonderful show and we should be praying they get away with all their crimes because they're so hot. Since when is sex, violence, drugs and dangerous criminals what Home and Away is about?

There also doesn’t seem to be much in the way of community these days, with the odd exception. The same characters always seem to be around the same characters each episode and the teens don’t seem to hang out much together; Ruby, like her mum, doesn’t seem to have a life outside of their respective Braxtons – whether they’re together or not.

With the dominance of a few characters, it’s actually becoming harder to watch it (and I do want to watch it, especially Irene’s storyline), but I’m sick to death of having Charlie (or what is left of her character) and the RBs shoved in my face. I can’t even watch the Early Years without seeing them. An article in the TV Week a few weeks back said that it was risky for the show to be moving so far away from it’s core, especially as the RB won’t be around forever and I have to agree; will those who only watch because of them still watch when they leave? And how many long-term viewers would have turned off by then? They definitely need more of a balance, but now that the show has decided Chux are the IT couple and the RB are so hot they can let them do whatever they please and the audience is expected to accept that, then I dread to think of how they will keep the excitement going next year – even more sex, drugs, violence and pathetic behaviour by Charlie and the RB.

Stands and applauds.

[EmyKate68]

I personally find H&A really entertaining at the moment. Of course there are inconsistencies in storylines and things that would never happen in real life but there always has been. My only regrets are that the show has lost any real sense of community in the Bay - most characters never speak or interact with each other. If Alf had even said one word to any of the River Boys I would be more comfortable with their presence and think they would be more embedded in the community. I would love for there to be a town meeting and for a foster family to feature once again.

[Jamie!]

I personally find H&A really entertaining at the moment. Of course there are inconsistencies in storylines and things that would never happen in real life but there always has been. My only regrets are that the show has lost any real sense of community in the Bay - most characters never speak or interact with each other. If Alf had even said one word to any of the River Boys I would be more comfortable with their presence and think they would be more embedded in the community. I would love for there to be a town meeting and for a foster family to feature once again.

I do agree with most of what you have said, but in order for the show to well and truly go back to its roots, they'd need to change what is bad first before adding anything new.

[Ryan]

What I always find frustrating is that without training of any sort, I believe I can come up with storylines or a general theme for a show that would ultimately be a lot stronger than what they are producing, and maybe that's just because they are my ideas and I like to think they are good.

One of my favourite shows from the previous decade was Everwood. Granted not many people watched it, but it was deep rooted family drama. OK, because of the premise it featured quite a lot of medical stuff, though usually with a moralistic message towards it as opposed to a cliffhanger edge. It's because of shows like that and some of the deeper American teenage dramas (though usually the earlier seasons) that I don't believe Home and Away should have a problem utilising their younger cast. Indeed, on occasion it has got it very right, but over recent years they've felt like groups of characters floating about, aimlessly, with no direction. Obviously sometimes the journey may only become clear afterwards, but can you tell me the journey that Jai, Annie went on. Xavier might have went on a journey, but it's been on the M25.

I actually find the current state of the show frustrating, it's annoying me so much, that the spiel I was about to go on would send my blood pressure through the roof were I to continue writing it.

[cadyctslover]

Xavier might have went on a journey, but it's been on the M25.

That's for sure.

[cadyctslover]

Today's UK episode raised another point for me on this subject. The 'community' gathered at Gina's house to try to come up with a way to save SBHigh from closure.

It was a nice if very brief scene, but because none of the RB's were there it showed that they aren't really considered members of the community who would care about such an issue.

Brax has recently lost Tegan and has imminent gang warfare on his mind, so this is probably the least of his worries. However he has always been very passionate about Casey's education, and he only lives next door! In only the previous episode he was pleading with Casey to go back to school. Heath could also have been there with Bianca, as this affects her too.

Although I'm sure it was due to the three-episode rule and I'm all for a bit of relief from the RB characters once in a while, I think it is a real mistake to exclude them from these types of scenes. It creates a feeling of Us and Them within the community and that shouldn't be what this show is about.

[alice93]

Today's UK episode raised another point for me on this subject. The 'community' gathered at Gina's house to try to come up with a way to save SBHigh from closure.

It was a nice if very brief scene, but because none of the RB's were there it showed that they aren't really considered members of the community who would care about such an issue.

Brax has recently lost Tegan and has imminent gang warfare on his mind, so this is probably the least of his worries. However he has always been very passionate about Casey's education, and he only lives next door! In only the previous episode he was pleading with Casey to go back to school. Heath could also have been there with Bianca, as this affects her too.

Although I'm sure it was due to the three-episode rule and I'm all for a bit of relief from the RB characters once in a while, I think it is a real mistake to exclude them from these types of scenes. It creates a feeling of Us and Them within the community and that shouldn't be what this show is about.

I agree. I wish the writers would try harder to intergrate the River Boys more into the community, and have them interact more with the likes of Alf and Leah. In fact, I wish the writers would intergrate the community more as a whole. Even at Irene's fund-raiser, we didn't see half of the characters we should have. I think Brax could have been in that scene, as a local business-man at a local event, at the very least. People would feel much more eased about the River Boys dominating so much screen time, if they could share some of that screen time with characters other than Charlie and Bianca.

I like Brax, Heath and Casey as characters; I think they are all multi-dimensional guys, and have many different sides which could be explored. However, in the past few months, it has all been about their bad side, and them using violence and breaking the law to get what they want. I feel that characters like Cheryl, Darcy and the fact that the Braxton's have an interesting and rather tragic past have not been utilised properly. These could all show a more likeable side to Heath and Brax, but instead it has all been about glorified sex and violence. The writers have just seemingly plucked the two most attractive female characters in the show and stuck them with the two most attractive male characters, completely disregariding the nature of the characters!

I hope they lay off the River Boy related drama for a while, and focus more on the Braxton's as a family and their relationships with people in the bay, as well as having them pay for their crimes in some way or another. And I also hope that other characters (esp. Roo, Dex, April, Irene, Marilyn and Alf) get more screen time and decent storylines.

[Bobby Forever Missed]

as I said in a previous thread regarding this ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!! I remember watching Home and Away with my sister in the late 90s and the only "drama" I can remember is Gypsy arguing with her parents and the whole Robert Perez thing. The current show in my opinion is ludicrous! its like they only care about Chax and/or River Boys and to hell with everyone else, and yes much as I hate to admit it the long term fans as well. This is why I don't watch current Neighbours anymore either they too have ailienated the long term fans in favour of Teens guns drama and breakups (Karl and Susan anyone remember when they were happily married? )

I don't even bother with current H&A anymore either because I know what's going to happen "Chax Chax Riverboys and finally MORE Chax!" its so boring! just out of curiosity is there anyone who has dared write to Carmen Welsh (lol ) and complain?