Carly or Sophie?

[Red Ranger 1]

If you're after a matriarchal character, then I think it's got to be Carly.Sophie tends to be written as a young adult character so I think if she came back she'd quickly become just another character.Carly's more likely to become a stabilising influence since she tends to be portrayed as being pretty together and settled in her 2000s appearances.(I'm especially thinking of her 2001 stint, where she came back to help Sally when she found out she couldn't have children and was very much a substitute Pippa type.)

I've been fairly critical of this sort of idea in the past but if they brought Carly and her family in permanently, I think they should kill Ben off rather than recast, I'd find that less damaging to the character's memory although most viewers probably wouldn't notice either way.That would give Carly the impetus to go back to her old home to rebuild her life and possibly create more openings for storylines.

[alexx]

I think my preference is more leaning towards Carly, as Red Ranger pointed out, she already has that motherly aspect to her that is similar in vein to Pippa and I just really enjoy her presence in the early years episodes.

I've also really enjoyed the way she has developed over time and whilst we might not know as much about her as we have Sophie in more recent years, she is a direct link to the very first year and I think that is a very good thing. I'd like it if she was still stubborn and direct as well as honest and caring, a flawed and real character as she currently is in the early years episodes.

Ideally both Sophie and Carly would return, but I think I'd prefer Carly in Summer Bay House.

[maciam]

I would love if the bring back Sophie..

But if they bring back Carly there would be more reasons for people from the Fletcher family to return to the Bay for visits.

[sindikatas]

I would bring back Carly, because I've enjoyed the type of character she is more than with Sophie.

[Homeandawayfan.]

Carly any day over Sophie. Carly is an original character as well.

[Jezz]

Carly without a doubt is my preferred character over Sophie. I do agree that Sophie is probably more prominent and well-remembered as opposed to Carly but I just find Sophie to be an ungrateful obnoxious brat throughout her time on the show, especially during the Early Years.

Carly on the other hand matured from a troubled teenager into a respectable and loving mother despite the flaws she had along the way. She could also easily return to the show currently and fit into the role that Pippa had for so many years during the late 1980s and 1990s as acting as a motherly figure to her children or potentially other foster children if she went down that route as a character.

[Light of the Bay]

I would like to see Carly again but when is the last time you heard someone mention the Fletcher's or their era?

[sindikatas]

I would like to see Carly again but when is the last time you heard someone mention the Fletcher's or their era?

Last year Sally was in the show and she's a Fletcher, but that's the point in no one else being mentioned that the Fletcher family story ended the day Sally left. Maybe that's what the writer try to tell when they stopped bringing back Fletchers after that. They tried at first with bif Pippa but failed and decided that they'd better not touch that family anymore.

[Red Ranger 1]

I thought the antipathy towards Sophie in the current Early Years episodes was probably behind the resurrection of this thread.Even though I stand by my earlier comments about Carly, I think bringing Sophie back in a supporting role could work extremely well (as Rebekah Elmaloglou's current role on Neighbours shows) and I thought she came across as pretty likable during her 2000s appearances.

[alexx]

I've actually found Sophie a bit bland overall throughout most of these early years. She never stood out to me as a favourite before and now I know why. I do like her, but I've found other characters far more enjoyable to watch such as Blake. And now Shane, Damo etc.

I prefered Sophie during her return visits in the 2000's - she wasnt as 'woe is me' as she is comes across in the 90's. But I'd still prefer Carly return over Sophie by far.