Have you seen any improvement over the last few weeks?

[Light of the Bay]

^ I started watching H&A in 2007 but had watched now and again between 2003 and 2004. So I've been watching the show every day on C5 for over 5 years! It has changed every year since 2007 which is a shame as TPTB are seemingly incapable of sticking to a good format. I've got many 90's episodes on DVD and have all of the From Day One Episodes from 5* on my DVR. There are also thousands of 2000-onwards episodes available on YT so I know pretty much everything about the show.

I was watching an episode tonight which involved Darryl Braxton shouting and being his usual grumpy self and it hit me... Home and Away has gradually morphed into a depressing, poisonous and prediactable cop show that is failing. Watching the classic episodes shown over the summer makes you feel relaxed and laid back watching them. It's like you can escape from your own life and delve into the lives of the people who live in a sleepy seaside town. It was so refreshing pre-2005 and it contained drama, characterisation, character development and shared stories amongst the cast. It's just become so different and I hope somone comes in and changes the current format before it's too late.

[cadyctslover]

I've heard that Debra Lawrence who played Pippa Fletch from 1990-1998 doesn't even watch the show anymore cause its to different.

That's interesting. Where did you hear/read that?

As a new fan i probably don't have much credibility to say anything but from what i know about the show, my opinion is that it is too detached from its past but is still very, very interesting. (Except Harvey, he needs to die)

It's good to hear a new opinion of the show, and I expect that if I started watching these days, I would probably think the drama was gripping. I started watching religiously in 2007/8 (also after getting bored of Neighbours!). At the time (and still now) I think that was a really strong period, but even then people were saying "it's not as good as it used to be". In many ways it wasn't, but I feel it was 100x better in 2008 than it is now.

[beau_t]

I started watching religiously in 2007/8 (also after getting bored of Neighbours!). At the time (and still now) I think that was a really strong period, but even then people were saying "it's not as good as it used to be". In many ways it wasn't, but I feel it was 100x better in 2008 than it is now.

Quite a while ago I read through old posts on here and on other forums from 2008 (one my favourite seasons) and actually in 2008 a lot of people were saying "finally, it's as good as it used to be!" And there seemed to be a buzz among viewers and a great deal of excitement that the show was feeling like its old self again. Sadly it was a short lived improvement.

[Dan F]

I've heard that Debra Lawrence who played Pippa Fletch from 1990-1998 doesn't even watch the show anymore cause its to different.

That's interesting. Where did you hear/read that?

http://www.backtothebay.net/interviews/debralawrance.shtml

[alexx]

I think people started to notice that the show was really beginning to change in 2005, but it wasn't until 2006 that it was obvious that the direction and writing had completely changed and 'Summer Bay' had really altered. That's when we were noticing that the show was no longer character based but had become very plot focused. Summer Bay had lost its 'small seaside town' feeling and was becoming obsessed with cops and life/death situations (that lead to nothing and didn't have any long lasting ramifications for the characters). The hospital and police set were pretty much permanent fixtures, it seemed like half of the characters was 'rushed' to hospital for emergency surgery at some point during that period, as much as the other half arrested or involved in a cop car chase through the bush - and then it was back to 'normal' within an episode or two. It became hard to believe in what was happening and I just kept on seeing them all as actors.

I think during 2005 so much was happening and it was all so dramatic, all of the time, that a lot of viewers were swept up in it and, I completely admit to being quite addicted to it during that year (probably because it was an unexpected change and we had just had a strong 6/8 months the year before - 2004). But it became very tiresome. Come 2006 it felt like the only characters that were still given character focused scripts and storylines (and made it feel like Home and Away) were Sally and Flynn and maybe a couple of others like Alf and perhaps Barry (but to be honest I cant remember Alf doing anything during this time).

Everyone else seemed to just morph into the same personality and there was nothing to distinguish one from the other. No one had personal character traits (that were consistent) other than Colleen I suppose, who had become quite one dimensional and daft (albeit funny a lot of the time). Irene suffered terribly (and she's never recovered, not even during 2008/Bevan Lee's stint Imo). Irene, did have a great storyline when she was poisoned. But the aftermath was ridiculous - I.e there was no aftermath. One minute she was in need of psychiatric help, then a couple of episodes later (Irene off screen during those episodes) she was in the diner serving coffee as if it hadn't ever happened, and it was never referred to ever again as far as I can remember. The storyline also shifted its focus onto Martha, instead of seeing how Irene was dealing with life after such an ordeal.

2007, the beginning, I hoped that with Dan Bennet leaving, the show would go back to being character focused and community based. But it didn't really happen. Again, other than Sally, I'd say only a few people like Beth during her last week or so and Ric during the Rocco/Johnny stuff, were given character focused scripts and storylines. I think the saving grace for me throughout 2005-2007 was Sally. Like I said, she was mostly true to character and seemed to be written from her point of view, how she would react in certain situations, how she would cope going on what we knew of her and how she had grown over the years etc. She was the only character they seemed to keep consistent during those years.

I just think that Dan Bennet's massive shake up really screwed up the flow and every producer after him seems to have just continued on from that 're-birth' in 2005 and so it lost its 'identity' and original charm. As Beau_t said, in 2008 with Bevan Lee's return, the show actually did feel like it had suddenly gone back to being H&A and it proved that those saying 'it has to move with the times' didn't understand what a lot of fans were complaining about. That 08 period felt like Home and Away, but it was a modern take (what I wanted). When Bevan Lee left, I still think the show was quite strong, pretty much until the last 6 or so weeks when it started to wind down and creep into the 2009 era which I was mostly disappointed with.

Giving each year a 'theme' was a terrible idea that came about during this 05-2011 period too.

It also didn't help that Summer Bay House and Caravan Park exteriors had completely disappeared. Of course this was not the fault of any of the producers, but it had been a few years since the original had burnt down (in the real bushfire) and they could and should have rebuilt an identical replica. I don't think they realise just how important that set is/was in helping to create 'Summer Bay' and keeping continuity up.

[Blaxland 89]

I think people started to notice that the show was really beginning to change in 2005, but it wasn't until 2006 that it was obvious that the direction and writing had completely changed and 'Summer Bay' had really altered. That's when we were noticing that the show was no longer character based but had become very plot focused. Summer Bay had lost its 'small seaside town' feeling and was becoming obsessed with cops and life/death situations (that lead to nothing and didn't have any long lasting ramifications for the characters). The hospital and police set were pretty much permanent fixtures, it seemed like every character was 'rushed' to hospital for emergency surgery at some point during that period, as much as the other half arrested or involved in a cop car chase through the bush - and then it was back to 'normal' within an episode or two. It became hard to believe in what was happening and I just kept on seeing them all as actors.

I think during 2005 so much was happening and it was all so dramatic, all of the time, that a lot of viewers were swept up in it and, I completely admit to being quite addicted to it during that year (probably because it was an unexpected change and we had just had a strong 6/8 months the year before - 2004). But it became very tiresome. Come 2006 it felt like the only characters that were still given character focused scripts and storylines (and made it feel like Home and Away) were Sally and Flynn and maybe a couple of others like Alf and perhaps Barry (but to be honest I cant remember Alf doing anything during this time).

Everyone else seemed to just morph into the same personality and there was nothing to distinguish one from the other. No one had personal character traits (that were consistent) other than Colleen I suppose, who had become quite one dimensional and daft (albeit funny a lot of the time). Irene suffered terribly (and she's never recovered, not even during 2008/Bevan Lee's stint Imo). Irene, did have a great storyline when she was poisoned. But the aftermath was ridiculous - I.e there was no aftermath. One minute she was in need of psychiatric help, then a couple of episodes later (Irene off screen during those episodes) she was in the diner serving coffee as if it hadn't ever happened, and it was never referred to ever again as far as I can remember. The storyline also shifted its focus onto Martha, instead of seeing how Irene was dealing with life after such an ordeal.

2007, the beginning, I hoped that with Dan Bennet leaving, the show would go back to being character focused and community based. But it didn't really happen. Again, other than Sally, I'd say only a few people like Beth during her last week or so and Ric during the Rocco/Johnny stuff, were given character focused scripts and storylines. I think the saving grace for me throughout 2005-2007 was Sally. Like I said, they were always true to character and seemed to be written from her point of view, how she would react in certain situations, how she would cope going on what we knew of her and how she had grown over the years etc. She was the only character they seemed to keep consistent during those years.

I just think that Dan Bennet's massive shake up really screwed up the flow and every producer after him seems to have just continued on from that 're-birth' in 2005 and so it lost its 'identity' and original charm. As Beau_t said, in 2008 with Bevan Lee's return, the show actually did feel like it had suddenly gone back to being H&A and it proved that those saying 'it has to move with the times' didn't understand what a lot of fans were complaining about. That 08 period felt like Home and Away, but it was a modern take (what I wanted). When Bevan Lee left, I still think the show was quite strong, pretty much until the last 6 or so weeks when it started to wind down and creep into the 2009 era which I was mostly disappointed with.

Giving each year a 'theme' was a terrible idea that came about during this 05-2011 period too.

It also didn't help that Summer Bay House and Caravan Park exteriors had completely disappeared. Of course this was not the fault of any of the producers, but it had been a few years since the original had burnt down (in the real bushfire) and they could and should have rebuilt an identical replica. I don't think they realise just how important that set is/was in helping to create 'Summer Bay' and keeping continuity up.

Well said

[rachel1990]

I wish the current producers would watch the 7two repeats themselves and see H/A as it used to be. The producers now want to turn the series into an amercian drama series which is terrible.

[Light of the Bay]

Okay, I really don't know what to say but for me personally, I feel that H&A has become very shallow recently. The writers seem to think lust, disaster and misery makes interesting viewing and that it will bring in the ratings. It doesn't.

I notice that ratings have fallen quite a bit this year but there has been no change in the format. I just don't see why they (TPTB) could at least try and cater for long term fans who want to see characters and storyline with depth but also try and appeal to a new generation of fans who watch to see the likes of the River Boys. It surely can't be that difficult. I feel that I could do a better job than they are. I'm just tired of seeing the likes of Alf, Irene and Leah being completely ignored and while they do occassionally get a small story, they are treated as extras. On the forum I often see people praising the show and even today everyone was saying

how emotional the Rocco episode was. I've now watched it and while it was sad, there wasn't really any impact. There was absolutely no build up and his death just didn't stir me emotionally in any way. I just watched Baby Dale's cot death episode on YouTube and it was SO much more emotional and the impact was astounding. That's how it should've been done.

On the show they seem to opt for all the doom and gloom story lines but there is just never any build up or convincing aftermath which just leaves people feeling underwhelmed.

[alexx]

I'm all for high drama as well as comedy and lighthearted storylines - but if the high drama isn't written truthfully or with a specific emphasis on a character driven response, it is very difficult to watch or believe in.

[James Martin]

The episode you speak of was slated on Facebook though. This is the issue. Seven think the Facebook lot represent everyone and therefore think "Let's have more River Boys with their shirts off" and the truth couldn't be further away.