Why is Lucinda ignored in Home and Away lore?

[beau_t]

I just mentioned Lucinda in another post and ended up looking up some videos and it got me thinking:

Why is the character of Lucinda forgotten about? She is never mentioned in H&A specials, the romance with Nick and love triangle with Ryan was a big storyline but as far as I remember it wasn't even mentioned in the romances dvd. The character was pretty much erased from history after leaving the show, there was never any mention of her from Donald or anyone else in the years to come. Obviously I don't expect her to mentioned in today's show, but it's just funny how she was never mentioned over the years both on and off screen.

I know there are characters in H&A days gone by which are largely forgettable and don't get mentioned much, but I always thought Lucinda was a good character - certainly better than her drab replacement Roxy. And the actress was pretty good too.

Maybe I am not remembering the character properly. My opinion might change when we reach that part of the early years. Do other people think she was just one of many forgettable 20-something characters?

[alexx]

Of course I do remember her but I have to admit, other than watching the odd old episode here and there to refresh my memory, I've pretty much forgotten who she was as a character. Other than her relationship with Nick, I can't think of any thing else. I cant even remember what her relationship was like with Fisher or who she was friends with. I suppose that suggests she was forgettable to me. I do remember liking her though.

[Dan F]

It has certainly always puzzled me as to why she's always been forgotten, same goes with Mary (Lucinda's mother and Don's sister for those who don't know), considering they were relatives of one of the bay's longstanding characters - I can only presume the writers didn't note her down in their little bible and she was genuinely forgotten about (though you'd think someone would have noticed over the years). Even in 1997 when Isobel arrived, Rebecca mentioned that Isobel had 3 grandchildren, but 2 of them (Alan and Bobby) had died. They did remember Lucinda briefly in the 2000 Episodes special VHS where they showed Nick's proposal to her, but then I don't imagine Seven had much to do with the making of the video anyway.

Edit: Whilst I presumed David has since been remembered in some form with Tamara having been to the bay and being Don's great-niece (is it possible Mary could actually also have been mentioned, I don't remember?), it seems he was also forgotten by Rebecca in the above conversation - in total Isobel should have had 5 grandchildren with 3 of them having died. True they were focusing the conversation on the fact that Don had lost 2 children with Isobel having no idea, but I'd have presumed Rebecca would have at least mentioned her cousins....

[beau_t]

Yeah exactly I mean with guest characters, although it is annoying, you can kind of understand them being forgotten about as years go by. But she was a main character who was part of one of the show's original families and she was on the opening credits.

[alexx]

Yeah, I guess if they had continued to keep the memory of her alive, or if Don had pictures up of her about the house over the years, she wouldn't have become so forgotten. It is strange that the writers themselves seemed to forget - particularly as you point out that conversation between Rebecca and Isobel only five or so years after Lucinda departed.

[Blaxland 89]

And its not like Dee Smart disappeared as she was on Water Rats so hard to forget her as an actress.

Its just bad continuity and that's all I am afraid. As much as like the show, its pretty slack at times.

PS, Has she even got a biog on this website?

[ebrett84]

Didn't Dee Smart get in trouble for bagging the story lines during her time on the show (which is why she was written out so quickly)? You'd think people could get over it 20 years later, but...

[Ryan]

And its not like Dee Smart disappeared as she was on Water Rats so hard to forget her as an actress.

Its just bad continuity and that's all I am afraid. As much as like the show, its pretty slack at times.

PS, Has she even got a biog on this website?

She doesn't, but that's not because we're ignoring her as such, it's just the lack of 1991 or 1992 episodes or episode review around. There are some characters that should have biographies as such, but the majority haven't been ignored, it's that we haven't had materials to gain the information from. If TEY continues for another 18 months, you may well see Hadyn, Lucinda etc biographies.

[alexx]

Didn't Dee Smart get in trouble for bagging the story lines during her time on the show (which is why she was written out so quickly)? You'd think people could get over it 20 years later, but...

I'm not sure, I know Lisa lackey (Roxy) seemed quite dismissive of the show and shared her opinion openly at the time. I don't think I've read any negative criticism coming from Dee Smart.

[Red Ranger 1]

I think I've mentioned before that I heard a story that they wrote Lucinda out earlier than planned because of some behind the scenes problem and dumped a big exit storyline with Ryan disrupting her and Nick's wedding, which does seem to fit some of the on screen events but I don't know if it's true or not.She continued to get mentioned throughout the rest of 1992 but seemed to get forgotten about after that. Mary came back in 1993 for Sophie's departure storyline but I don't think she's been mentioned since.Don was acknowledged as Tamara's great-uncle, although he said the family tree was complicated (presumably referring to Bobby being Sophie's adoptive/double-foster sister...making Don Tamara's step-adoptive/foster grandfather?!), and David was obliquely acknowledged when Sophie named her son after him(although we didn't find that out until about two years after the fact).