Light of the Bay Posted March 7, 2013 Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 I agree to a certain extent John. The older cast are being used a little more but no much. Alf occasionally interacts with younger cast every few weeks but in between that time he does NOTHING else. It's a shame that these talented actors (Lynne McGraner, Ray Meagher & Emily Symons) have seen their characters be reduced to people who dish out random advice to characters they have no proper or believable connections with. My bigger gripe is that so far in 2013, Maz Alf and Irene have had no storylines of their own so far. Though Lynne McGranger has been saying on Twitter that she's expecting great things for Irene this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted March 7, 2013 Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 I can see your point Light of the Bay but I wonder whether characters like Alf, Irene, Colleen etc are able to be sustained in the longer term by mainly being there to interract with the younger cast who tend to be much more transitory. Irene has had some quite big storylines over the last few years, so has Marilyn. Alf was "away"for an extended period last year. I think the problem with making big storylines for the older cast much more frequent is that once again we would end up with "two shows running in parallel" with little interraction between the older and younger casts like we had up till a few months ago. I didn't like that. At the moment I think the balance is closer to what I'd like to see that it has been for some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Light of the Bay Posted March 7, 2013 Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 What I don't like is that once Irene has a storyline she immediately falls into the background once it reaches a conclusion and we rarely see her. I agree with your point about balance. I'd rather we saw her have her own 'small' storylines in some episodes and then interacting with other characters in other episodes. I'd like to see her have a friend arrive in the Bay - she needs some laughs. Alf hasn't had a proper storyline since Marilyn's return in 2010 - all he does right now is sit in Summer Bay House and complain to Harvey & Roo. These characters are iconic and deserve some great storylines that promote character development. While they don't have a storyline of their own they should have sub-plots to keep them busy and have them at the forefront of the show. But that takes effort and I don't think in recent years the writers have been up to the task of devloping the older cast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted March 7, 2013 Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 I think much more thought has been given to the use of the older cast in recent times and I've been happier with that. I think that we go through phases with writers. I complained bitterly some time ago that they weren't able to sustain an ongoing relationship either with younger or older couples and explore the day to day difficulties in sustaining those relationships. This lead to a tedious repetition of "making up breaking up" storylines. I feel we are in a better place at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexx Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 I think out of the older character (as in age) John and Gina are the better written. Perhaps this is because they were both introduced into the show by those who work on the show today, whereas characters like Alf, Irene etc. the current producers don't seem to understand their personality or point. At the moment I just want them to utilise the characters better. Give them an actual purpose and reason to be in the show. At the moment Irene is completely pointless. Just giving Alf and Irene random scenes with the younger characters is also pointless and actually quite boring Imo if there isn't any weight behind it. Let's give them meaningful relationships with other characters, build on those relationships and create realistic bonds. There was a huge missed opportunity there with Tamara and Irene recently. Where was the development? Compare it to when Chloe, Joey, Selina, Will, Hayley, Nick were invited to stay with her - there was so much more to it than 'I have a spare room, stay here and that will be the end of it'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Light of the Bay Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 There was a huge missed opportunity there with Tamara and Irene recently. Where was the development? Compare it to when Chloe, Joey, Selina, Will, Hayley, Nick were invited to stay with her - there was so much more to it than 'I have a spare room, stay here and that will be the end of it'. I mentioned this in the Australia forum earlier this week - it was indeed a missed opportunity. I wanted to see some scenes with Irene and Tamara chatting and bonding. Those everyday scenes from pre-2005 really were lovely simple scenes and it made H&A feel more 'real'. We didn't even see Tamara move her stuff into Irene's and look at her new room. I just don't understand the way the writers/producers think - they have removed all of these everyday scenes that helped shape the show. It's like its soul has been stripped away and we're now left with a plot-driven show with a cast of characters who have no depth or substance to them. This is purely my opinion of course. I'm also a little surprised that Lynne or Ray haven't had a word to TPTB about it - but maybe they have?! Anyway I'm just hoping that we get a new producer and SP who understand how H&A used to work and make the characters meaningful and human again - it isn't hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maciam Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 * Where did the lifeguards of Summer Bay go, and all their competitions? * I would like another family kind of like how the Hunter/Sutherland were.. really miss them, they had 2 families put together, and also a nephew of the dad in family. * Would like to see actual twins as reguar cast, maybe with some mixups in the beginning.. * I Would like to see Irene back working at the school again. * Would like to see a family with a disabled/ deaf kid or something that isn't pushed out of the Bay like Brendan were. Miss him. Liked him with Xavier, they had a great bond between them. * Want to see family members visiting their families/relatives much more often, now they are completely forgotten..Like they never existed. * Less crimes, and criminals getting away with everything. * More happy, and lighter storylines. * Want to see the characters in the rooms in their homes like in the old days.. Most of them doesen't seems to have their own space anymore. * More schools stuff. And a pricipal that reminds us of Flathead. That really cares for their students.. * More guests at the caravan park, and maybe more life around the caravans like in the 80's. * Full families - maybe a big one coming. * Fitzy & (Charlie's police partner , can't remember her name) back on the force.. * A new drop- in centre for all the kids popping up in the Bay without any parents.. * A shop, kind of like the one Ailsa used to run.. where do they shop their groceries in the Bay these days? * Instead of crimes and bad stuff happening in the Bay, give the characters hobbies. * Real surfers on the beach. * Kids beeing born in the Bay, and actually growing up there without moving/dying or anything like that. Like VJ. * Kids different ages. Want VJ, Lily, Darcy as regulars. * Want stuff like Marilyn's phycic ability to be there all the time, and not just every now and then. Even when good stuff happens. * Bay residents out on the water, they Bay has an amazing view, what a waste.. * Maybe a proper gay storyline, to bad they didn't do it with Chris. We only got a glimpse of it. Wish he came back as main character. He belongs in the Bay. * Pippa & Jesse Back! Also Tasha and Robbie with Ella. Just a few ideas.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeGirly Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 My perfect H&A in its 25th year would be..... Alf and Irene as a couple Maz definitely needs a man. She`s been single far too long in my opinion. More pets on the show. There are miles of beautiful beaches...a perfect setting for a pet dog. And as a animal lover, I`d like to see a vets office or animal sanctuary open up in Summer Bay. A few hunky vets wouldn`t go amiss either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexx Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 ^Every so often people suggest putting Alf and Irene together and I always wonder why? Do you think they have some sort of romantic chemistry going on? I can't see it, to me it would just be really awkward and they would constantly be clashing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Light of the Bay Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 I don't see it either alexx. They are great friends though - we used to get scenes with Alf popping over to Irene's for a chat or vice versa but not anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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