2004 Season Finale

[Red Ranger 1]

I actually think the 2004 finale is kind of the beginning of an era rather than the end of one.It almost feels like the natural order's been restored with Sally taking over Summer Bay House and Ric waiting in the wings as the first troubled teen for the new "Fletchers" to help.Whether you think Sally and Flynn made believable parental figures or not, I think that aspect of the show was handled consistently well and there was a real family feel about the house.

I guess 2005 is the point where the whole psychos and stalkers aspect of the show did get a bit overkill but, as others have said, I think it's Sally's departure in 2008 that possibly marks a shift in the show. Miles was a decent replacement and I actually think the fatherly relationship he had with Jai, Nicole and Melody worked really well.Whatever else you might say about 2010, I think in the latter half of the year there was a real effort to make the caravan park house residents feel like a family.It's a shame it was all wrecked in 2011 when the characters ended up scattered throughout the town and they made a mess of Miles, taking away all the best aspects of the character and leaving him stuck in a relationship with Leah that a lot of fans didn't really want.

I think the way Aden's character went in the latter half of 2008 was symptomatic of the change:Up until then he'd been shaping up to be a decent jerk-with-a-heart-of-gold character with realistic responses from most of the rest of the cast.Unfortunately, he ended up crossing a few too many moral lines without any real reaction from the other characters and it was arguably the start of storylines not being followed through properly.

I don't want to say the show's all rubbish now, it feels at times like there's a lot of characters I don't like but maybe I'm just being hypercritical.The Jett storyline, which a lot of fans cling to as a sign of the show returning to its roots, hasn't been entirely successful but I think that's largely down to Gina being the wrong character to fill that role, as I've always thought she would be.(I thought at one point they should give it to Roo but with the way her character's gone this year, I'm actually finding myself leaning towards Marilyn...)As for the River Boys...I think they made some mistakes in 2011 by taking them too far onto the wrong side of the law so, instead of being the minor nuisance they initially seemed to be, they became hardcore criminals that really did need to receive some sort of comeuppance but never did.I think they've backed off from that angle a bit this year, with the non-Braxton River Boys being used mostly as comic relief or as relatively harmless troublemakers.As for the Braxtons...every now and then I think there's some potential there but they need to stop sticking them in the same stock situations and move them away from the crime storylines.Unfortunately, I get the feeling that those in charge of the show think the moral ambiguity is part of their appeal.

[cadyctslover]

I didn't mean to say that if you don't like what today's episodes are like then just stop watching. I was saying that if you don't like it then instead of constantly complaining and ruining it for those who do like it you should just get over it.

Hmmmm..

If you don't like the show, then don't watch it and stop complaining about it.

Don't you dear try and be little me tellin me to grow up. The nerve of some people disgusts me.

If you remember, you were the one who marched straight into this thread with the wrong attitude. The OP started a discussion about a different era of the show, and compared it with today's theme. You were the one who introduced the attitude and profanity and told everyone who isn't enjoying the show to simply stop watching it. Members of this board are here for the specific reason to talk about Home and Away because they love the show. If we don't agree with the current direction of the show then we can come here and have a civilised conversation with other fans.

That's the idea, not to make personal attacks on members who don't share your opinion.

I actually think the 2004 finale is kind of the beginning of an era rather than the end of one.It almost feels like the natural order's been restored with Sally taking over Summer Bay House and Ric waiting in the wings as the first troubled teen for the new "Fletchers" to help.Whether you think Sally and Flynn made believable parental figures or not, I think that aspect of the show was handled consistently well and there was a real family feel about the house.

I guess 2005 is the point where the whole psychos and stalkers aspect of the show did get a bit overkill but, as others have said, I think it's Sally's departure in 2008 that possibly marks a shift in the show.

Although I wasn't a viewer in 2004/5 I have since watched a fair few episodes from this era, and the drama definitely ramped up after Dan Bennett took over as SP. It was nice to see SBH as a home for foster children again, and to have Sally at the centre of that idea. Although it did become a bit far-fetched and OTT, it still retained some of the original spirit and the departure of Flynn towards the end of 2005/early 2006 is one of my favourite storylines ever.

I'm interested to hear that next year they're going to introduce more foster children to the show and I do hope that some of the warmth returns.

[HomeandAwayFS]

Ok I admit I did come into this with a slightly aggressive state of mind state of mind and if I have offended anyone then I apologize for that but what I won't apologize for is my opinion. I'm not saying that LaMurray123 is wrong, I agree with some of what they are saying but what I found a little frustrating is that despite the last two lines, it was a little to negative. Yes I do think that it has changed a lot but if it hadn't changed then it would have become way to repitive. By 2004 they had covered most topics and done most storylines that didn't involve the stackers and murders. I agree with a previous post that said it was the start of a new era and in my opinion a more exciting era. One that can compete with the dramas that are on only once a week for a few weeks a year such as PTTR and W&L.

I respect everyone's opinion and would never say that they are wrong so I think some people should respect my opinion instead of just trying to shut me down and say I'm wrong.

[Homeandawayfan.]

I think if it wasn't for Neighbours we would not have had H&A. And H&A is on the channel that originally screened the first 170 episodes of Neighbours, Channel 7. I did hear that H&A was set up as a rival to Neighbours.

[j.laur5]

I think if it wasn't for Neighbours we would not have had H&A. And H&A is on the channel that originally screened the first 170 episodes of Neighbours, Channel 7. I did hear that H&A was set up as a rival to Neighbours.

No H&A replaced S&D.

So if S&D had stayed we would not have got H&A.

[Light of the Bay]

I've been watching some early 2010 episodes on YouTube and I had forgotten just how well written and promising that season was. There were some great episodes and Irene, Leah and Alf felt like part of the community. What a shame that 2 years later it's all gone horribly wrong.

[James Martin]

I was under the impression that Seven kicked themselves after losing Neighbours to Ten who made it into not only a domestic success, but also managed to sell it to the BBC and establish a massive UK following.

They could have continued with Sons & Daughters but ultimately it wasn't a massive hit in the UK because it was sold to individual regional stations within the ITV network who showed it in mid-afternoon slots at varying times and paces.

Home & Away was instead sold to the entire network and although there were no simultaneous national transmissions until very late on in the ITV era, it got the same lunchtime premiere/teatime repeat treatment the BBC gave Neighbours, and the whole country at least saw the same episode on the same day.

I'd say the UK market was a big reason S&D was dumped for an entirely new soap. Certainly both programmes rely very heavily - Neighbours especially so - on the UK market.

[j.laur5]

I was under the impression that Seven kicked themselves after losing Neighbours to Ten who made it into not only a domestic success, but also managed to sell it to the BBC and establish a massive UK following.

They could have continued with Sons & Daughters but ultimately it wasn't a massive hit in the UK because it was sold to individual regional stations within the ITV network who showed it in mid-afternoon slots at varying times and paces.

Home & Away was instead sold to the entire network and although there were no simultaneous national transmissions until very late on in the ITV era, it got the same lunchtime premiere/teatime repeat treatment the BBC gave Neighbours, and the whole country at least saw the same episode on the same day.

I'd say the UK market was a big reason S&D was dumped for an entirely new soap. Certainly both programmes rely very heavily - Neighbours especially so - on the UK market.

No S&D was axed to make way for H&A as was in its time slot and after it finish it said H&A starting in new year.

[Homeandawayfan.]

The rivalry between Neighbours and H&A has been immense in the past but in Australia H&A is dominating the ratings it seems whereas Neighbours relies on its overseas audiences a lot.

[alexx]

I think it's a myth overseas that there is a rivalry between H&A and Neighbours - there isn't one. They're just different shows, on at different times and have nothing to do with each other.

I think it probably stems from the earlier years when Neighbours was pushed back to 6.30pm because H&A was out rating it - so I guess there must have been a bit of rivalry at that point, but that was in the very early 90's.