What went wrong with the 1996-1999 teen gang?

[adam436]

Why don't the 1996-1999 teen gang seem very popular? Is it that they just had big shoes to fill after Jack, Selina, Shannon and Curtis?

 

There seemed to be a high turn-over of teens during that era. I can't exactly remember who was in the same year at the school, but we had: Liam, Casey, Aaron, Justine, Joey, Tegan, Stephanie, Tom and Gypsy.

 

Gypsy, and to an extent Justine and Joey, are fondly remembered, but the rest were really forgettable and short-lived. I started watching Home and Away in 1996, when I was about 7 years old so they were the first teen gang that I remember following through from beginning to end. It might also be a coincidence, but it's one of the few eras that no "superstars" seem to come out of that era either (though I guess Ryan Kwanten did, but Vinne wasn't part of the teen group I am discussing). In fact, most of these actors didn't really continue to act at all apart from the odd guest role. Bree Desborough did Always Greener and Graeme Squires did that cop show with Sally and Flynn (which was over 10 years later and a huge flop!), but that's about it. 

 

IIRC, Hayley, Sam and Mitch were a few years younger (and more popular!) than that group, so I am not talking about that group.

 

[dee123]

I honestly have no memory of Liam, Casey or Aaron.

[Blaxland 89]

I really like all these characetrs. Not so much Liam and Stephanie but the others are great. I think one aspect is that these characeter didn't have those pin up looks that the previous teen group have. Although all beautiful people I think the casting had changed in that they wanted the characters to look a little different and interesting rather simply producing carbon copies of the last group. Certainly more ethnic diversity than there ever was before. And the sad.thing is more than there is now!!! I also think Bree Desborough is one of the finest actors the show has had. 

[Blaxland 89]

1 minute ago, Blaxland 89 said:

I really like all these characetrs. Not so much Liam and Stephanie but the others are great. I think one aspect is that these characeter didn't have those pin up looks that the previous teen group have. Although all beautiful people I think the casting had changed in that they wanted the characters to look a little different and interesting rather simply producing carbon copies of the last group. Also, especially in the uk, around that time magazine such as BIG! or smash hits always did a great job at promoting the young cast. By 96 with a new generation, these magazine's popularities were also diminishing.  These Certainly more ethnic diversity than there ever was before. And the sad.thing is more than there is now!!! I also think Bree Desborough is one of the finest actors the show has had. 

 

[beau_t]

Yes, big shoes to fill from the Shannon/Jack/Selina/Curtis era.

I think the producers/writers expected the same popularity again but without the effort. When the Liam/Stephanie/Joey/Casey group weren't as instantly popular, they were surprised and just wrote them out (apart from Joey), and replaced them with Aaron, Justine and Tiegan. Which is a shame because I thought Casey was good, and Liam wasn't bad.

[Blaxland 89]

44 minutes ago, beau_t said:

Yes, big shoes to fill from the Shannon/Jack/Selina/Curtis era.

I think the producers/writers expected the same popularity again but without the effort. When the Liam/Stephanie/Joey/Casey group weren't as instantly popular, they were surprised and just wrote them out (apart from Joey), and replaced them with Aaron, Justine and Tiegan. Which is a shame because I thought Casey was good, and Liam wasn't bad.

Yes, I thought Casey had the potential to go much further. It would of been nice to see her and Fisher final become found of each other. And to see where her relationship with Aaron would have gone. She would have been a good support to Joey during his scizophrenia. I bet she wouldn't of got on well with Gypsy. 

[CaptainHulk]

Basically, No-one gave a rat's arse about Liam and Steph.

They liked Casey and Joey though. But Casey (stupidly) got the chop and they made her out to be an even bigger bitch than she was before.

So Tiegan, Aaron and Justine were drafted in to fill their void in Year 11 (though I think Tiegan may have been a year down due to her illiteracy)

It was made clear Tom was a Year older than Gypsy early on. 

Joey graduated in '98 around the time he was going through the Schizophrenia (still managed to get enough marks/projection well enough to get into Uni though, but deffered)

 

[Blaxland 89]

Yes but Aaron was in the year above justine I think. In casey and joeys year. 1997 I think had Chloe/Sally in Year 12. Joey/Stephanie/Liam/Casey/Aaron year 11, Justine/ Tiegan year 10. And Sam year 9. I'm sure Sam somehow skipped a year. He never seemed old enough in 1998 to be in the same class as Will and Gypsy. And I'm not sure why Will and Hayley were in the same year. Will didn't seem old enough to to be in Justine/Tiegan and Toms year but too old to be in Sam and Hayleys. In a way sam and hayley should have been a year below gypsy and will. 

[c120701]

I liked Stephanie, but that may have been more to do with Fleur Beaupert who I really liked in Heartbreak High. I seem to think that the broadcast schedule in the UK was quite close so she was almost in both simultaneously. She didn't stay around long enough there either.

[Blaxland 89]

I missed out on all spoilers with what happened to Stephanie. I remember being totally shocked.