H&A Hits & Misses for 2016 - TV Soap & BTTB

[Dan F]

A few of us on the BTTB team (RR1, Matt and I) recently teamed up with Australian magazine TV Soap to look back at the 'Hits & Misses' of Summer Bay in 2016:

http://www.backtothebay.net/news/2016/12/21/home-and-away-hits-misses/

Obviously such a list is always going to be subjective, and there's no right and wrong answers, but we do believe we've managed to give a general idea of the viewers opinions from over the season (within the constraints of providing them with four hits and four misses anyway )

[CaptainTed84]

5 hours ago, Dan F said:

A few of us on the BTTB team (RR1, Matt and I) recently teamed up with Australian magazine TV Soap to look back at the 'Hits & Misses' of Summer Bay in 2016:

http://www.backtothebay.net/news/2016/12/21/home-and-away-hits-misses/

Obviously such a list is always going to be subjective, and there's no right and wrong answers, but we do believe we've managed to give a general idea of the viewers opinions from over the season (within the constraints of providing them with four hits and four misses anyway )

I completely agree with the misses, and they were big ones as well.

I also thought the Jeanie Woods storyline was a massive miss too, could have had her lasting a little longer with Brody and maybe contributing to the finale

[Luke39]

Just read this, great job. Covers the year In great detail. Agree with all the hits and misses. The Billie Storyline, Olivia Stalker Storyline, and Duncan's home coming storyline. We're definitely positive, and big hits. The misses compleyiy agree with. Charlottes muderer was kinda anti climatic in the end. Overshadowed too much by Kat and her abusuve ex. And finding out Josh did it. When they could of gone with other better choices. Like Oscar. Was a bit stupid. As was them getting to go on the run. Although they were eventually caught. Caravan explosion was a bit mixed I agree. Potential story with Maddie was blown. 

[samdanfan]

How about something for the coming year another shark attack which I believe hasn't been done in along time?

 

[jodlebirger]

18 hours ago, Luke39 said:

Just read this, great job. Covers the year In great detail. Agree with all the hits and misses. The Billie Storyline, Olivia Stalker Storyline, and Duncan's home coming storyline. We're definitely positive, and big hits. The misses compleyiy agree with. Charlottes muderer was kinda anti climatic in the end. Overshadowed too much by Kat and her abusuve ex. And finding out Josh did it. When they could of gone with other better choices. Like Oscar. Was a bit stupid. As was them getting to go on the run. Although they were eventually caught. Caravan explosion was a bit mixed I agree. Potential story with Maddie was blown. 

Going for Oscar as the murderer would have been completely stupid. He wasn't the murderer type at all. Josh was much more like that. We still have some months left of 2016 season here in Norway, but so far I think the year have been bad with some very good moments. 

In the first months of the season I didn't like The Charlotte murder storyline going on so long, and the character of Dylan. 

I don't think the explosion was that bad, but I think that it became too much about Evie and Josh - Josh killing Charlotte. The murder mystery should have been resolved much earlier, maybe only a couple of weeks in 2016 season. And I didn't like them to undo all the hard work they did to make Andy a better person. Really didn't like it, and I have always thought Andy killing Jake was stupid since Jake already was kind of gone. It was like they couldn't let Brax take the blame, so they put it on Andy instead. It felt unrealistic. So bringing up this with Jake was completely stupid. I think Andy could have left Summerbay after the explosion, because it became too tough for him to stay. Sometimes the writers and producers destroy their own storylines by adding too much into them.  And I wish Tank and Skye could have stayed permanently. 

The arrival of the Morgans has been a miss in my opinion. Their nonsense backstory destroys them, and it feels like it has only been created as an excuse to maintain the violence, people coming for revenge - just like the storylines with the Braxtons were. Four siblings are too much. But I think that Mason could have been good on his own. 

I have liked the growing friendship between Roo and Matt. Such a great thing too see. And I like the growing relationship and friendship between Matt and Evie. Some of Evie's grieving process has been good, but it feels like the storyline with Josh took too much space and time, and it became too much like Evie is grieving for the loss of the boyfriend, instead of her brother. And I think they could have worked more on the uncle-niece relationship between Zac and Evie. 

Duncan arrived a short while ago here, and I love the storyline so far! I haven't liked a storyline like this in years. Duncan, Alf and Roo are shining in this storyline. Such a shame that he isn't a permanent. And the recast is perfect!! I think it is believable that Duncan had a fall out with Alf at his own wedding. In earlier years they always had problems with communicating and there used to be a lot of misunderstandings, and Alf sent him away after the car accident/incident with Seb.

 

[Luke39]

3 hours ago, jodlebirger said:

Going for Oscar as the murderer would have been completely stupid. He wasn't the murderer type at all. Josh was much more like that. We still have some months left of 2016 season here in Norway, but so far I think the year have been bad with some very good moments. 

In the first months of the season I didn't like The Charlotte murder storyline going on so long, and the character of Dylan. 

I don't think the explosion was that bad, but I think that it became too much about Evie and Josh - Josh killing Charlotte. The murder mystery should have been resolved much earlier, maybe only a couple of weeks in 2016 season. And I didn't like them to undo all the hard work they did to make Andy a better person. Really didn't like it, and I have always thought Andy killing Jake was stupid since Jake already was kind of gone. It was like they couldn't let Brax take the blame, so they put it on Andy instead. It felt unrealistic. So bringing up this with Jake was completely stupid. I think Andy could have left Summerbay after the explosion, because it became too tough for him to stay. Sometimes the writers and producers destroy their own storylines by adding too much into them.  And I wish Tank and Skye could have stayed permanently. 

The arrival of the Morgans has been a miss in my opinion. Their nonsense backstory destroys them, and it feels like it has only been created as an excuse to maintain the violence, people coming for revenge - just like the storylines with the Braxtons were. Four siblings are too much. But I think that Mason could have been good on his own. 

I have liked the growing friendship between Roo and Matt. Such a great thing too see. And I like the growing relationship and friendship between Matt and Evie. Some of Evie's grieving process has been good, but it feels like the storyline with Josh took too much space and time, and it became too much like Evie is grieving for the loss of the boyfriend, instead of her brother. And I think they could have worked more on the uncle-niece relationship between Zac and Evie. 

Duncan arrived a short while ago here, and I love the storyline so far! I haven't liked a storyline like this in years. Duncan, Alf and Roo are shining in this storyline. Such a shame that he isn't a permanent. And the recast is perfect!! I think it is believable that Duncan had a fall out with Alf at his own wedding. In earlier years they always had problems with communicating and there used to be a lot of misunderstandings, and Alf sent him away after the car accident/incident with Seb.

 

True but Oscar was shown to have a agressive streak if you well. I mean he just lost his girlfriend to his best mate. Found out his sister is dead. So at the time I thought it was feasible that Oscar could of done it. I just thought blind man get's his sight, and Josh doing it. It was anti climatic. And it took too long. They involved Dylan too much with Kat in the whole storyline too. And I agree re Evie and Josh. She should of been grieving about her brother more. In the end of the season, it seemed she was more concerned about Josh having a new girlfriend. Although the shining light of that storyline was of course her growing relationship with Matt. And tbh I diddn't mind the Morgans backstory, I Thought the witness protection was interesting... Although I thought the writing at times, was silly. Like calling a Mole a Rat, I went on Wiki to find out they got that wrong haha. I Thought Justin was written the best end of the year, whole story about his daughter, and leaving her behind, was very good. And I generally like the characters, other then Mason. I agree with you, it was prob just an excuse to maintain that violence aspect again, that is popular with a certain segment of the audience. But it had better balance, then The Braxtons had. You saw Brodie and Tori especially contribute to society, as a Doctor and a Chief. 

I compltely agree with you on Duncan Homecoming Storyline. Storyline of the year for me. Focusing on the older cast, was a bright move. Brought back the history and legacy of the show, the Stewarts to the forefront. I just think Home and Away needs better pacing, balance, and consistency. Lots of improovements though, from the 2012-2014 era. 

[Angelica]

I agree in general with this. I would say with both the caravan explosion and Charlotte's murder - the issue was an amazing storyline potential that was wasted. When Charlotte was murdered, I was gripped - and the fact that everyone had both motive and opportunity was amazing. However, they soon lost momentum on this. Firstly, they cleared too many suspects too early on, so that by the time Josh was revealed as the murderer, it felt anti-climactic. But then I think soaps are generally guilty of poor pacing with murder storylines that last too long, and whose conclusion feels ridiculous (see EE and the who killed Lucy storyline). Secondly, as had been said, too much focus was on the romances - Dylan/Kat and Evie/Josh. 

The caravan explosion was disappointing because all the consequences: - Oscar and Hannah's death, Ricky's hysterectomy, Maddie's amputation, Andy's involvement - none of it really resonated emotionally. It ultimately just felt like a cheap ploy to get rid of a bunch of actors.