The Mudslide

[adam436]

What did everyone think of the mudslide storyline? I reading at the time it was the most expensive "stunt" Home and Away had ever done (no doubt surpassed in more recent times!), and as a 12 year old, I remember it being dramatic and having to wait 2 weeks to find out who died, as it was the pre-spoiler days. 

 

The build up was good, but I think it fell flat really quickly and was very anti-climatic. We had four regular characters trapped inside and a number of regulars among the rescue team, yet it was a forgettable guest character who died and was quickly forgotten. I remember at the time thinking that Ailsa was going to die, as we knew Judy Nunn was leaving and it made sense to go all out for her exit, being one of the original cast members. 

 

It was also Kirsty who knew where to find them through her telepathic twin link, despite her and Jade not really being twins

 

 

[j.laur5]

So was Ailsa originally going to die then but Judy decided to hold off for other few more months?. 

[Sally Keating]

On 15/04/2019 at 09:14, adam436 said:

 I remember at the time thinking that Ailsa was going to die, as we knew Judy Nunn was leaving and it made sense to go all out for her exit, being one of the original cast members.

Oh that's right. Didn't they break the news that Judy had quit shortly before the mudslide aired in a deliberate publicity stunt?

[KKB]

This storyline was memorable one for me as Joel Nash was one of my faves. 

[adam436]

On 21/04/2019 at 15:09, KKB said:

This storyline was memorable one for me as Joel Nash was one of my faves. 

I think Joel's subsequent exit and the Stewarts new residence were the only long-term impacts of the story. Everything else was forgotten within an episode or two, so it felt like it was all for nothing, given it was supposedly the most expensive stunt H&A had done at that point. 

I guess you could argue that about most "stunts" though, but I remember as a 12 year old being really excited and on the edge-of-my-seat, only to be disappointed when it all fell flat in the first few minutes. 

[c120701]

On 05/05/2019 at 21:29, adam436 said:

I think Joel's subsequent exit and the Stewarts new residence were the only long-term impacts of the story. Everything else was forgotten within an episode or two, so it felt like it was all for nothing, given it was supposedly the most expensive stunt H&A had done at that point. 

I guess you could argue that about most "stunts" though, but I remember as a 12 year old being really excited and on the edge-of-my-seat, only to be disappointed when it all fell flat in the first few minutes. 

It’s a shame as Home and Away had really pulled off some great stunts before that with long-lasting effects. Tom, Bobby and Michael’s deaths for example.

[cymbaline]

I haven't seen it for a while (so my memory may be fooling me) but I thought the bush fire started by Jack was well done. Not just the fire itself but the aftermath. Donald losing his precious photos of Bobby, Jack realising what he'd done.. 

[Sally Keating]

On 08/05/2019 at 20:20, cymbaline said:

I haven't seen it for a while (so my memory may be fooling me) but I thought the bush fire started by Jack was well done. Not just the fire itself but the aftermath. Donald losing his precious photos of Bobby, Jack realising what he'd done.. 

I agree with this. The fire itself only lasted one episode. But the effects were felt for a long time (by soap standards)... what with Mud’s burnt body being found in the bush, which brought Damien back and gave Irene and Selina a good story, the strained relationship between Fisher and Jack, Sally and Jack (because of Nelson’s injuries), and Jack struggling to make amends etc... 

Its the opposite these days. They’ll have a week-long “event” like that “The Great Storm” nonsense. Full of stunts and cliffhangers. But then it all blows over and viewers barely remember it shortly afterwards.

What I liked about the bushfire was that for a long time after, whenever there were scenes in the bush land, they filmed in places that had been burned, so it still felt realistic.