Why were so many characters in background in early years?.

[j.laur5]

Floss and Neville-Fun and warm characters but I think anyone can see why they did not last distance. 

Martin and Lance -After there band storyline they pretty much were sidelined for rest of there time. 

Celia-Her character had potential but she was basically used for background things like hamburger stand and taken over selling  Morag house up etc 

Matt Wilson- I think would be better if they married Carly and Ben and not bought in Bens character as Matt character was basically background character.

Nick-Was basically just around to give punishments to Shane in his final months or so.

Finlay -Basically floating in back in her final months like Nick.

 

 

[Golden Sands]

I think when the writers realised the actors were leaving, either by choice or axe, they decided not to focus on them anymore and concentrate on characters they knew were staying around. It could also have been designed so the viewers weren't too disappointed when they left and minimise the impact of their departures. 

 

Matt is the only question mark though as it felt like he spent years doing nothing. A very pointless character. I agree with you too if they had paired him up with Carly it would have been better.

[Homeandawayfan.]

In 1988, after several months, even Tom and Pippa became sidelined while the supporting characters such as the Macklins, Alison Patterson, Phil Matheson, Gary Samuels and Jeff Samuels were elevated to main character status during their short reigns. Pippa really shined though once Tom died of his heart attack in 1990.

[KKB]

I totally agree with you about Matt and Carly I always shipped them. 

I hated how they had so many characters with a main status yet they weren't mains at all just in background (Lance,Floss etc) 

[CaptainHulk]

Floss and Nev weren't inline with Des Monaghan's vision. If one had to go, I'd rather it be Nev, otherwise they were fine

A schemer like Martin was never gonna stay in a small town plus he and Lance had done everything they could do and were visibly out of steam by Q4 1989.

When some people leave others are left often left lost, example Sharon and Des on Neighbours. They were spare parts in 1990. Sharon minus Bronwyn or Nick kind of floundered. Des seemed a bit lost when he sold the house to the Willises and moved into the Surgery flat.

[adam436]

On 02/09/2020 at 04:30, Golden Sands said:

I think when the writers realised the actors were leaving, either by choice or axe, they decided not to focus on them anymore and concentrate on characters they knew were staying around. It could also have been designed so the viewers weren't too disappointed when they left and minimise the impact of their departures. 

That's still something that both H&A and Neighbours do today. Either the character is at the forefront of storylines because it ties in with their exit or they become a background character and get a relatively quiet exit. 

 

On 04/09/2020 at 00:28, CaptainHulk said:

Floss and Nev weren't inline with Des Monaghan's vision. If one had to go, I'd rather it be Nev, otherwise they were fine

A schemer like Martin was never gonna stay in a small town plus he and Lance had done everything they could do and were visibly out of steam by Q4 1989.

  The show seemed to want to focus on less on comedy plots from late 1989 onward. Perhaps that's why characters like Celia, Martin and Lance seemed directionless, because in many ways, they were there for the lighter stories. Celia had some good dramatic stuff too (her tragic past, romance with Nigel), but ultimately she was there either for comedy or as a foil for other characters. The same goes for Floss and Neville, but they left a year or so earlier. 

In terms of Lance, I guess they could have paired him and Marilyn up long-term - had them marry, perhaps have a baby, but I guess they were probably already planning that for Ben and Carly, who were in the same age group. 

 

[CaptainHulk]

10 hours ago, adam436 said:

That's still something that both H&A and Neighbours do today. Either the character is at the forefront of storylines because it ties in with their exit or they become a background character and get a relatively quiet exit. 

 

  The show seemed to want to focus on less on comedy plots from late 1989 onward. Perhaps that's why characters like Celia, Martin and Lance seemed directionless, because in many ways, they were there for the lighter stories. Celia had some good dramatic stuff too (her tragic past, romance with Nigel), but ultimately she was there either for comedy or as a foil for other characters. The same goes for Floss and Neville, but they left a year or so earlier. 

In terms of Lance, I guess they could have paired him and Marilyn up long-term - had them marry, perhaps have a baby, but I guess they were probably already planning that for Ben and Carly, who were in the same age group. 

 

 

True but that was Scotched when Julian and Sharyn threw in the towel and they left in mid-91, though they did have kids off-screen.

 

[adam436]

16 hours ago, CaptainHulk said:

True but that was Scotched when Julian and Sharyn threw in the towel and they left in mid-91, though they did have kids off-screen.

I always thought it wasn't Sharyn's choice to leave? Either way, I assume the long-term plan was probably for them to start a family and perhaps even go down the foster parent route with them too, like they did with Bobby and Sally. 

[CaptainHulk]

Think Julian quit first after less than a year and I think Sharyn followed suit as Carly was now a wife and wanted more than being a waitress.

[j.laur5]

3 hours ago, CaptainHulk said:

Think Julian quit first after less than a year and I think Sharyn followed suit as Carly was now a wife and wanted more than being a waitress.

I would preferred Carly to stayed couple more years and have Lucinda  storylines.