Home and Away

[ste]

I suppose the use of that random aboriginal guy was a bit weird. Remember though, it *was* ailsa who was showing him around. The strange guy was only used as a disguise for Alf for when Alf had to be seen by the other characters - because he couldn't be seen for who he really was.

[nenehcherry2]

I have been a fan of home and away pretty much all my life (if thats possible). Im now almost 18 and began seriously watching (or should i say understanding what was going on) around late 91 (UK dates) - and remember bobby's miscarriage (i was 4 n thought she had literally lost the baby apparently! Lol.) I caught up on the bits I had missed via living and old classic tapes. I have also ordered old inside soap n TV week (aussie magazine) from ebay n UK collectibles - I am a bit of a GOOF - not cool but hey im also obsessed with old hardcore n jungle vinyl too (goin to helter skelter 2005 nxt week!!!). My fave era, however, was 1988 - 94 and my favourite character (and actress) is Bobby - Nicolle Dickson.

The late 80's / early 90's was the era of third-wave feminism and, to me, Bobby was an important element of that (h and a was one of the highest-rating shows in the UK at the time, unlike today). She was so different to any female character we had experienced in a british soap opera. This was the era of Michelle Fowler (eastenders), Tracey Corkhill (brookside) n daphne (neighbours) but Bobby was diffferent to them all. She was young, a product of a dodgy background and didn't give a ****. I do feel that from her pregnancy onwards she was grown up a wee bit n took on the 'big sister' role (to the likes of Fin, Sally, Tug and Sarah) n i didnt like Greg n Sam much neither. She was individual n random like me so a like her lol. I cannot imagine a 2005 Bobby though.....

I agree with the earlier comment about Ailsa -she was definately made posher - around the same time Bobby was grown up id say (when she took Blake n Karen in she became all maternal - i dont think she was with emma). In the pilot episode she was earthy, fun-loving and very confident. By ep 976 (Meg's death) she was nervous, toooo loyal to Alf n prim n proper.

[ste]

Glad I'm not the only one who noticed that about Ailsa

I also agree with you about Bobby... I think they aged her rapidly. If she was 16 when the show started then she must have only been 21 when she died (god, that can't be right? ) but she seemed more like she was about 26 or something.

I think the relationship between Bobby and Ailsa was very unique... it wasn't mother/daughter at all. They were just really best friends, stood up for and protected each other, and also bickered a lot, which was cool considering the age difference. I don't think there's been anything like that since.

Looking back I don't think Greg really brought anything to the show or the character of Bobby.. he was a bit blah really. At the time I was too young to care or notice though.

As for a 2005 Bobby... I don't know. I think Kit was very close to being the next Bobby had they not written her out. Before that, Casey also reminded me a lot of Bobby.

You should post more often, btw

[joey-lee]

I loved the idea of ‘aboriginal Alf’ showing him around, it felt very Australian and is/was different for the time i.e. how things have changed within the Australian television industry. But I would equally have LOVED for Bobby and Ailsa to show him around, it would be very surreal and bizarre, but it was that anyay…in a great way…

Your comments were great; it reminded me of this forum a couple of years ago. I was about to post something very similar – especially about how impossible I feel it is to relate to the characters of present or even care for most of them but most of all, even believe they have actually, as a character, been through a storyline just episode earlier.

Although I have been very pleased with this year (amongst other things) and its use of Irene, the continuity has been terrible, I believe Irene was pregnant for Finn, I believe she, Maz Chloe and Selena lived together 9 years ago, I believe her/Finn’s baby was kidnapped by one of Saul’s deluded commune members, and that she and Diana hated each other. Even if some of these haven’t been mentioned in recent years, the storylines stand out due to the amount of screen time and after effects and the pase of the storyline… I really can’t watch Irene at present and believe she was in a mental institute just weeks ago. Because since then, it has never been mentioned and she was back to ‘normal’ two days after leaving the hospital…

The exception at present is Sally, Flynn, Leah, Dan, Alf [though he seems to have disappeared into the background again] Colleen [she’s always there, but I don’t necessarily think that should change, though I do think she needs to have a least one good storyline a year], having said that, I’ve LOVED the scenes with Alf, Sally and Flynn in recently episodes – in fact I love Alf’s connection within the whole cancer storyline…as I think about it, it seems I turn on H&A as I know/like it, a few episodes a week/every two weeks, [usually surrounding the characters above, though not strictly] and the episodes in between are a completely different show with some random ‘H&A scenes’ thrown in here and there…

And for the above reason, the only characters I can believe at present simply due to direction/screen time/pase, in the way of storyline length), and realism – Alf, Morag, Sally, Flynn, Leah, Dan, Scott, Hayley, Colleen. (And Irene, but that depends dramatically on what scene she is in and with what character – anything to do with the teens, its not Irene, OR it is Irene at work as a social worker). By the way, if she doesn’t mention to Tash how she knows ‘how those lunatic commune leaders are all a piece of work’ i.e. Selene and Saul, I’ll be disappointed!……………………………………………

[joey-lee]

I agree with the earlier comment about Ailsa -she was definately made posher - around the same time Bobby was grown up id say (when she took Blake n Karen in she became all maternal - i dont think she was with emma). In the pilot episode she was earthy, fun-loving and very confident. By ep 976 (Meg's death) she was nervous, toooo loyal to Alf n prim n proper.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I actually think the change was after Duncan was born, I took it as both ways, written that way and Judy Nunn defining the way she wanted Ailsa to be and made the character her own – after all, there was Duncan and the murderous revelations within the first 100 or so episodes… Especially being a ‘mother’ [we didn’t know at the time she had had Shauna, but she hid so much in her life from the people she was closest too, she was extremely complex and very real.

[Liz]

As awful as it is that recent times have (in my over-all opinion) seen a decline in the quality of H&A, I can appreciate the need to "move with the times". I take the view that if the show didn't appeal to the thousands of teenage viewers it does, its rating would suffer a massive blow and it would be axed. (At least, that's how I justify it).

[Jofish]

As awful as it is that recent times have (in my over-all opinion) seen a decline in the quality of H&A, I can appreciate the need to "move with the times". I take the view that if the show didn't appeal to the thousands of teenage viewers it does, its rating would suffer a massive blow and it would be axed. (At least, that's how I justify it).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That was a spot on analysis. I agree with every word.

[claire_louise]

I agree with you too Liz, but I think the show appealed just as much to younger viewers in the 'old days'. Maybe because the younger characters were stronger and more time was spent developing them, both as individuals and in their relationships with each other. Curtis and Shannon, for example, was a very interesting and complex relationship. Compare that to Ric and Cassie and there's a world of difference.

Breezer, kudos for your post. I can't really comment on some of your favourite characters, particularly Carly, Roo and Frank, because I don't remember them all that clearly. However, I loved Bobby (I think we all agree she is one of the best characters of all time), Fin, Selina, Shane, Angel and Marilyn. I disagree with you Ste about Fin - for me, she is a classic. I think the surrogacy storyline with Irene was what clinched it. She was great before that, but it was such a moving and original story that it has always stayed in my mind (helped by the fact that Irene has a picture of baby Paul up in her house!).

Jude, Charlotte and Shauna were never favourites of mine. To be honest I didn't see anything special about Jude or Shauna (apart from her being Ailsa's daughter). I disliked Shauna but I do recognise that she was a good character, just not one of the best. Jude, I disliked, but I also didn't think there was much to him. Maybe if they'd explored his past in more depth it would have been good. As for Charlotte, I couldn't make my mind up about her. However, I do think that she was one of the more unique characters (in both looks and personality) the show has had in recent years and felt that she should have been around for longer. I actually really liked the way she was killed (except that she was meant to be leaving anyway, which seemed a bit unnecessary), I just think it should have happened later.

Irene, Gypsy, Vinnie, Josie/Angie and Shelley...not much to say about them, they were/are all great. Shelley had a hard time because she had to fill Pippa's shoes, and no one could really live up to that. She wasn't as good as Pippa but she was a decent replacement. Agree with you about her exit though. There's no way she would have left her kids and when she returned her character was ruined.

Ailsa is a classic but I was never a huge fan. Morag, though, I love to bits.

[breezer]

Hi Again!

Ive just been reading through the replies and I do agree with most of the comments. I especially agree with the post that if Home and Away did not stay fresh and pretty whacky as it is now, people would get bored and switch off.

I totally agree, I just think they could have those types of storylines as well as strong characters and well thought out plots - just to balance things out and keep people believing in the show and what it stands for - in the long run I think that that is what will keep Home and Away on air for years to come.

I have mentioned this in another post but does anybody know any sites that are up and running, showing lots of old clips, opening titles etc?

I have had a browse and an awful lot of sites have closed in the last 2 years.

Anyway lets keep the posts on this topic coming - i'd love for it to be a long-term thread!

Breezer

xxx

[TabbyCool]

I think the problem with the young characters is that a lot of them just don't stay in the show very long. The actors decide they are too good for Home & Away and leave to pursue pop careers or whatever, others are killed off or whatever, a lot of the characters are designed to be disposable. We need young characters who actually grow up and stay in the bay like Sally, she's been in it since she was a little kid, but how many other adults in the bay have been there that long? (other than the oldies like Alf!)

Hayley has been in it a long time now, but she's leaving. All of the other characters are people who have joined the show in the last year or two, there aren't really that many long-term residents in Summer Bay, which is why we find it hard to relate to the characters, we just don't know them well enough, by the time we do, they leave anyway.