DRW50

@AdelaideCate007 @Dion @Forever8 Moving the conversation from the Neighbours thread. I had forgotten about Pippa and Don. I don't think either are mentioned these days either. You may have already read this but a former storyliner for the show talked about how he planned to bring Fisher back, with dementia, dying in Alf's arms. The story, along with several others (like Brody Morgan being gay) was vetoed. https://www.backtothebay.net/news/2022/03/16/former-home-and-away-script-exec-reveals-plans-kill-off-favourite/

I have watched the show the last few years and mostly enjoyed it but I can definitely see where they have moved away from their history in a way Neighbours never really did so I can't imagine the ending packing as much of a nostalgic punch, beyond Sally returning. Morag was beloved but sadly the actress passed away some years back (and it was never even acknowledged onscreen, was it). Otherwise the more known characters from the show are still on it - Irene, Alf, Marilyn. I guess Colleen? Anyway, this is a good piece featuring some interviews with former writers and story plans that were never done. https://www.backtothebay.net/news/2022/07/28/goodbye-neighbours-a-tribute-to-ramsay-street/

Oh it definitely wouldn't have lasted past 1996 or so. It is interesting to wonder what might have been - a part of me wishes they'd had at least one more season free of some of the dead weight like Kate and Claudia and so on, and possibly pivot (I think if Nicolette had been interested Paige could have carried her own show).

I know there was a lot of criticism of her not speaking more, but I do think this helped to keep the character from seeming like Kylie doing cosplay. If anyone didn't get to see the full video message from past characters (apparently parts were cut in the UK airing), here it is:

So good to see you posting here again @AdelaideCate007 Thank you for sharing your experience with the show and finale.

@Faulkner This is the song they used to introduce Kate on the VH1 100 Greatest Women in Music (or something like that) which is one of the first places I saw Kate.

I haven't watched everything but overall I thought they did a good job of balancing out current cast and vets, especially since, frankly, a lot of the newer cast weren't really that interesting. More than anything I was impressed with how much time Guy Pearce was willing to take to be a part of the final episodes. The ending is a bit glossy, but also pure heart - sums up Neighbours very well, really. Thanks for the link @victoria foxton And I don't think he posts here anymore but I wanted to thank @Ben for the conversations we had here about the show years ago. And finally, of course, @Skylover I hope you enjoyed the finale. And I hope Neighbours will love on, in many forms.

Dave Weigel is back on the Nina Turner beat, spotlighting the Bernie roadshow with his more leftist allies who are likely about to crash out of office (although at least Levin has won elections...). Levin is probably best known of late for a lot of yoga pose photos (including an unfortunate one right after the Dobbs ruling) that seemed designed for daddy lovers and WikiFeet devotees.

@DramatistDreamersays it better than I could. She did this with Kavanaugh as well. You are so mean to me so I'm voting for him. This is "look what you made us do" politics, grievance politics and victim-blaming. It's punishing vulnerable people for something they had nothing to do with. In 2020 she withdrew her support for an equality bill after an lgbtq group in Maine endorsed her opponent. Now she has chosen this specific act to throw overboard...very questionable to me.

A horrible human being, proven yet again. As Parker Malloy mentioned on Twitter, this is not even her first time lashing out with anti-gay views when she and her party are not given what they want. They aren't going to pass the bill, but they want to come up with a "reason," as they always do. And they know the media will go along. She can kiss my ass. No wonder Olympia Snowe can't stand her.

That's also where I first saw Mary. She was always so good...that voice alone. Such power dipped in honey.

@danfling first mentioned this in the AMC thread. One of the most beautiful and quietly powerful actresses of all time, with a smile you'll never forget. If you haven't watched To Sleep With Anger, give it a try. @Vee

I remember him saying people he liked would not stay long because of their theater careers, which must have been disappointing but probably should have been a wakeup call about casting.

Digital Spy has a lot of interviews up with cast members - nice to see them going back to having some real soap content again.

Bernard was such a charismatic, warm presence, so lived-in and so fascinating to watch. He took Wilf and ran with him, never letting go. I was just watching some of Turn Left again to remember him. Such wonderful work with his eyes alone. He meant so much to so many people.

Yang on his own is basically a failure outside of his increasingly small number of devotees (who aren't voting for Democrats anyway)...I just feel like the puppetmasters that control all these levers to help the GOP have been pushing even harder lately.

The Atlantic is just full of stupid, malicious people.

I know I shouldn't keep bringing these tweets here but I find it convenient that these tweets pop up so soon after relatively positive news: There is such an ecosystem out there of "leftists" who exist solely to drive down voter turnout. And now we have Andrew Yang popping back up to depress turnout from another angle. Add in the media, and so many people are united to give the GOP a landslide.

That was a lovely article @Vee Something else I appreciate about these last episodes is that even with the returns, there has been no choking to death on nostalgia, which is what you get nonstop with EE now. There's been a lovely message that life goes on, that characters can and should move on with their lives and try a fresh start if they want to. It's very inspiring to me.

Considering the fate of characters who were recast partly down to Lemay not liking the acting maybe it's for the best.

@NothinButAttitude I already said this in the ATWT thread but these last weeks have been putting that show's end to shame. As someone who grew up watching ATWT, it hurts my heart to be reminded of just how little Chris Goutman cared. Jason Herbison and the others at Neighbours have managed with these last weeks to simultaneously pay respect to the past while still giving respect to the current slate of characters. And the throwbacks to the past haven't just felt like forced nostalgia trips, because they are clearly from a place of love - from past cast, current writers and producers, and the fans, old and new, who never truly let go. I hope Neighbours can still come back in some form, but at least the show is ending at peace. And that's rare for a soap. I'm so glad to hear that @tiofmso

The uploader who posted most of this episode 5 years ago has found the ending and the credits.