Ben

That's true, Mercy is very convincing; however, there's no excuse for not standing by your girl - innocent until proven guilty, Riley. But, it's a plot device, so I can let it go. He's sure gonna look stupid when Mercy's lies eventually hit the fan. Mitzeee is very attractive without all the make-up on, but she can pull off both looks. She's my favourite character, now, and I love that she has modern ambitions without being arrogant and vacuous, but is instead genuinely nice. What do you think of the teens? There a low point for me. I haven't had to suffer through all of that like you, so that didn't bother me. From what I saw of Cheryl in the past, I never liked her, but now, they've toned her down and given her nicer hair, and she's growing on me; I though BW did a great job with her scenes, especially when she had to identify Lynsey's body.

Me to. I've never watched this show regularly, and only recently started casually watching, but now I'm hooked. It's not perfect, and there have been some dodgy editing going on, but it's definitely engaging me. I love Riley & Mitzeee, too, and hope they find their way back to each other; deranged Mercedes is awesome, and what a pathological liar she is. My only issue is how fickle Riley is - he has no loyalty to any of the women, and is so quick to believe that Mitzeee stabbed Mercy, even though he'd just declared his love to her! Seriously, he's so stupid he doesn't even ask himself how Mercy knew about Mitzeee's anti-anxiety meds, not to mention her history of lying! Lynsey had become a bit of a favourite character of mine, so I'm disappointed she's left. However, this mystery is certainly intriguing. I hope it has nothing to do with Silas, not after she brought him to justice.

For anyone who's interested, Inside Soap also had a 20 craziest moments section. (Which has way too much EE related stuff - this magazine doesn't know the definition of *variety* any more.) 1992: EE - Walford gardener Arthur Fowler became TV's most unlikely sex object when he fell under the spell of Mrs. Hewitt. You could have knocked us down with a heavy-bottomed frying-pan! 1993: Corrie - Ken Barlow quenched Raquel Wolstenhulme's desire to learn French. "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?" she asked, guilelessly. Ken flushed a lovely shade of rouge. 1994: Corrie - Deirdre Barlow went all Shirley Valentine and bagged herself a toy-boy hubby in Morocco. Best of all - he genuinely loved her. Pity about the tragic ending! 1995: EE - Sworn enemies Grant Mitchell and Michelle Fowler copped off on the floor of the Queen Vic. Of course, Michelle had form in that area. Almost to the square yard, in fact. 1996: Neighbours - Philip Martin was revealed to be writing novels as 'Philippa Martinez'. No-one guessed he was the literary genius hiding behind that most cunning pseudonym! 1997: EE - We met Pauline Fowler's brand-new Irish relatives on the most misjudged foreign jaunt of any soap. (This was during one of EastEnders' crackpot periods that come round every six years or so.) 1998: Sunset Beach brought evil twins, cursed jewels, and an earthquake-tsunami-shipwreck triple-whammy disaster... Emmerdale needs a bit more of that, we reckon! 1999: Corrie - On losing his job as a teacher, Ken Barlow tried a variety of careers, such as supermarket trolley warden, and um... male escort. But when he went on his first paid-for date, the poor lady dropped dead! 2000: EE - Pat Butcher got the shock of her life when she opened her front door one night. Revealed was her ex-hubby Frank wearing nothing more than a spinning bow tie and a cheeky grin. One of soap's truly iconic comedy moments! 2001: Midlands-set soap Crossroads was dragged back from the dead, but struggled to find an audience. It all turned out to be Jane Asher's dream - which was a surprise to say the least. We'd have expected more fairy cakes. 2002: EE - What could be grubbier than Ian Beale hiring a lady of the night? That would be Ian Beale hiring cocaine-addled Janine Butcher for afternoon romps in a filthy bedsit. Oh, the horror! 2003: Home and Away delivered its most shocking twist, when long-dead Alisa suddenly turned up in Alf's kitchen! It became clear only he could she her, so was this an actual ghost? Alas no - she was just a bizarre side effect of Alf's brain tumour. 2004: Emmerdale - When Victoria Sugdan found brother Robert up to no good, he said that if she told, there'd be serious trouble - so she went entirely mute. The genius twist came when Diane coaxed Victoria into speaking via a creepy ventriloquist's dummy! 2005: Corrie - Gandalf himself, Sir Ian McKellen, rocked up on the cobbles in the guise of con man Mel Hutchwright. It was Sir Ian's greatest acting dream come true - and a wonderful treat for us! 2006: Emmerdale - Dales oddball Noreen Bell, a well-meaning nobody, died one of the all-time great soap deaths. She accidentally blew up the Kings' show home and was blasted to kingdom come. Her wig was later found in a tree. 2007: EE - We were too briefly thrilled by the suggestion that Cindy Beale hadn't died in prison, but was stalking Ian by email. Unfortunately, it turned out to be long-lost so Steven, back from New Zealand, and now a psycho bisexual. 2008: EE - Tanya Branning decided to teach husband Max a lession by burying him alive. As you do. We didn't believe it for a millisecond - but we still loved it! 2009: Hollyoaks scored an international soap coup by staging TV's first-ever lesbian murder by skydive. Poor Sarah Barnes' gruesome exit was the ultimate in 'watch through your fingers' TV! 2010: Corrie - Dev's Uncle Umed fitted a novelty bell to the shop, which drove customers to distraction with a series of wildly inappropriate sound effects. It was one of the funniest things we've ever seen in Corrie, and we demand the bell's return! (Uncle Umed not so essential. Soz.) 2011: EE - "Bubbly in the fridge!" read Vanessa Gold, on a note left behind by Max - who'd just dumped her. "BUBBLY'S IN THE FRIDGE?!" she screamed, before ripping down the curtains. Pure soap gold. 2012: It's too early to tell what this year's favourite crazy twist will be, but the money so far is on Corrie and Mary Taylor's crush on Roy Cropper, or - in Walford - absolutely anything involving Sharon.

Izzy was awesome. She really changed the show for the better during 2004, with her getting pregnant to creepy Gus, and passing the baby off as Karl's, only to suffer a miscarriage; then Darcy blackmailed her, and got into a scuffle with her where he fell down the stairwell and into a coma, with her setting him up for robbing her apartment. Of course he regained consciousness months later, ready to blackmail her some more. I loved how they incorporated the Susan/Karl/Izzy triangle throughout this, with Susan ultimately discovering the truth, and Izzy telling her final lie by clamming Gus raped her. That scene where Karl confronted her, and she fell backwards in the middle of Lassisters was classic. I do miss Izzy, and what she brought to the show. I loved how they tied up her story with Karl/Susan in London. I can't see the show ever having the budget to do an overseas location shot again.

I think Sarah was last seen in 1999. I remember she married a doctor called Peter, and her and Karl shared a moment before the service. Here's the pic... K&S broke up in part b/c of the emotional cheating, but also b/c Susan wanted to find herself, and discover who she is as a person away from being Karl's wife. She had no children to look after, and she latched onto Jim so she could take care of him and feel needed, putting that need before her marriage. I can't explain it any further, as I don't really understand it, as it was never fully explained on the show why she couldn't do this and still be married to Karl. Apparently, Susan wants to live alone and be independent, and is now open to dating her yoga instructor who looks weirdly like a cross between Gary Glitter and The Professor on Futurama! How any of this is helping her "find herself" is beyond me.

I just read that rumour. On DS, someone said that Perfect Blend were reporting that there are no plans to bring Sarah back, but someone is returning - however, I can't seem to locate where PB says that, even though it does sound like I read that whenever the rumour last circulated. Maybe things have changed and Sarah is now returning? I so hope it's true, as I loved Sarah, and now is a good time to revisit Karl/Sarah, considering the K's have broken up. But, I really don't want her to return with the cliché love child. That's not necessary.

She's been in the show for 2 years (not long, I know), and I was hoping she would stick around for at least 3, but the show doesn't seem to do 3 year contracts any more, as everyone seems to sign either 1 or 2 year contracts at the most. I love Jade (and Gemma); she's my favourite character on the show, as I find her very relatable (and she's good to look at, which is always a bonus). I'll definitely miss her, but I'm glad she'll be on screen until 2013 for us UK viewers. If she finishes filming in August, I wonder if her exit will be part of the season finale? Gemma seems like an actors actor - doesn't want to play one role for too long, and wants to try her luck in Hollywood. Hopefully she'll turn up in something good - and if it's TV - something that lasts more than a season!

Gemma Panita (Jade) has confirmed she is leaving the show! She films her final scenes in August. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s14/neighbours/news/a386155/neighbours-exit-for-jade-mitchell-confirmed.html

No, that was Irene. Colleen in the town gossip and is mainly used for comedy filler. I'm surprised, as I thought she would stick around for ever, but then she hasn't had much to do for a long time (although I'm not 100% sure on that as I don't watch the show that often), but I haven't read about any filler stuff with her for a year now. This thread is definitely dead. I hadn't realized how far it had slipped down the list!

Lyn Collingwood (Colleen) is leaving the show! http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s15/home-and-away/news/a380338/home-and-away-lyn-collingwoods-colleen-confirms-departure.html

Bianca spoiler: This whole money worries story has been badly written from the off. It is supposed to be about loan sharks/companies and highlighting how people are in major debt simply paying off loans that were taken out to support other loans, rendering the person(s) unable to live as their money is stuck in a vicious cycle, but EE have only touched on this, while weeks went by with Bianca mysteriously being so broke she couldn't even feed her kids, yet took out a loan to by a plasma TV! ITA Ed, it does feel like it has been an effort to write Bianca out of the show, instead of things happening organically. Money woes is an easy story for EE to tell, as they've used it way too much over the last few years with: Heather, Billy & Lola, Bianca & Ricky numerous times, Pat, "Jean's" benefit fraud, and Ian's upcoming financial issues. Why must everyone be dirt broke all the time? I've gone off the show in the last couple of weeks, to the point where I haven't watched a full week in a long time; nothing grabs me; the show feels a mess. Oh, and I will reiterate: big mistake getting rid of Mandy.

I miss Libby, too, especially with all her storylines being given away to other characters. It has felt like this whole Summer journalism story was meant for Libby, and she would have been so much more likeable in it, too. What did you think of Michael & Emilia's exit?

That's a shame about Mandy. She's one character that actually works, who has depth and history with the show, so I'm disappointed that, whomever decided to get rid of her couldn't see her potential (from how that article is worded, it doesn't sound like she quit). I'm thinking her pairing with Ian may have been a mistake, as they haven't written them in the way they should, meaning they sometimes feel "off", like something doesn't click. IMO, they go round in circles too much, and they write them like they are blind to their situation and who each of them are in order to create unnecessary angst. I don't think Mandy is in love with Ian, and I don't think Ian is in love with Mandy, and I believe they both know this, even if they don't really acknowledge it; they kinda feel like a stop gap until someone better comes along who can give them what they want (more so with Mandy, as you know she'd be the first to go if she found her prince). I think they've missed a trick to tell a story with some heart, instead of the usual stuff they churn out these days. Ed: I don't like Ben. I should, b/c he has all the ingredients that I love in a character: emotional trauma, psychological scarring, depth and layers, tragic past, conflict with family members, etc. But I find he's less of a character and more of a caricature, like they've added all the ingredients and hoped it would rise, but instead its fallen flat. The writing has failed him. They've piled all these issues on to him and not developed any of them properly, instead they've stirred it a bit, said it's all down to his big bad dad Phil, and that's it. Too easy, too simple. I also think the character is too much for Joshua Pascoe to handle at his age, as Ben's too complex, and JP doesn't have the experience or talent to pull it all off and produce a well rounded character. Plus, I have a problem with characters who don't suffer any comeback for their many crimes. Like I said, the writing has sucked for the most part.

Ed, your Ben avatar freaked me out when I first saw it! I've also noticed you trying to infect DS with your Ben love. Thankfully it isn't catching!

Ed, you're right about those questions going unanswered, and I guess we're just meant to gloss over the racial differences between GP & EM; I think the Ramsay references are simply forgotten b/c they link to the past and characters that aren't on the show. It's easy for TPTB to gloss over that and concentrate on Paul. It would be great if they had a scene where Lou told Kate and Sophie about their other relatives outside of Paul, but they'll never do that as it will be deemed pointless and unproductive, even though sometimes these scenes would be nice for a soap opera that has a rich history like Neighbours - what would it hurt? New viewers can either learn something about the show, or ignore it. Besides, they're Ramsays and they either need to live by that connection, or rewrite it, not drift mediocrely in between. You can see how all of the long-term characters have been tainted under Bower's reign. I really don't know why she took the job at Neighbours, considering she seemed like such an ill fit; she seemed to want to write for a teen show, like her uber fave, Party of Five. She had no clue how to write for the adult characters within her teen vision, and I feel she felt they were a burden she wished she could have dispensed with. The atrocity of assassinating the legendary Helen Daniels was unspeakable - if you're not interested in the shows history, then just leave it alone! I wish they would rewrite the Ramsay connection, b/c I can't stand being reminded of the desecration of Helen's character every time Kate or Sophie refer to Paul as "uncle". Karl and Susan's story still doesn't work, and I really hope the new producers will fix it and develop and explain Susan's motivation and POV a lot more clearly, b/c I still don't really get it. I liked the use of flashbacks that Susan had when she thought Karl was cheating with Jade, but I do hate how they refer to Izzy as cheating, when they were separated when Kizzy got together! Plus, I thought Susan had put all that behind her, yet it's trotted out as a reason for any drama Susan instigates. And Karl apologises yet again for hurting Susan, but lets not forget that Susan has down her own share of hurting Karl, like the recent Jim debacle or Alex Kinski or the surrogacy saga. As for the returning character, some have been saying it's Harry Ramsay, and with a recast, I'd be all for this. Tash is supposed to get with someone we already know, and a recast Harry would make sense, plus it would allow for Sophie to have her brother on canvas when Kate leaves next year (quite probable). I'd love for it to be Mal & Catherine, but I won't hold my breath. I hope they bring Dane back when Sheila Canning débuts. DS reported her as being a regular, but I'm sure TPTB said she was only a guest? Dramatic/crying scenes are a good test for an actor, while I find comedy can be hit and miss depending on the actor, and that's fine as not everyone can be good at everything. But a capable actor has to be able to pull off dramatic/crying scenes as natural as possible. I think VN has the ability to grow with experience, but not so sure about JPS... Are you sure you can't request a birth/death certificate to be e-mailed to you? Saves paper and money and all that. A part of me feels like I've seen a report on this before, but I'm not 100%. Of course I could be mixing it up with being able to order it online... I think we agree about the use of Robert. I would not like a Paul/Andrew two-hander episode, as Andrew does not engage me for more than 5 minutes. Now, I could watch Jade all day, and not just b/c she's hot, but b/c I find her so fascinating and relatable. I love that she reacts in a lot of similar ways that I do, and I know that a lot of people find her treatment of Kyle annoying and rude, but I think they just don't get her. E.g. her reaction to Kyle fixing her bed. I really identify with that aspect of her character, as I've reacted the same way to small things, and it's simply b/c Jade doesn't know how to except help from others; she doesn't know how to give a part of herself to someone else, and that can be very hard to learn, especially considering she's done that before and got burned. At the end of the day it is about trust. I hope Kyle stick with it, b/c once Jade learns to let her self go, it'll be worth it. I loved the location shooting they did in Federation Square for K&J getting together. I hope the show uses Melbourne's city more often. Lou's placement in the Parker family was horrible and stupid. Made no real sense at all. Bower has never known what to do with him or how to utilize Lou to his strengths. I do like his current relationship with Kate and Sophie - that kinda works. The best thing for Lou would be to change his recurring contract so he is around for the big stuff and long enough to have an actual story that see him act horribly for the sake of a few scenes. Not sure how I feel about the Parkers being Lou's family, as all I can think of them is how they turned out. What would they do with Gail if she came back permanently? I think she'd fit in better now, under the new management than under Bower who would have assassinated her. ITA about Rhys - I thought that story twist with his disabled mother was very clever, and I love how it has influenced his character and need to be a surgeon. He is very Darcy-esque, and that's a good thing. I love Rhys's sneakiness and devious traits in stirring the pot and going after whatever he wants. He and Karl work very well off of each other. Credit where it's due, I think Bower was very good at creating characters; I've loved almost everyone she brought into the show: Lucas, Callum, Tash, Chris, Rhys, Donna, Sonya, Jade, Emilia, Diana Marshall, even Saffron! Notable absences are: the Ramsays. I think if Sonya ever leaves, they'll have to kill her off, as I can't see her abandoning Callum, not after everything. I think it helps that EE's Janine is a villain. She has been mixing it up with gold-digging schemes, revenge plots, hostile take-overs, prostitution, blackmail, her rivalry with Pat and all her many complex daddy issues, numerous boyfriends and love rivals, that she's been kept pretty busy(!) - and being a villain helps create a lot more stories than being the good gal. I think the fact she left the show for a few years also helped, and the fact that a baby was the one thing that was never really written into her make-up. She never had baby dreams that led to baby schemes. I can't think of any other long-term female villains/vixens in other soaps that didn't resort to baby drama eventually. @ my typo of 'flour'. Put that down to the partial dyslexia I have. They'll probably generalise the Kapoors, like how the Alahans are generalised on Corrie. I read a post a few weeks backs on DS about how they couldn't understand or relate to the Masoods b/c of their culture and religion, but could relate to the Alahans b/c their culture and Hinduism has never been portrayed or mentioned in all the years they've been in the show! And here I was believing that emotions and feelings were universal regardless of colour, and that if a character has her husband divorce her, or their son runs into a burning building, you would be able to feel empathy towards them, not confused or closed off. I hope Neighbours are braver than this, and don't cater to that level of thinking, but I'll be very surprised. The BBC did request clean copies of the show, while C5 air the Aus episodes. The reason I've always thought it was filmed in HD and not simply had the film effect added to it in post production is b/c I'm sure there was an article in 2007 that talked about how they now have HD cameras - I'm sure it was Alan Fletcher who said this. Also, the techniques of using HD has improved a lot since 2007, and it shows with EE. Corrie is now in HD, and there have been times when I've tuned in and the show has looked very dark. I think Neighbours has improved a lot since 2007 and I don't think it looks as cold as what it did. I feel the exact opposite to you with H&A. When I ever I see that strong bright light streaming through the windows, it pulls me out of the scene and reminds me that I'm watching a TV show filmed inside a studio - all I think about is it being a big bright light shining through a fake wooden "window". What do you think about Toadie being framed by Peter Noonan for Chris' attack. Did you think it was a predictable twist? What did you think of the season finale and the week as a whole? And how about the Lucas/Emilia/Michael triangle? Chris high on pain meds was hilarious, and really showed what an awesome actor James Mason is; I really believed Chris was doped up! We need more of this Chris in future. I'm also liking seeing Emilia interact with everyone - her and Sonya make good friends, and I wish she was staying. She also made Kate look good when they hung out for an episode. Good luck with the writing when you do have more time to devote to it. Commenting on that quote seems a little old now, but whatever. I think Hardy said a lot of that in jest and not to be taken seriously. I actually get a good feeling from these two, more than I ever did from Bower's first interview which gave me negative vibes from the off. I don't think it's fair to assume that they should be up on the shows complete bible, as there is a lot to learn. I think it shows that they are interested in the history and aren't afraid to ask questions when needed. I think they'll be a good fit for the show. Feel free to quote this if [!@#$%^&*] happens. ETA: Have you noticed the show feels better since its return? I wonder if that is Richard Jasek's influence when he was working alongside Bower?

Word to 99% of what you said, Ed! One of the reasons why he lacks chemistry with his on-screen family is b/c the ones that are left are the ones Phil has never cared for. Phil has always treated Billy like someone who is beneath him, and he's never cared for Roxy. The only times he pays them any interest is when they play the "family card" or he needs something from them. These three don't gel, and never will. It's illogical that Roxy would be living with Phil and Ben after all they have done, especially considering Phil stole Roxy's money (the ending to that was completely vexing), and Ben accusing her BFF of molestation! She just would not live there. Phil and Shirley are not a super-couple and never will be, and really they should have been broken up ages ago. Shirley has lost all sense of herself, and he's just nastier when he's with her; it's time for some character development for these two, pronto! Phil is the type of character that needs to be paired with someone who is nicer than he is, b/c pairing thug with thug just doesn't work - I loved Kate, so seeing her return would be great, and I'm wanting screen time for Sharon and Phil, as I think she will soften him a bit. The Jay story has never made any sense - well, it did in the beginning as it looked like Phil was trying to replace Ben and mould Jay into the son he always wanted, but having Jay coldly push Billy (the man who he built a relationship with after his dad, Jase, died) aside in favour of Phil was so out of character, and the TPTB never addressed this at all. Jay would have never have changed his name. The basis of this story made sense of why Jay has been adopted into the Mitchell family, it's just the settings are all wrong. I have no problems with the Denise/Kim/Patrick trio, as that actually makes sense. Denise and Patrick thought they were father and daughter, and bonded during that time. I love how that bond has stayed strong so long after the truth was revealed. He is the only father she'll ever know, and Patrick has sons who are either dead or MIA. Kim is someone who gets on well with him, I like how he's embraced her like Denise b/c she is Denise's sister and Kim is happy to embrace that set-up. Family doesn't have to be about blood, and I believe these three are a good example of that on this show. IMO, it wouldn't make sense if they didn't act like family. BK has said many times that couples must be unhappy and miserable in order to create drama. According to him, stories for couples cannot come about unless they are based in relationship angst. He doesn't know how to write for happy couples - Syed/Christian and Kat/Alfie are a case in point. ITA. I think she's coming back for all the wrong reasons, and I don't want to see her get ruined. You know she'll have scenes with dodgy Derek. * shudder* Carl: Just b/c the BK bashing has been OTT at times, and started out with what seemed prejudice at the beginning, doesn't mean that the current criticism is unfounded. I really don't like the direction the show took last year; there are just so many things that he and his team have done that have been wrong. All of the same issues that were present under Santer have never been addressed by BK, and these issues (continuity, pacing, plotting, etc) will continue to drag the show down the longer they are left un-addressed. What is the deal with Ben? He has been ruined due the constant need to throw every plot at him without developing anything. And now they have dodgy Derek. Why? He's been so badly crafted from the get go and I don't understand why that is. I think they made a big mistake with writing the character like this, and even with the casting. I find Derek's scenes with Ben so creepy, and not in a good way. I just feel this character has no business being on the show. If they wanted to create an enemy for Phil to go head-to-head with, someone who commands fear and has proven that he is a serious villain, then they should have developed Qadim Shah - now he had depth and was seriously scary at times, plus you could understand his motivations; a villain you could love to hate. Whenever I think about all the good BK has done, Janine is the first person that springs to mind and all that is associated with her. I do think about the positive changes in Syed, but that was all undone a few months ago. Yes, he produces some great stand-alone episodes, and I particularly liked the one this week that had character driven material and a good use of history, but these don't come along often, and the next day we're back do the same ol' crap with dodgy Derek, psycho Ben, and the useless Moon brothers. Of course there are a load of characters that need to go, and sadly Fat Boy is one of them; he's been ruined in this tedious triangle with Whitney/Tyler.

I wish they'd bring back characters who would believably return as well. I notice you say "played by someone who wants to come back," do you not think that recasting may be a way to go depending on the character(s)? I've loved seeing Mal back and how he fits with Karl and Susan. For the first couple of months he did nothing but hang out with Karl and Susan, and it was so obvious that he was filling in for Libby. I don't think they tried to keep up his connections to the show, as they gave him one scene with Toadie and Lou. It wasn't until the third month that they decided to give him his own story by having him fall for Jade. This divided fans, as some saw it as character assassination, and others character development. I'm in the latter camp, as I thought it was believable. We haven't seen any of Mal and Catherine's relationship, so anything could have gone on; Mal constantly uses Karl's infidelity against him and was adamant that he was nothing like Karl. So it's made for some interesting development with Mal, by exploring that maybe the one thing he deplores in his father, is the one thing he is: a cheat. He is his father's son. I also liked that they kept the motivation simple - Mal's ego was boosted by Jade's flirtation, simple and classic. I think it allows for Mal to be less judgemental with Karl, and not be so quick to jump to Susan's defence (he sides with her a lot). His return has also cemented him back into the show, and it would be great if he returned on a permanent basis with Catherine in tow. I kind of agree with him about the sets, but really I'm talking about Harold's Store. I don't think the houses need some big revamp like he seems to think, as it usually means "modernization" which usually entails an open plan layout for every single set. They've remodelled #30, as you can see below, and not only open planned it, but stuck in a random fireplace where there was never one before. The odd open plan layout is fine, but to make every house set the same, defeats the purpose of those houses having the characters personality stamped on them. It's boring and it's lazy, and lets face it: open plan is so passé. I think they forget that the sets retain and represent the characters that have lived (and living) in them. I want to be able to see a set and think of the past merged with the present, not see a clean slate that has no personality. The more they change them, the more they feel like sets. Oh, and every house now has a floating wall! So no, I don't agree with the renovating of the sets. I could see Sheree Murphy fitting in, as long as she wasn't playing an annoying character.

Inside Soap interview with Richard Jasek. How have the viewers reacted to Karl and Susan splitting up, and are there any plans to get them back together? Karl and Susan are our golden couple and everyone is sad about their break-up. The year is going to be an interesting time for them both as they struggle to learn who they are as separate individuals. People really want the Kennedys to get back together, but I can't say yet whether it will happen. What would you like to change about the show this year? I can think of a couple of things - and one's a very big one! Firstly, the sets. Some of them are a little old-fashioned, and we have plans to progressively renovate them. In fact, we've just renewed Toadie and Sonya's set. The other big area that I'd like to improve is Melbourne's weather - but that may be out of our hands! Who's the most exciting new character coming up that we should be looking out for? Oh, definitely keep an eye out for Vanessa, played by a stunningly beautiful actress names Alin Sumarwata. She's an Italian character who's going to take Erinsborough by storm! If you could bring back any past Neighbours characters who would it be and why? Kylie! Everyone wants to see Charlene, don't they? I'd also say Izzy Hoyland - she was wonderful. The door is always open for either of them. We really like Kyle and Jade's relationship! Are you planning on getting them together at some point? Yes, we're definitely going to get Kyle and Jade together this year - but I'm not going to tell you how! I can it won't be an easy ride, though. There's never going to be a dull moment with this pair. Will we see Kyle's cousin Dane, again? We love Dane, so we're bot ruling anything out at the moment. It's just a case of waiting to see where the storylines take us - but if we do decide to go that way, there are certainly lots of great plots to mine. What's going to happen with Tash now that Michael is leaving? We have a big journey ahead for Tash. With her father gone, she's going to have to learn to grow up and fend for herself. I can tell you that it will propel her into all kinds of new situations. Which of the younger up-and-coming actors have you been most impressed by? We have a really stunning young cast at the moment. Two of them - Kaiya Jones and Morgan Baker - are particularly amazing. They are such talented kids. The storylines we've thrown at them are really demanding, and they've just shone. Are there any UK celebs you'd like to appear on the show? Sheree Murphy (ex-Emmerdale). We've said publicly that we'd be delighted to have her. Also Adele said she'd love to appear in the show, so we extended an invitation to her management. Do you ever tune in to the UK soaps for inspiration? We have a wide variety of influences - books, plays and also other soaps. We actually have a great relationship with UK shows like Coronation Street and Hollyoaks. We often exchange birthday cards and things with them. If you could steal a character from another soap, who would it be and why? Peggy Mitchell from EastEnders! I remember watching her as a kid. I really like the idea that she could pop up on Ramsay Street as a love interest for Lou. She might also take over Charlie's and turn it into an English pub!

I think this is what you're looking for... (all from a DS poster) 2000 Episode 4745 The residents enjoy a fancy-dress party, and Fred finds a use for the reindeer meat. Steve tries to swindle Emily, and Alison rejects Kevin’s marriage proposal. Leanne desperately tries to stop Jez going ahead with the Rovers’ robbery; her attempts fail. Episode 4775 As Martin prepares to tell Gail he is leaving her, she tells him of Sarah’s pregnancy; he assures Sarah she will be supported. Mark asks Leanne to go to Brussels with him, and Geena is made permanent at the Rovers. Episode 4838 Alison and Jake’s cremation takes place. Sally supports Kevin through the funeral. Martin rushes to the airport to plead with Rebecca not to leave for Dubai; she tells him that she loves him, but will not tear his family apart. Episode 4855 Gary urges Tyrone to show Maria what she means to him; he takes the advice to heart arranging a spectacular location to propose. Linda tells Mark that she can’t cope with their being apart. Episode 4890 Mike is amazed when Linda confirms she’s been seeing Mark; she insists it was a mistake and that Mark had pursued her relentlessly. Eventually, he believes her, and throws Mark out. Meanwhile, Jez is admitted to hospital. Episode 4921 Audrey has second thoughts about marrying Fred after Maxine warns her about his sexual appetite, while Curly decides to track down Emma to prove that she’s the one he really loves. On a boat trip down the Seine, he proposes... Episode 4936 Gail gets the receptionist job at the Medical Centre. Andy returns, and is horrified to learn that Jim killed a man. Ken rallies the residents to fight the tarmaccing of the cobbles, and Roy and Hayley win the ‘Mr and Mrs’ contest in the Rovers. Episode 4939 Andy spends the night with Toyah. Deirdre, Ken, Natalie, Steve, Andy and Kevin attend Jim and Liz’s wedding in the prison. Vera’s tests show she is a match for Paul - as do Terry’s; he agrees on the sum of £25,000 for donating his kidney. 2001 Episode 4967 Eileen moves into No. 11, Alex stirs up trouble with Roy, and Ken meets his grandson. Susan warns Deirdre that if she tells Mike about Adam, she and Ken will never see either of them again. Episode 5020 Jason discovers Toyah lying in the ginnel; she has been raped. Eileen fears that Jason will be the main suspect. Sally tells Danny that she had sex with Kevin the night before his wedding to Alison. Episode 5044 Everyone’s preparing for the Rovers Drag Night. Dev and Geena decide to try to sort things out, but to no avail. Curly is coming to terms with the fact that he is now a councillor, while Janice and Bobbi can’t believe that Karen is marrying for a bet. Episode 5060 It is the day of Alma’s funeral. Mike is unhappy that Linda is accompanying him, and is appalled when Curly tells him that Alma’s cancer had advanced as a result of a bungled smear test. Hayley returns to find out why Roy did not attend the funeral. Episode 5092 Wayne tells his mum and Alex that he intends to tell the police the truth about his ‘kidnapping’ by Roy and Hayley, but Alex dissuades him. Roy and Hayley are questioned by the police, and bailed. Episode 5114 Ashley’s operation is successful. Sally calls in to see Martin at the hospital, and they share a passionate kiss while he’s on duty. Peter tries to find a way to raise the money to buy the betting shop, and Karen has a slanging match with Rita. Episode 5136 Martin has suffered a broken arm in the crash, and Eileen blames Dennis for giving Jason a bike. The police question Mike, and find Linda’s passport in his flat. Having admitted lying about Linda’s visit to the flat, he is arrested on suspicion of murder. Episode 5161 Janice tells Les that she’s leaving him to live with Dennis. Dennis breaks the news to Eileen, and Les banishes Toyah when he learns that she already knew of the affair. 2002 Episode 5188 With Dennis in intensive care, Janice is furious to hear of Les’s suicide attempt. Fred and Eve move their belongings into the Rovers, Dev show Geena the tickets he’s booked for their Tobago wedding, and Matt and Maxine call a truce. Episode 5215 Candice persuades Sarah to borrow the keys and let them use the Ramsdens’ house, and Ken and Deirdre throw a surprise birthday party for Mike’s 60th birthday; he is delighted that Adam is the surprise guest. Episode 5270 Jason and Kirk have little success when they go in search of girls in Blackpool, while Toyah has another date with Goran. Patricia turns up at No. 8 when Richard refuses to acknowledge her calls, and Fred offers to sponsor Roy’s re-enactment. Episode 5283 Betty pulls her last pint at the Rovers - she is moving to Wimbledon with Gordon and Caroline. Ken gives a speech at her leaving party, and Bet and Rita exchange pleasantries. Geena agrees to give Joe a second chance - to Dev’s annoyance. Episode 5301 Blanch tells Deirdre that Archie has finished with her. Rita offers Sally a welcome two weeks’ work at the Kabin, Fred feels that Lillian is taking over the Rovers, and Todd is depressed and missing Sarah. Episode 5365 Sarah Platt is trapped in the car and seriously injured. Gail is furious with Richard for paying for the Meltons’ holiday, but he assures her that Chris Melton will stop the bail hostel application from going through. Episode 5383 Archie initially disbelieves Audrey when she says that Richard has been trying to kill her; eventually, however, both come to the conclusion that Gail is in danger. Gail and Richard, meanwhile, pledge their devotion to each other… Episode 5406 Gail refuses to let Audrey give the children their presents in person. An accident befalls Norris, and Les learns that Toyah’s boyfriend is her lecturer. Richard’s murderous nature is revealed when he calls on Emily and finds her alone. 2003 Episode 5419 Richard bludgeons Maxine to death with the crowbar, taking steps to ensure the crime scene looks like that of a failed burglary. Ashley, having discovered Maxine’s body, is arrested and taken in for questioning, while Richard learns that Emily is still alive. Episode 5459 Richard ties up Gail, Sarah, David and Bethany and puts them in the car in the garage, leaving a written confession in an envelope. Gail realises that Richard is intent on a suicide pact and struggles as Richard switches on the engine... Episode 5483 While Karen and Steve fight over their belongings, Andy and Nick Morgan hold Katy hostage, and lie in wait for Angela; Kevin raises the alarm after Sally tells him of two strangers she saw earlier. As police surround the house, two shots are heard. Episode 5529 Mike agrees not to involve the police after Karen confesses to forging cheques, and he tells Joe he never wants to see him again. Sunita is starting to enjoy having two men fighting over her, and Tod gets an interview for a hospital cleaning job. Episode 5546 Peter begs Shelley for another chance, and she agrees to marry him. At the reception, a drunken Ciaran tries to provoke Dev, angering Sunita. Bev reminds Tracey of their bet, and two knock-out pills are duly dropped into Roy’s champagne… Episode 5583 Lucy and Shelley discuss Peters double life, and both women banish him from their lives. Norris and Emily discover the secret ingredient of Vera’s cakes, and Roy tells Tracey he’ll be accompanying her when she has her scan. Episode 5596 A shared night of passion has left Bev feeling embarrassed and Ciaran feeling guilty. Fred sets off on his Scottish coach trip, and Todd and Nick spend the evening talking. Instinctively, Todd leans over to kiss Nick - leaving him shocked and angry. Episode 5630 Liz, Bet and Fred meet up in Blackpool. Tommy tells a devastated Craig he isn’t coming home, and Angela is furious. Roy learns that he would lose all rights to his child if his marriage to Tracey were annulled, and Steve gets a call from Jim. 2004 Episode 5667 Nick tries to talk Sarah out of marrying Todd, and Ken apologises to Charlie about reporting the asbestos Norris’s ‘only two children in the shop at once’ policy is no deterrent against Bradley and Chesney, but Rita’s intervention proves disastrous. Episode 5695 Steve begs Karen to marry him despite his deception. Liz asks Ken to leave the wedding, taking his family with him. Ken urges Tracey to give the Croppers time, but she can’t contain herself and goes to their house, demanding they return the baby. Episode 5716 Steve admits to lying to Karen. Fred warns Shelley about her sloppy book-keeping, and a misprint has Sally seeing red. A murderous Karen interrupts the christening, and knocks Tracey to the floor. Episode 5765 Fred’s delighted when Orchid turns up. Sarah returns home sobbing, and Gail is horrified to learn that Eileen already knew Todd was gay. A slanging match ensues between Gail and Eileen, resulting in a violent fight in the street. Episode 5778 Baby Billy’s funeral takes place; Todd is determined to say a proper goodbye to his son. Les celebrates Patrick’s birthday at a lap-dancing club, but gets a nasty shock when he discovers the identity of one of the dancers. Episode 5835 Maya snoops around Sunita’s flat and steals her birth certificate. Mike and Deirdre have a candid chat, and Eileen invites Sean to sleep on her sofa - a prospect which horrifies Jason. Episode 5899 Maya has put her murderous plan into action. Dev’s attempts to placate her fail and, having left him and Sunita bound and gagged in the flat, she sets light to the shop. Episode 5923 Steve tries to get to the burning car to rescue Amy, but is beaten back by the flames. A crazed Tracey, convinced that Karen has killed Amy, takes Steve’s car and runs her over. Karen escapes but Tracey pursues, threatening to kill her. 2005 Episode 5974 Tracey is angry when Ray turns up after 27 years. Angela tells Katy that Martin didn’t cheat on her; Katy pleads with Martin for another chance, but he refuses. Katy violently vents her fury on Tommy, and Angela arrives to witness the act. Episode 6THO Ken and Deirdre remarry. Lena discovers Tyrone and Maria having sex, and seizes the chance to blackmail them. After her slanging match with Louise, Steve calls Tracey a laughing stock. The joy of the reception turns to shock when Ray dies. Episode 6044 No-one believes Shelley when she insists that she walked into a door - least of all Bev. Sally accepts a job in Dev’s shop, Leanne and Danny share a passionate kiss, and Norris tells Ken all about the book he’s writing. Episode 6059 Tensions run high at the Baldwins’. After drunkenly accusing Frankie of stealing Danny from her, Carol is thrown out. Jason declares his love for Violet, and Leanne and Danny narrowly avoid getting caught in bed together. Episode 6121 Having seen Charlie for what he is, Shelley refuses to marry him, and as she hurries back down the aisle the congregations claps in support. In the race between the Cockerel and the Fox, the Fox wins - but only by cheating. Episode 6146 Danny is left reeling by the news that Mike’s his father. Rita is furious with Norris’s new sign for the Kabin, and Blanch doesn’t take kindly to Kirk asking her what size girdle she wears. Episode 6150 Yana helps Cilla prepare for her wedding by giving her three kiss curls in the shape of ‘666’, and Billy returns from the army to be Les’s best man. Les, having crashed his car into Status Quo’s van, has to wear a neck brace to his wedding. Episode 6191 The Battersbys have a turkey, but nowhere to cook it. Danny’s depressed about the state of his family, while Deirdre is pleased to see Tracey. Steve is angry when Ronnie gives him £5,000 of Jimmy’s money as a present. 2006 Episode 6228 Ed tries to convince Emily of his remorse over the killing of her husband, claiming he’s a changed man; distraught, she insists he leaves. A drunken kiss causes problems for Deirdre, Amber learns she has a sister, and Charlie very publicly dumps Tracey. Episode 6265 Mike, in hospital and breathing with the aid of an oxygen mask, becomes increasingly frail and confused. He wanders out onto the streets in his pyjamas, and Ken finds him standing outside the factory. Episode 6358 Eileen and Gail attend Sarah and Jason’s wedding, but as the ceremony begins, Jason flees through a toilet window. Gail tries to comfort a devastated Sarah. Danny offers to buy out Adam’s share of the factory. Episode 6398 Fred visits Audrey to tell her that he and Bev are about to marry. She puts on a brave face and wishes him well. But as the congregation awaits him Fred collapses in the hallway of Audrey’s house; he has suffered a massive stroke. Episode 6403 Kevin, Sally, Sophie and Bill search for Rosie in Paris. On seeing Charlie’s reaction, Maria regrets meeting Liam for a drink, while Bev tries to drown her sorrow at the bar. The Websters are finally reunited. Episode 6414 Rita remains in hospital in Budapest. A crowd gathers to watch the spectacle of Tracey and Maria’s fight over Charlie; Deirdre fears for Tracey’s state of mind. Bill Webster returns to the street, and Hayley offers to do voluntary work for the church. Episode 6431 Gail becomes concerned about the level of violence in David’s Playstation games. Frankie says an emotional goodbye to Warren. Les suspects Cilla of having an affair, and Vera warns Hayley about Becky’s stealing. Episode 6455 At Christmas dinner, David produces Ivy’s diary and reads aloud the part about Gail wanting an abortion. A distraught Gail tries to convince him she loves him. Maureen unexpectedly returns from Germany, and a girl arrives at No. 11 with a baby… 2007 Episode 6467 Becky’s date with Rob goes badly. Charlie returns from court, having only been given community service. As their argument becomes more heated, Charlie packs Tracey’s bags for her. But she forms a desperate plan that will lead to Charlie’s murder. Episode 6519 On the eve of the trial, Tracey cracks and tells Deirdre that she’d planned Charlie’s murder months before, and staged the entire performance. Although stunned and disgusted, Deirdre promises to stand by her daughter. Episode 6559 Claire lies at the bottom of the stairs as fire rages in the Peacocks’ house. Jamie and Kirk kick down the door to rescue her, but Eileen explains that Freddie is also inside. Deirdre tells Ken she wants him back; they start to argue. Episode 6570 Carla announces that she and Paul are finished. Paul, meanwhile, drives like a maniac with Leanne in the boot. He crashes into a lorry, leaving Leanne with minor injuries; he is in a critical condition. At the hospital, Carla reveals the truth about Leanne. Episode 6612 Steve and Eileen are in Malta, where Eileen relishes numerous opportunities to wind him up. Claire believes she is suspected of starting the fire, and Sarah lays down the law to Jason. Ashley’s guilt-ridden over his betrayal of Claire. Episode 6667 Fiz is annoyed about John’s English lessons with Sally. Liam tells Sally about Rosie’s crush on him, and Roy and Hayley arrive back from their camping trip, having sorted out their differences. Episode 6676 Gail reports David missing, while Sarah insists that he will not spoil the wedding. Midway through the ceremony, however, the police arrive with shocking news… Episode 6721 At a packed registry office, Deirdre announces the wedding’s off. Steve then bursts in to announce that it’s back on; guests are suitably confused. Eileen forces Jason out for a New Year’s drink, and Carla brags about her holiday with Tony. 2008 Episode 6734 Jack is devastated and cannot come to terms with Vera’s death. Michelle and Steve frantically search for Ryan, and Wiki’s knicker party takes place; Roger attends but makes a swift exit when the girls suggest he models the underwear. Episode 6751 Carla continuing presence casts a cloud over Maria and Liam’s wedding; Maria ends up slapping Carla in the toilets. Alex tries to introduce himself to his real grandparents, but Steve leads him away. Episode 6773 Ryan tells Michelle that he intends to get in touch with his real dad. Kelly is forced to admit that she stole the knickers, and David confronts Gail about Tina’s abortion. She is forced to tell him the truth and he flies into a rage. Episode 6816 Maria leaves Liam and moves in with Fiz. Carla conceals her delight. Audrey tries to flirt with Ted, and Leanne gets a job at the Rovers. Episode 6895 Vernon’s mind is constantly on his song-writing, to Roy’s annoyance. Dev agrees to become chairman of Prem’s Asian Business Group, while Gail fears that her relationship with Joe may ruin David and Tina’s. Episode 6927 Carla explains to Leanne why she’s ended the relationship with Liam, who suddenly realises that Tony knows about their affair. As Maria tries to find Liam to tell him about the baby, the stag night ends in tragedy. Episode 6940 Norris is busy annoying the Kabin’s customers. John confesses to Fiz that Rosie is locked in the attic, and Fiz realises that she’s living with a madman. Maria is reassured by Tony that Liam and Carla were not having an affair. Episode 6959 Steve is pleased that his plan is starting to work. At Tony and Carla’s reception, Carla insults Kevin and Sally; Sally vows to take revenge, gets her chance when she finds Maria sitting alone, crying over Liam. 2009 Episode 7007 As Carla struggles to understand Tony, he reveals that he killed Liam out of love for her. The revelation that she had already chosen him leaves him reeling, and he promises to confess if she’ll stand by him. Episode 7064 Rita accepts Colin’s marriage proposal, Julie confronts Jason, and Norris tells Rita that all he wants is her happiness. A row breaks out in the Rovers after Paula spots Julie and Jason together; Paula admits she is not jealous, but scared… Episode 7069 Julie visits her dad in hospital. Peter’s furious with Ken for the way he’s treating Deirdre, and Ken finds himself torn between the promise of a new life with Martha and the one he has shared for so long with Deirdre. Episode 7075 Joe is trying to keep a loan shark off his back. Colin threatens to discharge himself from hospital, and Poppy apologises to Dev for telling Tara about his fling with Lisa. Episode 7124 Ashley and Claire agree never to argue again, but she makes an alarming demand when he takes Joshua to see her. Blanche and the Barlows attend the Alcoholics’ Anonymous meeting, and Helen confronts Maria about her relationship with Tony. Episode 7141 Lloyd helps Steve prepare for his wedding, and Michelle collects her things from No. 7. As Hayley and Natasha help Becky with her wedding dress, hair and make up, Slug sneaks into the pub and plants drugs in Becky’s handbag… Episode 7152 Rita breaks the news of Ramsey’s death to Emily, while Ashley and Claire learn that Joshua is going to be fine. Umed and Teresa agree to a curry challenge, and Kevin and Molly have sex in a hotel room. Episode 7237/8 Ken ruins Christmas Day for Deirdre. As Kevin is on the verge of telling Sally that he is leaving her for Molly, she shocks him with the news that she has cancer. Molly is heartbroken when Kevin tells her it’s over.

I can see where you're coming from; the show did seem to be deserted once everyone had left during the first half, and of course that was a problem as it meant there wasn't enough characters to fill the episodes and space out storylines. I went the opposite way to you, and actually my faith in the show was renewed due to the character driven direction - it was a God's send after the last few years in which I came *very* close to tuning out. There have been a lot of stories that have ended boringly or started of with some fire only to end with a damp squib. IA that the Sonya/Callum story turned out to be the best thing the show did, even if it did retcon their histories, I think they did it in a way that allows a pass (Jade's inclusion is a whole other issue, and one that was not thought through at all and taints the good work they did with S/C) and some of that is down to Eve's excellent portrayal. I don't think anyone came off bad in this story at all, and it is deffo one - if not the only - success story of 2011. May be Harold's return wasn't a highlight, but I did enjoy it, and may be a lot of that is down to the nostalgia factor. I just loved his scenes with Sonya, and Troy, Callum... I loved having him back in the show and his general presence. I do also see what you mean about there being something missing from the show - it never took itself too seriously, and it was never dull during the good eras. I think when shows get to a point where they are struggling, they tend to look back on past successes and try to recreate (repeat) those stories, characters, when in actual fact they should look at what worked then and why, and fuse that with the present set-up. I don't think Bower tried hard enough with this, which is why we got the misguided Steph/Toadie/baby lie and Karl/Susan/Jim stories trying to recreate the 2004 heyday, not to mention the development story. The show definitely picked up around the time of Mal & Jade's flirtations. I've enjoyed this block a lot, and so has a lot of others judging from DS. I've enjoyed the Mal & Jade affair, even though some fans haven't. I like that it was simple and uncomplicated in its premise - Mal's ego is boosted by Jade's attention. Simple and classic motivation for any affair. Having yet to see the outcome of this, I do hope there are some great scenes with Mal/Karl/Susan, as this creates a lot of character development for Mal. I would love for him and Catherine to come back full time next year, but I know that's probably just wishful thinking. The K's without any Kennedy kids will be weird. (I know it's happened before, but this time it feels more important.) Lets just pray that next year they will through more insight into Susan's motivations and save this sorry excuse for a story. The only scene I found ropey was when Tash got that e-mail of her mother's death certificate in Charlie's and ran out in clumsy and emotionless fashion. Val's improved a hell-of-a-lot, but still has the odd ropey moment. it's weird seeing your love for Tash diminish so much since we started talking. Families are an element that has been a success for the show, and one that is sorely missing now and in a way hurting the show. Who has ever heard of a show set in suburbia that doesn't feature any families? (Toadie/Sonya/Callum aside, but they came together late in the day). There are times when the fans could do a better job, and it annoys me when Bower says they contact this and that actor and they: refuse/no longer act/are busy. Like we will only be happy with the original actors. If they're not iconic then recast! I don't understand why they haven't done more with Robert. Just b/c he's in jail doesn't mean they can't develop him or his and Paul's relationship; there's a lot of story that can be mined from this set-up, and it would serve to create a sense of the Robinson family being more than just Paul and Andrew. There is also the prospect of Amy, or bringing back Christina (I say just recast if she can't return). Why are they so against bringing back any of Lou's family? I think they've ruined Lou for the sake of giving him something to do every 2 months; he was never a bully, and the way he's treated Kyle has been out of character. To think this is the same guy they turned into everyone's loveable pop. I love Rhys, and I love how they've given him a mother who is in some kind of care facility. You can see why he wants to be a surgeon so badly so he can help his mum. Is it b/c the development story is dull that you don't like it, or is there another reason? I really haven't been bothered by it as much as others have. I've enjoyed the conflict it has created between Toadie/Kyle/Lucas, and there were some good scenes with Paul/Kyle. Actually, I think it's those Lucas/Toadie scenes where Toadie discovered bulldozing Lucas's business to house a car park and had to tell him, and serve him with an offer to buy the business, that has stuck with me the most. I found them relatable, and they provided some good natural drama. But, as you say, this is really a B-plot dressed up as an A-plot 90% of the time due to the small cast. If they had a bigger cast and more stories, the development wouldn't be highlight so much. Is it a pointless story? Sure it is. We all know what the inevitable outcome will be. I guess at its core it is about Toadie. If you don't care about him, then you most certainly won't care about the story. And in that case, is it really the story that's at fault, or the fact that your love for Toadie has disappeared? I would be against a story that was about pushing for T&S to get married, as not every damn couple needs to be married, and I like that Sonya is not ready and is quite happy with how things are. Why must everyone get married? It's so overrated IMO. I don't want to see Angie return just so she can force T&S into a wedding in comical fashion, where Sonya forgets all her issues and randomly realises that she should marry Toadie b/c it's what he wants/"is the right thing to do" or whatever. For once I'd rather see the pro-marriage character compromise and be happy with his partners decision not to want to marry. It's just not necessary. Plus, T&S are a modern family, and them getting married feels too traditional, IMO. Jordan's never been very good at comedy, and he can be very monotone a lot of time. May be we are meant to assume he was the best actor to audition?! Doubtful. There was no need to cast Jordan, but we will never know why they did. I don't think an actor needs to be taken seriously just b/c he can do accents. Yeah, he should take vocal classes to hide the Scottish twang, but painting over that with an Aussie accent is a lot harder to disguise than a Canadian accent with an Aussie one, and really it isn't a priority to him when he's basically starting out. I will say I had no idea Rhiannon is Canadian, but I have always thought she sounds "American" half the time anyway. A better example would be Lisa Gormley, who really hales from Yorkshire! LOL - I think you mean without flower, as you can get cakes that are eggs free, as some people are allergic to eggs. Now flower and sugar are essential ingredients, much like characters having strong friendships and not being isolated. I hadn't really noticed that the canvas is male heavy. Do you think that is really a problem? I don't think there is a soap that has equal genders; and does it really have to? The Kapoors are a compromise by Bower. Yeah, it's a bit of a slap in the face, but at least there is room to expand further down the line... as long as Bower doesn't have Priya revealing that she's infertile after having Rani, or Ajay saying that their parents are all dead, and they are both only children! Do you know if they were an arranged marriage? I'm curious to see which subjects they touch on, but I hope they don't ignore all cultural/religious aspects all together for the sake of creating a general family. I want to see them celebrate Diwali. LOL. You can't get rid of HD. That's here to stay. I don't think that everything is darker, it's just become dull looking. I think the lighting has been improved a lot and is more realistic now. I wouldn't want it to be like H&A as it looks too fake on that show. You are right about the sunny aspect disappearing. I think this happened when they decided they were no longer going to portray it being summer all year round, which is why everyone now dresses like it's winter when it is and it's grey when it actually is instead of being sunny. Also, no-one wears bikinis any more; no pool parties or other things that built on what Neighbours was about. Why is it characters are only in bathing suits in the opening credits? Who cares if they're filming episodes in the summer that will air in the winter - just get them having pool parties again like the good 'ol days. I don't like the changes to #30. That was one set that was fine, IMO. It didn't need changing or modernizing. And I hate it when they justify these changes with: "it captures the character's personality," or some crap. No it does not. Sonya would not modernize in this way. Now all the sets are open plan! Why? One of the reasons I loved #30 was b/c it didn't look like all the others. And it does not make sense. Why have they stuck a random fireplace in there when there is no chimney? That kitchen doesn't make sense either. These kinds of things really bug me. How are you finding Final Draft? Are you going to start writing spec scripts, Ed? Are you planning on a writing career? Did you see those recap shows? I was surprised at the top 10. How could Dial-A-Kyle beat the Kyle/Jade romance and Tash's fake pregnancy? Seriously! The nominations were terrible. None of Lucas' stories or the Ks made the mark, but Toadie's 1st day and Dial-A-Kyle did!? I did like the interviews though. Gemma is love.

http://www.channel5.com/shows/neighbours/news/take-our-neighbours-character-survey New survey is available - and this one is better than the last. No Q's about clothes and sets. Also, if you answer 'yes' to the last question, you'll be able to take part in monthly Neighbours related surveys.

I find the day-to-day episodes quite watchable and well produced; there is drama, but it's a shame in order to make this drama, characters had to be assassinated with stories that sucked. But, not all the suck-y stories have drama. Case in point: Ashley/Laural/Marlon triangle - it's tedious, dull and so far out-of-character they may as well be from another show. Give it a try if you wish, it's certainly a lot easier to watch than EE or Corrie.

Neighbours cast wishing the UK a Merry Christmas. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xRKCZHwHIaQ?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> James Mason is funny. Jordan's RL style is not what I expected.

OK Ed, time for another mammoth post. You're right about your thoughts on this year, but I do think the first half had it's own issues going on. It was definitely better than the latter half, but it suffered from the same writing that dominated 2010 - teen domination with the fire, the rushed exits of Rebecca, Declan, Zeke, and Tash lurching from one plot to the next. It wasn't until Sonya's secret was bubbling away that the show started to focus on character-driven material, and they delivered some awesome moments when Sonia's secret was exposed; Troy's arrival and him taking Sonya hostage; Harold's return; Mark's "real-time" exit; Lucas' drag racing, and later dealing with his father's death. During the second half of year, the show had to start new stories, and with the new character-driven direction, the show started plotting out some mundane storylines, like Sonya's nursary, Dial-a-Kyle, etc. But it hasn't all been boring - this format has allowed them to explore the will-they-won't-they relationship of Kyle & Jade, Michael's secrets, and the misguided Susan/Jim/Karl story. Tash has got to be the most improved character this year. She went from being scarred in a fire to faking a pregnancy (which had its moments), to sending naked photos of herself to older b/f Ivan, to having insecurities about her appearance and wanting a nose job, which climaxed in her nearly drowning, which ended up being the turning point for her character. (Those insecurities of hers sure disappeared quick - over night to be precise!) If I had to choose I'd pick the second half over the first - you can't beet all the character dictation, and the show has improved greatly under this format. Granted, it has been dull in a lot of places, and Summer has become annoying, and I haven't enjoyed the contrived Kate/Noah stuff, but it's been a million times better than the last couple of years, IMO. Valentina has improved her acting leaps and bounds, and Sandy Winton has proved that he can act. Freya Stafford is awesome, and for a new character she sure has fitted in real fast. I love the dynamic that she has brought to Michael and Tash, and her relationship with Lucas is great, too. I wish she was staying, and I'm disappointed she isn't. ITA with everything you said about the Ks; their break up hasn't improved much, and really Susan hasn't been doing any soul-searching at all. I'm glad they have something to do, and it's kinda new, but something about it isn't quite right. Susan's motives haven't been made as clear as they should have been. Jade and Mal are awesome, and they do indeed have great chemistry. Mal fits in well with Karl & Susan, and I too would love to see him make a permanent return. I'd also love for them to recast Catherine and explore their relationship. Jade is all kinds of love, and she just gets better and better. Her fear of not wanting to be hurt, protecting her heart, and locking her secrets away is very relatable and complex; she doesn't let people in easily. Yeah, she sleeps around, but she's not a slut or anything, just a normal person. I don't think her getting with Kyle will change her, but in fact it'll develop her; I can't see her losing who she is, and she'll still be the vault that she is now. I like Kyle, but I want to see more of his goofy-ness, as he's become a bit too serious with the development story. Dane is awesome, and Luke is a good actor; he works very well with Jade and Rhys. Speaking of Rhys, he's shaping into a great character, so very Darcy-esque. He also doesn't seem to be as cold as he was, possibly b/c Ben Barber has settled in more? I do miss Libby, but now that her contract has officially run out and she's been removed from the credits, it looks like she isn't returning any time soon. I do agree with you about Toadie to some degree. I think the Steph baby lie from 2010 has tainted him, and it's something he hasn't been able to come back from. I still like him, but he's changed, and not for the better. I don't mind his role in the development story, as really, he's only been doing his job, and it would be stupid and unrealistic for him to quit. I quite like how they've managed to keep his integrity-ish in tact when dealing with everyone. And I love how Sonya has stood by him like a couple should. I don't think Callum has no purpose, just that he hasn't had a meaty story or any kind of story really since the Troy drama. But I've liked what development there has been, like him calling Sonya 'Mum', or how he and Sophie have drifted apart. I don't think Callum needs to have some purpose at his age, as he doesn't need to have a story all of the time. What he does do is enough for me. I guess, the one thing I'd may change is have him share scenes with Paul more, and get to know Jade more, too, as they haven't really shared many scenes really. I think his quirkiness has developed into a techno wizard (for want of a better term) and I think that's quite natural and realistic in some way. I didn't mind that scene with the book comparison as it felt like something a kid Callum's age would say. Of course, I'd prefer it if they didn't stereotype and switched up the players by having Susan being a fan of the Kindle and someone younger liking a book. I'm young and I prefer reading a book "naturally", while my uncle (who is 50-ish) loves ebooks and reading from his Kindle. You'll hate me for this, but I like the on-screen text for texts, other mobile content, internet searches... I think it's an innovative way of not having to shoot cut away shots of mobiles and laptops. I wish that they would avoid displaying the text on a white background, as it blurs it out and makes it pointless displaying it. While Jordy Lucas is an OK actor, I find Summer highly irritating and annoying. Her crusade to save PirateNet (why can't they burn down that damn set?) and the drama with her exams was so vexing. How could she possibly have believed that the council would reopen PirateNet just b/c a bunch of kids were threatening to fail their VCE?! She is not that important! How can you say Valentina and Sandy Winton are ropey? They been awesome during this whole dead mother story. Like I said further up, Valentina has really upped her game, and those scenes where she blamed herself were so sad and very moving. Michael was too, every time he started to well-up. This story has been so sad and tragic, and all those involved have done a great job. Michael has been looking like a zombie for weeks, and Sandy has pulled that off brilliantly - very believable, IMO. OK, the constant beach scenes of Michael staring out to the ocean were repetitive and boring, but that's was then and this is now, and a vast improvement has taken shape. Andrew isn't that bad, he's just middle of the row, IMO. I'm enjoying him being a supporting player for once. I don't think Jordan not putting on an accent to cover his natural twang means he's a bad actor, more the opposite really. His Scottish accent only really comes out when he's doing emotional scenes, like being angry and such, and this is when he's putting his all in to it and his accent slips out. He's nowhere near the level of where he can do those scenes and hold an accent, too, so I don't think Jordan not having an Aussie accent all the time means he's a bad actor. I do like the development of Sophie; it's been natural and believable. But, the Kate/Noah story sucks. That kiss was so contrived, in fact, Mark's off-screen death has been one giant ball of contrived plot device. And lets not mention the time-lapse footage. This whole story has highlighted Kate's selfishness and negative traits. Andrew is family when she needs him to be, but when Paul wants to be family, she's pushing him away and telling him not to sink so low. Hypocrite! I know what you mean about the current state of the show. As much as I love the character-driven nature and the slower pace of storytelling, the downtime has been boring, and that is an issue. Cast interaction is also an issue, but I do like how everyone is getting screen time. I've loved seeing Andrew interact with Karl and Susan; seeing more Michael/Lucas scenes, and Chris & Tash are just great believable BFF's. But, the teens and M&L are the only real friendships they have on the show, everyone else is isolated to their groups -- wait, I'm forgetting Kate/Jade. They do need a bigger cast in order to mix everyone up in a believable way so we can avoid snarky Lou for the sake of earning some dialogue or Paul turing out a zany one liner at whomever he bumps into at Harold's or Charlie's. I'm looking forward to seeing more of the Kapoors, but I hope they give Ajay a major personality transplant, b/c so far, he seems so dull and uninteresting. I'm really happy that they're an ethnic family, too, and it seems that Bower was right to introduce diversity at a slow pace judging from some of those very racist comments left on the Neighbours Facebook page. However, I do believe that this is her compromise on the "war" against nuclear families - she was always opposed to the idea, but the fans were not, but this way she keeps them to a minimum of 3. If she had really wanted a nuclear family, she could have expanded them at introduced a grandmother and another kid, as Asian families are usually quite big. At least Toadie/Sonya/Callum won't be the only nuclear family on the show... People seem to forget that are now a nuclear family.

John Thornton (John Barton) quits Emmerdale! http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/news/a353277/emmerdale-star-james-thornton-to-leave-soap.html I'll definitely miss him. The Bartons were once a great family unit, and it's sad that it'll be destroyed... actually, it's already been destroyed thanks to the inane Moira/Cain affair.