Ben

The direction was superb. Whatever one may think about Emmerdale right now, about this character, you have to admit that the technical know-how is impressive.

ITA. And that is the saving grace of this story, b/c Jackson is hollow, and I struggled to care about all those long Aaron/Jackson scenes that involved their relationship angst. The stunt was awesome, and had real depth and character behind it, but I hate the way they're writing Aaron & Jackson as a love story, as if this life and death situation will make Aaron realize he loves Jackson, when in reality, I just want Aaron to feel really guilty, but for his feelings to stay unchanged. Jackson should be a stop gap before Aaron finds the real thing. It's an unrequited love story for Jackson, who needs to realize that he and Aaron aren't soul mates. I fear that's how they're gonna play this, seeing as Jackson's sticking around. I hope I'm wrong.

It was obvious that Blyth had little use for Viv but to actually write her out, especially when she is one of the longest serving female characters, is sad. This makes me wonder about other women he has little time for, like Val.

Since I've resumed watching, I've noticed that there seems to be several Viv clones hanging around. There's Brenda, and now Hazel, and both can easily fill Viv's role. I've also noticed that they don't use Brenda very much, and I struggled to remember her name, as all she does is say some random lines propping up the bar/café, while Hazel is shoved down our throats. Hazel doesn't do much, either, yet she's in 4 out of 6 eps a week, and doesn't have much character to her at all. I've yet to see any meaningful Terry/Brenda scenes as a couple, and the possible pairing of Bob/Lizzie had more potential, than the pointless Bob/Hazel.

I'm not surprised that Viv is going, as she does nothing, but as you've pointed out, neither does half the cast. In fact, ED has too many characters, and yet they keep adding in new ones, without developing the ones they've got. This is frustrating, as the show could actually be awesome in all corners if they just tried.

The Sharmas do nothing at all, and I struggle to see the point of Jai/Faye. I love Faye, and I like Jai and Nikhil, but I wish they were utilized and integrated more - the same goes for Adam, Victoria, Val, Eric, Terry, Brenda, Zak, Lisa, Adele, Lizzie, etc. It sucks that a link to the past is being lost, but I've become accustomed to that in soaps over the last several years.

ETA: I think Natalie Robb and John Thornton are the saving grace of this drugs story, as the Holly chick just can't manage the complexities that this story demands. Good job to them. I'm also surprised that I actually like Hannah. Not sure on Isaac, though.

I'm also not getting this Carl/Eve affair, or the way their characters (+ Chas) are being written; something isn't working. Lacks spark.

Jane Hall chose to quit, so it's not like TPTB are writing her out. I always felt like she was going to be a main stayer, but I guess the move to digital had her rethink her time with the show. It's sad, and a real blow to the show, but that's life. Rebecca will be missed.

My guess is, that once Jane decided to quit, they decided to write out NuDeclan too, as he really isn't working as well as what he should have. I do like how her and Declan's exits will involve the returning Oliver & Carmella.

Zeke is a bit of a mystery, as it could've been his decision or TPTB's. I think he lost some fans during the time he dominated story with his rubbish love interests, and nonsensical moments in Sunny and Mia, which is probably why he's been a supporting character for most of 2010. I won't really miss him at all.

This, though, does present an interesting opportunity for the Kennedy's, as they're gonna be without any one to look after, and a good time for TPTB to move Chris into their care. But, it has been reported that the writers are struggling with long-term story for their first gay character outside of love interests and relationship angst, which I guess they don't want to tackle due to the classification restrictions.

These are definitely make or break times for show, as it will leave a lot of characters swinging in the wind. I do wonder how much longer Scott Major and Janet Andrewartha will stay with the show... and how much life Neighbours has left in it.

Thanks for that!

Some fans feel that the show is too teen orientated, are you now trying to strike a balance?

That question surprises me and I can understand it being asked 12 months ago but definitely in the last six months, the storylines have been very balanced involving all our cast members. And just for example Toadie, Steph, Libby, Lucas and of course Paul Robinson, are the key players in the stories now airing and coming up.

I think that can be taken as confirmation of her admitting the show was too teen-centric, and how she talked a load of BS when fielding this question during this time. But, I do agree with her, that this is a weird time to bring this question up, as the show has made an active attempt to address the teen issue, and the dumbing down of the show.

Interview with Carla Bonner (Steph)

Does anyone else thing that Carla's decision to leave was in part due to the storyline and the negative fan reaction to her character? Also, I'm unsure what to think of her exit being out-of-character - not that surprises me, but I hope the writing supports this kind of exit.

I wondered that about the Masoods as well. It seemed like they were there so Zainab could save Syed, and move that plot on.

It looked like Ian & Jane had just returned from a trip out, as he was wearing a coat, and she was in a long green dress. As I said, I liked that aspect of other residents coming out of their homes, but it just seemed odd not to have Ian & Jane at the reception, and instead use Ian for that random scene at the end where he's shouting at Peggy as if he's about to speak, but ends up saying nothing. It all felt weird to me.

And it wasn't Glenda's appearance that bothered me, it was the lack of follow up, which made it seem random and pointless. It didn't make any sense at all.

ETA: I will add that Steve McFadden is turning in some very awesome performances. I think this is his best work to date. I haven't been disturbed by any of the drug story, but when he was going through withdrawals, that really freaked me out. They were full on disturbing.

OK, I think I'm probably going to be the minority when I say that I didn't really like the fire episode.

I thought the fire itself was awesomely done; very realistic, especially in that scene with Stacey trapped in the living room, and the flames were on the wall and ceiling - very chilling.

But, I felt the details were lacking, which really tested my ability to disbelieve. The only pre-conceived idea I had was that it was going to end on a cliffhanger, instead of being a self contained episode, which was disappointing. By the end, I was comparing it to the Neighbours fire (2004 season finale), when they burnt down Lassisters (the pub and coffee show were iconic), and the emotional connection I had. It was moving. I could feel Lou & Harold's pain at seeing their businesses go up in flames; I could empathize with Toadie, as he eagerly awaited for Stuart & Sindi to emerge from the burning pub, and the shock at seeing it crumble with them trapped inside. I didn't feel that with this disaster - in fact, it felt very much like a stunt.

The panic felt real, if not a little OTT, but I didn't mind that. I also loved how Zainab stayed behind, even though she was traumatised by her own memories of that kitchen fire, to save Syed. I liked how Janine was genuinely worried for Pat and Ryan; how Denise, Kim, Patrick and Carol appeared to see what was going on.

At the point when Stacey, Peggy, Phil and Billy were trapped in the flames, I didn't feel that emotional connection of danger. Barbara Winsor's very OTT acting didn't help, and instead totally distracted from the drama (I know she's an OTT character, but was really bad acting from her - or maybe that's the problem: I felt she was acting, instead of it being more natural. Then there were the sloppy details, like the ladder not being underneath the window, making it impossible for Ryan to climb down with Stacey thrown over his shoulder; how did Peggy and Billy free Phil from under the bar? He was pinned under, and it was on fire, yet Peggy & Billy managed to pull him out without any burns at all!? Why did Glenda randomly appear, but not feature or get mentioned in the next episode? Why was Ian & Jane not at the reception, but shoved into the end of the episode in such a random fashion? Who was babysitting Kamil, when all of the Masoods were at the pub? Oh, and why didn't the Vic have a smoke alarm?

If I had been emotionally invested in what was going on, I probably wouldn't have noticed half of the details (that some may say are minor). I'm also one of those people that didn't mind no-one dying - I think it would've detracted from the iconic Vic dying. Again, I don't have any real sadness for this loss, as it will just be rebuilt with a new face. Unlike Neighbours, as Lassisters has never been the same since the fire - it had lasting effects, but will this?

Did anyone notice how Patsy Palmer disappeared? I guess this was b/c of her RL pregnancy...

Peggy's actual departure was much better. I loved the family scenes with the Mitchells, but more importantly, it showed how rounded Peggy is as a character. The scenes with Stacey showed how vile Peggy can be, and really reminded me of why I don't really like her, but then she had those genuine moments with Ronnie, Sam, Phil and Billy, which demonstrated that she can be a decent human being. I loved how she acknowledge her treatment of Billy, and how she realized that she had been suffocating Phil for her own needs. I think her not saying goodbye to Pat, really showed what she truly thought of her, and how they didn't really have a genuine friendship (at least not on Peggy's part).

I do think this was the right time for Peggy to leave, b/c really, she was eating show. Over the years they have slowly made her the centre of all things EastEnders, but hopefully the other families can take more centre stage, now.

How's the show been doing lately? I had an episode up and ready to go a few days ago, hoping that maybe I could be coaxed back into watching regularly again, but I've yet to watch that one episode.

I tuned into Roy & Hayley's wedding eps, and they definitely show an improvement. I recommend watching from there, especially the second ep, which is really good. Then, I didn't bother to follow them up, and the last ep I watched was this Monday's, where Molly gave birth, and again, it showed the show has made significant changes for the better. It's not as bad as it was. Corrie's not on fire or anything, and its yet to coax me into wanting to watch regularly again, but episodes are no longer painful to sit through.

So yeah, give it another go and see what you think.

Thanks Carl, for posting that.

This was from an era that I really loved, and featured some of my all-time favourite characters - Jesse, Chloe, Selina, Curtis, Travis, Kelly, Alisa; so good seeing this again. And the old Diner, too! LOL at the car rolling down the hill, while Curtis and Chloe kissed. Really wish they would bring some of these characters back; just a shame they pointlessly killed off Chloe.

Loving thy Neighbours

NEIGHBOURS marked its 6000th episode last night the way it has marked so many others before: with a cliffhanger. As the show broke for the weekend, resident bad guy Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) lay in a crumpled heap outside his hotel, Lassiter's, having apparently been pushed from its recently added second-storey balcony.

''Is he dead?'' a shocked Toadfish (Ryan Moloney) asked.

''I've got a pulse,'' Dr Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) replied. ''It's very faint though.''

Cynics might say that's a fair diagnosis of the show as it limps along with about 600,000 viewers an episode versus the 1.3 million its 6.30pm rivals A Current Affair and Today Tonight manage, not to mention the 1 million-plus who tune in for Seven's rival teen-heavy soapie, Home and Away, half an hour later.

But after 25 years on air, perhaps Neighbours deserves a little more credit than that.

The ''serial drama'' (the show's producers prefer not to use the term ''soapie'' because of its negative connotations) is the seventh-longest-running such show in the world still on the air, and the longest in Australia. Only three other five-days-a-week shows in the world have run for longer.

Its makers produce about 230 episodes a year. ''To churn out 2½ hours a week is a huge task - it's more than a feature film a week,'' says Mike Murphy, former worldwide head of drama for FremantleMedia (the show's producer) and now a special consultant to Neighbours. ''You try every week to hit that 100 per cent, but mostly if you hit 80 per cent you're pretty happy.''

Famously, Neighbours is the show that launched many careers, from actors Guy Pearce, Peter O'Brien and Russell Crowe to actor-singers Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue, Natalie Imbruglia and Delta Goodrem, to writers Kate Langbroek and Marieke Hardy.

Its producers argue that it has also helped guide many a teenager through the turbulent ''Straits of Coming of Age'', with problem-and-solution storylines that help them deal with everything from family breakdown to coming out (a recent case of the show boldly going where its G rating and 6.30pm timeslot had made it hesitant to go before).

And while it no longer enjoys the massive ratings of its late 1980s heyday, the program remains a vital cultural export, being sold to 48 countries. According to Fremantle, each episode is watched overseas by about 60 million people.

That's not a bad effort for a show that was dropped by original broadcaster Seven in November 1985 after eight months and 170 episodes.

When Ten picked up the cast-off, Brian Walsh - now executive director of television at Foxtel but then Ten's head of publicity - realised changes were needed if it was going to work. So Darius Perkins was bumped from the Scott Robinson role to make way for Jason Donovan, Guy Pearce joined as Mike Young and, three months after the move, Kylie Minogue was introduced as feisty tomboy mechanic Charlene Mitchell.

Seven had destroyed the sets but Walsh, who was determined to draw major attention to the new version of the show, managed to salvage some props, which found their way into a spectacular publicity stunt. ''I hired two semi-trailers and I had the sets department build the Robinson house on the back of one of them and the Ramsay house on the other, and we drove around with the cast on the trucks waving, and these big banners saying, 'Neighbours is moving to a new home'.''

That got a lot of coverage, but the show struggled to make a dint in the all-important Sydney market until Walsh got the attention of Roy Miller, editor of the Daily Mirror, with another stunt. ''I told him Scott and Charlene were going to be in school uniform, having teenage sex in a hotel in Manly, and he spoke to his teenage daughter, who told him everyone was talking about Neighbours. So one day in May 1986, the Daily Mirror came out with this front-page banner - I've still got it today - saying, 'TV shock: teen sex on Ten tonight'. And that really triggered everything.''

In October that year, BBC1 started screening the first Seven-produced episodes to an afternoon-only audience. By 1989, the show had become the hottest property on British TV, with Scott and Charlene's wedding watched by 20 million viewers, more than one in three Britons.

According to Murphy, it managed simultaneously to be the sort of show the Brits can't get enough of and a breath of fresh air. ''The UK is a very mature market for multi-episode serials, but shows such as EastEnders and Emmerdale are pretty dark,'' Murphy says. ''Neighbours was light and sunny and pretty frothy, with people popping in on each other with unlocked doors and having barbecues around the swimming pool. And in a cold, grey English winter, that's escapist viewing.''

According to Michael Sergi, head of the film and television school at Bond University and a director on Neighbours from 1991 to 1995, the show's central appeal is encapsulated in its famous theme song: if you've got good neighbours, you've got good friends.

''The reason it connects is that a lot of people have very isolated lives and what Neighbours does is provide a sense of belonging to a large social network,'' Sergi says. ''People have quite traumatic things happen to them in the show, because it is a melodrama, but at the end there are reassuring solutions. It sends the message that your network will help you through.''

''It's inoffensive,'' says the show's executive producer, Susan Bower, unapologetically. ''It is a show the whole family can watch and it's not going to bring up issues that are offensive, scary or that the parents aren't able to discuss with the children. That's our 6.30pm timeslot and that's our brief.''

Bower generally relishes the challenge of keeping the show fresh and relevant for its core audience. ''Twenty years ago when Kylie walked into the show as Charlene, a female mechanic was something different,'' she says. ''Now it's not. Back then it was, 'Oh, they're sleeping together; how do we explain that?' Now it's, 'Why the hell aren't they sleeping together?' ''

Under Bower's direction, the show has returned to the kind of family-focused storylines on which it was built. But despite occasional highpoints since her appointment in 2008, the ratings look unlikely to return to the heights of its glory years.

The reasons offered range from the proliferation of viewing options to the rise of the computer as the central entertainment platform for today's teens to the increased homework burden and the demand that the TV be turned off for precious family time at the dinner table. Whatever the reason, questions about the place of Neighbours in Ten's future strategy are inevitably being asked.

''Obviously, you would always like better raw numbers, but the demography of Neighbours, given the environment, remains very compelling,'' says Rick Maier, executive producer, drama and production, at Ten. ''It's all about available audience in the timeslot. Is Neighbours still successful? Imagine a grand final crowd at the MCG, multiply that by six or seven, then deliver that audience five nights a week for 48 weeks a year for 25 years straight. That's a phenomenal result.''

Despite that, Ten announced on Thursday that it would move the show, along with The Simpsons, to its new youth-oriented (13-29 years) digital channel, Eleven, when it launches early next year. Ten will run a current affairs program at 6pm (with Jennifer Byrne rumoured as host) and a local news bulletin at 6.30pm.

The expense of replacing it means that Neighbours' place at its new home should be relatively secure. In May 2007, UK channel Five (then owned by RTL, the media group that also owns Fremantle) won the rights to the next 10 years of the show at a reported cost of £300 million, or £140,000 an episode. At the time, that equated to $A333,000 an episode; today, it's about $A243,000. As a rule of thumb, it costs about $350,000 to make a half-hour of television drama in Australia, so the British money covers the bulk of the cost. According to some industry estimates, Neighbours could cost Ten as little as $20,000 per half-hour.

But if Neighbours is in some senses increasingly a show made for the British, those associated with it say that doesn't significantly change it. ''My brief was and is to make the show for Australia, and that's what I've been doing,'' says Bower. Nonetheless, she admits that ''obviously one keeps an eye on the British audience'', which, she says, has a preference for the older characters (in Australia, we prefer the kids).

''The show is really made for the Ten Network in Australia,'' says Murphy. ''The overseas market is a distribution situation; they just buy the Australian program.'' But, he adds, ''the more elements of Australian life you can incorporate the more the show will appeal to foreign audiences''.

That doesn't necessarily make the show any less Australian, but it almost certainly influences the kind of Australia it depicts: racially uniform (ie, white), safe, neat and tidy. ''People live in houses, as opposed to apartments,'' says Sergi. ''The weather is generally not bleak. You rarely see graffiti or street crime or vandalism. The life it portrays in Australia is quite different to what audiences in Germany and France, say, experience.''

It's quite different to what many people in Australia experience, too.

To visit Pinoak Court in Vermont South, the real-life Ramsay Street, is to see at first hand the disjunction between the screen vision and the reality. On a wintry day, with the bruised sky about to burst, it's difficult to see how this cul-de-sac could have become the site of so many fantasies in so many parts of the world. But the barricades that go up at the end of the street between 8pm and 6am each day, the security guards who stand present 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the residents who scurry from car door to front door lest they be accosted by the curious, all testify to the fact that this nondescript patch of Australian suburbia continues to exercise a powerful magic.

And for those who are entrusted with keeping that faith, not even the relentless churn of 230 episodes a year can dim it. ''It's like a tsunami every week,'' says Bower. ''You finish one, you turn around and there's another one. It's exhausting, but it's exhilarating.''

Source: The Age

In regards to the bold part, I do have to wonder if Aussie's do prefer the teen domination, to that of a more multi-generational cast. If they did, wouldn't the ratings be higher? Wouldn't it be the topic of conversation with teens? Wouldn't they actually think of it as being relevant, instead of obsolete? Packed To The Rafters is a multi-generational show and they pull in high numbers and is popular with all, so why change what Neighbours all ways was, for something that is new and clearly not working?

It definitely takes away the shows security, as on Ten, it always formed the majority of their local drama quota, but digital channels don't have such restrictions. In terms of the show, it will allow it to become PG rated, instead of G, which can only be a good thing, as long as Susan Bower implements it into the show.

I guess in the long run, it can't be a good move, unless it does exceptionally well in ratings/demos/audience share.

'Neighbours' axed from Channel Ten

The long-running Australian soap, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, will move to Ten's new digital channel Eleven when the network launches next year. The new station will target the youth market of 13 to 29-year-olds.

Chief of programming David Mott told ABC: "Neighbours is an important and cherished member of the Network Ten family. We believe Neighbours is perfectly suited to Eleven's audience strategy and will find a successful and enduring home on Eleven.

"We will round out the first 25 years with a bang, and give Australia's most successful drama a new home to keep it vibrant in the schedule for the next 25."

CEO of the show's production company Ian Hogg added: "Just as Neighbours forged new territory for Ten in 1986, so we will again for Eleven in 2011. We are very proud of the faith being placed in Neighbours and the key role we will be playing in Eleven's launch and lineup.

"Our storyline plans for 2011 are both bold and dramatic. Neighbours fans have much to look forward to for many years to come."

Neighbours will continue to air in its usual 6.30pm timeslot when it makes the move to the new channel.

The Simpsons is also being moved to the new network, where it will join shows such as Futurama, Dexter, Smallville, 90210, The Office and Supernatural.

I really hope this week was not the last we'll see of Glenda (and I hope she doesn't return only to be killed in the fire, either), as she has become a bit of a favourite character of mine. I think she's quite a fascinating character, what with her complicated psychology. She likes to live in a fantasy world, as her many lies have demonstrated, which is quite an interesting trait.

But, I don't like how a lot of people are painting her as some kind of monster on the scale of Archie (an abuser), while Peggy is quickly forgiven (a woman who knew her sons were being beaten and did nothing to stop it), as opposed to Glenda, who suspected, but never actually knew. People seem to forget that Glenda was Archie's wife, and was probably just as much a victim of his psychological manipulation as Peggy was, which is probably why she believed he was replacing her with Ronnie (that doesn't have to be sexual, either... but still twisted); she chose to run away b/c she couldn't face thinking of her husband as an abuser, just like Peggy did - who would? It was the worst thing she could do, but there are reasons why she did it. There are lots of people who take this approach and choose to go into denial, b/c they aren't strong enough to face their darkest fears and confront the situation; it's horrible, and Ronnie's reaction is right, but I do hope she can move on from it, and try to build bridges with Glenda, just like she has with Peggy.

It's a shame they decided to take the character in this direction, as it's a very difficult road to come back from, but it's not impossible. And if Peggy can be forgiven, then surely Glenda can, too?... Or maybe I'm just biased as I liked the character before all of this, and don't want to see potential wasted.

Dare I say it looks like the show seems to be hinting at a creative upswing?

Don't jinx it, James!

That preview was awesome. The music they used to showcase the whodunit was very affective, and really shows that they don't need to be using a whole bunch of fancy effects, like they do for the recap and previews. Less is more.

I'm a fan of business stories, and this one is OK. Tighter writing would make it seem less contrived and random in places, but I'm just happy that they have two long running stories going on at the same time. Maybe this is why the teens are working better, b/c Declan, Kate, Donna and Ringo are now involved in more mature stories, and Natasha/Andrew/Summer/Chris aren't saddled with lame plots, either. The balance is better.

So far, Diana is pretty cool. I know Jane Badler has said that her first 2 days were pretty nerve racking for her. It's been a long time since the show has had a "super bitch", so her stint should be interesting.

Corrie writer reveals scripting process

Coronation Street writer Jonathan Harvey has revealed details of the scriptwriting process on the show.

The 42-year-old playwright, who has also penned upcoming anniversary theatre production Corrie!, told Metro that different writers on the ITV soap have different favourite characters.

Harvey said: "There are 18 writers and we meet every three weeks for two days. Together, we plan 15 episodes of the show. We each write an episode each.

"People tend to pitch ideas for their favourite characters. I liked Blanche, who died earlier this year, which was a real loss to the show, and I like Norris and Mary. They're fantastic."

Quizzed about which stories he came up with, he replied: "I joined in 2004 and I co-created the character of Tony Gordon, who came in to run the factory, then started killing people.

"I've done lots of incidental camp comedy storylines along the way, such as Jason Grimshaw winning Mr Gay Weatherfield. It's been six years and you have to come up with stories every three weeks so I'm hard-pushed to remember what's mine."

Asked how new characters are conceived, Harvey said: "With Tony Gordon, it was because Carla's husband had died and it was a question of doing something with her. I suggested giving her a new man who turns out to be a psychopath, which led to bigger stories."

**********

I haven't been watching Corrie for weeks, but I did watch one of last Friday's eps, and every scene annoyed or aggravated me. It was painful. This stupid John story is such a rushed mess; it's like a bad US soap storyline, not one that should be on Corrie... or at least not written like this. And what's up with this crazy Charlotte chick? She ingratiated herself into John's lies, and now she's claiming she's an innocent party! What I don't get is, why doesn't John just point out that she's a freaking accessory to everything, especially the burying of Colin's body? That would shut her up for 5 minutes. Oh, and I hate the Fiz twist.

And then there's the Audrey/Lewis/Deirdre mess, that seems to have left Audrey without her brains.

Nasty Nick is still sleazing over Leanne - the woman he claims to still be in love with, yet ignored for several months.

I don't care about this Lloyd/Cheryl/Chris story or the characters involved.

Don't care about this Owen, either. Feels like there's one to many builders on this tiny street.

I wish Janice wasn't leaving, but I'm glad it was her decision, and she wasn't fired.

Yep, the show sucks, big time.

Ryan will be lucky to make it out of Janine's clutches alive. He doesn't have a clue what she is really like. He is a bit of a sneak and con artist, but he is a saint compared to Janine.

I think he does know what Janine is like. He learnt that the hard way with her treatment of Stacey, and still he's stuck by her, b/c he loves her. I like how Janine proposing is b/c she fears he will leave her, which is based in her insecurity of loosing the people she loves, like Frank. I really do love these two as a couple, and I think they can go far together. Janine is the more extreme version of Ryan, which I think will make finding out about Lily, all the more interesting.

OK, BadBoy, here goes...

#22 - The Robinsons & Napiers:

Paul Robinson is in the midst of a financial crisis - he owns the local newspaper, Erinsborough News, and bought the local indie radio station, PirateNet, to help keep Lassisters Hotel from going under. He used to be a shareholder in Lassisters, but those assets were taken from him, and he appears to be in a managerial position, now (the business structure is kinda confusing). Lassisters is/was losing money; the newspaper's circulation is down, and PirateNet is haemorrhaging cash (a business that is in his wife Rebecca's name). Rebecca's unaware of the true extent of Paul's financial woes, but did agree to him doing whatever it takes to save their businesses...

Paul's son Andrew, is jealous of step-bro Declan, and has schemed to undermine him and win his father's acceptance. Declan distrusts him and Paul, but puts up with them for Rebecca's sake. When one of Andrew's pathetic plots went awry, that cost the hotel several long-term clients, Paul decided to refurbish Lassisters by installing a mezzanine terrace, and using the reopening as a publicity stunt to bring in new clientèle. But, Paul wanted to save money by not paying Dolan (the builders), who later threatened to sue. Paul spontaneously decided to sabotage Dolan's construction site, but was interrupted by Declan. Paul's actions nearly cost Donna her life, when the scaffolding that he tampered with, came crashing down on top of her. To cover it all up, Paul and Dolan signed a confidentiality agreement with Paul having to pay the builder what he owed.

During a corporate dinner for advertisers, Declan got into a fight with an important ad exec, who was harassing his girlfriend (and Paul's niece) Kate Ramsay, and subsequently lost a valuable client. Needing money fast, Paul transferred $100,000 from Lassisters into PirateNet's account, under the guise of paying Dolan the money he owed. When Declan found CCTV footage from the construction site, he realized that Paul had doctored it to make it look like Declan was the saboteur.

Declan asked local lawyer Toadie Rebecchi to help clear his name (who's also Paul's lawyer), and together they uncovered Paul's embezzlement. Toadie wanted to go to the cops, but Declan decided to keep it in house in order to protect Rebecca; Declan contacted Diana Marshall - one of the Lassisters execs in New York - who has now launched an investigation, and will soon be making a surprise visit. Meanwhile, Kate discovered that money from her trust fund (set-up by Paul) was mysteriously being withdrawn and put back a day-or-so later. After Declan's baby daughter, India, stopped breathing, Paul saved her life, and reaffirmed his love for all his family. Delcan decided to hand over all his ammo to Paul, who pointed out that if he goes down, then so does an oblivious Rebecca.

#24 & #30 - Steph/Toadie/Sonya/Lucas/Lyn:

Basically, Steph had a one-night stand with her best friend Libby's husband Dan Fitzgerald, after seeing Libby lock lips with Lucas Fitzgerald (Steph's love interest), and is now pregnant with Dan's baby. Dan & Libby had separated after the surrogacy saga tore them apart, and Dan subsequently left town. Steph and Lucas got together, but when she learned she was pregnant, she left town. Fearing losing Libby's love and friendship, and unable to have a termination due to previously battling breast cancer, her best friend Toadie decided to claim the baby as his - in order to protect Libby (she is like a sister to him).

So, they concocted a fake relationship, which broke Lucas' and Toadie's current love, Sonya's hearts. But Steph's mum Lyn, found the DVD of her ultrasound, and realized that Steph was lying about her conception date. Backed into a corner, Steph told Lyn everything, who struggled with the secret, especially from best friend Susan (Libby's mother). After having a cancer scare, and seeing how Lyn couldn't be trusted to abide by her wishes, Toadie proposed, under the guise of making him her next of kin in case the cancer was to return. Unhappy with the sanctity of marriage being desecrated under the mountain of lies, Lyn refused to go along with it, until she spoke to the priest who assured her that friendship is the most important part of a relationship, and love can follow later. This inspired Lyn to scheme to make them fall in love for real, by planning a huge romantic wedding.

Meanwhile, Sonya decided to move away; knowing that her and Toadie would split 6 months after the baby's birth, Steph decided to stop her from going, by explaining that Toadie is not her baby daddy. Sonya soon figured out that Dan was the real father. On the day of the wedding, Sonya and Lucas showed up, where she agreed to wait for Toadie. Lyn was far from pleased.

To complicate matters, Libby is dating Dr. Doug Harris - Steph's doctor. Libby also saw Toadie & Sonya kiss, and isn't happy that he's still in contact with her.

Elsewhere:

Ringo & Donna are getting married (they're being billed as the new Scott & Charlene - but they're not). They had opposition in the form of Donna's new-found dad Nick, but after she realized that she doesn't need his approval on everything, and he's still going to love her, she agreed to marry Ringo. There is history between Ringo/Donna/Andrew, as the later had an affair with Donna at the start of the year.

Susan's suspicious about the Dolan cover-up, and believes Paul is involved in something dodgy. She wrote a uni assignment about her suspicions, and posted it on Facebook, where she received a very personal, slightly stalker-y reply...

Michael & Natasha Williams have a very tumultuous father-daughter relationship. His wife/her mother is dead, and Natasha reminds him a lot of her. She wants to be a model, and is currently the face of PirateNet. That ad campaign didn't go down to well with Michael, who started feuding with Paul. Natasha is the female version of Andrew, and constantly plots and schemes, which totally gets at Michael; he doesn't know how to handle her, which she takes as him not caring. One heated argument ended in Natasha slapping him, in order to get a rise out of him. Natasha and Andrew are dating, and she loves to pay out Summer.

Summer Hoyland (Steph's ex-step daughter) is currently in a slow burning relationship with Chris Papas. But he has a secret... Summer hates bitchy Natasha.

Lucas is best mates with Michael, and has recently got a second job teaching the kids mechanics.

Kate recently set-up her dance instructor Terry, with Lyn, who he fancies, but she loathes. Lyn is beginning to soften towards him.

The Kennedy's pet Galah, Dahl, recently escaped, and is now missing. This story will be brought back up, soon. Also, Dr. Karl doesn't get on with his boss and daughter Libby's boyfriend, Doug.

Lou Carpenter was the Ramsays legal guardian until Kate turned 18. Now he simply lives with Kate, Sophie and until recently Harry, as their surrogate grandpa. He's currently in Sydeny helping Harry adjust to city life.

'Neighbours' confirms shock whodunit plot

Neighbours bosses have revealed details of a dramatic whodunit storyline which will air to mark the soap's 6,000th episode.

Later this year, viewers will see Paul Robinson's (Stefan Dennis) life left hanging in the balance when he is pushed from the mezzanine level of Lassiters in a shock attempted murder plot.

The sinister event will be screened in a special week of episodes which are due to air in the UK from October 11. In the run-up to episode 6,000 - airing on October 15 - a new suspect will be revealed each day, as possible motives of Paul's many foes and the events leading up to his fall are explored.

A statement released by Neighbours' British broadcaster Five said: "With so many enemies, it will be hard to narrow down who had the motive to harm him. Who pushed P.R?"

The show's executive producer Susan Bower previously hinted at the forthcoming plot last month, saying: "Paul Robinson, or P.R as we like to call him, has been up to his usual tricks over the past few weeks and everyone on Ramsay Street is becoming really sick of him. What will they do about it?"

Neighbours' 6,000th episode - which airs in Australia later this month - will also see on-off lovers Ringo Brown (Sam Clark) and Donna Freedman (Margot Robbie) tie the knot.

Can someone who is watching through the UK catch me up on what the storylines are right now.

I'll come back later to fill you in (unless someone else beats me to it), as I have to go out, now.

Not at the moment. Martha was a loved or loathed kinda character, and I don't think fans would buy a recast this soon after Jodi's exit. Plus, her exit was very final, and really, the only way they could bring her back is if Hugo died... but then there'd still be the issue of the people behind the people smuggling and them wanting Hugo & Martha dead. Also, what is there left for Martha to do? She's been through almost every tragedy possible, some twice over!

ETA: I've always felt that H&A don't do enough to keep their past present, especially in the past, where characters would leave and never be mentioned again, or storylines would be forgotten about, even though a similar one is going on. Grated, they talk about Alf's, Leah's and Colleen's pasts a lot, but everyone else is forgotten about. When was the last time Miles talked about Sally? Or Irene remembered she has bio children, or even the ones she's fostered? They don't even have Irene share many scenes with Marilyn, even though they used to be close.

Wise to bring back Roo? Or wise to cast Georgie Parker?

Georgie is awesome, and a casting coop for H&A. She played Terri in All Saints, and is truly a gifted actor. She'll bring her fan base with her, as she is very popular; and the show needs all the fans it can get, what with its falling ratings.

I don't think they're bringing Roo back for the sake of it. I think that Penn is probably her son, or something, which is why he has this weird vendetta against Alf. I think they originally intended for Martha to still be with the show when Roo arrives, but some exec high up in network Seven wanted Jodi Gordon gone (due to her very public non-family friendly dramas - drugs, lap-dancing clubs...) and this has made it all seem weird - TPTB were fine with her staying, as she signed a 1 yr contract not long after the drugs scandal.

Hopefully Morag returns to help Roo's return along, and they come up with a good reason for her returning, as she hasn't bothered to come back for her daughter's past numerous tragedies, so why bother now?

I'm gonna bunch all my comments together.

The Sharma's sweet factory is so weird looking. That has got to be the slowest conveyor belt ever. I don't know how they make their orders at the rate they make/pack boxes. And, do they really need all those employees for one machine?

Nikhil & Maisie make a really cute couple. Now I'm disappointed that she's leaving.

I'm glad Natasha & Nathan are framing Faye instead of the predictable Ryan. It gives Faye more to do, which is a good thing.

I don't think Jackson suited being all witty and cocky with Charity. Is this how his character is normally? I don't really picture him as the funny-guy type.

I still haven't seen all that much of Eve, but what I have, she reminds me a bit of early Katie, when she used to be all bitchy and stuff.

Shadrach's death was so sad. It wasn't over sensational, just normal, and right. You can see why they heap all this tragedy on Marlon, as the actor can really do emotional scenes.

So, Charlie was a con man after all. That took me buy surprise.

I really hope Viv and her sleeping pills aren't going to lead to a drug addiction plot... I could really see Night-time Hope suiting Viv as a story. It's the right side of OTT drama that would suit Viv's character - and there are a lot of men that she could bash. Emmerdale, of course, would inject depth and sell it to the viewer in a way that Dena Higley can't.

Using it too much blunts the impact and also invites itself to criticism -- already some at DS are saying the scene was ruined because of the music choice.

Maybe they should start producing a few pieces of incidental music, instead of relying on commercial tracks?

Tiana Benjamin really brought it during her grieving scenes. Something has happened to her recently to make her go from a mediocre actress, to someone who can really emote, and move the viewer. That scene where she got up to speak about her mum, but couldn't, was really sad. Now, I kinda wish she wasn't leaving. If only she could've improved sooner.

Actually, I think they've all come into their own with this story - Chelsea, Libby, Patrick (who has been underused and forgotten for so long that it's easy to forget just what a fine actor he is), Kim, Denise, Lucas (maybe these two have not so much come into their own, but shown us what they can do with the right material).

Even Ronnie and Roxy have been awesome, especially Roxy. ITA with whoever said that this has been Rita's best work in a long time. This story has made me realize that this show has more child abuse plots than any other soap. I didn't realize that Peggy was referring to Harry Slater, as she never mentioned him by name, which was weird. But come Sept. they'll have 3 characters (Ronnie/Whitney/Kat) living on the Square who have all be abused as a child. But, they're not going to know that about each other, so it's unlikely they'll have any scenes relating to this.

EE really do have one of the strongest casts in soap.

I'm not sure what to think about Daphne. Her character seemed a little all over the place - feisty attitude one minute, ditz the next. I'm glad she's not staying, b/c I think there's only room for exploring one sisterly relationship at a time, and I'm more interested to see them develop Denise & Kim, even though there appears to be a lot of story potential in them as a family.

And I have to give props to the actor who plays Darren, for agreeing to do that scene.

Denise's funeral is gonna be so sad. I really thought they were going to have her gate-crash it, but that looks very unlikely, now.

I think next week is the climax to the Lucas story, right?

These are the kind of stories that would bore me to tears on an American soap, but EE does very well. The bickering and daily conflict between couples is an EastEnders specialty. I also want to see Syed become a part of the Beale clan because it would make Zainab's head explode and push her to backdown more quickly.

Usually, I scoff at the supercouple label being put on couples so early, but I buy it for Christian and Syed. Their drama in the last year has been legendary and there should be more to come. I really feel like Amira got the shaft in this story. However, I hope that she sends her baby to live with the Masoods next year.

This next phase of Christian and Syed's relationship will give ME an opportunity to step up and really shape Syed into a strong character in his own right, but also as a man who is clearly in love with Christian and worthy of being his partner.

I know what you mean - those kinds of stories would be a complete bore on a US soap. That's not to say it can't be done, just they would have to inject more heightened drama into it; EE doesn't need to do any of that to make those kind of stories work. I think Syed becoming apart of the Beale's would be quite interesting - Ian would be his usual self, unhappy with it (b/c he's Ian, and you know he would), but loving winding up Zainab; could be some conflict between Syed and Lucy, after her blackmailing him, and basically being the catalyst that outed him; but in the end, they would become his surrogate family.

I don't want them to have too much legendary drama anytime soon; in 3 months, maybe, but they need to develop as couple first. And yeah, Amira did the get the shaft. I got the feeling as soon as Preeya announced her departure, that she'd become an after thought, as if she never really mattered. I know she was always collateral damage, but with her leaving, all respect for her character seemed to go out the window. I don't think Amira sending her baby to live with Masoods is realistic. What I'd like, is if she returned with the baby, and allow Syed to see it, before ripping it away from him, with intent of never letting him see it ever again. It would be cruel, but symbolise all that he took away from her.

I noticed yesterday how jarring it was seeing Syed & Christian being all sweet, and couple-y without angst, considering that we never seen that before. I like it. ME definitely showed the changes in Syed. I loved how messy and untied he is; really showed how free Syed is now.

To the person who asked about Roxy being a Chryed supporter - she's always been in their corner, but was against Syed b/c of the pain he was inflecting on Christian. Now that he has committed to Christian, Roxy is happy for them.

This is one of the reasons I want Shabnam to come back, not because I think she will add happiness but because it's another dynamic to add to the family.

I was just thinking about her the other day, and what Santa said about her character not being needed, b/c they already have Syed, who fills her dynamic. I think that's rubbish; her character is very much needed, and would have presented a different dynamic. I strongly believe that if Shabnam had still been around, she would've been calling Syed out for being selfish, and raking him over the coals for blaming everyone else for his problems, but himself. I see Shabnam as being a mixture of Zainab and Tamwar, in that she would support Syed, but not condone his treatment of Amira (even though Tamwar didn't, but he's so much more passive in his approach, whereas Shabnam probably wouldn't have been). I also think it would've been interesting to see who Shabnam would've sided with over her parents marital dramas. And what would've happened, say, if she stumbled across the whole Mas & Jane kiss? There have been missed opportunities in not recasting her and bringing her back.

I also think that they should have played down the stuff with Amira because even now I have a hard time believing he never loved her. He had so much more chemistry with her.

With Syed, they have tried to say he has never loved any woman and he has only ever loved or wanted men. I don't think Marc Elliot ever put that across in his scenes with Amira.

This is why I wanted Syed to be bi, and not simply gay. Well, that and I'm bored of seeing gay characters created, while side lining bisexual characters, who never really get represented all that well. I think there would've been more scope with having Syed being bi, not just with Amira, but also with Christian - who he would've still ultimately have chosen, b/c that's who he's in love with - as it would've given them the material to show that gay people can be just as prejudice, as Syed's parents. It could've added another layer to their supercouple romance.

I honestly don't think that Syed is rushing into a relationship with Christian. They are in a relationship albeit an occasionally dysfunctional one, if anything Syed's life has been derailed by not being with the man that he loves. He has not been able to get on with his life because he was in a constant state of fear and panic. Now that he is with Christian openly, I do think that things will be better for Syed because honestly, other than Christian who could put with his constant sniveling? In time Zainab and Masood will come around because they can't ignore their son forever and all will be well with him and his parents. I wonder about Christian though. If Kirkwood is smart, he will show Christian struggling to be in a committed relationship with Syed who is far more conservative. Can Christian give up his parties, stop getting into trouble with Roxy, flirting, and be faithful?

That was what I was trying to say in my earlier post, but you sum it up better. I just hope that ME develops Syed a bit more; show the progression in is character, instead of allowing him to feel as if he's not moving with the plot.

I think your last point would create some good character conflict between the pair. These two are complete opposites in a lot of ways, and seeing them work through that, while constantly butting heads, and having to learn to compromise and except each other for who they are, while learning that they do share some interests (which ultimately hold them together (along with their love)) would be good character development (and also good story, as I'd like to see them involved in less sensationalist stuff). I've grown up with parents who are almost polar opposites, so I know first hand how volatile that kind of situation can be; but when there's love, anything is possible - which is where Chryed's supercouple status comes in. Now, if we can believe that Syed is in love with Christian, then everything else should fall into place... right?

I've been cutoff from EastEnders since right after Heather gave birth. I'm about to start trying to catch up -- is it worth watching from that point up to present or should I skip over some stuff? I know that a lot has happened since then. Thanks.

I think, like Y&RWorldTurner, that there has been too much happening since then to really be able to catch up, and starting from June 2010 is probably a good idea, but, I think it may be good for you to see some of the bigger episodes in between, which could broaden your perspective on what's going on now. Off the top of my head: Stacey being sectioned; Lucas & Denise's wedding/Owen's death; Christmas 2009; Zainab discovering Syed & Christian's affair; Syed & Amira's wedding; the Live Episode; Amira learning the truth...

I can't think of any other significant episodes... Can anyone else?

I'm glad Ten have finally admitted that the show needs work, b/c it really can't continue how it is. They need the show to support their local drama quota, and really should be doing something with the show to make it the best it possibly can. And I think that's one of the fundamental differences with the present and the past - in the past, the show has always tried new ways of attracting new viewers, and when that's failed, they've tried something else, but under Bower, the show has tried something new, it failed, and has stuck with it.

2004 was such a successful year in characters, storylines, and ratings, that ultimately, they've never been able to get that back due to one very bungled idea rooted in greed. They (either the show or Ten) wanted more than that success, which gave birth to the OTT years, in an attempt to compete with the OTT Home & Away. That is where it started, and has yet to end, only being made incredibly worse by Bower.

What I find interesting with the shift in teen dominance and the really mundane, lifeless, boring stories that game with them, and associating those restrictions to the 'G' rating, is other teen shows on earlier, with the same 'G' rating, are able to tell more interesting, realistic teen stories. That to me says it all. One of those shows, I think it's called Dance Academy, featured a realistically written gay story, so it will be interesting to see how Neighbours' attempts at their first gay male storyline works out... Lets hope it lasts longer than 6 weeks.

The reasoning behind it also seems a bit absurd and forced. A relationship that ended badly 6 years ago killed his sex drive or willingness to want to have a sexual relationship with someone?

So that's the reasoning behind him being a virgin?! Couldn't they have come up with something a bit more believable? Not that a bad relationship couldn't do that, just to a guy, and for 6 years seems a bit far fetched.

I like the idea of Nikhil being a virgin, as that's a good social issue to do, especially the way male virgins are seen socially, compared to female virgins, where a lot more respect is bestowed upon them. Guys are seen as weird, like they have something wrong with them.

It's funny that they don't have a lot of those "wow moments." Didn't the show develop a reputation after the plane crash and through the 90's and into the 00's for being too "sensationalistic" and American-like in its soap storytelling? The show is particularly well-noted for its disaster events.

I also think the rural atmosphere and and some of the outrageously glamorous characters they have provide a weird mix for me. It almost feels like they never touch on the struggles between the classes and the masses enough when I watch, which could be a really compelling long-term dynamic.

Even as the show is now a more contemporary show, that rural setting seems to turn many people off from watching.

Emmerdale has always been the English answer to an American soap, which I think is part of its appeal. The mix of countryside and glamour can look a bit odd at first, but realistically it's pretty normal. And they have in the past dealt with the class divide, but over the years the characters have dealt with that. I mean, the rich families come and go, but the poorer ones are long standing, and really, it would be weird having them struggle with that divide every time a new wealthy family rocked up. I'll admit, they haven't been as outrageous as they have been in the past, with stunts, but maybe that's something the show will build up to.

As contemporary as it is, the show will always be seen as the old people's soap. Young people do watch, just it's more in a guilty pleasure kinda way.