Neighbours: Discussion Thread

[Skylover]

The idea of writing Karl and Susan out is absolutely absurd, especially given Toadie has just gone and they have few long-term characters left. Leo and Aaron don't cut it. I do agree that Holly's not great though, although she did come 3rd in our vote for the most popular characters of 2024. Personally, I think she should have been recast instead of inviting back the child actress. Majella Davis would have been a good Holly recast. The producers do make some odd decisions at times.

[Liberty City]

Absolutely. I don't see Karl & Susan leaving the street at all. They are central to it.

[DRW50]

I wouldn't write them out of the show. I would just have them leave Ramsay Street if they are only going to be part-time characters. I'm sure they could find a way to have them just stay at the hotel or even find a house to rent out for part of the year. It's just odd to me having Holly there all alone with the house for months.

Edited January 23 by DRW50

[Skylover]

I wouldn't say they're part-time characters, I have no issue with it at all. The problem is they've written Holly poorly as a character, it shouldn't have been constant drama/kidnaps/hostages for her persistently, as the Kennedys' absence wouldn't have been as noticeable. 

I don't even find Karl and Susan's absences that noticeable and I'm not sure why some people do. Karl appeared in more episodes in 2024 than Andrew, Paul, Jane, Sadie, JJ, etc, and was still in 110 episodes so he was there more than he wasn't. Jackie had more time off-screen than usual because of her pre-planned break, but she had more time off this year than she would normally because of that. I definitely wouldn't want Karl and Susan to move out of their house, as there's a lot of history attached to them being in that house, plus Holly needs somewhere to live, I wouldn't want her going to the share house or something. UK cast take long breaks from soaps and no-one really notices.

Edited January 23 by Skylover

[DRW50]

I think it's less noticeable with UK soaps if they have larger casts. Neighbours has such a small cast. I know some is also just down to budget and filming limitations, but I don't think they have adjusted well with the writing choices. For instance the choices they made with the Roswell breaks took away most of what made them a good family to me - the whole story with Quinn went off the rails and then you had Sadie blaming Andrew and leaving him home alone until he went away camping on his own for a month or two. It was a world away from the loving family they were intended to be. 

I am surprised Karl was in that many episodes because I feel like even when he's there they are sort of writing around him.

[Liberty City]

I think it goes to show: Holly isn't meant to be a full-time character. She's meant to come in, shake things up, visit those she needs to visit, and then head back out of town.

Same and when they were brought up, they explained it in a way that made natural sense. But it still felt like they were a presence on Ramsey Street and overall on the canvas.

They are, by and large, the longest inhabitants of 28 Ramsay Street. So they are embedded on the street in such a powerful way.

[Skylover]

I agree about the Rodwells. Felix should have been a longer term character to cover the gap left by Wendy. They used to be much better at filling the gaps in the 80s and 90s, perhaps it's down to cost, but there have been some odd writing choices.

I don't mind Karl and Susan being supporting characters, as they're so long-term I think they don't need to be front and centre a lot. Here is the list of character episode counts for 2024:

151: Terese Willis (Rebekah Elmaloglou)

142: Aaron Brennan (Matt Wilson)

124: Nicolette Stone (Hannah Monson)

122: Krista Sinclair (Majella Davis)

122: Remi Varga-Murphy (Naomi Rukavina)

120: Cara Varga-Murphy (Sara West)

120: Leo Tanaka (Tim Kano)

119: Byron Stone (Xavier Molyneux)

119: Holly Hoyland (Lucinda Armstrong Hall)

114: Haz Devkar (Shiv Palekar)

110: Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher)

108: Andrew Rodwell (Lloyd Will)

102: Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis)

102: Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney)

99: Jane Harris (Annie Jones)

98: Wendy Rodwell (Candice Leask)

97: Melanie Pearson (Lucinda Cowden)

89: Sadie Rodwell (Emerald Chan)

87: Mackenzie Hargreaves (Georgie Stone)

86: JJ Varga-Murphy (Riley Bryant)

82: Susan Kennedy (Jackie Woodburne)

61: Nell Rebecchi (Ayisha Salem-Towner)

59: Dex Varga-Murphy (Marley Williams)

35: Isla Tanaka-Brennan (Hana Abe-Tucker)

24: Sam Young (Henrietta Graham)

21: Hugo Rebecchi (Tanner Ellis-Anderson)

20: Abigail Tanaka (Nikita Kato)

18: David Tanaka (Takaya Honda)

14: Harold Bishop (Ian Smith)

14: Max Ramsay (Ben Jackson)

I quite like her as a full time character, as I want the Kennedys to live on in some form after Karl and Susan leave one day (if the show lasts that long!) but I would prefer she was written differently. Less of a misery magnet and more of a mini Izzy. She's nowhere near like Izzy as much as I wish she was, she doesn't have the vixen like quality Izzy had. That's why I think Majella would have been. a good recast, I could see her as Izzy's daughter.

[Liberty City]

I don't see Majella Davis as Izzy. In fact, I'd likely hate her in the role. Plus, Davis feels like the modern Margot Robbie to me, so I see her ditching once her contract ends.

[Skylover]

Not as Izzy, but as Izzy's daughter. I think she could probably portray the vixen like quality Izzy's daughter would likely have more than Lucinda Armstrong Hall. Margot Robbie is a lot to live up to, but it would be good if she could achieve that level of success. 

Edited January 24 by Skylover

[Liberty City]

I meant Holly, sorry. I don't see her as Holly. Haha.

[Adamski]

Fremantle are recruiting for a behind the scenes person on "a long term contract." The show's clearly not going anywhere.

https://www.seek.com.au/job/81521730?ref=search-standalone&type=standard&origin=jobTitle#sol=91b3c212442375d84ce168054d677309af989039

 

[Liberty City]

Yippie!

[Liberty City]

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[LondonScribe]

Apropos of nothing (because it seems Jason Herbison has tight rein over the show) has there been any update on who’s taking over from Shane Isheev as Script Producer?

[DRW50]

So we're still waiting.

I hope I'm wrong, but I do think this is it.