Neighbours: Discussion Thread

[Skylover]

Right, gonna continue my reply now...

I totally agree about Robert. I've thought for a really long time that they should do something with him but I think they're afraid of going there because they want to bury that sensationalist era but it would make that whole era come to life if they didn't just ignore it, and actually tried to to develop the show using that turbulent history. I'd love it if Robert came back for a cameo role, or a few cameo roles and Paul went to visit him in prison. You're right, it would enhance the Robinson family by allowing them to have more presence, and it would be interesting to see how it would affect Andrew and Paul's relationship. I was incredibly annoyed (but not surprised) when Andrew came back, and loads of things were just swept under the carpet. It seemed like they were planning to do something big with his character. All the trailers made him a 'bad boy' and I thought the fact that Paul had been out of his life for so long would come up in the storyline. I'm not talking bombs/psychopath stuff a la Robert but I'd have loved a two-hander (yeah right, this is Neighbours LOL) between Paul and Andrew, with Andrew asking Paul why he'd made no effort to see him since coming out of prison etc. I was hoping for some emotionally-driven material, you could see at first that Andrew resented Paul for not being in his life but nothing has come of it since. I was hoping that Andrew would explain how angry he was that so much had happened in Paul's life, such as Robert killing an entire family and he had to read about it in a newspaper (for example) as well as the fact that Cameron had been killed yet Paul had made no attempt to contact him. Bringing in Amy is another idea that I quite like, but at the same time I also like how she's a blank canvas and they can sort of mine her to be whatever they like in the future. Perhaps once most of Paul's other family has gone then she can be brought in but obviously there is potential with Andrew still being there although I'd rather the Robert arc be resolved or developed before they turn their attention to Amy. I don't know why they're so against bringing in Lou's family but it has destroyed him. I think he went downhill dramatically ever since they paired him off with the Parker family as it made no sense whatsoever. At least he had Harold before but since going part-time Lou is literally crashing and burning as a character. People have said the Parkers should have been brought in as Lou's family which I agree with (in theory if it was all different actors being brought in rather than the ones who ended up being the Parkers)! I have to agree with you about Christina too, she was hardly an iconic character (despite some people arguing that she is too memorable to be re-cast) so I think it would be worth re-casting her. I'd also like Gail to be brought back as she was Paul's true love and apparently Fiona Corke has been up for a permanent return for years.

As for Rhys, I've read comments on Facebook that Rhys' mum is disabled and how cliched is that - is that meant to make us like him? People thought it was predictable storylining but I thought it was quite clever. I still wouldn't regard him as a favourite but he has certainly improved, lots of people have compared him to Darcy. You've hit the nail on the head with the development story - if I don't care about Toadie then I won't care about the development. But if it was a favourite character I still don't think I would enjoy it because there's nothing exciting or well-written about it. If the outcome wasn't so predictable then I think it would be more enjoyable, and that's without taking into consideation that it's been done 3 times before! I did suggest Angie returning and trying to get Sonya and Toadie to marry, but I agree that they shouldn't go down that route just yet. I still see the potential in bringing Angie back for a bit of light relief though. I like that Sonya and Toadie are a modern couple, plus if Eve ever does decide to leave, even though it would be a huge loss it wouldn't feel like such a huge blow for Toadie if they weren't married. That seems a bit strange after typing it but it does become a bit tedious when long-term soap characters have four or five marriages just because they've been in the show for so long. I think it's surprising (but good planning) that Janine in EastEnders wasn't rushed into having a baby. Has there ever been a soap character who's been on screen for over ten years without having a baby? Janine is the only person I can recall.

Haha, you are right, I meant flour, but I thought it was spelt 'flour' as opposed to 'flower' or is that the American spelling I'd love to see the Kapoors celebrating Diwali, but I doubt it. The makers are probably so keen to make them seem like a 'normal' family that they'll probably sweep most cultural things under the carpet although I hope that isn't the case. They shouldn't just neglect the family's culture in order for them to be treated like a normal family. As for HD, I don't have a problem with that - I don't like the film effect and HD are the same thing. If you'd seen the change from the BBC to Five you'd know what I was talking about I think, the change from the way the show was aired from the BBC to Five is astounding. I think HD is something different entirely. When the show was aired on the BBC you felt more involved with the action (sorry if I'm repeating myself) - by feeling involved with the action everything seemed more realistic. A soon as it went to Five everything seemed distant and cold, even the audio made everything seem like it was a TV show rather than real life. If you watch EastEnders in HD you still feelm involved with the action and the production standards are a hell of a lot better, whereas with Neighbours the film effect has lost everything that made the show with it is. There was an outcry amongst fans when it happened in 2008 (I guess you'll know if you read NFans or PB) and I'm not surprised a lot of viewers have been lost as a result. You're right about the pool scenes, I don't see why it's necessary to portray it being Winter or Summer but I guess that's Bower's plan to make it seem more realistic. I actually really like the production standards on Home and Away. I know at points it can be overly bright in the Diner but that bright feel is much more inviting than the way Neighbours is presented.

I'm not sure about the writing yet, Ben. At the moment I'm trying to focus on my final year, but next month I will hopefully be able to spend more time writing and figuring out Final Draft!

I did see the Top Ten, I'm not sure what I think. People seem to be under the mis-apprehension that Mark and Kate were this huge couple because Mark's final episode was voted No.2, but I think it's more because the episode itself was excellent rather than the couple.

Carl - Thanks for posting that interview with Jasek and Hardy. There's another one which can be found ]here

I can't say I'm overly impressed on first impressions.

There are no words:

[Ben]

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!

[DRW50]

I wish they'd bring back some old characters who could believably come back (played by someone who wants to come back). I guess they did that with Malcolm (what do you think of his return?).

Do you agree with him about the sets?

Sheree Murphy was a lot of fun in the few episodes of Hollyoaks I could stomach from 2010. I think she might grate on viewers but Neighbours seems to have a lot of crazy, ditzy humor, so she might fit in.

[Ben]

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.

Edited January 18, 2012 by Ben

[BadBoy93]

I would love to see Sky back and I prefer Elle over Izzy. Elle at least had a heart and was more pretty than Izzy.

Either way, I'm looking forward to 2012 Neighbours.

[august1229]

Well, so we have Lincoln Lewis now, as Dominic. I wonder if he is temporary or permanent. He lives in Queensland, so there would have to be a way to get him to Erinsborough.

[Ben]

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?

Edited February 13, 2012 by Ben

[Skylover]

Are you going to buy the 1985 DVDs, Ben? I've bought the first two and I'm really enjoying them. 1985 seems to be a forgotten year to a degree and because there's not much talk about it, I was expecting it to be quite rubbish but I've been pleasantly surprised and I have actually loved the first 15 episodes I've seen so far. Scott, in particular, played by Darius Perkins, seems a wonderful character. I actually prefer his portrayal to Jason's.

[Skylover]

God, I really miss Libby.

[Ben]

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?

[august1229]

I noticed they finally took Libby out of the credits and now Sonya is pictured alone.

[Skylover]

Ben - at your suggestion I decided to upload my old episodes, starting from episode 3971. Gonna upload all of 2002, all of 2004 and most of 2003 if you're interested.

I'll post the first episode in here, already uploaded 12:

[Ben]

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

[DRW50]

I didn't know she was the woman in your avatar. How long has she been around?

[Ben]

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!