I'm still watching and enjoying more than I have since probably 2008. It's bizarre that there are now very few characters that completely annoy/disinterest me. Kate and NuDeclan being the only prime candidates. It's also a real tragedy that just as the show hits a creative stride (presumably because Ten have completely lost interest and stopped pushing an agenda), audiences are dropping to an all time low. What doesn't seem to be considered is that viewers often desert a show that the network has given up on. DOOL didn't exactly soar when Jeff Zucker prematurely signed its death warrant.

As for the stories, it's fantastic to finally get a long running adult storyline in Paul's murder attempt that doesn't rely on the Kennedys as a standby. Jane Hall is, dare I say it overshadowing Jackie Woodburne with her acting. An incredible talent and a brilliant character that will be truly missed. It's great to finally have some darkness in the characters too - Rebecca pushed Paul and covered it up but she's still a heroine. Likewise Paul is not panto villain as he was in 2006. Steph/Libby is another case in point of this. It's not got going the moral browbeating route.

On the other side of the coin, even the teenagers appeal to me because Bower has redressed the balance issue. There's something very Sky Mangel-esque about Summer and I genuinely don't understand why fans on forums detest her. Andrew, Natasha and to a lesser extent Chris are also entertaining.

'Neighbours' to undergo crew cuts

Production firm FreMantleMedia Australia is to initiate cuts to crew operations on Neighbours in 2011.

The company made the decision so that a change in the soap's production model can be upgraded, according to TV Tonight.

Sources revealed that changes will include studio shoots reduced from three to two cameras, while one camera will be used for location shoots. Locations are said to be confined to the Lassiter's, Ramsay Street and occasional one-off places.

Due to the changes, the location manager and catering team have been dropped from the programme. Other roles including technical directors and art directors may also be cut.

A spokesman for FreMantleMedia Australia said: "Neighbours is undergoing a workflow upgrade to accommodate advances in technology and production techniques to ensure we are at the forefront of professionalism and efficiency.

"This initiative to contemporaise the creative and production process of Neighbours is being driven by FreMantleMedia Australia’s desire to produce the best possible programme possible.

"The Neighbours production model has been in place since 1985, it is time to evolve and adapt the international standards now used to create high-turnover drama production."

Is there a town called Peapack in Australia?

The best promo the show's done in a long while. Shame it took the move to Eleven to do it.

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILbA1CCh8G8?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0"></param><param'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILbA1CCh8G8?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILbA1CCh8G8?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Jenny Lewis: We need GOOD Neighbours

Neighbours will return in 2011, but whether the viewers will is another question altogether.

Jenny Lewis, a former Neighbours writer and editor, believes that the show could yet rediscover its spark: but only if the powers that be acknowledge where it all went wrong.

At the end of its 25th year, Neighbours is pulling its lowest-ever figures and will soon take up residence at Ten's secondary channel, Eleven. Instead of tackling the glaringly obvious cause of the show's illness, FremantleMedia are killing it, cutting costs and production values so drastically that the UK's Channel 5 will surely have grounds to escape their long-term contract with the show.

So why did this once proud icon fall from grace so spectacularly in the first place?

Well, we could commentate forever but, first and foremost, some catastrophic personnel decisions led to the storytelling becoming plagued with cynicism, unenlightenment and insincerity. This new tone is in stark contrast to the foundations Neighbours was built on. It was built on love. (And yes, I know it sounds corny, but Neighbours was always out-and-proud corny, so stay with me!)

Original script producer Ray Kolle and his team generated stories and characters that attracted tens of millions of viewers the world over, and he agrees the show's success was due to its love affair with the audience.

"I think the viewers loved Neighbours because we did, and we always tried to bring out the best in our characters."

Looking back, it's obvious the Neighbours characters were drawn with a very loving hand. The makers gave them a variety of colours in their palettes and didn't put them through anything they weren't prepared to add to the sum of their parts. The characters had good sides and bad – and lots in between – but their actions were always motivated and the prices they paid were relative.

This was a good-hearted character-driven show, with themes about the preciousness of friendship and family. The audience forgave Neighbours' shortcomings – and let's face it, there were plenty – because the picture it painted of the world they lived in was profoundly gratifying. It was a love-fest.

Now retired, Kolle feels Neighbours has lost the love and says, with a palpable sadness: "I stopped watching because I couldn't bear to see just how badly the characters were being treated."

Storytelling is about putting your characters under pressure, and how they cope defines who they are. In Kolle's day, the outcomes validated the viewers' faith in humanity, but now their worst fears are realised. Instead of bringing out the best, the makers take a more misanthropic (and certainly misogynist) approach, readily sacrificing their characters' integrity to get "wow" moments or plot twists.

The result is a showcase of the rotten side of human nature – betrayal, selfishness, bad parenting, duplicity, blackmail and hypocrisy are the norm – which wouldn't be so bad if we weren't also asked not only to forgive and forget, but to sympathise with and barrack for these unprincipled lumps, even when they kill someone. This striking misinterpretation of right and wrong clashes with the show's original value systems, and leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. It's certainly not what the audience signed up for.

That's not to cast any aspersions on the actors. They are beyond wonderful, and it's testament to their skill and genuine warmth (not to mention Jan Russ's exquisite casting before she was replaced last year) that the often murky subtext is rescued.

But certainly the cast are casualties of this rough patch. Janet Andrewartha's performances are at times breathtaking. Jackie Woodburne could be Australian's answer to Sally Field, but instead she's relegated to the sidelines. The fact that Margot Robbie (Donna Freedman) and Ian Smith (Harold Bishop) were denied Logies last year, even though she was a clear standout and his portrayal of one of the most loved Australian characters of all time would have otherwise made him the sentimental favourite, shows that the viewers are reluctant to reward Neighbours' current outlook on life.

Previews for upcoming stories when Neighbours moves to Eleven indicate that this outlook isn't about to change anytime soon. It's more of the same plot-driven stuff – destruction, revenge, forbidden trysts, accidents and tragedy – which, if not told with emotional truth, dissolves like fairy floss rather than filling an audience up.

The purpose of this piece is not to kick a dog when it's down, but to bring home the point that there's life in the old dog yet. And I don't mean the life support provided by Channel 5. The heart creator Reg Watson and Ray Kolle gave the show is still beating in there somewhere and, if it's nurtured and restyled to suit the 21st century, Neighbours could yet enjoy a renaissance.

Everyone scoffs when I say that, but Packed to the Rafters (not to mention MasterChef) enjoys great success because of the very same essence Neighbours was founded on: people are basically good, and love is the glue that holds the world together. And because we need those messages validated now more than ever, there's no reason this magical show couldn't reclaim its fame. It just needs to be loved.

It's time the big guns made some smart changes.

Jenny Lewis is a television screenwriter with two decades' experience as a writer, editor and author. Her website is www.jennylewis.com.au.

James: As awesome as that promo looks, it does symbolise everything that is wrong with the show.

Every time someone posts in this thread, I expect news of cancellation. I don't know why I have this impression. It seems as if every one right step in the right direction, it takes five in the opposite one.

Has it run its course? How are the ratings doing?

All the good is tainted by all the mistakes that hack, Susan Bower, constantly churns out. That article is spot on, when Jenny Lewis says that the only way the show will move forward, is when Bower is willing to acknowledge her own mistakes. Every bit of negativity that is thrown at the show, Bower will put on a disillusioned positive spin, like it's all not really happening.

Basically, she has zero clue as to what the show is about, and where its heart lies, and without this basic knowledge, she's constantly screwing the show over. Her version of family friendly is childish, immature, mediocre and twee; her desire to be edgy is character destroying. She doesn't want the show to be daggy, but daggy is what the show is about, and if you're ashamed of that, then she has no business being Exec Producer. Of course, she's too stubborn to step down, and FrematleMedia are too stupid to fire her, and hire someone with the love that this show deserves.

As for ratings, well, that depends on the country. The Australian ratings have taken a battering these last few months, sinking to an all time low of 350,000 (I think it was), but the UK ratings have improved a lot, and have been pulling in highs of 1.65m for event episodes, and stabilizing at around 1.48m. This is a sign that the quality has improved, but also representing that the shows Oz reputation is shattered beyond repair(?)

What do you think of Steph's story? I know some are upset about Karl's behavior, and some were upset with Libby too earlier.

Steph's story represents the good and the bad. Its destroyed her character, and ruined several others in the process, but it has given us some awesome scenes after the revelation. These have shown that the show can write good dramatic material, but, it's all tainted by the fact that the story should never have happened in the first place. I guess, a lot of people (and me included) would've suspended our disbelief, if the execution had been right, and if the plot hadn't of ruined Steph and Toadie, and to a degree, Libby as well (she would never have left a heavily pregnant Steph collapsed on the floor).

I have no problem with Karl, and I don't see why anyone should. Steph killed Ringo - a young man that Karl treated like a son - while over the alcohol limit. There are extenuating circumstances, like Steph having PND, but it's understandable that Karl would want some kind of justice.

When I look back at where Steph is now, it saddens me, b/c the character has fallen so far from where she once was. It's all misery after misery for her, and that's sad and disappointing. There have been some good scenes between Steph & Libby, and all the referencing of the past, and acknowledging how one-sided their friendship has become (Steph doing more for Libby), the scene where Steph gave Dan their baby, was written so simply and beautifully, and Sonya, being the only character in this mess, to stay true to her self - she's a diamond, and one I'm glad they've made permanent. Sadly, the good does not outweigh the bad. And even the good is bad in itself, b/c you have to forget that they would never being acting like that in the first place, and simply enjoy the well written dramatic material for what it is.

And here's the thing: 2009 was dreck, and really killed the shows rep in Oz. So, any good in 2010 was always going to be an improvement. Steph's story and the character of Sam Fitzgerald both symbolise the limits of Bower's writing and storytelling capabilities. She's all about good and evil, and struggles with grey; plot over character - that's her style. Sam was an awesomely multifaceted character under the previous regime, but Bower made her evil; Steph's story could've been written with character, but instead it was all about plot - dark plots.

Neighbours is not about darkness, but about human kindness, love and good humour. Dark stories have there place when told with the right balance, and with the right characters, but when the show is flooded with misery and nastiness, it's difficult to appreciate the good dark stories, like Paul blackmailing Rebecca to stay married. That story has so many layers, and as dark as it is, one that probably gets written off as more of the same. But I love its potential, and appreciate it for what it is; Jane Hall & Stefan Dennis sell the material, too, which is a bonus.

Edited December 20, 201014 yr by Ben

Okay I'll weigh in too. Perhaps my standards have dropped but I find the show much more watchable now than I have done in over 18 months. I no longer feel as though the foundation of the show has crumbled beyond repair because the balance has changed and I'm now watching stories that interest me as opposed to teen romance nonsense 90% of the time.

That's not to say it's perfect. There are a lot of things I would improve but this is fine tuning a canvas of characters that seems to work well together for the most part. Sonya is a fantastic, earthy addition to the show that makes Toadie and Callum tolerable to me for the first time ever. The new generation of teens is more watchable because there's some genuine conflict instead of the crap we had with the last lot. Summer and Natasha remind me a lot of Sky and Serena who were the last teens to have any appeal.

Weak links? Losing Rebecca is catastrophic. Karl and Susan are crying out for a storyline. Paul still lacks focus or motivation. He is a good example of what Ben has said regarding Susan Bower's black and white characterization.

But at the risk of playing devil's advocate, what I like about the Steph/Toadie/Dan/Libby mess is the show taking a risk with the characters. Steph slept with her best friend's husband, gave away her baby, killed her neighbour - but I still think she's likeable and I still think Libby's behaviour was just a more extreme version of what we've seen before which is understandable given the circumstances. I feel as though Steph and Libby's twisted resentment of each other despite being best friends finally manifested itself and I can believe it in the characters which many fans can't. I do agree however that the writing was erratic at times.

Neighbours is not about darkness, but about human kindness, love and good humour. Dark stories have there place when told with the right balance, and with the right characters, but when the show is flooded with misery and nastiness, it's difficult to appreciate the good dark stories, like Paul blackmailing Rebecca to stay married. That story has so many layers, and as dark as it is, one that probably gets written off as more of the same. But I love its potential, and appreciate it for what it is; Jane Hall & Stefan Dennis sell the material, too, which is a bonus.

I agree about that story and I only wish it had more airtime. I want to see Rebecca and Paul at home and the power play going on. There is room for that kind of story alongside genuine human kindness stuff as there was in 2004 which is why I disagree with Jenny Lewis's article. I don't mean stupid stories about gnomes etc but building friendships and couples that we invest in. Only the Kennedys and Rebecca could make me shed a tear these days and I'm ashamed to admit that Neighbours used to be able to get the waterworks going with most of its cast.

My final note - so much could be improved if Susan Bower would grow the [!@#$%^&*] up and let the show go to PG on Eleven. There would be no objection to the global audience because Australia has one of the most draconian TV classification systems. It would finally allow the series to return to being 'provocative' and family friendly. Tackling issues seriously instead of sugar coating things in code. I just thank god that the writers have strapped on a pair lately and allow discussion of people sleeping together. The Steph/Dan shag would have been a joke otherwise.

Okay I'll weigh in too. Perhaps my standards have dropped but I find the show much more watchable now than I have done in over 18 months. I no longer feel as though the foundation of the show has crumbled beyond repair because the balance has changed and I'm now watching stories that interest me as opposed to teen romance nonsense 90% of the time.

I just want to add that I do agree with this, and that the show is much more enjoyable to watch these days than it has been - it has definitely improved. I don't want to confuse people when I say that, after my last post, but for me, even with the improved drama, the show is still lacking in other Neighbours qualities, which separates it from other shows, like H&A. In their bid to improve and be modern, they've gone down the path of simply focusing on misery to create drama, instead of also using humour and happiness to create those warm magic moments that Neighbours did so well. Otherwise, characters become like Steph, where their lives revolve around one miserable climax after another. There's also a coldness that arrived with Parkers, and has stayed ever since.

I wonder if the show will go PG for random episodes? That way the overall show will still be G rated, with the added bonus of writing PG material for singular episodes.

I don't think there's any problem with going down that route, simply allowing them the flexibility to tackle grittier things as and when they want to. Most of what's in Home and Away or even B&B needn't be classified PG so it could be on a level footing.

Interesting point you make about the coldness of the Parkers. I think they were desperate to recapture "heart" but the casting was just wrong, wrong, wrong. Particularly Miranda and Riley. Subsequently the family lacked any chemistry and it all fell flat.

A new user on YouTube (ClassicNeighbours) seems to be uploading various episodes, mostly post-2000 in good quality. I've just been reliving some of the stuff from 2004-5. God I loved the show back then.

Is it true that Kim Valentine is in the hospital again? Is she OK? She seems to have been very ill in recent years.

I heard that the ratings for the new channel aren't that bad. Is that true?

Yeah she's checked herself in suffering from exhaustion. I hope she gets well soon.

Ratings seem to be doing quite well, it seems to have lost only half of it's audience from Ten

The results from the five capital cities were:

Tuesday 254,000

Wednesday 274,000

Thursday 259,000

Two episodes have screened tonight in Australia so we'll have to see how that goes.

Well done Neighbours! The press in Australia is still reporting that the figures have gone down dramatically, saying that losing any more of a third of its audience on Ten is a 'haemorrhage' despite the fact that Tuesday's episode was the highest rating program of Eleven and the third highest rated show of digital as a whole. Seriously, Oz really has it in for the show.

I really hope it can go from strength to strength. The problem is, it really can't afford to go through rough patches now as the audience is so small as it is, so they really need to do all they can to keep this loyal audience. I wonder if it will get 300k+ come the winter?