Opening sequences

[JamesF]

Yes! They used to be on ITV before kids TV started and I just have vivid memories of the openings. With S&D I still remember Beryl Palmer falling down a mineshaft and Patricia's wheelerchair exploding. Good times.

[Huntress]

Verbotene Liebe is a remake of Sons & Daughters, it is based on S&D's serial's original story and character outlines, while Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten was initially based on the Aussie soap The Restless Years. The first 230 episodes had the same scripts and same characters. Most of the original characters were written off both shows very quickly though. On VL, only Arno Brandner (played by Konrad Krauss) and Charlie Schneider (Gabriele Metzger) are left, and GZSZ still has Elisabeth Meinhart (Lisa Riecken), Clemens Richter (Frank-Thomas Mende) and A.R. Daniel (Hans Christiani). Their Aussie counterparts were Elizabeth McKenzie, Clive Archer and A.R. Jordan.

Sous le Soleil is called "St. Tropez" in Germany and airs as a dubbed version on VOX. I've never watched it, though.

[Ben]

Home & Away (First Opening)

Home & Away (1995)

Home & Away (1996) - From 1996-1999 was my fave set of opening sequences.

Home & Away (1999) - The "Gothic" sequence.

Home & Away (2003) - The terrible fishes (this was an improvement on the 2001-2002 fishes)

Home & Away (2005)

Closing Credits - Home & Away (a variation of themes)

1992

1997

[Ben]

They're supposed to be cheesy; that's their novelty. They have had some pretty bad openings, though I think they've finally got it right with the current photo booth theme.

I love the lyrics - they're iconic. I hate the H&A title card - recap, title card, new scenes - all very undramatic IMO.

A couple more Neighbours...

1986

1999 - The horrible black & white set.

2002 Closing Credits - The equally horrendous Pink theme.

2008

[DavidEvanSmith]

Oh wow! Antoinette Byron, the original Skye Chandler from AMC!

Why is this considered the "gothic" version? It looks the same as the format from the previous one you posted...

[Ben]

I had no idea H&A had an AMC connection!

You really do learn something new everyday.

It's considered "Gothic," because it's darker in tone, whereas the previous sets were lighter, and more fun - bright colours, flowers etc. This set included hanging apples, the whole birdcage set-up around Gypsy, the black 'n' white theme (clothes), the darker make-up... This all contributed to the "Gothic" tag that was bestowed upon it. A lot of people didn't like it, for that reason (too depressing apparently) - I loved it.

[Cat]

LOL, I remember Beryl and her muumuu. I also remember half the cast of early neighbours getting their start on Sons & Daughters -- including a 14-year old Bronwyn.

That Sydney estate where Pat and her rich husband lived -- so dark, so 80s. I actually remember the actress who played Pat leaving the show -- and then returning with a new face (plastic surgery, we were told) and about four foot shorter than the previous actress. I also remember Pat's hunka hunka son (the original "Son" of the title!) who I like to call Surfer McHottie.

Bevan Lee oversaw a lot of S&D's production until its final years. The same Bevan Lee who made Home & Away a must-see show in the 90s. Now there's a soap-hemming genius.

I remember Gypsy!

The actress, I believe, was literally plucked from obscurity. She may have even won the part on a TV reality show, if my memory serves me correctly.

And you are right. Those "gothic" opening credits are the best out of all H&A's openings. I do like that they update theirs fairly regularly.

[CassieFan]

Here are the openings of a Croatian soap opera Forbidden Love (2004-2008) :

Opening 2004

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1r6pNCPp2g

Opening 2005

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lOHY58GQnA

Opening 2006

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lhm7488w_Mo

Opening 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74lZ_2tYw9M

[Sylph]

CassieFan, I've read somewhere that you also have/had a period soap? Is that true? 

[CassieFan]

It was not a soap, it was a telenovela. It lasted for 180 episodes, I think. It is called "Ponos Ratkajevih" (The Pride of Rathkay Family)..

Opening

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX-MxBCr8So

Here are the other openings of Croatian telenovelas :

Villa Maria opening (2004/2005)

http://www.4shared.com/file/8075078/dc6343...ARIA-intro.html

Ljubav u zaleđu (Love in offside) opening (2005/2006)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjF-K3vK2Qg

Obični ljudi (Ordinary People) opening (2006/2007)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiWUDILQsKo

[Sylph]

Thank you, CassieFan!

[CassieFan]

No problem

[Ben]

Hotel Cæsar (2008)

This is set in a hotel (obviously). It's been running since sometime in the late 90's. It was my friend's mother's soap, which I found incredibly boring. Absolutely nothing happened, except for some guy not getting picked to play football. I never watched again.

Vänner och Fiender (Friends and Foes) (1996-2000)

*Note: Opening starts halfway through.* This was a Swedish soap, which had a spin off made in Norway, called, Venner og Fiender. The latter only lasted 170 episodes.

Out of the Blue (2008)

Opening/closing from the newest BBC soap, set in Manly Bay, Australia.

[CassieFan]

Sylph, here are a few updates on Croatian telenovelas LOL.

This Monday "Zakon ljubavi" (The Law of Love) premiered in Croatia and this is the opening :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvTceE6kOCU

At the same day, but on the other channel premiered another one "Sve će biti dobro" (Everything's gonna be alright).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsXW3NLbqSw

And I totally forgot to mention another Croatian soap that wasn't successful..."Ne daj se Nina" (Nina, don't give up), Croatian version of "Ugly Betty". Here is the opening:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3O2vRk8BVg

[Sylph]

Greek Vera sto dexi (Wedding Band on the Right)