My thoughts on the final episodes:
I think Holly's miscarriage was a copout, especially after Jason Herbison suggested she would have had the baby if the show had continued. I also think it was a copout to have Holly told that she was going to lose the baby no matter what. There was more dramatic irony for Holly and Andrew if she had lost her baby while trying to do the right thing and save his nephew. I can understand why Wendy was sympathetic to her - Wendy isn't a monster - but I think Sadie and Wendy should have still been more distant.
I'm very glad that we didn't get any Max and Holly interaction in the final week as I didn't want any hint of a reunion between them. I do wish they'd had a scene with Holly and Felix.
The hints for a Wendy and Andrew reunion were very heavy, but they were right to not have them actually reconcile for the finale.
The best part of these scenes was the fade between various characters mourning the loss. Finally, a technical choice that goes beyond everyone walking around for two minutes to emo offbrand music. It reminded me of one of my favorite soap intros:
Love of Life intro, 1979
I dislike the choice of Krista being pregnant and the soap idea that someone must be pregnant if someone else lost a baby (some soap fans used to call it tick-tock). The scenes didn't take up much time and Majella Davis gave some of her most layered performances in a long time, which helped.
Remi's memory was resolved too neatly (remember when they said that she likely had amnesia because of all the stress Cara constantly caused her?), but I know they had limited time. The scenes, for what they were, were fine - the show using Remi's memory returning as a way to flash back to some of the most pivotal times with the family was a clever way of saying goodbye. JJ's kidnapping wasn't worth spending a whole episode on, but I did appreciate the scene with Felix worrying that he was being punished (and Andrew assuring him that he was now the good brother), and the full circle moment of Tania, after being Cara's friend long ago before cruelly betraying her, doing the right thing.
I think I would have preferred Felix and Elle as friends with benefits rather than a serious couple, but similar to Zac and Colton, even though I wasn't blown away by chemistry, I was alright with them. The scene with Zac and Colton in the penultimate week where they were in the pool together and Zac was resting in Colton's arms was their most natural.
The bare bones mention of Zac's troubles in the final week and the complete lack of Taye beyond standing around with Sadie tells you just how much the show's last stories were immaterial. I can understand why they weren't trying hard when they knew the show was ending, but they didn't exactly make a case for a revival.
By far the most I enjoyed Paul in my Neighbours viewing of recent years was when he stopped wearing suits and was hanging around his bar. I'm sorry we didn't get a little more of that before he went back to the usual. I did enjoy his scenes with Jimmy, who, along with Elle, helped end Paul's run with much less suffocating earnestness than he'd had when only around Terese, Leo, Krista, David (RIP). Speaking of Terese, I am glad the "Praise" angst took up much less time at the end than I had feared (it was never-ending in show's previous final year). I didn't need the latest ceremony, but it was short and sweet, and Shane's disgust when Terese said she would be the "queen of Paul's tower" made me smile. I was also impressed at how much trust Rebekah and Stefan must have had together that in one of their last scenes she was letting him massage her feet.
I'm glad Jane got a happy ending, as I liked Clint well enough and he and Jane had chemistry. I do wish those last weeks had been a little more about Jane, even just something like Addison getting to see Mrs. Mangel's painting. You have to remind yourself it's a soap (a soap about to end) with Addison's mother getting her back after just leaving rehab. The most interesting part of the story was how much Clint looks like Kit Harington.
It was nice to see JJ and Nell get one last scene as friends after their relationship was built up and then dumped. I was hoping they'd have JJ introduce Nell to Addison as I wanted to see if the universe would explode if they met. No such luck.
The last two episodes were very loose, to the point of feeling ad-libbed beyond the outline. This may have been for the best with the lack of strong story. I actually do prefer this as an exit story for Ramsay Street to "everyone is moving away - oops they aren't," but that story was buttressed by all the returns and the emotions of 37 years.
Going along with the approach of just not thinking too much about the story, Paul and Shane behaving like such brats over who will transplant Ramsay Street was a good way to tie up the whole Ramsay and Robinson feud and didn't go on long enough to get on my nerves. It also felt very timely seeing two millionaires with delusions of grandeur throwing money away (I've said this before but given the state of the crypto industry, I am not sure how Shane is still flush with cash). Kudos to Peter O'Brien for repeatedly returning to the show over the last few years. I realized how much I'd grown to appreciate his visits when I was disappointed that he wasn't in the final scene with Karl, Susan and Paul, even though I knew that wouldn't have been right.
Of returns that we could have had, within reason, I would have liked one more appearance from Mal (it doesn't seem right we never had a proper visit from one of the Kennedy kids, especially when Karl went through hell this past year), Clive (who was around a fair amount in Channel 5's final years and deserved a better exit than just being a cheater), and Curtis Perkins (even just standing with Vera - I am not sure why Curtis barely appeared in the revival).
Of the returns we had, I thought they were handled the right way. Not too much, mostly there to help add a festive feel. Seeing Byron again reminded me of what a drag his initial story with Mischa Barton was - I had no idea how much I'd grow to care about him. He brought so much warmth here, reminding me how much Jane and Nicolette weren't the same without him. I was pleasantly surprised he had as many lines as he did. I loved his back-and-forth with Roxy where he reminded her that she wasn't a Ramsay or a Robinson, and she asked what he even had to do with it. Roxy was a delight in all of her scenes. This was what the show needed, not whatever her strange return earlier in the year was intended to be.
As one of the few fans who didn't mind Kiri, I appreciated seeing her again, even if I'm not sure I want her to reconcile with Nicolette.
I was surprised at the lack of mention of Harold, not even an audio flashback of him. I wasn't surprised at his not returning (Lucy and maybe Toadie were more of a surprise), but I did think he'd be mentioned. I suppose Susan took over his role on the show, and the memory book by the end had become important for everyone, instead of just something from Harold.
I wish the Waterhole party had been the final sequence. So much happiness, friendship, romance, with a hint of melancholy (the moment where Jane and Terese were looking back at the party was gorgeous).
Up to that moment, the final episodes reminded me of the early '70s soap A World Apart, which ended with a mixture of Susan Sarandon contemplating the adoption of her baby and Clifton Davis (who is back on a new show after over 50 years - the power of soaps!) playing his guitar and leading the characters in various songs. The last moments contrast between Susan at the altar, thinking of her future, and everyone else at a small party which plays over the closing credits.
I didn't hate the final scene, but it also didn't entirely come off - it felt like they had to check boxes with making sure Paul, Susan and Karl had the goodbye, making sure they gave some hope for a revival. I understand the purpose, but I just don't think that was the right scene to close out on (I also didn't like that music at the end - what a contrast to the remix of the theme in the Waterhole scenes).
What did work for me was Jackie Woodburne's performance, She became the audience, clinging to any strand of hope. Her performance was sad, quietly raw, yet with a wryness - we've been here before, right beside her, so how can you take the goodbye too seriously?
The show is unique in having official cancelations and finales so close (soaps in similar positions either knew they were ending [Passions] or did not have proper finales when they were revived [All My Children and One Life to Live]), which is something that should be studied, and probably will be someday.
What do you do when you've already said goodbye?
You do this, I guess.
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DRW50 ·
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