Members I Am A Swede Posted February 18, 2019 Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 ^^ Charlotte and John have been the best thing about Emmerdale for years. I deliberately choose to forget (or at least try to forget) that horrible story where Laurel left him for Marlon Dingle. Please register in order to view this content The only, and I do mean only, acceptable thing to come out of that disaster was Charlotte's performance as Laurel turned to alcohol. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skylover Posted February 18, 2019 Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) Some of those clips are poor video quality and don't sell the quality of the material. They look like they've been filmed on a potato. I also think none of the clips are poorly written. Neighbours does suffer from poor writing in general, but none of those clips are poorly-written. Neighbours is the best soap by miles IMO. Did you see the clip of Sonya being diagnosed with cancer? (from the official Neighbours Instagram account). I find The Slap actually a bit overracted compared to the other stuff. I have every episode of Neighbours since 2002, and could probably find/upload that clip if you wanted. In the meantime, here are some more Neighbours clips. (ETA: Some of these Instagram posts are more than 1 video in a post as you can only upload 1 minute at a time, so click the arrow). Edited February 18, 2019 by Edward Skylover 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bright Eyes Posted February 18, 2019 Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) Hollyoaks: Clare Devine's exit in 2007, starts at 3:04. None of her appearances after this ever happened as far as I'm concerned. Whoever came up with the idea of her spiking the camera is a genius. Edited February 18, 2019 by Bright Eyes 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Darn Posted February 18, 2019 Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 It wasn't about the quality of the videos, I've watched so many bad video transfers in my day. I've even listened to just audio (the other week someone posted one of Monica and Gail from GH in the 70s and it was amazing) and found it more interesting than the Neighbours clips here. The diagnosis video you posted was good, the actress did a great job. However, for instance the first clip you posted, Susan Vs Izzy, is nothing special. You could find that same scene any day of the week on a current US soap. Very typical insults back and forth. Not impressive. JMO! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skylover Posted February 18, 2019 Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) Yes, just not on a real street Please register in order to view this content To be fair you've probably got a point with that one. I think it's enhanced within the context of the characters rather than as an isolated clip though. I also love all the neighbours watching. I do get the impression though that there is something about Australian soaps that doesn't connect with Americans. I think it's partly a cultural thing. What I do find odd is that Americans seem to really like the British soaps which are basically full of skanks, dodgy accents and what I'd consider poor acting a lot of the time. I guess you like the thought put into the big stories. Edited February 18, 2019 by Edward Skylover 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bright Eyes Posted February 18, 2019 Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) A big problem for Neighbours was its prior G rating. I'm sure there are great moments/storylines etc, but it was basically a kid show. Soap Operas should be allowed to be daring and provocative, NB hasn't been allowed that. Also, it comes off way too saccharine, so when a character actually shows they have a personality in the confines of the show it seems ground breaking. Home and Away has been running through the motions for years. There's no heart in the show. Nothing that really makes you feel connected. It died when Sally left, IMO. They also are so ass backwards with social issues. The show is white on white on white. Even when they cast actors that aren't, they tell us that the characters are. (i.e., Andy Barrett) NB, at least, is one of the most diverse soaps around. Edited February 18, 2019 by Bright Eyes 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Darn Posted February 18, 2019 Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 I don't know, I've never really seen anything on an Aussie soap that impressed me. They seem very...airy? Like the TV versions of a beach read. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Faulkner Posted February 18, 2019 Author Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 That’s what I get too. I remember now that I watched Paradise Beach years ago when it was syndicated in the U.S. Lots of hot guys (Manu Bennett, Ingo Rademacher before GH), but it all felt a bit frothy and disposable. H&A felt that way too. Again I haven’t watched them enough to say anything definitive. Just my impression. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skylover Posted February 18, 2019 Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 I think you've hit the nail on the head there and it explains to me why it doesn't resonate with Americans. That airy kind of feel is IMO exactly what the British audience loves about it. It's more down to earth, it feels much more real. I guess what the UK/US soaps share is an OTT nature, but the US soaps obviously are the most extreme (and I think that extreme nature is what doesn't resonate with the UK as much). Obviously I like US, UK and Aus soaps, and for different reasons. I like the what I would say daring nature of US soaps (with some of the dialogue and scenes), the UK ones (well EastEnders) has a grittiness that is similar to the US soaps but it pursues more realistic stories. The reason Neighbours is my favourite is because it has heart, it has more heart than EastEnders or Days of Our Lives and it is like happy escapism. It also has everyday characters that aren't OTT glamorous like the US soaps, nor OTT skanky like the UK soaps. I wish we had a middle-class UK soap. The US and UK soaps for me are interesting in terms of how complicated they can be. I don't think Americans like any tv shows that aren't constantly very dramatic. Random question, but have there been (m)any Australian shows popular in the US? Yes, Home and Away is basically nothing compared to Neighbours. Also, what is a beach read? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Darn Posted February 18, 2019 Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 A book usually with a fairly light story, not terribly dramatic in execution. It can be about heavy topics, like an affair, but they're usually not treated with much gravity. I like non-dramatic shows but the Aussie soaps actually remind me A LOT of syndicated 90s teen soaps like Sweet Valley High or Breaker High (look them up, they're great). I guess for uniquely good soaps scenes I'm looking for a bit more high drama, great acting or especially clever dialogue. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bright Eyes Posted February 18, 2019 Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 I wish I could post some great clips from the underrated Shortland Street. I watched form 2012-17, but didn't have time anymore once I went back to school. Plus, it can be hard to find episodes sometimes so I walked away. The show isn't always a master class, but when I watched I generally enjoyed most of what was going on. The show's young stars have been breaking out recently, too. Frankie Adams, Beulah Koale, Thomasin McKenzie, and of course, KJ Apa, are all rising stars. Here's the death of Pixie Hannah (Thomasin McKenzie) from cancer. The actress who plays the mother, Margaret, was truly outstanding during her short time on the show. The character went through a strange trajectory of going to prison after embezzling money from the hospital, but never becoming villainous. I'd love to see her get more opportunities to shine elsewhere. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skylover Posted February 18, 2019 Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 Thanks. Please register in order to view this content I know it might sound funny but I often see phrases/words on here that I've rarely seen used before and have to look things up. This forum has opened my eyes up to cultural differences in a big way. It's interesting though. This gets me. How was Karl telling Susan he's having a baby with another woman then her storming into the street screaming at him not dramatic?? I feel like the acting on Neighbours is better than Days of Our Lives. But I often wonder whether it just looks like that because Days has no money and the lighting and sets undermine it. My biggest gripes with Days are the lighting, sets, no external scenes and length of episodes being too long. In terms of dialogue, on Neighbours I loved Susan totally owning Izzy about her comparing being snubbed by a neighbour to the breakdown of a 30 year marriage with 3 children. I also think Izzy explaining that she came onto Karl again 10 years later because she was searching for that feeling of happiness she used to have rather than actually wanting him was great writing. That's the kind of depth I feel like you don't often get on an American soap. I feel like I need to venture back into the US soap clip thread. BTW no offence intended with my remarks. I find it genuinely interesting to talk about, and you all know I'm a fan of US soaps, I'm just annoyingly passionate about Neighbours lol. Here are the clips of Susan's MS storyline if anyone's interested. I promise to zip it after this. (don't forget 2 clips in each post) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamesF Posted February 18, 2019 Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) Thank you, it's been a few years since I've seen that stuff and still got me! That in itself links to comments in this thread - it gets me because I grew up with the show and those characters. Equally, I also used to absolutely love B&B and hands down class the Stephanie/Brooke BeLieF storyline in 1993 as some of the best soap ever created (the clips are in the US soap thread). It appeals to me in a completely different way. I was on the edge of my seat, I was willing Brooke to slap Stephanie back (thankfully she did) and it was immensely satisfying drama. But I cannot recall a time that show has ever made me even close to shedding a tear. That's not not its function for me or its identity. I got quite into Guiding Light in the mid-noughties, admittedly not an era that long term fans rate in any way whatsoever. The appeal was seeing something in US soaps that was a little more domesticated and "real". It also led me to a blog that posted classic GL clips from over the years with lots of explanatory detail on the context of the scenes. The material around Maureen Bauer's death (again posted in the US soap thread) made a really significant impact me in taking US soaps seriously as drama as opposed to popcorn entertainment. Another scene that I think belongs in this thread. A rare example of Corrie showing real heart these days; the whole episode was excellent: Edited February 18, 2019 by JamesF 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skylover Posted February 18, 2019 Members Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) I've seen that clip and have to admit, it's one of the only times I've actually liked Gail. @JamesF out of curiosity, are you British, American or Australian? Or none of the above? Edited February 18, 2019 by Edward Skylover 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BetterForgotten Posted February 19, 2019 Members Share Posted February 19, 2019 A lot of exit episodes from Corrie's classic characters. If you're not familiar with the characters, I can see how you might not consider these episodes anything special though. I can't seem to find it on YouTube anymore, but the scene where Hilda cries over finding Stan's glasses shortly after his death always gets to me. And to me, Hilda had the classiest and best exit ever on a soap for a long-running beloved character. Bet's 1995 exit - even though she came back for an ill-fated return and left again, the show changed a lot when she departed the Rovers: Of course the breakup of her friendship with Rita before her exit: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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