IMO
1988-mid1990 was the classic years.
After Tom's death and Pippa makeover I felt as if it was almost a completely different show. Also by that time so many originals had already left eg Martin, Lance, Celia, Floss, Neville, Frank, Roo etc.
mid1990-1993 Moving Forward Era
This was the time that saw the end of many classics like Carly, Bobby and Steven (fist time). Definetly a time of great change and the end of the Fletcher's as Pippa Fletcher became Pippa Ross leave Sally as te only fletcher left.
mid1993-1998 Making a Stance Era.
There were so many people being fostered in this time it's unbelievable but seemed to work as this is when I believe it started to become popular and was the time that formed many classics characters such Alf, Ailsa, Donald, Marilyn, Irene etc. Also the era of the Ross' as Michael and Pippa expanded the family only to loose out in 1996 when Michael died. Also the end of Pippa.
1998-2000. Boring Era
Don't remember anything that special happening in this time. More or less a transition from what was Home and Away to what is has now become. Saw the death of Ailsa making Alf and Donald the only two top dogs of the bay.
2000-2003 Family Era
Introduction of the Sullivans and the Hunters. Leah and Vinnie get married and have VJ. Gypsy and will get married and have Lily. This also saw the end to Donald and brought Alf to head of the pack as Sally became more exposed.
2004-mid2008 Crazy Stalker Time Era
From Sarah to Zoey/Eve. From Charlie (not Buckton) to that crazy guy who tried to burn Ric. From Rocco Cooper to Johnny Cooper to Sam Holden. This era seemed to have two storylines. Sarah killed Noah then herself which lead to her psycho lesbian lover to reak havoc on Summer Bay only to be killed in an explosion in an abandoned warehouse only to be rediscovered as alive only to subsequently again be killed in an explosion at a barn for good (or was it? Yes it was) at Martha and Jack's first wedding. The other being lets kill Sally by stabbing her but oh no Rocco failed sonlets kill him then Johnny can stab her but oh no he failed two but wamts to take down Sam with him but wait, Sam kills him and then herself in an attempt to ruin any chance of Martha and Jack getting back together. Also I think this is definetly wher Sally became the number one character and Flynn's death certainly helped but then again she left as soon as she was at her highest and found her long lost twin brother Miles who she had always thought was her imaginary friend Milco. Well that took me some time to type up. What's next you say?
mid2008-2010 1998-2000 All Over Again Era
This was much like 1998-2000 where nothing that memorable or exciting happened and dispute the People Smuggling storyline which I did enjoy it was still boring. I felt like it was based way to much on teen drama which is so repetitive and boring. This is however where I think Irene and Leah joined Alf at the top of the food chain as favourite characters.
2011-present Trying To Hard Era
This is the new era where as so many people have left and so many new people have arrived and the writers are trying to hard to come up with new and innovative story lines beaur everything else has been done already on the show. Hence why I believe they brought in the Braxtons. They are something very different to any other era but they are good for a intense storyline but have overshadowed other storylines making them overexposed and unrelatable. I mean who do you know who's father tried to make them rob a pub and kill the manager only to turn the gun on his father later to be kidnapped by a mystery man who take them to the desert and reveals that his their long lost brother and is now going to kill him in revenge only to be saved by his other brother and his onagain-offagain-onagain-offagain girlfriend but not by his other brother because he just lost his son to SIDS. I do.
IMO the best era was probably the Crazy Stalker Time Era becaus it was serious intense and fun to watch although it was ridiculous. Then the Trying To Hard Era because again it was interesting and intense plus it was when we lost Charlie who was is and always will he my favourite character ever. He send othe was very suiting in terms of storyline. I wish she never left and can't wait for her return. The. To list the rest in order of how much I liked them it would go Moving Forward Era, Classic Era, Making a Stande Era, 1998-2000 Again Era, Family Era and then Boring Era.