alexx

I found Martha quite overrated too. There were patches from 2007-onwards when I really warmed to her and enjoyed her screen time, but I disliked her relationship with Jack and her storylines were usually about romance so I found most of them pretty boring. The older she got, the more I liked her though (same thing happened with Kirsty too).

Fin has been giving with one hand and taking away with the other. She has been supporting and encouraging Irene and yet at the same time, showing no confidence in her, and I actually think this is good writing because for years Finlay has seen Irene go through this before, and it always ends with Irene returning to her old ways. You really can't blame her for having little faith in Irene because she has been let down so many times in the past. We have heard this so many times from Finlay ever since she first arrived in the bay in 1991, so really it wouldn't make any sense for her to be behaving in any other way towards her mum. She loves her mum and she wants her to succeed, but she can't allow herself to really believe it will happen because she can't face the disappointment again. This is one of my favourite ongoing storylines at the moment. I'm really enjoying it.

I think she just comes across as very 'human' and imperfect, which is realistic. She makes mistakes and is flawed, but also caring and warm - same as Michael. I like that.

Whenever I've tuned in over the past 12 months I've found John, Jett and Marilyn engaging and well written, they are the best characters in the current show Imo It's still not enough for me to tune in daily because I can't be bothered sitting through the rest of it, but I think they've got it right pairing John and Marilyn up.

Irene works part time at both the Diner and the store for a long time. Around late 95 she stops working at the store though there is no mention of this onscreen. Presumably to do with Ailsa's storyline and so Irene was needed more at the Diner. Not sure if it was around that storyline. From memory she just stops appearing at the store like the writers forgot she worked there. Unless my memory is wrong. Perhaps DanF could shed some light? Not offhand I'm afraid, it's got me thinking though. She was still working there when Wendy her sister rocks up in 1995 - not sure how far into the season that is though in relation to Ailsa's storyline.

Does Irene work there for a while when she comes back?

Just curious - why have you got her as your avatar? I think probably because she was the first main teenage character to have a baby in the show plus the David storyline. If she hadn't had the baby I wonder if she would have been seen as memorable years down the track. Before the early years, whenever I used to think of Sophie I immediately had images of her as a pregnant school girl so it stood out to me and at the time her giving birth was seen as a major storyline in the show. You've got to remember that H&A was only a few years old at that point and it was the first time anything like that had happened in the show, so it became a memorable moment. I think it still is considered one of the early years memorable moments (Sophie giving birth to Tamara). Other teenage pregnancy storylines haven't had anywhere near the same impact as Sophie's did. Teenage pregnancy isn't seen as controversial as it used to be - so watching it back it doesn't seem that 'huge' but in 1991/1992 it was. I like the character, I think it's interesting to watch how she's coping, being a young mother and trying to better herself. I do prefer the other stories that are going on at the moment though.

The Beach House (Irene's house) was modeled on the original outdoor location on the house that was used from the beginning up until the year 200, when they changed it (annoyingly). Now you never see the outside anyway, unless it's an old stock shot of the house they started using in 2000/2001. They should just go and film some new stock shots at the original beach house. Summer Bay House - modeled loosely on the real house that they used up until 2003. In fact, pretty much all of the sets that were used in the show for the first 12-15 years were modeled on the outdoor locations but these days it seems random.

Has anyone else noticed 'Sarah' hanging around as an extra at the Surf Club? I'm sure it's Laura Vasquez. I'm starting to feel sorry for Ryan at the moment and I think Lou needs to be honest with Nick about what's been going on.

I agree Beau. I was thinking the same (about how her story arc came to a natural conclusion) - I wonder how they would have developed her from here if she's stayed and if they would have thought about putting her with Fisher at all. I liked her final episode, it was bittersweet and I enjoyed how they included Alf in the story, there 'goodbye' scene was well done.

Well if I saw my brother's girlfriend kissing another guy, I wouldn't let it go either.

Yeah I was cringing during the 'argument' between her and Phil today. No one ever argues like that in real life. Haha I agree about Shane. He and Damo are my current favourites out of the younger characters.

I agree, I think it makes her seem more innocent and young rather than old.

Beautifully cold, rainy and windy couple of days in Melbourne. More of that this summer please.

Lynne's Irene had massive storylines during her 20 year tenure. But in recent years, she has been neglected a lot. Hopefully, Irene will get a big storyline soon and she'll be interesting. As its previously been said though. It is not big storylines that Irene needs, but a purpose in the show. I agree with this. I suspect Lynne doesn't want massive continuous storylines but interesting little vignettes which give her chances to interact with characters as a source of advice and support. Her varied life experience makes her ideally suited to that role. Whilst I agree that she is suited to that role, I also think it's important that they don't only have her do that sort of stuff alone. Otherwise she would just be the same Irene as she is now, but instead of dishing out coffee she'd be dishing out sympathy and advice here and there. They still need to give her a purpose and some character on her own and develop her that way too - like they did up until 2005.

I'd love to go and experience such a cold climate right now, can't be bothered with a hot summer.

They've filmed in the city a few times. I always remember in 1999 Rebecca and Travis were waved off by Marilyn and Fisher on one of the 'Tall Ships' at the harbour.

When I'm comparing Pippa in 1991, I'm comparing her to how she was in the mid 90's, from say 1994-onwards. She continued to make mistakes and could be quite harsh like you said, but not in the same way as 1991. I actually think from 2000-2009 she was a bit too sickly sweet at times, it didn't sit right. Although her 2008 lengthy return was more like the Pippa who left in 1998 Imo.

Well, she only lodges there and the character is at least 17 (possibly 18?). Not sure what legalities apply here... but it is a stupid threat to carry out, because the other two girls will be greatly saddened and wear them down to take her back. And surely it only adds to the dreaded 'stress' on Sophie which Michael seems otherwise eager to avoid... Thanks but she is still at school so I say she is sitll a minor. I must say that I really do find Pippa to be an unlikeable character and Michael is even more unlikeable. I'm so far behind (still on the 1991 episodes) but I can see that Pippa and Michael are slightly different in these earlier episodes, compared to how they were from say 1993-onwards. I don't think they're unlikeable at all, but they definitely seem to make a lot more mistakes and can come across as a bit immature/harsh at times.

^Yeah that was a really emotional episode. I think Will went to Ken's grave and read out a poem too. There was some beautiful Mike Perjanik music over that scene. Yeah the logo over the freeze frame was dropped when the new 1996 credits were launched (the glossy beach credits). I've seen episodes from overseas without the logo and it's way better. The logo zooming in was distracting and a bit messy Imo Neighbours continued with their logo over the freeze frame into the early 00's. But I've also seen episodes of Neighbours from the UK and there isn't even a freeze frame at the end.

Yeah comparing the two, I'd say Ken's death was more emotionally engaging. I'd say Hayley had the least amount of focus, but we got some decent stuff from Will, Irene and Nick. I liked what they did with Ken's ring, Irene throwing it into the ocean and resenting it so much, only to rush back later on to try and find it in vain. I remember it being quite sad and Irene crying as she knelt in the waves trying to find it. I'd like to re-watch the storyline too. The death episode and episodes building up to it as well as a few weeks worth after the death, was on Youtube about six years ago.

Interestingly I don't think we missed out on anything even though the funeral took place in the next episode. We still got a lot of the grieving process happening on screen and I thought it was really well handled.

^I don't know, but it was hinted that she was getting unwanted attention from whoever it was. I saw the interview about ten years ago so it's very vague, but I was under the impression, from what she said, that it was 'romantic attention'. It was in the early 2000's, after she'd left 'for good'. I'm thinking 2001. As far as I can remember it was on an afternoon panel show like 'The View'.

I remember an interview with Emily Symons on a British TV show, where she said that there was a bit of a problem between her and one of the cast or crew members in the early 90's. And the person ended up being fired because of it. Emily decided to leave shortly afterwards. It may not have had anything to do with the reason she decided to leave, but I've always wondered about that one. The presenter of the show tried to get her to spill the beans but she didn't elaborate on it.

John looks like he is late 50's to me. He definitely doesn't look the same age as Sid or a few years older than Harvey/Roo/Marilyn. Has it been stated on screen that he was born in the 60's? Surely that can't be right....