H&A vs Neighbours?

[CaptainHulk]

I'd say Felix/Sarah/ZoEve arguably is what the made show what it is today (The three stalkers who "are no longer with us") but Angie helped lead the charge.

[Jezz]

I'd say Felix/Sarah/ZoEve arguably is what the made show what it is today (The three stalkers who "are no longer with us") but Angie helped lead the charge.

Sarah not so much as I thought amongst that storyline there was still plenty of character-driven drama but I understand what you're saying about it being the start of the route that has led the show to become what it is today.

I think the changes started to become more obvious with the Stalker storyline but nevertheless the storylines between 2005-2008 were still great and the show was very addictive to watch even if it became more plot-driven admittedly.

[LondonF4]

I've been making an effort to watch both soaps every night this week and I have to say that Neighbours wins hands down for me. It has strong storylines involving all of the characters and good performances. Just like H&A used to be.

[dee123]

How on earth Neighbours got into the Logies Hall of Fame is beyond me. Well other than the pro-Melbourne bias that exists around the awards.

[Jezz]

Because Neighbours is an iconic Australian soap that has lasted three decades. It's longevity alone is impressive enough that it deserves to be the Logies Hall of Fame on top of various other factors.

It's got nothing to do with pro-Melbourne bias in my view.

[dee123]

Because Neighbours is an iconic Australian soap that has lasted three decades. It's longevity alone is impressive enough that it deserves to be the Logies Hall of Fame on top of various other factors.

It's got nothing to do with pro-Melbourne bias in my view.

So you admit there is pro-Melbourne bias

It's only lasted because of the U.K money and nothing else. Not exactly anything to be proud of.

[Homeandawayfan.]

Neighbours almost came to being axed in about 1992, Channel 10 wanted to axe it but I think the BBC and its TV giant cousins in Oz came to some agreement. If it was not for the UK audience then Neighbours would have been axed in about 1992 and Home and Away would have got the gong for longest continuing Aussie TV drama in history years ago.

Despite its success in the UK I think Channel 10 wanted to axe the show in 1992. In 1992 Neighbours still got about 15 million and episode (aggregated figure of afternoon showing and evening repeat of that episode).

[j.laur5]

I wonder if that is why they revamped it in 1992?

[Gerard]

I think Neighbours is currently the much more enjoyable to watch of the two - it has become a lot better in the past 2 or 3 years, while Home and Away has done the opposite.

Neighbours has survived 30 years against the odds. I don't think any other serial running that long has avoided the axe so many times - so they must be doing something right. But I wonder had Neighbours ended in 1992, which probably would have been the natural lifespan for an Australian soap, would H&A still be around today? Also I think it's safe to assume a lot of H&A's initial popularity in the UK would have been down to it being a sunnier and more dramatic alternative to Neighbours. I wonder if Neighbours had gone in 1992, would H&A have survived on UK screens on its own merits? I wouldn't be too sure Channel 5 would have snatched it off ITV, and given how ITV treated the series, I don't think the current crime-ridden format would have survived the ITV censor.

[Homeandawayfan.]

I think Neighbours is currently the much more enjoyable to watch of the two - it has become a lot better in the past 2 or 3 years, while Home and Away has done the opposite.

Neighbours has survived 30 years against the odds. I don't think any other serial running that long has avoided the axe so many times - so they must be doing something right. But I wonder had Neighbours ended in 1992, which probably would have been the natural lifespan for an Australian soap, would H&A still be around today? Also I think it's safe to assume a lot of H&A's initial popularity in the UK would have been down to it being a sunnier and more dramatic alternative to Neighbours. I wonder if Neighbours had gone in 1992, would H&A have survived on UK screens on its own merits? I wouldn't be too sure Channel 5 would have snatched it off ITV, and given how ITV treated the series, I don't think the current crime-ridden format would have survived the ITV censor.

I have always found that since H&A began, Neighbours has often copied a lot of its ideas. The sunnier locations, school classroom scenes and the exotic buzz H&A had.

So you think H&A has survived this long because of Neighbours? If Neighbours had ended in 1992 after 7 years then naturally H&A should have ended in 1995 or 1996.

I dont know how ITV treated H&A but they obviously did agree to show it and in 1992-1994 it got up to 15 million viewers an episode, about as level as a single showing of EastEnders or Corrie. It is true both N and H&A did rival CS and EE.