Are the current producers ruining Home and Away?

[CaptainHulk]

The on-screen product take away a few minor niggles, is slowly improving.

[cadyctslover]

Just watched episode 6244-6245 (UK-pace spoilers) and it was actually totally watchable.

It is amazing how different the tone of the show already is after Dan being in the role for only a month or two. I'll need to keep watching to be able to make a real assessment, but I like what I've seen.

[demerse]

Having watched since start - bar giving up for a year or so during the Gypsy years, pre Angela Russell revival - I abandoned ship altogether about a year ago. Unwatchable. Still haven't deleted series link tho and tuned in occasionally. Still unwatchable.

But actually watched three in a row this week and there was a slight but perceptible shift. Definite improvement. 

Or  maybe it's just Pia Miller

[Slade]

I think this thread is largely still relevant as a discussion of H&A's current direction and documents where it has been going for the past couple of years and speculates on where it may be headed. As long as it doesn't stray too far away from the basic issue of whether or not H&A is getting better or worse, irrespective of who is in charge, I think this discussion should exist.

If the day comes when most of the contributors to this discussion agree that H&A is in a good place, then this thread can be locked, and I for one will be more than happy with that

I would only advocate closing threads if there's already an existing one of the same topic, it goes off tangent or if the same posters repeat the same things - And even with the last two it should only happen after repeated warnings from the mods.  It is my personal belief that no matter what direction this show takes if you believe in freedom of speech and are against censorship this thread should not be closed.  It was started because of the objection to the show being dominated by certain characters which was somebody's opinion however it is just that an opinion. I accept that certain segments of the forum blame the script producer but not every poster here thinks the show is being ruined.  And if the show does eventually go back to the 'roots' who's to say that any people who like the current format of the show or any relatively new viewers won't think Home and Away is then being ruined.  So they should in turn be able to express an opinion in this thread like some of the posters are currently.

[Homeandawayfan.]

I am noticing a gradual improvement in the show, less crime and more feeling like H&A again. When it begun it had the lovely sprawling sunny beach and caravan park, making Ramsay St and Lassiters very claustrophobic in comparison, as well as sparky eccentric characters like Floss, Celia, Colleen, Lance, Martin and fun rebellious teens. Today it still has the good locations but sloppy writing and one dimensional characters. However I can see improvements ahead. If the viewers who dont like the warm feeling the show has usually had returning then they can go and watch another show that is usually cold and full of crime.

 

[Slade]

 If the viewers who dont like the warm feeling the show has usually had returning then they can go and watch another show that is usually cold and full of crime.

I guess that comment can easily be turned around and applied to all the posters who took exception in this thread to certain characters previously!  They could have in turn gone and watched another show rather than complaining about it continually!

[Gerard]

If the day comes when most of the contributors to this discussion agree that H&A is in a good place, then this thread can be locked, and I for one will be more than happy with that

I would only advocate closing threads if there's already an existing one of the same topic, it goes off tangent or if the same posters repeat the same things - And even with the last two it should only happen after repeated warnings from the mods.  It is my personal belief that no matter what direction this show takes if you believe in freedom of speech and are against censorship this thread should not be closed.  It was started because of the objection to the show being dominated by certain characters which was somebody's opinion however it is just that an opinion. I accept that certain segments of the forum blame the script producer but not every poster here thinks the show is being ruined.  And if the show does eventually go back to the 'roots' who's to say that any people who like the current format of the show or any relatively new viewers won't think Home and Away is then being ruined.  So they should in turn be able to express an opinion in this thread like some of the posters are currently.

(Unfortunately) I'm not anticipating this particular discussion will wrap up any time soon and therefore most people will think H&A is back to its former glory. Just that it would be great some day if this discussion fell by the wayside and no one posted in it any more, because everyone thought the producers were doing a great job!

But you're right though, if H&A could somehow work its way back to how it was in the mid-90's (in my opinion) I certainly wouldn't be complaining, but as you say, others would be annoyed and wishing the series was how it has been over the past few years. I doubt there will ever come a time when just about everyone is happy! Anyway, in the worst case if this thread did get locked, or fell off the radar, there is nothing stopping anyone starting a new thread or for Mod to unlock this one again.

[James Martin]

I'm not expecting a return to the 90s, or even the 00s high points of 2004 and early 2008.  You can't go forward by going backward.  The teens watching the show now were toddlers when Noah got shot.  Very few of the under-25s, realistically, will remember Shane and Angel.  They might just remember the Sutherlands.  Generally, it's always been a young person's show and maybe, just maybe, we're all getting old.

I'd be interested to know what the core demographic of the show's viewers are both in the UK & Ireland and its' native Australia - who's out there?  Who's watching this?  Who's going to watch this?

Ultimately, though, whilst the programme makes a hell of a lot of money for the Seven network, I can't see any producer making drastic changes.  When advertisers stop advertising and international broadcasters stop buying in the programme, then is the time to panic.

[dee123]

 If the viewers who dont like the warm feeling the show has usually had returning then they can go and watch another show that is usually cold and full of crime.

I guess that comment can easily be turned around and applied to all the posters who took exception in this thread to certain characters previously!  They could have in turn gone and watched another show rather than complaining about it continually!

That was then, this is now

[Jeremai]

Just to add a slightly different point of view, I haven't watched the show for about 7 years now. My other half still watches it and so I catch the odd glimpse of it every now and then but it just isn't recognizable as the show I loved enough to start a web site about! However, I do live in hope of an improvement, and this thread gives me the best indication of whether there's anything worth tuning in for (Alf's Canberra storyline for example) so I hope it continues.