Are the current producers ruining Home and Away?

[Red Ranger 1]

I can see the frustration that they bring back the actor that played Irene's son as someone else, but it's not like he was particularly associated with the role.If they did want to bring Nathan back, they'd probably have recast again anyway.

I haven't warmed to Olivia for several reasons, not least being the lack of effort to convince the audience that that is actually Olivia.There just doesn't seem to be any reason for her to be living with Irene instead of her family: We know James is a decent person who's perfectly capable of looking after her, but we get a load of vague self-absorbed stuff like "My uncle doesn't give me enough attention" and the bizarre "I came back to Australia because I was abused at an unspecified point in the past", which James isn't even deemed worthy of being told about despite raising her for ten years.It doesn't help that the abuse seems to be a complete non-event.(I don't mean being abused is nothing, just that in storyline and character terms it seems completely meaningless, forgotten about almost as soon as it's raised.)I've actually liked VJ for a long time and think people are still judging him on how he was written when the recast first happened.He hasn't really been throwing tantrums for about ten months: I remember because when I first read the spoiler about Leah slapping him I cheered, but by the time it happened I actually liked him and the way he supported Zac.(The fact that he's been stuck in a teen group with probably the two most objectionable teenagers of the decade means he's an angel in contrast.)

Whilst I like that the fostering theme is continuing, I think it's a shame that the caravan park house is now at the centre of it.They seemed to be setting Leah up as a foster parent when she took Matt in, but instead she ends up as the head of a blended biological family and it's starting to strongly resemble the Sutherland/Hunter set-up.

With Matt and Maddy having moved out, all the teens are biological relations of the parent figures.

[Luke39]

5 hours ago, ~Lynd~ said:

This sort of thing usually doesn't bother me to much.Even when I think it will I get over it fairly quickly but there are exceptions.The main one to come to mind is VJ.I know I should be over it but I'm not and I doubt I ever will be seeing it hasn't happened yet.The two actors look nothing alike and VJ seemed to change from a sweet guy into a manchild who's hobbies include throwing a tantrum every 5 minutes overnight.

 

Oh I so dont like the new Vj. Hes just a dick lol. Changing a character so drastically over night is just aburd. Maybe the worst casting h and a ever did. Nothing against the actor. But its as bad as Declans recasting in Neighbours. At least Declan diddnt grow 12 feet over night. Like I said the way they are writing Olivia. Different to.the last actress who played her. Doesent effect my viewing experience. As I have no memory of the former. So guess im just treating Olivia as a new character. And most I read on fb are too. And like her in general haha. But I guess if you have a pre disposed experience. Like you knew the original Olivia. Of course now shes been written as a teenager. Shes going to be very different. People change.

[Red Ranger 1]

I really don't see what sort of problem people have with VJ. He hasn't done anything that I'd consider dislikable since Leah came out of the coma.He's got a good relationship with her, he's pleasant and friendly towards the other teens, he even tolerates slimeball Hunter which is more than Hunter deserves yet whenever they do clash a lot of viewers inexplicably take the side of the twisted arsonist... I don't even think "He's too tall" means anything these days.He's in Year 12, he's not going to be five foot still.Has anyone noticed how much Jett's grown in the last two years?VJ was off screen for about six months, seems like time enough for a growth spurt.

To be honest, Olivia's the sort of teenage girl character I dislike even if she wasn't supposed to be Olivia: Self-absorbed, self-entitled, disrespectful, throws herself at anything in trousers,

hooks up with a boy she barely knows who's a loser at best and a criminal at worst and ignores everything he's done just because she fancies him.

The fact that Chloe's probably turning in her grave at how her daughter ended up just adds to it.

[~Lynd~]

3 hours ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

I really don't see what sort of problem people have with VJ. He hasn't done anything that I'd consider dislikable since Leah came out of the coma.He's got a good relationship with her, he's pleasant and friendly towards the other teens, he even tolerates slimeball Hunter which is more than Hunter deserves yet whenever they do clash a lot of viewers inexplicably take the side of the twisted arsonist... I don't even think "He's too tall" means anything these days.He's in Year 12, he's not going to be five foot still.Has anyone noticed how much Jett's grown in the last two years?VJ was off screen for about six months, seems like time enough for a growth spurt.

To be honest, Olivia's the sort of teenage girl character I dislike even if she wasn't supposed to be Olivia: Self-absorbed, self-entitled, disrespectful, throws herself at anything in trousers,

Hidden Content

The fact that Chloe's probably turning in her grave at how her daughter ended up just adds to it.

I could say the same about you with Olivia though.She was offscreen for much longer then 6 months yet you're determined to hate her.She was a child last time and now she's a teenager.And please stop with the ''Throws herself at anything with trousers'' because those those trousers also have to be willing to be with her.Plus she's only been with Hunter.You might not like her but please don't slut shame.

[dee123]

I think people feel attached to VJ because Felix Dean played him for so long and then we just get this abrupt change where he's transformed into another muscle bound man child who seem to be a dime a dozen these days.

That and Matt Little still can't act for s**t and was only hired because of who his brother in law is

 

[Red Ranger 1]

6 hours ago, ~Lynd~ said:

I could say the same about you with Olivia though.She was offscreen for much longer then 6 months yet you're determined to hate her.She was a child last time and now she's a teenager.And please stop with the ''Throws herself at anything with trousers'' because those those trousers also have to be willing to be with her.Plus she's only been with Hunter.You might not like her but please don't slut shame.

I like to think I gave her a go.Maybe I didn't but then she was annoying me within a few minutes of appearing on screen.Within her first week or so, she'd practically molested VJ (who didn't seem entirely comfortable), come onto Nate (who was very uncomfortable and she knew and enjoyed it) and was fawning over Hunter within seconds of meeting him.

Spoiler

Sorry, but sleeping with a guy she'd had maybe two serious conversations with when they'd barely kissed does not say much about her.

But maybe I'm exaggerating that aspect of her character, even if she is no shrinking violet, and I'm sorry if my comments upset you.I'm not all that convinced by the casting, but frankly Raechelle's facing an uphill struggle as a generic teenage girl utterly devoid of character traits, who just seems to be there to look pretty.Really, the familiar name seems to be the only reason we've been given to like her.

 

2 hours ago, dee123 said:

I think people feel attached to VJ because Felix Dean played him for so long and then we just get this abrupt change where he's transformed into another muscle bound man child who seem to be a dime a dozen these days.

That and Matt Little still can't act for s**t and was only hired because of who his brother in law is

I think there's more to him than that, a lot more.I don't see anything wrong with his acting, he certainly doesn't seem like a weak link and the character seems far more likable than a lot of the other teens.

[Luke39]

Like with Matt played by Alec Snow. Some are determined to hate him. And I don't get it. Hes developed into can I say a lovely young man. Scene with Leah YOUR my only family. He got into.Uni. So obviously he has a future in whatever. And im sorry but he and Maddie are kinda cute lol. I get being upset because you may dislike or like a character who may have or not have been trampled on in the process. But its just natural progression. Same with Olivia. Some need to accept shew not the Olivia before. Shes now a teenager. So a completely different character. Who im liking. So yeah no slut shamming. Shes only been with Hunter, Some one she professes she loves. But point is experience can pre dispose YOUR judgement. 

[Red Ranger 1]

I'm sorry but the show has rendered love meaningless.It's just something people say to whoever they happen to be dating at the time.Sometimes after only knowing them a few weeks and barely spending any time alone together.I'm trying not to hate Matt but he's the reason for a lot of changes in Maddy that I don't like and so it's hard not to.Olivia...well, I didn't like her in the first place and sticking her with Hunter, a relationship that's at a level of wrongness not seen since the Cassie/Henk "abuse victim shacks up with rapist" farce, has made me give up on her very quickly.With VJ, they may have changed his looks and personality but at least they had the decency to have the other characters pretend not to notice.With Olivia, there's been no attempt to link her to the previous character.Everyone's treating her as if she's a new character and she's acting as if she's one.I was waiting in anticipation of her reunion with Alf...and then it came and went with absolutely no acknowledgement that they'd met before, as if they were complete strangers.We're meant to believe that she's close enough to Irene that she'll randomly fly to the other side of the world because she's suddenly decided she wants to live with her, yet she doesn't even seem to know she's an alcoholic, a detail so widely known that it must be in the Summer Bay Welcome Pack!

[dee123]

13 hours ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

I think there's more to him than that, a lot more.I don't see anything wrong with his acting, he certainly doesn't seem like a weak link and the character seems far more likable than a lot of the other teens.

That's only because these days the bar is set so low on teen characters. God i miss Dex, April, Ruby, Indi etc...

[Pierced Musie]

I agree with Red in regards to Olivia being introduced more as a new character than as a returning one. The fact is that Olivia may have only been a guest character back in 2005 but she made a big impact in the short time she appeared. Yet it is written like she has never been to Summer Bay. They could have brought her in with a storyline about her wanting to see and hear more about where her mother grew up... but no, it is straight in with a triangle. The whole introducing Olivia with a backstory that she was basically fobbed off by her Uncle & so neglected that he has no clue that she was abused would have been a good story... if it didn't completely crap all over a character from the past. By bringing in Olivia this way they completely assassinated James, a character we probable will never see again unless recasted.

That is my problem with Olivia. Plus I bloody hope the actress never dyes her hair brunette or I am not going to be able to tell the difference between her & Evie. Has anyone else noticed how alike they look?!!?!