Are the current producers ruining Home and Away?

[jodlebirger]

I haven't seen this new Olivia, but I don't think she had any impact when she was around 11 years ago. The girl who played her was too old, and acted too young for her looks. The storyline about Diana, Olivia and Irene went over the top, and Irene's behaviour was not believable. I really didn't like that storyline at all. Olivia was just a little girl back then, and a late teen now. Big difference.

I haven't seen her yet. But when I read on this forum it seems to me that they have destroyed her ending in 2005, James was a good guy and to make this work and I think it will be strange to me that he wasn't able to talk to her or care about her if something bad happened to her. I find it strange that she needed to go to Irene.  I think this storyline could have been done with Lily Smith instead. 

[Red Ranger 1]

To be honest, I really don't know why they didn't just make her a new character.Apart from a few name drops, the storyline could have played out exactly the same if Irene had gone off to help a cousin with a daughter a few months earlier instead of going to see James and Olivia and it was her who'd turned up.Instead it seems like the only thing making the character Olivia has done is annoy anyone who knows who she is.

[Skylover]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents worth and say I will 100% never accept the new VJ. The actor can act, he was good in Neighbours, but he doesn't look remotely the age he's meant to be, he looks about 21/22, and he won't ever be convincing as VJ based on physical appearance alone. I think he should leave and be re-cast again.

[Blaxland 89]

On 8 March 2016 at 11:55 AM, Pierced Musie said:

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?!!?!

 

Yes I quite agree. And not only was Olivia a guess character in 2005. She one of the rare characters that was born into the show. Marilyn was not around in 2005 but used to babysit Olivia a lot when she was a baby. Be nice if they had a scene when Maz gets back about Chloe but I doubt it. It's those sort of touches though that help us believe she is that same person. Just takes a bit of effort. Be nice if we see her ask a few questions about her father too. 

On that subject I wish they'd try and link VJ with Vinnie a bit more. Be nice to see Alf talk to VJ about his Dad. All this might help as make the connection and as a result, care more about them. Surely that's what the writers want.

[greg098]

I think the whole show has a very different vibe then a few years ago. It's a lot darker and more of an adult show. I think certain characters like Ash, Josh  Andy and Kyle are too violent and are always involved in drugs, crime or fights. I think this changes the whole tone of the show because its based around these storylines and their supporting characters, such as Phoebe, Ricky, Kat and Billie. I think removing these characters from the show will make the show more appealing as these characters aren't fun to watch and are simply just eye candy. Nate and Kat are 2 characters who are simply too good looking and their characters are not very unconvincing and viewers seem to not care about them at all.
I am unhappy with how they introduced Olivia to the show. Such an iconic character (Chloe was), they should at least have a better storyline and bridged that into the history of the show. I feel they just brought in that character to give Irene more storylines. I think they need to bring back Diana (Olivia's Grandmother) to give that character justice. This will help bridge the gap between and past and now.

Spoiler

The storyline about Irene and her lost daughter is very unrealistic. Irene apparently held onto her daughters blanket all these years yet didn't Irene's house burn to the ground in the 90s and she lost everything. I find it very far fetched that show how that blanket managered to survive a fire.

I think its great having Morag back on the show. I think they should at least try to get Martha back into the show.  Jodi Gordon has expressed her interest in coming back to the show and her character is very ironic so I don't know why they wouldnt considering bringing her back, especially with her Mum Roo now in the show. It makes no sense.

I think the show changed when Sally left. Not long after that, the Braxtons came and the whole vibe of the show changed. The Braxtons were successful because it was something different. They were originally played out to be the bad guys and over time they started to become good.

If you look at the show 15 years ago, it was a big deal when someone got married or someone died. Just look at Bobby's death or Noah's death. Both had such an impact on the whole show and the viewers felt like their death mattered. Something which means nothing in the current show because every few weeks there is another death. Getting married was also a big deal back in the 90s. Can you remember how long Shane and Angel were engaged for? They loved each other and they never got with anyone else because it was only them two. That couple was iconic and when they got married, it actually meant something to the show but also the viewer. When people get married in the show now, it has no appeal and people don't really care.
Moving forward, I think they need to refresh the cast and have less people that looks like models. More realistic people and less crime storylines. Go back to basis.

 

 

[Luke39]

Home and away have always casted beautiful ppl lol. So.don't see a difference their. I.also dont have a problem with the current cast. Go bk.to.2005. Other then the violence, crime etc. The general feel.to.the show currently is no different. Characters then are Same now. You had Matilda, Then Indi, Nicole, April,  Ruby etc. Now its maddy, evie, billie etc. So I.think.the foundation is their. Also.the foster aspect has returned. That and the teen group. Theirs always been.eyecandy on.the show. So not sure its fair to say.they are only.their for that. For instance I think.Billie has turned into a really great character. And can have scenes with pretty much anyone. As for Olivia. She aint a kid anymore. I dont need any bridge. Shes a teenager now. So I.actually prefer her being different. But thats jmo.

[Little bean]

I agree with Luke. One of the main features of the show has always been the beautiful people. I don't think being too good looking makes viewers not like characters. I care about Kat a lot. (Nate.....meh, not so much!!)  I know here's a general feeling on this forum that the good old days were better but I do feel there's a bit of "rose tinted glasses" viewing going on. Personally ( and yes, I know I CANT say this, but here it comes, you have been warned) I never liked Sally. Not as a child, not as a teen and especially not as an adult. I'm not saying that to start an argument by the way, just to point out that we all have different views and enjoy different characters and SLs.

There's always been crime and there's always been a certain level of violence. Yes, in recent years there's been more but that probably reflects modern society and also changes to what is seen as acceptable viewing on a teatime show. I'm not a huge fan of it myself but I suspect that while the majority on this forum think it has ruined the show, many many fans around the world feel it has given it a boost. Heath, Andy and especially Kyle (again, a character I've never liked, because of his hideous treatment of Casey, but one who is very popular here) are the main perpetrators of the violence that in my opinion was too much. I'm not sure why you included Josh in your list Greg? To me he seems a sweet natured kid who has always wanted to get an education and become an architect but who has constantly been caught up in the violence and crime his brother has bought into their lives. He has been on the RECEIVING end of a massive amount of violence but isn't a violent person himself. The recent mention of the Pirovic murder (UK pace) set alarm bells off for me as I'm sure this is going to become an important thread that will once again lead to Josh paying for his brother's mistakes especially since 

Spoiler

Andy is confirmed to be leaving and it seems very likely that Josh has finished too so my guess is they both end up in prison for Jakes and/or Charlottes murder/s

 

[~Lynd~]

I've never been a big fan of Sally either.I don't actually mind violence if it'd done well but it hasn't been in recent times and people seem to get away with it and we seem to be meant to like them.I'd actually like them more if they were treated like the criminals they were.Johnny, Sarah and more recently Charlotte were great because they were treated like the characters that were being portrayed.It also wears thin after awhile.Like any show, it can't just keep relying on the same old shock tactics.They aren't shocking, they're stale and lame.

[Homeandawayfan.]

I have never been a great fan of Sally and dont see what many people find that is so appealing about her as if she was H&A. Until she was about 14 all she seemed to say was "Can I play with my dollies upstairs" or being told not to eavesdrop on adults convos by Tom, Pippa, Floss, Lance, Martin etc.

I think 2005 H&A was a different kettle of fish to 2016 H&A, back then there was much more warmth and family drama along with the dramatic plots. 2 things I dont like is the filmic look which makes the sets look dingy and the generic monotonous underscore music.

[Skylover]

I really like characters like Kat and Nate. They look like models but they're great actors too. I loved Sally too though. IMO the quality of the acting and the casting has improved in recent years. The Braxtons are good, but too extreme a lot of the time, but I've enjoyed their time on the show. For me it was the characters of Oscar, Evelyn and Zac etc that made me lose interest from about 2013 onwards, but I think it's more because of the way their entrance was sensational - at least with the Braxtons they had defined personalities but I didn't care about the Maguires at first and in addition to this we lost the Walkers and April/Bianca which for me were part of the modern day golden era (2011-2013).