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Are the current producers ruining Home and Away?


JamesC10

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Posted

We have never had as many older characters on the show as in 2010-2013. But the problem is not about having enough older characters on the show, or teens or in the mid twenties... The point is how the writers are using the characters that they have created. And the problem is the character development.

Just look at how the show is now (late 2013, I suppose it hasn't changed to much into 2014...) there are two groups on the show... and it has been like this since 2011. But I think the problem getting more and more visible for each week.

They are using the Braxtons and their ladies and supporting characters for pure drama... they have been through triangles after triangles, one tragedy after another and so on.

And they are using the rest for lighter storylines and comedy. The dramas that they might have are never fully developed and you always have to guess what they feel in the certain situations, and there are quirky lines all over the place and it is really tiring. The adults conversations are far too silly or endless arguing without any point and it feels meaningless.

For example the character of Chris has so much potential, but I feel that they are only going to use him for pure comedy, making him the new Dex after Dex leaves. I want to feel these characters pain too, sometimes,.. and dig into their personal dramas, smaller or bigger ones. We have had a lot of newer characters in the past four years and we don't really get to know them properly.

At the same time, I want Biancas dramas to stop.. I am tired of see her crying and screaming for several reasons and her doing the same mistakes over and over again, ..Or Brax being angry for something, or Casey, or Heath. Because I have seen it so often, that I can't feel their pain anymore. And their characters are not moving along with the storylines or having real character development. There are just receptive dramas. I want a break in their dramas, so I can start to invest in their characters again.

I really miss the days of Aden/Belle, Rick/Mattie, Morag/Alf, Roman, Sutherlands, Hunters and so on.. because the dramas were digged more into and the character were developed through their storylines, and the storylines were more spread out to different sets of characters, so it was easier to feel with the characters.

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Posted

Fisher needs to return for a month or so. Don and the Braxtons together is something I have always showed interest in even if just a few scenes. Or Don and John meeting for the first time. Lucy Addario has very little interest in pre 2010 H&A though and I think Norman Coburn is virtually retired now. As discussed recently, I wonder if a month of filming would be enough for him.

January 2013 was when we had Celia, Morag and Coleen back, they all left that month. Then Gina went which is another older one gone. I hope we see Morag again as well. But as I watch the current episodes I also know the show has several good points. I think H&A has always been good at moving with the times and IMHO it has always stuck to its original format I think, just a different style, troublesome teens, fostered children, just more wayward than early years when it was prankster teens and some more troubled, todays troubled teens are just more violent. Some may disagree but from watching since day 1 I am making a judgement based on watching the show.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

I just don't understand why the Home and Away producers are so reluctant to bring back permanent returnees? Last time a character returned to Home and Away as a regular was Marilyn in 2010. I really hope that when Lucy Addario and Louise Bowes leave the show, hopefully the new producers can sort out the mess and give ALL characters EQUAL screentime. Hopefully they won't continue to overuse the Braxtons (I bet all the Braxtons will leave in early 2015). I honestly can't wait for Home and Away after the Braxtons leave.. It is NOT an American soap show.

Posted

Well I know Heath Braxton is leaving so this is probably going to be the writing on the wall for the Braxxies and their days in the show will soon be numbered. Maybe the show can then shed some of its crime related stories and bring in a new family who are into fostering and solving problems together plus mingling in with John, Alf, Roo, Jett, Zak etc.

Posted

^I don't think it's as simple as that. If they wanted to focus on other characters and types of storylines, they would. But this just seems like a new way of writing Home and Away now, so as far as I can see, unless a new producer takes over and takes the show in a completely different direction with regards to way of writing, storytelling, characterization etc. I reckon the H&A of today is going to be the H&A going forward.

Lot's of new H&A fans like the show the way it is now and they tune in because they like the show as it is now. Yes they may have lost a lot of long term viewers in the process, but does that matter to them anymore now that they've got a fresh audience? It would be easier for them to just build on the current format rather than trying to entice any of us lost viewers back.

Or perhaps they will begin to write the show in a balanced way again and give every character a decent storyline at least once a year (every character). I just can't see it happening any time soon.

Posted

What's frustrating is that it wouldn't be hard to have a balanced drama airing 5 nights a week. It would take effort, as Coral Drouyn once said, all it takes is some hard work in the writing room. Most of the characters are no longer relatable or even realistic. They don't seem like people you'd know in real life or want to know for that matter.

The writers don't seem to want to address the problems that have plagued the show for over 9 years. Maybe it's too late for Home and Away to return to its original vision. For 18 years it was a drama about the people of Summer Bay, a small coastal town, who (apart from Fisher and a few others) had fairly ordinary jobs and not a lot of money. The sets reflected this too. The houses were a little shabby and you could really believe that the people living in them didn't have lots of money. Also, remember the quirkiness and personality the sets used to have? The Diner had the iconic burger phone and the jukebox while Irene had her apples painting. :lol:

I really want Home and Away to drop the overused of criminal activity and the constant make-up break-up cycle that ruins characters. Can't we just have a cast of characters who have issues and struggles that people face in every day life, see them love and lose and see their friendships and careers. If it doesn't happen, I have a growing episode collection (too bad there isn't one here) and I will be quite content with that. :)

Posted

I would agree that the imminent departure of the Braxton's won't solve the issues with H&A. The producers have recognised that 'bad boy' characters that engage in violent/criminal behaviour appeals to a key demographic. So with the first Braxton's beginning to sign off, they're already introducing carbon copies in the form of Heath Andy and Casey Josh.

From what I've read of the comments on the H&A facebook page (trust me, I'm ashamed to admit that) the Barrett's have not been as immediately successful as the Braxton's were upon their introduction, and they don't seem hugely popular here either. I think that the success of the Braxton's was that they were so unusual after such a vanilla 2010 season, and that it will be difficult to replicate that success now because the audience is more intelligent than the producers give them credit for.

I suspect that once all of the Braxton's have departed that the ratings will begin to slide, and it could result (eventually) in Channel 7 deciding to take the show in a different direction (again) and take the show 'back to it's roots' (again). As long as the storylines are interesting, and the writing is engaging this could work (this time).

Posted

^I don't think it's as simple as that. If they wanted to focus on other characters and types of storylines, they would. But this just seems like a new way of writing Home and Away now, so as far as I can see, unless a new producer takes over and takes the show in a completely different direction with regards to way of writing, storytelling, characterization etc. I reckon the H&A of today is going to be the H&A going forward.

Lot's of new H&A fans like the show the way it is now and they tune in because they like the show as it is now. Yes they may have lost a lot of long term viewers in the process, but does that matter to them anymore now that they've got a fresh audience? It would be easier for them to just build on the current format rather than trying to entice any of us lost viewers back.

Or perhaps they will begin to write the show in a balanced way again and give every character a decent storyline at least once a year (every character). I just can't see it happening any time soon.

I agree with this alexx. The show has not changed just to annoy a section of the previous fan base. Any changes that have been made have been made because of the the changes in community expectations and the weight of audience expectations.

Whether we like it or not TV drama goes through phases. Here in Oz we've been through our Underbelly phase ( much beloved of Light of the Bay :P) which initially attracted large audiences. In some ways this has spilled over into Home and Away and into other TV dramas. The popularity of that genre is waning and that is reflected in the winding down of crime storylines in other drama including our show.

I have no idea what the next drama phase will be .We have had some interest in Downton Abbey and other period dramas but these do not seem to be grabbing audience attention in the same way as the early Underbelly offerings did.

One thing is for certain though, The next phase won't be a return to the past. Some aspects of each change that is made to the show as it evolves will remain. The show is gradually evolving as it must to remain contemporary.

Even the writing of the show goes through phases. We have periods where the writers seem to be offering endless recycling of breaking up and making up which I find increasingly boring. We have periods where the pacing of the show annoys me and we hurry through storylines and issues which could benefit from slower and more detailed exploration.

But then we have periods of compelling viewing such as the past week here in Oz.. The interraction between the Braxton brothers has been all about their characters and how they have grown with no suggestion of criminal activity. We've had the development of the relationship between John and Marilyn with Jett as a spectator and sometime meddler which has just been a delight. We've had the developing friendship between Alf and Denny and Irene's influence on Heath and Bianca.

I think the show is as good as it's ever been at holding my attention. I look forward to where it will take me next.

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