Are the current producers ruining Home and Away?

[alexx]

A lot of people on Digital Spy agree that the current producers are ruining the show.

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1986841

What I think is scary with this is that everyone is pointing out teens having sex and changing partners. But it was like that 10, 20, and 25 years ago too. The difference is that at that time the charachters personality was explored too... And is it so awful that teens are swapping girl/boyfriends?

I think that's the point though - there isn't any substance anymore, so all people have to go on is what they are given, which is predominantly the bed hopping and all of these tedious and petty romantic 'troubles'.

I tuned in for two weeks (as I do from time to time to see if anything changes) and even John and Marilyn were having these petty romantic squabbles. It's just so repetitive and boring when pretty much all of the characters go through the same bland scenarios.

It might be cynical of me, but it feels like the characters who don't go through these romantic 'woes' (because they're not romantically involved with anyone), are automatically put into the 'speaking extra' role, or given an illness (Alf, Irene etc.) perhaps because the producers can't, or don't want to come up with anything else.

[Red Ranger 1]

I think Days of Our Lives is more violent than Home and Away!.

Quite.I think a quick look at many of the UK soaps-Hollyoaks, EastEnders, Emmerdale-shows that Home and Away is pretty tame in comparison.

[jodlebirger]

I think Days of Our Lives is more violent than Home and Away!.

Quite.I think a quick look at many of the UK soaps-Hollyoaks, EastEnders, Emmerdale-shows that Home and Away is pretty tame in comparison.

The reason why H&A seems pretty tame, is because the other soaps still has a lot of emotions around the violent actions; other characters reactions emotionally, and we can see consequences and feel with the characters. In H&A there are just a lot of violence without any follow up, no emotions and real reactions and character development. But there are just as much, if not more scenes with violence in H&A than in other soaps.

And I also think that is the biggest difference if you compare 2005-2010 and 2010 and onwards.

A lot of people on Digital Spy agree that the current producers are ruining the show.

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1986841

What I think is scary with this is that everyone is pointing out teens having sex and changing partners. But it was like that 10, 20, and 25 years ago too. The difference is that at that time the charachters personality was explored too... And is it so awful that teens are swapping girl/boyfriends?

I think that's the point though - there isn't any substance anymore, so all people have to go on is what they are given, which is predominantly the bed hopping and all of these tedious and petty romantic 'troubles'.

Yes, but I don't think that they are having sex or changing boy/girfriends is the problem as people often say... But the lack of character development. I think people complain about wrong things... or don't explain to the producers what is really wrong.

If there were storylines which build up around the break ups, that something happened to them and the break up was a result of events and character development then the relationships, and the changes would have been more understandable..

[Homeandawayfan.]

2009 H&A was very tame and watchable compared to H&A of now. In 2009 it was a very watchable TV drama while Neighbours was the darker one, now it has swapped. On the plus side, H&A does have some everyday stories as well and at least Oscar felt guilt over the hit and run. But the darker stories are very gruesome and out of place for H&A which has never shied away from such subjects but handled them with care 1988-2010. The crime stories are repetitive and not nail biting anymore. Neighbours and H&A have the richest history of any soaps in history and are bound to go through bad patches.

As I said, I think they need to cut out that harsh underscore "music". Or severely lessen it.

[JUDE]

I think Days of Our Lives is more violent than Home and Away!.

Quite.I think a quick look at many of the UK soaps-Hollyoaks, EastEnders, Emmerdale-shows that Home and Away is pretty tame in comparison.

The reason why H&A seems pretty tame, is because the other soaps still has a lot of emotions around the violent actions; other characters reactions emotionally, and we can see consequences and feel with the characters. In H&A there are just a lot of violence without any follow up, no emotions and real reactions and character development. But there are just as much, if not more scenes with violence in H&A than in other soaps.

And I also think that is the biggest difference if you compare 2005-2010 and 2010 and onwards.

A lot of people on Digital Spy agree that the current producers are ruining the show.

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1986841

What I think is scary with this is that everyone is pointing out teens having sex and changing partners. But it was like that 10, 20, and 25 years ago too. The difference is that at that time the charachters personality was explored too... And is it so awful that teens are swapping girl/boyfriends?

I think that's the point though - there isn't any substance anymore, so all people have to go on is what they are given, which is predominantly the bed hopping and all of these tedious and petty romantic 'troubles'.

Yes, but I don't think that they are having sex or changing boy/girfriends is the problem as people often say... But the lack of character development. I think people complain about wrong things... or don't explain to the producers what is really wrong.

If there were storylines which build up around the break ups, that something happened to them and the break up was a result of events and character development then the relationships, and the changes would have been more understandable..

Home & Away is a teen soap and nothing more.

Compared to what it was when it first started is impossible.

The last couple of producers should be sacked and not allowed to work in Television never again.

Nearly every story involved one person proclaiming their undying love and that they cant live without that person. Tune in two weeks later somehow they have managed to move on and found someone new and the whole circle starts again.

They need a Producer who is not afraid to try something new and not listen to the "Mumsnet" bridage that seem to have the final say in the stories. Until that happens Home and Away should be asigned to the Crap heap

[Homeandawayfan.]

Although the last 2 episodes this week have been good here in the UK, how H&A should be, proper H&A. But it may be just another lucid moment and the show will be back to default with the usual Braxton centric scenes and Brax vs Barrett criminal wars.

Yes it is now a predominantly teen show whereas although it did have lots of teens and some 20 somethings in the 1980s and 1990s, those younger characters did interact with the older characters and the show catered for all ages. It is a fact that in 1988 H&A had many more teens than the British soaps and it was much more modern than Corrie, Emmerdale and Crossroads (who by 1988 were still set in 1960s timewarps) and also H&A was very 1980s but older characters got their fair share of screentime and were mentors to the younger ones. Now it is all teens and 20somethings and the very few older ones are just extras.

[Blaxland 89]

As the question is Has the current producers ruined Home and Away I feel comparing it to other soaps is irrelevant. Eastenders, although it goes through good and bad patches had always stuck to the root of what it is. The history still features heavily and feels like the same show. And corrie after 50 years stil has the same theme and although characters have been updated it still keep the old school fans happy.

I think Home and Away has

gone so far down the track now it may never go back. Along the same lines as Emmerdale. Emmerdae has little/no identity anymore and I am sure there are still some hard core Emmerdale Farm fans that disagree with the direction they decides to take the show in the 90s and it's just got further and further away.

Home and Away is very close to losing its identity if it hasn't done already. It's the same only in name. Though I still live in hope. Irene even mentioned Fin in todays channel 5 episode.

[Homeandawayfan.]

As the question is Has the current producers ruined Home and Away I feel comparing it to other soaps is irrelevant. Eastenders, although it goes through good and bad patches had always stuck to the root of what it is. The history still features heavily and feels like the same show. And corrie after 50 years stil has the same theme and although characters have been updated it still keep the old school fans happy.

I think Home and Away has

gone so far down the track now it may never go back. Along the same lines as Emmerdale. Emmerdae has little/no identity anymore and I am sure there are still some hard core Emmerdale Farm fans that disagree with the direction they decides to take the show in the 90s and it's just got further and further away.

Home and Away is very close to losing its identity if it hasn't done already. It's the same only in name. Though I still live in hope. Irene even mentioned Fin in todays channel 5 episode.

Not irrelevant at all!!

This is a discussion about are the producers ruining the show and comparing it to other soaps is a point I am raising, seeing as the current team are so hell bent on moving the show away from its roots. Emmerdale Farm changed with it became Emmerdale and Crossroads did the same when Noele Gordon left and it became Crossroads Kings Oak, so Emmerdale, Crossroads and H&A are 3 soaps that have had a pretty radical change in format. And in that way I feel the producers are ruining H&A by adopting a crime ridden format.

[Blaxland 89]

Sorry. I just meant saying its all very well to say its not as violent as Eastenders is all well and good but Eastenders has always been the same. and thats what it does. I meant to say that it doesn't matter what others shows do. Home and Away should stick to what it does best. Or did do for the first 15 years or so. And thats why its losing its identity be following other shows.

[Homeandawayfan.]

Sorry. I just meant saying its all very well to say its not as violent as Eastenders is all well and good but Eastenders has always been the same. and thats what it does. I meant to say that it doesn't matter what others shows do. Home and Away should stick to what it does best. Or did do for the first 15 years or so. And thats its losing its identity be following other shows.

Emmerdale and H&A have adopted the EastEnders/Underbelly style I think, hence why they both are EastEnders wannabes instead of being what they are meant to be. I get your point about H&A copying other shows.