Are the current producers ruining Home and Away?

[Homeandawayfan.]

That is what I fear about the show now, that this is how the show is going to be from now on, crime stories and bed hopping, a way to keep pandering to the teenage girls who drool over the Braxtons. I dont think Lucy and Louise understand what Home And Away is supposed to be. But as long as it has good ratings the bosses at Channel 7 dont care. Neighbours has the wow factor and is everything Home And Away used to be up until 2 or 3 years ago. Jason Herbison understands Neighbours.

[Gerard]

As someone who's seen nearly every episode of H&A from the start, I'm becoming more and more apathetic about the show as time goes on. Everyone has their favourite time of the show, and I think H&A peaked in the mid 1990s when the cast was so strong and there were so many exciting, but not sensational, storylines going on, and some laugh-out-loud humour. In the early 2000's when the show drifted from the "foster family" format and started to bring in sensational plots, coupled with a less humour, I did come close to switching off, but I stuck with it and it improved again, with Sally and Flynn at the forefront.

Since then it's struggling to find a format that works, wavering between "love stories" and criminality. There is a strong older cast, even if some are underused (Irene), and I am glad Marilyn is still around to add much warmth and humour. But on the reverse side we have a number of unlikeable or bland characters who just seem to jump from one love triangle to the next, and whom I find it hard to really care about. At times I lose track of who's with who, and the fortnightly "who's life is on the line now" plots gets less and less effective as time goes on. If I don't really care for the characters, why would it bother me if they were in danger? In the H&A audience of 2014, there can't be too many people left who would even remember the days of Tom & Pippa etc. Times change, and I guess if we accept H&A is more of a crime and teen angst show than the warm family drama it once was, that's OK.

[sindikatas]

One of the reasons I'm upset with current format is because some members make really interesting posts about the early years and I know I won't find them in current episodes discussion threads because they don't watch current show.

[Homeandawayfan.]

I think while Lucy is at the helm she will keep up the Braxton/Barrett presence and all the other characters are surplus to requirements.

[jodlebirger]

I think while Lucy is at the helm she will keep up the Braxton/Barrett presence and all the other characters are surplus to requirements.

Unfortunately it is not about Lucy Addario. The show was on downward spiral long before she became the boss/head producer.

Cameron Welch was still the boss back then.

If we are going to see some changes, there need to be a change higher up in the Channel 7 system. I think the producers and writers freedom to write is limited by extremely hard instructions by the channel's bosses to use ingredients which leads to a lot of attention and hype in the media, and secure good ratings. And I guess those ingredients are more action, big blows and triangles.

Why risk anything when you can reach your goals in a "cheaper way"?

I also think that if the writers and producers aren't following those instructions, they will get sacked.

As have said several times, I feel that H&A is extremely steered by medias attentions about the big blows, and it feels steered and manufactured by the channel.

It is very easy to come to that conclusion because of the massive attention the show gets in Australia, and how the articles are written. It is very strange to me (and interesting) to read how the actors and press seem to be directed in a specific directions.

For example when Ray Meagher was loudly critical of the show in 2010 and said the show was going to change, the show had got some bad press, and it seem to me that he was instructed to say what he said. Because the next violent storyline was with him in the main role.

There seem to be no constructive reflections of the storylines in the media, and if the actors are saying something they are sacked or/and painted as the bad guy, without any further reflections or investigations on the matter by media to find out if the actors are right or not. When there are some critics, the media is blaming the actors.. (for example in 2009) and really who is behind that?

So my conclusion is that it is the bigger system which is destroying H&A, or at least make the show very stiff and controlled.

[Homeandawayfan.]

It may be easy to blame Lucy and Louise but as you said, we blame the producers a lot when it is their bosses above them and that I what I feared, Channel 7 want the show to attract media attention and at any cost, from big stunts and explosions, that will secure ratings and pocket them profit. I think it is a good job Neighbours is out of the ratings war and can do what it wants. Neighbours is going uphill again and is going through another golden era.

[alexx]

I agree with you Jodie. But I still think the producers and writers have their own style and put their own stamp on it though. The Channel 7 bosses could be putting pressure on them to add certain types of characters and storylines, but the producers could still make the show very character driven and emotional at the same time and make it feel as much like H&A as possible.

There are still loads of scenes and storylines each week that are poorly written and lack any depth or emotional integrity – changing that could actually make the show far more enjoyable to a wider audience as well as keeping in line with what the bigger bosses at Channel 7 want.

The producer of the show could also be including bits and pieces here and there to change the current format and then once it proves to be successful, build on it and show those higher up that a fresh format and approach can bring in an audience too. Surely Channel 7 wouldn’t have all of a sudden just started asking for the show to be shaped into what it is today.

[Homeandawayfan.]

I agree with Jodie but Alexx makes a very good point as well and I think Lucy has some input into the storylines.

[alexx]

I find it kind of shocking when I only dip in and out to see how bad the show really is these days - and pretty much on a consistent basis. I know that this is the all new Home and Away but it really is poor and I find so many of the scenes to be cringe worthy, but more than anything just so bland and boring.

The dynamics between the characters are so flat, the love triangles are lame and boring, the dialogue is predictable, the build up to storylines is pretty much nonexistent. I just don't get how it continues to rate so highly.

[Homeandawayfan.]

As said I think Channel 7 want the show to do well and rate well with big plots and such but I think much of the current format is down to the producers. I am with Alexx's opinion on this as well. Lucy and Louise have their own style and when we get a new producer we see it all the time, it is no coincidence that when a new producer comes in the show has changes. EastEnders had a bad producer until she left last year now the show has improved since she left, so it backs up my theory that the producers have their own stamp on the show, and the top bosses have a say but are not responsible for the entire format. As I said I dont think Lucy and Louise know what H&A is supposed to be about and that shows in the episodes.

Neighbours is probably the best and most consistent of any soap now. H&A carries on its Sons And Daughters melodrama.