Are the current producers ruining Home and Away?

[Matt]

I am glad the exterior of Summer Bay House is returning, but a return of a house may visually make the show feel like H&A again but will probably have not much effect on the storylines, just a few of the scenes filmed outside the "Summer Bay House" replica.

Having had a re look at the screengrab, it says Dan Bennett is Series Script Executive. It is hard to tell who does what now but can you be Series Script Exec and Network (Channel 7) Exec at the same time?

Bevan Lee has been before - he was Network Script Executive and Script Producer on A Place to Call Home

[3ku1]

I don't want to be clichied and blame the Braxtons. But I felt ever since they hit the scene. Storyline has centrically being focused around their clan. Almost like its now The River Boys Guest Apperence from Home and Away (Maybe). The whole community feel has been lost, the characters feel to segmentated and spread atm. Whole clichie Bus ending is too predictable. I think with the day in age of social media and the internet. You cannot get away with a mystery anymore, the suspense is lost. Spoilers get leaked, Actors leaving e.t.c. I currently think the general blueprint of Home and Away is no different to 2000. You know it seems every Four years theirs a cycle. You had Kirsty, Kane, Will, Nick e.t.c. Matilda and Cassie, Belle, Ric and Lucas. Then you had Romeo and Xavier, Indy, Ruby, and Nicole. Then you currently have Oscar, Josh, Spencer. Evelyn, Maddie (Pretty similar to Matilda don't you think) e.t.c. I think Georgie Parker who plays Roo is a brilliant actress. But the last storyline I actually enjoyed was the Romeo Cancer storyline. I know some had problems with how they delt with it. But seeing Indy move on, being forced into a false sense of security. Then eventually forgive Romeo and come to terms she well always love him. Really showed off Samaras acting chops. I actually really like Phoebee, fav character in a while. She is the only female character who doesn't put up with Brax's crap. Anyone who sticks it to Brax, is awesome in my book haha. I individually liked the Braxtons, tbh Andy is far worser then Brax. I like Matt and Kyle the best. I kinda agree the older actors are under utilized. But its a young show, they focus on the teenagers, so its the demographic they are targeting.

[CaptainHulk]

Yeah but even in the Teen-Heaviest period (1996), The Adults still got some use.

[3ku1]

I agree I mean Irene is so under used. Does she live in the Diner lol? It seems like it. I know shes been in the show forever it feels like it. So maybe they have run out of ideas for her. But theirs still so much they could do with her. She just seems to be the character who gives a sympathetic ear. I always enjoyed her interaction with foster kids that lived with her. Now Bianca and April are gone. I have really enjoyed Irene and Chris scenes, I never liked him with Indy, but have really enjoyed his character since he broke up with Indy. Maybe have Irene take some more foster kids in, that's a strength of her character. Heck make her go out and get out their romantically. Overall the older character are being under utilized.

[adam436]

Irene could/should be a grandmother by now! Bring in some of Nathan and Finn's children to give Irene something to do!

I think Damien became a priest...

[Blaxland 89]

There's no could or should about it. She is

[Dan F]

Both her grandsons, Paul (the one she was surrogate for) and Mark (Fin & Barry's natural child), would be turning 18 this year. Lynne's mentioned to us a few times (and included Louise Bowes in the tweet) that she'd love Irene's grandkids to appear.

[alexx]

It just makes no sense from the view of a character writer, that they wouldn't have brought back Fin, Damien and her grandchildren. It's literally been more than 15 years since her children came to visit her. So unbelievable. That is what makes it obvious that Irene is just not a priority and character development and consistency hasn't been the aim of the producers. At least not for Irene anyhow.

What they should do (if they ever bring them back) is actually address and incorporate the reason why they haven't bothered to visit her, particularly Damo. Create some decent drama out of the situation they've created. Irene of old would have taken it quite personally (and when I say Irene of old I mean Irene up until 2004, not when she first came into the show).

[beau_t]

What they should do (if they ever bring them back) is actually address and incorporate the reason why they haven't bothered to visit her, particularly Damo. Create some decent drama out of the situation they've created. Irene of old would have taken it quite personally (and when I say Irene of old I mean Irene up until 2004, not when she first came into the show).

Completely agree Alexx, but I strongly believe they wouldn't even think to do that. If for example they did bring Damo back, they'd treat it like it's only been a few weeks since they last saw each other! They'd want to jump straight into whatever storyline-reason they have brought him back for and completely skim over any of that stuff, they wouldn't even be aware of it.

[John]

What they should do (if they ever bring them back) is actually address and incorporate the reason why they haven't bothered to visit her, particularly Damo. Create some decent drama out of the situation they've created. Irene of old would have taken it quite personally (and when I say Irene of old I mean Irene up until 2004, not when she first came into the show).

Completely agree Alexx, but I strongly believe they wouldn't even think to do that. If for example they did bring Damo back, they'd treat it like it's only been a few weeks since they last saw each other! They'd want to jump straight into whatever storyline-reason they have brought him back for and completely skim over any of that stuff, they wouldn't even be aware of it.

Neither would a large proportion of the audience.

Actually I would like to see some of Irene's grandchildren appear on the show also some of her fostered children who now have children. But this would be a huge and complicated logistical and story writing exercise. Actors would have to be available and willing. Storylines would have to be written which explained to viewers who have been attracted to the show in recent years just who these characters are who have seemingly "appeared out of nowhere" for no good or apparent reason ( to them )

Storylines would have to be written to then have them meet and interact with others characters in the Bay so that the involvement of current characters could still continue alongside the returnees.

I'd still like to see it happen but it's not a simple exercise.