Are the current producers ruining Home and Away?

[alexx]

I'd be happy with it, yes.If they're just a few miles down the road, then having them pop back for a visit at a weekend off screen is a bit different from Roo flying over from New York and always being just out of shot.After all, how many times has the show introduced new characters who have been in Summer Bay all along, we just never saw them?I can see both sides of the argument.Yes, it would create character drama if Irene was upset about them not visiting in over a decade, but it would also run the risk of being another example of a past character who was sympathetic when they were on the show being character assassinated for the sake of a short-term storyline.And while, as you say, there are ways Damian could be made to appear sympathetic, I think fans who weren't watching in the 90s would automatically side with Irene and assume he's a horrible person;people thought that about Fin because of a few throwaway comments from Will in the 2000s.

But we don't actually know where Damien is, that's the point. He hasn't been referred to in such a long time. He could be overseas, he could be in Darwin on a church mission... or perhaps he dropped that at some point and went back to uni. Did he marry, does he have kids? We don't know anything about him. Or maybe he's been a drifter and living off the land for the past ten years.

It comes down to whether the writers are good enough at their job to create a well rounded storyline with a focus on the characters (focusing on both Damien and Irene in this example) and not a short term plot. That way they don't necessarily have to take sides because they'd understand the root of the story. I wouldn't mind if Irene came across as over sensitive and it hitting a nerve with her. Perhaps she's still a lot more fragile at the possibility of losing contact/the love of her biological kids due to what she put them through as children, no matter how irrational that is. If he had been living solitary off the land in the bush, how has that changed him and would Irene understand or accept that as a valid reason as to why he hasn't been in touch with her. There are many avenues to go down.

[Blaxland 89]

(Nathan's in another country and, to be fair, relatives who live that far apart often don't see each other for years on end.)

How did Nathan manage to enter into another country? I thought with a criminal record he would struggle to live anyway apart from Australia?

Was it stated where he was living specifically when you heard this?

He went back to Ireland with his girlfriend.How realistic that is when he'd only been out of jail a few months I don't know.

Or maybe they visit when we're not looking?

Would you be happy with that explanation? We see Irene in the show every week for the past 19 years and Damien has been back during that time but we didn't see him? That's like if Roo was still absent but we were supposed to presume that she had returned to Summer Bay and visited Alf off screen, it just wasn't ever mentioned. Doesn't makes sense to me.

I'd be happy with it, yes.If they're just a few miles down the road, then having them pop back for a visit at a weekend off screen is a bit different from Roo flying over from New York and always being just out of shot.After all, how many times has the show introduced new characters who have been in Summer Bay all along, we just never saw them?I can see both sides of the argument.Yes, it would create character drama if Irene was upset about them not visiting in over a decade, but it would also run the risk of being another example of a past character who was sympathetic when they were on the show being character assassinated for the sake of a short-term storyline.And while, as you say, there are ways Damian could be made to appear sympathetic, I think fans who weren't watching in the 90s would automatically side with Irene and assume he's a horrible person;people thought that about Fin because of a few throwaway comments from Will in the 2000s.But that would be down to the writing. It's not good enough that viewers have to assume things. Considering Damien wasn't even mentioned during her cancer story and he's meant to be a caring priest I think it terrible. The whole point of Irene even being in the bay was to be with her kids and rebuild the relationship. Then to hardly speak of them is very poor. I don't believe for one second they've been to visit her

[c120701]

Irene went to the City to tell the kids of her cancer diagnosis, but yeah it's awful they've not been to see her. At least she's mentioned Fin quite a few times, but she rarely mentions Damo or Nathan.

[Jezz]

(Nathan's in another country and, to be fair, relatives who live that far apart often don't see each other for years on end.)

How did Nathan manage to enter into another country? I thought with a criminal record he would struggle to live anyway apart from Australia?

Was it stated where he was living specifically when you heard this?

He went back to Ireland with his girlfriend.How realistic that is when he'd only been out of jail a few months I don't know.

Strange he went to Ireland soon after his jail stint with his girlfriend but I'm not sure how relaxed Ireland (the Republic of Ireland I presume) are towards people with convictions and being able to let them in or not.

I guess it varies from country to country with some being more stricter than others such as the US for example.

[ter06]

Irene went to the City to tell the kids of her cancer diagnosis, but yeah it's awful they've not been to see her. At least she's mentioned Fin quite a few times, but she rarely mentions Damo or Nathan.

Didn't it turn out it was Gypsy she went to see?

[c120701]

Irene went to the City to tell the kids of her cancer diagnosis, but yeah it's awful they've not been to see her. At least she's mentioned Fin quite a few times, but she rarely mentions Damo or Nathan.

Didn't it turn out it was Gypsy she went to see?

Well she apparently went to see Gypsy during that visit to the City. But Gypsy was meant to be living in Queensland, I think.

[Jezz]

Irene went to the City to tell the kids of her cancer diagnosis, but yeah it's awful they've not been to see her. At least she's mentioned Fin quite a few times, but she rarely mentions Damo or Nathan.

Didn't it turn out it was Gypsy she went to see?

Well she apparently went to see Gypsy during that visit to the City. But Gypsy was meant to be living in Queensland, I think.

Maybe she moved back to Sydney especially after Will's arrest earlier in the year.

[greg098]

Ray Meagher has just spoken out against the show saying he has been unhappy with the current format of the show for a while.

Read the article here: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/television/long-time-home-away-actor-says-theres-too-much-sex-drugs-and-rocknroll-in-show/story-fni0cc2b-1227232337033

[alexx]

Thanks for the link. Interesting article.

I feel like this has happened a few times over the past decade but perhaps most notably in 2010. However back then they ended up going from one extreme (crime) to another (love/romance/Bay Of Love) and not a lot in between. I agree with Ray that there needs to be an actual balance.

Everyone enjoys the show when there is a mix of gripping drama, on-going story arcs for all of the characters and genuine friendships, families and a sense of community.

[630si]

IF all that is true Im glad Ray has had a 'severe word' it's something the fans have been talking about now over the last couple of years especially. He's right to want to protect it and might be the wake up call some of the producers needed.