Are the current producers ruining Home and Away?

[Light of the Bay]

I thought Julie McGauran was Executive Producer? I believe she took over from John Holmes in late 2012.

[CaptainHulk]

Julie was Series Producer but it seems like that title has more clout

[Light of the Bay]

I am aware she was Series Producer from 2001-2006 but I'm positive she returned sometime in 2012/2013.

[cadyctslover]

Julie is back alongside John Holmes as Executive Producer.

[Light of the Bay]

Thanks for that, Cadyctslover

It'll be interesting to see what happens in the next few months, on screen and off.

[Gerard]

These great periods, be it on h&a or neighbours were driven by fantastic writing of the characters and giving storylines realistic timeframes to be played out. The likes of billy and Anne or dani vs kirsty and Kane wouldn't have worked if the plot was over and done with in a weeks time. I'd have to say neighbours is currently creating history with its fantasic production, and I think it's down to a combination of scriptwriting, directing, and of course the actors (Olympia valance I'm looking at you). If you compare the similar Paige finding her parents on neigbours, to Casey finding out he is a Barrett, the amount of time on the actually plot as well as the impact it had on people was embarrassing on h&a's part.

I think the only was Haa can survive now is if we have a massive revamp.

I agree totally that the best times on Home and Away (and Neighbours) have been when the writing has been on top form, the characters well defined and interesting, and the storylines have been paced correctly. It just takes one of these things to be out of balance to ruin a potentially good storyline. To create good drama, it needs to be believable and the stakes have to be high. You can come up with the most impressive stunts or explosions, but if we don't really care about the characters involved, it is a waste of time. Staying true to the characters must come first, second and third - alongside the fact that we have invested in and are emotionally attached the characters involved.

Shallow characters we don't really care about can be put in the most outrageous life-and-death situation, but who really cares? Liking a characters just because they are eye candy may be enough for some viewers, but I don't think these are the same viewers who will stay loyal to the show in 10 years time once their eye candy has long gone.

Casey finding out he was a Barrett had little emotional impact and was only really done to bring the Barretts into the Braxton universe, as if we needed any more Braxton associates.The "my parents aren't who I thought they were" is an old soap staple that is used all too often, and needs to be done really well, or not at all.

Home and Away has misplaced its heart. It probably does need a good shake-up - cast clearout and change in direction - but it feels like it's gone so far down its current direction, I'm not sure how it can change without taking a big risk with its ratings. Some brave decisions are needed.

[John]

I do urge some of those who have abandoned watching the show to revisit it now.

The River Boy/Surf Gang era of the show is fading into the background as it was always going to. The show feels as if it is in transition to a new era and at the moment I don't know what that will be. I look forward to it with some excitement.

What I do note is that there is an increasing use of storylines which involve quite large groups of characters across the age groups. The older characters are being involved with the younger cast in storylines. e.g. Maddy's storyline and the departure of Sasha. I welcome these developments.

[beau_t]

The River Boy/Surf Gang era of the show is fading into the background as it was always going to.

That was never a question for me. Of course it was going to change at some point. But nor was it reason enough for me to waste how many years of my life watching a show I didn't like just because at some unknown point in the future it was possibly going to change back to how it should be. I'll watch again if and when that period ends, and is replaced by something more akin to the original concept within modern times.

"Developments" like older cast members being used more is a comment that I've seen pop up now and again over the years, but never seems to last.

I'll keep my eye on the comments, if more people start to praise the show again (not just here but other forums too) I might give it a cautious try.

[Jacklost]

I do urge some of those who have abandoned watching the show to revisit it now.

The River Boy/Surf Gang era of the show is fading into the background as it was always going to. The show feels as if it is in transition to a new era and at the moment I don't know what that will be. I look forward to it with some excitement.

What I do note is that there is an increasing use of storylines which involve quite large groups of characters across the age groups. The older characters are being involved with the younger cast in storylines. e.g. Maddy's storyline and the departure of Sasha. I welcome these developments.

I´m gonna miss the River boys, the added alot of excitement to that show and action that it needed badly at that time I hope we get someone to replace the Braxtons when they are gone

[TelephotoMarigold]

I do urge some of those who have abandoned watching the show to revisit it now.

The River Boy/Surf Gang era of the show is fading into the background as it was always going to. The show feels as if it is in transition to a new era and at the moment I don't know what that will be. I look forward to it with some excitement.

Why would some of us want to revisit the show? We've been bullied for expressing our views over the poor writing and characterisation. We've been shouted down and ridiculed. We've been mocked and accused of making comments just to cause arguments.

What can possibly be good enough to have us watching again? What can be good enough to have me watching it again? Have they got rid of love triangles? Have they stopped having people recover from serious illnesses within the space of a couple of episodes? Have they introduced new families or characters that cover different age groups? Have they stopped focusing on displaying eye candy instead of fleshing out the characters and their back stories? Have they stopped introducing random characters and then just as they get interesting getting rid of them? Or just having them as someone's love interest?