Why didn't they replace Celia when she left.

[beau_t]

Fiona will always be Celia to me I hardly think of Vera when I think of Fiona.

When I watch Fiona in prisoner I never think of Celia, and when I watch her in H&A I never think of Vera. It shows what a good actress she was that she could play such different characters and make them both so believable.

[Perry]

I thought Marilyn filled that void

[beau_t]

I thought Marilyn filled that void.

I guess in some ways she did. She was exceptionally moral for someone of her generation (something the 2010+ Marilyn lacks), she provided comedy and occasionally succumbed to gossip, although it was nowhere near as big a part of her character as it was for Celia.

[j.laur5]

But she would expect Marilyn to change are bit as she is 46 now!.

[Red Ranger 1]

I think it's easy to forget that Marilyn wasn't really like the "traditional" view of her when she first appeared: She actually came across as a bit selfish and materialistic at times, and was clearly sleeping with Lance which made her born again virgin act when they got back together a bit strange. (Fans cried foul with the reveal that a young Marilyn had stolen from Alf but while you couldn't imagine the 1996 Marilyn getting up to that sort of thing, I don't think it's a stretch for her 1989 self.) So yeah, maybe they did retool the character so they could give her the sort of lines they once gave Celia.