Which of the original cast would you like to have stayed longer?

[adam436]

By mid 1991, when Home and Away was only three and a half years old, only 5 of the original cast still remained in Summer Bay (6 if include Pippa, but she wasn't Pippa for me anymore once Debra Lawrence took over!). I am just wondering which characters do you think should have stuck around longer than they did and secondly, how different would the show have been? Obviously I wouldn't have expected every character to still be on the show today, but I feel some of them still had enough mileage to stay under the mid 1990s.

 

Characters who could have stayed longer:

Tom Fletcher - I reckon Tom and Pippa as a couple had the potential to be the backbone of the show for decades, much like Karl and Susan have become for Neighbours. It's a shame he was written out so prematurely. He was certainly better than Michael, and I could see Tom's more natural end happening either around the time Michael died or perhaps with Pippa when she left in 1998.

Lance and Martin - I found the writers were struggling to write for Lance and Martin a bit towards the end, mainly because they seemed to want to keep them immature and not give them much depth. Had the writers made an effort to make Lance and Martin grow up a bit, we could have them for an extra few years instead of Matt and Adam, who sort of took over as a comedy double act.

Lynn Davenport - she was axed way too soon and after Bobby and Steven, she was probably my favourite of the original Fletcher children. I don't understand why they got rid of her to be honest. I reckon she could have stayed until at least the early 1990s.

Carly Lucini - I assume she was written out because Julian McMahon wanted to leave, but what would have happened if she stayed? I reckon she would have ended up going down the same path as Sally and Bobby and become a foster mum herself.

Ailsa Stewart - 13 years is a good innings, but given she is one of my all-time favourite characters, it's not long enough! Had Ailsa stayed, I could see her and Alf becoming the backbone of the show, as I described Tom and Pippa above.

 

I feel that Neville and Floss, Roo, Frank and Celia all left around the time that was right for them though.

 

[Trudy Heine]

What  about Steven?

[j.laur5]

I wish Ailsa was still on show.

I wish Tom and the original Pippa had stayed for longer as well as Floss and Doris from the pilot who was supposed to be regular.

  

[c120701]

I actually think that it was the combination of Tom's death and Michael's death, as well as the loss of Dale & Bobby that made Pippa's departure from the bay believable. I wouldn't have believed Tom & Pippa leaving together in 1998, nor would I have believed Pippa leaving if Tom had died when Michael did. It was Pippa becoming tired with life that made her exit work, despite all she'd given, she continued to lose until Ian.

[Homeandawayfan.]

Bobby, she should never have been killed off in 1993. I can see her in the show in 2016 if she had stayed.

[kathrine french]

Frank i hated how he dump Bobby and run back to Roo 

 

[kathrine french]

Oh and Steve to 

 

[Homeandawayfan.]

Fisher, from the relatively young, fiery and sometimes vulgar vice principal he was in 1988, to the more mellow man he was in later years. I could still imagine him in Summer Bay in 2016 as the 2nd of the 2 Summer Bay elder statesmen. You don't need me to say who the other elder statesmen would be if Don was still around. Clue: Galah lol.

[beau_t]

Celia.

I think she was a big loss to the show. Fiona Spence is underrated. She brought great comedy and great sadness to the character.

[Skylover]

Ailsa and Pippa.

Discussing it recently I think Pippa should have been re-cast again in 1998. The character was too important to the show to lose IMO, I wouldn't have wanted Vanessa returning though even if I loved her too, a fresh re-cast would have been good.

I do wonder if Ailsa would have stayed if the writers had offered the actress a year off. I think she was important to the show but perhaps the producers didn't feel that.

Out of all the others, I would have liked Celia to stay longer and also Carly but I don't feel that they're integral to the show as much as the others.