Should they have brought Danielle Spencer as a re-cast Roo instead?

[joany208121]

I think Danielle would have worked as Roo, as she was able to portray the 1980s characterisation of the Roo we knew well. Aesthetically she was similar to Justine too, so it wouldn't have been too much of a stretch to believe Danielle was the new Roo, similar to the 2009 Libby recast on Neighbours.

I do think that bringing Roo back in the mid 90s would have served little point as Frank would have possibly needed recasting and having baby Martha onscreen would have meant we would have the "she's at the babysitter's" excuse or regular child dumping on Ailsa or Pippa.  I also think this would have ruined chances of Martha being seen as an adult for a long stint (Jodi was 5 years), as the kids don't tend to stick around for 10 years.

Would Roo have become friends with Roxy, Luke, Donna and all the others in that age bracket? because if so, many relationships would have been altered. 

Georgie's Roo is perfect for where Roo has been lead in life. She has developed and changed in her 7 years here, and after the initial "Who is she" fits the role like a glove. 

[CaptainHulk]

Probably woulda been in a triangle with Luke and Roxy.

Michaela Banas just wasn't Libby but the character was needed and rewrites would have been a pain in the arse.

Apart from Sam (whose initial run lasted 10yrs 1991-2001) and Sal who lasted 20, you're right, kids eventually get headswapped a longer a show runs

[Red Ranger 1]

10 hours ago, joany208121 said:

I do think that bringing Roo back in the mid 90s would have served little point as Frank would have possibly needed recasting and having baby Martha onscreen would have meant we would have the "she's at the babysitter's" excuse or regular child dumping on Ailsa or Pippa.  I also think this would have ruined chances of Martha being seen as an adult for a long stint (Jodi was 5 years), as the kids don't tend to stick around for 10 years.

Given that Roo gave Martha up for adoption in 1988 and broke up with Frank in 1991, why would either of them have been with her in the mid 90s?

[joany208121]

On 7/5/2017 at 8:16 AM, Red Ranger 1 said:

Given that Roo gave Martha up for adoption in 1988 and broke up with Frank in 1991, why would either of them have been with her in the mid 90s?

I think that Roo would have lacked storylines that didnt mention either of these characters, with the high chance that she would have fought back for the custody of Martha. 

[Red Ranger 1]

25 minutes ago, joany208121 said:

I think that Roo would have lacked storylines that didnt mention either of these characters, with the high chance that she would have fought back for the custody of Martha. 

You can't fight back for custody of a child you've given up for adoption, Roo had surrendered all parental rights, Martha had a new family who from what we've heard of them in later years she got on fine with. Neither Martha nor Frank has been seen since Roo returned in 2010 so why would it have needed to be different in 1995?

[CaptainHulk]

8 minutes ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

You can't fight back for custody of a child you've given up for adoption, Roo had surrendered all parental rights, Martha had a new family who from what we've heard of them in later years she got on fine with.

Although in Enders Martin and Sonia got Bex back in some contrived-ass circumstances when she was 6 (Neil and Sue dying in a car smash, then eventually Sue's mother Margaret dying in a fall)

But back to H&A, Martha came back at the right time (Being part of a new generation of Stewarts with Ric)

[Blaxland 89]

Thing is I don't think they ever really wanted to recast Roo until it got to the point where they gave in and thank goodness it was an actress as good as Georgie. By all accounts Justine was asked to return several times and I guess it got to the point that we would never see Roo again if it wasn't recast and there was so much scope to have her back. 

All I wish they did was fill in the missing gaps a little bit better and connect the two version in the writing more. 

[Red Ranger 1]

10 hours ago, CaptainHulk said:

Although in Enders Martin and Sonia got Bex back in some contrived-ass circumstances when she was 6 (Neil and Sue dying in a car smash, then eventually Sue's mother Margaret dying in a fall)

The main thing was that the legal grandparent named them as her guardians (or, to be precise, Martin) when she knew she was dying.Otherwise, I'm not sure they'd have had any real claim to her even then.