Does H&A need an overhaul at the moment?

[adam436]

This seems to be a pretty divisive subject - you have many fans (and some former cast!) claiming that the show has lost its way and no longer about the foster kids and teenagers that it once was. It's also argued that Lucy Addario has been EP for too long, so maybe it's time for a fresh perspective on the show. Even if the show did stick with the current "adult" format, I'd still like to see the show's history respected (the Martha and Marilyn retcons would never happened if it was!) and "natural" returnees. 

On the other hand, H&A is still chugging along and still rates quite well and it's also been argued that H&A is shifting with it's audience. The once-teenage audience are now the same age as the core cast, so it makes sense to cater for them rather than go through "cycles of teenager audiences" (if that makes sense!), who are probably not even watching free-to-air TV. 

I like the darker and more adult the tone that H&A now has and pretty come to accept that H&A will never return to what it was in its early years heyday, nor would it survive if it did. I think the problem is the lack of respect for its roots, as mentioned above, and interesting characters and unbalanced cast. The youngest character is now Nikau, who is pretty much just a leftover over the last teen gang. The older characters (Alf, Irene, Mariyln, John, Roo) are also leftovers from the time when the cast was more balanced. When they leave, I can't see the producers rushing to introduce a replacement character in that age group. The lack of teens generally make the older characters like Irene, John, Marilyn and Roo a little redundant. 

The young-adult soap format would work if the characters were interesting too. I find all the 2021/2022 newcomers to be quite two-dimensional and just move from one relationship to the next. There isn't a great deal of development there, so I'd personally love to see most of those characters written out and replaced with a central family (perhaps Nathan Roberts' family to give Irene a purpose!), some well-rounded twenty-something characters and perhaps a foster child for John and Marilyn. It might be a controversial comment, but I'd probably also lose Roo. She doesn't do a great deal, and I'd imagine losing her would free up quite a bit of the cast budget. If we lost Roo, I'd probably bring back Duncan and a slightly SORASed Bryce to provide Alf with some family. 

[CaptainHulk]

I've said for a good while there's a distinct lack of balance.

Most of the action is at NDH or YCPS these days.

The removal of the school and teens plays a part in the flatness. 

And this last shower of characters just don't gel for me. Lyrik are bleh, Cash is boring and Jasmine's siblings, Just why?

There's a blatant divide. Lucy gotta  go but replacing her will be harder. 

[pembie]

I only really like the Heather stuff the rest is pretty boring 

[j.laur5]

I wouldn’t mind Heather storyline if Marilyn explained where Phil fitted in as guest it’s possible they broken up and  when she went to country and then she come me back to Phil and finding he was with other women and that’s what cause her to go to Summer Bay and didn’t want to tell her secret. 

[Lunar]

I can see both sides of the push to be more young adult - teens may not be watching much now, so there's not much point in having storylines focused on them if they're not watching, but I also felt like it was very much a family show, so there's nothing to say that YAs or older couldn't invest in those storylines too. I think scrapping the school and university makes bringing in families a bit difficult, as often one of the parents would work there, and there aren't exactly many other jobs on offer in summer bay.

Some of the newer characters I'm warming up to now, so don't mind if they stay, but I'd much rather they add another then have Justin as both a mechanic/manager and Theo as both an apprentice/singer. It feels a bit random.

I would like if they didn't rush to put people in relationships within five minutes of them arriving.

I do think Ziggy and Dean should probably leave next year.

[j.laur5]

9 hours ago, adam436 said:

This seems to be a pretty divisive subject - you have many fans (and some former cast!) claiming that the show has lost its way and no longer about the foster kids and teenagers that it once was. It's also argued that Lucy Addario has been EP for too long, so maybe it's time for a fresh perspective on the show. Even if the show did stick with the current "adult" format, I'd still like to see the show's history respected (the Martha and Marilyn retcons would never happened if it was!) and "natural" returnees. 

On the other hand, H&A is still chugging along and still rates quite well and it's also been argued that H&A is shifting with it's audience. The once-teenage audience are now the same age as the core cast, so it makes sense to cater for them rather than go through "cycles of teenager audiences" (if that makes sense!), who are probably not even watching free-to-air TV. 

I like the darker and more adult the tone that H&A now has and pretty come to accept that H&A will never return to what it was in its early years heyday, nor would it survive if it did. I think the problem is the lack of respect for its roots, as mentioned above, and interesting characters and unbalanced cast. The youngest character is now Nikau, who is pretty much just a leftover over the last teen gang. The older characters (Alf, Irene, Mariyln, John, Roo) are also leftovers from the time when the cast was more balanced. When they leave, I can't see the producers rushing to introduce a replacement character in that age group. The lack of teens generally make the older characters like Irene, John, Marilyn and Roo a little redundant. 

The young-adult soap format would work if the characters were interesting too. I find all the 2021/2022 newcomers to be quite two-dimensional and just move from one relationship to the next. There isn't a great deal of development there, so I'd personally love to see most of those characters written out and replaced with a central family (perhaps Nathan Roberts' family to give Irene a purpose!), some well-rounded twenty-something characters and perhaps a foster child for John and Marilyn. It might be a controversial comment, but I'd probably also lose Roo. She doesn't do a great deal, and I'd imagine losing her would free up quite a bit of the cast budget. If we lost Roo, I'd probably bring back Duncan and a slightly SORASed Bryce to provide Alf with some family. 

I would include Justin and Leah in older characters group as they both are now in there 40s going by actors ages and I  believe both characters are around same as age as actors. 
 

But I think at moment we got most longest serving characters we ever had as we got  7 as I include Justin as long standing character as he be there almost seven and looks like going nowhere .

But I think problem with any soap or tv show it’s hard to keep getting fresh ideas and even when you haven’t seen  it on H&A you Likely seen on other show like Neighbours or vice versa. 

Edited October 30, 2022 by j.laur5

[James Martin]

I can only speak from a British perspective but it's one of the reasons Neighbours got cancelled and Home & Away has had a semi-demotion in the UK - Channel 5 are deliberately trying to aim older.  It's also why Strictly Come Dancing, the UK version of Dancing With The Stars, rates as well as it does on the BBC. 

The older audiences are the ones who will sit down and watch television.  The youth audience stream, but so do most soap audiences generally.  EastEnders on the BBC and Emmerdale on H&A's former UK network ITV now air up against one-another, something which would be unthinkable back in the 90's.

Then you've got the advertisers to consider and if the financial situation Down Under is anything like it is here, it's the older folk who tend to have more money and will buy stuff, so the advertisers want to buy in older-skewing shows.

I think it's just a cyclical thing, and hot guys and girls is less of a draw in the age of #MeToo - if the youngsters want that, there's always Love Island.

[CaptainHulk]

Give it time, Frow and C5 will put a knife in this show's back, too. But unlike the other Aussie show, they'd get a broadcaster just like that.

Probably thinking one down, one to go. Neighbours was to do with the money.

 

The Marilyn retcon has kind of wound me up a little because her 1995 return demonized Phil without real reason (though let's be real, he probably was looking for a younger model, but still) I just about came to terms with the Martha one. Mind you they're not the first soap to pull infuriating retcons (Emmerdale, Shadrach supposedly being a Racist on top of a Domestic abuser or Enders with the Tom/Dotty/Nick mess, which thankfully they put right). 

Back to H&A, It's just whenever someone new is introduced,  their links to the area are tenuous as and someone/something is chasing them. OK, it worked for a few people but c'mon!

Edited October 30, 2022 by CaptainHulk

[James Martin]

Just need out the contract.  ITV would take it back tomorrow, actually it would even be perfect for 7pm on ITV2 with first looks dropping on the new ITVX.  I don't think it would go back on the main channel though.  Also it would work well for either BBC Two or Three at 7pm.  Probably the latter as Two's 7pm slot is reserved to take The One Show on extended news nights.

The problem remains though, it's the oldies who watch linear television.

[Homeandawayfan.]

I can understand H&A has had to become darker a bit to survive. It always did have plenty of drama but it was balanced as well. 1988 had some thriller style moments but it it was still a family show.

Neighbours has done some dreadful retcons now H&A seems to be going the same way.

If Jason Herbison took over, I would be pleased.

H&A has a very rich history, from Frank and Bobby to the Sutherland's to Brax and Cash. The show does not have to live in the past but could do a bit more to embrace it.

Edited October 31, 2022 by Homeandawayfan.