Does H&A need an overhaul at the moment?

[Homeandawayfan.]

Funny how soap opera characters called Bobby can come back to life in household appliances such as fridges and showers.

[adam436]

7 hours ago, Homeandawayfan. said:

I think the original Ailsa's shop would have been kept if not for issues in real life surrounding the Palm Beach location they used for filming. Ailsa's original shop had a small Diner area and some outside seats, plus the pinball machine and sweet/drinks area.

It made sense for Ailsa's shop to go when it did, regardless of the real-life issues. Yes it had a small diner area, but it wasn't very "hip", especially when Celia took over. It was very drab and it felt more like tearooms (I think Celia wanted to turn the flat into those, didn't she?) than a vibrant and happening hub for young people to meet made more sense. 

There was a conscious effort to make the show more appealing to young people in 1988/1989, so the introduction of the Bayside Diner fitted in with the youthful focus that came into play here. 

Celia's store was pretty much replaced with Alf's store anyway. This worked better - it was used less frequently than the General Store, and pretty much just used for the interactions between Alf and Marilyn or if we needed a chance meeting between two customers. 

[CaptainHulk]

10 hours ago, adam436 said:

It made sense for Ailsa's shop to go when it did, regardless of the real-life issues. Yes it had a small diner area, but it wasn't very "hip", especially when Celia took over. It was very drab and it felt more like tearooms (I think Celia wanted to turn the flat into those, didn't she?) than a vibrant and happening hub for young people to meet made more sense. 

There was a conscious effort to make the show more appealing to young people in 1988/1989, so the introduction of the Bayside Diner fitted in with the youthful focus that came into play here. 

Celia's store was pretty much replaced with Alf's store anyway. This worked better - it was used less frequently than the General Store, and pretty much just used for the interactions between Alf and Marilyn or if we needed a chance meeting between two customers. 

Too bad it became financially cumbersome.

[Homeandawayfan.]

On 13/04/2024 at 22:54, adam436 said:

It made sense for Ailsa's shop to go when it did, regardless of the real-life issues. Yes it had a small diner area, but it wasn't very "hip", especially when Celia took over. It was very drab and it felt more like tearooms (I think Celia wanted to turn the flat into those, didn't she?) than a vibrant and happening hub for young people to meet made more sense. 

There was a conscious effort to make the show more appealing to young people in 1988/1989, so the introduction of the Bayside Diner fitted in with the youthful focus that came into play here. 

Celia's store was pretty much replaced with Alf's store anyway. This worked better - it was used less frequently than the General Store, and pretty much just used for the interactions between Alf and Marilyn or if we needed a chance meeting between two customers. 

And yes, it is always seen as 1998-2000 being when original Home And Away was finished. The exit of the Bayside Diner and Alf's iconic house, and the exit of Pippa, then Ailsa and the Nash family plus the shift in tone as the fostering element was dissipating, and the arrival of the Sutherland family. The Nash family seemed to be the last "Tom and Pippa/Michael and Pippa" type family.

Emmerdale was another show that had a huge change 1993-1995 with the exit of the first farmhouse, and Demdyke Row, plus the exit of Joe, Annie and Amos, and the tonal shift.

Corrie, Brookside, EE and Neighbours etc never went for such a radical change the way ED and H&A did. Never watched Hollyoaks so cannot comment.

[Jamie!]

On 13/04/2024 at 12:17, Homeandawayfan. said:

It was sad to see the Diner go but I take into account it was not an original location, as it first appeared a year into the shows run. But I guess it became iconic. If Neighbours lost the Lassiters complex around 2000 I think we would be having the same discussion. As we know Neighbours is much more in tune with its roots visually and tonally than H&A is now.

Home and Away is CRYING out to be more visually and tonally with its roots. It sadly has been for a long time now.

[adam436]

16 hours ago, Homeandawayfan. said:

The Nash family seemed to be the last "Tom and Pippa/Michael and Pippa" type family.

I'd say the tried with the Sutherlands. They fostered Brodie Hanson, which I imagine was pretty much a nod to the former foster families of the past. Plus Rhys' nephew Max later on. 

We had a foster family unit again with Sally and Flynn, but that also felt short-lived due to Flynn dying so soon after moving in and the fact their only foster teens were dating at the time.

[nenehcherry2]

18 hours ago, Homeandawayfan. said:

And yes, it is always seen as 1998-2000 being when original Home And Away was finished. The exit of the Bayside Diner and Alf's iconic house, and the exit of Pippa, then Ailsa and the Nash family plus the shift in tone as the fostering element was dissipating, and the arrival of the Sutherland family. The Nash family seemed to be the last "Tom and Pippa/Michael and Pippa" type family.

Emmerdale was another show that had a huge change 1993-1995 with the exit of the first farmhouse, and Demdyke Row, plus the exit of Joe, Annie and Amos, and the tonal shift.

Corrie, Brookside, EE and Neighbours etc never went for such a radical change the way ED and H&A did. Never watched Hollyoaks so cannot comment.

Great points but totally disagree RE Corrie. The Brian Park revamp in 97' really changed the feeling of the show in many ways. I think Deirdre's court case was the climax of that shift. Put it this way, prior to then it was seen by most youth as a "Grandma programme" and I knew kids who were (literally) picked on for watching it. Within months of those days, everyone was talking about the Battersbies, Hayley's trans secret and Deirdre's imprisonment! 

Edited April 16 by nenehcherry2

[CaptainHulk]

2 hours ago, nenehcherry2 said:

Great points but totally disagree RE Corrie. The Brian Park revamp in 97' really changed the feeling of the show in many ways. I think Deirdre's court case was the climax of that shift. Put it this way, prior to then it was seen by most youth as a "Grandma programme" and I knew kids who were (literally) picked on for watching it. Within months of those days, everyone was talking about the Battersbies, Hayley's trans secret and Deirdre's imprisonment! 

Yeah, Corrie wasn't exactly playground/classroom talk. It was EE, H&A and Neighbours.

Brian Park put a lit firecracker up the show's Jacksie in 1997.

The show for the most part the 90s did seem really outdated compared the others. Yes they were the Eldest but it really showed.

[Homeandawayfan.]

I think with Emmerdale it had to change, and the farming format was drifting away long before the drop of the word "farm" in November 1989. Plus, the 1972-1989 era was not so much about farming but a farming family and it often had social and political issues and revolved around their personal lives more. To me the early years of Emmerdale Farm ended in 1976 when Amos and Henry moved to a new Woolpack, and the more picturesque old Woolpack was written out, and the shop, and a few new locations bought in. Also 1976 saw the exit of several characters such as the original Jack Sugden, Christine, Mrs Dawkins and more.

But yes 30 years ago Corrie and Emmerdale were rarely talked about in playgrounds, it was always EE, Neighbours and H&A. Those 3 soaps always had a younger fan base.

Old school Corrie ended in 1997 and that year the modern day show began, Battersby arrival plus more.

[Red Ranger 1]

To all intents and purposes, the original Jack Sugden left at the end of 1973, after only a year. He just had a six week guest stint in 1976.