Rewatching The Early Years

[j.laur5]

8 hours ago, early years fan said:

Just rewatched the Barlow shooting scene on 7two. 
the sergeant was doing a good job talking him down, it’s unfortunate that Tom started mouthing off calling him gutless and making him more angry.  Not the brightest idea to abuse and rile up an unstable nutter holding a gun

I love how much Alf spoke with such  hate towards Barlow after he saw Barlow knock his daughter out. Alf really gave it to him about him being dog meat in prison. The scene really showed that Alf Stewart is not someone to get on the wrong side of. 
 

 

[Bobby Forever Missed]

2 hours ago, early years fan said:

Just rewatched the Barlow shooting scene on 7two. 
the sergeant was doing a good job talking him down, it’s unfortunate that Tom started mouthing off calling him gutless and making him more angry.  Not the brightest idea to abuse and rile up an unstable nutter holding a gun

i said that at the time i saw it but even in 1988 they had to have a character getting shot lol my thing was Tom knew he was dangerous yet didn't try hard enough to stop Steve going over there that night 

[Homeandawayfan.]

Tom Fletcher could be impulsive at the best of times.

I agree about Martin, he did often like to make a fool of Lance, I guess with Martin being the more dominant of the duo.

 

[adam436]

5 hours ago, Homeandawayfan. said:

I agree about Marti n, he did often like to make a fool of Lance, I guess with Martin being the more dominant of the duo.

The writers became too reliant on each other from a story perspective. Even when Marilyn was introduced, they became a trio rather than trying to develop Martin and Lance as individual characters. 

That would have been the perfect opportunity for both characters to develop and "grow up" - Lance in a long-term relationship and Martin perhaps with some more serious storylines. I'd rather have had him over Adam as the hapless larrikin always looking for the next big get-rich-quick scheme. 

Both characters showed promise - Lance had a great "big brother" relationship with Sally and definitely had more of a conscience, whereas Martin was smarter and easier into integrate into the younger cast at the time (i.e. living with Frank and Narelle, working at the Macklins). The scene in which Martin tries to "break up" for Lance because he thinks just brings Lance down shows the depth of Martin's character. 

[nenehcherry2]

On 25/01/2024 at 22:19, adam436 said:

The writers became too reliant on each other from a story perspective. Even when Marilyn was introduced, they became a trio rather than trying to develop Martin and Lance as individual characters. 

That would have been the perfect opportunity for both characters to develop and "grow up" - Lance in a long-term relationship and Martin perhaps with some more serious storylines. I'd rather have had him over Adam as the hapless larrikin always looking for the next big get-rich-quick scheme. 

Both characters showed promise - Lance had a great "big brother" relationship with Sally and definitely had more of a conscience, whereas Martin was smarter and easier into integrate into the younger cast at the time (i.e. living with Frank and Narelle, working at the Macklins). The scene in which Martin tries to "break up" for Lance because he thinks just brings Lance down shows the depth of Martin's character. 

Totally agree with you as always, Adam!

I actually don't mind seeing Martin and Lance in individual scenes with other characters at all. Those moments showed their long-term promise. But their (90% of the time) interdependency, as well as the silly, recycled storylines they co-played, was what bugged me. And drove the fast forwarding! I don't think fish funerals, pop groups & hot dog stands did them any favours with the audience (it was all tired by the end of the first season alone).

Speaking of 89/90 Maz, the character is so daft, random and one dimensional until those two buggered off (except for maybe the stuff with Morag). She almost comes across as something like Bubble off Absolutely Fabulous but not as funny. Just very random indeed. Of course, she truly came into her own as soon as they left and quickly became a classic stalwart of the show.

Edited January 27 by nenehcherry2

[adam436]

8 hours ago, nenehcherry2 said:

I don't think fish funerals, pop groups & hot dog stands did them any favours with the audience (it was all tired by the end of the first season alone).

I agree. At least in the first season it was all fresh, amusing and somewhat realistic. The examples you mentioned, especially the pop group and the fish funeral, seemed a bit ridiculous. Perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad if they were 1-2 episode comedy B plots, but the pop group and hot dog stand story seemed to go on for way longer than they should have. 

I'm not sure if it was a coincidence or not, but for those stories they were paired up with other characters who were on their way out - Celia for the hot dog stand and fish funeral and Stacey for the pop group. 

 

8 hours ago, nenehcherry2 said:

Speaking of 89/90 Maz, the character is so daft, random and one dimensional until those two buggered off (except for maybe the stuff with Morag). She almost comes across as something like Bubble off Absolutely Fabulous but not as funny. Just very random indeed.

I suspect her purpose in the early days was mostly just to shake up the Lance/Martin dynamic by making them a trio, and perhaps to a lesser extent give Morag someone to bounce off, who would have otherwise primarily just been at loggerheads with the rest of the cast.

The producers must have thought the character was worth keeping around (and were forced to flesh her out after losing Morag, Lance and Martin), because it would have been much easier for her to go in the late 1989/early 1990 clear out too. 

[Homeandawayfan.]

"Lartin" was a great bromance anyway, Lance and Martin.

[adam436]

It certainly was! Far better and memorable than their successors, Matt and Adam. 

I think the argument is that they were too dependent on each other from a story perspective. With better writing and character development, they could have had their bromance whilst still been able to have their own storylines, love interests etc.  

[Homeandawayfan.]

I updated my profile pic with a closer up of Don Fisher in his finest moment, dressed as a punk in 1989.

 

[adam436]

3 hours ago, Homeandawayfan. said:

I updated my profile pic with a closer up of Don Fisher in his finest moment, dressed as a punk in 1989.

Donald Fisher is one of my all-time favourite characters. This is down to the complexity of the character, the amazing talents of Norman Coburn and the way he was developed throughout the first season. 

He was written as a two-dimensional tyrant who had it in for the Fletchers, but we gradually see him let his guard down, mostly following Alan's arrival. By the end of the year, I think the writers found that balance. If you watched the pilot and final episode of 1988, you can really see the difference. He's celebrating Christmas with the Fletchers and he and Bobby have developed a mutual respect for one another (the writers knew about the connection, but obviously viewers didn't!).