What's been the darkest storyline?

[Homeandawayfan.]

On 10/01/2024 at 23:52, adam436 said:

Agreed. Adding a few more from the later nineties the Robert Perez story, Ailsa's car accident and it's aftermath in which she thought Alf was trying to kill her, Pippa's brain injury, Justine on trial for killing a baby, Chloe's rape, Byron Fisher's death, Kylie Burton's death, Jesse's downward spiral and exit, Dodge's return. 

It's still remembered with nostalgia though, probably moreso than 2001 onwards when the drama felt more melodramatic and heightened rather than just dramatic and more grounded, with a few exceptions (if that makes sense!).

I think 1995-2004 ramped things up but there was still a good balance and it was intertwined with everyday stories like 1988-1994 was, and was not in virtually every episode. And TBF 1988 had some quite manic storylines. 2005 was the real turning point. I guess H&A had to change a bit in 1995 to survive and remain fresh.

[nenehcherry2]

On 28/01/2024 at 05:46, Luigi Severus Fletcher said:

Someone mentioned Bobby's death feeling realistic

I mentioned this a while back... It's an accurate depiction of coma / brain death. No waking up suddenly to say "I love you Greg (or Frank even!)" before flatlining, no Morag (or Alison lol) turning up to secretly snip the ventilator chord, no miraculous recovery followed by a departure one day later nor Bobby spending a year in a coma with a dummy taking the place of Nicolle. 

Instead, talk of extensive bleeding & swelling, never regaining consciousness, a brain death evaluation with the freezing cold / boiling hot water in the ears, organ donation and all the characters bar Greg knowing what was going to happen. The script is entirely cold and clinical (especially the doctor; was she a real life one? It felt like it) and that's why it hurts even more to watch. Because that's a stark contrast to the very human, living Bobby that we all knew and loved. I've had a close relative die this way and, quite honestly, appreciate the authenticity (all the coma scenarios otherwise are, quite frankly, deeply offensive to those of us who've lost someone to acquired brain death).

Edited February 9 by nenehcherry2

[CaptainHulk]

^I see your Neighbours jab there.

(They did have a stunt Daph for the ambulance scenes  aftermath of the crash where Helen arrives at the scene and finds Gail and Jamie, but Elaine was on hand for bed scenes in three eps)

And I think Morag is more machine, Alisons is more press-pillow-down 

Red, in a review praised Sam's realistic reaction knowing Bobby wasn't going to recover.

Edited February 9 by CaptainHulk
Expansion

[nenehcherry2]

21 hours ago, CaptainHulk said:

^I see your Neighbours jab there.

(They did have a stunt Daph for the ambulance scenes  aftermath of the crash where Helen arrives at the scene and finds Gail and Jamie, but Elaine was on hand for bed scenes in three eps)

And I think Morag is more machine, Alisons is more press-pillow-down 

Red, in a review praised Sam's realistic reaction knowing Bobby wasn't going to recover.

Haha! You're indeed right RE the Neighbours / Daphne dig. I personally find the death scene ridiculously sentimental, unrealistic & melodramatic. A true suspension of medical realities. 

[CaptainHulk]

4 hours ago, nenehcherry2 said:

Haha! You're indeed right RE the Neighbours / Daphne dig. I personally find the death scene ridiculously sentimental, unrealistic & melodramatic. A true suspension of medical realities. 

Fans *wouldn't* have accepted Daphne leaving Des, Allen dying or not, and they were one of the 5 golden couples and with Daphne being a battler they wanted her last hurrah, cheesy schmaltzy and sentimental as it was. (Neighbours kind of gets a pass). It's Paul Keane's final realisation that makes it and he was great in the weeks that followed though they did a Fortnight FFWD.

Plus Elaine said those eps were the easiest just lying in the bed all day. Probably earned her a sizable amount despite refusing to renew. The last confirmed Reg action before he handed the Reigns to Don.

(I only defend Neighbours so much bc it's fashionable to knock it and always been to do so)

With Bobby, it was "We HAVE to let her go."

Edited February 10 by CaptainHulk

[nenehcherry2]

2 hours ago, CaptainHulk said:

Fans *wouldn't* have accepted Daphne leaving Des, Allen dying or not, and they were one of the 5 golden couples and with Daphne being a battler they wanted her last hurrah, cheesy schmaltzy and sentimental as it was. (Neighbours kind of gets a pass). It's Paul Keane's final realisation that makes it and he was great in the weeks that followed though they did a Fortnight FFWD.

Plus Elaine said those eps were the easiest just lying in the bed all day. Probably earned her a sizable amount despite refusing to renew. The last confirmed Reg action before he handed the Reigns to Don.

(I only defend Neighbours so much bc it's fashionable to knock it and always been to do so)

With Bobby, it was "We HAVE to let her go."

Very true as always!

At the other end of the "vegetative soapie spectrum", I found some of the characters attitudes to Bobby's probable brain death state before confirmation of the latter (as you quite rightly put it, "we HAVE to let her go") very jarring to watch. In particular, Alf's. As great a dramatic & emotional performance from Ray as it was, it also feels like he's talking to a 90 year old woman with terminal cancer rather than a 23 year old accident victim who MIGHT not be brain dead. 

Edited February 10 by nenehcherry2

[Martin]

For me it was either the Sarah Lewis saga or the pointless deaths of Charlotte Adams and Denny Miller after both had decided to leave town anyway. Both very nearly had nice exits until those cruel scriptwriters decided otherwise!

[CaptainHulk]

Still never forgave them for killing Denny.

[j.laur5]

Seeing Brax dark side after Casey got killed !. 
 

I have to say  Brax character really was overbearing at times especially in his later years and he had lot of issues. At the same time you could understand why he was the way he was. 
 

Sadly we really did not get to see Brax's likeable side so much towards the end. 

[CaptainHulk]

17 hours ago, j.laur5 said:

Seeing Brax dark side after Casey got killed !. 
 

I have to say  Brax character really was overbearing at times especially in his later years and he had lot of issues. At the same time you could understand why he was the way he was. 
 

Sadly we really did not get to see Brax's likeable side so much towards the end. 

You could understand his anger. Jake walking around deemed "Not responsible for his actions" after icing Charlie then killing Casey... 

Latter portion was largely Andy's fault