Would anyone like to see new foster family move into Summer Bay House in 1998 after Pippa left?.

[cymbaline]

It was time to try something different. If they wanted a stable middle-aged couple in Summer Bay House, they wouldn't have axed Michael. I wasn't watching H&A regularly by the time Travis and Rebecca took the reins but I like that things didn't run smoothly for them. It's funny that the most difficult of Pippa's foster kids - Justine - is the one they managed to hold onto. 

[j.laur5]

On 04/07/2024 at 11:15, cymbaline said:

It was time to try something different. If they wanted a stable middle-aged couple in Summer Bay House, they wouldn't have axed Michael. I wasn't watching H&A regularly by the time Travis and Rebecca took the reins but I like that things didn't run smoothly for them. It's funny that the most difficult of Pippa's foster kids - Justine - is the one they managed to hold onto. 

But Michael would have left with Pippa anyway as Dennis would quit alongside Debra. Debra left because she was moving back to Melbourne to be close to her mother. 
 

Even if Debra's circumstances were different and she had stayed living in Sydney there is still every chance she may eventually have decided to leave further down the track although I do think Debra knew like Judy knew they have steady income on H&A 

I think the plan was always for Joel and Natalie to move into Sumner Bay House eventually after Pippa left.

I think the turning point would be in 2000 though either Rhys is bought in as single dad to pair up with Pippa or Irene written out with Ken Smith and all Sutherlands move into beach house instead. 
 

Given Christoper Fletcher would be in high school by 2000 I think he become regular by then and Christoper Egan would possibly played Christoper instead of Nick Smith. 
 

I think would be good to have both Duncan and Christoper in same teenage group given they grew up with each other and both born on show.

[cymbaline]

They killed Michael off in 1996 which strongly suggests they'd had enough of middle-aged couples in the house. For well over a year after that, Pippa's love life was non-existent. It may have remained that way for quite some time if Debra hadn't handed in her notice and they began working on her exit storyline. 

While I think Dennis being gone already made it easier for Debra to leave Home and Away, they probably would've moved back to Melbourne anyway. Aside from Debra's mum, their daughter would've been ready to start school. None of these are concrete deadlines as such but are prompts to make you think it's time to make the move. 

I can't see Christopher coming back for all sorts of reasons but there's always a case to be made for a Duncan return. 

[Homeandawayfan.]

I feel the Sutherland arrival in 2000 was another shot in the arm for H&A and the old Tom/Michael and Pippa format was becoming a bit stale, so the drop in centre was introduced.

[cymbaline]

I wasn't watching by then. Did they still have the teen gang formula in place then? 

[adam436]

10 hours ago, Homeandawayfan. said:

I feel the Sutherland arrival in 2000 was another shot in the arm for H&A and the old Tom/Michael and Pippa format was becoming a bit stale, so the drop in centre was introduced.

I agree about the Pippa and Michael/Tom format was getting a bit stale, but I do think killing off Michael shook things up a bit. Summer Bay House was still quite full without him, so I didn't really feel his departure left much of a hole to be honest.

Travis and Rebecca gave Summer Bay House another refresh, but I suspect the producers saw them as a short-term solution to see out the current foster children. If Nic and Belinda stayed beyond their contracts, then maybe the producers would have looked at making it a more permanent move and introduced new foster children for them.

Does anyone remember at what point Sam moved in with Donald and Marilyn? I don't think it was immediately when Pippa left, but it was definitely before Travis and Rebecca left.

 

6 hours ago, cymbaline said:

I wasn't watching by then. Did they still have the teen gang formula in place then? 

Yes - during the Sutherland era there was Nick, Jade, Kirsty and Duncan/Seb fulfilling the "two boys and two girls" formula. We also had Dani, Hayley and Brodie who were still at high school, but they hung around with and dated older guys like Alex Polous, Josh West, Noah and Will.