When Suckiness Strikes

[TabbyCool]

The major screen hogs at the moment over here are Hayley / Scott / Kim and Amanda. I'm so sick of Amanda and I'm really glad the whole paternity thing is over now too!

[claire_louise]

I agree that it would be nice to see more of Matilda/Lucas and Beth/Tony. We do see quite a bit of Beth but it's usually to do with either Scott or Robbie's problems. Maybe when Scott and Hayley leave there will be a bit more space for them.

ETA: Paternity thing still not quite over yet!

[angelgirl]

I think they reveal the true paternety of the baby tomorow

[TabbyCool]

I agree that it would be nice to see more of Matilda/Lucas and Beth/Tony. We do see quite a bit of Beth but it's usually to do with either Scott or Robbie's problems. Maybe when Scott and Hayley leave there will be a bit more space for them.

ETA: Paternity thing still not quite over yet!

Oh yeah, I'm getting ahead of myself, I've watched half of this week's episodes already, so it's over for me!

[leroun]

Paternity thing? lol, there's so so so much more to come, i'f you hate 'her' so much stop watching, you'll become frustrated.

[loveangelmusicbaby]

I want them to get rid of Cassie. I used to dislike Martha but slowly warming to her.

[TabbyCool]

Paternity thing? lol, there's so so so much more to come, i'f you hate 'her' so much stop watching, you'll become frustrated.

Well, the actual paternity thing is over, since everyone knows who the father is now. I know what happens with Kim and everything in the aftermath of the whole thing, but at least the truth is out... finally.

I'm hardly going to stop watching the show because I dislike one character! If I found that I didn't like the show, I'd stop watching it, but I do enjoy it. I stopped watching Neighbours because I thought it had just become too crap!

[Loz]

I hate Amanda. I *hate* her. And not in a 'wow she's so evil I detest the character but watch avidly waiting for her comeuppance' type way. In a 'oh my God, is she on screen *again*? I think I'll see what's on the other channels for a minute or two' type way.

She is *so* tedious. The worst thing is, her character sounds great on paper. She's a sexy, selfish, manipulative hot little blonde who would do anything to get her own way but *does* have the redeeming characteristic of loving her son. Could indicate some inner conflict... could stop her being entirely unsympathetic. Sounds rather Angie, which would be rather good. But in practice, it just doesn't work.

Why doesn't it work?

Firstly, the writers just seem to write her unconvincingly... her dialogue is simplistic, on-the-nose and it doesn't have an essential 'Amandaness' about it in the way that Morag has Moragness and Alf has Alfness. She's like a rent-a-villain, with rent-a-cliché thrown in for good measure. She's nothing new. She's not camp enough to be ironic and she's not subtle enough to be taken straight.

Secondly, Holly Brisley just can't act. When I compare her performance to those actresses who've previously played resident H&A 'bitches', it makes me want to weep. Often I can't tell whether her character is meant to be lying to someone, or whether she's meant to be telling the truth but Holly just doesn't act 'truthful' convincingly. (Okay, luckily I have the superb 'soap bitch dialogue by numbers' to help me out, but it's still an issue).

Thirdly, we just get too much of her. Too much of something sweet gets sickly; in this case, too much of something bland makes me want to induce vomiting. Oh wait, I don't need to induce it... I've got the dialogue and Holly's 'acting' to do that for me.

Conclusion: I hate her, but I don't love to hate her. Ms Vale, you are dismissed.

[Frankie]

I agree with every word Loz...on paper she sounds awesome...in reality it falls flat. I do think another actress might have pulled it off. Some one of Laurie's caliber for example would have hammed it up and made her so camp and OTT that we loved it...unfortunately Holly is not in that league, so it just does not work at all on any level whatsoever. I find I start channel hopping when she is on too..or if it's a tape I am watching I fast forward. They have overused her, and her current absences from the Australian episodes is quite a welcome relief....

[Sunny Girl]

I agree wholeheartedly with you Loz and Frankie. I can't stand Amanda and think Holly Brisley was a bad piece of casting, though she could have done well as aguest character, staying only a few episiodes. I am also curerntly enjoying her absence from our screens ...