Kirsty's Return

[Skylover]

I thought I'd open a thread to discuss jhow Kirsty has transformed from such a brat in her last stint to a completely admirable and loveable character in her newest stint. I know that there are some people out there who don't like her at all, but I'm aware she's become a lot more popular since her return.

The purpose of this topic is mainly to figure out why she has been received so well this time round, and what has been done to transform her into one of the best characters on the show.

[claire_louise]

She was a teenager first time round, simple as that really. Obviously they had to portray how much she's grown up since KK left, especially since she became a mother and spent three years on the run in that time, but personally I dislike that she's changed so drastically. I'm all for character development, but turning someone into a completely different person seems pointless to me. They might as well have created a new character.

[Skylover]

How has she changed so much?! And I don't see what the problem is with changing a character for the better?!

[Foxy]

Personally, I couldn't stand Kirsty first time around, but for me she's improved vastly during this stint - and oddly enough I don't actually think they've changed her all that much. Kirsty was always very headstrong and wanted to make her own choices independant of what anyone else thought, and she's shown exactly the same behaviour since her return - look how she handled her money shortage for instance. She could've told Miles or Irene or even Alf and admitted she needed help, but she chose instead to blunder her way through some very sticky situations in order to do things her own way.

I also think she's added a dynamic to the show that we haven't seen for a while - a young single mother struggling to find her place in the world. Arguably she's found it now she's with Miles, but that struggle between wanting to be the best mother possible to her son whilst also having a life herself has been very interestingly played out, and perhaps not in the conventional sense. To me it's like Kane represented what she thought she should be doing as an ideal mother, and Miles represented her desire to break free of her restraints and do something for herself.

Blasphemous as some people think it is to say, I also think getting her away from Kane has done the chracter the world of good. I'm not even saying this from the perspective of what occured with Dani, but from the perspective that, all the while he's been back onscreen he's acted like a bull in a china shop trying to hold onto his own life without really considering everyone else around him. Now Kirsty is free from that, I personally find her a much more endearing character.

Also, I think it's the case that Christie is just a lot better as an actress now - not that she was ever the worst the show has ever seen, but I think she's really grown into the role a lot more during this stint. Long may she continue as a stalwart of SBH!

[DinerLandlord]

She is a woman now, she was girl before. Time and experience has changed her. She has matured, and gained new priorities. When she was in the show years ago her main priorities were Kane and herself. Now her priority seems to be Ollie mostly. I think losing Kane has done her the world of good. He was poisonous and had a terrible affect on her life. I must say I like her so much more now than I did when she was a teenager. I was very much a Dani fan back then, so I really hated Kirsty, and especially Kane. I'm also really warming to her as the mother figure in Summer Bay House, even though she is so young, she has done something that a year ago would have seemed impossible - step into Sally's shoes. I'm just so glad it's Kirsty taking on this role and not someone like Martha.

[alexx]

I agree with pretty much everything Foxy and DinerLandlord had to say. To ad to that, I think the appeal for me (this time round) is that she is a 'real' character with human story-lines going on that aren't all that far fetched at all, you could meet someone like her in real life and that is important in the show these days especially. Also, she is apart of a 'character driven' era of the shows history, so we have a dense history with her, we've seen her grow up..etc which helps to empathise with her.

[Slade]

It’s funny how people see things differently. I’ve been a long time fan of Kirsty but I think differently to most people that have posted so far. I never thought she was a “brat” when she left but felt she had done a lot of growing up. Mainly because of the stuff she went through after being diagnosed with kidney disease and then miscarrying her unborn child. When she left the bay with Kane in 2005 she was certainly a lot more mature than when they resumed dating after he returned to reclaim her from Seb. Had it not been for the stuff with Gus they were at the point where they were about to settle down and begin their family.

I’m not sure if I could ever really dislike her but to be frank she doesn’t really interest me anymore (Probably because I’m a KK fan so you could argue that I’m biased and she has changed a bit). I appreciate that she’s done quite a bit of growing up but for me personally she’s been superseded by other characters such as Charlie, Nicole, Leah etc that I much prefer watching. I don’t mind that they are portraying her as a single mother figure trying to build a stable home for her son but I’m unsure about the mother figure role she’s playing for Jai (and Melody previously). It just seems more of a middle aged thing and let’s not forget she’s only 22.

I also feel like the writers have missed out on quite a bit of continuity. I absolute hate the fact that up till this point there has been hardly any mention of her family. And although Tammin and Kate can’t come back as Dani and Jade, why can’t the writers bring back Shelly and or Rhys? Alternatively why can’t they just have Kirsty go to the city to catch up with them and mention how they are getting on (we don’t need to see them for that). At UK pace here she recently went with Miles and Ollie to the city (on the day Jai had a fight with Trey and accidentally caused the fire at the Caravan Park) so they could have seized the opportunity for that.

Kirsty was always portrayed as an athlete. I remember her winning the triathlon way back (and being offered a scholarship), being the start player of her football team and helping out with lifeguard duties on the beech. So although she’s a mother I don’t see why we can’t occasional see her participate in extra curricular activities. I’ve even recall seeing Leah at the gym a couple of times, and she has a much busier schedule than Kirsty does. Although I wonder if it’s got anything to do with the fact she’s had a kidney transplant (which hasn’t been mentioned either) so whether taking the immune-suppressing drugs would have anything to do with that (still no explanation as to the fact that she brought Ollie to Irene because the hospital would do a background check on her and Kane but how she managed to obtain medication for three years in spite of this).

I disagree that’s she’s more popular now than before. I remember raising my eyes at some of the remarks in the Anti-Kirsty thread (amongst others) a while back because I was completely oblivious to the fact that so many people disliked her. I actually would have placed her on the same par as Martha, Melody, Rachel etc. As I’ve said before there are some people that have never liked her and never will but the more notable thing for me was that their were quite a few comments I remember reading that said they liked her before disliked her since her return. Overall I think her popularity is about the same as before. And due to the nature of her personality most people tend to generally really like her or really dislike her.

Regarding her being “admirable” again I wouldn’t say the way she’s conducted herself has been in a particularly admirable manner. Albeit she is doing very well to bring up Ollie (so in one sense you could admire her for that) but she’s lied quite a bit. She couldn’t be honest with Miles and tell him that been in contact with Kane when he was in jail. She lied about the escorting. She wasn’t entirely honest with Miles about how badly the tutoring went and when Trey started cracking onto her and made things tens times worse for herself. When he claimed they had an affair she completely exploded at him in the SurfClub which was a stark contrast to Miles’s softly, softly approach when he accused him of assault. I also thought she had a really, really bad attitude when she was subsequently being interviewed with by department. I do actually like the fact that she’s not perfect. It does make me appreciate the character more.

[vixstar131]

Hmm.....I like Kirsty and Kane's relationship when it first happened because it was like a modern day romeo and juilet. And they went through so much to be together. Then they left the bay...

When she came back she had become more mature and she is know a mother, so much more responsible. I still like her character but I dont think her and Miles are that suited each other..

But Im glad she is back, and Ollie is so cute!!! =)

[adellejefferiesxox]

Now Kane's left I can tolerate her more, also she has matured heaps!! and Kristy with Barlett storyline was doing my head in and I couldnt stand her. At the present time, I don't mind Kristy. But I've never been a fan, I hated her as a teenager.