H&A Summer Break on Fiver

[j.laur5]

^Well, I say if Josie had stayed then we would have not got Amanda and so could say yes to that but then I think they would have gone the other way with storylines because Josie was nice whereas Angie was evil and Amanda was bad.

[I love music]

I have to say it's one of my favourite periods of the show as well (one which I have every second of on tape!!), and whilst I'm often critical of Coral Drouyn, up until probably the moment Angie's murder is solved, it's pretty great stuff, particularly the last 8 weeks of 2002 and it's my favourite season finale as well. I spent the whole winter hoping that Ailsa was somehow back alive, that for whatever reason something had happened that meant she went missing for two years*

I think as look back on episodes, perhaps made more golden by some of the tripe during 2006-2009, I actually realise I liked the Sutherland's. There's just two weak eras, the twins pre-2002, where their stories are usually, em, rubbish and the period where we go through the whole Kane saga again in 2003.

* As an aside, I'm sometimes slightly annoyed at how closed some of the stories actually become. I guess for something like this to happen you need an actor willing to come back in a set period of time, and that's not always possible. You hear on the news, crime programmes etc about people going missing for years, sometimes they're never found, but it feels if someone goes missing they're found within a week. How about if Ruby went missing at the end of the year and we never know what happens to her until Tania finds a corpse in the bush in 2012. Dodge is perhaps the best example of this. Presumed dead, but since Steven survived the fall, equally as likely that Dodge could have taken off and is biding his time. If someone is murdered and actually, despite all the best policework, it's never found out how actually did it.

You mean you weren't a fan of Jade's one week bulimia? I always did actually like Kirsty right from the beginning for reasons I can't quite explain. I always liked the Sutherlands and when I first came online I was somewhat surprised to find out they were quite hated. Rhys in particular got a bad rap, imo. No he wasn't my favourite or anything, but at least he seemed like a normal dad and had some substance and consistency to his character, unlike similar middle aged "father figure" characters of more recent vintage like Brad and Tony. I used to be a KK fan, but watching some of the episodes again, I've pretty much changed my mind. I still loved the 2002 part of the storyline. Putting them together then was a great idea that was very well done (and very original) and no one will convince me otherwise. But bringing Kane back in 2003 was a mistake as they completely changed his character. It's strange, because the main criticism of the storyline back then was "they turned Kane into the good guy and his rape victim into a cow" and I think the real problem might have been the exact opposite. It worked best in 2002 when they were quite unapologetic about making Kane sympathetic and likeable. He had the mediation with Dani, and as a result of that and his relationship with Kirsty he became very apologetic, remorseful and almost ashamed of himself and his past actions and he seemed to understand and pretty much accept that people had a right to hate him. I'm not defending or condoning the rape, but they did a good job of convincing me that it was a "mistake" rather than a genuinely malicious and evil act. Not that it makes any difference to the victim, but still I was able to accept him as a reformed character. And the way the first part of the KK saga ended was great. He got a somewhat noble exit (making himself miserable but doing the right thing by Kirsty) and in the end he did get punished for what he did to Dani, because it meant that he couldn't be with the only person who had ever loved him and who he had ever loved. True, that's a punishment more out of Greek mythology than Law and Order but it worked for me. And then they brought him back. Suddenly his noble exit wasn't that noble anymore. Basically he left because it was the right thing for Kirsty, but came back and basically harassed her until she got back with him because at the end of the day the right thing by her didn't matter as long as he got what he wanted. Same as in 2008 when he told her to "move on" after he went to jail...and then ensures that she couldn't by asking her for money even when he knew (or certainly should have known) she was broke. Simply coming back made him look like a selfish, weak willed, indecisive prick. The even bigger problem was his 180 degree character change. Like I said earlier, I just don't understand the criticism that they turned him into a great guy. He was a total jerk. Bad tempered, demanding, controlling, selfish, aggressive, completely unsympathetic and remorseless about his past, and openly rude and contemptuous to Dani or anyone else who dared to say that it might be inappropriate to date his rape victim's sister. Rather than making him a good guy, it seemed like the writers were so paranoid about criticism about turning the rapist into a hero that they overcompensated and made him a total jerk. And in doing so they made his relationship with Kirsty completely unbelievable. Why would Kirsty want to be with such an unredeemable jerk, and that's before you get into the whole "he raped my sister" thing. At the time, I didn't really see this, probably because I was so attached to the 2002 part of the story, but re-watching them...wow. I can remember when they brought KK back, I was quite pissed that they split them up, but now I wonder why on earth she stuck with him for so long, and think putting her together with Miles was a godsend.

Wow that was long and a little off topic. Sorry about that.

But very interesting just the same. I agree with you. The original KK storyline was brilliantly done and Kane had actually managed to become likeable even. Certainly it was easier to understand him and their bitter-sweet parting, tho sad, was a perfect ending to the story.

I have to go iron now. I've been putting it off long enough.

[Red Ranger 1]

Oh no, no, no!I'm looking at the list of Best Cliffhangers episodes in despair.First week and a bit's okay, three episodes from Going back to my latest rant about Aden, I think ebrett's comments about Kane kind of apply to him but more so.With both those super couples, they seemed to perpetuate the myth of the bad boy who treats him girl like a princess.Given how many girls swooned over them and wished they had a boyfriend like that, you wonder how many abusive teenage relationships the show is responsible for. (In fact, wasn't there a government campaign about it last year?)I was rolling my eyes a few days back when I looked in the Aden/Belle thread and found everyone going "All these family storylines and innocent teen romances they have these days are dull, why don't they do anything good like Aden's abuse?"

Nobody in the Aden/Belle tread said that. One was saying that the current teens are shallow, and Adens abuse storyline got her/him interested in the beginning... and I said that I think the current teens are shallowed (and some of them have even been changed by destroing a departing character this year, just to fit into the new direction of storylines - portraying the teens like their parents want them to be, but that is a discussion for an another tread). I don't want a new abuse storyline. never!!! Because they have proved by this one, that they are not capable of doing a sensitive storyline in a decent way, but dragging to the extreme just to make them sensational. And Adens storyline was not the only one, even that storyline is the one who certain people have been complaining over. Melody's was just as bad... a lot of the storylines in late 08, and 2009 were like this. But I do think that Adens made most damage to the real life victims. Unfortunately. Watching these eps over again have reminded me about that.

I am not in UK at the moment, but these storylines are airing in Norway right now too...

I was thinking partly of some of your comments and also about the following:

"since they've both left i haven't really had that much interest in the show... there's no storyline gripping me. which is why i think its a shame they've gone back to the "old style family H&A" where nothing reallllllly happens. the whole Abuse thing was so new to the show it gripped everyone!"

Whereas personally I'm glad that they seem to have backed away from, as you say, using a serious issue as an excuse for sensationalist episodes where the consequences are just dismissed.I think Melody's storyline went seriously off the boil in late 2008, culminating in the character assassination of the season finale, and just as they seemed to be getting back on track she was abruptly written out in a way that completely destroyed her character arc.I still don't think it was as bad as Aden's though, I think it was partly saved by the acting and the way Celeste consistently played Melody as a basically good person who had lost her way a bit.

[ebrett84]

But very interesting just the same. I agree with you. The original KK storyline was brilliantly done and Kane had actually managed to become likeable even. Certainly it was easier to understand him and their bitter-sweet parting, tho sad, was a perfect ending to the story.

I have to go iron now. I've been putting it off long enough.

Thanks. That was indeed the perfect ending, but the problem was it wasn't even close to being the ending. I do understand why they brought him back. It was a massively and unexpectedly popular relationship and it kind of felt like there was unfinished business. Still, it's usually better to leave the audience wanting more, not less.

[ebrett84]

Oh no, no, no!I'm looking at the list of Best Cliffhangers episodes in despair.First week and a bit's okay, three episodes from Going back to my latest rant about Aden, I think ebrett's comments about Kane kind of apply to him but more so.With both those super couples, they seemed to perpetuate the myth of the bad boy who treats him girl like a princess.Given how many girls swooned over them and wished they had a boyfriend like that, you wonder how many abusive teenage relationships the show is responsible for. (In fact, wasn't there a government campaign about it last year?)I was rolling my eyes a few days back when I looked in the Aden/Belle thread and found everyone going "All these family storylines and innocent teen romances they have these days are dull, why don't they do anything good like Aden's abuse?"

Nobody in the Aden/Belle tread said that. One was saying that the current teens are shallow, and Adens abuse storyline got her/him interested in the beginning... and I said that I think the current teens are shallowed (and some of them have even been changed by destroing a departing character this year, just to fit into the new direction of storylines - portraying the teens like their parents want them to be, but that is a discussion for an another tread). I don't want a new abuse storyline. never!!! Because they have proved by this one, that they are not capable of doing a sensitive storyline in a decent way, but dragging to the extreme just to make them sensational. And Adens storyline was not the only one, even that storyline is the one who certain people have been complaining over. Melody's was just as bad... a lot of the storylines in late 08, and 2009 were like this. But I do think that Adens made most damage to the real life victims. Unfortunately. Watching these eps over again have reminded me about that.

I am not in UK at the moment, but these storylines are airing in Norway right now too...

I was thinking partly of some of your comments and also about the following:

"since they've both left i haven't really had that much interest in the show... there's no storyline gripping me. which is why i think its a shame they've gone back to the "old style family H&A" where nothing reallllllly happens. the whole Abuse thing was so new to the show it gripped everyone!"

Whereas personally I'm glad that they seem to have backed away from, as you say, using a serious issue as an excuse for sensationalist episodes where the consequences are just dismissed.I think Melody's storyline went seriously off the boil in late 2008, culminating in the character assassination of the season finale, and just as they seemed to be getting back on track she was abruptly written out in a way that completely destroyed her character arc.I still don't think it was as bad as Aden's though, I think it was partly saved by the acting and the way Celeste consistently played Melody as a basically good person who had lost her way a bit.

God, are people really saying the "abuse thing was so new to the show?" How old are these people and how long have they been watching? I can remember in early 2005 they had Kane dealing with his childhood abuse, Ric dealing with his childhood abuse and Cassie dealing with her childhood abuse in the span of about 2 months.

[Red Ranger 1]

Well, today's episodes!I agree that the Kelli storyline wasn't the greatest they ever did, it dragged on way too long and Kelli's motivation always seemed spurious and badly explained, it was obvious Amanda genuinely cared for yet she was so crazy she decided to ruin her life anyway.But knowing what we're going to be stuck with in a couple of weeks' time, I'm grateful for any episodes from this period.Amanda's "Not again" after apparently killing Ethan was a nice continuity touch:In a way she hadn't come very far since she arrived, in another she'd come a long way because by now our sympathies were firmly with her.Nice to see how close she and Belle were by that point and that the close relationship, and Belle calling her "Mum", when she came back was nothing new, even though it seemed to take the more inattentive fans by surprise.Throughout that storyline Belle did seem to veer between being suspicious of Kelli and being friendly towards her, depending on the week.

Seeing how friendly and relaxed Kim, Rachel and Kit are around each other here, it's a shame how the storyline ended up.I've always thought if Chris Hemsworth hadn't suddenly decided to quit in the middle of the storyline it would have ended up a lot differently.I remember at the time Kit's messages from James had me worried that she was lying and Kim wasn't the baby's father, given that that happened to him a lot:Fortunately, I was wrong.A look at the early days of Jack and Sam as well, now we've just seen the end...although actually, even then they don't seem to be getting on that well.Mark 1 Rory!I have to admit I never noticed the change at the time but it's pretty obvious watching this.

[Slade]

The first episode yesterday I found highly amusing firstly when Kim feigned injury in an attempt to escape from Colleen and everybody else played along and followed suit.

Really enjoyed all the stuff with Amanda. Once again I found the stuff with Ethan so funny especially when he played possum after pretending to be dead from Amanda driving off when he was clinging onto her Audi TT, Kelli went over to him and they smiled at each other and the fact their evil plan was working. I agree that the storyline was dragged out for far too long but personally I didn't mind because I really liked both characters. I didn't think Kelli's motivations were that badly explained. They had an accident, Amanda was driving (so it was her fault) Kelli was badly injured, permanently scarred, traumatised (both physically and mentally), Amanda walked away without a scratch, didn't have much sympathy for Kelli, Amanda went onto bigger and better which obviously led to resentment, bitterness and jealousy hence Kelli's reason for revenge and payback - pure and simple. Amanda definitely cared for Kelli but as Kelli mentioned to Kitty one time it was a lot easier for Amanda to want to put the past behind her because Amanda's life was pretty good whereas Kelli's wasn't. I still haven't forgotten their final scene at the hospital where in spite of everything and the fact that Kelli just tried to kill her, Amanda was still prepared to forgive her but Kelli was having none of it. Random thought but I recall when Amanda returned from Europe with Ryan and moved into her new house and was having trouble with Belle she was on the phone to Kelli b*tching about her... continuity? Speaking of continuity what was the continuity you referred to with Ethan Red Ranger?

I've said these so many times but I absolutely loved the relationship between Belle and Amanda for me that was one of the highlights during recent times. Another thing I liked about Belle was whenever she always had that suspicious look on her face which was frequently present whenever she was around Kelli. Good thing too because she ultimately pressed Peter to pursue the whole thing and ultimately bring Kelli to justice.

As I mentioned last week I spent quite a bit of time on Home and Away disliking Jack intensely but I did quite like him when he and Sam were a couple. For me personally until the writers changed her I felt she brought out a much better side in him.

Oh and I didn't realise the guy looking for Sam at the end was the same person who played Joey's brother Brett. At least I think he was.

[Red Ranger 1]

Just reviewed the rubbish Best Cliffhangers week and reassessing my appraisal:After the 2006 episode, we've got six episodes from last year's Disasters run, with the one they had the sense to leave out last time sandwiched in between them.Then two episodes which actually weren't in the Best of 2009 run but should have been.Although that's no reason to include them here.

I'm sorry but I always found Kelli a very two-dimensional villain.She kept striding around claiming Amanda had ruined her life but all I could think was "How has she ruined your life?"We found out about five minutes before she got written out of the show that she'd been left scarred but the fact that we hadn't actually noticed them before says a lot.And she could probably have sorted them out with plastic surgery anyway.There was nothing to stop her getting a good job and living a good life, she'd managed to get herself a boyfriend who clearly loved her enough to go along with everything she said, but instead she decided to wreck her own life with a pointless revenge campaign.In fact, I've got a feeling that Kitty actually sent Amanda away and she never knew how badly Kelli was injured, which makes it all doubly pointless.The continuity I mentioned was that Amanda actually did run over and kill a guy, sort of, in almost identical circumstances when she first turned up.Of course, no-one ever found out about that one...

It's curious because I really hated what Belle did to Lucas and I was glad that he didn't just forgive and forget, although I was also glad when he let it go because, as Tony said, it was getting to the point where the only person he was hurting was himself.(Of course, the fact she and Drew broke up about five minutes later probably didn't help.)But despite all that, I still liked her more then than I did at the end.Another character I find myself looking at and thinking "What did they do to her?", it's a shame that such a strong character had to be made so weak in order for the relationship with Aden to work.Liked the brief little scene of Ric and Matilda trying to talk to Lucas and Ric's weary response when it all went belly up.Peter's long-suffering expression during Kitty's tale of woe was nice too.

Oh-and yes, that was the guy that played Joey's brother playing the guy that was after Sam.

[Slade]

To be fair I don’t think you like baddies in general – full stop. I'm struggling to think of a post where you did say you liked a bad guy Red Ranger even as a bad guy. Whenever they are on the screen you seem to want them somewhere else - Well that's the impression I get from reading some of your comments. Personally I think if a show is full of people that are completely likeable and pleasant to each other all the time it could get boring eventually. You have to tip the scale sometimes. I'm not too bothered about the continuity either or lack of writing for some of the baddie type characters. I admit sometimes it can be bad but I don't think as deeply about the episodes as you do. I watch the show primarily to be entertained although I do like some of the storylines that explore real issues.

Unfortunately I didn't see Amanda at the beginning so I didn't see the hit and run you refer to.

I didn't check which episodes were on yesterday either so didn't realise there would be more Amanda stuff...great. I remember wanting Kelli to get caught out at the time but it was like every time Belle was getting a step closer, something would happen then she would take two steps back. Regarding the guy that Kelli originally hired to kidnap Belle that Ethan killed. I just found it funny that when the police finally caught Kelli, Ethan was prepared to come clean about everything (to try and get a lighter sentence) but thinking at the time if he killed someone surely Kelli would mention that during her interview and that was far worse than all the other stuff he did.

I did feel a bit sorry for Lucas but I felt even sorrier for Belle. I probably shouldn't have but I did. I honestly don't think she meant to hurt him and she went out of her way to make amends afterwards. I'm glad Lucas showed he was the better person first of all by helping Belle climb up the ledge (even though I think they probably should have called for help first especially with Belle injuring her arm) and going round to Amanda's afterwards to bury their differences.

[Red Ranger 1]

Yeah, it probably is true I don't like baddies in general.I think I probably used to when I was younger but I tend to prefer characters with shades of grey, neither all good or all bad, rather than someone coming in and causing trouble because...they're bad.Having said that, I think having someone that's all bad can work if the writing's good enough but often they just come across as pantomime characters.

So, kind of ironic that, as a result of the rather odd order the episode are being shown in, having just seen Amanda as the victim we now see her as the Bad Girl.And, actually, possibly an example of what I've just been saying, because instead of just being bad like Kelli was, even at this point Amanda does have a shred of humanity in her, which means even if you don't like what she's doing (and I frequently didn't, with tomorrow's episodes being one of the low points)you can kind of understand it.Even when she's making out with a guy that was blackmailing her just beforehand. Although the Project 56 storyline was another one that dragged a bit, with characters constantly just on the verge of finding out what it was all about and then not doing so.Of course the reason Amanda can be bad-but-not-all-bad is because we've got Evil Josh with his Evil Goatee fulfilling the villain role.And the most ridiculous marriage in the show's history, which is a pretty hotly contested title.

You know, I remember at the time I didn't actually want Leah and Dan to get back together and was quite disappointed when they eventually did.Bit of a shame that the thing with Peter didn't actually go anywhere.Since we saw the opening titles change between episodes there, I'm left wondering if that caption of Colleen, Dan and Amanda only lasted a week, since they'd only overhauled them to add Rachel and take off Scott and Hayley just beforehand.

And...Sally!I can't believe that we're sixteen episodes into this run and that's only the second time we've seen her, even though she was on the show for eleven of them.Tsk.