Over the years, has your opinion changed on characters?

[Aquamarine]

I've realized as I'm older, that my opinions on certain characters and storylines have changed. Has this happened to anyone else? Share your views!

One thing I've noticed is that I don't necessarily blame Kirsty as much as I did for what happened during the KK saga. Before, I thought what she did was far worse as Kane considering she was okay with causing her loved ones pain, but after taking in the consideration that she was only 15-18 during the KK saga, I feel she wasn't old enough to really understand the pain Dani felt. I still don't think it was okay, but I can kind of see Kirsty's side more now.

I've also grown to dislike Gypsy a lot more re-watching 2000/2001. I always liked Dani more, and while neither were nice to each other, I found Dani to be less bitchier between the two and at least she did treat Will better. The fact that Gypsy called Dani 'self-indulgent' when she was just as bad and constantly blamed other people for the problems that she herself caused really bothered me. Her return also didn't do her any justice and Im glad Irene told her to grow up.

I've noticed Robbie has become my favorite Hunter, only some few years after he departed. I guess it's because during his time on the show, there was always another storyline I was more interested in with characters such as Hayley and Corey. So, I never noticed what an awesome, likable character he was. Still not sold on Tasha/Robbie together, but Robbie on his own was great.

[ebrett84]

I've realized as I'm older, that my opinions on certain characters and storylines have changed. Has this happened to anyone else? Share your views!

One thing I've noticed is that I don't necessarily blame Kirsty as much as I did for what happened during the KK saga. Before, I thought what she did was far worse as Kane considering she was okay with causing her loved ones pain, but after taking in the consideration that she was only 15-18 during the KK saga, I feel she wasn't old enough to really understand the pain Dani felt. I still don't think it was okay, but I can kind of see Kirsty's side more now.

I've also grown to dislike Gypsy a lot more re-watching 2000/2001. I always liked Dani more, and while neither were nice to each other, I found Dani to be less bitchier between the two and at least she did treat Will better. The fact that Gypsy called Dani 'self-indulgent' when she was just as bad and constantly blamed other people for the problems that she herself caused really bothered me. Her return also didn't do her any justice and Im glad Irene told her to grow up.

I've noticed Robbie has become my favorite Hunter, only some few years after he departed. I guess it's because during his time on the show, there was always another storyline I was more interested in with characters such as Hayley and Corey. So, I never noticed what an awesome, likable character he was. Still not sold on Tasha/Robbie together, but Robbie on his own was great.

I wouldn't say my opinion has changed on either Dani or Gypsy. I never understood why Dani got stuck with the "whiny princess" label. Yeah, she was that during her first few months, but she did change and a lot of the bashing of her seemed to carry "blame the victim" overtones. It wasn't her fault she got raped and I hated how she was blamed for not just "getting over it". She wasn't any worse than characters like Nicole, Ruby, Indi, Matilda or Gypsy but she got far more grief for it. I think the main reason so many people hated her was that she always seemed to be "in the middle" of two popular relationships - Will and Gypsy and KK.

I wouldn't say my opinion's changed on Gypsy either. I always liked her, but that's because I always liked the bitchy characters. I always saw her for what she was, which was essentially a nice person, but one with a real bitchy side, and I certainly never saw Dani as "the bad one" in their feud. It always amused me when she called Dani "high maintenance". I mean, seriously? Much like you, I way preferred Will and Dani to Gypsy and Will. It would have spared us Scott Hunter too, as the only reason he was even on the show was to be Dani's handbag.

Definitely the character who I have most changed my opinion of was Kane. I used to really like him and I absolutely hated his 2008 return where he acted like a complete tool. Then I realised that the main reason I was a fan of his was because I was watching religiously during his first couple of stints on the show (2001 and 2002) when he started out as a stalker / rapist / jerk but believably got redeemed into a remorseful, apologetic, noble and decent guy who was willing to give up his soulmate if it meant she'd be happier in the end. On the other hand, I had pretty much stopped watching during his 2003 - 05 return (a return which completely invalidated the whole point of his original exit. Ugh.). Since I wasn't really watching, I assumed he was pretty much the same guy he had been during his previous time on the show. Then I actually watched some old KK episodes. I was wrong. He was a complete prick. Pushy, demanding, possessive, controlling, manipulative, smug, whiny, self pitying, aggressive, bullying, bad tempered piece of selfish garbage who acted like he was the victim after raping Dani (although for some reason, people like Irene, Beth and Alf suddenly thought he was a great guy and even freaking Dani was acting like he was Mr. Wonderful by the time she left). I don't know what the writers were thinking changing him like that. It makes me laugh when people complain about that storyline and say that "they turned the rapist into a good guy". Like hell they did. The real problem was that they turned the love interest from a reformed good guy into a complete miserable bastard. Which made his relationship with Kirsty completely ridiculous. What was she supposed to see in this guy (and that's before you get into the whole "he raped her sister" thing)? It's weird how popular this guy was back in 03-05. I think people were just so attached to him from his previous stint on the show that they simply refused to acknowledge when he acted like a prick. Watching his 03-05 time on the show, his 2008 return makes a lot more sense. 2008 Kane was basically 2003 Kane if he'd been living on the lam for a few years. It makes me sad to think about that storyline. Once upon a time, I actually believed in Kane's character arc and redemption and his awesome relationship with Kirsty. Looking at what a bastard he was both before and after the start of that storyline, it now seems like a guy acting ludicrously out of character for a couple of months for the sake of a ridiculously contrived relationship.

Realising what a tool Kane was has also changed my opinion of Kirsty a little bit. I really loved her from about 2000 until Kane's return, but she really lost her way from Kane's return until her first exit. She went from being a kind hearted, compassionate, well meaning, non judgemental young girl who could also be a bit stubborn, rebellious, selfish, immature and ignorant to the consequences of her actions into a whinging, self pitying, needy, desperate and pathetic idiot. Why did she change so much? Probably because a whinging, self pitying, needy, desperate and pathetic idiot is the only kind of person who could possibly be in love with the 2003 - 2008 version of Kane Phillips, who she was obviously "meant to be" with. Still, as awful a character as she became, I think a lot of the criticism of her in that time was misguided. Especially the criticism that she was "selfish". All the things she did that got her called that weren't done for her own benefit (which is a prerequisite of selfishness), they were all for the benefit of her douchebag boyfriend, who kept putting her in bad positions and kept asking her to put him above everyone and everything else in her life. I actually think her problem was that she wasn't selfish enough and she should have just told him that she was perfectly happy without him and to get lost the second he returned instead of just doing whatever he asked her to do and basically turning into a martyr who ruined her life for the sake of a massively unhealthy relationship with a complete loser. Not having seen too much of the 2003 - 2005 episodes, I used to be really annoyed that she dumped Kane for Miles but now I think it was a godsend and she should have dumped his worthless butt years ago. I find it weird that so many people seemed to blame Kirsty for that relationship. Yeah, she should have told him to leave, but he was the one who caused all the trouble. He was the one who said that he would leave her for her own good...and then came back and stalked and harassed her until she got back with him. He was the one who bullied and threatened her friends and family and demanded that she choose between him and them. He was the one who broke the law whenever he felt like it (although apparently it was "out of character" for him to be a criminal when he came back ). He was the one who basically bullied her into marrying him, telling her he'd dump her if she didn't. He was the one who told her to "move on" without him...and then asked her to give him all her money instead. I also found her more sympathetic in her 2008 return than I did at the time. I thought she was being selfish, but thinking about it, she was basically stuck between doing the right thing by her son and doing the right thing by her husband who was gutless and selfish enough to act like being a petty criminal living on the run was "doing the right thing by his family" instead of actually doing the right thing by them and turning himself in so Kirsty and Ollie could have a normal life. Being stuck between your son and your husband is a pretty tough choice (until you realise that her son is adorable and her husband is a good for nothing, worthless SOB with no redeeming qualities whatsoever, but anyway) and I thought they should have done more to show what a tough spot she was in.

Another character I've changed my opinion on is Rhys. I hated him at the time as he came across as an angry, over-protective monster. Now, I actually kind of like him. Partly because I'm getting older and sympathising less with with the teenage characters. Partly it's because in hindsight he was pretty much right about everything. Partly it's because even if he wasn't always likeable, he at least had a consistent and strong personality unlike most of the other middle aged father figure characters who followed him (Brad, Tony, even John's basically lost his personality recently). Plus, his facial expressions were hilarious at times.

[Aquamarine]

That was one of the most enjoyable posts I've read on this forum in a long time. I applaud you for it and and agree with most of your points. The problem I had with Kane was not the fact that he came back for Kirsty or that he was consistently written to save a Sutherland's life every season, but the fact that he blamed Dani for raping her with comments like 'I wish I would have never even touched you in the first place' as if she put a curse or taboo on his life. If they had kept to the original 2002 plot and the entire family went through it together instead of the writers making Dani, Jade, Shelley, and Rhys look like assholes for not being supportive of KK even after Kane became a 'hero', I wouldn't have had a problem with it.

Rhys was a hit or miss with me. He did do a wonderful job playing the over-protective father-figure and I thought while he wasn't portrayed as the most likable character, he was realistic. However, during some storylines I found myself thinking he was written to be a complete idiot. Namely with the Angie Russell saga. I understand wanting to be apart of Dylan's life, but he HAD to have known how much it would affect his marriage to spend time at Angie's without his wife there with him and I generally sympathized with Shelley during that entire storyline. I do like him simply because I thought he had some of the most memorable emotional storylines of the entire show. His crying scene in the 2002 finally was fantastic.

[ebrett84]

That was one of the most enjoyable posts I've read on this forum in a long time. I applaud you for it and and agree with most of your points. The problem I had with Kane was not the fact that he came back for Kirsty or that he was consistently written to save a Sutherland's life every season, but the fact that he blamed Dani for raping her with comments like 'I wish I would have never even touched you in the first place' as if she put a curse or taboo on his life. If they had kept to the original 2002 plot and the entire family went through it together instead of the writers making Dani, Jade, Shelley, and Rhys look like assholes for not being supportive of KK even after Kane became a 'hero', I wouldn't have had a problem with it.

Rhys was a hit or miss with me. He did do a wonderful job playing the over-protective father-figure and I thought while he wasn't portrayed as the most likable character, he was realistic. However, during some storylines I found myself thinking he was written to be a complete idiot. Namely with the Angie Russell saga. I understand wanting to be apart of Dylan's life, but he HAD to have known how much it would affect his marriage to spend time at Angie's without his wife there with him and I generally sympathized with Shelley during that entire storyline. I do like him simply because I thought he had some of the most memorable emotional storylines of the entire show. His crying scene in the 2002 finally was fantastic.

Thank you. I too hated how Kane acted like he was the victim of the whole thing. Every time he said something like "Dani's not the only one who has to live with it", I wanted to throw a brick through my TV. I don't think the problem was really that they made the Sutherlands look like the bad guys. It seemed to me that the writers went out of their way to make Kane the bad guy (after he came back in 2003 - he definitely was a good guy when he first started going out with Kirsty). The problem was that they wanted it both ways. They wanted people to ship KK but they didn't want to take the flak for "turning the rapist into a good guy" (they should have just done that since everyone accused them of doing it anyway. At least that way we could have had a likeable character in a good relationship instead of a complete tool in a terrible relationship). So they basically ended up perpetuating the myth (yes girls, it's a myth) of the "utter jerkass boyfriend who treats his girl like a princess". Which never works because the guy ends up treating his girlfriend just as badly as he does everyone else and making her permanently miserable. See also: Aden and Belle, and Brax and Charlie. It didn't help that their apparent idea of creating a "complex" character was "gee, Kane's been acting like a complete tool for a few weeks. Maybe he should save somebody's life". Doesn't really change the fact that he's a tool. It's really bizarre watching KK scenes from 2002 when they first got together and KK scenes from any time after that. It's totally night and day. They went from this really cool, blissfully happy, sweet and innocent (yes really) couple into this miserable, whinging, self pitying, self obsessed thing. Just horrible.

[Blaxland 89]

Completely agree with everyones points. 2002 = a realistic complicated romance story.

2003 = unrealistic and totally unbelieveable.

Almost as if Kane would change depending on who was writing the ep.

Hated the way Irene was behind him all the way despite being friends with Dani. And Beth always undermining Rhys when he tried to deal with Kirsty. How would she feel if her daughter got raped! Goodness 2003 really annoys me even now. And I loved 2002.

Let us not forget, not only did he rape someone, but also lied and put an innocent Dani in prison to get back at her for nothing.

Also hated the way Morag was so supportive of Kane.

And even in 2008 after he held her nephew at gun point that caused him all sorts of distress, she still tried to get him out of prison!!!

[Aquamarine]

Also hated the way Morag was so supportive of Kane.

That actually brings up another character that I've changed my opinion on. Morag was easily one of my least favourite oldies from 2002-2005. It didn't help how supportive she was of Kane, much to the chagrin of one of my favourite characters ever. One of my first memories of Morag was 2002 (I think) when she was horribly unfair to Leah for not focusing on the diner when VJ's health was her priority. However, as the years gone by, she has one me over a bit with her naturally witty personality.

[ebrett84]

Also hated the way Morag was so supportive of Kane.

That actually brings up another character that I've changed my opinion on. Morag was easily one of my least favourite oldies from 2002-2005. It didn't help how supportive she was of Kane, much to the chagrin of one of my favourite characters ever. One of my first memories of Morag was 2002 (I think) when she was horribly unfair to Leah for not focusing on the diner when VJ's health was her priority. However, as the years gone by, she has one me over a bit with her naturally witty personality.

I actually liked Morag a lot more when she was a complete bitch. I was watching an early years scene where she moves all her furniture around just so her blind butler won't have a clue what's going on and will trip over everything. It's absolutely horrible but hilarious. Also loved how mean she was to Celia and Colleen. Now I just find her boring and too nice. The Kane thing was indeed absurd. I don't know why she even represented him in the first place, considering she used to think he was a jerk the first few times she dealt with him (mind you, every character in Home and Away at the time was bound by obligation to pretend that Kane was a great guy no matter how much evidence he provided to the contrary. Same thing that happened with Aden years later and Brax now). But to represent him after he cost her thousands of dollars in bail money and held her nephew at gunpoint? What the hell? Reminded me of when Kane stole all that money from Leah, bankrupting her business and Leah was talking to Kirsty and saying things like "it's so awful what happened to you two".

[ter06]

I think Morag just mellowed with age. That, and the fact that it's very hard to write for a character like that consistently. She still shows some of her mean side, like when Colleen sat at the table next to Morag and Ross on their first date. I thought she went too far that time though. I wish, now that Morag is getting older, that we saw her have a bit of a breakdown in relation to Bobby. She was always so cold hearted when it came to her that surely, the way she treated her would play on her mind now. Morag was very good with Roo and Martha so she must wonder about Bobby sometimes.

[j.laur5]

I think Morag just mellowed with age. That, and the fact that it's very hard to write for a character like that consistently. She still shows some of her mean side, like when Colleen sat at the table next to Morag and Ross on their first date. I thought she went too far that time though. I wish, now that Morag is getting older, that we saw her have a bit of a breakdown in relation to Bobby. She was always so cold hearted when it came to her that surely, the way she treated her would play on her mind now. Morag was very good with Roo and Martha so she must wonder about Bobby sometimes.

But Colleen was asking for it.

[alice93]

I don't know, I never used to like Matilda until Beth's death. She always seemed like the whiny spoilt brat that she arrived as. I hated how she always played the victim. But watching a few old clips on youtube, I haven't seen anything bad in her and see her as a young teenage girl who went through a lot in her life.

I also used to think Miles was boooooring and didn't get his character's sense of humour at all, but a few months before he left, I started to find him hilarious and sympathised with his character a lot more.

EDIT: Also, my opinion on Colleen changed constantly. Sometimes I love her and think she's hilarious, and other times she's just an intefering old bat. Always has, always will.