What would you like to see in 2013?

[Homeandawayfan.]

I think H&A should wind in some of the dark storylines they have which dont really suit the show. I know it would be boring if they just showed them sitting round, surfing and knitting as there has to be drama to entertain us but less CSI type stories please H&A bosses.

[Ryan]

I think it would be good if the dark stories went somewhere different. They always seem to these underworld type characters that get angry at a member of Summer Bay, money is involved, guns get thrown around and then someone gets killed. What about, and the idea really just comes from a documentary I watched last night, if one of the younger characters goes missing and is kept in a basment for six months. You don't need to go into any of the more lurid stuff, but a different situation. Make the guy appear normal (though we've got the problem of the lack of elder characters at the moment).

Relatively dark, but also different to what has gone before. I always have ideas floating around in my head of storylines I would write if I were a writer, and what I think would be good for the show, I guess though we never get to find out if they were any good or not.

[John]

I think it would be good if the dark stories went somewhere different. They always seem to these underworld type characters that get angry at a member of Summer Bay, money is involved, guns get thrown around and then someone gets killed. What about, and the idea really just comes from a documentary I watched last night, if one of the younger characters goes missing and is kept in a basment for six months. You don't need to go into any of the more lurid stuff, but a different situation. Make the guy appear normal (though we've got the problem of the lack of elder characters at the moment).

Relatively dark, but also different to what has gone before. I always have ideas floating around in my head of storylines I would write if I were a writer, and what I think would be good for the show, I guess though we never get to find out if they were any good or not.

Very interesting for you to put them out here though.

[cadyctslover]

I want dark and light storylines. This year there has been one dark, depressing storyline after another.

Also as Ryan says it would be nice if the dark storylines could be a little more imaginative. Who saw Adam turn up in SB, saw that he was an old friend of Brax and didn't say 'here we go again'?

[alexx]

^Exactly. I find the writing too unimaginative. I need something to genuinely shock me, or give me goosebumps or surprise me.

And yes, lots of light storylines and some very gritty dark storylines would be great. It shouldn't be too far in one direction though. It's a matter of balance.

I think the last time I was genuinely glued to a dark and dramatic storyline was when Aden kept Rachel hostage in that shed. And when he almost tried to kill Larry, Belle pouncing on him etc. it was quite gripping and emotional.

[-Andrew-]

That was another thing that pushed me to turn off in 2010, the lack of suspense or surprise. It's like, the characters relationships with one another are so fragmented and underdeveloped that NOTHING could happen to cause genuine excitement or shock anymore.

I remember extreme goosebumps when Duncan drove Seb and Jade off that cliff in the stolen car... because you've got Alf Stewart's son, near- killing Donald Fisher's grandson and the 'baby' Sutherland. The aftermath and fallout had the potential to be absolutely HUGE, because at the time, the links in the community were still pretty strong. I can't remember if it was actually played out a big thing, but nevertheless, it could have. The current H&A just doesn't have the foundations in place for anything so big anymore, imo.

[630si]

I agree with the back to basics and we have already found out that this will be happening. So watch this space perhaps?

[CaptainHulk]

I want a balance like they had in 1995. One minute you've got Jack and Joe running for their lives from some punks at a video arcade, the next you've got Dodge and Stevo doing a Jeff Hardy off a cliff.

The aftermath and fallout had the potential to be absolutely HUGE, because at the time, the links in the community were still pretty strong. I can't remember if it was actually played out a big thing, but nevertheless, it could have. The current H&A just doesn't have the foundations in place for anything so big anymore, imo.

This was basically a major plot to aid Seb and Jade's departures and reflect the crumbling Sutherland/Hunter unit which finally collapsed when Rhys ran back to Shelley and Dani left. 2004 was probably the biggest year of transition since 2000 (Introducing a darker element that is still prevalent today)

[Homeandawayfan.]

In the 1990s H&A had a mixture and a lot of the disasters had a sense of comedy to them and it may have been a huge prank go wrong but now it is stabbings, stalkers and someone getting killed. It feels like Summer Bay is more dangerous than Iraq.

I know some people on here have commented on Twitter to the producers account saying they dont like all the dark storylines and such and I fully agree.

[alexx]

I think the problem with 2010 (or at least from August-onwards) is that after the complaints of lack of humor and warmth, they went way too far in the opposite direction and did a year full of love, romance and comedy. There were a few emotional sub plots and scenes but a lot of it was tedious and as Andrew pointed out, there was a distinct lack of suspense or drama.

I really enjoy dark and gritty drama, but it has to be sandwiched in between very human and lighthearted storyline otherwise it all becomes OTT, meaningless and cold.