Does the show need an injection of life, if so, then what?

[JamesC10]

I don’t miss Irene at all and I was a huge fan of her. 

[Revealed]

He definitely had hearing issues, I've been watching episodes recently where this was happening. Aside from that I don't remember the specifics but I do remember he seemed to be in hospital a lot when he was a kid.

[Red Ranger 1]

Like I said, the hearing issues disappeared back when he was a baby, over a decade before the last recast. I guess most characters end up in hospital a lot one way or another!

[Light of the Bay]

Thank you to those who provided additional information Ailsa’s mentions, interesting that she was mentioned as late as 2018. 
 

James, or anyone - do you think Bevan Lee would ever have another shot as showrunner? 2008 was a good year overall, there was a nice balance between the past and looking towards the future. 
 

Also, as I haven’t seen Irene’s farewell episodes, can anyone tell me who was seen in the flashbacks? Did they use Bobby’s theme at all? I think it was Sally’s farewell in 2008 that was last used.

 

Thanks!

[adam436]

11 hours ago, Light of the Bay said:

James, or anyone - do you think Bevan Lee would ever have another shot as showrunner? 

I would say no, since looking at his IMDB, he hasn't done anything since 2021, and prior to that, he had a couple of flops like Between Two Worlds and the Packed to the Rafters sequel. He might have just made the consicous decision to retire though. 

 

11 hours ago, Light of the Bay said:

2008 was a good year overall, there was a nice balance between the past and looking towards the future. 

I haven't watched that year, but after Sally's exit earlier in the year, was there much of the past? I know we had Kirsty and Kane back, but they were from the relatively recent past. 

It's interesting to see where different people draw the line with the "early years". For me, it ended with 2000 with the new credits/theme music, the end of the Bayside Diner and the massive cast turnover, while others see it as stretching right out to Sally's exit. I've also seen some say it ended in 2004 as Sally came full-circle by becoming foster mum and 2005 onwards took on a darker tone and ramped-up OTT drama. There might even be people who see the arrival of the Braxtons as the line in the sand too? 

On the subject of missing long-term favourites - did the show actively try to make us not miss those long-term favourites in the early years? For example, Ailsa's absence would have left a bigger hole in the show if we still had the Bayside Diner and Stewart house, whereas we never really saw her in the new Diner (even though she died there!) so the show was able to pretty much move on immediately. With Donald, there was so much drama going on at Summer Bay High with Angie Russell in the episodes after he left we didn't have the space to miss Donald in the school sitting, rather than it just going to "business as usual" with a new principal like Barry Hyde (who in some ways, was surely modelled on early Donald right down to the strained relationship with his son!). If Barry Hyde had arrived immediately, Fisher's absence would have absolutely have been more felt than it was. In Pippa's case, we had Travis and Rebecca - two existing and much-loved characters - take over Summer Bay House and the exisiting the foster kids, rather than ripping the bandaid off straight away with a new family in Pippa's domain. I can't comment on how Sally's exit was handled since I've not seen those years, but I've read Miles was created to continue Sally's legacy or something along those lines, so maybe that was a similar tactic there?

[Dan F]

53 minutes ago, adam436 said:

He might have just made the consicous decision to retire though. 

Yes, Bevan's very happily retired now after 40yrs in the biz.

[Jamie!]

4 hours ago, adam436 said:

I would say no, since looking at his IMDB, he hasn't done anything since 2021, and prior to that, he had a couple of flops like Between Two Worlds and the Packed to the Rafters sequel. He might have just made the consicous decision to retire though. 

 

I haven't watched that year, but after Sally's exit earlier in the year, was there much of the past? I know we had Kirsty and Kane back, but they were from the relatively recent past. 

It's interesting to see where different people draw the line with the "early years". For me, it ended with 2000 with the new credits/theme music, the end of the Bayside Diner and the massive cast turnover, while others see it as stretching right out to Sally's exit. I've also seen some say it ended in 2004 as Sally came full-circle by becoming foster mum and 2005 onwards took on a darker tone and ramped-up OTT drama. There might even be people who see the arrival of the Braxtons as the line in the sand too? 

On the subject of missing long-term favourites - did the show actively try to make us not miss those long-term favourites in the early years? For example, Ailsa's absence would have left a bigger hole in the show if we still had the Bayside Diner and Stewart house, whereas we never really saw her in the new Diner (even though she died there!) so the show was able to pretty much move on immediately. With Donald, there was so much drama going on at Summer Bay High with Angie Russell in the episodes after he left we didn't have the space to miss Donald in the school sitting, rather than it just going to "business as usual" with a new principal like Barry Hyde (who in some ways, was surely modelled on early Donald right down to the strained relationship with his son!). If Barry Hyde had arrived immediately, Fisher's absence would have absolutely have been more felt than it was. In Pippa's case, we had Travis and Rebecca - two existing and much-loved characters - take over Summer Bay House and the exisiting the foster kids, rather than ripping the bandaid off straight away with a new family in Pippa's domain. I can't comment on how Sally's exit was handled since I've not seen those years, but I've read Miles was created to continue Sally's legacy or something along those lines, so maybe that was a similar tactic there?

For me, there are three times/moments when the show could be considered to have changed its feel:

- In 2000 after Sally's non-wedding and having lots of previous characters returning for it and then the Fletcher family, (minus Lynn), leaving Summer Bay House.

- The season finale of 2004, where everything ended on a very happy note and the episode was purely character driven, before the 2005 season started with it being noticeably darker and more dramatic.

- Sally leaving in 2008.

As well as the above, the River Boys arriving in 2011 started the endless cycle of "the bad boys are the main, most important characters in the show, and we're now deciding that this is where the show starts and we forget about everything that happened beforehand, and if you don't like that, then that's just too bad".

[Revealed]

The obvious distinction for me is ITV era is early years and Channel 5 the newer era. The grey area is that it was on ITV for 12 years and Channel 5 for 26 years and counting. If we draw a line halfway I do think call the 19th year of a show the early years is taking it a bit far.

If you're under 40 then you wouldn't remember the show beginning in 1988 like I do so your idea of what's the early years could differ.

I don't think there's really been a landmark moment that's taken us from one era to another. When Bobby died in 1993 the show was only 5 years old but Big Alf, Ailsa, Fisher and Sally were the only originals left (yes there was Pippa but it was a different actress who never felt like the same character). I remember noticing how different it had become around this time.