Characters you thought were pointless.

[j.laur5]

I know at times you need characters purely for plot driven reasons .
 

But there are times especially in recent years where I think some seemed unnecessary characters that were either drawn out and stayed longer than what was required of them or they were given a big build up for it turn into nothing more than a plot device.

Here's my list. 
 

Martha Stewart-Big build up to her coming back to life after believing she was dead and her being eventually reunited with Alf. Then the storyline with her son. Now she has been off the show for nearly four years and she is only ever mentioned for when Alf or Roo needs to leave town or when Ray or Georgia needs time off. 

Amber Simmons  -Her character first comes to the Bay just to be John's nurse after his stroke and then suddenly it turns out she is another, endless lost soul from Mangrove River. Then we  find out she is a never mentioned before friend of Willow and ex girl friend of Dean and so happens to be a sister of Jai's friend who died  in car crash with Colby and Dean. Then just to  drag out her stay even longer by making her have son called Jai and Dean being dad and  then basically for next few next months she  is basically deciding whether  she should have Dean in her son life or not. When she returns few months later she’s basically just being Dean rebound girl until she realises that Dean doesn’t really love her and leaves  basically month after her return and it just felt like build up to bring her and Dean together was for nothing and  outside off making Dean dad to son he never knew about   the character was pointless character to keep around  other then just coming in to be  John nurse after his stroke and was it even necessary for Dean to be dad to son he never knew  about as we barely even sure Jai after he left in 2021 with Amber and Jai   was barley even mentioned all that much and most of all was it really necessary for her to be  Jai sister as just felt like writers just wanted to have other reason to create drama between her and Colby and Dean. 
 

Taylor Rosetta -Her character was basically just around for other reason to create more reason for Colby to become more reckless  in  his battle with Angelo and I really think had Taylor never be created as character then Colby wouldn’t off become as reckless as he did and when storyline was finished it felt very forced that Taylor all sudden felt back in love Angelo and patched things up to leave together as it’s shame because I think Taylor could had potential to stuck around in bay .

Gemma Parata - I really like her character and like waste potential for her just to sick around for few moths and she was meant to only go for while and she never return and felt pointless in end to build up her character just for her not to be there for very long. 
 

Mia and Chloe-Wasn’t sure to include them or not but did feel both characters didn’t really fit in and not bought much to show other then being somehow being extended family to Paratas family . 
 

Xander Delaney -His character started out with promise but he gave up his career to work at salt his character become such background figure and he left show with barely anyone notching he was gone. 
 

Now whats you thoughts on characters you thought that  seemed pointless or did not feel as necessary as they made out they were ?.  

[pembie]

I think Tane is pretty pointless or very much run out of interest for him without his family around 

Mali I don’t really have much or anything to say about him his ruined Abby pretty much as well

Alf he really doesn’t have much character to him these days nor does Leah I feel like John is better than Alf

Pretty much nearly every character haha oh  and Theo he just seems to swap personality depending on the story 

Edited June 6 by pembie

[adam436]

Matt Wilson - he worked fine as a recurring two-dimensional boyfriend for Carly in 1988, but served little purpose as a regular. The early 20s male was definitely in oversupply during Matt's regular tenure with the likes of Lance, Martin, Adam, Grant, Ben and Nick that didn't it feel like was really needed to make up numbers either.

Denny Miller - the Maguire family didn't really need expanding and her romance with Casey wasn't exactly unique either. The writers clearly saw her as disposable when it came to her exit too. 

I think most characters have served some purpose at some point - whether that be through work, part of a family unit etc. - even if they stayed long after that purpose has been served.

 

[Homeandawayfan.]

Deffo Matt Wilson, but I guess he was just underused and maybe just seen as a supporting character or glorified extra. 

Joey Rainbow, sorry to any Joey fans. 

 

[Revealed]

There's a lot and the difficulty in answering the question is many pointless characters are long forgotten. Fortunately Wikipedia has a list of all the past characters so I've gone through this, the present characters still have the opportunity to prove their worth:

Judith Ackroyd - her son was really the focus and don't remember an awful lot about her

Charlotte Adams - speculating here because her brief time on the show when I wasn't watching because I couldn't get Channel 5 so never saw an episode with her in it. I could however tie up the show before and after my hiatus without her featuring

Brad Armstrong - just remember him being a young headmaster

Rachel Armstrong - not attractive enough and came at a time where we needed someone especially hot to fill the void of Rebecca Cartwright

Maggie Astoni - not only did we never see her in a bikini but she always dressed in trousers or long skirts. Complete waste.

Gina Austin - an extension from the dreary Holden family was not welcome

Xavier Austin - as above

Josh Barrett - just Casey Braxton part 2 really

Logan Bennett - forget he was ever on the show and it wasn't that long ago

Annie Campbell - too young when she was on the show. She grew up to be hot, that's when she should of been on.

Geoff Campbell - just remember Aden calling him bible boy but they could of easily been the same person

Lucinda Croft - this ones borderline. We never saw her in a bikini and she wore trousers a lot, though she did occasionally wear something more appropriate. Immediately upstaged by her replacement Roxy who appeared on the credits in a bikini

Drew Curtis - just remember he had curly hair and a hot mother

Lynn Davenport - too young

Xander Delaney - simply the man who worked at Salt

Jai Fernandez - only remember he was fostered by Miles

Simon Fitzgerald - a clone of the equally pointless Haydn

James Fraser - seem to recall watching a repeat just a couple of years later and had already forgotten who he was

Christian Green - did nothing

Brodie Hanson - not attractive enough

Spencer Harrington -  arrived with Maddie, had a more memorable brother called Chris but can't remember anything about the character himself

Jack Holden - part of the pointless Holden family, remember his wives and his more memorable police colleague who killed him but that's about it

Lucas Holden - remember him being a clone of the equally forgettable Henry Hunter

Tony Holden - on it for a long time and amongst the dullest characters

Beth Hunter - too ugly

Henry Hunter - even Wikipedia says nothing about him

Aden Jefferies - just remember him calling Geoff bible boy but they could of easily been the same person

Hunter King - quickly forgotten

Oscar MacGuire - nerd who gets the bird, but that's all I remember. Edit: no that was Dexter

Zac MacGuire - remember branding him pointless as soon as he joined

Seb Miller - just there to make up the numbers after Duncan left

Brody Morgan - just the guy from Salt who went of the rails a couple of times

Mason Morgan - I'm learning I don't like families that have more male than female characters

Tom Nash - they should have given Gypsy a sister instead

Matt Page - think he was like Theo, but not sure

Nikau Parata - seems there's a reason they used to ship out the school kids once they'd left school

Joey Rainbow - don't know why he outlasted the other similar aged characters who arrived at a similar time

Haydn Ross - he did work better as a guest character later

Colleen Smart - just there to work in the diner and be irritating

Max Sutherland - seemed pointless bringing in a little kid to an already large enough family

Liam Tanner - he had long hair, that's all I remember

Dexter Walker - nerd who gets the bird

Aaron Welles - remember him existing, don't remember anything he did and Wikipedia has nothing on him

Matt Wilson - somehow doesn't seem as pointless as some I've listed but he's got to be included

 

[j.laur5]

7 minutes ago, Revealed said:

There's a lot and the difficulty in answering the question is many pointless characters are long forgotten. Fortunately Wikipedia has a list of all the past characters so I've gone through this, the present characters still have the opportunity to prove their worth:

Judith Ackroyd - her son was really the focus and don't remember an awful lot about her

Charlotte Adams - speculating here because her brief time on the show when I wasn't watching because I couldn't get Channel 5 so never saw an episode with her in it. I could however tie up the show before and after my hiatus without her featuring

Brad Armstrong - just remember him being a young headmaster

Rachel Armstrong - not attractive enough and came at a time where we needed someone especially hot to fill the void of Rebecca Cartwright

Maggie Astoni - not only did we never see her in a bikini but she always dressed in trousers or long skirts. Complete waste.

Gina Austin - an extension from the dreary Holden family was not welcome

Xavier Austin - as above

Josh Barrett - just Casey Braxton part 2 really

Logan Bennett - forget he was ever on the show and it wasn't that long ago

Annie Campbell - too young when she was on the show. She grew up to be hot, that's when she should of been on.

Geoff Campbell - just remember Aden calling him bible boy but they could of easily been the same person

Lucinda Croft - this ones borderline. We never saw her in a bikini and she wore trousers a lot, though she did occasionally wear something more appropriate. Immediately upstaged by her replacement Roxy who appeared on the credits in a bikini

Drew Curtis - just remember he had curly hair and a hot mother

Lynn Davenport - too young

Xander Delaney - simply the man who worked at Salt

Jai Fernandez - only remember he was fostered by Miles

Simon Fitzgerald - a clone of the equally pointless Haydn

James Fraser - seem to recall watching a repeat just a couple of years later and had already forgotten who he was

Christian Green - did nothing

Brodie Hanson - not attractive enough

Spencer Harrington -  arrived with Maddie, had a more memorable brother called Chris but can't remember anything about the character himself

Jack Holden - part of the pointless Holden family, remember his wives and his more memorable police colleague who killed him but that's about it

Lucas Holden - remember him being a clone of the equally forgettable Henry Hunter

Tony Holden - on it for a long time and amongst the dullest characters

Beth Hunter - too ugly

Henry Hunter - even Wikipedia says nothing about him

Aden Jefferies - just remember him calling Geoff bible boy but they could of easily been the same person

Hunter King - quickly forgotten

Oscar MacGuire - nerd who gets the bird, but that's all I remember. Edit: no that was Dexter

Zac MacGuire - remember branding him pointless as soon as he joined

Seb Miller - just there to make up the numbers after Duncan left

Brody Morgan - just the guy from Salt who went of the rails a couple of times

Mason Morgan - I'm learning I don't like families that have more male than female characters

Tom Nash - they should have given Gypsy a sister instead

Matt Page - think he was like Theo, but not sure

Nikau Parata - seems there's a reason they used to ship out the school kids once they'd left school

Joey Rainbow - don't know why he outlasted the other similar aged characters who arrived at a similar time

Haydn Ross - he did work better as a guest character later

Colleen Smart - just there to work in the diner and be irritating

Max Sutherland - seemed pointless bringing in a little kid to an already large enough family

Liam Tanner - he had long hair, that's all I remember

Dexter Walker - nerd who gets the bird

Aaron Welles - remember him existing, don't remember anything he did and Wikipedia has nothing on him

Matt Wilson - somehow doesn't seem as pointless as some I've listed but he's got to be included

 

Almost mentioned every past character haha .

[c120701]

I think for me there’s been a lot more of them in the last 15 years or so, I think what doesn’t help is their replacements aren’t always a million miles away from them or they were quite isolated from the wider Bay community.

I saw a clip of Willow’s departure the other day and Alf was saying how much the Bay would miss her, and I really don’t think they have.

[adam436]

@Revealed I'm not sure not being attractive enough or not liking the character is reason why they are "pointless". Some characters I actively disliked, but I still see the purpose they served. Brodie Hanson, for example. I couldn't stand the character, but she did serve a purpose as the "voice of reason" etc, and had a love interest. I agree with others being dull (i.e. the Holdens), but again they served a purpose. 

Judith Ackroyd is an interesting one - I remember liking her at the time, but she was secondary to Edward's story arc and even her role as principal wasn't neccesary, since Donald was still around at that point and could have continuned in that role. She could have easily been written out with Edward and Peta to be honest. She just floated around doing very little after Edward other than a romance with Joel (which was essentially just to give two characters at a loose end something to do until their exits), so she was definitely pointless in her last 6 months or so. 

For me, pointless means they just hang around and don't add anything to the show (i.e. Matt Wilson, Simon Fitzgerald). Even some of the borderline characters like Colleen, Floss and Neville were created for comic relief purposes. I found their comedy stuff irritating and eye-rolling, but that was their purpose. Likewise, some of the "nerds" filled a character type and were part of the central teen gang, family unit or part of a central family unit. 

 

3 hours ago, c120701 said:

I think for me there’s been a lot more of them in the last 15 years or so, I think what doesn’t help is their replacements aren’t always a million miles away from them or they were quite isolated from the wider Bay community.

Yes, all the characters seem to be cookie-cutter characters these days. When one leaves, we pretty much get another one to slot straight in - Abi/Flick, Mali/Dean. There are certainly more pointless characters these days, mostly because the majority of the cast a similar age and therefore all serve a similar purpose. 

3 hours ago, c120701 said:

I saw a clip of Willow’s departure the other day and Alf was saying how much the Bay would miss her, and I really don’t think they have.

Sadly, I agree. She was one of my favourite characters at the time, especially after the Alex story and doing the right thing in Colby's trial, so I was really sad to see her go. I'm not now wishing she would come back or that she didn't leave though. 

[pembie]

Matt Page he didn’t really do anything for me I thought he was boring not as boring as Mali though 

I find Alf quite pointless these days 

[j.laur5]

On 21/07/2025 at 06:33, adam436 said:

@Revealed I'm not sure not being attractive enough or not liking the character is reason why they are "pointless". Some characters I actively disliked, but I still see the purpose they served. Brodie Hanson, for example. I couldn't stand the character, but she did serve a purpose as the "voice of reason" etc, and had a love interest. I agree with others being dull (i.e. the Holdens), but again they served a purpose. 

Judith Ackroyd is an interesting one - I remember liking her at the time, but she was secondary to Edward's story arc and even her role as principal wasn't neccesary, since Donald was still around at that point and could have continuned in that role. She could have easily been written out with Edward and Peta to be honest. She just floated around doing very little after Edward other than a romance with Joel (which was essentially just to give two characters at a loose end something to do until their exits), so she was definitely pointless in her last 6 months or so. 

For me, pointless means they just hang around and don't add anything to the show (i.e. Matt Wilson, Simon Fitzgerald). Even some of the borderline characters like Colleen, Floss and Neville were created for comic relief purposes. I found their comedy stuff irritating and eye-rolling, but that was their purpose. Likewise, some of the "nerds" filled a character type and were part of the central teen gang, family unit or part of a central family unit. 

 

Yes, all the characters seem to be cookie-cutter characters these days. When one leaves, we pretty much get another one to slot straight in - Abi/Flick, Mali/Dean. There are certainly more pointless characters these days, mostly because the majority of the cast a similar age and therefore all serve a similar purpose. 

Sadly, I agree. She was one of my favourite characters at the time, especially after the Alex story and doing the right thing in Colby's trial, so I was really sad to see her go. I'm not now wishing she would come back or that she didn't leave though. 

I liked Judith but think once Edward was gone and having no other kids, Donald could return as principal and her character no longer had any purpose. If Donald was no longer around, then I could see Judith staying longer as she would have more purpose with being the school principal.

If Judith had more kids, then definitely, she would have more reason to keep her around.  
 

I think the main reason why Willow turned on Colby was because she realised he was going down either way. If things kept going Colby was not only going to bring Dean down with him but possibly herself and maybe even Bella and Chelsea. 
 

I do think Willow didn’t want to stay living in Summer Bay after everything that happened and she only wanted  to come back to try and get back on an even level with Dean and Bella. While she did get them to understand why she did what she had to do but I do think deep down Willow knew things would be never quite same again and so she thought it  best to distance herself.