Let’s be honest. Home and Away has definitely seen its better days. Although it still wins in Adelaide, Perth and occasionally Brisbane, Sydneysiders and Melbournians have definitely chosen ABC News and ACA above H&A. The show has gone bizarrely downhill in the past 10 years, and could something be done to the show? I don’t know…
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Seems like a lot of crime in such a small beachside town . Always someone breaking out of prison… bit sick of those storylines.
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While Home and Away might have lost viewers across 10 years, that’s hardly surprising given how most TV ratings are across that time. The show does seem to be facing one of its biggest challenges, however this year, but you missed the challenger in your post. ABC News isn’t competition due to its demographics and so far ACA is being beaten in the demographics. This is the first year that The Project at 7pm has beaten the premiere week of Home and Away in key demographics and it has continued into the 2nd week. The dramas only advantage is that it might pick up extra viewers with streaming and consolidated ratings. However, even so, both shows are going well - look at yesterday where both made the top 5 in 16-39.
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The current demise in H&A ratings is not that hard to pin down:-
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- Plots have dragged on far too long - the baby saga must have been almost a real-time gestation, with every second line delivered by the affected characters being “the baby”. eeerrrrrgh!!
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- Now the baby has been born and the mother deceased, presumably it will remain centre stage - probably with a custody battle.
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- Leah and hubby - what a tedious couple. He is as weak as s*it and she is an unreasonable narrow minded cow.
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- Overuse of the soapie staple of half-heard conversations by characters lurking furtively in doorways, and the inability of the mis-heard person to explain themselves properly.
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- Teenage love affairs ad-nausuem. Really, OK occasionally, but who gives a rancid crap?
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- The absolutely ludicrous storylines surrounding our witness protection family has soiled their characters forever.
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- Aerial shots of summer bay hospital (which seems to have no-one really in charge of Doctor sexy and his new competition) look like a major city hospital.
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- Promo’s for major catastrophes, which, when they eventuate, fizzle out to nothing - they can lead viewers up the garden path only so often with a sub-standard result. Eventually we stop walking the path.
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We’ve heard about a major cast cleanout this year. Please accelerate it.
While they are cleaning out the cast, send the writers packing with them and get in a new bunch.
I’m not sure why I occasionally still watch this show, given how it has the potential to irk me so. Must be the car-crash syndrome.
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How diid the fire have anything to do with Billie’s cancer ? Ash said if it wasn’t for John lighting the fire Billie would still be here.
Smoke inhalation?
One of the characters is an ice addict, in a storyline over several months, and there is a dramatic climax tonight, Monday. news.com.au has a story about it and it contains spoilers. 
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This has been a great storyline, it has actually got me back into the show this year.
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Credit to H&A writers for the current drug storyline. It has been done so well and Jackson Heywood has done a great job portraying the ice-addicted Brody. The storyline also showed how anyone could get drawn into using ice, with Brody up until recently being seen as the ‘sensible’ one in the Morgan family
A new family will appear in Home and Away for the first time in 17 years. The Astoni family will be played by Kestie Morassi and Rohan Nichol as mum and dad, and Sophie Dillman and Anna Cocquerel as their daughters.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/new-family-for-long-running-soap-home-and-away-set-to-make-waves-in-summer-bay/news-story/7cdc5ae25c5524dcdc6dfaa75a0bdbf1
###New family finds home while away in Summer Bay
From Tuesday 20 June
The Astoni family sweep into Summer Bay, bringing fun and chaos in equal measure.
Husband and wife, Ben (Rohan Nichol) and Maggie (Kestie Morassi), and their out-of-control teenage daughters, Ziggy (Sophie Dillman) and Coco (Anna Cocquerel) discover Summer Bay during an escape from the hustle and bustle of their home in the city.
Out-of-towners, they each find their own trouble during the pit stop – offset by budding friendship and adventure. Is this the break the Astoni family need to make a new start? Summer Bay may be the perfect antidote for teenage daughters, Ziggy and Coco who are in a downward spiral in their school and personal lives back in the city.
Home and Away Producer, Lucy Addario says: “Like any family, they each have a keenly attuned instinct for riling each other up, but no matter what obstacles are thrown at them, the family know they’ve got each other’s back.
“Ultimately grounded by their fierce familial love, with a healthy dose of playfulness and infectious optimism thrown in the mix, The Astonis settle into the Summer Bay community without incident…almost!”
Coco Astoni (played by Anna Cocquerel)
Coco was bright, funny and charming until she started high school and became the target of a group of ‘mean girls’. Coco withdrew and spent more time online feeding a growing social media addiction. Her spiral into self-doubt was further complicated by quarrels with her older sister Ziggy.
Maggie Astoni (played by Kestie Morassi)
Maggie Astoni is a teacher and soon-to-be principal of Summer Bay High School. She and her husband, Ben, are happily married with two teenage daughters.
Ben Astoni (played by Rohan Nichol)
Ben is a family man, besotted with his wife and a devoted father to Ziggy and Coco. His business in the city is floundering and his kids are going off the rails. Ben is looking for a circuit breaker.
Ziggy Astoni (played by Sophie Dillman)
Ziggy is a feisty and passionate 19-year-old who often feels like the odd one out in her family. She feels driven to rebel and act-out. She’s confident and fierce, but she’s lost in herself.
The Astoni family arrive in Summer Bay on air Tuesday 20th June.
Channel Seven has confirmed that the former Bachelorette and Hell’s Kitchen contestant has landed a role on the long-running Aussie soap, Home and Away.
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Sam Frost said she grew up in Melbourne watching Home and Away and went through the rigorous audition process like everyone else.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/sam-frost-joins-home-and-away-cast-after-the-abrupt-end-to-her-radio-show-im-so-excited/news-story/8faa9c21bfcb5186584854bd516cbf09
From Seven
Australia’s sweetheart joins Seven’s Home and Away
Sam Frost set to shine in Summer Bay
Channel Seven today confirmed television and radio personality SAM FROST will join the cast of its award-winning Australian drama HOME AND AWAY.
With a career now firmly in the spotlight making her one of the most recognisable faces in the country this new role is a dream come true for the 28-year-old.
“Home and Away is a show I grew up watching with my family,” explains Sam. “To become part of this iconic television show is a real honour, I can’t wait to start shooting,” she adds.
On signing Sam to the drama, Julie McGauran, Seven’s Head of Drama said: “Sam exudes a genuine warmth and kindness. Her natural ease in front of the camera makes her a wonderful addition to the Home and Away family.”
It is the second television project in as many months for Sam, the star is also set to also appear in Channel 7’s upcoming celebrity cooking contest HELL’S KITCHEN.
Sam’s first scenes will premiere later this year.
Bachelor, Bachelorette, radio, Home and Away, Hell’s Kitchen - do we have another Eddie Everywhere?
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I think this could be a terrible piece of stunt casting.
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Possible spoiler?
Penrith Press reports a scene for this year’s season finale will be filmed at Penrith in Sydney’s west this Thursday (August 4). Filming at the intersection of Third and Fifth Avenues in Llandilo starts from 1.30pm and will end at 2am this Friday, with the intersection closed for the duration.
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It might be news in Penrith but hardly news anywhere else. The show often films on location around Sydney.
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A few years ago the car crash finale with Nate’s psycho wife was filmed somewhere else around Sydney and the Daily Mail did report on this too
As I said, they constantly film around Sydney so it’s not big news. TV Week (of course) had a story quite recently about scenes filmed on Lane Cove National Park on Sydney’s northern suburbs. It’s normal.
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