The storyline appears to show that Mel was struggling being a stepmother, but prior to the finale she adored Nell and Hugo. They must feel the same because they’re plotting her return.
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🚨 Exciting news 🚨 Shazza's back! Jessica Muschamp will be reprising her iconic role of Sharon Davies for a guest stint, but what's led her back to Ramsay Street? pic.twitter.com/DttGCrS6To
— Neighbours (@neighbours) October 3, 2023
I never watched neighbours except for a brief period in around 2003 or something. But I’ve watched the new ones so far. Not exactly sure why but a fresh start helps as you can just jump in without needing to know anything. Guy Pearce doesn’t hurt.
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A lot of people say Neighbours really went downhill when it moved to Eleven in 2011, however many forget to note that during this same time, a lot of the cast from the few years prior (or in some cases 6 years) were let go or decided to leave and storylines rushed for an exit.
These included James Sorensen/Erin Mullally, Sam Clark, Carla Bonner, Margot Robbie, Matthew Werkmeister, Jane Hall, Janet Andrewartha and Kym Valentine, six of these weeks apart!
Along with Pippa Black, Brett Tucker, Steve Bastoni, Nikki Coghill, Eloise Mignon, Fletcher O’Leary and Caitlin Stasey in 2009, all the aforementioned were crucial characters developed from 2005 - 2009, especially across 2007 and 2008, particularly those ‘high school’ aged characters.
I’m sorry, but the new characters they brought in as replacements including: Kyle (con’t from 2008), Kate/Harry/Sophie (con’t from 2009), Sonya (con’t from 2009), Andrew (con’t from 2009 finale), Chris, Summer (returning - but new actress Jordy Lucas), Natasha, Vanessa, Jade, Ajay, Priya and Rani just did not cut it at all.
A lot of people have agreed/mentioned this online in YT clips and forums too.
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The constantly has cast members come and go. Maybe you have fond memories from that particular time but it’s really not that different to any other era on the show.
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No, no other era has dumped that much cast in such a short period of time, especially within weeks apart, as well as of a similar age group. If you go back and read my comment, slowly…
If I remember correctly Brett Tucker left because he got his green card to work in the US and has had good success there. I think the planned storyline with Libby and the Baby drama was rushed because of it. Had he not left, i think that storyline would have been developed more fully (the surragacy). As for Kym Valentine had no choice but to leave given her situation legally with FremantleMedia (I can’t comment on what it was about). But her final appearance was in 2013?
Don’t think there was any conspiracy in regards to those actors, most chose to leave, while the Parkers were just basically axed after Eloise decided to go back to uni. (Hence killing her off was probably the best way to get rid of them.)
I felt Jane the character was just randomly pushed out though, her leaving was sudden and random and because of her family leaving before the revamp, she was quite lost without her family to bounce off. Instead, she got stuck with the boring Ned and Parkers.
I think Neighbours hit its stride in 2010, 2009, and parts of 2008 were shit. I think the only good redeeming qualities of 2009 were the introduction of the Ramsay Kids and the collapse of Libby and Dan’s marriage which lead to Dan and Steph’ss night together and bought the Bitch Fest of 2010 and Ringo’s death.
Susan Bower really fucked up the show around this time.
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Yeah not the greatest era, apart from the characters introduced and some storylines in 2008, though the earlier months were still Ric Pelizzeri and then co-credited for some further months with Bower.
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IMO, they didn’t script/forward schedule all that well into 2011, all that cast that left by March, should’ve had their final scenes in the final weeks of 2010, as it just made the storylines jumbled, not to mention a lot of them featured in that ‘Four Seasons In One Day’ first ever “Eleven” Neighbours teaser/promo.
As for the couple who left a bit later, such as Valentine (IIRC late May or June), that could’ve been brought forward to around Feb or March, with a stornger story arc, to send a proper farewell but send out on a high.
Valentine had had another health incident in late 2010 IIRC, so went MIA for weeks of eps (no filming), hence start of 2011 season, then returned, but then her contract wasn’t renewed and then vanished again.
And yes a guest return in 2013 or 2014, but then that Infamous Fremantle legal drama and that was the end. Sadly.
I wasn’t a big fan of anything, but the only family I remember leaving were Willis Family (couple played by Terence Donovan and Sue Jones).
Obviously over time there have been new characters and departures but that’s the main departure I remember.
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Rachel and Zeke Kinski (Caitlin Stasey and Matthew Werkmeister).
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The Martin family leaving in 1999 and the Scully’s arriving literally moments later is one that stands out too, all significant characters, the latter would have one (“Steph” - Carla Bonner) become a central star and spend the next 11 years on Ramsay St, making a 360 degree return in 2013 and a softer yet still different character rejoining the regular cast for a few years from 2015.
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That was when I lost interest in Neighbours but I have sofar enjoy the refresh(apart from the First Episode back)
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Watermark promoting neighbours changing to 4:00 instead of 4:30 wonder why
Ratings, obviously. The Bold and the Beautiful has been rating beeter at 4pm than Neighbours at 4.30pm.
As of Monday (9 October)?
The ratings/rankings we’ve seen here on a daily basis show how much better Bold and the Beautiful is getting at 4pm, and a drop in Neighbours at 4.30pm, and then an increase at 5pm for the news. I dont blame 10 for doing this.
They should’ve just gone back to the 10Peach 6:30 airing as the main one for the day then encore the next day on main channel.
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It could be contractually required to air first on 10.
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What a mess. Probably better like this though for B&B being 4:30 consistently again.
The other thing to consider is that people can also watch the show on Amazon Prime with no ads and no intrusive on-screen advertising for 10’s other shows. I’ve given up watching on 10, mainly because of the giant full coloured ads for Amazing Race etc that stay on the screen for the whole show.
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