Home› Soaps
Click here to check out Digital Spy's Soaps section for the latest breaking news and spoilers.

I'm astonished by the improvement of quality of Neighbours

camy934camy934 Posts: 1,821
Forum Member
✭✭✭
in Soaps #1
I stopped watching during the utterly abysmal Bower years. However, I have recently got back into watching the show. The show is back to the balanced, all-ages show I remember and it's like the awful Bower has been erased from memory. Jason Herbison has truly being a god send for the show.

Comments

  • DeschanelDeschanel Posts: 8,740
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #2
    It's a shame you didn't start watching sooner, like last year. 2014 is when the renaissance really kicked in. It certainly has found its heart, again.

    It still goes through low periods, like right now, but these periods are way better than anything during the Bower era. Now, when the show slows down and there's a few dud, boring storylines in play (Josh/Amber/Daniel; the car racket plot), there will be other aspects of the show to enjoy, like Amy's arrival; Paul and Naomi; and aspects of the Terese/Brad/Lauren triangle are good.

    I don't think it's perfect, but it certainly has fought to come back from the damage inflicted by Susan Bower. That has to be commended.
  • CreamteaCreamtea Posts: 14,682
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #3
    It's not great at the moment. I too stopped watching during the dreaded Bower years. That woman really did her level best to destroy Neighbours. As someone else said it was better last year. If you don't like the character of Paige then you're basically f*cked. She's like a one woman Neighbours Carter!!!! :D
  • baisbaisbaisbais Posts: 3,852
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #4
    If you like it now, wait til they get out of the current dip!

    I think all fans are united in loathing the Bower years. She was so terrible for the show, and it's been much better since. The damage is done, with ratings, in Aus - but thankfully its international market meant it kept going.
  • camy934camy934 Posts: 1,821
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #5
    I know the channel plays a part in Australia. However, the ratings for the show in AUS are ridiculous. I watched Home and Away recently and was appalled and the dross that they are churning out, yet they get 700,000-900,000 consistently whereas Neighbours is lucky to get above 300,000.
  • Danny_FrancisDanny_Francis Posts: 5,656
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #6
    Unfortunately I find Neighbours too lightweight and lacking of cutting edge for me to get into its a shame because there are some decent characters in there but I just can't get into as much as the other soaps I watch. For all its flaws, I think i'll always prefer Home and Away over Neighbours.
  • Scorpio2Scorpio2 Posts: 5,632
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #7
    It's a much better show than Home and away that's for sure.
  • Sez_babeSez_babe Posts: 133,998
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    I really like Neighbours and have also been impressed with the quality over the past year or so.

    For me though, it is never going to have the grittiness that other soaps have. It doesn't say certain words for starters and only implies certain things. I know that's due to the network, but still...
  • emilybemilyb Posts: 855
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #9
    Sez_babe wrote: »
    I really like Neighbours and have also been impressed with the quality over the past year or so.

    For me though, it is never going to have the grittiness that other soaps have. It doesn't say certain words for starters and only implies certain things. I know that's due to the network, but still...

    I haven't watched it for years, do they still say "rack off!"? That always made me chuckle :-)
  • Rob1985Rob1985 Posts: 5,193
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #10
    It's dull at the moment.
  • DeschanelDeschanel Posts: 8,740
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #11
    emilyb wrote: »
    I haven't watched it for years, do they still say "rack off!"? That always made me chuckle :-)
    I don't think I've heard that for ages.
    Rob1985 wrote: »
    It's dull at the moment.
    Yeah it is a bit dull, but we should remember it has been worse, but it also could be better as demonstrated last year. LOL
  • Dr K NoisewaterDr K Noisewater Posts: 11,586
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #12
    I gave up watching late 2009/early 2010 and only back into it in 2013 and I could see a vast improvement straight away. The show is in much better shape now than when Bower was in charge, there's a real mix of characters and storylines now whereas before it was all about the tedious little dramas of the unlikable teens with the older characters nothing more than extras. Jason Herbison has done wonders for the show.
  • camy934camy934 Posts: 1,821
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #13
    I would much rather have as it is now compared to how it used to be. I remember the Bridget and Declan Wedding episode, that was the stuff of nightmares :o:o
  • starry_runestarry_rune Posts: 9,006
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #14
    I'm watching most episodes of Neighbours at the moment which is more than I could say during 2009 - 2012. The show has vastly improved, its comedy is back, it has a good mixed cast, some good ideas, and something has been salvaged from the wreck.

    however, its still lacking a lot. The pacing is iffy, good stories wrap up so quickly, while far too much emphasis is put on the dreadful Amber / Daniel / Josh snoozefests. The budget cuts are extremely restrictive. They can't go further than Grease Monkeys. We don't know much about some of the characters. What does Terese do in her spare time? Does she have any friends? Theres very little in the way of character building, each scene serves only to move a plot along, or antagonise Josh / Amber / Daniel further. Its hard to invest in Brad and Terese as they don't do much as a couple other than argue about each other and worry about the kids.

    Theres too many romances and the big chain of Naomi / Mark / Paul / Tyler / Imogen / Daniel / Amber etc its hard to invest in any of them. They could do with maybe just a few more cast members too, including a mrs Mangle type.

    camy934 wrote: »
    I would much rather have as it is now compared to how it used to be. I remember the Bridget and Declan Wedding episode, that was the stuff of nightmares :o:o

    Remember when Bridget died and "went to the light" in that odd dream sequence :D
  • camy934camy934 Posts: 1,821
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #15
    starry_rune wrote: »
    Remember when Bridget died and "went to the light" in that odd dream sequence :D

    Don't remind me. I'd wiped that from my memory :o:o :D:D
  • Towie1977Towie1977 Posts: 668
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #16
    The return to form happened in 2013 - go back and watch the return of Sarah Beaumont through to the eclipse for some of the best Neighbours ever. Since then the quality has been up and down but still its better than Bower. The main lowlights are some love triangle stories that won't die - first it was the turgid Kate, Kyle and Georgia saga and now it's Amber, Daniel and Josh. If you ripped all these characters out of the last 2 years it would be better for it. There's also the habit of turning at least one good female into a banshee - last year it was Imogen and now it's Paige. If you can ignore these shortcomings you will find a great show.
Sign In or Register to comment.