It was episode 4000, ten years ago last week! One of my favourite episodes

I agree. Phoebe, Nate and the new VJ are a lot worse in my opinion.

10 years ago? This makes me feel really old now because I can still remember the episode very well.

VJ went from being an ordinary looking 14 year old to someone who looked like being in their mid to late twenties. Seriously, H&A producers are so obsessed with everything Braxton that they didn't stop and think that the actor playing him looked ridiculous, but seemed to only focus on the fact that he was related to Dan Ewing. Who cares about continuity, right?

I really like Maddie but I agree with Phoebe, she is dreadful. It needs a new family I think, I'd ditch Lea, Palmer and Maz, Phoebe of course and bring in some new blood.

Yeah it killed Neighbors for me as I think the new cast were and are awful and haven't watched it since, so it didn't really work for me.

You're missing out, Neighbours is on top form at the moment.

I agree - Its been brilliant lately.

BIB: I disagree - older characters are needed to balance out all the teen dramas which can get very boring. The stuff about Evelyn trying to get Maddie and Matt together is a case in point and Evelyn's an interfering little madam.

I wouldn't say top form but it's far better than H&A. It goes through stages of being excellent but it's in a little slump right how whereas H&A has sadly been stuck in s 4 year slump.

That was the risk they took and it lost me as a viewer too. I think having too many characters come in at once is always a mistake. I think 3 is probably the most at any one time. I think a new family maybe like the Nashes should be brought in. Although as always (in every soap) with new character married couples it would end up with an affair somewhere along the line.

I want another Shelley or Beth and another Tony. I'd like Tony to come back really although he's not really got any ties to the bay any more (maybe John at a push).

They need the Principal to be someone over 40 at least.

Crikey, I'd say Neighbours is in just a bad a form as Home and Away, it's ratings are also plunging in Oz.

All mind-numblingly boring love triangles (that last for years) and self-indulgent teenagers whining about whoever they happen to 'love' that week.

And of course, the person they happen to love is always, without fail, the worst possible person they could consider.

It's like Australian soaps are now completely written for the 12 year old Twilighters.

Possibly by them too.

Agree about Phoebe, she can suck on Ash and ride off into the sunset for all I care. But you really want the show to get rid of 3 of the longest serving and best cast members? Why? They're brilliant and they've thrived on the stuff that they've been given so far this year, one of the few good points of this show at this stage of the year.

If you axe Leah and Maz, you might as well pull the plug on the whole show. One of the reasons why Home and Away is in such a mess is because it spent years revolving around a single character who then left when their contract was up. Producers of all soaps should cherish long-term players and make them the stars of the show - they will still be there when all the muscle bound hunks and blonde bombshells have gone to try their luck in Hollywood.

No way! I knew the recast was bad but I had no idea he was supposed to be 14!

It's laughable really and explains why he is so annoying. The character is written as a stroppy teenager but the words are coming out of the body of a 25 year old man.

Is Jett leaving? That's a real shame - I thought he was in it for the long haul and he is one of the few decent actors and sympathetic, likeable characters they have got among the teens.

Keep: Kyle, Phoebe, Nate, Leah, VJ, Marilyn, John, Roo, Alf, Irene, Kat

Ditch: Maddy, Evelyn, Josh, Andy, Hannah, Denny, Oscar, Ash

Undecided: Ricky, Chris, Matt, Zac

I know people hate Phoebe here, but from what I've seen of her, I quite like her. I just think she, along with Nate and Kat need some personality injected into them. I like Kyle. I wouldn't recast VJ, b/c the damage has been done (despite the fact I think he should have been cast as a relative of Vinnie's).

I quite like Ricky, but I'm not sure if she would work long term without Brax and all that angst. Chris, Matt and Zac I'm unsure about, too. Although, I think I'd be open to keeping Chris around for comedy, and Zac, too, but only if he had a decent direction.

Everyone else I think are obvious choices to get rid of, as they don't really bring much to the show, or are vapid, dull or just awful. I did think about keeping Hannah and Oscar around and injecting some personality into them, but then I figure there's not much point really.

People have already made some great suggestions, like bringing in a new family, reintroducing fostering for Marilyn, John and Roo; bring back Finlay, Damien or Nick for Irene; Duncan also needs to make a comeback for Alf, along with Morag.

Basically, less crime, more warmth.

I'd love to see Jesse come back, b/c they really did a number on him in his last stint - he and Chloe should have left together, but they chose the awful character destroying drink driving plot. I think a good rehabilitation story would be great, and they could bring in his daughter, Rachel, too. Would it be realistic for him to get out of prison after serving ten years?

You see this is where the problem arises. Everyone disagrees. Even the most hated ones have fans. Phoebe and Maddy are top of my list. I'd keep five off your ditch list and get rid of three, maybe four on your keep list (the maybe being Kat to see how she develops). I'd definitely want to keep all of your undecided.

I would keep Maddy too. Yes, she is a brat. However, I find her interesting as a character and found the cancer story good to watch. I agree with your point though. Everyone will have different opinions on characters they like/dislike. I do not think anyone will like the same characters. I am not a fan of Phoebe, Nate and the new VJ. However, I am sure they have some fans.

Sorry, I meant Maddy and Phoebe were top of my list to go.

I don't mind the new VJ but I hope it was the former VJ's choice to leave.

Has anybody seen the new promo Channel 7 are running? Roo's got a new fella. Also there is a clip of Marilyn with Ed Sheeran and the caption is "new beginnings"

I'll try to explain, I think Maz and Palmer are just going over the same ground, not so much now they were always splitting up, getting back together, some of the story-lines were dull, dull dull for me and I dunno I just think they are not suited too well. Anyway I'm not interested it what happens to them anymore if I'm honest, but I did used to love Maz so maybe its Palmer and her that I'm more against, he was better with Gina.

Lea when she went out of it I didn't miss her at all, again nothing more you can do with a character. I guess I think differently from you guys, I'm more for getting rid of old characters (not them all but the odd one), I'm the same with Corrie, some of them they've had they're shelf-life, move them out ship in more interesting characters.

Home and Away massively struggled with the loss of the Walker family I feel, they all were well written characters and that cop they got in when someone was murdered a few years ago, this is when Home and Away was at its peak. Maybe the reason it keeps going away from weeks will not help its viewing figures, last time it was a month, there must be so many people who give up on it with its huge break, no other soap needs breaks so why does it feel the need.

In my opinion though its still miles more watchable that Neighbors, which suffers from having to write story-lines based on a culdesac, blimey that much be hard to do and the show suffers. Some of the actors with the Willis and Lou's daughters family too were the reasons I gave up, just couldn't warm to them.

Did kyle leave and we got stuck with phoebe. Ricky said hes left for good. Anyone know if he comes back

Yes I've been converted into into Neighbours of late never thought I'd say that. I'll always have a place for Home and Away though I think.

No. Where are UK viewers able to see it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7d1jmn0H94


He does, he goes away to Melbourne but it looks like he picks up a gambling debt.