Home and Away “Welcome to Summer Bay”: Rewatching the early years.

[Werewillie Oleson]

To be honest it wasn't so coincidental that I stumbled upon Andrew Clarke's soap commercial because I was looking for interviews with S&D actors and writers.
(but why was I doing that?...o yes, I was checking if the S&D channel had resurfaced because I still want complete the bitch-slap archive. It's not back yet but then I was sidetracked by an interview....and so forht and so on).
Well never mind S&D because I also found the Morag Tribute video (or have you already posted it here?).
My goodness, what a dragon.
I don't know how villainous she is in terms of trickery and revenge, but she also did the classic "who the hell do you think you are!".
She appears to be the kind of person who wants to decide for the entire Summer Bay what's right and what's wrong, kinda like a Fiona Thompson on steroids - with Barbara's voice!
Damn you amazon prime for denying me this soap. Who the hell do they think they are?
At least I have this thread to read her first storylines (if you don't mind my selective reading).

There are various interviews with Judy Nunn, mostly about her writing, but they did mention one of her earlier roles and that had the first lesbian kiss on Australian television (I'm not sure if it was Number 96, but there was also nudity in it).

 

[Spells & Karma]

I was checking if the S&D channel had resurfaced because I still want complete the bitch-slap archive.

That's a very good reason for me to hope the channel pops up again soon.

It's not back yet but then I was sidetracked by an interview....and so forht and so on

I know that feeling, Willie.

I also found the Morag Tribute video (or have you already posted it here?).
My goodness, what a dragon.

I don't think I've seen it, but I get the idea.

I don't know how villainous she is in terms of trickery and revenge, but she also did the classic "who the hell do you think you are!".

She was a recurring character on the series for thirty years, which is quite something. I'm only really familiar with the first half a dozen years, but she hit a number of villainous notes in that time. But there was always that soft underbelly and vulnerability underneath it all.

She appears to be the kind of person who wants to decide for the entire Summer Bay what's right and what's wrong, kinda like a Fiona Thompson on steroids - with Barbara's voice!

Ha. That's a great way of putting it, and you're definitely on the right lines. I compared her to Dee Morrell a number of times also.

Damn you amazon prime for denying me this soap. Who the hell do they think they are?

Seconded!!

At least I have this thread to read her first storylines (if you don't mind my selective reading).

Please do, Willie.

There are various interviews with Judy Nunn, mostly about her writing, but they did mention one of her earlier roles and that had the first lesbian kiss on Australian television (I'm not sure if it was Number 96, but there was also nudity in it).

That would be The Box, which was a contemporary of 96's (well, competitor is probably more like it). I'd love to explore it properly someday. Crawford DVD have released several boxsets of consecutive episodes starting at the very beginning, but they're prohibitively expensive.

The first couple of episodes are on YouTube (note there's also a young, brunette Alison Carr):

And there's a little featurette on it here where Judy Nunn talks about the role and that kiss:

 

[James from London]

You know, as a matter of fact, Ailsa, you do sound like Celia. Danny is a very intelligent young man with a fascination for the law and I’m doing nothing more than just helping him with his career… I couldn’t care less about your small minded women and all their pre-pubescent fantasies. And you may quote me on that.

This could be Barbara talking about Ross Newman!

Oh, I've enjoyed this thread very much. Thanks, Mel! It's been sort of like taking a trip down someone else's memory lane, although it does evoke half-forgotten, half-remembered memories of half-watching the early days of H&A when it was first on. (Blake and Meg was more my era.) Whereas Neighbours was perpetual blue skies and sunshine, I somehow associate H&A with more overcast, autumnal weather. It's just that little bit grungier.

 

[Spells & Karma]

This could be Barbara talking about Ross Newman!

Oh yes. Couldn't it just.

Oh, I've enjoyed this thread very much. Thanks, Mel!

That's great. Actually, you reading it has been very enjoyable for me. As you've rated some of the posts you've read, I've clicked through to see where you're up to and found myself re-reading about those earlier episodes. Which is kind of self-indulgent, especially since I wrote most of the posts. But it's been nice to think of someone else enjoying some of that early dialogue.

Whereas Neighbours was perpetual blue skies and sunshine, I somehow associate H&A with more overcast, autumnal weather. It's just that little bit grungier.

Grungier is the perfect description. I view them the same way.

 

[James from London]

As you've rated some of the posts you've read, I've clicked through to see where you're up to and found myself re-reading about those earlier episodes. Which is kind of self-indulgent, especially since I wrote most of the posts.

I do that too!

Is it fair to say your least favourite moments have been the forced comedy ones? After re-watching the 80s soaps, and currently watching New DYNASTY, I feel like I can forgive pretty much everything except a scene that thinks it's being hilarious but isn't.

 

[Spells & Karma]

I do that too!

Phew!

Is it fair to say your least favourite moments have been the forced comedy ones? After re-watching the 80s soaps, and currently watching New DYNASTY, I feel like I can forgive pretty much everything except a scene that thinks it's being hilarious but isn't.

Yeah - it's completely fair to say that. Some of the injections of "comedy" became very painful to sit through. It happened more frequently in the second year, and increasingly it was situational rather than the wry wit and blackly humorous character moments that the first year or so did incredibly well.

 

[Canon]

Sorry to drag the thread down but after glancing at some of Mel's early posts that mention Alf (I look forward to reading it properly when I eventually get to re-watch early H&A - fingers crossed for that second wave!), I thought it might be fun and of interest to those watching the early episodes and the Aussie classics in general to post this picture from present day Summer Bay...



Yes, Belinda Giblin recently married Alf Stewart. She has been in the show off and on for about 2 years, but I just read this morning that it was Giblin's good friend Judy Nunn who suggested her for the part.

Could anyone guess what character she's playing?

(I'm taking it for granted that this is all news to anyone who doesn't keep up with current H&A.)

 

[Spells & Karma]

I look forward to reading it properly when I eventually get to re-watch early H&A - fingers crossed for that second wave!

Ha. Yes, there is plenty of constructive soap watching that can come from a lockdown situation. Hope you do get to enjoy those early episodes while they're on Prime!!

Yes, Belinda Giblin recently married Alf Stewart. She has been in the show off and on for about 2 years, but I just read this morning that it was Giblin's good friend Judy Nunn who suggested her for the part.

Could anyone guess what character she's playing?

Oh yes - I'd read about this, and I know who she's playing.

I'm not sure how I feel about it, because it's such a huge retcon, and probably retrospectively affects the early years more than any other era.

But at the same time it's gloriously soapy. And it's great that Belinda is still working.

 

[Canon]

Oh yes - I'd read about this, and I know who she's playing.

Darn, I thought I had an exclusive!

I'm not sure how I feel about it, because it's such a huge retcon, and probably retrospectively affects the early years more than any other era.

Yes, it will be interesting for me to go back and see the original Alf and Roo story now.

But at the same time it's gloriously soapy.

It is! It's been nicely done though, both actors work very well together and have made it as believable as such a story as this could ever be. I only ever caught glimpses of Son & Daughters so I'm not too familiar with Belinda Giblin, but I've always liked Ray Meagher and I've new appreciation for him after seeing him play about 17 different characters in Prisoner.

 

[Spells & Karma]

Darn, I thought I had an exclusive!

Yes, it will be interesting for me to go back and see the original Alf and Roo story now.

Funnily enough I stumbled upon the information when I was in the midst of my H&A rewatch recently. It made me conscious of how much ****** was mentioned in that era. She even appeared in flashbacks (unsurprisingly not played by Belinda, but not a million miles away)

It is! It's been nicely done though, both actors work very well together and have made it as believable as such a story as this could ever be.

Not having properly seen any of Belinda's scenes, it's good to get this from someone who's watched. So you do have an exclusive after all.

I only ever caught glimpses of Son & Daughters so I'm not too familiar with Belinda Giblin

Maybe that's a good thing. It's good to have fresh eyes.

I do remember Belinda appearing in early-ish H&A as Cynthia Ross, ex-wife Pippa's second husband. She was a bit of a schemer, if memory serves. Or at least she had ulterior motives.

I've always liked Ray Meagher and I've new appreciation for him after seeing him play about 17 different characters in Prisoner.

Yes - I saw him play a couple in the relatively short time I watched the series. Pre-Alf he seemed to specialise in thugs and bad 'uns. It's nice that he's found the role of a lifetime and become something of an Australian National Treasure.

I just read this morning that it was Giblin's good friend Judy Nunn who suggested her for the part.

I imagine they go way back. Not just S&D, but they were also both in early episodes of The Box in the mid-Seventies. I like how small and friendly (and slightly incestuous) the Australian soap scene seems to be.

 

[trialanderror]

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading through this thread and the thoughts on the Early Years.

I would just like to comment briefly on the few posts above this one, regarding Martha returning to the show in recent years.
I disagree that it has been nicely done and believable. I think it's been dreadful. Given all the history that Martha was tied to in the early years - Bobby's adoption, her friendship with Morag, Roo turning out badly because of Martha's death, etc... nothing has been covered at all. Very, very VERY limited details have been given. The writers have skirted around and avoided details at every opportunity.

When you compare this to how all the secrets came out in the first 2 years of the show. They were RICH with detail, backstory, and explanation. Everything fitted, despite being so, so detailed. And we're not talking about stuff that was planned from the start. We're talking about stuff that was made up as it went along, but was made to fit by looking at the history of the show and USING that history.

The Martha story in recent years has done the exact opposite. She has returned to the show, said "Oh, I wasn't well so I faked my death." And that's it. Nothing has been talked about.

 

[Canon]

No, Martha's return hasn't been rooted in backstory at all which would be frustrating for anyone who was invested in the original characters. It plays into a long running problem with Roo, she could be anyone, she is Roo in name only. Martha's mental health is a plot point so that she doesn't have to commit to Summer Bay full time which allows Alf to come and go. This being the whole purpose of Martha, to allow Ray Meagher to cut down on filming.

Still for me these characters in their current incarnation, in what Home & Away is now, have built a nice relationship and it is one of the better aspects of today's show. I don't think Martha's return was casual, it impacted Alf and Roo, but it was as fleeting as any story in the show is.

 

[trialanderror]

I totally agree about Roo. She could be anyone. And I'd extend that to Martha too. What was the point of making her Martha if they weren't going to use that history? She might as well just be a new person. What was the point of writing into the "story" that Alf had known all along? Surely that's AVOIDING a story. Having Alf and Roo find out onscreen could have been his biggest story for years. And if they had explored the history it could really have helped connect "NewRoo" to the original Roo in the audience's minds. The only result (if you can call it that) of having Alf know all along was that there was, very briefly, a little friction between Alf and Roo. But during that friction all that happened was Roo moved out for a while. Nothing was talked about. Nothing was explored. So again, what was the point? Any avenue that could have resulted in actual STORY was avoided at all costs.

I honestly believe the current producers, writers etc are just terrified to touch anything relating to the history of the show because they don't know what they're doing. And they get so much wrong. So rather than get it wrong (or, you know, hire people who know the show) they just avoid everything and anything related to continuity and history.

I remember during this story Marilyn said to Roo "I can't just imagine finding out your mother is alive after thinking she was dead."
MARILYN said that.
A character who FOUND OUT HER MOTHER WAS ALIVE AFTER THINKING SHE WAS DEAD.

It's just dreadful. I know every long running soap in the world has fans who lament that they're not as good as they used to be, changed too much etc. But I honestly think H&A is by far the worst, it - like Roo - is Home and Away in name only. It's a successful brand name that comes complete with ready-made audience, for a completely different show.

 

[Spells & Karma]

This made me smile. Because it was always so casual (and mid-drama) I hadn't consciously noticed just how frequently this happened.