Homeandawayfan. Posted February 5, 2018 Report Posted February 5, 2018 1988, 1995 and 1996 were quite dark years in terms of big storylines, but were very tame compared to 2009-present, and the big storylines were still quite exceptional. 1995 and 1996 saw some beefy stories but the show calmed down again by 1997. 1988, 1995 and 1996 were the 3 most dramatic years of the 1980s/1990s I think.
greg098 Posted February 20, 2018 Report Posted February 20, 2018 I feel the show changed when the Riverboys arrived. It made the show a lot darker and changed the direction of the show. It was no longer about fostering but more about fights, crime and gangs. The Sarah Lewis and stalker storylines were amazing for the show. I can remember all the publicity over who could be the stalker. It was a great time to be watching the show as everyone was talking about it. This is why the storyline kept coming back and back because it was so popular.
harrietjames Posted February 20, 2018 Report Posted February 20, 2018 53 minutes ago, greg098 said: The Sarah Lewis and stalker storylines were amazing for the show. I can remember all the publicity over who could be the stalker. It was a great time to be watching the show as everyone was talking about it. This is why the storyline kept coming back and back because it was so popular. That was good, because it was different. With the Riverboys, it became the whole show, so it had far less impact
16770052 Posted February 20, 2018 Report Posted February 20, 2018 I feel like the River Boys era started the trend of integrating bad characters into the main cast. You have always had troubled teens that commit crimes (eg Tug, Shane, Jack etc) but now they're including adults who commit crimes and sometimes get away with it. We have characters like Ash where it's unclear whether they're a good or bad character.
Gerard Posted February 20, 2018 Report Posted February 20, 2018 On 05/02/2018 at 21:19, Homeandawayfan. said: 1988, 1995 and 1996 were the 3 most dramatic years of the 1980s/1990s I think. 1988 was great because the show was fresh and daring. 1995/96 are probably two of my favourite years. There was lots of dramas and disasters, but it was mainly character driven and stayed on the right side of being OTT. The mix of characters and cast was also brilliant back then. There was also a great balance of humour and family storylines. 1 hour ago, 16770052 said: I feel like the River Boys era started the trend of integrating bad characters into the main cast. You have always had troubled teens that commit crimes (eg Tug, Shane, Jack etc) but now they're including adults who commit crimes and sometimes get away with it. We have characters like Ash where it's unclear whether they're a good or bad character. It felt like the series lost its heart and sense of morality and positivity when the River Boys appeared. I can see how they were popular with a certain audience, but many of the characters were no longer just misguided, and redeemable, but you got the sense there was a real bad streak in them. Not only that, but those characters were portrayed as if the audience should be on their side, and rarely faced the consequences of their bad actions.
j.laur5 Posted February 20, 2018 Author Report Posted February 20, 2018 13 hours ago, greg098 said: I feel the show changed when the Riverboys arrived. It made the show a lot darker and changed the direction of the show. It was no longer about fostering but more about fights, crime and gangs. The Sarah Lewis and stalker storylines were amazing for the show. I can remember all the publicity over who could be the stalker. It was a great time to be watching the show as everyone was talking about it. This is why the storyline kept coming back and back because it was so popular. Fostering stopped long before the River Boys appeared.
Inactive.User Posted February 21, 2018 Report Posted February 21, 2018 13 hours ago, j.laur5 said: Fostering stopped long before the River Boys appeared. Your right there, I think for me, we can have a balance, unfortunately, the writers are bad at righting for the Braxton's too, I sometimes think that I would like to see Heath and Bianca return, then I think that the writers will just have them fight and their marriage will be on the rocks for the millionth time.
~Lynd~ Posted February 21, 2018 Report Posted February 21, 2018 As someone who grew up in the foster care system it was a shame when they stopped having a fostering aspect to the show.It was nice to have someone I could relate to but I think you'd be hard pressed to find anything similar about any of the characters these days.Forget about any of them being relatable to anyone.Don't expect the rinse and repeat of the river boys to stop anytime soon.Mindless violence seems to work for them and ultimately that's what it's about.
harrietjames Posted February 21, 2018 Report Posted February 21, 2018 I guess the key element isn't specifically fostering - it's about families that aren't just blood whether they are a formal foster family or an unofficial foster family with teens finding a home and family without actually being formally fostered. And the VJ and Hunter becoming brotherly still qualifies in my opinion as in the spirit of the show. Likewise Luc ending up with VJ was the most Home and Away-ish outcome of the custody battle - they finally got that one right. The RIver Boys stuff never fit with the real home and away. If Casey had been fostered that would have worked - the river boys would be a good source of "bad boys" that will end up being reformed by being loved.
Homeandawayfan. Posted February 21, 2018 Report Posted February 21, 2018 Yes the fostering element was long gone by the time the Braxtons arrived in 2011. I think when the Sutherland family arrived the fostering aspect was greatly reduced.
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