Does anyone else feel like they are watching a sort of "Neighbours lite", a really light version of what we used to have, mostly the same characters, but fairly rushed scenes with little depth and no longevity, characters with no purpose? I've truly loved Neighbours since the mid-1980s and it's making me sad these days that I'm just not enjoying. Looking through the characters and storylines,
Paul - head of a hotel chain but spends most of his time walking around the complex mentioning trivial things that a receptionist should do. Supposedly pining after Terese but not doing anything about it, no longer connected to his family.
Karl and Susan - the heart of Ramsay Street, no storyline for either of them.
Jane - no longer has a job, not really doing much to save the school, not doing much at all.
Toadie - doesn't seem to be working, just spends his time hanging around at home, sweeping the street. Two years ago married Melanie a few months after they met. One year ago devastated that Melanie left, but rapidly got over it to get together with Terese and marry her. Now, obviously, going to rekindle with Melanie. His poor kids are going to need therapy.
Nell and Hugo - Nell was born 10 years ago, Neighbours fast-tracked two years when it returned, yet Nell is apparently now 15. Celebrating her birthday with her little brother and seven adults. Does she have no friends? Not even the teenagers across the street? Hugo should be 5 but has also been struck with rapid-aging syndrome.
Chloe and Elly - no chemistry whatsoever, it's honestly like watching siblings kiss. I'm sure Elly even backs away a little when Chloe goes in for a kiss.
Holly - also an unfortunate victim of rapid-aging syndrome. She was born in 2007 so she should only be 16. Perhaps that's why she found medical school so difficult and dropped out. She's also supposed to be working at the hotel but she never goes in there, she never does any work!
Mackenzie - also never does any work! How do any of them afford to live? She spends her time wandering around willowly, drinking coffee, pining after Haz. What's the point of her now?
Mum and Ma - no ever know which is mum and which is ma. Thankfully Dr Mum/Ma actually goes to work! The other one just wanders around wearing dungarees and holding a spanner, just so we know she is a "tradie". They don't seem to have noticed their sons have disappeared.
Rodwells - they could be so interesting because there's always a lot of storylines attached to a local policeman, but if only they gave Wendy a purpose. Neither of them seem concerned that their adult daughter is neither studying nor working. I read that when Neighbours was cancelled one of the "lost" storylines was that the Rodwells were going to have a son arrive (a bit like when Piper joined Terese's family, and Jai joined the Rebeccis), that would have been more interesting than the missed opportunity "wanted more kids but didn't have them" storyline. They need to have some extended family join. That house has always been full of large family units with added drama. The three of them are lost in it.
Krista - recovering drug addict, recently gone into rehab so should currently be in peak withdrawal, shaking, sweating, vomiting, but walks in today looking like Australia's next top model. And Leo drooling over her, yuk. Is he seriously going there? That's just what a recovering addict needs, to date someone in that dysfunctional family!
Rant over... I'm just so disappointed at the moment. I'll still watch it forever...