Neighbours AXED after 37 years (now saved and returning to screens in 2023)

[Pamela_E]

Neighbours was beautiful I had a tear in my eye at the end all the way through Susan's monologue. It went out celebrating the show and so many former cast members returning was just perfect. Mike and Jane coming back together was inspired and felt right. Enjoyed the return of Scott and Charlene too and I appreciated the less is more approach in regards to there scenes. How fitting that the episode opened with Paul speaking before Susan's final words summed it all up. My only regret is the fact that I think Neighbours was in a good place and really shouldn't have been left go. Well done to all who pulled together this stunning celebration I for one became good friends with the Ramsey street gang over the years.

It went too soon as it was doing so well in the ratings but then I guess what is the alternative way to go? I have a feeling the likes of Eastenders and Corrie will be pushed out until nobody cares and that will prompt the axe to fall.

So much better to go out on a high when people still care. It would have ended eventually, we can see the way soaps are going. So it's nice it left us still being loved.

 

[Ome]

It was the of Scott and Charlene returning that made my mind up about watching how it all played out. Weirdly, the whole return felt flat and very underwhelming. One particular thing that stood out like a sore thumb was Kylie's dialogue or lack of it. What was that all about? I did enjoy the 'Especially for You' nod and Charlene running up to the window where I think we saw Scott meeting Charlene for the first time, with Scott thinking she was a burglar.

Thankfully, Mike & Jane's reunion knocked everything out of the park. I was so impressed by how quickly these two won me over. From the moment that bike appeared I felt more excited than I was expecting and then filled up with goosebumps and felt my eyes starting to water as they bumped into each other. Every scene they shared felt like something I had been waiting for, for such a long time. How brilliant two characters from 30 years ago could pull me in so quickly.


This has been the best ending to a long-running series I've watched, though I did enjoy the story of Barry going for the lads who killed Damon in York as they were released after serving 25 years in Brookside's final episode.

maybe because there are so many really nice characters

I couldn't put my finger on why and how quickly I fell into the soap again, especially after such a long gap and this pretty much sums it up.

Shane is now played by Shirley Carter

I have no solid recollections of Mike and Jane as a couple the first time around, but as soon as they clapped eyes on each other yesterday I was a blubbing goner till the end.

Two scenes had me filling up. This one with Mike & Jane and the one where it showed Madge sitting next to Harold.

In some weird way I want all the soaps to end so I can see how they finish them. I do find it quite exciting to see long running shows end

Ha! I found myself thinking that.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

It was the of Scott and Charlene returning that made my mind up about watching how it all played out. Weirdly, the whole return felt flat and very underwhelming.

I can imagine Charlene and Scott's return was very disappointing for many because of the hype surrounding it.

While I was more than fine with their screentime being limited, I actually found myself more disappointed with Des's return since he and Shane were the two returning original cast members. I fully expected them both to be overshadowed by the pop and film stars' returns but even with lower expectations, Des's was very underwhelming. He had about two lines, and one of those was something like "G'day. I'm randomly here on one of my infrequent visits for no reason whatsoever". I feel lucky I was observant enough to spot him.

As you said, though, there were others that made up for it. Mike and Jane's story was great, and it was also really pleasing to see Shane in the thick of things for the last couple of weeks.

 

[Ome]

disappointed with Des's return since

Des, Des, Des's return.... !!!


I gotta admit that I never spotted him and when I saw someone resembling Des standing in the street, I looked up Paul Keane to see what he looked like now. I read that he had been in the show since 2020, so he wasn't a returnee in the same way the rest were. Not that that makes his lack of appearance towards the end any less important.

 

[Pamela_E]

I can imagine Charlene and Scott's return was very disappointing for many because of the hype surrounding it.

While I was more than fine with their screentime being limited, I actually found myself more disappointed with Des's return since he and Shane were the two returning original cast members. I fully expected them both to be overshadowed by the pop and film stars' returns but even with lower expectations, Des's was very underwhelming. He had about two lines, and one of those was something like "G'day. I'm randomly here on one of my infrequent visits for no reason whatsoever". I feel lucky I was observant enough to spot him.

As you said, though, there were others that made up for it. Mike and Jane's story was great, and it was also really pleasing to see Shane in the thick of things for the last couple of weeks.

I was less disappointed with Des has he returned quite a few times. He was dating Jane and Melanie,

It must have been a production nightmare to end the show and manage to balance the old and new. They did an amazing job.

I wasn't bothered about Scott and Charlene, although I didn't understand why Kylie was so quiet. I thought maybe a chat between her and Jane would have been nice or Scott and Charlene recalling their wedding. But it didn't spoil my enjoyment at all. It was epic and perfect.

Do we know why Kylie didn't say much?

I have not been this impressed with an ending since Knots Landing's finale.

Now we are left with Home and Away as the last Australian soap, maybe ever.

 

[Ome]

They did an amazing job.

Yes, absolutely and it's always easy to pick out parts that can be viewed as somewhat disappointing. It doesn't take anything away from how excellently they achieved a remarkable ending. I also loved the various theme tunes and more goosebumps with the images from across the years as the final came to a complete end. I watched the episode twice and I did the end credits 4 times.

Do we know why Kylie didn't say much?

I'm curious about this too.

 

[Ome]

I wonder what C5 will air in its place. I don’t know if they can, but I would definitely welcome a re-run of the show. These past few weeks have very much whet my appetite to watch those early years again.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Des, Des, Des's return.... !!!

Aha. See what I mean?!

I was less disappointed with Des has he returned quite a few times.

I read that he had been in the show since 2020, so he wasn't a returnee in the same way the rest were.

Yes, according to his list of appearances he was last seen in a return around 18 months ago so there's less of a gap for him than others. He's also a less showy kind of character, so a big entrance wouldn't have been in character.

I suppose I wanted to be told more about who he is today and what he's been up to because I haven't seen him since the early Nineties, but I get the sense he's still good old solid Des so all's well. They must've had a lot of actors' schedules to work around, so I'm just glad he was there at all.

Do we know why Kylie didn't say much?

I'm curious about this too.

My guess is it's mostly because she didn't want to. I suspect her return was very much on her terms. Perhaps her schedule didn't give her time to memorise pages of dialogue and she requested not to say very much. Who knows, perhaps she was even nervous about it. It looks like it's a good few years since she's acted.

Incidentally, looking at her IMDb page to see when she last acted, it says she played Roxy Mitchell in EastEnders for 200+ episodes in 2018. Is this right? I can't find anything about this anywhere else, which seems odd.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I have not been this impressed with an ending since Knots Landing's finale.

I feel very similarly.

In terms of Aussie soap, I think Neighbours' finale is even better than that of S&D, and possibly even A Place To Call Home. It leaves the viewer feeling all warm and fuzzy and wanting more.

It's more meaningful because of the series' history. Before Neighbours, the idea of an Australian drama running for decades seemed unthinkable. Now this little series that got cancelled after a hundred and seventy episodes is the longest-running drama in Australian TV history. It's a sad day.

These past few weeks have very much whet my appetite to watch those early years again.

I've felt the same way. I have the first couple of years on DVD from when they were released many years ago. It must be over a decade since I watched and I actually thought I might like to crack them open again quite soon.

I doubt I will anytime soon (so many series, so little time. Plus my partner has an unfortunate aversion to Aussie soaps), but the bug to watch again is most definitely there.

 

[pete lashmar]

Aha. See what I mean?!







Yes, according to his list of appearances he was last seen in a return around 18 months ago so there's less of a gap for him than others. He's also a less showy kind of character, so a big entrance wouldn't have been in character.

I suppose I wanted to be told more about who he is today and what he's been up to because I haven't seen him since the early Nineties, but I get the sense he's still good old solid Des so all's well. They must've had a lot of actors' schedules to work around, so I'm just glad he was there at all.






My guess is it's mostly because she didn't want to. I suspect her return was very much on her terms. Perhaps her schedule didn't give her time to memorise pages of dialogue and she requested not to say very much. Who knows, perhaps she was even nervous about it. It looks like it's a good few years since she's acted.

Incidentally, looking at her IMDb page to see when she last acted, it says she played Roxy Mitchell in EastEnders for 200+ episodes in 2018. Is this right? I can't find anything about this anywhere else, which seems odd.

No, she was never in EastEnders.

To my knowledge, the last acting role she had was in Doctor Who - she played Astrid in the Voyage of the Damned (Christmas special) in 2007.

I'm sure she must have acted in something since, but it's the last one I personally remember.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

No, she was never in EastEnders.

Thanks for confirming. And how bizarre:

Here was I thinking IMDb was infallible. But this just seemed too odd to be accurate.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

I dipped back into the show about two weeks before the finale and I have to say, it was a great run of episodes up to the finale. In addition to the various returnees, there was a lot of great references to the past and cheeky nods to some behind the scenes stuff (Lucy being recast three times was the butt of a few jokes as was the fact that a lot of characters that left over the years ended up moving to Queensland).

Regarding the finale, I thought it was good fun and had a lot of heart. Guy Pearce’s return was excellent and Mike’s arc with Jane was a great way to wrap up the show by having it’s origins recognised alongside more recent storylines. Susan’s speech at the end was lovely and the mix of resolution and nostalgia left you coming away with a warm feeling.

Everyone’s talking about the fact that Charlene was basically mute during her appearances (I think she spoke 5 words altogether). There’s a behind the scenes video on the Neighbours Twitter account and it sounds like Kylie wouldn’t have appeared only Jason Donovan emailed her and that convinced her. Also, she was apparently only available for half a day’s shooting, so I’m guessing she didn’t want to commit to much in terms of dialogue and scenes and was just there as a tribute to where they got their start. For those asking about when she last acted, I think she had a small role in disaster movie San Andreas a few years ago. Prior to that, the last thing I recall her in was that Doctor Who Christmas special. Also, for those asking about the return of Des, he was mentioned a few times in the final weeks as Paul had gone to his bank for help in raising money to pay Terese’s divorce settlement. So he was kind of there in the background although I don’t know if he’s supposed to be based in Melbourne or dropped in for a visit.

There’s an Australian TV podcast that I listen to occasionally and when the axe officially fell a few months ago, they discussed the show’s status in Australia. Apparently Ten didn’t promote the show at all, in terms of on air promos or in the press, compared to H&A. The opinion was that it was seen as a show that was being made for a UK audience and had they focused a bit more on the Australian market, it might not have gotten the chop. Segueing slightly, but on the subject of getting the chop, I also saw people complaining on Twitter about Channel 5 cutting one minute out of the finale to make more time for adverts.

 

[Pamela_E]

I don't think Kylie was ever held in high regard for her acting, so she may have felt really uncomfortable acting out scenes. I can understand that.

I just loved their car pulling up to Especially for you. That was enough for me. I thought it was wonderful.

 

[Canon]

Kylie wouldn’t have appeared only Jason Donovan emailed her and that convinced her.

Yes, she also said elsewhere that she felt there was quite a bit pressure for her to do it. To be fair, she did say that the finale should be about the current cast and those who have been a bigger part of the show for a much longer time than she ever was.

I was skeptical about whether the axe was really about money and more just Channel 5 and Ten (who I believe are now owned by the same company) not wanting it anymore, but given the scramble for content on platforms I'm sure someone would have picked it up, seen as it still has a decent following in the UK, if it had been profitable to do so.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

cheeky nods to some behind the scenes stuff (Lucy being recast three times was the butt of a few jokes as was the fact that a lot of characters that left over the years ended up moving to Queensland).

The Queensland reference really made me laugh when it came up.

had a lot of heart

This is a great way to describe that last episode. It's clear that there's a lot of love for the series not just from viewers but from people who have worked on the series over the years. The closer to the end we got, the more tangible that seemed.

Also, for those asking about the return of Des, he was mentioned a few times in the final weeks as Paul had gone to his bank for help in raising money to pay Terese’s divorce settlement. So he was kind of there in the background although I don’t know if he’s supposed to be based in Melbourne or dropped in for a visit.

Thanks for clarifying. I watched the last thirteen or fourteen episodes, so I'm guessing he was probably last mentioned just before that (unless I wasn't paying attention, which is also entirely possible).

Apparently Ten didn’t promote the show at all, in terms of on air promos or in the press, compared to H&A. The opinion was that it was seen as a show that was being made for a UK audience and had they focused a bit more on the Australian market, it might not have gotten the chop.

Am I right in understanding that Neighbours struggled to get funded in Australia and was largely funded by UK companies? If the series was reliant on UK money in order to continue it's understandable that they'd need to ensure it continues in that market.

It is a shame that Neighbours seems to have dropped in regard in Australia considering how beloved it was.

I just loved their car pulling up to Especially for you. That was enough for me. I thought it was wonderful.

When I saw the publicity stills of their return, I just loved the fact that she left Ramsay Street in that green Leyland Mini (Scott might have as well - I forget) and they returned in an updated version.

The boiler suit. The open window of No. 24. All the little subtle touches to their classic Neighbours scenes and flourishes was really satisfying. It might have been brief, but that was my preference with these two.

 

[James from London]

she played Roxy Mitchell in EastEnders for 200+ episodes in 2018. Is this right? I can't find anything about this anywhere else, which seems odd.

To make an odd thing even odder, Roxy Mitchell actually died in 2017!

Thing about Kylie is, she's genuinely totally lovely and it's always great to see her, but her actual music aside (which is brill), she's not massively interesting. So the idea of her appearing at Glastonbury or on Doctor Who or at the end of Neighbours, is kind of all you need to get the warm fuzzies. And in the case, it's pretty much all we got.

 

[James from London]

I now feel a bit guilty for saying Kylie's not interesting. She's absolutely lovely, a total force for good and I wouldn't have her any other way.

I mean, being a brilliant pop star, that's enough of an achievement for anyone.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

To make an odd thing even odder, Roxy Mitchell actually died in 2017!

​

It's like some weird soapy wormhole.

Thing about Kylie is, she's genuinely totally lovely and it's always great to see her, but her actual music aside (which is brill), she's not massively interesting. So the idea of her appearing at Glastonbury or on Doctor Who or at the end of Neighbours, is kind of all you need to get the warm fuzzies. And in the case, it's pretty much all we got.

I think I know what you mean, and I agree. As well as being an iconic pop star, her image is mainly defined mostly by some pop videos and fond remembrances of the Scott/Charlene romance. Plus she fits into the "National Treasure" category, and she has this accessible thing where people feel as though they know her really well.

That's a lot to live up to, and I think it's wise to come down on the side of less is more to avoid the risk of disappointment. To make a comparison with two other pop idols, it's why I found Cher's cameos on Will & Grace more effective and intriguing than I did Madonna's full episode (which was still very enjoyable, but she was far more exposed and not always in the best way).

I now feel a bit guilty for saying Kylie's not interesting. She's absolutely lovely, a total force for good and I wouldn't have her any other way.

Phew! Somewhere, I can hear @Alexis scribbling your name back onto his Christmas card list.

 

[Alexis Colby Carrington]

I absolutely loved the series finale, I'm gutted though at the same time, I watched almost every episode, there's only really 1985 that I don't remember. I cried a lot during the finale and the final scene. It was so good.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

I just loved their car pulling up to Especially for you. That was enough for me. I thought it was wonderful.

I loved this too. I thought they might’ve referenced their wedding song by Angry Anderson but I love how they just went for broke and used their own hit.