...35 on BBC1 every weekday, which coincides with getting home from school/work for many people, and I find that sitting down with a cup of tea to watch Neighbours provides a nice break after a day at work before the activities of the evening really get underway.
The show is made in Australia, ... Read review
Advantages: Mindless entertainment Disadvantages: A bit addictive - you have to know what happens next!
...at 13.40 and 17.35 on BBC1 every weekday, which coincides with getting home from school/work for many people, and I find that sitting down with a cup of tea to watch Neighbours provides a nice break after a day at work before the activities of the evening really get underway.
The show is made in Australia, but by all reports is not as popular there as it is here. I have a couple of good friends who are Australian, and they reliably ... ...out as though you are being shown around by a current cast member (who this is changes from time to time) and is a nice little add on to the show itself.
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Neighbours is shown on BBC1 at 13.40 and 17.35 every weekday. ... more
-----My Neighbours Experience-----
There are already quite a lot of reviews on Neighbours on Ciao, so why should you read mine? Well, I have been watching Neighbours since the age of 8 (I'm currently 24) and I have seen the show go through some highs and lows! Although I have to describe myself as a fan, I feel that I am able to give an objective view point, as part of my enjoyment of the show surrounds its unbelievability/lack of relation to anything like real life. I hope you find my review informative and enjoyable!
==The Show
==
Neighbours started way back in 1985 in Australia and despite a couple of early wobbles and channel change, it has been running ever since. The show first aired in the UK in 1987, and has enjoyed an uninterupted run ever since.
While principally aimed at 10-15 year olds, I think this show appeals to a much wider audience, and provides quality (bear with me!) entertainment. It is aired at 13.40 and 17.35 on BBC1 every weekday, which coincides with getting home from school/work for many people, and I find that sitting down with a cup of tea to watch Neighbours provides a nice break after a day at work before the activities of the evening really get underway.
The show is made in Australia, but by all reports is not as popular there as it is here. I have a couple of good friends who are Australian, and they reliably inform me that watching Neighbours is not really the best way to find out about life in Australia. This is not the most realistic show, and you won't learn loads about Australian culture watching it. (and it almost never rains, which even in Australia isn't true!) but as a predominantly fantasy-land it works well as a setting for a soap.
I'm sure you are familiar with the setting and premise of the show; the main feature is Ramsey Street, where most of the characters live (hence being called Neighbours! clever that!) but there are also key community landmarks of the school, hospital, local pub/bar and cafe, as well as a doctors surgery/office, and hotel the latter four all being located at the Lassiders complex which also has some lovely parkland and a lake. The show follows the adventures and misadventures of the street's residents and some of their friends, with the characters gradually changing as new people arrive (or return) and old ones die, or move on to pastures new.
Ramsey Street is of course a bit more action packed than your average cul-de-sac; the mortality rate is alarmingly high, and there are a lot of relatives who have been separated at birth, and the 'beauty per member of population' index is well above average... but isn't that what good soaps are made of?!
Neighbours is a bit more sanitised than 'grittier' soaps such as Eastenders. This can be seen in a number of areas, not least the lack of smokers or heavy drinkers, but this program is aired well before the watershed, so these and other aspects of life are glossed over.
Like it or not, Neighbours has always been used as a bit of a launch pad for pop careers. Some have been successful (Kylie) and some less so (Stefan Dennis) and some went well for a while (Delta Goodram and Jason Donovan) The show provides quite a useful publicity forum for pop hopefuls, and it isn't really a good or bad thing until you have to listen to awful pop songs...
==Neighbours in the Past; The Best Bits
==-----Classic Events----- Scott and Charlene's Wedding. How could we ever forget this? After a turbulant relationship, Scott and Charlene finally tied the knot, and I don't think there was a dry eye in the congregation!
Harold coming back to life. This was one of the more unbelievebly storyline in my mind. Having supposedly drowned, Harold turned up again several years later. The gap was explained by him having had amnesia...
Kerry being shot The charismatic Kerry Bishop was shot by Duck hunters as she was protesting against their sport. She died very bravely, but it was none the less a tragedy.
Todd being run over The timing was everything in this one. Intending to have an abortion, Phoebe was in the hospital, but on his way to stop her, Todd was run over. He was in a critical condition, and rushed into hospital. He regained consciousness in time to hear the news that Phoebe decided to keep the baby, but this was the last thing he heard before his heart stopped.
-----Classic Characters-----
There have been over 300 characters on Neighbours over the years (check the website if you don't believe me!) Some fade into the mists of distant memory, but others stand out as memorable and eevn iconic past residents of Ramsey street. Here are few of my favourites:
*Helen Daniels was the original grandmother. She was one of the longest serving members of cast, loved by all, and sadly died watching Scott and Charlene's wedding video. Sob.
*Lucy Robinson was played by 3 different actresses over the years, but it is in her final incarnation that we remember her best. As something of a wild child, she was caught up in plenty of controversy, including being a nude model!
*Mrs Mangle was a bit of a prickly lady, but underneath she was lovable and kind. I think that this combination made her one of the best loved residents of Ramsey street over the years.
*Melanie Mangle (nee Pearson) I have included Melanie in this list because of her laugh. It was so annoying it was hilarious. Again underneath a slightly dippy exterior, Melanie was a lovely girl, and ended up marrying Joe Mangle.
==Present Day Neighbours
==
-----The Current Show-----
A lot of Neighbours trivia revolves around past events and stories, and remembering previous characters. But is this program actually any good at the moment? Well. I have to say that it is!
Neighbours has changed quite a bit over the years, and where it was once a bit more polite, and well mannered, they are now not afraid to deal with some grittier themes. For example, the theme of alcoholism was raised when Karl had a drinking problem, and adultuary is a topic that has been looked at from a number of perspectives: Karl and Susan, as well as Izzy's 'other woman' perspective, and the affect this had on others involved such as Summer and Boyd, and the ever-interfering Lyn.
There is also currently the possibility of Liljana having a relationship with Paul Robinson, which would have a huge affect of Serena, and of course David.
Serena also got involved with an internet porn photographer, which was definitly one of the show's more daring storylines. She escaped real harm, but the seriousness of the issue was apparent.
Neighbours has also addressed the issue of homosexuality, albeit in a fairy naive teenage form. Sindi's cousin Lana became close friends with Sky, and revealed that she fancied her. The pair continued to be good friends, and Sky also began to question her feelings towards Lana. A few more arguments and a kiss later, they agreed to just be friends, but the story as a whole was quite a groundbreaking moment for Neighbours.
'Controversial' issues are usually dealt with from a carefully stated moral position, but the realities of everyday life and temptations are acknowledged more and more. I think that this gives more of an opportunity for the characters to be well rounded, as they are no longer forced into goodie/baddie moulds to the same extent.
The show has moved with the times in other ways. Characters now all have mobile phones; Stuart recently made a bit of a blunder with his as his voice activated dialing meant he called Susan and left a voice mail of the conversation he was having with his housemates about Susan, and her then boyfriend! Oops! There are also references to the internet, with Lou attempting to sell car parts online, and various characters being involved in online dating at different times. Connor has also been known to sell things on Ebay! It is natural for Neighbours to incorporate these things into the plot, and hence it is not in any way outdated.
The other thing that has changed a lot about the current show is the use of much longer running storylines, and even references to long past events. For example, Karl and Susan came accross some share certificates in their house in the name of Jamie Clark, and they set about finding out who he was to return them to him. He was, of course, Des and Daphne's son, who had lived in that house some years before. Newer views would not appreciate the reference, but the seasoned fan noted with enjoyment the careful tieing in of plots.
-----Originality------
Originality is an area where Neighbours has a few failings. Storylines are mercilessly recycled, and even characters reappear again in the shape of another person. (Don't you think Joe Mangle and Joe Scully were a bit too similar for comfort! As well as sharing a name, they were both builders, and both tended to lost their temper fairly easily. They even lived in the same house!)
Despite the recycling of characters and plots, there is something about Neighbours that makes you want to know what happens next. Some of the cliff hangers are not very perilous, but occasionally an episode ends and you can't wait to find out what will happen next!
It is loads of fun to make predictions about how situations will resolve themselves, and see if you are right. The addictive nature of the program could be seen as a disadvantage, but I think it is all part of the full Neighbours experience.
-----Acting-----
Neighbours is not exactly known for it's high quality acting... characters can seem a bit wooden and not always that believable. This may be partly due to deficiencies in the script, but I think there have been recent improvements in this area. Meatier issues, such as Karl and Susan's divorce mentioned above, provide an opportunity for the actors to show off their talents, and there have been some moving performances. I have to admit that I have cried as well as laughed at Neighbours, but I cannot guarentee that it wasn't PMT!!
-----Music-----
The music on Neighbours is still one of the tackier aspects of the show. There is only a small collection of songs that are played over and over again... Athough this could just be evidence of a low sound budget, there is something strangly reassuring about the familiar sound track.
The theme tune has changed a bit over the years as slightly different versions are used, but the general idea has stayed the same, and you only need to hear a couple of notes to know what is coming next!
-----Entertainment value-----
I find that a large proportion of the entertainment value in Neighbours is because it can be so laughably petty, or far fetched. But this is television. It isn't meant to be real life, and aren't these things intended to entertain us?! On this front I think Neighbours is hugely successful. If you are looking for high drama, you are in the wrong place, but for mindless enjoyment, watch on!
==Other Neighbours Products
==
-----The Tour-----
I haven't been, but you can reportedly visit the Neighbours set in Melbourne, and if you are lucky, meet some of the cast.
-----Website-----
Neighbours has it's own dedicated section on the BBC site. This boasts a selection of features from story updates, to games, quizzes and (in my opinion the best bit) an almost exhaustive list of every character ever, including photos, stories they were involved in, and details about the actor/actress. Many also have short interviews with cast members. There are of course also video clips of 'classic moments' and both 'spoilers' and 'previews.' The site also has a timeline of everything that has ever happened on Neighbours; quite a document!
Once you have followed a link from the recently re-vamped home page, the site is set out as though you are being shown around by a current cast member (who this is changes from time to time) and is a nice little add on to the show itself.
====Neighbours is shown on BBC1 at 13.40 and 17.35 every weekday.
...new highly publicized move from BBC1 to channel five this month. Yup this review is on the Australian hit soap Neighbours, which was first, launched in 1985, and in 2005 celebrated its 20th anniversary. From a very young age, neighbours was watched in my household, my mother was a huge fan of it, and use to watch the evening show, having been at work during the daytime. It was something different and out of the norm, compared to the usual soaps such ... ...and well funny at times. Since its launch many years ago, neighbours has covered so many dramatic storyline, deaths, weddings, crashes, fires and so on. Although I would agree in saying the show can be very cheesy, it still has some sort of drawing appeal and actually makes you want to watch it. Im still a huge follower of neighbours, however I don't go out of my way to come home and watch it, like most people would agree, neighbours was huge back ...
jaygami1986 24.02.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of BBC1 - Neighbours
Advantages: New direction for the show; strong characters and some good performances Disadvantages: Preconceptions; too many “Pretty Boys” and “Pretty Girls”
...WHEN’S IT ON?
BBC1 – 1:40pm and 5:30pm
UK Gold – 7:20am (1997 episodes)
WEB LINKS:
http://perfectblend.net/ (fan site)
http://www.erinsborough.com/index.shtml (fan site)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/neighbours/ (official site – UK)
http://www.neighbours.com (official site Australia)
IN SUMMARY
Don’t let your preconceptions of Neighbours put you off watching it. Although it’s had a chequered history (many years of drivel) it has started to turn the ... ...and in my opinion much better than many of the ‘major’ soaps operas out there.
If you can get home in time for watch it; give it a try. 120 million worldwide daily viewers can’t all be wrong can they?
Thanks for reading.
Rob
PS This is my first TV review, so any comments are really appreciated. ...
robert_parnham 26.03.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of BBC1 - Neighbours
Advantages: Famous actors, Australian setting Disadvantages: None
Everybody needs good Neighbours
One of my favourite Australian export shows is Neighbours and I have been a fan ever since I was a child, well over twenty years, as it first began airing in Australia in 1985 and in England in 1986! It is now shown on channel 5 in England.
The show revolves around Ramsay Street in the fictional Australia town of Erinsborough. Ramsay street is a cul-de-sac which enables the residents to pop into each other’s houses ... ...as nosy neighbours. Most of the residents are friends but of course you always get fights and scandal with people living that close to one another.
I think this show works because it shows a street where you would actually like to be a resident. It makes the street look like fun and that you would love to have friends who will do anything for you living all around you. Of course I think British audiences keep tuning in too because of all the lovely ...
Spottydog11 01.09.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of BBC1 - Neighbours
Advantages: bad acting, variance of storylines, actresses Disadvantages: bad acting and cheeeeeesiness
"Neighbours… Everybody loves good neighbours" Well, slight alteration, but we would if it was good. Yep, catch on, everybody probably would love good neighbours (i.e. the programme) if Neighbours was good. Well, yes, I am being harsh, as Neighbours is good, but in a bad way. You know how you laugh at those cheesily bad jokes just to keep the joker happy, this has the same concept. Neighbours is twenty-five minutes long, and is on at 13:45 and ... ...with my lunch break. Bearing in mind I am in the sixth form, this means that this means that there is something to do on rainy days (or otherwise!) when we are allowed in our common room. Currently locked out for ripping out LAN ports from the wall, after the escapades of taking screws out of chairs and knocking over a can of coke with a frisbee a couple of weeks before! Anyway, the programme…
The programme opens with a few short scenes from ...
danradders 20.05.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of BBC1 - Neighbours
Advantages: Very good soap Disadvantages: Addictive
We all know that famous tune, the one at the start of Neighbours. And it makes everything sound so great. But in reality, when you watch the programme, the fantastic acting and the great storylines really do touch your heart.
For example, Madge Bishop died recently, a character whom we had got to know very well, and I felt rather sad, probably sadder than Harold, her husband. The tense storylines really are gripping and Neighbours is one of the ... ...Neighbours is very interesting, with characters such as Jack Ramsay back there in the beginning. The show grew and was soon taken up by the BBC. I have looked around the internet and found the following brief history of the soap...
It was just an ordinary day when Estelle Bauer looked out of her window in fire-prone Vermont, to find a man taking photos of her house. Little did she know that this man was a Grundy Location Scout. Later that month ...
danieletheridge 14.06.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of BBC1 - Neighbours
How good is the story?
Is it dramatic?
How good are the charac...
Soundtrack
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What can I say this television station has come up trumps many times over the last few years. It has brought us some of the best live event television coverage , some great dramas, first class soaps, and one of the best variety line up ever. My week would not be the same without the BBC1 and the following shows , Neighbours, Diagnosis Murder, Top of the Pops, Changing Rooms, Town Challenge, Eastenders, Byker Grove, Watchdog, Paddington Green, Through the Keyhole, Airport, Glasgow Kiss, The Vicar of Dibley, . There are also a great range of films on every night . I can?t wait to see what they will give us once the new season begins. ...
LIZZIE241079 31.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of BBC1
Advantages: Funny Disadvantages: Soap addicts can't decide between Neighbours or this
The Weakest Link -what a laugh, and you even learn something, whether this be a bit of general knowledge or how to be amazingly sarcastic to the point of mild offence and still be considered as someone with a good sense of humour.
The eight contestants stood in an intimidating half moon shape around Anne Robinson (rather you than me) are brave to say the least. They must be pretty strong characters too as they are wangled away at and down right humiliated until two stand to fight it out to win the jackpot of up to ten grand (but normally more like four!)
This is built up by all the players answering questions and banking their earnings, yet when it comes to it you are on your own.
It has been on both BBC1 and BBC2 and in my opinion Neighbours is no competition to this great, funny and still even educational program ...
Advantages: Immense sarcasm Disadvantages: Can get a bit repetitive
saved at that point ? the overall winner will get it. The point of the show is that one person is voted ?the weakest link? at the end of each round by the others, and is thus eliminated, until there are only two left. Then we get a kind of penalty shootout of five questions each, and the winner gets all the money accumulated during the show.
OK, so it?s not simple, but it?s easy to understand when you watch it, OK?! And with a maximum of £10000 to be won each show, it?s definitely worth playing, and of course the tension makes it great to watch, if a little infuriating when they don?t eliminate the one you want them to! Anne Robinson plays the stern Paxman part well, and it can make you laugh a lot.
It?s a good format, and a great show. I only have one question ? why is it on at tea-time on BBC2 at the same time as Neighbours? While ...
