The great unsung heroes of TV drama are the writers, so let’s give a massive round of applause to those hard-working Neighbours scriptwriters. Not only did they just wrap up 37 years of stories, they did so by bringing back over 50 former characters in what was indeed a history-making finale.
Apart from Number 96, which featured 55 former actors back for a final curtain call, most Aussie soaps have quietly ended with only their current cast members. For example, The Box and the Young Doctors ended with everyone in their local drinking hole raising a glass, although kiosk owner Ada (Gwen Plumb) did slip back to the Albert Memorial to turn off the lights.
There was one last wedding for Dr Terence (Shane Porteous) when A Country Practice came to an end on Seven. Sons and Daughters brought back David Palmer (Tom Richards) so Pat the Rat (Belinda Giblin) could reunite with him, and Prisoner locked up Joan Ferguson (Maggie Kirkpatrick) behind bars. And killing off a heritage character like Dave Sullivan (Paul Cronin) was how The Sullivans ended.
Guy Pearce, Annie Jones, Stefan Dennis and Peter OBrien. Top: The Neighbours A-team with executive producer Jason Herbison
Neighbours managed to do most of the above, with Toadie (Ryan Moloney) getting married to Melanie (Lucinda Cowden), and a stack of couples reuniting, like Paul (Stefan Dennis) and Terese (Rebeka Elmaloglou). Nobody died, but it was a nice touch to show the ghosts of those who had departed, like Madge (Anne Charleston), Finn (Rob Mills) and Doug (Terence Donovan).
Kudos to whoever decided that Mike (Guy Pearce) would a) turn out to be the father of Sammy (Henrietta Graham) and b) tell Jane (Annie Jones) he still loved her. Their performances were pitch perfect, and their reunion with Scott (Jason Donovan) and Charlene (Kylie Minogue) was pop perfection. (Yes, I was crying, but they were happy tears.)
Now, has anyone checked on all those “family groups” who used to scream blue murder whenever Neighbours did queer stories? They must have popped a pooper valve at how many LGBTQ couples were going to live happily ever after, not to mention a bedroom scene earlier this week between David (Takaya Honda) and Aaron (Matt Wilson) that was so hot, Channel 5 had to censor it.
Neighbours has left the airwaves as the most inclusive show in the history of Australian television. Its last cast included actors from Japanese, Nigerian and Papuan New Guinean backgrounds, and actors with a disability (like Henrietta Graham, who has Down syndrome and a stutter) have been woven into the show for the last couple of years. Bravo.
Neighbours has finished at the top of its game and I’m sad that it’s ending, and I’m sad for the now unemployed crew who were honoured with all being included in the final shot. What makes me the saddest, however, is that Neighbours is being replaced by Friends. There is now a two-hour repeat block of the same US sitcom instead of an original Aussie drama. Let’s hope 10 can find a worthwhile local replacement.
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