Episode 8904
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Episode 8904, also branded as the premiere episode of ''Neighbours: A New Chapter'', is the first episode of the Australian television soap opera ''
Neighbours ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera that has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons and ...
'' to be released following its return from cancellation. It premiered on 18 September 2023 and was released through
Network 10 Network 10 (commonly known as the 10 Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Global's UK & Australia division and is one of the five national free-to-a ...
in Australia, and
Amazon Freevee Amazon Freevee (stylized as freevee and fv, also shortened as Freevee, formerly known as IMDb Freedive and IMDb TV, and sometimes spelled FV) is an American Free ad-supported streaming television, ad-supported video on demand, video-on-demand ( ...
in the UK and USA. The episode was written by the serial's executive producer,
Jason Herbison Jason Herbison (born 1972) is an Australian television producer, screenwriter and novelist, most recently serving as the executive producer of the soap opera ''Neighbours''. He has written scripts for numerous television serials, and has publis ...
, and directed by
Kate Kendall Kate Kendall is a British-born Australian actress and director. She played Angie Piper in the long-running Nine Network Australian drama '' Stingers'' from 1998 to 2004. Kendall has appeared in television series '' The Librarians'' (2007), '' R ...
. Although ''Neighbours'' had been off-screen for a little over a year, the production team decided to set its return two years after the events of " ''Neighbours'': The Finale", with the events of the interim period for multiple characters positioned as mysteries to be revealed in subsequent episodes. The plot of the episode revolves around an upcoming wedding, which is revealed in the episode's closing moments to be between the long-running characters
Terese Willis Terese Willis is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Rebekah Elmaloglou. The actress was cast in the role after attending an audition in late 2012. Before she began filming her first scenes in early F ...
(
Rebekah Elmaloglou Rebekah Sophie Elmaloglou (born 23 January 1974) is an Australian actress, known for her roles as teenage tearaway Sophie Simpson on ''Home and Away'' and Terese Willis on ''Neighbours''. She also made guest appearances in '' E Street'', '' A ...
) and
Toadie Rebecchi Jarrod Vincenzo Rebecchi, commonly known as "Toadfish" or "Toadie", is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Ryan Moloney. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 23 January 199 ...
(
Ryan Moloney Ryan Moloney (born 24 November 1979) is an Australian actor, known for his portrayal of the fictional character Jarrod "Toadfish" Rebecchi in the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' from 1995 until his departure in 2025. Career Moloney's first ...
), who had not previously shared any significant on-screen interaction. This storyline subverts the endings given to both characters in the previous episode, where Toadie married
Melanie Pearson Melanie Pearson (also Mangel) is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Lucinda Cowden. She made her first appearance as Melanie during the episode broadcast on 30 July 1987. Cowden originally a ...
(
Lucinda Cowden Lucinda Cowden (born 24 April 1965) is an Australian actress, known for her role as Melanie Pearson in the soap opera ''Neighbours'' from 1987 until 1991. She also appeared in '' The Power, The Passion'', presented children's television series ...
) and Terese reunited with her husband Paul Robinson (
Stefan Dennis Stefan Dennis (born 30 October 1958) is an Australian actor and singer best known for playing the role of cold-hearted and ruthless businessman Paul Robinson in the soap opera ''Neighbours'' from its first episode on 18 March 1985. He departed ...
). Meanwhile, a new family moves into the show's central setting of
Ramsay Street Ramsay Street is the fictional cul-de-sac in which the characters of the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' live. The street is set in the equally fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough. ''Neighbours'' storylines primarily centre on the re ...
, and
Byron Stone ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and airs on digital channel 10 Peach. The following is a list of characters that first appear in the show in 2022, by order of first appearance. All ch ...
(Xavier Molyneux) pursues a sexual liaison with mysterious hotel guest Reece Sinclair (
Mischa Barton Mischa Anne Marsden Barton (born 24 January 1986) is a British-American film, television, and stage actress. She began her career on the stage, appearing in Tony Kushner's '' Slavs!'' and took the lead in James Lapine's '' Twelve Dreams'' at ...
). Media coverage of the episode focused on the series' unexpected revival, the narrative challenges of its resumption after its well-received ending the previous year, and the promised "twist" to the wedding. Neither participant of the wedding was revealed prior to the episode's release. Reviews of the episode were mostly positive, with praise given to the series' consistency of tone despite its change to a multinational network, and the development of various characters' circumstances over the two year narrative gap. Some reviews were, however, more critical of the narrative developments since the finale and the episode's significant use of exposition. After the episode was shown, the show further publicised the plans for Terese and Toadie as a couple and the potential for further storylines allowed by their partnership.


Plot

Remi, Cara, JJ and Dex Varga-Murphy drive into Ramsay Street after renting 24 Ramsay Street from Jane Harris. Jane greets them at the house prior to attending a wedding, after which she is due to fly to the UK to meet her partner, Mike Young, for a holiday. At 28 Ramsay Street, Harold Bishop is visiting Karl and Susan Kennedy, while Karl's daughter Holly Hoyland has also moved in. Harold laments that his Ramsay Street history book has not been updated since his last visit two years ago. Having returned home at 3:00am, Holly rushes to work at
Lassiters Hotel Erinsborough is a fictional suburb of Melbourne, Australia, where the soap opera ''Neighbours'' is set, focusing on the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work there. ''Neighbours'' primarily centers on the residents of ...
, where she is distracted by her friends Mackenzie Hargreaves and Sadie Rodwell. Paul Robinson notices her lack of attention to guest Reece Sinclair and asks Byron Stone to intervene. When they are alone, it is revealed that Byron and Reece are conducting an affair. Paul sees Terese Willis, whom he married several years previously, and assures his sister, Lucy, that he is content with his choices. At 22 Ramsay Street, Terese prepares for her wedding day with the help of her daughter, Imogen, her son-in-law, Daniel Robinson, and Susan. Terese's younger daughter,
Piper A piper is a musician, a player of the bagpipe. As a noun proper, Piper may also refer to: People * Piper (given name) * Piper (surname) Arts and entertainment Fictional characters Comics * Piper (Morlock), in the Marvel Universe * P ...
, has declined to attend the ceremony, and Susan also privately expresses misgivings to Karl. Terese is also troubled by finding reminders of her and her fiancé's romantic pasts. At 30 Ramsay Street, Melanie Pearson finds a wedding gift for Terese and reminisces with Toadie Rebecchi over their wedding day. JJ expresses a surprising interest in the history of Ramsay Street, much to Harold's delight, while Byron muses over how little he knows about Reece and Paul thanks his present family members for their support. At the wedding ceremony, attended by the street's residents, it is revealed that Terese is marrying Toadie.


Regular cast appearances

*
Lucinda Armstrong Hall Lucinda Armstrong Hall is an Australian actress. She is noted for her recurring television role as Holly Hoyland in ''Neighbours'' from 2013 to 2014 and 2017 to 2018 and she returned in 2023 as a series regular. She is also known for her perform ...
as
Holly Hoyland ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera that was first broadcast on 18 March 1985. The following is a list of characters that first appeared on the show in 2007, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by the sh ...
* Emerald Chan as
Sadie Rodwell ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and airs on digital channel 10 Peach. The following is a list of characters that first appear in the show in 2022, by order of first appearance. All ch ...
*
Stefan Dennis Stefan Dennis (born 30 October 1958) is an Australian actor and singer best known for playing the role of cold-hearted and ruthless businessman Paul Robinson in the soap opera ''Neighbours'' from its first episode on 18 March 1985. He departed ...
as Paul Robinson *
Rebekah Elmaloglou Rebekah Sophie Elmaloglou (born 23 January 1974) is an Australian actress, known for her roles as teenage tearaway Sophie Simpson on ''Home and Away'' and Terese Willis on ''Neighbours''. She also made guest appearances in '' E Street'', '' A ...
as
Terese Willis Terese Willis is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Rebekah Elmaloglou. The actress was cast in the role after attending an audition in late 2012. Before she began filming her first scenes in early F ...
* Alan Fletcher as
Karl Kennedy Karl Kennedy is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Alan Fletcher. The actor previously appeared in the soap in 1987 as mechanic Greg Cooper. He made his first screen appearance as Karl during the episo ...
*
Annie Jones Ann Jones (or similar) may refer to: Writers *Ann Jones (author) (born 1937), American writer on women's issues *Anne Jones (writer) (born 1955), Australian editor and administrator *Anna Jones (food writer), columnist and cookbook author *Cathe ...
as
Jane Harris Jane Harris may refer to: * Jane Harris (producer), British television director and producer * Jane Harris (writer) (born 1961), British writer of fiction and screenplays * Jane Harris (''Neighbours''), a fictional character in the Australian so ...
*
Tim Kano Tim Kano is a New Zealand actor, known for playing Leo Tanaka in the Australian television soap opera ''Neighbours'' from 2016. He also stars in the 2021 horror film ''Great White''. Early life Kano's mother Sue is from New Zealand with Irish ...
as
Leo Tanaka Leo Tanaka is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Tim Kano. He made his first appearance in the main show during the episode broadcast on 22 September 2016. The character was introduced alongside his t ...
* Candice Leask as
Wendy Rodwell Wendy Rodwell is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Candice Leask. Leask secured the role of Wendy after sending in an audition tape in October 2021, however she was unsure if the character was right fo ...
*
Ryan Moloney Ryan Moloney (born 24 November 1979) is an Australian actor, known for his portrayal of the fictional character Jarrod "Toadfish" Rebecchi in the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' from 1995 until his departure in 2025. Career Moloney's first ...
as
Toadfish Rebecchi Jarrod Vincenzo Rebecchi, commonly known as "Toadfish" or "Toadie", is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Ryan Moloney. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 23 January 199 ...
* Xavier Molyneux as
Byron Stone ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and airs on digital channel 10 Peach. The following is a list of characters that first appear in the show in 2022, by order of first appearance. All ch ...
* Shiv Palekar as Haz Devkar *
Naomi Rukavina Naomi Rukavina is an Australian television and theatre actress. Her career began playing various stage roles whilst studying at the Victorian College of the Arts. She took roles in various short films and her film debut was in the 2012 comedy '' ...
as
Remi Varga-Murphy ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and airs on streaming service Amazon Freevee, and Network 10 in Australia. The following is a list of characters that first appear in the show in 2023 ...
*
Georgie Stone Georgie Robertson Stone (born 2000) is an Australian actress, writer and transgender rights advocate. At the age of 10, Stone was the youngest person to receive hormone blockers in Australia, which set a precedent that eventually changed the ...
as
Mackenzie Hargreaves Mackenzie Hargreaves is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Georgie Stone. She made her first appearance on 30 August 2019. Mackenzie is the soap's first transgender character, added to the series after S ...
* Sara West as Cara Varga-Murphy * Lloyd Will as
Andrew Rodwell ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and currently airs on digital channel 10 Peach. The following is a list of characters that appeared in the show in 2018, by order of first appearance. ...
*
Jackie Woodburne Jacqueline Anne Woodburne (born 5 February 1956) is an Australian actress, known for her numerous roles in television soap operas. After graduating from the National Theatre School, Woodburne played Maggie Gordon in ''The Young Doctors''. She ap ...
as
Susan Kennedy Susan Kennedy (also Smith and Kinski) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Jackie Woodburne. The character and her family were created by storyliners in an attempt to bring the show back to its roots ...
* Riley Bryant as JJ Varga-Murphy * Tanner Ellis-Anderson as Hugo Rebecchi * Henrietta Graham as Sam Young * Nikita Kato as
Abigail Tanaka ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and airs on digital channel 10 Peach. The following is a list of characters that first appear in the show in 2021, by order of first appearance. All ch ...
* Ayisha Salem-Towner as
Nell Rebecchi ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and currently airs on digital channel Eleven. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the soap in 2013, by order of first appeara ...
* Marley Williams as Dex Varga-Murphy


Production


Conception

On 28 July 2022, ''Neighbours'' aired " ''Neighbours'': The Finale" as the final episode of ''Neighbours'', accumulating over 1.4 million viewers. Following the public and media attention surrounding the finale, it was announced on 17 November 2022 that
Fremantle Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australi ...
and
Amazon Freevee Amazon Freevee (stylized as freevee and fv, also shortened as Freevee, formerly known as IMDb Freedive and IMDb TV, and sometimes spelled FV) is an American Free ad-supported streaming television, ad-supported video on demand, video-on-demand ( ...
had reached a deal that would allow ''Neighbours'' production to restart in 2023. No agreement had been reached for the series to continue at the time of the finale's broadcast, though discussions with five potential broadcast partners (including Amazon) were ongoing at this point. The production team accordingly planned to leave the series in a position where it could be returned to in the future. Jones revealed that the serial would not be changing its format to appeal to new international audiences, saying that "we didn't change it to appeal to the UK audience – they loved us for who we are – so we're hoping that the Americans feel the same way." Regular production recommenced on 17 April 2023, though scenes featuring Jones and Pearce were filmed in the UK earlier in the year.
Jason Donovan Jason Sean Donovan (born 1 June 1968) is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap ''Neighbours'', playing Scott Robinson, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 millio ...
, who reprised his role as
Scott Robinson Scott Robinson may refer to: * Scott Robinson (jazz musician) (born 1959), American jazz musician * Scott Robinson (ice hockey) (born 1964), Canadian National Hockey League player * Scott Robinson (singer) (born 1979), English singer in the boy ban ...
in the 2022 finale, said that he was "thrilled to hear" about the reboot and praised the serial by saying, "''Neighbours'' has helped shine a light on Australian culture, provided endless opportunities for our industry and kept fans entertained for decades!"
Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Frequently referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Princess of Pop", she has achieved recognition in both the music industry and fas ...
, who also returned in the finale as
Charlene Robinson Charlene Robinson (also Mitchell) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' played by Kylie Minogue. Charlene was introduced to the show along with several new characters, as part of a revamp by Network Ten to incre ...
, was "baffled" by the show's reboot due to the high effort put into the finale. She was excited about Pearce's return due to his performance in the finale, in which he, according to Mingoue, "had like a million scenes and I felt bad that I was just kind of on and off and said two words!"
Margot Robbie Margot Elise Robbie ( ; born 2 July 1990) is an Australian actress and producer. Her work includes both blockbuster and independent films, and her accolades include nominations for three Academy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and six BAFT ...
told ''
Studio 10 ''Studio 10'' was an Australian morning talk show on Network 10 which aired from 4 November 2013 to 22 December 2023. Its final hosts were Angela Bishop, Narelda Jacobs and Tristan MacManus. It aired between 10am and noon on weekdays and a hi ...
'''s
Angela Bishop Angela Bishop (born 6 September 1967) is an Australian reporter and television presenter who presents the national news bulletin ''10 News First: Midday'', as well as ''10 News First: Afternoons'' and was a co-host and the entertainment prese ...
that she was "so happy" for its return. Dennis told Bishop that he was not excited for the return, but was rather pleased by it, while Fletcher revealed that he first thought when he heard of the reboot about the "hundreds of people who would get their jobs back". Lucinda Cowden said that she felt in suspense between hearing about ''Neighbours'' being revived and being invited back. She also expressed the hardship of not being able to tell her family during Christmas that she was in fact returning to the show. Before it was revealed that he would star in the reboot, Guy Pearce said that it was hard for him to rewatch the 2022 finale as he knew that there would now be more episodes. By returning for the finale, Pearce worried that he had "just inadvertently committed" himself to a four-year stint on the show. He also called the finale a now "rather expensive exercise", while American actor
Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. In a Brad Pitt filmography, film career spanning more than thirty years, Pitt has received list of awards and nominations received by Brad Pitt, numerous a ...
said that he was "perplexed" by the show's revival. Herbison later stated that although discussions had been taking place whilst the finale episode was being produced, at this point he had envisaged the series as returning years in the future if an agreement was reached. Jamie Lynn, Fremantle’s executive vice president of co-production and distribution, likewise asserted that the cast and crew were unaware of these discussions, describing their approach to the finale as "genuine".


Development

In discussion with Amazon executives, Herbison and the ''Neighbours'' production team decided to begin the new episodes two years after the events of "''Neighbours'': The Finale", adding an additional year to the period since the show was last broadcast. Heribson stated that "We knew there was going to be a transmission gap, so life for the audience would have gone on and time would have passed for them too." It just felt like a one-off opportunity. In serial dramas, there aren't a lot of things you can do for the first time ..We felt that it was a great opportunity – and two years felt like a really nice timeline". Woodburne further suggested that events from the two years away would slowly become clear to viewers over time. Kano also praised the narrative potential of moving forward in time, noting the "evolution in the characters, their arcs, and their relationships", and Leo's own experiences as a single father to a three-year-old. Rukavina, who joined ''Neighbours'' in episode 8904, was interviewed by ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' for its release day. The interview highlights the Varga-Murphys as the first lesbian parents on the series, placing them within its recent movements towards increased diversity. Rukavina also indicated the benefits of exploring LGBTQ+ identities in a soap opera format, saying that "to be on a show that’s on four nights a week, where our sons have their own storylines and not everything is about us being queer – we get to do everyday normal stuff that you don’t get time to explore in any other show”. She also praised the producers' willingness to listen to the cast around matters of representation. Heribson further noted that in his time with ''Neighbours'', dissenting voices regarding diverse characters had lessened significantly. Elmaloglou and Moloney were informed that their characters were to marry shortly before scripts were circulated to the cast, with Elmaloglou flown in from
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
specifically to be told in person. Following the episode's premiere, Herbison explained his decision to unite Toadie and Terese, highlighting the storyline's potential to re-engage viewers: Moloney further discussed his determination for the relationship to not be a "gimmick", highlighting the work he and Elmaloglou had done to create a believable couple. Moloney stated that he could see how Toadie and Terese could be right for each other, pointing out that "Toadie is always trying to save people, but for the first time ever he's got this powerful woman who he doesn't have to save at all, who is completely capable. So in that aspect he is just able to love her, have fun with her, lighten up and enjoy life. For Terese, she's always been with somebody who she can never trust or believe. So now she gets somebody who just genuinely loves her and she can trust." Elmaloglou expressed concern that fans would not accept Terese and Toadie as a couple, but asserted that they are "genuinely in love with each other and have got together in a beautiful way". She was also excited for the "challenge" of working closely with Moloney after years acting alongside Dennis. The events of the episode, in particular Terese and Toadie's wedding, were designed to introduce storylines set to continue in the following weeks. Herbison teased a "big event" that would stem from Toadie and Terese's relationship, and that more would be revealed about Mel's off-screen departure. Similarly, Dennis revealed that there was more to Paul's jilting of Terese than had been shown on-screen, and that his motives were to protect Terese. Moloney suggested that Paul would interfere in Toadie and Terese's marriage. Dennis further opined that "you should always be worried about Paul at some stage". Reflecting on the narrative gap prior to episode 8904, Woodburne stated that "when we learn what's happened in those two years, it's so complex but so beautifully dovetailed into every character and backstory".


Cast

Long-time actors Stefan Dennis, Alan Fletcher, Jackie Woodburne and Ryan Moloney were the first actors to be confirmed to return, all of whom were informed of the revival when executive producer Jason Herbison visited their houses and asked them to return in-person. Fletcher, Woodburne and Moloney all expressed their pleasure of the revival either during interviews or on social media. Other cast members were not informed prior to the announcement of the show's return. In February 2023, seven more actors were announced as returnees. Rebekah Elmaloglou, Annie Jones, Tim Kano and Georgie Stone were announced as series regulars in the new season, while Melissa Bell and Ian Smith were announced to be returning in guest capacities, along with
April Rose Pengilly April Rose Pengilly (''pen-GILL-ee''; born 12 April 1988), also known as April Rose, is an Australian actress and model. Early life April Rose Pengilly is the daughter of INXS member Kirk Pengilly and designer Karen Hutchinson. She attended Wen ...
(as
Chloe Brennan Chloe Brennan is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by April Rose Pengilly. Pengilly auditioned for the role without knowing anything about the character. Not long after she made plans to mo ...
). It was also announced that Lucinda Cowden would be returning to the show after Moloney requested, "I definitely would like to see the return of Mel, as otherwise it'd be another death in the family!" Although appearing in Episode 8904, Cowden was not credited in the closing titles. The following episode revealed this scene was a flashback, with Cowden not initially reappearing in new episodes. Lloyd Will, Candice Leask and Emerald Chan were announced to be reprising their roles of Andrew, Wendy and Sadie Rodwell respectively, who were branded as the "last ever family to move onto Ramsay Street" prior to the finale. Leask commented that at the time, she was unaware of the other cast members who would be returning, but was grateful that ''Neighbours'' would be rebooted. As Holly Hoyland, Lucinda Armstrong-Hall was announced to be returning as a regular character via social media. Guy Pearce, who had reprised his role as Mike Young in the finale after a 33-year-long hiatus, was later confirmed to be returning to the serial in a guest capacity, despite his earlier comments on the revival. Pearce pre-empted the official announcement of his return on the ''Weekend Talks'' podcast for Australia's
Nine Network Nine Network (stylised 9Network, and commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of the five main free-to-air television ...
, where he revealed that he and Jones had discussed their characters' future and stated that "obviously, if I'm going to extricate myself from the show, I want to do it respectfully". It was later announced that Henrietta Graham as Mike's daughter, Sam Young, would also return. The ''Neighbours'' production team also cast Shiv Palekar as Hari "Haz" Devkar, who was introduced as the new manager of Harold's Café, before it was announced that Haz's dog,
Trevor Trevor ( Trefor in the Welsh language) is a common given name or surname of Welsh origin. It is an habitational name, deriving from the Welsh ''tre(f)'', meaning "homestead", or "settlement" and ''fawr'', meaning "large, big". The Cornish langu ...
(Bodie), would also be joining ''Neighbours'', although only first appearing in the third episode of the reboot. The new Varga-Murphy family, comprising Remi, Cara, Dex and JJ Varga-Murphy, played by Naomi Rukavina, Sara West, Marley Williams and Riley Bryant respectively, was announced by Herbison in June 2023. Of their introduction, Herbison explained, "We are delighted to welcome the Varga-Murphy family to Ramsay Street and the amazing cast portraying them." Herbison called them a beautiful addition to Erinsborough, then teased their "ulterior motive for being in Erinsborough" and the "explosive ramifications" it would have. West said that she was "so honoured to be a part of the new Neighbours legacy and really looking forward to bringing the Varga-Murphy family to Australian and international screens." Rukavina added that she was "trilled" to be part of the soap and offer "diverse and real representations of Australian families". For her first three months filming in the role, Rukavina was also performing in ''
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child ''Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'' is a play written by Jack Thorne from an original story by Thorne, J. K. Rowling, and John Tiffany. The plot occurs nineteen years after the events of Rowling's novel ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hall ...
'' each night. Ahead of the new season, it was also announced that Byron Stone would be upgraded to regular character status and recast from Joe Klocek to Xavier Molyneux. Klocek said that with Molyneux, Byron was "in goods hands". It was later revealed that the role was recast as Klocek was unavailable to return, so producers called Molyneux up, who had come second place in the initial audition for Byron. Due to the two year narrative gap, the characters of Nell and Hugo Rebecchi were recast from Scarlett Anderson and John Turner, to Ayisha Salem-Towner and Tanner Ellis-Anderson respectively. Daniel Kilkelly of
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
reported that producers "naturally had to bring in older actors to play the roles". Moloney, who is Nell and Hugo's on-screen father, revealed that he had "mixed emotions" about the recast, but was grateful that Anderson and Turner would be able to "go and be kids". He explained that, "The content of the stuff that Ayisha has to carry and do, she's pretty phenomenal. I'm loving working with these new guys." In April, it was leaked that Mischa Barton, known from her Hollywood roles in ''
The O.C. ''The O.C. '' is an American teen drama television series created by Josh Schwartz that originally aired on Fox in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 22, 2007, with a total of four seasons consisting of 92 episodes. The serie ...
'' and '' The Hills'', was joining the serial as an extended guest character. Barton told the press that she was "excited to be part of this iconic show’s next chapter, and I am really looking forward to being back in Australia, a place I know and love!" Herbison explained that the decision to introduce Barton's character Reece Sinclair was made to help bring in new American viewers to the serial. Episode 8904 also featured four returning characters whose returns had not been publicly announced prior to the episode's broadcast. These characters were Imogen Willis, Daniel Robinson, Angie Rebecchi and Callum Rebecchi, played by Ariel Kaplan, Tim Phillipps, Lesley Baker and Morgan Baker respectively. These characters were reintroduced to facilitate the wedding between Terese and Toadie. Phillipps later explained that he had been contacted by ''Neighbours'' producers and asked to "pop back to the show" for a few episodes. He described feeling "honoured and excited" to return to the serial and thanked Dennis and Kaplan for working with him again. In an exclusive behind-the-scenes segment on ''
10 News First 10 News First (set to rebrand as 10 News on 30 June 2025) is an Australia, Australian television newscast, produced by Network 10. The network's flagship news program airs at 5PM on weekday evenings covering local, national and world news, inc ...
'', Matt Wilson, who previously played
Aaron Brennan Aaron Brennan is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Matt Wilson. The actor originally auditioned for the role of Tyler Brennan and participated in a long casting process, during which he sent the prod ...
from 2015 to 2022, was seen on filming on set. This sparked a rumour that
Takaya Honda Takaya Honda (born 6 September 1987) is an Australian actor and television presenter. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Josh in the children's television series ''A gURLs wURLd'', Klaus Thomson in the comedy series ''The Family Law'' and ...
would also return as
David Tanaka David Tanaka is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Takaya Honda. He made his first appearance in the main show during the episode broadcast on 21 September 2016. The character was introduced alongside ...
alongside Wilson, however neither actor appeared in the first episode of the serial. Episode 8904 revealed that Aaron and David moved away from Erinsborough during the time jump after
Nicolette Stone Nicolette Stone is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Charlotte Chimes and Hannah Monson. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 15 July 2020. Chimes auditioned for the r ...
(Charlotte Chimes) and
Isla Tanaka-Brennan ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and airs on digital channel 10 Peach. The following is a list of characters that first appear in the show in 2021, by order of first appearance. All ch ...
(Mary Finn; Axelle Austin) also moved away. Chimes explained that if Nicolette were to return, she would be recast. This was subsequently revealed to be the case, with
Hannah Monson Hannah Monson (born 21 April 1992) is an Australian actress best known for her role as Kirstie Darrow in the ABC drama ''Glitch''. Since 2023, she has starred as Nicolette Stone on Network 10's soap opera drama ''Neighbours ''Neighbours' ...
taking over the role of Nicolette, alongside David and Aaron's returns, from November 2023. An article released by Digital Spy on 22 September 2023 outlined where the characters who did not return in episode 8904 had gone. Producers moved on
Glen Donnelly Glen Donnelly is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Richard Huggett. The actor joined the cast shortly after leaving '' E Street'', and he relocated from Sydney to Melbourne, where the show is filmed. H ...
and
Kiri Durant ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and airs on digital channel 10 Peach. The following is a list of characters that first appear in the show in 2022, by order of first appearance. All ch ...
, played by Richard Huggett and Gemma Bird Matheson, explaining on-screen that they were now staying at
Magnetic Island Magnetic Island ( Wulguru: ''Yunbenun'') is an island offshore from the city of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. This mountainous island in Cleveland Bay has effectively become a suburb of Townsville. The island is accessible from Townsvi ...
.
Jacinta Stapleton Jacinta Patrice Stapleton (born 6 June 1979) is an Australian actress. Best known for her role as Amy Greenwood in the Australian television soap opera ''Neighbours'' from 1997–2000, 2005 and 2020–2023). Her most notable role was playing u ...
and Freya Van Dyke's absences as
Amy Greenwood Amy Greenwood is a fictional character from the Australian soap ''Neighbours'', played by Jacinta Stapleton. She made her first on-screen appearance on 10 July 1997. Amy is characterised as flirtatious and ditzy, especially interested in fashion ...
and Zara Selwyn were explained upon Van Dyke's post to social media, which explained, "At this stage, no, Zara is not going back. It's nothing to do with anything beyond what storylines they've decided to go with."
Levi Canning Levi Canning is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Richie Morris. Morris auditioned for the role in early 2020 and successfully received the role of Levi, a police officer and replacement character for ...
(Richie Morris),
Freya Wozniak ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and airs on digital channel 10 Peach. The following is a list of characters that first appear in the show in 2022, by order of first appearance. All ch ...
(Phoebe Roberts) and
Geoff Paine Geoff Paine is an Australian television and theatre actor from Melbourne. He is known for his a role as doctor Clive Gibbons on the soap opera ''Neighbours'', as well as ''A Country Practice'', Nine Network children's television series ''Pig's ...
( Clive Gibbons) also did not return.


Filming

Following the announcement of ''Neighbours return, Herbison spoke to
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
about the initial plans for resuming filming. As indicated by the video announcing the recommission, Herbison confirmed that the interior and exterior sets housed at
Nunawading Nunawading () is an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 18 km (11 miles) east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Whitehorse and City of Manningham local government areas. Nunawading recorded ...
studios had been retained and would be restored for the new episodes. However, at this point the production was exploring a contingency plan for if Pin Oak Court, the location for
Ramsay Street Ramsay Street is the fictional cul-de-sac in which the characters of the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' live. The street is set in the equally fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough. ''Neighbours'' storylines primarily centre on the re ...
, could not be returned to. When production recommenced in April 2023, it was confirmed that Pin Oak Court would remain in use as a central location. Woodburne described her first day of filming with, "Doing my first scene back was emotional, it did feel like coming home. It was lovely." The first scene of episode 8904 was filmed on Pin Oak Court, the real-life location of Ramsay Street, and was of the new Varga-Murphy family arriving in Erinsborough. Episode 8904 was directed by
Kate Kendall Kate Kendall is a British-born Australian actress and director. She played Angie Piper in the long-running Nine Network Australian drama '' Stingers'' from 1998 to 2004. Kendall has appeared in television series '' The Librarians'' (2007), '' R ...
, who served as a producer for ''Neighbours'' up to its 2022 finale. She also previously appeared in the series as
Lauren Turner Lauren Turner (also Carpenter) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Kate Kendall. The role was originally played by Sarah Vandenbergh, and she made her first appearance during the episode broadcast o ...
, a role she last reprised in "''Neighbours'': The Finale". Kendall explained, "We filmed the first very scene of the new series on Ramsay Street. We were filming the arrival of our new family who are joining the show, so that felt like a really beautiful moment of re-energising things." Upon returning to the unused Lassiters complex set behind the Nunawading studios, Dennis described to ''
The Sunday Post ''The Sunday Post'' is a weekly newspaper published in Dundee, Scotland, by DC Thomson, and characterised by a mix of news, human interest stories and short features. The paper was founded in 1914 and has a wide circulation across Scotland, U ...
'' that the area had become overgrown between filming the 2022 finale and episode 8904. He said, "I had to come here a couple of times before we started filming again and this had all become so overgrown; seeing it in such a dilapidated state was very weird. It felt like tumbleweeds going down the corridors. It was so desolate. So, it’s great to be back and have everyone here. It was like putting on some comfortable old shoes. It's the same but different."


Broadcast and promotion

Episode 8904 was the first episode of ''Neighbours'' to be released on
Amazon Freevee Amazon Freevee (stylized as freevee and fv, also shortened as Freevee, formerly known as IMDb Freedive and IMDb TV, and sometimes spelled FV) is an American Free ad-supported streaming television, ad-supported video on demand, video-on-demand ( ...
in the UK and USA, following previous British broadcaster Channel 5's decision to end its partnership with the show. It was released nearly 14 months after the Channel 5 finale, which was developed and broadcast to act as the series' final ever episode. In Australia, episode 8904 returned ''Neighbours'' to a regular scheduled position on
Network 10 Network 10 (commonly known as the 10 Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Global's UK & Australia division and is one of the five national free-to-a ...
for the first time since 2010. Its former slot at 6:30pm on digital channel
10 Peach 10 Peach Comedy (set to rebrand as 10 Comedy in 2025) is an Australian free-to-air television channel operated by Network 10. It was launched on 11 January 2011 as Eleven. It is owned by ElevenCo, which was established as a joint venture betwee ...
was retained as a repeat broadcast, with episodes also added to
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming television service owned by Amazon. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced or co-produced by ...
after a one week broadcast window. The episode was released through Amazon Prime Video in Canada and South Africa, where Freevee is not available. ''Neighbours'' returned to
RTÉ One RTÉ One is an Irish free-to-air flagship television channel owned and operated by RTÉ. It is the most-popular and most-watched television channel in the country and was launched as ''Telefís Éireann'' on 31 December 1961, it was renamed ''R ...
in the Republic of Ireland.
TVNZ Television New Zealand (, "Te Reo Tātaki" meaning "The Leading Voice"), more commonly referred to as TVNZ, is a New Zealand state-owned media company and Crown entity. The company operates a television network, streaming service, and news se ...
retained first broadcast rights in New Zealand, with episodes also added to Amazon Prime Video a week after their initial broadcast.
TVNZ 2 TVNZ 2 () is the second New Zealand television channel owned and operated by the state-owned broadcaster Television New Zealand (TVNZ). It targets a younger audience than its sister channel, TVNZ 1. TVNZ 2's line up consists of dramas, comedie ...
broadcast the episode on 19 September, with following episodes continuing to be scheduled the day after their release in other markets. The episode's promotion began in a
Network 10 Network 10 (commonly known as the 10 Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Global's UK & Australia division and is one of the five national free-to-a ...
reel, released in July 2023, that revealed that ''Neighbours'' would begin with a surprise wedding. It also included archive footage of Mike and Jane from "''Neighbours'': The Finale". A promotional trailer for ''Neighbours return was released on 1 August 2023, which also announced the release date for episode 8904. The trailer also focused on the wedding and its undisclosed participants, although Ash Percival of ''
Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers ...
'' noticed that Terese's name was displayed at the ceremony. The trailer showed the first new footage of Mike and Jane, and also foregrounded Barton's appearance. Following the release of promotional stills by ''
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
'' in advance of the episode, a viewer posted to
Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
a magnified image of a booklet held by Jane, revealing that Terese and Toadie were the characters getting married. Episode 8904 concludes with an extended trailer for subsequent episodes. The trailer teased the continuation of storylines begun in the episode, featuring Paul's response to Terese and Toadie's marriage, Reece's secrecy, JJ's interest in Ramsay Street, Mackenzie's attraction to Haz, and Jane and Mike's holiday in England. It also promoted difficulties between Susan and Karl, and a health scare for Harold.


Reception


Ratings

In Australia, the episode was watched by a total of 122,000 people at the 4:30pm timeslot. A further 42,000 viewers watched the episode repeat at 6:30pm on 10 Peach. Episode 8904 failed to make the top 20 programmes watched in metropolitan or regional Australia for that night. Estimates from ''TV Blackbox'' approximated a total of 244,000 Australian viewers across both the 4:30pm and the 6:30pm broadcasts, as well as those who watched via
10Play 10Play or 10 Play (formerly known as Tenplay, set to rebrand as 10 in 2025) is an Australian free video on demand and catch-up TV service run by Network 10. The service became available on 29 September 2013, replacing the network's old website ...
and Amazon Freevee, watched episode 8904. This was a 15% increase from the average nightly viewers the serial was experiencing during its 2022 season.


Critical response


Positive analysis

Australian Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese Anthony Norman Albanese ( or ; born 2 March 1963) is an Australian politician serving as the 31st and current prime minister of Australia since 2022. He has been the Leaders of the Australian Labor Party#Leader, leader of the Labor Party si ...
said on social media that "''Neighbours'' is a part of Australian life" and congratulated the cast and crew for returning to screens. He wished, "So, to all those at Ramsay Street – well done, good to see you back." Television presenter
Angela Bishop Angela Bishop (born 6 September 1967) is an Australian reporter and television presenter who presents the national news bulletin ''10 News First: Midday'', as well as ''10 News First: Afternoons'' and was a co-host and the entertainment prese ...
branded the return as a "historic day for Australian TV". Episode 8904 was featured in segments on ''
Have You Been Paying Attention? ''Have You Been Paying Attention?'' (abbreviated as HYBPA?) is an Australian panel game television quiz show on Network 10. The series, which is produced by Working Dog Productions, is a mix of news and comedy which sees host Tom Gleisner quiz ...
'', '' The Cheap Seats'', and ''
Gogglebox Australia ''Gogglebox Australia'' is an Australian reality television program which airs on Network 10. It is an adaptation of the British series of the same name. The series, which is produced by Shine Australia, was originally a co-production between ...
''. The episode was positively viewed by most newspapers and tabloid media. Helen Daly of ''
Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...
'' branded the reboot as "a soap twist with a meaningful reboot", explaining that the revelation of Toadie and Terese's relationship made her gasp, but gave her "a gleeful smile". She explained that she believed ''Neighbours'' had successfully taken advantage of the two-year time jump and had executed it "in a smart way". She thought Toadie and Melanie's split "could have genuinely happened", however said that it would take her "a long time" to think of pairing Toadie with Terese. She further applauded the serial's efforts in creating the storyline by calling it shocking, but also "clever and thoughtful". She thought that Reece's introduction was "the biggest talking point of the new episodes" and was a good way of introducing the new American audience to the serial, which she explained had an "invigorated cast, exciting storylines and a new slick and stylish way of working." She summed the episode up as "a bit too much explosion for existing fans, with a couple of clunky questions", but thought that Woodburne's opening like was "the perfect way to introduce us into the new era". The ''i'''s Caroline Frost similarly gave positive appraisal of the episode and claimed that the writers "know what they're doing". She expressed her comfort in seeing Paul, Toadie, Karl and Susan back on her screen mixed in with other characters, such as Reece, whom she described as "so-far enigmatic". Frost criticised Guy Pearce's scenes filmed overseas and presumed that his future appearances would not be filmed "in the same room, or country, as the rest of the cast." While appreciating the "huge efforts" made to "shoehorn in some background context" for the viewers, she also disapproved of the episode seemingly sliding in the new cast members and the "audacious" wedding twist, explaining that she "laughed out loud in delight and was tempted to rewind and watch it all over again." Episode 8904 was described as a "triumphant TV return" by editor Clare Rigden from ''
Perth Now ''The Sunday Times'' is a tabloid Sunday newspaper published by Seven West Media, in Perth and distributed throughout Western Australia. Founded as ''The West Australian Sunday Times'', it was renamed ''The Sunday Times'' from 30 March 1902. ...
'', who expressed that the return gave viewers "everything they could possibly want, with romance and drama aplenty plus THAT wedding surprise." She claimed that this "extraordinary plot twist" of pairing Terese and Toadie delighted fans. Rigden commended Woodburne's opening lines and thought that her narration was fitting with her finale speech. She described the introduction of the Varga-Murphy family as "satisfying", before calling the episode "the perfect blend". A writer for ''
The Telegraph ''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are often names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include: Australia * The Telegraph (Adelaide), ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaid ...
'' described the time jump as a clever production decision, however claimed that "clunky exposition" has been "crowbarred" into the episode to fill in viewers. He reported that the ''Neighbours'' sets had been "glammed up" with "an ambient synth soundtrack." In a review of the reboot, ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'' said that episode 8904 proved little would change in the new ''Neighbours'' episodes. Tamzin Meyer of ''Entertainment Daily!'' branded the episode as the perfect mixture of returning and new characters, which allowed writers to keep the show "current and fresh". Meyer was critical of the way the serial attempted to fill in viewers on the events that had happened during the two-year time jump, saying that it was "a little hard to keep up with". Addressing Toadie and Terese's wedding, she called the episode "rather confusing for both new and old fans as they are left with many gaps that need filling. An explanation for these changes was rather glazed over."
Whattowatch.com ''What's on TV'' is a weekly television listings magazine published by Future PLC. Overview ''What's on TV'' is a weekly UK television magazine. It publishes features, TV listings, news and gossip from soap operas, as well as puzzles and compe ...
's Simon Timblick said that even long-term ''Neighbours'' fans could not have predicted that Terese and Toadie were getting married, then recapped the episode by saying, "While the first episode of the ''Neighbours'' reboot has left long-time fans with more questions than answers, there is no denying that it feels amazing to be back on Ramsay Street." Writing on behalf of ''
Metro Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...
'', senior soaps editor Stephen Patterson praised ''Neighbours'' for returning to screens "with a bang, serving up a huge twist that has left fans with their jaws on the floor". Patterson believed that the episode "ticked all the boxes", but thought that a wedding between Terese and Paul, rather than Toadie, would have "made perfect sense". He praised the introduction of the Varga-Murphys, Haz and Reece, and said that Molyneux had proved himself worthy of taking over the role of Byron from
Joe Klocek Joe Klocek (born 24 June 1995) is an Australian actor. He is known for his roles in the television series ''Nowhere Boys'' (2016–2018), as well as his role in the film '' The Dry'' (2020). Klocek has also appeared in the TV shows ''Barracuda'' ...
. Patterson also applauded the "lavish drama" implemented in the wedding twist, explaining that it had been "''very'' well played". He expressed his concerns over Jane and Mike and how scenes would be filmed whilst making their relationship still seem believable. He quipped the serial's reboot as having been executed "in a truly epic fashion". Laura Masia of ''
The Pedestrian "The Pedestrian" is a science fiction short story by American writer Ray Bradbury. This story was originally published in the August 7, 1951 issue of '' The Reporter'' by The Fortnightly Publishing Company. It is included in the collection '' ...
'' gagged the episode as "a bunch of twists, turns and bonkers surprises along the way". She claimed the wedding was filmed in a way to position the audience to be against Toadie and Terese's relationship. Masia gave appraisal of Mischa Barton's acting and her character's continuous mystique, but called JJ's interest in Ramsay Street a "boring" storyline. ''Screenhub.com'' gave Episode 8904 a 3.5 out of 5 star review. A writer for the site was grateful for the limited change in the show's format and cast, but was sceptical of Harold's quick introduction to the Varga-Murphy family. He expressed his hope that the new 4:30pm timeslot would introduce a new older and younger audience. ''
Virgin Radio Virgin Radio is a branding of radio stations broadcast in Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, Romania, Turkey, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. As of April 2024, there were over 40 stations globally. The stations ...
'' wrote that Alan Fletcher's tease of a "big twist" was an understatement and that Reece's secrecy was fascinating. ''TL;DR Movie Reviews and Analysis'' called the episode "full of nostalgia" and acclaimed Herbison's work in "trying to pick up the pieces again". A writer for the website gave credit to producers' efforts in luring in an international customer base by introducing Mischa Barton.


Mixed and negative analysis

''
The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuous ...
s Michael Idato called the soap's reprisal "a risky move", and rebuked the fact that Mike was not living in Ramsay Street and that Harold was "wandering in and out of shot, providing historical details like a museum guide gone rogue." Despite congratulating the efforts of the show's cinematography and production design team, he wrote that the first episode should have been "leaner, sharper and pack more punch". He opined that the editing was lazy and said that only Mischa Barton would attract audiences to the following episode. The ''Neighbours'' reboot was likened to ''
Degrassi Junior High ''Degrassi Junior High'' is a Canadian teen drama television series created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood. It is the second entry of the '' Degrassi'' television franchise after ''The Kids of Degrassi Street'' and aired on the CBC from 18 Jan ...
'' by Joel Keller of ''
Decider Decider is both a real word and a "Bushism". It may refer to: * ''Decider'' (website), a pop culture website operated by the ''New York Post'' * '' Bill Maher: The Decider'', a stand-up comedy special * Decider (Turing machine), a Turing machin ...
''. The American website conveyed the confusion of new American viewers in determining which characters had previously been in a relationship with each other, but was appreciative of the Varga-Murphy's arrival to fix this. Keller joked that Remi, Cara and Dex Varga-Murphy seemed "just as clueless about the neighborhood as we are" and called some elements of the premiere "goofy", but was intrigued by the serial. ''
Irish Independent The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray backgrou ...
'' writer Chris Wasser branded the reboot as "A clunky, convoluted comeback for the soap that should never have been given a second life". Author Anna Spargo-Ryan writing through ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' said that the first episode was "a little bit awkward" in that it would be hard to plot traditional soap storylines while branding as a streaming show. She was grateful for the returns of many cast members and called the rapid ageing of Nell Rebecchi and Hugo Somers "true soap fashion", which contributed to the "surreal quality" of the episode. The revelation of Toadie as the groom was called "genuinely shocking, even by Erinsborough standards". Spargo-Ryan called Guy Pearce's FaceTime appearance unsurprising and theorised the reasons behind Harold's return, before calling the depicted tension between Karl and Susan typical. In a following article published by ''The Guardian'', editor Scott Bryan claimed that the "maddening Ramsay Street reboot makes absolutely no sense" and criticised the fact that Melanie and Toadie's marriage, the "absolute heart of last year's big finale", had broken down. He called the latter and Terese's pairing "too random" and said that the efforts made in the finale had "evaporated". Summarising, Bryan said, "All of this feels too messy, and not in a good soapy way. At least the soap has one mystery that will keep viewers coming back. What is ''
The OC ''The O.C. '' is an American teen drama television series created by Josh Schwartz that originally aired on Fox in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 22, 2007, with a total of four seasons consisting of 92 episodes. The serie ...
s Mischa Barton doing there?" A third ''The Guardian'' article by Frances Ryan claimed that Episode 8904 would leave fans "shouting at their screens". She compared the reboot to "seeing a distant relative come back from the dead" and questioned why the show was returning after characters were given perfect endings in the finale. While giving the context, Ryan quipped the episode as "an odd mix of nostalgia...and unsettling change" and declared that bringing back Guy Pearce was "the most publicised problem for the writers".


Notes


References


External links

* {{Neighbours Neighbours episodes 2023 television episodes Television episodes directed by Kate Kendall Television episodes written by Jason Herbison