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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Spells &amp; Karma" data-source="post: 208611" data-attributes="member: 23">Episodes 341-350 (...continued)Dodge and Steven have paid another visit to the city. The change in tone and pace reminds me a little of those EastEnders flashbacks where Diane Butcher remembered her time as a runaway. Or perhaps the Brookie bubble, South (which I missed at the time and have never managed to catch up on in the intervening three decades or so).Dodge steals money and clothes while Steve reluctantly covers. They both go gaga over a bland blonde runaway named Viv.<img src="https://i.vgy.me/Hg0CmY.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />The only interesting thing about her is the sunglasses she occasionally wears. However, the powers that be have given us the cue that Viv is a Very Important Character by giving her a solo spot in the opening credits a couple of episodes before she even appeared (she also got a credit at the END of her first episode, because she’s important enough to be billed twice). Adding insult to injury, she is second billed, after Tom and Pippa and BEFORE Alf, Ailsa, Celia, Donald, Morag, Bobby, Carly, Steven and Sally. The blooming cheek.Adam also gets his own solo credit in the opening titles (why not just stick him and Viv together, I find myself wondering). Up to this point, solo credits have been retained for significant characters or actors. Tom; Pippa; Morag. There was Sally in the Pilot, of course, but it could be argued she shared it with Milco. And even if not, at least she’s an original member of the central family.Adam and Viv are representative of a new wave of central characters. Both of them are drifters who are drawn to stay in Summer Bay by circumstances, but without pre-existing ties to any of the characters. Viv was brought by Dodge and Steven who have persuaded Colleen and Lance to allow her to pose as Lance’s cousin. Adam was passing through but his yacht has been wrecked by Revhead after the car stealing incident, meaning Adam has to work in the diner to slowly earn the tens of thousands necessary to repair it (a similar scenario to Marilyn being tied to working for Morag in order to pay for the priceless vase she broke).Up to this point, only other series regular I can think of who was in the same “outsider” category is Matt. But at least with Matt he was around for several months before being boosted to regular. And he shared his credit with another character.Viv and Adam’s immediate entry to the show as series regulars feels like something of a turning point. And one that takes place at the top of a slippery slope. In 1990 when they debuted on British screens, I really wanted to like them. And I was in the teen demographic their characters were aimed at. I knew of Mouche Phillips from interviews in TV magazines. And possibly even a mention in Behind The Scenes or some other official book. I knew she was Justine Clarke’s roommate and she was touted as the next big thing. Sometimes, the more something is marketed the bigger the disappointment. I was greatly underwhelmed thirty years ago and I don’t expect to be any more impressed this time round. I certainly haven’t been so far. By either of them. Cool shades aside, the only other time Viv’s story has interested was when she ran away (again) and became friendly with an eccentric homeless bag lady named Beulah. But that was down to Beulah herself. I’d like to have seen more of her than the one episode stint. Shame they didn’t swap places.<img src="https://i.vgy.me/Auoqc0.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />There’s yet another new face in the series: Nina Olivera, a friend of Stacey's who did the marketing for Santa Never Stops In Summer Bay.She arrives at Stacey’s place and naturally immediately lusts after Andrew who rejects her with equal speed, presumably because - like Marilyn - she’s far too old for him (I wonder if it’s in Peter Bensley’s contract that every younger female character should have an unrequited crush on Andrew. How else can it be explained?).Unike Marilyn, Nina isn’t too downhearted by Andrew’s rejection. She has plans:Sigh. Just when you think the series has moved on from Lance and Martin’s recording career. Deep breaths, Mel.There’s a chance it may not happen. Lance is still to be convinced. Perhaps partly because he doesn’t have a clue what it’s all about:The truth about Steven and Dodge’s trips to the city, while they were supposed to be camping, has come out. A series of events that began when Tom met Viv who was hiding in the shed, and continued when he spoke to Donald:This gives us some classic “don’t mess with Tom” moments, the first of which comes immediately:<img src="https://i.vgy.me/Y2i0Fc.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Let’s hope there are more arse kickings to come.</blockquote>

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