SO LONG, “NEIGHBOURS”

On Thursday, the producers of the Australian soap opera “Neighbours,” which launched in 1985, announced they were ending the show after 37 seasons and nearly 9,000 episodes. (* Aw, c’mon. Where’s the commitment?) The show was all about the happenings in a cul-de-sac in a fictional Melbourne suburb. Over its long run, the show gave a big start to a host of actors who went on to even greater fame. For example:
– Russell Crowe played Kenny Larkin on the show in 1987.
– Margot Robbie played Donna Brown on “Neighbours” from 2008 to 2011.
– Liam Hemsworth got his break playing Josh Taylor from 2007-08. He went on to fame in the “Hunger Games” and “Independence Day: Resurgence.”
– Kylie Minogue became the breakout star of “Neighbours” from 1986-88. Her character Charlene’s wedding to boyfriend Scott Robinson (Jason Donovan) nabbed nearly 20 million viewers. (The “General Hospital’s Luke & Laura” of Australia.)
– Ben Mendelsohn played Warren Murphy from 1986-87, and then found greater fame in Hollywood in films like “Dark Knight Rises,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and “Captain Marvel.”
– Natalie Imbruglia got her start playing Beth Brennan from 1992-94. She went on to roles in films like “Johnny English” as well as a career as a singer-songwriter.
– Luke Mitchell, future star of the American series “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D,” “Blindspot” and “The Republic of Sarah” got his start in 2008 playing Chris Knight.
– Jesse Spencer played Bill Kennedy from 1994-2005, and then starred in the American series “House” and “Chicago Fire.”
– Bella Heathcote played Amanda Fowler, then went on to star in Hollywood films like 2012’s “Dark Shadows” and “Fifty Shades Darker” as well as series such as “The Man in the High Castle” and “Strange Angel.”
* Jeeze, how big was this cul-de-sac?
* Who can forget their classic “Evil Twin Koalas” storyline?
* In the last episode, everyone dies from something Australian: huntsman spider, blue-ringed octopus, brown snake, crocodile, assassin caterpillar, falling off Ayers Rock, pecked to death by a kookaburra, kangaroo stampede, tainted shrimp from the barbee…
* Frankly, 37 seasons is nothing. Other long-running soaps:
– UK’s “Coronation Street” – since 1960
– “General Hospital – since 1963
– “Days of Our Lives” – since 1965
– “The Yong and the Restless” – since 1973
– “Guiding Light” was on the radio from 1937-1956, and on TV from 1952-2009.
– “As the World Turns” ran from 1956 – 2010