Neighbours spoilers follow.
Eight months on from Neighbours‘ big relaunch on Amazon Freevee, it’s like the iconic show was never away from our screens.
The popular series has delivered the ‘perfect blend’ of high drama, romance and soapy silliness this year. Darker plots like David’s death and Krista’s baby tragedy have been balanced out by Sadie and Byron falling in love, Harold making a heartwarming return – and of course, the long-running Dr Pooper scandal.
Neighbours has also achieved recognition in the US, scoring nominations in the Daytime Emmy awards for the first time ever.
Delving back into recent highlights and looking ahead to coming weeks, Neighbours‘ executive producer Jason Herbison recently caught up with Digital Spy for an exclusive chat.
How has the new season been going from your point of view?
“I’m very happy with how the show is going. It was a huge undertaking to get Neighbours back up and running, both from a creative and a production standpoint.
“We had new characters to introduce and new story arcs to get under way, along with many technical advancements behind the scenes. We work closely with Amazon and all indications are that the new chapter is tracking very well.
“Our recent US Emmy nomination was the delicious icing on the cake and it’s wonderful to see some new viewers popping up Stateside. I also love that some of our long running viewers are engaging with the new viewers and helping them to fill in the gaps.”
There’s now five or six months between filming and transmission, which is longer than it used to be. Has that provided any challenges when it comes to acting on fan feedback?
“The show has always been a mix of what our audience tells us, what our broadcast partners want and what our own instincts are. Audience feedback is the hardest of all because it’s so varied. There is no Facebook post or Twitter thread that gives a definitive picture.
“For example, a story or character that might seem negatively received on one forum might be embraced in audience research. We try not to make knee-jerk decisions, so the TX difference hasn’t impacted much at all. It’s still modest compared to many shows.”
How is the collaboration with Amazon working?
“I’m pleased to say we have developed a wonderful working relationship with Amazon. They are very engaged in all aspects of the process. One difference is that we also receive audience research from Amazon, which is very insightful.”
Which episodes are you most proud of from the new season so far?
“There have been many episodes that I’ve loved. I was happy with Flashback Week due to the sheer ambition of it all. There were a lot of moving parts but I love that it was something different, which is hard to pull off on a show that has done just about everything.
“David’s death episode was another favourite. Deaths of long running characters are a gift because the audience are so invested. I think we do them well.
“We’ve actually just filmed a huge week of episodes that count as some of our most ambitious ever. I can’t wait for everyone to see them.”
The Varga-Murphy and Rodwell family stories have been warmly received by the fans. Can you share any future plans for those two families and will they stay prominent in the coming months?
“I’m so happy that viewers have embraced the new families, although we did meet the Rodwells last season.
“There were a lot of new characters to get used to and it’s a testament to the writers and the actors that they settled in so quickly. We wanted to put them at the forefront and we have long story arcs planned for both families.”
Speaking of the Varga-Murphys, are their unseen enemies the Linwell brothers still out there somewhere?
“Of course the Linwell brothers are still out there. Don’t you know that if a character gets a name in Neighbours, it’s a safe bet you will meet them one day!”
The show seems committed to Toadie and Terese as a couple after their wedding twist in the return episode. Do you see them as a long-term match or could the original Terese/Paul and Toadie/Mel pairings still have a chance?
“One of the great challenges of legacy characters is to keep them fresh and surprising. The Toadie and Terese pairing was the ultimate rock in the pond. It gave us a reset on all the characters.
“It’s great that many viewers have embraced it but it’s equally great that many want the old pairings back. Some viewers would like the characters to go in totally new directions, which is interesting too.
“In the case of everyone, the new pairings have impacted not just their romantic lives but their work lives and their living situations, which continues to give us a lot of great material.”
Was introducing the Eirini Rising retirement complex always part of your masterplan when the show returned?
“It was part of the plan. I love older characters and I believe they have a lot to give society. Workplaces in general are incredibly important to serial dramas as they bring so much story. I’ve tried a few different ones over the years with varying success.
“With Karl, Susan and Terese working at Eirini Rising, I think we have a great playing area and it’s certainly been generative so far.”
Are there plans for other returns in that space, beyond Harold and Hilary?
“Harold and Hilary will indeed be joined by further faces from the past, but it will happen organically. I didn’t want to open the doors and suddenly bring back every older character imaginable.
“I also love that we might revisit some characters who weren’t regulars in the past but have aged in the community.”
We recently saw a trailer featuring Logan, a possible new love interest for Aaron. Can you tell us a bit more about him?
“Melanie has a chance meeting with Logan during her travels and this becomes the catalyst for him to travel to Erinsborough. There’s more to him than meets the eye and he hones in on Aaron, but it’s not a conventional romantic storyline.
“Aaron certainly isn’t in the market to meet anyone. The story takes some very unexpected turns, which I don’t think the audience will see coming.”
How will you approach the ‘Mike dilemma’ moving forwards? Is there a chance we could see Guy Pearce in person again?
“It’s a wonderful dilemma to have. We’re very grateful to Guy for continuing his association with the show. Anything is possible but of course it depends on his schedule.
“That said, the distance will soon prove difficult for Mike and Jane and they will need to reassess their future.”
Which other characters should we be keeping an eye on?
“We have a very big storyline coming up soon that will take us away from Erinsborough and into some unchartered territory. In some ways it’s a companion piece to Flashback Week and some of the characters and themes will be revisited, but in a very different way.
“We also have a few events coming up at Lassiters, including one that’s a little nod to the past. We are also establishing a new playing area at the hotel, which will be exciting.
“There will also be another two hander episode before the year is out though I can’t say with who!”
With the show plotting so far in advance, can you tell us how plans for the 40th anniversary next March are going?
“We always go big with our anniversary milestones and the 40th will be no different. It will be a week-long celebration with huge story arcs playing out in every direction.
“My hope is that our audience will watch it and say ‘that’s everything we love about Neighbours‘.”
Neighbours releases new episodes from Mondays to Thursdays for free on Amazon Freevee in the UK and US. In Australia, the show airs from Mondays to Thursdays at 4pm on Channel 10, with a 6.30pm repeat screening on 10 Peach.