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Friends for Twenty Years
"Friends for Twenty Years" is the 4773rd episode of the Australian television soap opera Neighbours. The episode was written by Ben Marshall, directed by Jovita O'Shaughnessy, and executively produced by Ric Pellizzeri. It first aired on 27 July 2005 on Network Ten in Australia, as part of the soap's 20th anniversary. Planning for the episode began in March 2004, twelve months before the anniversary. Producers decided to celebrate the 20th anniversary on-screen in July, as winter ratings are usually higher.
Many former Neighbours cast members were invited back for the episode. Producer Peter Dodds said the biggest challenge was getting the returning characters and the anniversary episodes to relate to what was going on in the show at the time, but he believed he had found a good way to combine both the past and the present. "Friends for Twenty Years" was shot in early 2005. Most of the returning actors filmed their scenes at the show's studios in Nunawading, while the others shot their appearance wherever they were based in the world.
The episode centres on Annalise Hartman's (Kimberley Davies) return to Erinsborough to screen her BBC documentary about Ramsay Street and its former residents, some of whom returned to town to view the documentary along with the current residents. More than 6 million viewers tuned in for the episode in the UK, while the critical response for the episode was mixed. Most critics bemoaned Annalise's new career as a film maker, while others were disappointed with the returning characters and thought the episode would only appeal to fans of the show.
At the General Store, Boyd Hoyland (Kyal Marsh) and Sky Mangel (Stephanie McIntosh) discuss his new role as a father to Kayla Thomas's (Virginia Ryan) daughter. They are interrupted when Sky's father, Joe (Mark Little), suddenly arrives to see Sky. Joe explains that he had to come to town when he heard about Annalise Hartman's (Kimberley Davies) Ramsay Street documentary and he asks Sky all about Boyd and Kayla. Joe is also reunited with his former father-in-law, Harold Bishop (Ian Smith). At Karl Kennedy's (Alan Fletcher) flat, Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney), Lance Wilkinson (Andrew Bibby), Annalise, Doug Willis (Terence Donovan) and Philip Martin (Ian Rawlings) gather to reminisce and film more scenes for Annalise's documentary. The following morning, all of the locals gather in Ramsay Street for a party and the screening of the documentary. Joe reminisces about his time on the street, while Max (Stephen Lovatt) and Stephanie Hoyland (Carla Bonner) learn that they are no longer allowed to adopt Kayla's daughter or any other child. At the hospital, where Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) is recovering from having his leg amputated, his sister, Lucy (Melissa Bell), visits and tries to encourage him to wear his false leg.
Paul and Lucy eventually turn up to Ramsay Street and Paul tells his aunt, Rosemary (Joy Chambers), that he is not selling his business to her. He then announces that he is staying in Erinsborough and is moving into Number 22 Ramsay Street. Annalise worries that the sun is too bright to show the documentary outside and insists on a change of venue. The group gather in the Scarlet Bar for the screening instead. Connor O'Neill (Patrick Harvey) turns up at the last minute and greets Toadie, which makes Lance jealous. Annalise thanks everyone for coming and for the use of their home videos, before explaining that the film is currently an untitled rough cut. The documentary begins with Annalise standing in Ramsay Street, talking about what it meant to her. It then cuts to various past residents, who talk about their time on the street. As the documentary ends, Harold stands up to announce that the documentary should be called Neighbours and the audience make a toast.
Producer Peter Dodds joked that the production team first started thinking about the 20th anniversary after Neighbours had been on air for ten years. He said that due to the show's success, the team began to think in terms of decades and knew that they would have to have a big celebration in 2005. The actual planning for the anniversary episodes began twelve months before the anniversary. Line producer Linda Walker revealed that initial discussions began in March 2004. Although Neighbours celebrated its official 20th anniversary on 18 March 2005, the producers decided to broadcast the celebration in July that year when the winter viewing numbers are usually higher. Dodds stated that the crew had always anticipated an on-screen celebration, as well as off-screen celebrations with the cast and crew. He explained "With the celebration on camera, it was important to get past cast to come back, and we're very proud with how we've involved the actors from years ago. It's a very affectionate couple of episodes." The storyline saw Annalise Hartman (played by Kimberley Davies) return to Erinsborough to screen her BBC documentary about Ramsay Street and its former residents.
Dodds told Michael Gadd from The Newcastle Herald that the anniversary week would be "a case of fans playing 'spot the cameo'" as popular actors returned to the show. He also called it "a great challenge" getting the returning characters and the episodes to relate to what was going on in the show at the time. The producer said "But I think we've found a great way to combine the past and the present." Dodds later commented that it was not difficult for the script writing team to come up with scenarios that allowed the actors and characters to come back to the show. He explained that when a character leaves they go into "a state of suspended animation" and they are often referred to, making it easier to bring them back. Actor Alan Fletcher, who plays Karl Kennedy, described the anniversary episodes as being "a reminiscence that doesn't interfere with plot." He said the episodes would celebrate the show's past, without dominating the present, and added that the scripts were "nicely crafted", believing viewers would like them.
Walker explained that each actor was approached to appear in the episode and some of them were difficult to track down. Walker thought Nicola Charles (Sarah Beaumont) was the hardest cast member to find as she had stopped working in the acting industry. Walker said "We found out one of the shows she last worked on was on the BBC, so we asked colleagues in London to ask the BBC to ask Nicola if she would get in touch! There was lots of detective work, and late night phones calls, and tracking down actors by friends of friends of friends." Charles's return was announced in January 2005, along with Davies's. Charles said she was "thrilled" to be asked to return for the anniversary, but she was equally "horrified" because she had recently given birth to her daughter and felt she was overweight.
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Friends for Twenty Years
"Friends for Twenty Years" is the 4773rd episode of the Australian television soap opera Neighbours. The episode was written by Ben Marshall, directed by Jovita O'Shaughnessy, and executively produced by Ric Pellizzeri. It first aired on 27 July 2005 on Network Ten in Australia, as part of the soap's 20th anniversary. Planning for the episode began in March 2004, twelve months before the anniversary. Producers decided to celebrate the 20th anniversary on-screen in July, as winter ratings are usually higher.
Many former Neighbours cast members were invited back for the episode. Producer Peter Dodds said the biggest challenge was getting the returning characters and the anniversary episodes to relate to what was going on in the show at the time, but he believed he had found a good way to combine both the past and the present. "Friends for Twenty Years" was shot in early 2005. Most of the returning actors filmed their scenes at the show's studios in Nunawading, while the others shot their appearance wherever they were based in the world.
The episode centres on Annalise Hartman's (Kimberley Davies) return to Erinsborough to screen her BBC documentary about Ramsay Street and its former residents, some of whom returned to town to view the documentary along with the current residents. More than 6 million viewers tuned in for the episode in the UK, while the critical response for the episode was mixed. Most critics bemoaned Annalise's new career as a film maker, while others were disappointed with the returning characters and thought the episode would only appeal to fans of the show.
At the General Store, Boyd Hoyland (Kyal Marsh) and Sky Mangel (Stephanie McIntosh) discuss his new role as a father to Kayla Thomas's (Virginia Ryan) daughter. They are interrupted when Sky's father, Joe (Mark Little), suddenly arrives to see Sky. Joe explains that he had to come to town when he heard about Annalise Hartman's (Kimberley Davies) Ramsay Street documentary and he asks Sky all about Boyd and Kayla. Joe is also reunited with his former father-in-law, Harold Bishop (Ian Smith). At Karl Kennedy's (Alan Fletcher) flat, Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney), Lance Wilkinson (Andrew Bibby), Annalise, Doug Willis (Terence Donovan) and Philip Martin (Ian Rawlings) gather to reminisce and film more scenes for Annalise's documentary. The following morning, all of the locals gather in Ramsay Street for a party and the screening of the documentary. Joe reminisces about his time on the street, while Max (Stephen Lovatt) and Stephanie Hoyland (Carla Bonner) learn that they are no longer allowed to adopt Kayla's daughter or any other child. At the hospital, where Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) is recovering from having his leg amputated, his sister, Lucy (Melissa Bell), visits and tries to encourage him to wear his false leg.
Paul and Lucy eventually turn up to Ramsay Street and Paul tells his aunt, Rosemary (Joy Chambers), that he is not selling his business to her. He then announces that he is staying in Erinsborough and is moving into Number 22 Ramsay Street. Annalise worries that the sun is too bright to show the documentary outside and insists on a change of venue. The group gather in the Scarlet Bar for the screening instead. Connor O'Neill (Patrick Harvey) turns up at the last minute and greets Toadie, which makes Lance jealous. Annalise thanks everyone for coming and for the use of their home videos, before explaining that the film is currently an untitled rough cut. The documentary begins with Annalise standing in Ramsay Street, talking about what it meant to her. It then cuts to various past residents, who talk about their time on the street. As the documentary ends, Harold stands up to announce that the documentary should be called Neighbours and the audience make a toast.
Producer Peter Dodds joked that the production team first started thinking about the 20th anniversary after Neighbours had been on air for ten years. He said that due to the show's success, the team began to think in terms of decades and knew that they would have to have a big celebration in 2005. The actual planning for the anniversary episodes began twelve months before the anniversary. Line producer Linda Walker revealed that initial discussions began in March 2004. Although Neighbours celebrated its official 20th anniversary on 18 March 2005, the producers decided to broadcast the celebration in July that year when the winter viewing numbers are usually higher. Dodds stated that the crew had always anticipated an on-screen celebration, as well as off-screen celebrations with the cast and crew. He explained "With the celebration on camera, it was important to get past cast to come back, and we're very proud with how we've involved the actors from years ago. It's a very affectionate couple of episodes." The storyline saw Annalise Hartman (played by Kimberley Davies) return to Erinsborough to screen her BBC documentary about Ramsay Street and its former residents.
Dodds told Michael Gadd from The Newcastle Herald that the anniversary week would be "a case of fans playing 'spot the cameo'" as popular actors returned to the show. He also called it "a great challenge" getting the returning characters and the episodes to relate to what was going on in the show at the time. The producer said "But I think we've found a great way to combine the past and the present." Dodds later commented that it was not difficult for the script writing team to come up with scenarios that allowed the actors and characters to come back to the show. He explained that when a character leaves they go into "a state of suspended animation" and they are often referred to, making it easier to bring them back. Actor Alan Fletcher, who plays Karl Kennedy, described the anniversary episodes as being "a reminiscence that doesn't interfere with plot." He said the episodes would celebrate the show's past, without dominating the present, and added that the scripts were "nicely crafted", believing viewers would like them.
Walker explained that each actor was approached to appear in the episode and some of them were difficult to track down. Walker thought Nicola Charles (Sarah Beaumont) was the hardest cast member to find as she had stopped working in the acting industry. Walker said "We found out one of the shows she last worked on was on the BBC, so we asked colleagues in London to ask the BBC to ask Nicola if she would get in touch! There was lots of detective work, and late night phones calls, and tracking down actors by friends of friends of friends." Charles's return was announced in January 2005, along with Davies's. Charles said she was "thrilled" to be asked to return for the anniversary, but she was equally "horrified" because she had recently given birth to her daughter and felt she was overweight.