The beloved Amazon Freevee Australian soap opera, Neighbours: A New Chapter, resurfaces on our screens tonight.
After a remarkable run spanning 37 years and nearly 9,000 episodes, the Australian import made its graceful exit with a cameo-filled finale last summer. This farewell episode was met with an overwhelmingly warm reception, drawing in an impressive audience of 3 million viewers in the UK. The enthusiasm surrounding the farewell persuaded Amazon to provide financial backing for an unexpected reboot.
The show’s hiatus in transmission has proved to be the catalyst for a revitalized storyline, according to Stephen Patterson of Metro writes:
“What I really like about the comeback is how the break in transmission actually acts as the catalyst or a launchpad for a plethora of new stories, refreshing the canvas with a number of intriguing twists, dynamics and developments, all of which are born out of the time-jump.”
Moreover, The Guardian noted:
“Any abrupt changes largely settle down after the initial week’s episodes and there is a sense of slotting back into something comforting – like a pair of cosy slippers. Whether it’s shots of Lassisters hotel or the sun-drenched beach, being back in Erinsborough brings a wave of warm familiarity that TV rarely musters. By the time Susan and Karl are having yet another marital bust-up and a newcomer asks ‘Shall I fire up the barbie?’ you can almost convince yourself that they have never been away.”
Adding to the intrigue, Michael Hogan of the Telegraph highlights the clever narrative device employed by the showrunners:
“The narrative is cleverly restarted with a two-year time jump, meaning all manner of drama is already brewing in the sunny suburb of Erinsborough. An ingenious plot twist at the end of episode one makes full use of this device.”
Neighbours: A New Chapter will release new episodes on Freevee from Monday to Thursday at 7 am.
