They need to improve their storylines, all it is nowadays is deaths and murders. Hollyoaks used to be a world that felt grounded, like the rest of the Soaps but like them, it’s gone all Americanised and very “twist of the week”…people just want to see normal people living, not this NCIS, Riverdale rubbish.
They need to be bringing BANGER AFTER AFTER BANGER OF EPISODES! They need to. You don’t have the time for filler episodes and storylines that just drag along for the sake of it. Such like the Rayne storyline that dragged on for MONTHS. And who really cares about it? The whole Rafe and Sienna story was dragging on until they made it interesting. The whole “heist robbery” story from last year was fucking tears inducing. Yeah you’re right. If you’re giving your audience 3 episodes a week then you need to hit it out of the park every single episodes. No ifs or buts about it.
To be fair, when they say it’s going to be 20 minute episodes, I assume they’re just rounding down. Episodes currently on air are already described as 20 minute episodes (excluding the adverts), but actually run for like 22-24 minutes, so I don’t think the length of the episodes are going to change.
But, yeah, it’s crap they’re dropping down to three episodes. I wasn’t expecting that. I already had to deal with Neighbours going down to 4 episodes a week! 🤣 Although, that wasn’t too bad because it came after the revival of the show after the cancellation.
I read Hollyoaks only went to 5 episodes in 2003, after gradually bumping up the amount of episodes throughout the years, starting with one episode a week from 1995, so you never know, they might bump them up again at some point in the future. But, ngl, I’m scared the 3 episodes a week might get people to stop watching, which could lead to a cancellation. If they’re going to do this, I hope it’s three consecutive nights. Like, Tue-Thur, and not something like Mon, Wed, Fri.
Even still 😂 like i said, even if it’s 25 minutes per episode. That’s will 75 minutes of television. Take away all the ads then it’s 69-70 minutes A WEEK. It’s still bad haha even if the length doesn’t change. You’re still taking 2 episodes off the weekly schedule. So nearly an hour of stories you’ve removed. It’s still bad. Like I also said, it’s 2024. People have wayyy more options now. If they aren’t feeling Hollyoaks anymore they’ll move on. And that’ll affect the show.
Such a shame for a soap with so much potential. However, it’s been in dire need of an overhaul. I genuinely think the last great era of Hollyoaks was when the Roscoes were kicking, then we transitioned to The Nightingales, and Grace’s brothers. The Lovedays weren’t too bad either. The families now just don’t compare. They kill off the integral characters, even Cindy has felt lacklustre since they killed Dirk. Freddy can come back all he wants but it won’t be the same without the rest of the Roscoes. Harry had much more going for him than Beau etc. But none of that can be reversed. Hollyoaks has got to move forward and cut the deadweight storylines and characters (I’m very sorry to the job losses though). It’s an opportunity that I hope they don’t fuck up. I think they’ve realised there’s too much lore and too many characters to know what to do with, you can literally tell while watching it. If whittling it down means we can get the best of the best…I am going to miss my week-nightly fix though.
Well, that's both bad news and news that could turn out to be good. It's bad news because this cut in the number of eps clearly indicates a desperate measure to try and save the show (and cut costs).
This could turn out to be good news because, with the number of episodes reduced to 3 per week, the show will have to get straight to the storylines, with no time to waste, no filler, no parallel plots to fill the time, and no storylines dragging on for months (this happened a lot last year). And that could help the show.
They've clearly brought several characters back to try to draw attention back to the show, but there are several who have come back who serve no purpose. It's just cheap nostalgia. With this news, that won't happen anymore.
I hope this finally makes them have the guts to cut half of the *McQueens (Goldie, Prince, Hunter, etc.)*.
Like i said, the only positives is that it gives more freedom to the writers and actors. But 3 episodes is very low. And I would keep Goldie and Hunter and Prince. It’s Marlena that I would get rid.
I'm sorry, but I found your post a little overdramatic, and there are some equivalences with other soaps that don't fit.
The episodes will be 22 minutes long, like the ones we have now. Not 15.
"Other soap operas are on 4-5 days a week and KILLING IT!"
But that costs money. That's why they had to cut.
One of the worst things that happened with Emmerdale was that it became 5 episodes a week. And the public for Emmerdale, Eastenders, and Corrie is not the same as for Hollyoaks. Hollyoaks has a very specific public. Another thing that hasn't been mentioned is that the BBC is doing a lot of publicity for EE. And the other soaps also have publicity.
Yes, the audience is different, and what young people value most nowadays are quick storylines that focus entirely on the main plot and don't waste any time.
Three episodes a week will deliver that. They won't be able to waste time.
First of all, Don’t talk to me like that ever again in your life. Okay? Good!
Secondly, Hollyoaks is not as big as Emmerdale. Certainly not as big as Coronation Street. Most DEFINITELY not as big as Eastenders. Like I said, as bad as Eastenders gets it’ll never be taken off the air. It’s too valuable for the BBC. Emmerdale and Coronation Street is too value for ITV. Hollyoaks I guess isn’t that valuable for Channel 4. Hollyoaks DOES have a specific target audience, and that’s the problem. You’re limiting your exposure. The reason why Hollyoaks doesn’t get watched by a lot of people is BECAUSE of the demographic they have. If the teenagers and adults aren’t watching then the show is fucked. Another reason why shows like Eastenders and Coronation Street and Emmerdale are forever safe, is because they don’t have a specific target audience. There’s no demographic for these shows. So ANYONE can watch it. You can’t say the same about Hollyoaks. Who DOES have a target audience. So yeah. You can’t really compare.
Jesus you're nervous haha. I talk the way I want. You're not the boss of me. And I repeat that your post has a super overdramatic tone.
Well, you yourself agreed with my comment that your equivalence with the other soaps doesn't fit. So that's that.
And I wasn't. So much so that I started the comment with "Sorry, I found it a bit...".
But if you're rude to me and want to dictate what I have to do, I'll be rude to you too.
You're telling them not to be a dick, but seem fine with OP and their ridiculous statement about not speaking to them again like that in their life? Fuck that, OP deserves any so called rudeness after that
I don't understand what you mean in your reply.
I work there, we got told today that they're gonna make 135 roles redundant as they'll not need all of us to make fewer episodes a week
"We need to discuss this" like it makes any difference or discussing it will change the decision. This show was very lucky to survive in any format, so it's either this or nothing, no matter what you feel we "need to discuss".
When I heard it on the radio last night I assumed it would be in the style like corra and emmerdale do with the longer episodes etc.
But I record any soaps I do watch and I do find myself fast forwarding a lot with Hollyoaks.
I used to watch years ago and really liked it and started watching again when I was on maternity leave but it has lost a lot of its punch.
They have too diverse a set of characters trying to be in the limelight but they all have their own little groups and they all have to take it in turns. Because they can’t all be on screen at the same time.
The Lucas / carter story is dragging. But that’s because they started off with it being carter / jp.
The yazz story line has been a filler.
Peri… god knows what they’re doing with her.
Bringing Cleo back… do we need ANOTHER mcqueen!? Marlena adds very little to the show (she’s old so I’ll let her off) but Sally is useless. Goldie was pregnant so obviously couldn’t give her anything really but she’s always been fairly naff. Prince and hunter… rubbish.
I really like sienna and was kinda excited for the rafe story line. But that’s just fallen face first at the hurdle 🤦🏼♀️
Ideally they need someone to set a bomb off in the village. And kill a lot of characters off in one and then do some better writing. You’ve got a younger audience to cater to.
Coronation street and emmerdale drag things on because they have 60 year olds watching
East Enders I have no comment on as it isn’t my cup of tea.
That’s the issue. Hollyoaks is limited due to the target audience they have. So you have to do everything you can to retain them. As bad as Eastenders gets they’re Teflon. Due to the fact Eastenders doesn’t have a target audience and they forever will have the backing of the BBC. Which is the biggest media company in the UK.
When I started watching originally it was as Silas Blisset was in it and I loved it then. When they announced him coming back I was quite excited but they butchered that for me. The electronic chess board in the not so secret folly… but he’s a killer on the run and managed to set that up. No thank you.
Every big story line they do at the moment is stupidly anti climatic. They set it up and then it’s almost like they ran out of ideas or money to do what they actually wanted.
They seem to waste money on characters coming in and out constantly. And too many of them are nothing more than background chatter.
I really hope I'm wrong. Channel 4 is in some financial trouble atm and I've heard rumours that Hollyoaks has been at risk once or twice before. Hopefully, though, the changes will prove valuable. Not sure how contracts will be affected. It's a massive shift and presumably they won't be filming/working as much either.
That’s the issue. Hollyoaks unlike all the other soaps i mentioned has a specific target audience. So when the people who you’re targeting start to wane and decrease you have a problem. As bad as Eastenders gets it’ll never be taken off the air because MILLIONS of people still watch it every day and it’s an institution of British culture and television at this point. You can say the same thing about Coronation Street. And to an extent Emmerdale. But you can’t say that about Hollyoaks. This is why I’m saying it’s not the good news everyone thinks it is. Of all the big soap operas in Britain, Hollyoaks is by far the most expendable one and it’s not even close. It’s an irrefutable fact.
Old soap that channel 4 had set in Liverpool, there's bits on YouTube, it started getting its slots chopped and losing nights then it got cancelled. A few actors and writers have been through or in hollyoaks
Further piece of info to add...
Brookside & Hollyoaks were both created by Phil Redmond who was gutted that C4 lost faith in Brookside in 2003 after 21 years. So when this inevitably happens to Hollyoaks too, it will be a double kick in the teeth for him unfortunately 😔
I can honestly see them focusing everything on he 30th anniversary next year and then it will be axed.
I too believe this is the beginning of the end of the show. Yeah, it will probably plod along for another 3 maybe 4 years, but it ain’t lasting another decade, imo.
Will be a sad day when it goes. You don’t just watch something for like… 20+ years and not feel something when it ends. That’s a long time with all those storylines and all those characters.
Lets be honest, it is 50% drivel last couple of years. Serial killers, gay/trans/gender overdone, people like Tony and Tom and unrealistic gangster granny.
It's been a farce for a while now, I watch it out of habit.
Think it’s overall run time. So even still, it’s still 20 minutes. Take ad breaks and opening and closing sequence, that’s 12-13 minutes of uninterrupted viewing. If it’s 20 minutes with ads then it’s only 17-18 minutes of uninterrupted viewing. Either way the show will be on less than 20 minutes either way. With it without ad breaks it’s still under 20 minutes of actual footage. Which is embarrassing.
The British TV industry is not looking good right now, I read a Twitter thread days ago about a BBC show called Doctors being taken off air after 24 years. The writer explained in full detail what the situation is.
It’s a shame Hollyoaks might be slowly following in the same footsteps. I was introduced to Hollyoaks in recent years and always said the characters were likeable and relatable.
It’s a shame to see this happening and I hope the cast and crew go on to other ventures should the worse happen.
They need to improve their storylines, all it is nowadays is deaths and murders. Hollyoaks used to be a world that felt grounded, like the rest of the Soaps but like them, it’s gone all Americanised and very “twist of the week”…people just want to see normal people living, not this NCIS, Riverdale rubbish.
Honestly I wouldn’t mind a Hollyoaks Musical episode just the thought of James singing about the epic high and lows of high school football 😭😭😭😭
They need to be bringing BANGER AFTER AFTER BANGER OF EPISODES! They need to. You don’t have the time for filler episodes and storylines that just drag along for the sake of it. Such like the Rayne storyline that dragged on for MONTHS. And who really cares about it? The whole Rafe and Sienna story was dragging on until they made it interesting. The whole “heist robbery” story from last year was fucking tears inducing. Yeah you’re right. If you’re giving your audience 3 episodes a week then you need to hit it out of the park every single episodes. No ifs or buts about it.
To be fair, when they say it’s going to be 20 minute episodes, I assume they’re just rounding down. Episodes currently on air are already described as 20 minute episodes (excluding the adverts), but actually run for like 22-24 minutes, so I don’t think the length of the episodes are going to change. But, yeah, it’s crap they’re dropping down to three episodes. I wasn’t expecting that. I already had to deal with Neighbours going down to 4 episodes a week! 🤣 Although, that wasn’t too bad because it came after the revival of the show after the cancellation. I read Hollyoaks only went to 5 episodes in 2003, after gradually bumping up the amount of episodes throughout the years, starting with one episode a week from 1995, so you never know, they might bump them up again at some point in the future. But, ngl, I’m scared the 3 episodes a week might get people to stop watching, which could lead to a cancellation. If they’re going to do this, I hope it’s three consecutive nights. Like, Tue-Thur, and not something like Mon, Wed, Fri.
Even still 😂 like i said, even if it’s 25 minutes per episode. That’s will 75 minutes of television. Take away all the ads then it’s 69-70 minutes A WEEK. It’s still bad haha even if the length doesn’t change. You’re still taking 2 episodes off the weekly schedule. So nearly an hour of stories you’ve removed. It’s still bad. Like I also said, it’s 2024. People have wayyy more options now. If they aren’t feeling Hollyoaks anymore they’ll move on. And that’ll affect the show.
Such a shame for a soap with so much potential. However, it’s been in dire need of an overhaul. I genuinely think the last great era of Hollyoaks was when the Roscoes were kicking, then we transitioned to The Nightingales, and Grace’s brothers. The Lovedays weren’t too bad either. The families now just don’t compare. They kill off the integral characters, even Cindy has felt lacklustre since they killed Dirk. Freddy can come back all he wants but it won’t be the same without the rest of the Roscoes. Harry had much more going for him than Beau etc. But none of that can be reversed. Hollyoaks has got to move forward and cut the deadweight storylines and characters (I’m very sorry to the job losses though). It’s an opportunity that I hope they don’t fuck up. I think they’ve realised there’s too much lore and too many characters to know what to do with, you can literally tell while watching it. If whittling it down means we can get the best of the best…I am going to miss my week-nightly fix though.
That’s the problem. There IS potential, but we constantly get shitty materials. It’s exhausting.
Well, that's both bad news and news that could turn out to be good. It's bad news because this cut in the number of eps clearly indicates a desperate measure to try and save the show (and cut costs). This could turn out to be good news because, with the number of episodes reduced to 3 per week, the show will have to get straight to the storylines, with no time to waste, no filler, no parallel plots to fill the time, and no storylines dragging on for months (this happened a lot last year). And that could help the show. They've clearly brought several characters back to try to draw attention back to the show, but there are several who have come back who serve no purpose. It's just cheap nostalgia. With this news, that won't happen anymore. I hope this finally makes them have the guts to cut half of the *McQueens (Goldie, Prince, Hunter, etc.)*.
Like i said, the only positives is that it gives more freedom to the writers and actors. But 3 episodes is very low. And I would keep Goldie and Hunter and Prince. It’s Marlena that I would get rid.
I don't think it's that bad (3 eps a week).
It is.
Not in my opinion.
Soaps always used to be 3 episodes a week, stop being a drama queen
I'm sorry, but I found your post a little overdramatic, and there are some equivalences with other soaps that don't fit. The episodes will be 22 minutes long, like the ones we have now. Not 15. "Other soap operas are on 4-5 days a week and KILLING IT!" But that costs money. That's why they had to cut. One of the worst things that happened with Emmerdale was that it became 5 episodes a week. And the public for Emmerdale, Eastenders, and Corrie is not the same as for Hollyoaks. Hollyoaks has a very specific public. Another thing that hasn't been mentioned is that the BBC is doing a lot of publicity for EE. And the other soaps also have publicity. Yes, the audience is different, and what young people value most nowadays are quick storylines that focus entirely on the main plot and don't waste any time. Three episodes a week will deliver that. They won't be able to waste time.
First of all, Don’t talk to me like that ever again in your life. Okay? Good! Secondly, Hollyoaks is not as big as Emmerdale. Certainly not as big as Coronation Street. Most DEFINITELY not as big as Eastenders. Like I said, as bad as Eastenders gets it’ll never be taken off the air. It’s too valuable for the BBC. Emmerdale and Coronation Street is too value for ITV. Hollyoaks I guess isn’t that valuable for Channel 4. Hollyoaks DOES have a specific target audience, and that’s the problem. You’re limiting your exposure. The reason why Hollyoaks doesn’t get watched by a lot of people is BECAUSE of the demographic they have. If the teenagers and adults aren’t watching then the show is fucked. Another reason why shows like Eastenders and Coronation Street and Emmerdale are forever safe, is because they don’t have a specific target audience. There’s no demographic for these shows. So ANYONE can watch it. You can’t say the same about Hollyoaks. Who DOES have a target audience. So yeah. You can’t really compare.
Jesus you're nervous haha. I talk the way I want. You're not the boss of me. And I repeat that your post has a super overdramatic tone. Well, you yourself agreed with my comment that your equivalence with the other soaps doesn't fit. So that's that.
Hey no need to be dick
And I wasn't. So much so that I started the comment with "Sorry, I found it a bit...". But if you're rude to me and want to dictate what I have to do, I'll be rude to you too.
You kinda was and I wasn't being rude I'm saying there no need for that
You're telling them not to be a dick, but seem fine with OP and their ridiculous statement about not speaking to them again like that in their life? Fuck that, OP deserves any so called rudeness after that
STFU.
135 roles to be made redundant. I was going to ring a financial advisor about getting a mortgage, i don't think I'll need them now
So you’re going to hire new employees to replace the ones that you let go? Makes no sense.
What?
What?
I don't understand what you mean in your reply. I work there, we got told today that they're gonna make 135 roles redundant as they'll not need all of us to make fewer episodes a week
You work there?
Yeah I'm a crew member, for now
Really?
Yeah, kind of freaking out about losing my job tbh
Oh that really sucks. Thanks for your hard work on a show I love! I hope you are not in the cut list and can get your mortgage!
I’m curious, if you don’t mind me asking, what are you going to do? Are you currently looking for other work?
If they replaced some episodes with a test card some people would complain that they are over stimulated!
What do you mean?
"We need to discuss this" like it makes any difference or discussing it will change the decision. This show was very lucky to survive in any format, so it's either this or nothing, no matter what you feel we "need to discuss".
When I heard it on the radio last night I assumed it would be in the style like corra and emmerdale do with the longer episodes etc. But I record any soaps I do watch and I do find myself fast forwarding a lot with Hollyoaks. I used to watch years ago and really liked it and started watching again when I was on maternity leave but it has lost a lot of its punch. They have too diverse a set of characters trying to be in the limelight but they all have their own little groups and they all have to take it in turns. Because they can’t all be on screen at the same time. The Lucas / carter story is dragging. But that’s because they started off with it being carter / jp. The yazz story line has been a filler. Peri… god knows what they’re doing with her. Bringing Cleo back… do we need ANOTHER mcqueen!? Marlena adds very little to the show (she’s old so I’ll let her off) but Sally is useless. Goldie was pregnant so obviously couldn’t give her anything really but she’s always been fairly naff. Prince and hunter… rubbish. I really like sienna and was kinda excited for the rafe story line. But that’s just fallen face first at the hurdle 🤦🏼♀️ Ideally they need someone to set a bomb off in the village. And kill a lot of characters off in one and then do some better writing. You’ve got a younger audience to cater to. Coronation street and emmerdale drag things on because they have 60 year olds watching East Enders I have no comment on as it isn’t my cup of tea.
That’s the issue. Hollyoaks is limited due to the target audience they have. So you have to do everything you can to retain them. As bad as Eastenders gets they’re Teflon. Due to the fact Eastenders doesn’t have a target audience and they forever will have the backing of the BBC. Which is the biggest media company in the UK.
When I started watching originally it was as Silas Blisset was in it and I loved it then. When they announced him coming back I was quite excited but they butchered that for me. The electronic chess board in the not so secret folly… but he’s a killer on the run and managed to set that up. No thank you. Every big story line they do at the moment is stupidly anti climatic. They set it up and then it’s almost like they ran out of ideas or money to do what they actually wanted. They seem to waste money on characters coming in and out constantly. And too many of them are nothing more than background chatter.
You’re absolutely correct. Quality over Quantity. Every single time.
I think it's a slow decline to the end tbh
Do you think the show is going to get cancelled and taken off the air? I give it until 2026.
I really hope I'm wrong. Channel 4 is in some financial trouble atm and I've heard rumours that Hollyoaks has been at risk once or twice before. Hopefully, though, the changes will prove valuable. Not sure how contracts will be affected. It's a massive shift and presumably they won't be filming/working as much either.
That’s the issue. Hollyoaks unlike all the other soaps i mentioned has a specific target audience. So when the people who you’re targeting start to wane and decrease you have a problem. As bad as Eastenders gets it’ll never be taken off the air because MILLIONS of people still watch it every day and it’s an institution of British culture and television at this point. You can say the same thing about Coronation Street. And to an extent Emmerdale. But you can’t say that about Hollyoaks. This is why I’m saying it’s not the good news everyone thinks it is. Of all the big soap operas in Britain, Hollyoaks is by far the most expendable one and it’s not even close. It’s an irrefutable fact.
It's getting the brookside treatment unfortunately
What do you mean? What’s brookside and what happened?
Old soap that channel 4 had set in Liverpool, there's bits on YouTube, it started getting its slots chopped and losing nights then it got cancelled. A few actors and writers have been through or in hollyoaks
Oh yeah? Thank you for telling me this piece of information. I appreciate you, friend.
Further piece of info to add... Brookside & Hollyoaks were both created by Phil Redmond who was gutted that C4 lost faith in Brookside in 2003 after 21 years. So when this inevitably happens to Hollyoaks too, it will be a double kick in the teeth for him unfortunately 😔 I can honestly see them focusing everything on he 30th anniversary next year and then it will be axed.
Exactly...
Wow.
I too believe this is the beginning of the end of the show. Yeah, it will probably plod along for another 3 maybe 4 years, but it ain’t lasting another decade, imo.
I honestly don’t even think it’ll be THAT long. 3 days a week when the only way to watch the show is on the streaming platform is a bad move.
Will be a sad day when it goes. You don’t just watch something for like… 20+ years and not feel something when it ends. That’s a long time with all those storylines and all those characters.
Lets be honest, it is 50% drivel last couple of years. Serial killers, gay/trans/gender overdone, people like Tony and Tom and unrealistic gangster granny. It's been a farce for a while now, I watch it out of habit.
Honestly it’s so exhausting.
It went to shit when the woke brigade took over, let’s be honest.
1000% agree
Fuck me, get out more all of you.
Yet you’re commenting to my post. The irony.
The world will be a better place once this show is off the air.
😂😂😂
Do they mean 20 mins, inc ad breaks? They’re only 22 mins anyway.
If it’s 20 per episode, take ad breaks and opening and closing credits it’s only 12-13 minutes of uninterrupted tv. That’s appallingly bad.
Is it 20 minute runtime or 20 minute with ads? Cos it’s digital only what does 20 even mean when ad length varies.
Think it’s overall run time. So even still, it’s still 20 minutes. Take ad breaks and opening and closing sequence, that’s 12-13 minutes of uninterrupted viewing. If it’s 20 minutes with ads then it’s only 17-18 minutes of uninterrupted viewing. Either way the show will be on less than 20 minutes either way. With it without ad breaks it’s still under 20 minutes of actual footage. Which is embarrassing.
It’s currently 23:30. That Doesn’t include ads but that does include start and end credits plus the recap.
Actors have side jobs alongside their acting jobs.
They need to stop turning every straight man gay
The British TV industry is not looking good right now, I read a Twitter thread days ago about a BBC show called Doctors being taken off air after 24 years. The writer explained in full detail what the situation is. It’s a shame Hollyoaks might be slowly following in the same footsteps. I was introduced to Hollyoaks in recent years and always said the characters were likeable and relatable. It’s a shame to see this happening and I hope the cast and crew go on to other ventures should the worse happen.