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INTERVIEWS & ARTICLES

Family Feud by Chrissy Bray & Jackie Brygel

TV Week, Australia, 10th September 2005

Have the Timmins family ruined Neighbours? They've certainly divided viewers - and the TV WEEK staff! We give the case for and against

Why I love them - By TV WEEK features editor Jackie Brygel

OK, I'll admit it! When the Timmins clan first took up residence in Ramsay Street, I wasn't instantly enamoured of them. In no time at all, they were engaging in screaming matches with one another, annoying their neighbours and having run-ins with the law. Then there's their dress sense. Let's just say their wardrobes are in dire need of some serious attention from a stylist!

But it didn't take long for them to grow on me. Sure, they can still be abrasive, tactless and argumentative. Yet that, to me, is part of their appeal. After all, you know exactly where you stand with Stingray (Ben Nicholas), Dylan (Damien Bodie), Janae (Eliza Taylor-Cotter), Bree (Sianoa Smit-McPhee) and, especially, their less-than-motherly mum, Janelle (Nell Feeney).

As Ramsay Street stalwart Dr Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) discovered when Janae told him he was well rid of his lover, Izzy (Natalie Bassingthwaighte), the Timminses don't mince their words. That said, they don't mean to be rude - they just like to express their feelings openly.

The Timmins family love to share a joke. And there's little doubt they've provided viewers with many a laugh over the past few months. They're refreshingly unhibited and happily nonconformist. If you were to invite them to your party, you could count on it not being dull. But what I like most about them is that they're fiercely loyal to one another. Although trouble always seems to follow them, they'll defend one another until the very end. And that, surely, is what family's all about!

Why I hate them - By TV WEEK sub-editor Aletha McHalick

I'm sorry, but I just can't love, or even like, the Timmins family. Devoid of all the morals and manners that enable us to live together harmoniously, this family really haven't got much going for them. Before anyone starts to find this horrible bunch of bogans endearing, let's relive some of the Timmins family's finest moments. What about mum Janelle's endless scheming to scam money out of whichever sucker she can? She's already faked whiplash and tried to capitalise on her youngest daughter's intelligence for financial gain! And what kind of mother would support her 15-year-old daughter's bid to get breast implants?

As for the children, they're a disaster area. Think of Janae's attempts to frame Dr Karl for having relations with a minor, or Dylan trashing the Bishops' house. Criminals, manipulators and swindlers, all of them!

Well, nearly all of them - OK, I have a confession to make. I have a soft spot for Stingray. He's the only one with any redeeming qualities. But, lets face it, he's only as nice as he is due to Susan's (Jackie Woodburne) positive influence. Sending him to live with the Kennedy matriarch was the best thing that could have happened. The huge improvement in his attitude is proof that the Timminses are a bad lot!

More on the way!

They may have their detractors, but the Timmins family aren't going anywhere. In fact, we can expect to see even more of the clan! Not only will the patriarch of the family, Kim (Brett Swain) be arriving in Erinsborough soon, Neighbours producer Peter Dodds says it's a "distinct possibility" we may be meeting other members of the Timmins clan in the future. Peter says the family was meant to be different from others that have lived in Ramsay Street in the past 20 years. "While they're a very different family, they are also very different individuals in the family, and that was just as important. We wanted a very complex family that provided both pathos and comedy in a kind of curious balance," Peter says.

And while he agrees that many may see them as dysfunctional, he says they make up for that with their loyalty. "They're a loyal family when it comes to the crunch. It's a very close family. Deep down, they care about one another and are very sensitive complex people. I think there are families out there like them."

As for what the producers have in store, Peter says: "It takes a long time to get to know a family on this show. There's a long way to go. We're still finetuning these characters, but I think they give an energy to this show."

Your say

It seems everyone has an opinion on the Timmins family...

"They're kind of yobbo-ish!"

Scarlet, 16, Student

"They're a good family. I think they've had a bad past, but they're still positive and look at the future in a positive way."

Alice, 16, Student

"They're a bit crazy. I think they've got a good family support system and are great for the show."

Daniella, 26

"I think they're funny. They're good value for the show and give it a bit of humour."

Kate, 20, Registry Services Officer

"They're a bit odd and have lots of weird sayings. They're very Aussie, in a good way. I also think they're pretty funny."

Brendan, 19, Accountant

"They're a bit outrageous and add fun and laughter to the show - they keep you busy, that's for sure! You don't often get to see a good Aussie family on TV anymore. Sometimes I wonder what people overseas think about Australians!"

Wendy, 39, Pay Officer

"They're interesting. We've moved to Townsville and you see the Timmins family's rough-around-the-edges traits in some of the locals around there."

Richard, 26, Software Developer

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