Death, Disease, Envy, Hate, Despair, Anguish - The Uplifting Stories of Aussie Soap Operas

What is going on with the obsession with death and misery on Australian TV? We Australians seem to have a morbid fetish, which would explain why the subjects of death, disease and dying are available for viewing on several regular "entertainment" TV shows, including soaps, life-style shows and fly-on-the-wall documentaries. The promos used during ad breaks often tease the viewer with a promise that "someone will die" on the next show. Is this healthy? Whether it is or not, it is certainly telling.



Here are some blurbs from "Home and Away" the iconic Aussie soap:

An idyllic scene hides the terror of the person held hostage on this boat.
– Mon 25 Jan 10

A tied-up Rachel wakes up on her couch to hear Reverend Hall crying and frantically praying for God's forgiveness.

Reverend Hall starts having a seizure on the ground and is raced to hospital. Rachel wonders if he has a tumour and thinks he can't be blamed for his actions.
- 4561. First episode for 2008: 30 Jan 08

Dom wakes up from his coma, but has he really changed?
- 4563

We see Reverend Hall in a car on a cliff by the sea, probably about to commit suicide.
- 4566

Henk explains he has just found out that he is HIV+. Is Cassie HIV+?
- 4568

Cassie's hit by a car and goes to hospital.

Cassie yells at Henk about being 18, pregnant and HIV+
- 4569

Miles tells Sally there’s a connection between them. He tells her how his wife and daughter were killed in the Boxing Day Tsunami. Sally tells him how she also lost her husband.
- 4570

That night, Miles has nightmares of trying to save a girl from drowning but can't.
- 4565

Miles explains his dad was a violent alcoholic. Miles says that one day their dad found out about a boating accident, which killed their mum and her new husband. Eventually, his dad died of alcohol-related dementia.

Jack calls Sally to tell her that Johnny Cooper has broken out of jail and he told some inmates he was coming back to get her!
- 4571

Jack explains to Sally and Ric that he's concerned that Johnny will come back. It's almost a year since Rocco died.

Cassie says she hates Henk now and doesn't want to see him again.
- 4572

Rachel tells them that they Reverend Hall has gone into a coma, there was another tumor and he is on life support. Rachel says he won't be waking up.

Geoff has had too much and knocks Aden out!
- 4574

In the middle of the night, Johnny turns up! He's got Colleen (screaming) and a knife to her. Suddenly Roman and Miles try to stop Johnny but Sally is stabbed!
Jack turns up and shoots at Johnny who is running away. He calls for backup.
Sally is taken to theatre in a bad way. Her heart stops... will she survive?
- 4575

Tom explains to Sally what will happen if she dies:
Miles returns to wandering as a homeless guy.
A depressed Colleen leaves the Bay to go to a retirement village.
Annie becomes a bad rebel girl dressed as a slut and hanging around a guy.
Cassie loses the baby in her grief.

Tom then tells Sally her return means someone else will be taking her place - someone else is doing to die.
- 4576

Annie is raced to hospital with alcohol poisoning.
-4578

Will a teenage road trip turn into the trip from hell?
Leah’s world comes crashing down as a phone call brings news of a dead loved one.
- 4579

Leah gets a call at the diner and drops everything: Dan is dead!
- 4580

Irene kicks Aden out of the diner and things get heated. Irene and him struggle and Aden falls, his injured leg hurt badly. In hospital, Aden says he will sue Irene.
- 4583

Everyone turns out in large numbers for Dan’s memorial.
- 4585

Mattie is captured by Johnny while Ric is in the shower while Sam watches on in horror. He ties her up.
Jazz comes home and finds Johnny in the lounge - he ties her up too.
Johnny sees Ric and picks up a knife! The two guys fight it out with punches while Sam just stands around in the spare room watching.
Suddenly Sam knocks out Johnny from behind with Rory's cricket bat.
Jack says she was incredibly brave. Johnny is taken to hospital - they're not sure if he will make it.
- 4586