Two years after Amazon saved Neighbours, the streaming giant has dropped it. The iconic Australian soap will now come to an end – again – in December. It’s yet another cruel blow to a TV institution adored by fans like me, but dismissed by the big corporations that have funded it.
In 2022, Neighbours was axed by Channel 5 after 37 years. Audience mobilisation and an excess of goodwill led to a memorable “‘finale”, which included appearances from Erinsborough alumni Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Margot Robbie.
The fuss made of this sunny, inoffensive soap about life in an Aussie suburban cul-de-sac impressed the industry. There was still life in the brand, and Amazon swiftly stepped in to revive it with a two-year deal.
Since launching in September 2023, Neighbours: A New Chapter is regularly among the most watched shows on Prime Video in the UK. It was also critically well received, securing its first-ever US Daytime Emmy nominations. Clearly it’s not enough in Amazon’s eyes, and while the specifics behind the decision not to renew are unclear, we can only speculate that there was an expectation of global success placed on the programme that it simply didn’t deliver.
But there is still a strong, loyal audience in many territories, especially the UK, who will feel their support for the show counts for nothing. Like its UK cousin EastEnders, Neighbours reaches the grand old age of 40 in 2025, and this is hardly the birthday present it deserves.
Soaps are built on loyalty, consistency and engagement, which is what attracted Amazon in the first place when it witnessed the love for Neighbours and welcomed the ready-made audience it would bring to the platform.
Whatever it wanted from the acquisition hasn’t panned out, which seems unfair considering it’s only been on for just over a year. Behind the scenes, developments were unfolding at Amazon that even ruthless business brain Paul Robinson couldn’t wrangle.
Neighbours was initially commissioned by Amazon as a flagship show for FreeVee, Amazon’s free streaming platform. But when FreeVee was scrapped in an internal brand reshuffle, the soap was homeless and transferred to Prime Video.
Perhaps being under a different umbrella meant loftier expectations the show couldn’t meet, with renegotiation talks getting complicated as they got lost in a corporate quagmire and ultimately failed to strike a new deal. Financial strategy and business objectives appear to be bigger priorities than serving an audience who have been tuning in for four decades, and will continue to do so.
Amazon seemingly wanted a quick ratings hit rather than a steady stream (no pun intended) they could bank on, which displays a lack of understanding of what a soap can bring. Like all streamers, Amazon is desperate to find the next big thing in scripted drama, but it already had a show that guarantees consistent, regular viewers on a long-term basis and let it slip through its fingers.
Soaps need to be nurtured and given room to grow, because there will always be an audience. Surely that must count for something in a competitive market? Or is the devotion of soap fans not good enough?
It’s worth noting the phrasing of the official statement, which says Neighbours will be “resting” from December. Does this mean it’s merely being paused and retooled as a different model for the future?
Let’s not rule out another shock revival just yet. Remember, Neighbours has actually survived the axe twice, having moved from original Australian network Seven to Channel 10 within its first year back in the 80s.
History has taught us there’s always room for optimism on Ramsay Street.
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