Storylines
The soap opera opened with the murder of Sonia Kingsley and introduced all the characters via her murder investigation (the 4WD killer turned out to be her secret lover Adam). Daughter Amber Kingsley came to town and married her stepfather Trey in a bid to get her mother's fortune which was based around a radio station. But her bitchy ways pushed Trey over the edge and he snapped and became a serial killer, eventually murdering Callie, Sondra, Nick, Cameron and his sister-in-law Georgina. He was arrested while holding Amber hostage but was found innocent after faking multiple personalities and escaped the Drive with Bethany, only to electrocute himself while trying to drown her.
Pacific Drive was the first Australian drama to get its own website and the feedback from fans revealed that they loved some characters and loved to hate some others. One who didn't get a mention either way was Laura so writer Bevan Lee did a lookalike story but avoided the twin cliche. When doppelgänger Anna came to town coveting Laura's life (and her fiancé Luke who had been revealed to be Sonia's secret son and therefore another Kingsley heir), Simone Buchanan took turns playing both roles while her former Hey Dad..! co-star Sarah Monahan played her double in two-shots. Luke went in search of his real father, Bill Garland, but he killed himself when it was revealed he had been molesting his daughter Liza who died of an ecstasy overdose in Joel's nightclub.
When Rowena Wallace accidentally overdosed, scripts were hastily re-written for Mara's gay theatrical friend Marcus to continue her scheming. After she returned to the show but in need of more medical care, Mara was hit by a car and woke up with amnesia, now being played by Olivia Hamnett
Amongst all the bed-hopping, Zoe was the most active but only after she came out as a lesbian. Her girlfriends included Margaux, Dior, Sondra, Kay and Gemma before she fell pregnant and married Tim to keep him in the country (with TV Soap remarking that a lesbian and a prostitute marrying must be Australian TV's most bizarre wedding ever). The show's other great legacy amongst its many gay fans was Bethany learning she was HIV positive but when Nine changed the show's direction (preferring to screen it in daytime rather than late night), Bethany remarked how her combination therapies were working and Zoe settled down to wedded bliss with Tim, thereby bringing all edgy stories to an end.
The show ended with Bethany calling off her marriage to Grant when his newly recovered mother Mara began to interfere again. Anna, caught faking a pregnancy to Luke, told Dr Josh she was in love with him and promised she would try to curb her crazy tendencies. Tim died when fell foul of a drug sting gone wrong and Zoe told Martin she would never forgive him for organising the police operation. Amber quit her corporate lifestyle and drove in search of Brett, the former gigolo who had been married to her aunt whom she now realised was the love of her life.
Sonia Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Natalie Cassidy. Her first appearance was on 2 December 1993 and she departed on 2 February 2007. She returned briefly in 2010 along with other members of the Jackson family, and re-appeared in the soap from 8 to 18 February 2010 and again in January 2011. Sonia returned as a permanent character on 14 January 2014, as part of a storyline that saw her mother Carol Jackson develop breast cancer. Cassidy took maternity leave in 2016 and Sonia left on 20 September 2016 for her dream job in Kettering. Cassidy made two guest stints during her maternity leave, on 25 December 2016 via webcam and for a three episode arc from 14 to 18 April 2017. She returned full-time on 27 June 2017. On 29 December 2020, it was announced that Cassidy would take an extended break from the show, with Sonia set to leave the Square to return in spring 2021. She departed on 8 January and returned on 16 April.
Zoe Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Ryan. She made her first appearance on 18 September 2000. Zoe arrives in Walford along with her father, Charlie, sisters Kat, Lynne, Little Mo, and grandmother Big Mo.
Christine Stephen-Daly is an Australian actress. Her television credits include Pacific Drive (1996), Casualty (2001–04), Cutting It (2005), and House of Saddam (2008).
Sophie Webster is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She was born on-screen during the episode broadcast on 4 November 1994. She was played by Ashleigh Middleton from 1994 until 1997 and by Emma Woodward from 8 June 1997 until 25 April 2004. Brooke Vincent took over the role on 12 May 2004. Sophie is the second daughter born to Kevin Webster and Sally Webster and younger sister to Rosie Webster and elder sister to half siblings Jack Webster and deceased Jake Webster.
Zoe Tate is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale, played by Leah Bracknell. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 12 December 1989. Zoe was involved in many major storylines during her time on the soap, including the deaths of her father Frank and brother Chris, the betrayal and departure of her stepmother Kim, coming out as lesbian and a battle with schizophrenia. Zoe became the first lesbian character in a British soap opera when she came out in 1993. She departed on 22 September 2005.
Amber Kalirai is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Nikki Patel, the character first appeared on-screen during the episode airing on 9 November 2005. In May 2011 it was announced that Patel had returned to filming and Amber appeared again from 11 July 2011. Patel made her final appearance as Amber on 23 March 2012.
The history of General Hospital refers to the ABC Daytime soap opera, General Hospital, a daytime American television soap opera. It ranks as one of the world's longest-running soap operas, and was in continuous production until the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Set in the fictional town of Port Charles, New York, the show primarily revolves around the lives and relationships of the people connected to the town's hospital. The show has aired over 15,000 episodes as of May 22, 2022, and has spawned several spin-offs since it was originally broadcast.
Laura Burns is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Lesley Johnston between November 2000 and 2002.
Bianca Montgomery and Maggie Stone are fictional characters and a supercouple from the American daytime drama All My Children. Bianca was portrayed by Eden Riegel, and Maggie was portrayed by Elizabeth Hendrickson.
Zoë Ventoura is an Australian actress. She played Melissa Rafter in Packed to the Rafters from 2008 to 2010. The character's death earned Ventoura a nomination for the Logie Award for Most Popular Actress in 2011. That same year, Ventoura starred alongside actor Daniel MacPherson, whom she later married, in Wild Boys. Other roles include Miki Mavros in the television comedy series Kick and Sonya Hyde in Hyde and Seek. Ventoura joined the recurring cast of Home and Away as Alex Neilson in 2019.
Lydia Hart is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Lydia Kelly. Lydia was created by series producer Bryan Kirkwood as one of many characters introduced that year. She made her debut in the soap on 4 March 2009, and remained for ten months.
John Palmer is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Shane Withington. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 27 March 2009. Withington was introduced as a recurring cast member for twelve weeks. John was initially an angry father, but Withington thought that the character would not last if he continued that way, so began portraying him as "funny and very human". John is also egotistical and insecure. He has worked several jobs during his time in Summer Bay, including managing the Juice Bar and working as a Surf Life Saver. The character was married to school principal Gina Austin and they fostered Jett James. Following Gina's death, John married Marilyn Chambers in 2014.
Jessica "Jay" Copeland is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street who was portrayed by Jaime Passier-Armstrong from mid-2004 to mid-2007. She was the show's first lesbian regular character and longtime love interest for Maia Jeffries.
Daniel Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Tim Phillipps. Daniel was created in 1992 as the son of iconic Neighbours couple Scott and Charlene. He was occasionally referred to in the episodes since then, but never seen on-screen. At the end of 2013, it was announced that Daniel would be introduced as a new family member for Paul Robinson. Auditions were held for the role, with producers stating that the actor would need to resemble his on-screen parents. During the casting process, Phillipps was approached for the role and, following a chemistry read with Dennis, was given the part. He had previously appeared in Neighbours in 2007. Phillipps relocated to Melbourne for filming and was initially contracted for 12 months. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 29 April 2014. Two years later, Daniel was written out of Neighbours, and he made his departure on 26 April 2016. Phillips made an unannounced return in the first episode of the 2023 Neighbours reprisal.
Zoe Luper is a fictional character portrayed by actor Jeffrey Carlson on the ABC daytime drama All My Children. Zoe is perhaps the first transgender television character depicted at the beginning of male-to-female transition and coming out. The character debuted in August 2006 as Zarf, an English rock star who presents as male. Zarf/Zoe returned during the period of November 29, 2006 to April 26, 2007.
