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> Top 30 Episodes
As Neighbours aired its 7000th episode, and prepared to mark 30 years on Australian television, we thought it was time to discover which of them were the most popular. We asked you to vote for your top ten Neighbours episodes of the first 7000, putting your favourite as number one and so on. The votes have now been tallied and the results will be revealed one each day. To read a full, illustrated summary of any of the episodes, click on the episode number.
30(-32) (26 Points)
Episode 1000 (1989)
Written by Lois Booton Directed by Steve Mann
 The first of three episodes in joint 30th place is Neighbours' 1000th episode, a big milestone for the show and an example of what many consider to be a true Neighbours episode, focused on family and community, good times contrasted with emotional drama. Set largely at Number 26, as was often the case in the early years being the 'big house' on the street, the Robinsons were hosting an engagement party for Des and Jane which quickly turned into a joint party for Joe and Kerry. Meanwhile Matt, Harold and Madge were all contemplating leaving Ramsay Street whilst Hilary had to swallow her pride and admit to her friends and neighbours that Matt was her son.
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Episode 4292 - Toadie and Dee's Wedding (2003)
Written by Martin McKenna Directed by Jeffrey Walker and Tony Osicka
 When news came in April 2003 that Neighbours had been filming their "biggest storyline ever" at Werribee Mansion in Melbourne's western suburbs, it seemed unlikely for it not to be linked to the departure of Madeleine West, who filmed her final scenes as Dee Bliss the same week. So as the day of Toadie and Dee's Wedding came around and they both spoke about spending the rest of their lives together their dreams of wedded bliss seemed destined to turn into complete disaster. As is always the case in soap, a series of convenient plot twists fell into place as the limo broke down and Stuart kindly loaned them a customer's car from the garage that Connor had been driving to the wedding in to drive themselves to the airport instead of being chauffeured. As the pair, distracted by their love for each other headed off for their honeymoon, Toadie lost control of the car, causing them to crash through a railing (and fly off a conveniently placed ramp) into the ocean. All of this was of course accompanied by the tune "I want to drown right now in a sea of love with you." Dee never emerged from the shallow waters they landed in, but fans still ask to this day when she's going to make an appearance on Toadie's doorstep.
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Episode 6000 (2010)
Written by Pete McTighe Directed by Tony Osicka
 2010 saw Neighbours reach two big milestones in one year, its 25th Anniversary and it's 6000th Episode. To celebrate they decided to push their one remaining original character, Paul Robinson off of Lassiter's new mezzanine terrace. A play on the 'Who Shot JR?' storyline on Dallas, the timeslot and G rating in Australia led to the story being changed to 'Who Pushed PR?' although as a man who had already survived being shot, falling off a cliff and a mid-air bombing, there was little chance of Paul dying. The culprit turned out to be Paul's wife, Rebecca which was revealed in a later flashback. Whilst the flashback left things open to interpretation and few could have blamed Rebecca if she had wanted Paul dead, she later fled the country having tricked Paul into signing an affidavit stating he would not press charges. Paul later tried to woo her back, but given he had since moved in a penthouse apartment with a balcony that probably wasn't the best idea.
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29 (27 Points)
Episode 4836 - The Plane Crash: Part One (2005)
'What Goes Up...'
Written by Peter Mattessi Directed by Chris Adshead
 The beginning of 2005's Plane Crash saga saw the Ramsay Street residents prepare for the 1920s themed Lassiter's Joy Flight to Tasmania. Little did poor Harold know, but when he generously gifted his family tickets on the flight he was sending David, Liljana and Serena to their deaths and had Lil paid more attention to the emptiness at the bottom of David's cup, perhaps they would all still be alive today. Meanwhile, Dylan Timmins found himself in trouble with the Police, whilst Connor O'Neill admitted to Toadie that he stole from Bounce bikini shop. The real drama began after takeoff though as Izzy opened a letter reading "Think about your life - and everything you've done" as a bomb continued to count down...
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28-27 (29 Points)
Episode 7000 (2014)
Written by Peter Mattessi Directed by Chris Langman
 Neighbours' last big milestone before the 30th Anniversary, reaching a 7000th episode is something many shows could only dream of, especially one that was axed after an already impressive 170 episodes. After the high drama of the tornado, Neighbours did what it does best - comedy - with Karl having found an un-scratched scratch card, eventually discovering he'd won $7,000. Of course, being Neighbours things weren't that simple as he lost the card and ended up retracing his steps having visited half of Erinsborough to collect lemons for the lemon curd he planned to make. Finally, Karl found the scratchcard at Number 30 where Toadie was hosting a nude lunch for some clients, so as Karl also stripped off so he could look around he eventually found the card stuck to Toadie's bum. Being Neighbours though, even in the most highly comedic episodes, it also managed to fit in some light drama as Susan struggled with counselling Nate before bringing us back down to earth with a bang as Toadie received an anonymous letter telling him that his wife was not who he thought she was...
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Episode 3110 - Susan Slaps Karl (1998)
Written by John Hanlon Directed by Chris Adshead
 The culmination of a 6 month long storyline which firmly cemented the Kennedys' place in the show as Susan confronted Karl over his affair with Sarah truly deserves its place in the top 30. Juxtaposed against the happiness of the wedding reception of Phil and Ruth, the Kennedy marriage was torn apart as Susan dealt with Billy's revelation in the previous episode that he thought his dad was having an affair with Sarah. The episode not only gave future US star, Jesse Spencer, a chance to shine as he confronted his Dad over his lies, it also gave Ryan Moloney a chance to show that he could handle drama as well as comedy as he faced Sarah and struggled to stay neutral, before deciding to support his second mum. The real stars of the episode were of course Jackie Woodburne and Alan Fletcher, who after three years of on-screen marriage delivered a truly emotional performance that we have now come to expect from them and created one of Neighbours' most iconic moments as Susan slapped Karl, in tears because her own son had to tell her that her husband had been cheating on her. But as Karl insisted it was just one kiss, six months previous, fans suspected it was more, with Karl and Sarah having stayed in a motel the night before, and it wasn't until 2013 that Karl finally admitted the truth, that they had slept together, only for Susan to reveal that part of her had known all along.
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26 (32 Points)
Episode 5000 (2006)
'Five Thousand And Counting'
Written by Linda Stainton Directed by Tony Osicka
 Having now surpassed 7000 episodes, 5000 seems quite inconsequential, although it also marked 1000 blocks (a block being a set of 5 episodes) of Neighbours. As Robertprepared his grand finale, by drugging Paul and tying him up in an old mineshaft whilst having listened to Katya's story that she believed Robert had framed Cameron for his actions, Gail, Izzy and Elle went off in search of Paul and Robert. Meanwhile Karl and Susan struggled to hide their reunion from Zeke, whilst Karl continued to feel pushed out of Oodles 'O' Noodles by Justine. As Harold came around to the idea of Sky being pregnant, becoming a Great-Grandfather after all he'd lost, he left Janelle stunned as he revealed she was about to become a Grandmother. As Paul began to realise what Robert was up to, he cried for help as he was left for dead as Robert tied a rope between the mine's support post and his car and began to collapse the mineshaft.
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25 (33 Points)
24 (34 Points)
Episode 2251 - The Kennedys' Arrival (1994)
Written by Victoria Osbourne Directed by Grant Brown
 Little known to viewers at the time, but when the "family of nerds" moved into Ramsay Street, their arrival would shape the course of Neighbours for the next twenty years and counting. Replacing the popular Willis family and arriving at a time when the Martins were still mourning the loss of Julie, viewer reactions were mixed. Over 20 years on and the Kennedys are beloved worldwide, with Dr Karl having become a cult favourite amongst students, with his abilities to diagnose and treat every medical condition under the sun and his success with the ladies, whilst Susan has become Neighbours' matriarch and the longest running female character. Whilst the Kennedy children have grown up and moved on, the Kennedys having taken in many waifs and strays over the years but still viewers hope to one day see Mal, Libby and Billy all stop by together to visit their parents. In the meantime Neighbours' have offered a cameo to Oscar winning actor, Eddie Redmayne who recently joined Neighbours viewers in singing the praises of Alan Fletcher and Jackie Woodburne for the understated nuances of their performances as Karl and Susan, and rightly so.
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23-22 (35 Points)
Episode 5348 - Susan's MS Diagnosis (2007)
Written by Helen MacWhirter Directed by Tony Osicka
 When Susan Kinski (best known as Kennedy) was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, fans were obviously worried for one of their favourite characters and how the character could continue as her symptoms progressed. Raising awareness and understanding of the illness, Neighbours cleverly chose to show Susan coping with relapsing remitting MS, showing that some MS sufferers can often continue a full and active life with little or no symptoms, with occasional flare-ups. The episodes surrounding Susan's initial MS diagnosis were praised by the MS Society; in particular the scenes in episode 5348. As a temporarily blind Susan went for her MRI scan alone she became screaming in panic to be let out, with husband Karl being called in to support her. Ever the mother, Susan worried not for herself but for her children and how they would cope with her diagnosis, before admitting that she was scared. As Karl reassured Susan that she could be strong, they shared a tender moment as the blinded Susan sought a moment of familiarity by kissing Karl.
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Episode 1904 - Jim's Death (1993)
Written by Lois Booton Directed by Michael Sergi
 The first of Alan Dale's many on screen deaths by heart attack, but certainly Jim's death is the most memorable. Few have forgotten the sight of the Robinson patriarch lying dead on the kitchen floor, particularly because it's where he spent the whole episode thanks to his scheming girlfriend, Fiona Hartman, who left him on the floor to go and collect a cheque liquidating one of Jim's savings accounts before heading to the bank. Conveniently joined by Rosemary Daniels on her return to Number 26, Fiona left Rosemary to 'discover' her late brother-in-law's body, rushing in only when Rosemary let out a scream. Having collected Helen and Julie from Number 32, Rosemary struggled to keep the feuding Fiona and Julie apart whilst Helen entered a trance at the sight of her beloved son(-in-law) dead on the floor of the home they'd shared for almost 20 years, before finally collapsing on the kitchen table.
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21-20 (36 Points)
Episode 6602 - Toadie and Sonya's Wedding: Part Two (2013)
Written by Margaret Wilson Directed by Laurence Wilson
 Having had two weddings end in disaster already and a sham marriage, Toadie was understandably worried about his pending nuptials to Sonya and following a series of minor hiccups, such as incorrect invitations, back problems and no-shows from the best man and bridesmaid, a visit from Paul Robinson to inform the bride and groom that Lassiter's ballroom and kitchen had been filled with raw sewage, Toadie and Sonya hoped that this time the disasters had come before the ceremony. The day of the wedding came and as the ceremony went off with only the hitch they wanted and having returned to Lassiter's for the marquee reception, it seems the new Mr and Mrs Rebecchi were on the home strait, despite Sonya's happy day even being briefly irrupted as she witnessed a robbery at the hotel. However, as Sonya prepared to throw her bouquet, a fire broke out as one of the waiters changed a gas cylinder, causing a huge explosion to engulf the entire marquee.
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Episode 5179 - Karl and Susan In London: Part Six (2007)
'Births, Deaths and Marriages'
Written by Judith Colquhoun and Megan Herbert Directed by Gary Conway and Riccardo Pellizzeri
 As the Timmins family prepared to say farewell to Stingray, it was a time for new beginnings for the Kennedys. Having accepted Karl's proposal on the London Eye, Susan awoke in the Ritz hostel to find a wedding dress on the top bunk of her bed, accompanied by a note informing her that a car would be coming to collect her. Arriving at Tower Bridge, Susan found Karl waiting on a boat with a Vicar who looked suspiciously like Neil Morrissey and witnesses who looked a lot like Jono Coleman and Sinitta. Very much in love, the soulmates and their wedding party set off on a cruise down the River Thames, reciting their vows, but unbeknownst to them a heavily pregnant Izzy Hoyland was below decks ready to drop a baby shaped bombshell, literally. As the Kennedys sealed the deal yet again, Izzy headed upstairs, ready to reveal the truth about her baby's paternity, the only words she could muster were that her waters had broken. With the boat having returned to shore, an ambulance prepared to take Izzy and baby Holly off to hospital, but realising she was still holding Izzy's bag, Susan ran over to return it, but nothing could prepare her for what she was about to hear. Passing the bag to the paramedic, Susan struggled to digest the news that Karl was Holly's father.
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19 (38 Points)
Episode 724 - Harold and Madge's Wedding (1988)
Written by Rick Maier Directed by Steve Mann
 Believe it or not, but this episode featured the entire regular cast - an unlikely sight today - as the Ramsay Street residents all turned out to witness the wedding of Harold and Madge, even Mrs Mangel who sounded her disapproval of the union by deliberately making a mistake on the organ. Destined to be together, high school sweethearts Madge and Harold have been pulled apart several times, first by Fred Mitchell, again by the crest of a wave and finally by Madge's death, but somehow (ignoring the affection of the viewers and the writers) they are always reunited - even if Madge only now appears as a figment of Harold's imagination. When Madge and Harold finally exchanged rings though, it was actually Anne Charleston and the episode's Director, Steve Mann, as Ian Smith was suffering badly from psoriasis on his hands at the time. The episode was also notable for the appearance of David Bishop (Kevin Harrington), who would go on to join the regular cast 15 years later, so far the biggest gap between a guest actor returning as a regular.
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18 (39 Points)
Episode 3708 - Drew and Libby's Wedding (2001)
Written by Louise Le Nay Directed by Gary Conway
 One of Neighbours' truly magical weddings, the union of a long time resident (six years is a long time in Ramsay Street) to her Prince Charming. Marrying at the same church as Scott and Charlene did some 14 years earlier, Libby and Drew were surrounded by their friends and neighbours as they tied the knot, truly bringing the community together. Karl's pride as he gave a speech at reception, Susan's tears and Libby's joy made the Kennedy family seem more real than ever, with long term viewers cheering on the Ramsay Street daughter many had grown up as she had her big day, it's sometimes hard to remember it is just an episode of Neighbours and not the wedding video of a loved one. Of course, the moment most remembered is Drew singing Wild Mountain Thyme with support from Harold Bishop and it's a struggle to look back on this episode without think of Libby and Harold doing the same at Drew's funeral just a year later.
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17 (43 Points)
Episode 6943 - Paige's Identity Revealed (2014)
Written by Emma J Steele Directed by Scott Major
 The moment fans had been waiting an incredible 15 months for, having suspected from the moment Brad Willis returned that he had fathered a child with Lauren Turner. Whilst viewers initially expected it to be Mason - and still suspect it was going to be - Lauren ruled that out in the 2013 season finale and 2014 premiere, having revealed all to Lucy Robinson that the baby was a girl who had died. Of course being Neighbours that wasn't the only twist, Lauren's mum Kathy revealed the baby was alive and she had given her away, but with Brad and Lauren's searches having been unsuccessful, it seemed all was lost, at least until Paige "Novak" turned up in Erinsborough. Viewers were quickly made aware that Paige was Paige Smith, Brad & Lauren's daughter, but then had to wait two emotionally exhausting months for the reveal, but it was well worth it. As Lauren discovered the two teddy bears belonging to her and her baby on her doorstep, she stopped Mark Brennan in the street to see if he saw anyone leave them. As Mark recognised the bears as Paige's the pair then discovered a note from Paige to say she was leaving town. Chasing after her bus in her car, Lauren sped ahead and blocked the road, forcing the bus to stop and finally reuniting with her long-lost daughter, but whilst Brad and Lauren welcomed Paige into the family with open arms, the rest of the Willis and Turner families weren't so happy with the new addition to their clans.
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16 (44 Points)
Episode 2740 - Madge and Harold's Reunion (1996)
Written by John Hanlon Directed by Tony Osicka
 When Helen Daniels passed a very familiar face on the way into 24 Ramsay Street, her family and friends became concerned for her sanity when she insisted it was Harold Bishop, who had been swept away by a wave five years previously, however when Lou Carpenter finally came face to face with his old adversary, he and Helen agreed it was time to call Harold's wife, Madge, who was now living in Queensland. As Madge arranged a flight down to Melbourne, Helen arranged for neighbour Marlene to get Harold, or Ted as he was now known, to meet her and Madge at Chez Chez to help jog the amnesiac Salvation Army officer's memory. However, Ted refused to enter licensed premises except when he was collecting for the charity, forcing Marlene to go to the nearby coffee shop, The Holy Roll. Desperate to make Helen and Madge aware of their location and having already made 'Ted' think that she was an alcoholic; Marlene made a dash for the pub. Heading to the coffee shop, Madge was amazed to see for herself that her husband was alive and recognising that she knew him, Ted listened to what she had to say and having earlier mentioned to Marlene that he was thinking of becoming a vegetarian was stunned to learn that Harold was and that he ran the very coffee shop they were sitting in. Having made some headway, Madge returned to Ramsay Street determined to get her husband back.
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15 (46 Points)
Episode 2733 - Harold's Return (1996)
Written by Michael O'Rourke Directed by Nicholas Bufalo
 When Marlene Kratz sorted through her late daughter Cheryl's clothing, few would have imagined that such a normal part of the grieving process and a simple act of charity could have had such a big impact on Neighbours over the course of the next 19 years. As Marlene arrived at the Salvation Army shop to arrange their collection, she had no idea that the jelly-bellied man Ted, who greeted her, was formerly the resident of her home. As Ted arrived at the very familiar looking street, he entered his former home to collect the clothing just missing his former high school love rival, Lou. However it was Helen Daniels who got the shock of her life, still recovering from a stroke, as she was greeted at the door of Number 24 by the very familiar face as he exited and queried with Marlene who the man was, as he looked so much like Harold Bishop.
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14 (47 Points)
Episode 171 - The 1986 Season Premiere (1986)
Written by Reg Watson Directed by Brendan Maher
 Written by Neighbours' creator, Reg Watson, this episode can probably be best described as day 1 take 2. Having been axed the previous year by Channel Seven, Neighbours made its debut on the Ten Network with an incredible ongoing publicity campaign which even had newcomers Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan delivering colour televisions to doorsteps in Sydney. With new cast members, and rebuilt sets as Seven had destroyed the originals, the episode opened with a removal van arriving and Jim Robinson decorating. The episode saw Number 22 being introduced into the Ramsay Street mix for the first time as a mysterious new neighbour moved in, as well as the arrival of Madge Mitchell who as well as becoming a popular character in her own right, would go on to become part of one of Neighbours most iconic pairings with Harold, so iconic that even death wouldn't stop producers from reuniting them on screen - twice!
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13 (48 Points)
Episode 4293 - Dee's Death (2003)
Written by John Hanlon Directed by Jeffrey Walker and Tony Osicka
 Whilst the final scene of episode 4292 is perhaps the more iconic moment of this storyline as Toadie drove up a ramp into the see with a blonde dummy whose head was falling off, where Neighbours always triumphs with stunts such as these is in the aftermath as Toadie struggled to accept that his new wife was gone. Whilst Angie, Big Kev and Stonie were on hand to support their son and brother, it was at this moment that the Kennedys' link with Toadie really began to come into play, from Libby sitting at Toadie's side on the beach hugging him (before going on to snog student Taj as she grieved for her friend), to Susan later visiting Toadie in his room at Number 30 offering support when no-one else could whilst struggling to control her own tears. However, it was Ryan Moloney who rightly stole the show as Toadie, from desperately searching for Dee at the beach, to finding comfort in man's best friend, Bob as he told his dog that he couldn't find her and whilst he found happiness at times in the years since, it wasn't until ten years later that Toadie finally moved on from Dee completely, marrying his new love, Sonya.
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12 (50 Points)
Episode 1 - The First Episode (1985)
Written by Reg Watson Directed by Mark Joffe
 "What are ya gonna do about those bloody neighbours of yours?" asked Max Ramsay in episode one, and the answer is become good friends and watch them come and go for thirty years. Many have never known as life without Ramsay Street and many of those who did, don't remember it and few could have imagined Neighbours' success. Even creator Reg Watson can now be said to have underestimated Neighbours when he told the networks as he pitched the show that "this concept can run for twenty years" as little did he know that thirty years on, Des Clarke and Paul Robinson would be discussing the events of episode one with Paul's nephew, Daniel, who as Max's great-nephew and Helen Daniels' great-grandson is related to ten out of the original twelve regular characters.
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11 (54 Points)
Episode 4837 - The Plane Crash: Part Two (2005)
'The Joy Flight'
Written by John Hanlon Directed by Chris Adshead
 Another example of how Neighbours triumphs in the aftermath of a dramatic moment - as the joy flight's engine exploded and the plane hurtled down towards the sea. The transition from joy to horror was mirrored by Janelle Timmins going from jumping for joy to getting the fright of her life as she saw Dylan in the kitchen at Number 26 knowing he was aboard the plane. We also saw acts of contrition as Isabelle Hoyland phoned Karl Kennedy to apologise for all she had done and declared her love for him, whilst his ex-wife, Susan showed that she had forgiven Karl as her new love Alex Kinski worried for his children Rachel and Zeke and she firmly reassured him that "Karl will look after them..." "I know he will!" As we saw David and Liljana Bishop for the last time, united and holding onto each other as the plane crashed into the water, it was a survival of the fittest for the others as they made their way out of the wreckage and found themselves floating in the rough waters of the Bass Strait. As Susan helped enemy Izzy, she found herself left for dead as the Ramsay Street vixen went off to help Elle Robinson, but despite two nights in the notorious waters, apparent strong-swimmer Susan survived, presumably thanks to her years of skinny-dipping with Karl, whilst the Bishops perished, clearly not having made enough use of the swimming pool in their back yard.
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10 (55 Points)
Episode 2000 (1993)
Written by Ray Kolle Directed by Ian Watson
 As Neighbours reached it's 2000th episode it found itself with just one remaining original cast member, Anne Haddy as Helen Daniels, so rightly the decision was made to focus the episode on her birthday party which coincided with the reopening of The Waterhole following the earlier explosion. Despite granddaughter, Julie living three doors down with her family at Number 32, Helen had been feeling very lonely at Number 26 following the death of her son-in-law, Jim and so good friend and neighbour; Pam Willis took it upon herself to arrange a celebration to cheer her up. Helen was thrilled to see that her grandson, Paul and granddaughter, Lucy had returned to Erinsborough for the occasion, although was disappointed to learn that Scott and Charlene couldn't make it as their young son, Daniel was unwell. Meanwhile, having broken up with Lauren Carpenter, Brad Willis found himself nearing a reunion with Beth Brennan, although little did they (or the writers) know at the time, Lauren was pregnant with Lily aka Paige.
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9 (67 Points)
Episode 2995 - The 1997 Season Finale (1997)
Written by Ian Coughlan Directed by Philip East and Chris Adshead
 One of Neighbours' most dramatic season finales containing numerous story threads resulting in three cliffhangers, to make sure there was something for everyone. Firstly Anne Wilkinson headed to Sydney to make sure Caitlin Atkins kept her hands off of her boyfriend, Billy Kennedy ending with Anne at the door to Billy's room as he and Caitlin kissed. The big climax at the time was Ben Atkins' race car flipped and burst into flames as Phil Martin was proposing to his girlfriend and Ben's mother, Ruth Wilkinson, leaving viewers waiting to find out the answer to Phil's question and Ben's fate however what became one of Neighbours' most talked about and most remembered moments was Dr Karl Kennedy kissing his receptionist, Sarah Beaumont. Karl's affair with Sarah was shocking for viewers at the time, with the kiss only being revealed to Susan six months later (the full extent of the affair was only revealed in 2013), leading to the breakdown of the Kennedy marriage, but whilst women supported Susan, men were congratulating actor Alan Fletcher on Karl's conquest. Thankfully the Kennedys reunited, but it's safe to say this is one of the defining moments in their long residency and was probably part of the reason for their success.
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8 (71 Points)
Episode 6985 - Twenty Years of the Kennedys (2014)
Written by Paul Gartside Directed by Scott Major
 A celebration of the Kennedys, a thank you to Alan Fletcher & Jackie Woodburne and a gift to the fans, to play a character continuously for 20 years anywhere is incredible, but to do so on an Australian television production is truly extraordinary. Few actors in Australia have done so and it is Neighbours that made that possible, its initial axing on Seven and subsequent success on Ten made history itself, but that success also led to the creation of Home and Away - between both shows, seven actors have racked up incredible 20 year continuous stints and six of them are still counting. When the Kennedys' eldest son, Malcolm returned to Erinsborough he made Karl and Susan consider the inconceivable, leaving Ramsay Street, announcing that his wife Catherine was (finally) pregnant and asking them to move to London to help them once the baby was born. As the Kennedys reflected on their highs and lows, family and friends over the twenty years, with a little help from surrogate son Toadie, old friend Louand even Paul Robinson they returned home to Number 28 and reflect on a wall containing names of the children they'd provided a loving home to over those years. With his parents having made the decision to stay, an understanding Mal joined Karl, Susan, Lou, Toadie and Paul in toasting "to good neighbours" and "to good friends".
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7 (90 Points)
Episode 690 - Daphne's Death (1988)
Written by Wayne Doyle Directed by Gary Conway
 One of Neighbours' most defining moments, if you were mention the show to anyone who watched in the 1980s, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who didn't mention Daphne's death or utter the immortal words "I love you too, Clarkey." When actress Elaine Smith decided to leave the show, producers were left with a difficult decision, Daphne would never leave Des for good reason, so initially she was sent off to look after her ailing father as he was on his deathbed, but eventually they were going to have to explain why Daphne wasn't returning. The decision was made for Daphne to be killed off in a car crash on her way back to Erinsborough, with another actress taking over the role for her hospital room death. Thankfully somehow the news was leaked to Elaine who agreed to return to give Daphne a proper departure and a true conclusion to one of Neighbours' greatest love stories.
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6-5 (99 Points)
Episode 3740 - Madge's Death (2001)
Written by John Hanlon Directed by Anna Johnson
 Another case of death being a necessity rather than an option... When one half of a beloved pairing decides to leave producers are always faced with a dilemma, a character such as Madge would never leave Harold by choice, especially after all they had been through so there are only two options remaining, close the door firmly by killing the character off or write the other character out as well delivering a double blow to the show but leaving the door open for both. Ian Smith had already been written out once in 1991 and the show suffered from losing both Harold and Madge before, so Madge had to die. Having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and contracted septicaemia, Madge's time was cruelly cut short, however she was able to say goodbye to her old friend, Lou and peacefully pass away on her street, in her home with her soulmate Harold by her side as well as foster children Paul and Tad. Madge's death was the end of many eras - the end of a love story, (at the time) the end of the Ramsays on Ramsay Street and the last of Neighbours' early matriarchs to go. Whilst this may not have been Madge's final appearance, it was very much final at the time and it's hard not to shed a tear when watching the episode, be that for Madge or Harold.
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Episode 2965 - Helen's Death (1997)
Written by Ray Kolle Directed by Chris Adshead
 The death of Helen Daniels, Neighbours' longest serving character at that point and sole original character is an another episode that is hard not to have a blub at, not just because we were saying farewell to an old friend who had been the heart of Ramsay Street for 12 years, but we were also knew we were saying farewell to Anne Haddy who had been at the heart of Neighbours for those 12 years too, leading by example by being a true professional to the end. Although at times Helen in her own nature was often supporting another person's storyline, in a 2003 interview, writer and storyliner Ray Kolle told us that "Anne never let a scene down, never 'walked through' an episode" which would have been so easy to do, especially playing a character for so long and although ill at the time having just been released from hospital, Anne insisted on returning to the set to film Helen's death scene. Had it not been for the insistence of Ray Kolle and Anne Haddy to give Helen the farewell she deserved, she very well may have gone the way of Marlene Kratz, off on a never-ending cruise. Instead, Helen once again used her wisdom to resolve a family drama, ending the Ramsay/Robinson feud which had once again reared its ugly head by sitting the remaining Ramsay, Madge and the remaining Robinson, Hannah down with the rest of the family to watch the wedding video of Scott and Charlene, the day the families became one, quietly passing away in her sleep as they watched. To watch the episode now is even more poignant knowing that Anne sadly passed away in June 1999 and to this day this remains the only episode of Neighbours not to feature actor or production credits as they were dropped to allow an uninterrupted tribute montage to a good neighbour and good friend.
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4 (117 Points)
Episode 4502 - Ten Years of the Kennedys (2004)
'Publish And Be Damned'
Written by Jeff Truman Directed by Jovita O'Shaughnessy
 Ten years on, the celebration of the Kennedys' 10th Anniversary seems almost insignificant, but with three members of the family having remained on the show for that time they are arguably Neighbours' most successful family unit. Alan Fletcher, Jackie Woodburne and Kym Valentine had created a truly realistic family unit on screen with Libby often taking Susan's side over her daggy dad, Karl and quick to make fun of her father's various mid-life crises, but she wasn't laughing at the latest development as Libby used her column in the Erinsborough News to publically condemn her father's latest fling, Izzy Hoyland and if ever there was a case to be made for Neighbours episodes to still have titles, Publish And Be Damned is the finest example. As Karl faced breaking the news to Susan that he was to be a father again. Visiting Number 28, Karl berated Libby for her actions before asking to speak with her mother alone. As he delivered his ex-wife with the blow that Izzy was pregnant with his child, Susan managed to maintain her composure until he left, gasping for breath as if winded by the news. Composing herself again, Susan smashed a photo of herself and Karl before following him onto the street to let him know exactly what she thought, leaving Karl heartbroken as she informed him that she hated him and would never forgive him for the hurt he had caused her.
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