Hollyoaks delivered a masterclass in how to introduce a new soap family | Soaps

It’s a risky business bringing a brand new clan en-masse to a soap. Family is the foundation to the genre, but we fans have pretty high standards when it comes to appreciating newcomers.

So to have a whole bunch of unknowns at once can feel unsettling and, while they spend time getting embraced into the community (or like the Battersbys, totally shunned), our opinions are already formed and it’s often a difficult task to win us round.

A family needs to be crafter with stories in mind, relationships planned out, defined personalities and, most importantly, a clear bond and chemistry between the actors.

Sometimes it can be cliche – dodgy dad, feisty mum, hearthrob son, troubled teen daughter – it generally fits a formula a lot of the time.

My hopes were quite high for the Keanes in Hollyoaks, I just didn’t expect them to make the instant impact that they did.

I had my doubts about making them central to a massive stunt in their very first episode. Are we meant to really invest in the fates of characters we don’t even know? While we’re panicking four our beloved Frankie and Vicki, what reason do we have to be on edge about whoever the heck these van folk are.

Within moments, I was glad to eat my words with a side helping of relief. It turns out that it was an inspired decision to explode them onto our screens in such a spectacular way rather than having them in the background for a few months before their first big story.

Involved in a car crash (Charlie, what on EARTH were you doing, mate?) saw Caleb lobbed through the windscreen with him having taken off his seatbelt momentarily to retrieve his phone.

It was a terrifying moment and any parent’s worst nightmare. Given the relatability of fearing for the safety of your children, our hearts were instantly with Jonah and Beth – as well as in our throats.

The performances as frantic parents fearing the worst were solid, with Rebecca Ryan in particular stealing the show in such an impeccable way that she has already proven what a huge coup she is for Hollyoaks.

In scenes that followed, the parents discovered Caleb may never walk again and the anguish was palpable.

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Finding out that Charlie (honestly, what WERE you doing? Seriously!?) was responsible for the accident, the scene of the week showed Beth’s horror and fury leave us on a cliffhanger for the next episodes.

She’s instantly a lioness for her family, full of heart and fire, and I can’t wait to see her – and the Keanes – tackle their life-changing ordeal.

Giving a topical story to a new family is a masterclass in how to make us instantly care. The way that it was done, it threw the Keanes into direct conflict with established characters, and set them up for emotive scenes that show them navigate their terrifying future.

I’m invested, truly.

Not only that, but linking Beth to the icon that is Jack Osborne – she is his daughter – further embeds her into one of the biggest clans.

A well established mistake in soap is a family being isolated and in their own bubble for ages, not really blending them with many characters and seeing them either stand out like a sore thumb or forced into random encounters that lack authenticity.

Now we have a major story for Jack – never a bad thing – and some truly intriguing interactions, bonds and showdowns to come.

The Keanes have landed with a bang – and they’ve already made their mark. Long may they continue to do so!

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk. 

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