Jade Sutherland

Jade Sutherland
Home and Away character
Portrayed by Kate Garven
Duration 2000–2004
First appearance 19 June 2000
Last appearance 3 June 2004
Classification Former, regular
Profile
Occupation Student

Jade Sutherland is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Kate Garven. She appeared in the series from 19 June 2000 until 3 June 2004.

Character development

Jade is introduced into the series as part of the new Sutherland family who move from the city to live in Summer Bay. Jade was Garven's first role on television.[1] Garven said that working on Home and Away was a fun experience and that she had developed a good working relationship with those who play her on-screen family.[2]

Jade is portrayed as the "quieter" and "dreamy" of the Sutherland sisters, a keen book reader who likes to help out those less fortunate than herself. Jade is prone to illness and is a long sufferer of asthma.[3] Jade's family see her as "fragile" and "vulnerable" and feel the need to treat her with care. The serial's official website describe her as being "stronger that many people realise" despite her fragile nature. Jade has also learnt to play on her weakness to get her own way in life. Jade is strong willed in knowing what she wants from life and does not like being told to do something she does not agree with.[3] Garven described Jade stating that "she is a nice person and a very sweet girl. She can be a little flighty and she always talks too much. She tends to babble on but genuinely cares for people."[2]

Jade and her twin sister Kirsty Sutherland (Christie Hayes) claim to share a "telepathic" connection in which they know when one another are in trouble. The theme was a prominent feature throughout Jade and Kirsty's tenure. However, producers later implemented a storyline in which Jade discovers that she is not related to the Sutherlands. The revelation that she was mixed up with another baby after birth conflicted their ideas of a telepathic connection between twins.[4]

Jade enters into a relationship with the character of Nick Smith and (Chris Egan) who plays Nick said that he and Garven had "a lot of fun together" portraying their relationship.[5] In one storyline Jade and Nick attempt to appear on a reality television series titled "The Dorm", which radio host Garth Russell plays the director, who Jade attempts to impress.[6]

Storylines

Jade arrives in Summer Bay from the city with her twin sister, Kirsty and their older sister Dani (Tammin Sursok) when their parents Rhys (Michael Beckley) and Shelley (Paula Forrest). Jade begins dating Duncan Stewart (Brendan McKensy), while Kirsty dates Nick. When Brodie Hanson (Susie Rugg) moves in with the Sutherlands, she and Jade form a sisterly bond after they share a room for a while.

Jade soon resumes her ballet classes but is unnerved by a rival, Tonya (Sharni Vinson) and soon begins having issues with her body and develops bulimia as a result. She and Duncan soon break up after Duncan's behaviour has become uncontrollable following his mother Ailsa's (Judy Nunn) death. Jade later begins seeing Nick after he and Kirsty split. Their relationship suffers several tests when Vice Principal Angie Russell (Laurie Foell) begins playing mind games with Nick, manipulating him. After Angie is killed in an argument with her son Dylan (Brett Maitland-Hicks), Jade and Nick try to get their relationship back on track but things are not easy when Nick becomes a contest on reality TV show "The Dorm" and is seen allegedly cheating on her with another contestant. They reconcile but Nick soon leaves for Los Angeles after a successful audition.

Jade then falls for Seb Miller (Mitch Firth), who like Nick, had previously dated Kirsty. They become somewhat serious and contemplate moving in together after Year 12. Jade later discovers she was switched at birth with Laura DeGroot (also portrayed by Hayes), the revelation shatters her, leading to an identity crisis which sends her off the rails, culminating in a suspension from school.

Duncan returns to town and tries to rekindle things with Jade, despite the fact she is now with Seb. Duncan and Jade do drugs one night, which leaves Jade worse for wear. On the night of Robbie Hunter (Jason Smith) and Hayley Smith's (Bec Hewitt) combined birthday party, Duncan steals Robbie's car keys and drives the car while high and involves Jade in a drag race. Seb tries to stop them by jumping on the bonnet but Duncan keeps driving and the car goes over a cliff. The Sutherlands fear that Jade has been killed but she survives with comparatively minor injuries in contrast to Seb, who is left paralysed. After Seb decides to join his grandfather Donald Fisher (Norman Coburn) in the Whitsundays, Jade decides she wants to go too as she feels there is nothing for her in the Bay. Her family tell her they are still there if she wants them. Jade soon then leaves with Kit Hunter (Amy Mizzi) for a fresh start in the city to get to know her biological family, the DeGroots. Jade returns several months later when Kirsty undergoes vital surgery and Shelley donates a kidney to her.

Reception

In the book Philip Ardagh's book of howlers, blunders and random mistakery, Ardagh claimed that Jade and Kirsty's "amazing telepathic empathy" was conveniently forgotten by scriptwriters when they were revealed to be unrelated. He added that it must have been a "surprise" to viewers who had previously seen their connection play out.[4] A columnist for the Sunday Mail thought the plot was questionable and said "A family arrive and claim Jade was swapped at birth with their daughter. You couldn't make it up."[7]

Jaci Stephen from the Daily Mail has often been critical of Jade. When Jade finished writing her diary, Stephen said it was a "relief" and branded the details of Jade's life as "wretched and boring". She was delighted to watch Jade lose her diary and said that she "couldn't give a stuff" about its content.[8] Stephen later said that "high drama is not something one would associate with the drippy Jade".[9] When the "real" Jade is introduced into the serial, Stephen quipped "that might be a relief; surely she can't be as irritating as the old one".[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Kate Garven - Home and Away Star". Youth Week. (Commonwealth of Australia). 10 May 2003. Archived from the original on 10 May 2003. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Kate Garven plays Jade Sutherland". Homeandaway.com.au. (Seven Network). Archived from the original on 5 August 2004. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Jade Sutherland played by Kate Garven". Homeandaway.com.au. (Seven Network). Archived from the original on 5 August 2004. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ardagh 2009, p. 241.
  5. ↑ "Chris Egan's chat transcript". Homeandaway.com.au. (Seven Network). Archived from the original on 8 December 2002. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
  6. ↑ Barnier, Linda; Gadd, Michael (11 June 2003). "Russell's real deal". The Newcastle Herald. (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 29 December 2011.
  7. ↑ "Televison [sic]: Flaming mad Corrie bunny boiler burns down Dev's shops". Sunday Mail. (Trinity Mirror). 21 November 2004. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  8. ↑ Stephen, Jaci (29 May 2004). "Waspish and witty - the ultimate insight into TV soaps". Daily Mail. (Associated Newspapers). Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  9. ↑ Stephen, Jaci (25 July 2004). "Waspish and witty - the ultimate insight into TV soaps". Daily Mail. (Associated Newspapers). Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  10. ↑ Stephen, Jaci (20 November 2004). "Waspish and witty - the ultimate insight into TV soaps". Daily Mail. (Associated Newspapers). Retrieved 30 December 2011.

External links