Miranda Parker
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| Miranda Parker | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Nikki Coghill | ||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2007–2009 | ||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 23 July 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 24 July 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Ric Pellizzeri | ||||||||||||||||||
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Miranda Parker is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Nikki Coghill. In 2007, the show's focus returned to focus more on family dynamics and the characters of Miranda and her family were created and introduced to help boost falling ratings in Australia. Miranda made her first screen appearance on 23 July 2007, along with her husband, Steve Parker (Steve Bastoni) and her daughter Bridget (Eloise Mignon). The family moved into Ramsay Street and Miranda became friends with many of her neighbours and was employed at both Erinsborough High and Lassiter's Hotel. Her storylines included the arrival of her sister Nicola (Imogen Bailey), breaking up and later reuniting with Steve, having an affair with her old university lecturer, becoming a grandmother and the death of her daughter. In March 2009, the decision was taken to write the Parker family out of the show after Mignon and Bastoni quit. Miranda departed on 24 July 2009 with her husband, following their daughter's funeral.
In 2007 Neighbours suffered one of its worst decline in ratings and several key changes took place to boost the ratings.[1] Network Ten drama executive Dan Bennett revealed that the show would return to its focus on relationships and family dynamics.[1] Writers created and introduced a new family, the Parkers, who already had a link to Ramsay Street in the form of Ned Parker (Daniel O'Connor).[2] The family made their first on-screen appearance in July 2007, marking the start of the show's renovation.[3]
Australian drama actress, Nikki Coghill was cast as the matriarch of the family, Miranda, and Steve Bastoni was cast as her husband Steve Parker.[4] Eloise Mignon and Sweeney Young were cast as their children, Bridget and Riley.[4][5] Shortly after she joined Neighbours Coghill believed that she was going to get the sack after she broke her ankle.[6] She said "I thought, "That's it, I won't be able to work now and I'll be fired".[6] However, the Neighbours bosses gave her a month off work and wrote her broken ankle into the script. Miranda was then said to have broken her ankle riding a mechanical bull.[6]
Development
Characterisation
Network Ten describe Miranda as the "latest in a long line of strong suburban women".[7] She has enormous talent as an event organiser, but she is a "multi-tasking perfectionist". Miranda tries to keep her emotions under control, but she feels left out when Bridget and Steve bond over animals and sports.[7] Network Ten also add that Miranda has a "keen sense of community".[7] Last Broadcast describe Miranda as being a "dynamic supermum". She has a successful career and a happy marriage with two adopted children.[6] However, she has been described as being a perfectionist, high-achieving and controlling.[6] Five's Holy Soap website describe Miranda as a "feisty lady" who often clashed with her daughter.[8] During an interview, Coghill said that she can identify with Miranda, "Like her, I'm a mum with two kids, and sometimes I have to struggle and juggle to make our lives together as a family work".[6]
When Miranda's sister, Nicola West (Imogen Bailey) arrives in Ramsay Street, it becomes apparent that there is conflict between the sisters, which appears when Nicola begins to throw her money around. All of her money comes from their rich mother and Miranda opted to live without her financial support. Bailey said during an interview that Nicola is "very envious of Miranda's life and family".[9]
Marital problems
Steve and Miranda's marriage suffers due to Nicola, who admits that she loves Steve and that she had sex with their son Riley.[10] Coghill told Jackie Brygel of TV Week that her character is "devastated" by the revelations, saying "Imagine how hurt you'd be if your sister kissed your husband and had an affair with your son. It's really too much!"[10] Nicola tells Miranda that she kissed Steve during the bushfire, and Coghill said that Miranda wants to believe that Nicola initiated the kiss, but she has doubts. She decides to believe Steve's version of the story and hopes her marriage can survive.[10] Coghill told Brygel that when Miranda discovers Nicola had sex with Riley, it is "the ultimate betrayal" and she asks her to leave her home and her life.[10] Coghill said things go from bad to worse with revelations from her character's fictional backstory. Nicola tells Steve about "a past love of Miranda's", which leads him to believe that she did not love him when they got married, so he walks out on her.[10] Coghill admitted that Miranda was in love with another man before Steve, explaining "strong, dependable Steve was good marriage material, whereas the affair was explosive and dangerous and ultimately self-destructive."[10] She also said that since these events happened 20 years ago, Miranda cannot understand why they mean so much to Steve now.[10] She added that Steve would have another moment of "passion" with Nicola, leaving Miranda to "feel the terrible pain of betrayal again."[10]
Just when it looks like Steve and Miranda are set for a reconciliation, Miranda's former boyfriend, Dean Naughton (Peter Bensley) is introduced.[11] This allowed the writers to explore Miranda's backstory further as Dean was in fact her first love that Nicola referred to. Coghill spoke of Miranda's sudden change in character during an interview with a columnist from Inside Soap stating that she felt Steve was always Miranda's rebound after the breakdown of her and Dean's romance.[11] Coghill felt the plot had dug up old history for the pair and also noted it as the point Miranda finally comes to a decision to live her life freely, stating: "Miranda's hesitant at first, but comes to realise she only has one life to live, and it's time for her to live it."[11] Miranda becomes infatuated with Dean all over again and Coghill stated that she felt Miranda had become caught in a whirlwind. She also thought Miranda was too willing to trust Dean.[11] When Steve finds out he is devastated and Coghill felt that the writers were repeating her backstory all over again.[11] A writer for Holy Soap described Dean as a "rather creepy individual who somehow manages to charm Miranda".[12] They felt that Miranda had put a "further nail into the coffin of her marriage to Steve" by having sex with Dean,[12] and that reuniting with him was just her way of trying to escape from her marital problems. They added that "her feelings get the better of her".[13]
Departure
In March 2009, it was announced that the Parker family were to be written out of the show after both Mignon and Bastoni decided to leave to concentrate on other commitments.[14] Following Bridget's death, Miranda cannot cope with her grief and all of the memories of Ramsay Street, so she and Steve decide to leave.[15]