Nicole Franklin - Reception

Reception

Holy Soap said that Nicole's most memorable moment was when she "returned to the desert island with Geoff to rekindle their love" and she was held hostage by Derek the murderer, before her father came to the rescue. When Nicole began dating Liam, Caroline Fitton writing for the Daily Mail said "I think this reforming wild child – a kind of less moody Peaches Geldof – has struck lucky". Inside Soap opined that Nicole was a "flighty minx from the city who prays at the altar of Paris Hilton". The Sunday Mail said it seemed like no one could stop her downward spiral. The Daily Record said that Nicole and Geoff's relationship ending was good for her character. They later branded her a "fiery favourite" and when she started dating Penn, they said "Impressionable Nicole looks set to fall for the wrong man all over again". When Nicole had her HIV scare Holy Soap said "As if defending her man against the Bay's critics wasn't enough for one girl to take, poor Nic". Inside Soap said "Nicole Franklin isn't exactly backward in coming forward". Jaci Stephen of the Daily Mail opined that Nicole seemed incapable of decision making when it came to deciding on a birthing partner. TV Week chose James as one of the serial's most promising actresses opining she was ready for roles in Hollywood.

TV Week often commented on her pregnancy storyline. After the plot was half way through Erin Miller of TV Week said that Nicole had changed her mind about adopting her baby "more times that Julia Gillard has uttered the phrase 'moving forward'". Upon watching Nicole's beach birth scenes, the magazine website editor quipped "Who knew sand had birthing properties?! Well, maybe not... but you could forgive pregnant teen Nicole for thinking that after a casual stroll along the Bay's beach ends with Angelo delivering her newborn son!" Commenting on the realism of the storyline they added: "Only in the Bay would a baby be born on the beach!" Miller thought it was odd she had then "miraculously lost any signs that she even had a baby." She quipped "already the teen is back to wearing skin-tight dresses!". They later described Nicole and Marilyn's argument over George as "the mother of all rifts" and said "It's exhausting just thinking about it!" Miller later criticised Nicole's career in fashion, after John told her he hated her designs for the Surf Club. She said "I had to agree with him - putting lifesavers in pink polo-neck swimmers is a terrible idea."