EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[NothinButAttitude]

Oh @DRW50...

 

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/news/a792657/eastenders-is-bringing-back-aaron-sidwell-as-steven-beale/?utm_source=fbk&utm_medium=dsuk&utm_campaign=fbkds

 

Looks like the other psycho Beale son is returning. I hope he know the truth about Bobby and hopefully, Peter was the one to tell him. I hope Steven tosses it all in Jane's face. Jane or Ian can't say sh-t about Steven given that they've turned a blind eye to Bobby actually killing someone. 

 

Boy do I wish Steven would've actually killed Jane all those years ago...

Edited May 2, 2016 by Nothin'ButAttitude

[DRW50]

I saw speculation about that because SIdwell followed various actors on Twitter and someone looking like him was seen in Jonny Labey (Paul)'s Instagram post before it was deleted. 

 

I always hated what they did to Steven. It was one of the worst stories ever on EE, a story that was confused as hell, horribly acted, and essentially told viewers that bisexuals or gay men (they never bothered to make up their mind) are depraved killers. Worst of all was when that nasty dried-up old hag Christian came in and the story became all about him. He was ugly in every way at that time - not just personality, but also grotesque overacting and horrid, horrid hair - and he was repulsive to watch. The show wanted to position him as some sort of all-knowing sage on what a gay man is supposed to be. 

 

That Christian is returning around the time Steven does makes me feel like DTC is going to try to revive that and yet again trash Steven to prop up the disgusting, dirty Christian and Jane duo. 

 

If they do go that cheap route I hope he puts a pillow over Jane's face and never lets go. She needs to be written out, permanently. 

[NothinButAttitude]

 

 

Too funny but I am all for it. Plus, I (too) hate how Steven was demonized so Jane could be a victim. 

 

Again, I do hope that he calls her out on her sh-t if he does return. She can't peg Steven as demented any longer when she's housed a killer and didn't turn him in. I think it'd be poetic justice if Steven was the one to turn Jane, Ian, and Bobby in. 

[NothinButAttitude]

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Does every single issue in the Carter clan have to revolve around Mick?! 

 

Kyle bitching and moaning about his situation is so stupid. Did he honestly expect no one to find out? 

 

Sonia and Tina ...  Two irrelevant bitches and their woes, which I really don't care for. 

 

Sophie is psycho. Why does she expect Tina to have feelings for her when Tina said point blank she loved someone else before they screwed? Sophie even OK'd it and proceeded to get busy with her. So stupid. 

 

Oh Masood. Can this man catch a break? I swear DTC hates him along with Jay and Denise. 

[DRW50]

The scenes with Masood were absurd and embarrassing. Why did he need to be robbed? Wasn't the whole point of him staying in Walford was to realize he could still have a happy life without his family? It felt so cheap. It felt like he was being punished. And having Denise and Carmel basically belittling him for wanting the date made it worse.

 

Way too much time spent on Tina and Sonia. I don't mind Sonia these days, but I don't care about her relationship with Tina. That Mick had to be her marriage counselor was just plain embarrassing, and I wish Sonia had told him to get the hell out of her house. And Sophie was just awful - psycho, deluded, and annoying. Clearly she and her mother go to the same bad acting school.

 

I actually liked the scenes with Paul and Ben, but it was impossible to not see a cloud due to knowing Paul will be gone soon. And yet another episode with no mention of Jay. That makes zero sense. Awful continuity. Embarrassing. 

 

I have some sympathy for Kyle, as he has had no control over when people will be told, but the actor isn't the strongest. 

 

Stacey certainly seems very cozy with Andy. I imagine every instinct in DTC is itching for her to cheat. 

[NothinButAttitude]

Of course she's gonna wanna cheat or at least think about it. That's all Stacey has to offer--affair and mental breakdown stories. 

[Bright Eyes]

I was surprised by how well Alison Slater came off. I thought they'd just write her as some awful witch, but though she was wrong, she still came off sympathetic. Denise Welch was great.

[DRW50]

The best part of the episodes for me was the Jay material. Realistic or not, I'm so pleased to see him with a new home and life  - please tell me this will last. The social worker scenes made good use of Billy and Honey, and the Cokers, and Les' anger and harsh judgment felt less like forced conflict when we learned about the blackmail. This episode was one of the best uses of Pam that I can remember. They've often gotten this character wrong for me - it's unfortunate that such a strong episode comes at a time when there's a good chance the Cokers will be phased or written out. 

 

I hope this story leads to some type of exit for Babe - Annette Badland generally does a good job in the role, but it's far too much of a crutch for the show to use her as this all-knowing villain who will do terrible things to move the plot along. 

 

Glynis Barber seemed more low-key than in her last few returns (other than the dramatic coat removal). I'm just relieved Roxy wasn't pregnant. I also thought the guy who played Joel's brother was much better this time around. The only thing I kept thinking during these scenes (I'm not sure if this has ever been addressed) is would Ronnie really be that comfortable around Andy. You'd think he would, at the very least, give her some reminder of Carl White, enough to where she wouldn't trust him enough to take care of children. 

 

Bonnie Langford pretty much saved the material about Shakil wanting his parents back together, but the dialogue was AWFUL. "A leopard doesn't change his spots...nor does a cheater." "She has a tattoo on her back that says angel, but I think she's the devil." I didn't think the actor who plays Shakil was terrible, but he delivers every line like he's in pain. Just how tightly have they pulled that stupid bun on his head?  

 

I actually feel like they're doing a decent job with Sonia's cancer fears and Tina's attempts to support her while clearly being too immature to be there when it counts. I'd be lying if I said I cared about them as a couple, but it works for me. The fringes on the story, like the cheating, drag it down.

 

Market stall stuff still feels out of place and badly dated to me. I should like the idea of a community focus but I just don't care. 

 

Does anyone else wonder if they're going to do the old cliche of Martin being arrested on his wedding day?

 

I hated the scenes where everyone was laughing at Martin over being a model. HATED. Stacey is so openly contemptuous of Martin. She has no respect for him as a partner to humiliate him in front of everyone and allow her aunt (who was really annoying in this episode - it's DTC's Kat issues all over again) and all sorts of random people to mock him. Every time I try to accept them as a couple, something like this happens and I am reminded that she is just using him and feels he isn't good enough for her.

[NothinButAttitude]

(re: Martin) I wouldn't put it past this show to have Martin arrested. He's one of the many characters that never catch a break.

 

I thought it was demeaning a hell for Stacey to embarrass him in a room full of women like that. This is why I don't want Martin with Stacey. And when did they make Martin into a dolt? I never remember the original Martin being this stupid. Jesus.

 

Does the actor that plays Shakil have a lisp? It's gonna take time for me to get use to his accent. He sounds like he has a bag of marbles in his mouth. I (too) can't stand that stupid ass bun on his head. That mess ain't cute. Also, I don't care about the obvious triangle with him, Louise, and Rebecca that is about to take place. I'm pretty sure one of them will end up being a teen mom as that's the ONLY story they know how to offer teen characters nowadays. 

 

Who the f-ck is Les to judge Jay? Ain't this the same perv that dons women's clothes, etc? Can he go away? Pam can stay.  

 

Roxie ... why is this bitch back? If she ain't screwing someone's man, she's getting her ass whooped. It's old. I'm over the woes of Roxie Mitchell. Kill this wench and move on. She's tiring at this point. Jack too. I wanted Joel or Ronnie to bash him in the face when he interjected in the Hannah situation. This is why I never liked Jack in recent years. He stays throwing his weight around and never minds his business. It's old. Find another gimmick. 

 

The market story is OK--I don't mind it; however, I'd be all for a huge market/store being on the Square and providing jobs for many of the citizens. I think it'd be more interesting than them hanging around them raggedy ass stalls, but I keep having to remind myself that markets still play a big role in British culture. Otherwise, I'd totally be all for the stalls going.

Edited May 5, 2016 by Nothin'ButAttitude

[DRW50]

I think he was saying anything to try to keep Jay off the payroll because of the money demands from Babe. I'm not sure though.

 

Shakil did have a lisp. And that manbun that made him look like he was from Freaks. I agree about the likely pregnancy - just ugh. It's a shame we have to assume this for soaps now. 

[NothinButAttitude]

OK. That makes sense if it is about Babe. I was reading it as he was judging Jay for his actions. 

 

I don't mind teen pregnancy stories when they aren't done to the max. Every so many years? Yeah, OK. It's a story that needs to be told as it is an epidemic for teens; however, it grows old when it occurs with every set of teens that are on soaps. Even though it isn't happening yet, I know it is stewing in the back of these writers' minds b/c it is an easy, shock plot and something to give younger characters. 

 

That's why Libby/Tamwar/Darren were the last set of teens I enjoyed on this show. None of them had babies as teens. Libby and Tamwar were too concerned about their exams and being the best with Zainab and Denise getting involved. We saw Darren and Tam do stuff that normal teen boys did outside of sex. 

 

Seriously, I can feel it in my bones that a teen pregnancy story is gonna occur. Maybe not this year but it'll come. Why not? If it is Louise, it'll be so that they can have Phil run amok and threaten people again. If it is Rebecca, it'll be a so-called nod to Martin/Sonia's history. 

 

I'd rather see an array of teen stories like we see on Degrassi. I'd wanna see them involved in school plays, going out for extracurricular activities and competing against each other, one of them stressing over exams, one of them at crossroad as to what to do post college--stuff like that. 

[DRW50]

She was good. She had a very Eastenders style (she was always an odd fit on Corrie, Northern or not, although I liked her on there). I could have done without Stacey's involvement, but I felt like they did try to have some balance in the writing rather than making Alison a bigot.

Absolutely. They seem reluctant to have stories like that because they would be seen as "boring" so instead we just get the usual love triangles and insta-pairings that rarely work. I'd even take another "teens in the woords" week over that.

[NothinButAttitude]

Ugh. I know right. 

 

Sad part is that you can have love triangles and romances in the stories I listed but it'll provide more than just the romance portion of teen stories, which are overkill. 

 

 

[DRW50]

I couldn't help being distracted by Ronnie's frozen forehead and drawn on eyebrows today. (Andy also has drawn-on eyebrows). I have to admit I've always liked Ronnie more than the character ever really warranted, but she just feels spent. I hope Sean O'Connor comes up with a suitable exit story for her.

[NothinButAttitude]

She needs to go and so does Roxie. Roxie more than Ronnie.