DRW50

Was that one of the Charlie Brooker shows? He tends to hate everything doesn't he?

Emmerdale is often seen as stodgy and silly and a bit tired. Most of the British soaps are looked down on, although Eastenders, in spite of being seen as too depressing, sometimes gets critical acclaim when they do their much hyped "issue" stories. Corrie is also sneered at but is seen as an institution. Hollyoaks is sometimes praised but often seen as a shallow teen soap.

I really enjoy Emmerdale, I think it's a much better show than it's given credit for and has done "issues" better than EE in recent years.

You might want to look at some of the Debbie/Jasmine clips on Youtube, it's good soap.

The cot death story they had last year was also very good. Here's the first part:

This sounds odd.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/a171715/tragic-skydive-death-for-hollyoaks-later.html

I'm so glad Roman and Deniz are moving back towards each other. They were a fascinating, complex, well-acted, super hot couple and I never knew why they broke up.

The Ramsay stuff will be over soon.

He dies right after he starts a relationship with Emily, I think. I'm not sure.

Barbara Knox is taking six weeks off to recover from an illness. I hope she will be OK. I get upset when people say characters like Rita, Ken, and Emily are just useless relics. They are a link to the past, but the actors are still there, still giving their best, and are a great example of the continuity and seasons of life that many soaps no longer bother with now. When they're gone they can never be replaced.

Yes, Carly is very pretty, yet she can also be sexy. She's one of the most underrated actresses on soaps, UK or US.

Maxwell has a very hot body, moreso than his face, which is just kind of waxen yet well-preserved. I don't know why they keep him in all those clothes so often.

I think Emmerdale at the moment has a number of very hot guys (especially John Barton), although EE is usually the soap which gets attention for their studs. I still remember the hoopla over Walford's new hunk...Callum Munks.

Nick returning isn't a rumor. That's confirmed. There's a rumor Sarah Louise will be returning.

Adam Rickitt has given negative comment about his time on Corrie and from what I've seen he can be easily replaced, if the writing is there. The problem is they don't know how to keep leading men, and often struggle to write for them. What can you say when the leading man on your show is a murderer/attempted murderer of an old man/all-around loon.

Sean is so annoying. Anthony Cotton can't do comedy or drama and has little charisma. I wish they could write him out. He's an easy, safe choice of gay for them. I prefer this to a show that makes a pretense of being hard-hitting but actually delves into the same, or worse, pathetic stereotypes, like Eastenders does with the forced Christian/Syed story, but it's just tiresome. I would rather see Leon stay on the show, and bring back Sean's adorable boyfriend Marcus.

The scene with Tony decimating Liam's mother was fabulous. She's a nice woman and all but I hate those Connors.

David was a normal, happy child for some time, even after his parents Gail and Martin split up. Jack P Shephard wanted to play him as bad and the show went along with that. He began to go off the rails when Martin moved away with his new girlfriend, had a child with her, and was no longer interested in David. David became very bitter, and he started to turn against Gail, especially after he found Gail's former mother in law Ivy's diary. Ivy was grandmother to Gail's oldest kids, Nick and Sarah. Ivy was a real piece of work -- she always had problems with Gail and after her husband and son died Ivy became a complete religious fanatic and miserable all the time...she finally moved to a convent and died in 1995. Anyway, the diary mentioned that Gail had nearly aborted David. David was furious and read the diary to everyone at Christmas dinner.

Things got worse and worse after this, with murder attempts and all sorts of ugliness, culminating in him pushing Gail down the stairs a year and a half ago and going to a facility for a few months. There's rarely been a breather. I think the character needs a break, but they're bringing back Gail's oldest son Nick so there will probably be some rivalry there.

I think those are safe for work, aside from a brief bit where Carley Stenson shows her bare back (she covers her breasts with her hands) while she's changing into another top.

Photos from the making of this year's Hollyoaks Babes calendar.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1202438/Hollyoaks-girls-strip-shoot-new-bikini-calender--drenching-water-fight.html

I wish Jennifer Metcalfe hadn't lost so much weight.

Lots of teasers and spoilers from press day.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/a165536/gossip-from-the-hollyoaks-press-day-2009.html

Looks like Jake Dean will be back. I'm not sure how long for.

http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/H/hollyoaks/news/previous/09/07/090706pm.html

India has been cast.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/a163457/hollyoaks-unveils-new-student-india.html

So many are leaving. I hope this means some of my favorites, like Jacqui and Steph, will get more to do. I wonder if Nancy will stay around. Almost everyone she knows is going.

I bet Sarah and Zoe will leave together.

Loui Batley (Sarah Barnes) is leaving.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/a163001/loui-batley-quits-hollyoaks.html

Interview with a producer about the role of India, and the casting process.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/a162818/a-quick-chat-with-oaks-producer-henry-swindell.html

Interviews with the three.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/a162802/desperately-seeking-finalist-no3-beth.html

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/a162801/desperately-seeking-finalist-no2-brooke.html

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/a162800/desperately-seeking-finalist-no1-sophie.html

Hollyoaks is down to their final 3 for a new cast member.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/a162787/oaks-reveals-final-desperately-seeking-trio.html

A year ago (roughly) today, Max died

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWXBWQswyk4

OB's departure

Max and OB were the heart of the show and I don't think it's ever been the same without them.

They extended 1897 because the story got such a positive fan response. I had mixed feelings about some of the story. I didn't like the writing for Angelique, but I enjoyed Laura's return, and Kitty Soames (have you gotten to her yet), and the wonderful Pansy Faye/Charity Trask.

I think there will be some ties to the main show. Dave first appears on there, briefly, then his backstory in Manchester is on the webisodes, then he'll be joining the regular Hollyoaks in September, as a student.

Hollyoaks will be having a new E4.com only web series about the perils of binge drinking, which will feature Sasha, Gilly, Josh, and Rhys in Manchester, and will be introducing a new character, Dave.

Here's Lucy Allan talking about it:

Nathale Emannuel:

I do like the logo at the start of the videos.

More:

http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/H/hollyoaks/news/previous/09/06/090608.html

I was watching a clip of when they started to find out about Cabot being alive (imagine an ABC soap today using actors who were over 70 -- Brian Frons would keel over), and it's so much better than most of what is on now. I never understood why Loving was seen as a bad soap. I guess the constant turnover didn't help with reputation. I also remember how much I liked Steffi. I'm sorry Ameila Heinle has not ever been able to make an impression in a role since then.

Who was the casting director during 1993-1994? So many of those actors have gone on to long careers.

I was also going to ask about some of the other stories I heard they had, like a woman addicted to cough syrup, and a trip back to the Old West. Did those stories happen? Were they any good?

The show seems very aimless at the moment. I wouldn't be bothered about the lack of big stories if they were focusing on character moments. For years the show told stories about things like Mavis wanting to find a mate for her bird, and Mavis becoming a poet, and that worked, because it was about her character. Now so much is so plot-driven, and lacks heart. They also seem to be reluctant to write out most of their worst characters. The pacing also needs improvement. They could have milked so much story out of slowly putting Becky and Steve together. This also would have given Michelle more of a place on the show, instead of her being all on her own, with no ties to anyone and no chemistry with any love interests, even though Kym Marsh is supposedly some big star for the show.

Stephen Uppal interview. He talks about Ravi's new story (a hand me down from Warren).

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/a160023/st...-hollyoaks.html

James Sutton has started on Emmerdale. His first clips are available on Youtube. I'm not sure if they can be posted here, as ITV likes to remove Edale stuff. He's in a towel. He's never done a lot for my physically but he looks decent. He seems to be a very different character than John Paul.

It's interesting how many EON actors went on to have very solid acting careers after they left the show. Holland Taylor, Lori Laughlin, Dixie Carter, Larry Hagman, Frances Fisher.