DRW50

That was fun - I wish we saw more of Darren and Tamwar on the show. That Dot's wig thing is so odd. So did they add the ugly wallpaper because of HD? Do you ever expect Hilda Ogden to wander into the Vic living room now?

I enjoyed most of this last episode. They're doing a good job of building up to the climax while still having plenty of strong character-oriented moments, and the cast has been doing a fantastic job, few weak performances. I just hope it won't fizzle out at the end. This cracks me up. http://holysoap.five.tv/eastenders/news/janines-holy-post-11498 Stacey photos in her last episode. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a294740/first-look-staceys-final-eastenders-ep.html

An ET piece on GL's 50th anniversary. I'd never seen a few of the black and white clips (not sure who those two men are at the start, is one of them Papa Bauer).

From the November 23, 1999 Weekly (Primedia Inc).

Clearly my sarcasm powers fail again.

Interview from the 12/14/99 Weekly (Primedia Inc) with Paul Wasilewski, who has since gone on to complete and total obscurity. I will type up the interview. It was by Mark McGarry. The photo is Arthur L. Cohen/Televest.

It's fascinating to see the outpouring of passion and trench fighting about Stacey vs Janine that this story, as messy as it has been, has produced. It reminds me much more of American type of soap fan reactions than the usual UK fan reactions.

Some of the first page was cut off. The bottom of each section there:

From the December 14, 1999 Weekly (Primedia Inc).

I have never understood that Linc recast. I wonder if Marland planned all along to bring him back just to kill him off? I imagine that some of his plans must have already been changed by then -- I don't think he would have written Iva out. That whole story is kind of hysterical to watch, mostly because none of Linc's relatives are much in the acting department, and Hannah is a hoot. I do like Connor and yummy Evan, as always. That is also around the time that Lily was working at Walsh, the TV station, and singing. It's hard to believe that later on she and so many others became allergic to careers. One of the reasons I disliked Lily was because I thought she was dull and never understood why she was supposed to be such a little darling, but when I watch again, even though Holden/Lily still bore me to tears, I appreciate her sense of normalcy. I think Martha grounds the role and the material. I was watching one of the November 1986 episodes where Lily and Meg are sparring and Lily, even with all her money, comes across as an insecure, very typical teen, hiding behind bravado as squealing Meg seems so much more at ease with everything.

Levin aged well and had a pretty good body so I think that helped him, along with the hairpiece. This is him in more recent years. You can also see Maureen Garrett, and Randall Edwards (temp Annie 1982 -- I am still looking for her episodes...). http://briangari.com/ryan.html

Looks like the Daily Mail hysteria has already caused them to edit out scenes from the upcoming NYE story. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1414123

That was a great interview. Walford Web always asks very focused and perceptive questions. I'm glad they asked about too many affairs. I didn't know they had the Max/Stacey stuff planned so early on. I don't know if I agree about the Brannings blossoming over the last few years - I actually think they were terribly damaged up to early 2010. I think the Dot episode

Thanks for posting that. I think she was right to leave and I'm not sure what else could be done with Stacey, but she will definitely leave a void. I notice she tried to downplay Ryan/Stacey as any type of relationship, which I generally agree with her about.

I watched an episode from a few days ago and everything was so downbeat. The entire atmosphere of the show, and of the village -- there is no light to be found. Even potentially humorous situations are tinged with misery. The main comic relief was supposed to be the older residents standing and commenting, but that just seemed sad. I don't know if Pauline Quirke is suited to dramatic acting - her speaking patterns and facial expressions seem off. The stuff with Rhona and her baby, I have a hard time with how infantile Paddy and Marlon behave. They were both so giddy when she said she was going to keep the baby. It was like it was their baby and she was just the carrier. Who was that girl working with Zak? She's a bad actress. Her accent gets in the way. All the stuff with Lisa and that creep is very very uncomfortable. Why are they doing this story? Seeing Maisie and Will so broken is just awful to sit through. I thought they were supposed to be gone by now? Maisie was once such a fun character. The only scene I liked was when Hazel thanked Declan for paying for Jackson's care. I really did not like any of the stuff with Leyla or her sister. The only positive I can say is that woman who plays Leyla did a good job, especially in the last scenes where she was stunned and horrified and embarrassed when Justin revealed their affair. I also think that it was good casting to have Justin look like a brunette version of David -- you can see why Leyla was attracted to them both (now we just need to see him naked). But I hate the child in peril stories, and I really do not like Alicia. I have known way too many people like Alicia, self-centered, nasty, rude, yet always the injured party. I don't need to see this on a show I once enjoyed. And the actress looks so much like Victoria, it just reminds me of Victoria never having a story. It's like every story has been given an added dose of misery, that this is now a common part of life in the village, that nothing ever has hope.

Lindsey Graham's very silly behavior is getting some attention. http://www.salon.com/news/lindsey_graham/?story=/politics/war_room/2010/12/21/lindsey_graham_pique http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/12/lindsey_graham_senators_should.html Remember when the GOP was called the party of adults?? McCain, Demint and Graham are an embarrassment IMO.

There are some more returns on the way. Kyle (if he wears only his boxers then it would at least be more interesting than 3/4 of the current stories), Bombhead, Gaz. Watched most of today's episode. The Nancy/Darren stuff seems a little forced to me, and very rushed. This Guy Candy stuff is awful. There is no real give and take in the band, because Duncan can only make pig faces, Ricky just stares into space and hides his dead eyes behind frizzy hair, and it is ludicrous that the guy they want Bart to be (this tough con artist) would be in a boy band. I wonder if that ridiculous spiky hairstyle Duncan had at one point was an homage to the divine Punk Mary from Eastenders. The other problem I have with Bart is that he looks 10-15 years too old to be a teenager. He looks like Niall. I don't understand why they had Jasmine, in showing that she wants to be a boy, give herself such a feminine haircut. She looks like Mitzi Gaynor or Judy Carne. So far a lot of this story just seems a little style over substance -- even her self-harming has this strange detached, almost glossy air. The story about India's downfall isn't bad so far. I wish they'd done more with her relationship with Texas. They're very believable sisters.

A Youtune user who runs a great Felicia channel put up some clips from the Christmas Eve 1986 episode (I think they also uploaded Christmas Day 1986 a while back). Some really beautiful stuff with Felicia and Mitch and Wallingford. The rest is OK, although it mostly makes me sad -- seeing poor MJ and knowing what nasty stuff they did to her after this, and I can't believe they gave Quinn this relationship with Zak where they had such chemistry, only to kill her off. Does anyone know if they started this story and the story with Nancy and Tony Carlisle knowing they were firing the actresses, or did that happen after the stories started? I did laugh at the scenes where Tony and Nancy first met - such cheese. There's also Rhonda Lewin Vicky in here, and the always dull Janine Turner. I'll just show the first clip - there are 4 in total.

I know. It's all very desperate, like a soap parody. I can't imagine it actually being any real story, so I wonder if it will be done in like a week.

Have you heard the latest thing about

A man from Debbie's maternity leave story will be coming to see her. http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/s12/emmerdale/news/a294283/dominic-power-joins-emmerdale.html I wonder if they will ever put her with Nikhil. I get tired of people talking about how miserable Debbie is. EVERYONE on the show is miserable. At least she isn't weeping over her paraplegic partner who is carrying a Down's baby.

That house has apparently been empty for some time - this summer Lucas kept Denise prisoner in there when the family assumed she was alive. Charlie Brooks was so good in Monday's episode. Whether Pat would still support her, I don't know, but I really loved all those scenes. Even Neil McDermott was OK. This is probably the only story I'm enjoying on any of the soaps at the moment, for Janine more than any of the Ryan/Stacey stuff.