DRW50

Of the three I actually find Fatboy most tolerable, which says more about Zsa Zsa and Leon I guess (her awful "accent" and stone face is especially hard to get past). But the writing for him is terrible. I like Darren when he's with Tamwar. I really wish they would just write Heather and the baby out and pretend that story never happened.

The Pat/Peggy fighting is just pathetic. There's no real reason why they are at war, and to see two old women behaving this way, especially Peggy, after what she has been through over the past year, is baffling. And now you have Fatboy in an ice cream van like a bad episode of Shameless. It's very lazy writing because viewers are conditioned to put up with a lot of this crap under the guise of "humor", because hey, at least the show is trying, right? Just as viewers are conditioned to put up with months of pabulum because hey, it's perfectly fine, just wait until the big reveal/murder/shooting, who cares if months and months are spent in stall mode. The woman who plays Amira left because she wanted to concentrate more on her singing career. I will miss Amira, she really grew a lot in her time on the show. I hope that in a year we won't hear that she has gone "on holiday" and someone drops the baby on the Masood doorstep. Syed already does more crying and whining than a baby ever could.

Well, I guess what Eve did was worse, Katie's never been involved in anyone's death, but I just think Katie is too insufferable to sympathize with. I do wish they'd give Eve different hairstyles, her hair looks a bit odd. Sam worked for Eric for many years, and helped him in his various plans. Probably over 10 years. They became close in that time. I don't know if it's on Youtube but Amanda Donohoe, Kim Thompson, Alice Coulthard, and James Sutton were on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Kim/Amanda and Alice/James. Alice's hair looked a lot better than it does as Maisie. James seemed a bit shy but there's something very cute and endearing about him. I loved Chas's one-liner to Jimmy. "You're having an affair...with your brother!"

In another post the person said the three were one who wouldn't be a surprise, one who might be missed, and one who would be a shock and had been around for a while, 3 contracts worth.

I wonder if Bob and Gennie sleep together again. Or almost do. Viv seems even more angry than usual lately, is that to drive Bob away? When Blythe started at the show, a lot of people thought Jamie was dead weight and hated him. He was in a lot of "comedy" stuff that some fans were very vocal in complaining about. I thought that the show then did a good job of toning Jamie and Gennie and other "panto" characters down. I'm sorry they didn't do more with him, as I think he had potential. I'm glad they've finally improved Charity's hair. I'm getting tired of the scenes where someone jumps on Eve for looking at them the wrong way and then Edna tells her she's being bad. I guess they're doing this so they can justify Eve really going bad soon? Is that what happens?

I don't really know if it's true, probably not, but someone in the axing thread on Digital Spy said that "sources" told them Danny was always brought in on a 6 month contract, and they had two stories in mind, one of if he had clicked with the other characters or with fans, and one if he didn't. He didn't, so he's getting the second story. They also said that EE is bringing in a new family to make sure that the more expensive, longstanding cast members don't feel too safe, especially since the show is assessing expenses. They also said that 3 more people have been told they're being written out, and that will unfold over the next few weeks.

I'd rather they wait until they fix the families and characters they have left. The Mitchells are very badly damaged and played out and the Brannings still have some potential but have been waylaid by Santer rarely bothering to write them as a family, and by bad casting (Scott Maslen, Devon Anderson). The Masoods are the only successful new family the show has had since the Slaters, but they were damaged by Syed's arrival and the loss of Shabnam. Once some of this is sorted out a new family would be good. The Slaters worked because they were a contrast to existing characters. These days the show doesn't really have that existing character base.

I never got over her behavior in 2008. Burying Max alive, endangering herself and her family by manipulating psychotic killer Sean Slater, shacking up with Jack and putting him above everyone else in her life, including her very confused kids. Then he dumped her ass and showed just how stupid it was to jump into a relationship with him. Throughout all of this selfish, unpleasant stuff, she constantly acted like she was the injured party. She has little connection to anyone on the show, aside from Jane and Max, and they have ruined her relationship with Max with the burying alive and with the endless "Poor Tanya has to put up with Max and his schemes." The debt collection story was just stupid -- they could have said her sister Rainie had overdosed and Tanya had to go take care of her. Instead, Tanya not only skipped town again and found a rebound man yet again, she was so cold that she tried to stop her kids from showing up at their brother's funeral, then sat out in the car waiting instead of paying her respects. What is there for her when she comes back? If it's another round of noble Tanya, how will she put up with her worthless husband, then I say no thanks.

Yeah, I meant if Roxy was being fired then I would think we were getting big changes. That's what the show seriously needs. If I heard that Roxy, Tanya, and Jack were all going, then I'd get very happy and sure that big, needed changes were on the way. I do think we'll get some more firings but it may just be E20 people, or Denise and Lucas, or Syed, or Darren. I'm going to keep hope alive about Roxy though. I think they may have had some future plans for him, either as an Archie figure or redeeming himself and turning against Glenda, but the actor is just SO awful. I still think Santer only hired him because they have similar hair. That he is going gives me a little more hope that EE will start casting better young men in major roles. No more wet-eyed, wimpy types.

Most of these firings are fringe characters, so I'm not sure what's going to happen. If he was firing Roxy (if only), then I'd think there were big changes ahead, but most of these characters were the low-hanging fruit.

They probably are bringing in new characters. I think that the show needs them but they also need to help a lot of the people currently on the show. So many of the characters on there are so one-dimensional and plot-driven and confusing, they need to be better defined.

As for future firings...I think Perry Fenwick's very shapely backside should be worried. The E20 people are fodder, but I would guess he isn't being allowed to fire them, even if he wanted to, since the BBC is trying to use this for some type of synergy or whatever to build up E20. The woman who plays Denise must also be very worried. I actually hope they keep her and just build her up as a single woman picking up the pieces of her life, as the actress is wonderful and has never had a real opportunity to show this.

I don't think Eastenders' dropping rating for Thursday is a huge deal, especially with the repeat figure, but I was still surprised that Emmerdale beat it in their timeslot, especially since Emmerdale was having a regular episode. I think that the BBC should take that as a little wakeup call, not about Emmerdale being a threat (it isn't), but about the quality of the show. The episodes of the past months have been rotgut. I don't think Stacey cares enough about Charlie to be devastated. I think she will be upset but will keep herself together. My guess is Jean will be the one who falls apart. She smiled through Bradley's death, but Charlie is someone she spends most of her time with and he's also a reminder of her late husband. If they keep in with Jean's history, I think this is going to be a horrible blow to her. I think getting rid of Charlie is a mistake. He had a nice relationship with Kat and Kat is going to need those ties because she has few real relationships with anyone left on the show. He also helped keep the Slaters together. I would have written out Big Mo. As for the rest...Minty is finally going to f*ck off! Woohoo!!! :D :D

Gail is in prison, as the police and Joe's daughter Tina believe that Gail worked with Joe to fake his death for insurance fraud (only Joe actually died). She's waiting for trial. Audrey and Rita are fighting because Audrey began seeing a male escort (for company only, nothing sexual) and confided in Rita. Rita has also felt lonely for a long time and she began seeing the same escort. Rita quickly stopped seeing him after Audrey found out but they are still feuding, because their hostility towards each other goes back to when Audrey's late husband, Alf Roberts, proposed to Rita, who turned him down. Alf was a very, very kind man, a fixture in Weatherfield for decades (he ran the corner shop that Dev now owns) and Audrey did grow to love him, but the main reason Audrey married Alf was his money (of course, ironically enough, when Alf died he only left Audrey enough to get by on). Audrey DOES NOT LIKE when people bring this up to her. Rosie doesn't know Sophie is a lesbian. No one does, except Sophie and Sian. To her credit, Rosie is trying to be nice to Sophie, for once. I like this Rosie better. Sally is at "Auntie Phyllis's". She has not been seen since the end of January. A lot of fans are annoyed over this. Kevin told Bill about the affair at the end of December, when Kevin found out Sally had cancer. The John/Fiz stuff makes my head ache. I think the only reason they had Fiz go along is because they knew it would be way too much if John lied to her again, which the show would only do if they were writing John out, and for whatever reason, the current/outgoing producer, Kim Crowther, is fond of the character. I actually like John too but I loathe this storyline and I loathe the passive-aggressive way John has been to get Fiz to go along with his plan. I want her to punch him out.

Do the German soaps usually do crossovers?

Cowboys and Indians party as Ricky Whittle leaves. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1266400/Ricky-Whittle-prepares-ride-sunset-Western-themed-Hollyoaks-leaving-party.html

I wonder if they were considering going there but changed their minds because they were planning to give Kim Zimmer a dual role, first with Cassie (which Zimmer thankfully nixed) and then with Dolly.

I know there was some rumor or maybe wishful thinking in 1997 or so about Ellen Parker returning to play a twin.

The Pat/Peggy fight scenes are degrading and stupid. I continue to not believe these characters suit each other for stories, it's just they are lumped together because of their age and because they were both married to Frank. This story has filler all over it. It's too bad, because the scenes with Pat and the reporter guy were good. Did you notice that when Whitney punched Fatboy, you heard a slap sound, but when Adam punched him, you heard a punch sound. Those scenes were woeful. Fatboy is pointless yet somehow Zsa Zsa and Leon manage to be even worse. It's a gift! The scene with Tamwar was amusing. I just every time they have a big closeup of Louise glaring over Phil spending time with Ben. There was no reason to bring Louise back. Syed/Christian are so overdramatic in their scenes together, and Syed is so simpering. That fight scene was funny, and how unsurprising that after various scenes this week of Syed kissing Amira, he only kisses Christian right as the credits roll. Their relationship is so forced, I just don't see any chemistry and I can't see them ever lasting once the truth comes out. Ronnie/Jack were OK but I took more notice of that pushy doctor.

Thanks. That's very random, she kept the kids from Carl for years, minus the occasional visit.

I think Nicola Wheeler is very good as a comic figure, a pseudo-snob, with some moments of seriousness, when she lets people see her fear. When they tried to make her a superbitch a few years ago that didn't work. She also has good chemistry with most of her co-stars. Do you remember the reason they gave for Carl's kids staying with him? I thought they had gone again but apparently not.

It doesn't really sound like a child abuse plot -- more about the damage that type of accusation can cause. I do think it's stupid of Nicola to bite a child.

Thanks for the detailed answer, Dion! I hope they will write Jack and Frankie as being happy and fun. I'm not sure about a story involving obsession over Katie Price. That's the stuff Steph did years ago.

Kathleen Hutchison interview. http://www.walfordweb.co.uk/item.php?id=2330

Marquess is calling it dark? This was the guy who had mass slaughter on all his shows, and stories about child molestation and abuse. It must have been bad. I actually think Lucy Allan made an effort to have comedy and fun, it's just that her comedy was very shallow, like everything she did. It was Kirkwood's last year which was too dark.