DRW50

I'd say that's Daryl.

The worst part is he is actually the moderate choice compared to le Pen.

The bubble aspect is something I enjoy about the show, but it's more the repetitive nihilism and ponderous writing that made me lose interest. I'll try to watch it at some point.

I haven't really bothered with the show this season but I always liked Tara. I keep figuring she'll be dead each season and am surprised when she isn't. If it's any good I'll have to check it out.

Yes. When they don't write her as a romantic heroine I think Debbie can be an asset to the show. She was for a number of years. I think they just don't need to write her based on her love life or being some ideal mother. She worked best as an anti-heroine. She's been gone a year anyway so we got a break...

Agreed. Bringing back Sandie, a long-lost child for Jack or Joe, Sandie's daughter, and Matt's son and grandchildren (with cameos from Matt and Dolly if the actors are able or willing). I'd also bring back the Merrick who was retconned out of existence (Tommy).

The article is trying to stretch a lot out of a typical delusional Trump tweet. Trump obviously believes the vote was rigged against him and he knows many brain dead supporters of his do as well. He then says he won in spite of rigging. Turning it into his saying the election wasn't legitimate is some type of self-pleasing forest-for-trees-itis. It's ironic that the article says he lost the thread of his own argument as that's basically what the journalist does when he turns it into whataboutery - what about another 9/11, what about this, what about that. That's a lot more serious than a tweet that is by Trump standards fairly mild. You'd think things like the pathetic and childish and patronizing reactions from Trump and the GOP over bringing "freedom" to Cuba post-Castro (essentially just enabling anti-American hardliners in Cuba, likely alienating Trump's business cronies so it doesn't even make any financial sense, all just to beat their chests and stick their tongues out at Obama over something that 90% of the public doesn't give a rat's ass about) would warrant that type of article, not a tweet. I'm more unsure every day that liberals will be able to avoid shooting themselves in the foot and staring at their own navels these coming 4 years.

I think that's what annoys me most about what happened to Terry and Viv. Compared to someone like Paddy, who has felt tired for eons, there was still so much to go. The last mention I heard of Sandie was late 1991. Ridiculous. There's so much story for her return (she'd likely be horrified by Robert and try to sort him out), and her daughter as well. For a quick way to save videos you can use Keepvid.

I shouldn't put words in her mouth, but this interview suggests she wasn't a fan: I still hate the way Deena Payne was essentially bummed off after nearly 20 years because she had issues with the way her character was treated. She chose the worst time to take a break, as the show changed permanently (and not for the better - in my mind 2008 is the last year of the "real" Emmerdale, even if some periods since have been decent) during that time and by the time she got back she was out of place. They could have made an effort for her but instead she was treated in a disrespectful manner I can never really forget. I think one of the reasons Helen Weir left was an argument with the show over what to name baby Robert. It's too bad as Pat has been all but forgotten. I wish more of that time period was available. I wish the show would remember her and her family while the Sugdens are still around. I did manage to get a few more 1983 episodes I'm going to upload when I can, so hopefully you will enjoy those. Did you save the 3 or 4 May or April 1983 episodes I uploaded? I've lost my copies.

I haven't watched it but I read that Eve Myles also had a role on Victoria. Paranoid is a ratings flop in the UK so I don't know how long it will be around so I guess if people want to watch it they should.

This was the second Sarah, who had been on the show since mid-1994 (the first and more popular was there from 1988-1994; she quit, perhaps because of the plane crash story that she objected to). I imagine the story was difficult for viewers, although the show had undergone huge changes by this point and the Sugdens had long been just one part of the canvas. There wasn't much farm during this period, aside from the Sugdens - it was mostly Home Farm and the village. The public has always had a disjointed view because many assume the show is still about sheep and cows while many fans insist there is no farm or countryside at all. Generally I'd say the show has gone back to the farm a bit more in recent years mostly thanks to the Bartons being prominent characters, although it comes and goes. Last year you just saw occasional scenes in the fields and mostly the kitchen set. This year there's been lots of shots in the field, feed, etc. as the farm itself has more of an actual presence rather than being where people set. It was also home to some of the finest scenes on Emmerdale, or any soap, in a long time - Holly Barton being found dead in her room from a heroin overdose. And for a bit they also brought back another farm (Wylie's), basically a place where terrible things happen and people die horribly. I wish more of 2000 was around as that was when the show changed irrevocably, thanks to the introduction of Cain Dingle, a nasty, nasty man who gets a break because Jeff Hordley is a superb, charismatic actor and Cain is sad on the inside (essentially Todd Manning without the rape and where the actor is actually talented). It was Cain who convinced Andy to set the fire in the first place. This promo sort of hints of his role on the show at this point - a corruptive influence on the teens and a destructive force on the Reynolds family (due to his obsession with mother Angie Reynolds). If you get a chance to track down last Friday's episode you may enjoy it, as there were a lot of farm scenes that involved Cain's estranged wife Moira Barton being manipulated by her ex-lover's widow, Emma Barton, a deeply disturbed woman who hates her and blames her for all the failures in the last 25 years of her life. Emma accidentally killed her husband James (a prick) around Wylie's Farm last month after her disgust at his eternal obsession with Moira drove her into a rage. She can't accept what she did and has now convinced herself she needs to forgive herself and show kindness to others, including Moira. As a result she's a flea in Moira's ear, and wants Cain to stay away, as she sees the Dingles as inbred, amoral perverts. The story is all over the place, mostly salvaged by the wonderful acting (especially from Gillian Kearney [Emma]), but there's been some really good stuff in it.

I've only ever seen two episodes with them - a few short scenes in a Christmas 1983 episode and then the 1984 episode that is Deas' last. They seem OK, although it's obviously not the same as he was with Colin. HBS said in an interview a few years back that it was difficult for her because he was in love with Colin and going through some issues having to work without her.

The sad thing is Leanne has been so weak for so long I wasn't even that surprised. The character has lost all fire or personality. It's hard to watch her in the last 5-6 years.

Dubbed episode - one of Pat Barry's first as Isabelle.

A bit of a dubbed AW. Looking at synopses this must be the week of December 12-16 1983.

I think they tried to claim the paranoia over Mac was supposed to be from his tumor.

Thanks NBA for the Chomsky interview. I appreciate that he's trying to give honest answers and not red meat. The interview kept asking leading questions so I took a break after about 6 minutes.

I certainly didn't find her horrific. I just thought she was dull.

Your talk about Georgia and some other close states reminded me of this article where some Democrats there and in Arizona are unhappy that they're being overlooked because of angst about the Rust Belt. http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/democrats-rust-belt-dilemma-231842

Yes. In early 1998 Rachel got a call from an upset Nancy that Chris had fallen or jumped out a window. Matt immediately suspected Carl of being behind it. I remember being surprised the show remembered either character - if not for Richard Culliton I guess they wouldn't have.

He doesn't have the power on his own, but there are many in the House itching to prosecute her. It would then just be up to the Senate to be a firewall. They've done so many things I no longer put this type of behavior past them.

Agreed. (with Khan as well) I wonder if they were afraid if something was found they wouldn't be able to get involved? It's just sloppy. And it makes me wonder if the investigations against her are going to start up again, out of pure pettiness.

If they'd acknowledged his past (in a way that didn't involve Debbie Rush hissing MONSTER like something out of Manos Hands of Fate) and not brought him back in a tedious ripoff of Hillman, I think it would have helped. This is one of those stories where people have to look like morons to keep the plot moving, and really there IS no plot - nothing will come of the flat scam, and nothing will come of Michael's death because no one cared about Michael. Nothing will come of Eileen looking like a moron yet again. And Todd, who had the potential of finally coming into his own, is basically spinning his wheels because Kate Oates sees Phelan as her ticket to make Corrie into Emmerdale - a show full of amoral characters that just about gets away with it because Emmerdale has been chock-full of amoral characters for at least a decade so viewers have come to expect it and the show has more freedom, and Emmerdale has no identity and hasn't in many many years. Corrie is not Emmerdale. Adam Barlow is another generic Emmerdale ripoff, with no real hint of the vague complexity that always defined Mike, even as they keep saying he's the new Mike. He's really just a dull prick. And Sam Robertson still can't act. I find the show unwatchable in a way I didn't even with Blackburn...in a way I did with that wretched Phil Collinson. I didn't watch much of it but they did address the last part - she nearly hit him or did hit him at one point, but felt guilt-ridden because she was supposed to be his mother.

She's one of Mitch's favorite characters... No seriously, I think she just seemed very wan and as a result it was difficult to care. Likely one of the reasons Shannon went on to also play interloper for a while before the reunion. It likely didn't help with viewers at the time that she'd also tried to be an issue between Casey and Lyla. I think with Hal the chemistry between Benjamin and HBS made viewers more torn, especially as Tom was away for much of 1987 and Holmes didn't have the chemistry with HBS that Gregg Marx did.

There was an article out earlier this year about how Fidel was stirring backlash against Obama's visit and any new US-friendly policy. I guess that was one of his last gasps. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/06/cuba-fidel-castro-raul-castro-barack-obama-us-cuban-relations-foreign-policy-213953 I saw some joke tweets saying the CIA had tried to kill Castro hundreds of times, and taunted 2016 that it couldn't do it. And sure enough 2016 did... I was reading a bit about the 1980 boatlifts that brought over 100K to Miami. They sure were lucky Carter was President then. I can't imagine what the reaction would be today.