DRW50

I just can't work up any pity for Lawrence, especially as he walked right into the situation. The show is constantly trying to make fans pity Lawrence, Chrissie, and Lachlan, even if they have to make Robert a hate figure to do it. It's just lazy writing. I wish they'd just said to hell with it and had Lawrence have sex with Connor. They had chemistry, and Lawrence is a sexy guy for his age. At least then the blackmail plot would have had more teeth.

Sherilyn isn't having a mental health problem or anything is she?

Beautiful work. That last segment with Carl and Rachel is such a wonderful tribute to them. 200 chapters. I'm in awe of your dedication and talent, even as many treat these types of stories as a fad or a whim. You truly love AW and you have truly done it proud. Thank you.

Is this the first live episode for a German soap?

Some very good Raquel/Bet scenes in this (and building to Charlie's betrayal with Tanya). And while it's repetitive and a little annoying, the Nick rebellion is so much more believable than Bethany's contrived "sassy" one-liners.

I enjoyed the funeral scenes for Val more than I'd expected. They were cheesy at times (especially Eric in the fields - I wonder how Chris Chittell felt about THAT script), but very true to Val, and I loved the whole Meatloaf impersonator and Pearl thinking he was really Meatloaf. Kerry hitting on the male strippers, Finn having a perv at them, the mourners alternately cringing and cheering "Maltloaf" on. It reminded me a lot of what Emmerdale was 5-6 years ago, before it disappeared up so much of its own backside. The speeches and the beautiful countryside helped too. And I was so pleasantly surprised with Matthew Wolfenden (David), who was the backbone of the episode. And such a pretty crier. The Aaron and Andy scenes were lifeless and hollow, and the Lawrence story is just a sad old wheeze that like everything with Robert and Lawrence, yet again paints bisexual men in a seedy light, but most of that was easily ignored.

River Song to return in a Christmas special. http://scifibulletin.com/2015/09/02/river-song-returns-for-doctor-who-christmas-special/ Underwater Menace to finally get a DVD release. http://scifibulletin.com/2015/09/01/doctor-whos-underwater-menace-finally-coming-to-dvd/

Is Avery the writer who doesn't last long?

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-34113797

Watched a bit of today's episode and while the guy who plays Harry is handsome, he really has leaden line deliveries, and not a ton of charisma either. I guess some of that can improve in time... He and Kieron don't have a ton of chemistry either, although it's more than Kieron had with James Sutton or poor PJ Brennan, who deserved to be on a better show. The most interesting part was when Ste almost hit him. I wonder if they're going to have him start beating Harry. It would go full circle for the character.

I know they have to do this for plot purposes and I know Andy would romanticize his relationship with Katie given that she died (after a big argument with him no less), but it would be nice if there was some type of mention from anyone else that Katie was not “chosen,” like a beauty pageant contestant. She wanted Robert and she loved Robert. That was her choice, and it was a relationship she craved. The Andy/Katie relationship was toxic as hell, as it was repeatedly about Andy putting Katie on a pedestal and not knowing how to ever deal with her as a human being. Some of the 2007 episodes I’ve been uploading on my Youtube channel are just plain unpleasant to watch, as he is carrying on an affair with Jo right under Katie’s nose, while she is trying to help raise his daughter and work a demanding job. He’s rude to her, he cuts her off, he mocks her, all while dicking around with a woman who, in spite of being the “vixen,” repeatedly has more compassion and concern for Katie than he does. This all came full circle after Jo was run out of town by Andy’s fists, when he went to see “good” Katie, who had never fully believed “bad” Jo about Andy, because she couldn’t see Andy that way. Only when she questioned him and he nearly punched her did she realize just how lost he was at that point. There’s a reason why Katie stayed away from Andy for nearly a decade. And again, I understand why they are painting this as a tragic lost love, but it’s making it difficult for me to care or feel sympathy when the writing doesn’t show the full picture. Not even getting into Pete and Andy basically talking about their women like objects being stolen by bad brothers, when said woman is the mother of Andy’s children and someone he has a complicated history with, not just Pete’s girl. Anyway, looks like Alicia's exit will be this week, later this week. I'm glad she will be leaving alive but I hope they won't trash her, or David. I wish there were more character-driven moments and better pacing, because things just being offcamera until it's time to hamfist a reaction out of viewers is making it difficult for me to care (the Katie reveal and Aaron's sudden guilt return + Andy's bleating about Katie being the biggest issue).

I've heard good things about today and Friday but haven't watched - it's too hard for me to see Shabnam suffer that way...

Thanks. Sorry for that. And that's a shame about shallow writing on AWZ. Do you think it's hurt the show a lot?

That Jorg guy has a fantastic body. Oh look another love interest for Deniz... So did you enjoy the Big Brother? I read that the guy who plays Lucas on GZSZ was fired because of some personal problems and it was something of a scandal?

He looks older than Ste, which I guess is part of why they're fine doing this, but it's still odd to me that they have someone with three kids and HIV merrily having it off with a 17 year old. I guess they are hoping this will be their new gay power couple...

What do you think of this Ste/Harry stuff?

TimWil, you probably already know this, but Sherrie Hewson is on CBBUK this season.

Bob's cellmate is beating him and now threatening his wife in order to get Bob to get him stuff and now to get Harriet (who is supposed to testify against the man in court) to perjure herself on his behalf. Harriet told Bob she'd worked something out and will lie to the man, but Bob's sentencing is first, so she's hoping to find a way to get Bob out safely. It's just a depressing story, albeit well-acted. And I'm tired of all of them talking SO LOUDLY in the visiting area where anyone can hear, yet no one does. So Ross wants revenge. It's a little contrived, but I'll accept it as long as he doesn't go after Finn. I really like the friendship between Megan and Sam. I've grown to like Megan a lot more lately. It's been a pleasant surprise.

I have a feeling they were venting with David because Chelsea Halfpenny is now on Casualty and couldn't come back to the show. I'll be so happy when this triangle is over. Debbie and Ross are just a black hole together. He and the nurse really had a spark. Ross looks better with the curls - I wish they could keep them. The acting is good but I can't take much more of this Bob prison story.

Thanks for keeping this updated. I'm ashamed to admit I didn't know Max was still alive.

I tend to see it more as one down one up. First season not that good. Second season good. Third not that good. Fourth good. Fifth not that good. Hopefully the sixth will be good.

I guess he usually isn't on breakfast TV, where it's easier to see him. I have to admit I was a little thrown, but not enough to go tweet OMG about it.

This caused a mini-stir on Twitter with some fans who didn't realize how different he is from Sam.

Emmerdale also put up a return video for him, with a few upcoming scenes. http://ryanhawleys.tumblr.com/post/127578024153/ross-is-back-let-the-hell-fire-beginmike-parr Good episode overall, especially the Val scenes. I guess this was the last time we'll see her. It was true Val - in all her glory and OTT messiness. And I like the way they are wrapping up the Rachel story (most of all I'm just glad she's going). I hope this is the end of Debbie/Pete. His behavior with her was more than a little frightening. This triangle needs to die.