Skylover

That surprises me. Apart from Hollyoaks, I find H&A one of the worst soaps now, I stopped watching at the beginning of 2019. All the characters are bland and samey, and they just introduce attractive pairs of siblings then replace them with attractive pairs of siblings. There's no diversity in the cast or in terms of the stories, it's basically just a soap version of Love Island now. They also ignore their older cast in a patronising way and ignore the past.

Me too. It's very unsettling not knowing anything.

I'm a bit concerned now that we've still had no news on the renewal. Filming for the initial 400 episode commission is due to be completed by April. Presumably they still write 3 months ahead (at least they always did in the past from memory) which means renewal really needs to be decided by January at the latest. I'm wondering how close to the wire it is. How soon before are other shows like Days renewed? I saw that it was renewed for its 61st season in 2025, and it looks like the renewal happened in November 2024, but I don't know when filming was due to cease for the last commission, does anyone know?

They would have bought the rights to the entire seasons from 2012 to 2022, and selected iconic episodes from 1985 to 2011. I don't think Amazon has bought the rights to entire seasons before 2022, which is presumably why the full seasons before that aren't going on there. Their live channel would only be playing episodes from 2010/11 which are already in the iconic collection.

Good to know they're available in the US as well. Apparently the credits and recaps were there to begin with, but have since been removed. Rights issues sounds about right. Amazon must have only bought the rights to the last ten years of the back catalog.

The official YouTube channel has started uploading episodes from 2011. This season is prior to the 2012-2024 episodes on Amazon. They seem to be available in the UK as well, which they haven't been when previous seasons were uploaded to YouTube.

She has a nice look about her. It wasn't so much the soap crossover I was against, more that I wouldn't want someone from Hollyoaks joining, as generally that's the nadir of British soap. I would want a blonde actress for Louise, but maybe she could dye her hair/wear a wig? With Ravi and Suki, because they're so unlikeable, I don't care what happens to them. And when you don't care about them, you don't care about their storylines. Davinder is the only one I care about. Syed and Christian returning wouldn't be a new family. What I mean by a new family is new characters that haven't been in the soap before. There is too much of the show stuck in the past. But Syed was a favourite. Soaps always have to introduce new characters. I don't think EastEnders would be incapable of introducing a new gay character. Max Bowden's Ben almost made me switch the show off for good, I was offended by how bad that recast was, and how it basically straight-washed the character. I sure hope so. Clenshaw has made good changes, but I hope the new producer first looks at getting rid of the Panesars. I don't think they will axe the only Asian family though, but if characters aren't working, they aren't working.

I don't know the actress, but personally I wouldn't want any actors from Hollyoaks to be in EastEnders (though I know this has happened before). Priya, Ivani and Davinder are the only ones who have some warmth to them IMO. Ravi and Suki are ice cold in my opinion, I can't understand what anyone could like about them, except I do think they're played by good actors, but the characters are just too far gone. I loved Syed, though at this point, I wouldn't welcome any returns unless they are connected to existing characters. I thought it was just me who thought her looked a bit odd and that she might be wearing a wig. That is a thing then? I don't think there's a need for Shirley now, and I didn't like the character towards the end, as she was another cold one. I liked Elaine's story about her ex husband being gay and in the closet. I miss the old school matriarchs like Pat, Peggy and Pauline. Linda needs to go ASAP, I don't get why she's still around. I'd rather a new gay character for romance with Johnny than returning ones. Part of the problem with this show is being stuck in the past. A new gay character could be part of a new, unrelated family. I'm SO glad Max Bowden left, Ben being recast to him is when the show started to go wrong IMO, it wasn't great before that, the show has been struggling since about 2010 and got worse around 2018/19. Chris Clenshaw has improved a lot, but it's still not back to its best. I preferred Harry Reid's version. Ben was always meant to be that geeky gay boy with glasses, not this masculine thug. He was meant to be the opposite to Phil. Ben Mitchell was one of my favourite soap characters of all time and they ruined it with the Max Bowden recast. If he ever returns, I want it to be a recast or Harry playing him again. Steven is dead, but I'd love Cindy Williams to return! She'd probably have to be recast as I think the actress has gone on to big success. I really like Denzel, but I'd probably get rid of Howie. I agree Sonia's probably reached the end. I'm here nor there with Felix, I think he's ignored and could have some good storylines. They generally do ignore their gay characters these days.

There are a few big problems I've got with it, but I guess it would be rehashing old ground. The Mitchells: I don't like the new ones, there needs to be more female Mitchells, perhaps Louise should come back (recast as I didn't like the last one), to be Phil's conscience. Sam also needs to come back played by Kim. The Panesars: all a bunch of psycho murderers, I'd axe the lot except Priya, Ivani and Davinder, who aren't too far gone. The Knights: I think Elaine and Anna are weak in particular. I'm behind so I don't know what happens to Linda, but she needs to go to prison for killing Keanu. Anna needs to be axed because she's played by a dreadful actress. They can recast her down the line. I like Gina, and the rest are probably worth keeping. The Slaters: There is something unlikeable about this unit, Kat can be redeemed somehwat by being paired with Alfie again. I don't like the Tommy storyline much, as it makes Kat look like a bad mother. But the actor is playing it well. I think Jean needs to be axed, I find her annoying rather than funny. The Beales: Peter isn't working for me. I'd rather he was axed and recast again. The Cindy storyline is just replaying greatest hits, but at least Michelle Collins makes it watchable, I do love Cindy as a character. I really loved Bobby, so will miss that character. Sharon has become unlikeable, I'm not sure how that can be fixed. Billy and Honey: I find these characters annoying, should have been axed years ago. Amy Mitchell needs to be recast, the actress isn't working for me. Johnny Carter needs more storylines, I wouldn't mind a big romance for him, a marriage and maybe he gets cheated on? I would introduce a big new, unrelated family, with some lighter characters and no murders going on. Personally I love the lighter characters like Alfie, Bianca (even though she's in a dramatic story), Kim, Big Mo, Freddie. Stoylines and characters need to start facing consequences for their actions. I am pleased they brought back Lauren, Yolande, Bianca etc. But more needs to be done to fix this show.

She's been pretty divisive according to DS. I think the show is in a right state, I'm considering giving up.

I'm just catching up but still about 10 eps behind. This Nicola Mitchell character is putting me up, she's played by a dreadful actress. Can't stand those new Mitchells apart from Barney.

Horrendous news. Harold is the best character the show has ever had. All the best to Ian and his loved ones during this time.

I totally agree, to be honest I don't keep up with BTS stuff for EastEnders, but I'm shocked we've had Bianca back for such an extended run this year. As you said, she lives in the US and so I always expected her returns to only be for a few episodes, so I'm honestly just soaking up every episode she's in. For me, the show is so cold and clinical these days that I've been struggling not to tune out. Bianca just reminds me of some of the fun characters the show had in the old days, some of the characters that had real heart. Even the other long-termers like Phil, Sharon, Ian etc feel cold and lack the warmth that long-term characters should have. I don't know what the issue is with EE, but I feel like it's lost its way somewhere along the line. I really miss some of the more upbeat parts of the show from the old days, some of the friendships and interesting families. I love Kat and Bianca's friendship. I'm behind so I don't know what's happening with Ruby's return, but I find it dreadful that they ruined the Ruby/Stacey friendship in the name of drama when it was an opportunity to bring back some of that warmth. I've been watching some old Neighbours episodes, and it's just night and day. Going from watching old Neighbours to watching current EastEnders is like going from a sunny, inviting show to a dreary, depressing show. I know EE has always had a harder edge, but it's lost its core. I also really hate that they introduced another branch of bland Mitchell men. Much as people hated Peggy, I liked how she brought out a softer side to Phil and could hold him to account. I wish more Mitchell women were introduced to the show, I liked Sam's return but they should have matured the character and have her and Phil grow closer instead of her being a thorn in his side again. I still miss Ronnie and Roxy. At this point, the only thing keeping me watching is the returnees. I love Bianca, Yolande, I enjoyed Jane's guest stints and I like having Lauren back. I can't stand some of the newer families like the Panesars, the Knights and the new Mitchells. The sad thing is this is still probably the best the show's been in at least a decade and yet I'm still not connecting with it.

Kathy is great, another reason I want to carry on watching.

The Panesars are close to making me quit this show. Just awful. Bianca's the only reason I'm bothering to catch up. She represents a time when the show had a heart, I'm 35 eps behind at the moment.

OMG no! Why kill off their only child with long term potential?

Not a fan?

At least Holly's there. But I wish she had been recast.

She contracted pneumonia and had a collapsed lung, which is what caused her absence in 2008. I'm not sure what illness she had later in 2011, but she sued Fremantle in 2013 over 'sex and disability discrimination'. According to this article, she claimed FremantleMedia failed to provide “a working environment that was safe” and that it breached “the relationship of trust and confidence”. It was reported here that she was seeking an order directing Fremantle Media to re-employ her in her role as Libby Kennedy on conditions no less favourable than her immediate past contract of employment, but I assume it resulted in her 2014 guest stint, which lasted just a few weeks and re-introduced Ben Kirk into the show, before he later returned as a regular. I don't know what Kym's health issues were at the time or if they were chronic, she may be better now and able to work full-time, but it seems unlikely she'd be back on the show as a regular.

I was surprised that Kym Valentine returned for the video message, but I think any future appearances for her are unlikely to be longer than a video message or a week long stint (possibly a few weeks at the most). I actually really liked Michala Banas as Libby back in 2008, but Kym was a very popular character as Libby so I can't see the producers recasting. Kym is actually appearing in the line-up for the 40th anniversary tour, but AFAIK this isn't organised officially by Fremantle. I imagine they are happy with the Kennedy set up with Holly around, but those unseen characters could definitely add something.

She's Teddy's ex wife I think. I'm about 35 episodes behind though.

Malcolm's the only one likely to return of those characters, as there are BTS reasons Kym Valentine is unlikely to return, and the actors who played Billy and Ben went on to great success and I can't imagine the producers would want to recast those characters. I'd like to see more unseen Kennedy characters introduced, like Billy's son Jackson or Billy's twins (we don't know their sexes). I would like to see Malcolm's daughter Susannah introduced as well. I kind of wish Majella Davis had been selected to play a recast Holly Hoyland, I like the current Holly but she's not quite Izzy enough for me, and I think Majella is wasted on the Krista role in a boring relationship with Leo and being based at Lassiters, which is a boring set up for her. I could have seen her working well with Alan and Jackie, and she's more of the type of actor to more convincingly play Izzy's daughter. It is what it is though. Yeah, the show has been a bit hesitant on certain issues for a long time, it seems to be even still today, but at least it no longer has a G rating so it can be bit bolder.

I've been watching the 80s recently, and I have to say, I honestly think the 90s and 2000s (up to 2007) were the show's best time. It dipped from 2007 to around 2015, and I have enjoyed 2015 onwards, but I definitely think the blend was great in the 90s and 2000s.

I think what's good about that moment is that Harold was the most unlikely person to try and kill someone. Ordinarily, I would have been critical, but I think it was great to show that anyone can be pushed to their limit to do something awful, and they laid the groundwork by killing off his whole family to get to that moment. If anything else had led up to it I probably wouldn't have believed it. I'm glad they didn't bring them back from the dead though.

He did indeed! It was the 2005 season finale, Harold blamed Paul for his 3 family members being killed in the plane crash. It is regarded as a low point, but I quite liked it.