Skylover

I guess they'll reveal that down the line. I'm loving it too. Puts EE to shame at the moment.

Do 'British schools' exist in Florida?!

Agreed. To be honest I feel it is even borderline racist not to have cast someone who at least attempted an American accent. Surely it wouldn't be hard to find a hot young American actor to play the part? It would be something a little different to have an American character.

All the crap I have to watch on EastEnders and seeing Ben's gorgeous cute face makes it all worthwhile. Ben and Jay's scenes seem filled with sexual tension a lot, love them together. Maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see. But after hoping for it for a while, I'm actually quite pleased to have a long-term gay/straight friendship on the show. ETA Still not sure about SOC obviously implementing more experimental filming which is leaving me sea sick some of the time, even in in-door scenes.

I like Babe. I don't think Mick and Whitney will have an affair.

So they're implying that Max was responsible for the bus crash...

They're taking this experimental use of filming way way too far. This is a soap for God's sake.

What was the point of it? I'm not particularly sure why it happened or why they thought it was a good idea.

Does anyone have any theories on Dee's return? It's the biggest story for Neighbours in years, a former regular is allegedly involved in her disappearance but I have no idea who! Many people have speculated Darcy Tyler or Sindi Watts.

I don't like Denise's mum much either. 10 years of Denise being on screen and suddenly her mum turns up like she's been there all along. I might have to tune out during the bus crash story, they've already had Jack grieving, we don't need any more.

I wish Denise had given the baby to Kim.

I don't feel wrong about my opinion. But I respect you and your opinion too, I love watching and discussing the soaps so all's good. I felt gripped watching the whole thing. I'm not disgusted that she was sleeping with someone so young. I think this kind of story highlights the grey areas in things like age gaps, pedophilia and taking advantage. There is an age of consent for a reason, but laws regarding the age of consent vary all around the world from 12 in some less advanced countries to 14, 16 and 18 (are there any higher than this) and it's all crap. I think 16 is the right age of consent and should be the world over. Someone not being able to consent, then being able to consent 1 second later on their 16th/18th birthday or whatever doesn't leave much leeway for how different people can be at that age. When I was 16 I wasn't mature, of course, but I don't think one can deny that love can form between people of very large age gaps, and it can benefit and destroy either party. I'm not condoning what Michelle has done. The fact he was her student I think is very wrong. I still think it's a bit wrong they've made him to be so young, but I don't think it automatically means she took advantage of him. Whatever the case, the episode was gripping IMO. The main problem for me is that she doesn't feel much remorse for it. For hurting her husband. For getting involved with a student. But I think the main point was she was trying to explain how she felt. ETA Usually when people have 'secrets' it's boring. Elly's recent secret in Neighbours was that she tried to run over her ex boyfriend once. Made me nearly fall asleep. At least this story has provoked some discussion.

Wasn't she 16? Therefore she wasn't underage here. Not that that makes it ok. Sharon's response to what Michelle has done is surprising but I don't think the show is making out that it's ok. I have a feeling there will be hell to pay for Michelle over a long story arc. But I don't think what Michelle has done is anything like what Tony did. Tony is a pedophile, Michelle fell for someone who was far too young for her. I can't pass comment on original Michelle unfortunately as I wasn't born when she was around.

The difference of course being that Louise is 14. I do think it's shocking, and I think perhaps it would have been better if the writers had made him 17 when Michelle got involved with him, now being 18. I don't think it makes her a pedophile though, but she did the wrong thing, especially as he was her student. It seems pretty self destructive that she slept with Den when she was ?? 17, or was it written that he forced her?

Tony groomed Whitney from age 12. I don't think the writers have come from the angle that it happened to her with Den so she's doing it now, I think it's more a case of Michelle goes from one car crash to another. She's never satisfied with what she's got, she always thinks the grass is greener on the other side. From what I know about her it seems in character. Perhaps I'm looking at it differently as a British person, as the age of consent here is 16, but I think this is a great storyline. I think it was a bit far the comment 'if it was a bloke it would be different', not really it would still be frowned upon. Michelle is a compelling character at the moment, the actress has done so well, and she's the best thing about the show. They've been so brave doing this. Of course it's a bit wrong that she has been with a 17 year old, but the storyline definitely has mileage. Cue 18 year old American boy turning up in a year looking for Michelle. Or at least I really hope an American (or at least acting American).

I think they're gonna drag the paternity out, I don't think it will be revealed this year. Agreed. I definitely think it's a mistake.

I don't buy Phil and Sharon together it all. But then that leads us to another one of EE's problems - it feeds into its own ego. If it was going to logically follow the story Phil and Sharon wouldn't be together at all. The writers just seem to be caught up in their own hype where they want those 2 together because they think they're iconic so they should be together. Plus they have history so they should be together. Wrong. To be honest though I struggle to see what the point was in bringing back Sharon's character. I do love her, but she was sort of drifting for her first 1-2 years anyway as they clearly lacked a purpose for her. I fear they're not going to allow Ben to grown beyond his Mitchell tag. Maybe we will see a proper love story for Ben and Johnny when they finally get round to it. I want Ben and Steven together but hey, apparently I'm the only one. (I know they're related but not blood). I like Denise but she hasn't really seemed to have a purpose for years either. I agree with the sentiment that Chelsea should be re-cast. It finally looked like something interesting was going to happen for her when Jordan returned but they stuffed that up too. I really liked the idea of Jordan and his son with the Foxes. If EE didn't get caught up in its own hype all the time, it would be an infinitely better, more character-driven show. Still, at least SOC seems to have some kind of plan. Whether it will work or not who knows, but it's nice to see some aspects of the show slightly changing.

I agree with your post. Especially in regards to Ben, we really needed to see his and Paul's relationship develop but it never properly got going. I still liked them together but it wasn't enough, because Ben was always so involved in Mitchell family storylines. Ben is still my favourite character though so something must be going right with his character. The new Johnny is cute, however the problem lies in the fact that he isn't a very good actor. One of the only EE characters whose scenes I sometimes cringe watching. Having said that he has improved a lot lately, I wonder whether it was something to do with the writing. He did go through that phase where he kept talking about his degree all the time in everyday situations. ETA: I don't think Ben is meant to be portrayed as an ungrateful child - I think it's very certain his issues are down to having a psycho father.

Yeah definitely. I wonder why they didn't. They're usually quite good at researching issues.

I agree, unfortunately depression is still an area in society which many don't understand. I presume none of the writing team have suffered from it based on how the story panned out.

This sentence epitomises my problem with Lee's story too. I think raiding the pub was just too much, rather than focusing on the depression they had to add some sensationalism or shock to the story which has pretty much undermined the whole thing. I thought they were doing so well up until that point, showing how the smallest things said can affect someone with a mental illness, but they took it too far. I don't like Lee hanging round his dad in the aftermath of admitting the truth either, I think Lee should be giving him some space. They've portrayed Lee as justifying his actions due to his depression, yes he's shown guilt etc but it doesn't sit right.

I think EE is fine at 4 but doesn't Corrie do 6 eps a week. I'd never be able to commit to 6 a week. However I do love Neighbours 5 a week, though they're only 20 min eps as opposed to EE's 30 mins. I can't really get into Emmerdale or Corrie due to their northernness, obviously Neighbours is my favourite one, wish some of you would watch it more I'd be interested to hear your views

What surprises me is that the US has never had any 4 or 5-weekly prime-time soap operas as part of their schedules, mirroring the UK ones. Why is that? That Holly death sounds interesting. I might have to watch Emmerdale anyway as Kasim is calling me. Michelle's re-cast is not going down well at DS. I wish people would give it time before getting so irate in the first week or 2.

She has been gone 20 years though and being 46 is quite different to 26. She's the most intriguing thing about the show for me at the moment, though I am partial to a re-cast. EastEnders does. You'd never see Coronation St be as brave as that. I know Hollyoaks does a lot of deaths but none of their characters are iconic anyway. Not sure about Emmerdale though I've heard it's over the top.

Yeah what is that all about. Is it only a matter of time before he gets with Johnny? He's been squeaky clean thus far. ETA: Shirley's another character who could easily go at the moment.