Skylover

It is sad, isn't it. Did you read the rumours that Nicola Charles has been tweeting she's returning as Sarah? The account looks authentic too, I hope it's true.

Ben - at your suggestion I decided to upload my old episodes, starting from episode 3971. Gonna upload all of 2002, all of 2004 and most of 2003 if you're interested. I'll post the first episode in here, already uploaded 12:

I think it's a mistake to get rid of Anthony and I hope Tyler doesn't go. The cast consists of virtually NO hot guys in comparison to say Home and Away or Hollyoaks. I know that shouldn't be the most important thing, but Anthony's only been in it for a year, they need time to settle in. Ronnie and Roxy weren't popular at first and neither were Max and Tanya, but now they seem to have a larger fanbase (ok, they're still hated by some fans) but still I think it's a mistake. Anthony's character seemed to have more depth too unlike Tyler. The show is in such a state. Considering all the cast breaks/departures/arrivals/emphasis on terrible characters, you wonder how it's going to make it through but perhaps this transitional phase could be the making of it. I agree that Whitney's a waste of space. There is potential with her character but Shona struggles with the bigger plots (with the exception of the episode Janine found her in Rob's flat - that was good) but the writing has been all over the place for her too, making her come across as a selfish bitch. When Bianca had financial issues it seemed like Whitney couldn't give a crap. I thought Whitney was portrayed as Bianca's rock when they were brought in in 2008...?

As harsh as it may sound, I really don't think Colleen is a big loss to the show. Ever since I started watching Home and Away again in 2006, I've never seen the point of her. I rarely find her amusing and I don't think it's worth having a character there just for comic relief if you're not going to do anything dramatic eith her. Celia would make a good replacement (if they do feel the need to replace her) - Colleen has always been a second rate Celia. I loved Celia because although she was like Colleen in some respects, she was never a laughing stock and was also able to take on serious storylines too. For me one of Home and Away's most memorable scenes involved Celia on Anzac Day recalling how she lost her fiance during the Vietnam war. The show does seem to have improved quite a bit since 2011. Characters such as John and Gina are getting more screentime and not just filler, while Marilyn seems to have returned to form rather than the rather serious version we got of her from late 2010-2011. Unfortunately there seems to be no long-term plan for the character and although Roo is one of the best characters played by one of the most prestigious actors, she's stuck with Harvey who brings nothing to the show and they've now brought in his daughter! I also think the Rivery Boys are much better without Charlie who seemed to hold Brax back in some respects. He has a lot of chemistry with Leah so I hope Steve Peacocke is still there when Ada comes back from maternity leave!

God, I really miss Libby.

I will never understand why they're getting rid of Mandy. One of the best characters - it may have been predictable but I'd have loved to see a relationship develop between her and Roxy. As for Bianca - I love her too, I think she should stay. I don't think she suffers as a character without Ricky; in fact I've been enjoying seeing more of her the last few weeks but they've given her some shoddy storylines, this money thing isn't entertaining and I don't ever remember money trouble storylines being entertaining. It seems like they've gone to a lot of effort to writer her out of the show. They're apparently making the kids go to live with Carol somewhere- I guess it would have been ridiculous if Ricky and Bianca, as the parents, kept flitting in and out of the show.

Why are you so surprised? He's been a one dimensional character all along!

Ian and Mandy's relationship is one of the best things to come out of Kirkwood's tenure, they really work well together IMO and I don't see why it couldn't have been a long-term thing. Was she axed? If so, I think it's the wrong decision. Ben - I take it you just don't like Ben then? You are right, I'm spreading the Ben love

Thanks Y&RWorldTurner, I will give that a watch.

Did anyone watch last night's episode? Phil and Ben's scene at the end was magnificent...

I much prefer the character of Heather to Shirley. Shirley's 'one-liners' got tired and predictable years ago. The writers try too too hard and literally force these into her dialogue to the point it made her character seem unbelievable. I like the friendship between Heather and Shirley, though, most of the time. And the week in Southend was great and proved to me that Heather was a character worth keeping. I think if this was Coronation Street, they would have held on to her because they like to keep all their characters. What's your opinion on the Ben storyline, Carl? Do you like the Ben character? Talking of Ben, where is Ben, as in forum member Ben? LOL

Thanks Carl. Cheryl looks really nice in that clip, it's a shame EastEnders always made her look so ridiculous. I'm really going to miss Heather, I wish she wasn't being killed off. Perhaps it would have been better had Heather gone into a coma for a few weeks and woke up. I'm not really sure why they got rid of her but I am guessing she was axed as opposed to it being her own choice...?

That's true, there are quite a lot of memorable scenes involving Trevor and Little Mo. Didn't she whack him round the face with an iron? Thanks for the advice. Damn Derek Branning forcing me to quite the show just when one of my favourite characters got some brilliant material. I only just watched the following scenes and I am extremely impressed. Joshua is magnificent and I just continue to love Ben more and more. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AbhsNag6T4&feature=related

Thanks for posting the clip. Very interesting that Sam doesn't regret her time at EE but Alex does. I wouldn't have thought that Alex had been in the role long enough to have become typecast, had he? I'm sure he was only there for 2 years at the very most! I've been watching clips of Ben on YouTube and it appears he has played quite a big role in the show since January (whe n I gave up thanks to Derek Branning) Should I go back and watch his scenes, Y&RWorldTurner, or is there no point? I don't want to miss any of his important stuff if he's been a big part of the show, especially if he'll be gone in a few months

Would you like Ben to stay long-term, Y&RWorldTurner. I think, in contrast to someone like Janine who literally got away with murder (well, eventually) Ben probably doesn't stand as much a chance of staying since he lacks the support and fanbase Janine has/had. I think it's important to portray Ben as getting his comeuppance in some way but, as in real life, criminals don't always get justice and in some cases, it can take years for them to be revealed as killers etc so I would be very pleased if the writers decided to give him his comeuppance in say, a few years. I really love Joshua in the role and I just feel he's too well-crafted a character to leave. I suggested the idea to my friend that Ben gets away with it in the time being (i.e. goes to prison in a few years) and she said she thinks viewers would just get p*ssed off that Ben would walk free for now. I mentioned to her that Joshua/Ben has had an extremely poor reception among viewers (well in part, the viewership seems to be divivded into complete haters and devoted supporters like me) and she said that she thinks Ben is only hated becauseof his looks, i.e. not being conventionally good-looking. I think she has a point there because I know Josh isn't the best of actors, but he is certainly better than Charlie Jones and I think he's a lot better than some. Also, in terms of looks, I think he is a perfect match to be Phil's son. Apparently Daniella Westbrook was chosen for the role of Sam based on the fact that she had a round face like her screen brothers and I think that's why Josh's casting is great because he is similar facially, too. Ultimately I would like Ben to fall in love and for that love to be reciprocated. I'm guessing that, for now at least, the writers may be shying away from this due to Ben's and Josh's age, but it would make fantastic viewing to see him be redeemed and at the end of the day, I think all Ben wants and needs is to be loved. If he did fall in love, we could then see his whole life crash before his eyes in a year or two if the writers decide to out him as Heather's murderer. Sorry for the rant, I just love Ben and had to share my thoughts with fellow EE fans.

Thanks fo the picture, nice to see all of the cast from 2001 together. Is it the whole cast? Just I'm surprised there were only 26 regulars That's not much more than Neighbours! I'm worried now that Kirkwood's going that the new EP may cut short the Ben story. I really want this story to go on until at least Christmas (I'm guessing that's when Ben will be sent to jail) although if they want to stretch it out longer I'm happy with that so long as Ben can stay in the show. I know his end is going to come soon though because soap villains never stay very long, especially once killing someone I may not have agreed with the majority of Kirkwood's stuff, but he's done wonders for Janine, Dot and in particular, Ben.

With the huge Ben story at the moment, I'm surprised no-one has commented in here. I actually adore Ben. Does that make me a sick viewer? I think he's one of the best characters ever in any soap.

I'm loving this storyline with Ben at the moment against all odds. I love Ben.

Are you going to buy the 1985 DVDs, Ben? I've bought the first two and I'm really enjoying them. 1985 seems to be a forgotten year to a degree and because there's not much talk about it, I was expecting it to be quite rubbish but I've been pleasantly surprised and I have actually loved the first 15 episodes I've seen so far. Scott, in particular, played by Darius Perkins, seems a wonderful character. I actually prefer his portrayal to Jason's.

I'll have a look Carl, I am curious. I think I'm gonna stop venturing into the DS forums, the amount of crap posted there is ridiclous, I have made my fair share of joke/silly threads, but the amount of support for Derek on there sickens me. He seems to have quite a large fanbase, I feel like I'm living in a parallell universe because I literally cannot comprehend why anyone would like him

What are the issues between Steve and Lucy? In an interview on This Morning in 2010, Lucy admitted that she was axed from the show in 2003. I've just read online that Lucy has allegedly had lesbian flings?

P.S. I just tried watching Friday's episode and it turns out I wasn't missing anything. A massive story for Jack and I switched off straight away. He's one of the worst characters in soap at the moment, long overdue an axing, how can good characters depart when deadwood like him stay?

I want to see Lisa return to EastEnders. Her or Kate. I know some people thought Lisa was a bland character but Lucy is a great actress and bringing back Lisa could be a good move if they let her actually have fun for once. I wasn't a fan of Lynne. She was very annoying and bland. I agree with the idea of Paul being underrated though. I thought he was great, shame he got killed off

It's interesting to read your thoughts. Carl - I think you're right that Kirkwood doesn't deserve the hate he gets, it can become OTT and unnecessary, I guess he is responsible for the direction the show takes which is why it's difficult not to blame him. There are definitely things other than Janine that Kirkwood has done that I didn't mention. For a start I think Lauren is a completely fascinating character and the recast has been wonderful. Bringing in Janine's grandmother was also wonderful, though I would have liked her to have stayed for longer. I don't necessarily agree with Janine being left millions in her will though, somehow it doesn't sit right with me. You're right, having David back was great for the show, not really a character I was too bothered about, but I know he is a massive favourite so it was great for the show. I agree with you Carl, that there were certain aspects of Santer's era that were unwatchable, Darren being the father of Heather's baby etc, and it was very plot driven during his tenure but I still prefer that era to Kirkwood's overall. I'm finding it difficult to get my point across because I've lost so much passion for the show that I find it irritating to have to bring up the reasons why because it makes me frustrated with the state of the show. I've switched off totally now and the reason was solely Derek Branning. I can 't stomach him. I literally feel like watching him would be a total waste of my life - what's he going to do? Threaten people, bully people, everyone's going to do what he wants, despite the fact he doesn't look scary whatsoever. I literally cannot comprehend the producers decision to bring in Derek - what does he bring to the show? A rivalry/alliance with Phil is something I couldn't give a hoot about. Rather than bringing in another pointless character who will get away with murder and not get their comeuppance, how about sorting out the character they've already got who fits this description, i.e. Phil. Phil is a legendary character but he just makes me cringe these days. Someone here posted a link to a thread on DS about the future of the Mitchells, well I personally feel that Sam needs to be brought back (played by Kim Medcalf) - Phil lacks chemistry with any of his family members, he and Shirley are one of the worst soap couples of all time, they don't have any chemistry and are mis-matched, she sticks up for him no matter what low act he does, it's just not right. I'd rather he was with Kate again. I don't think he should leave, but if Sam or Kate or someone came back I think his more endearing side could emerge again, being with Shirley seems to bring out the worst in him. Talking of the Mitchells leads me to another point - people being 'family' when they're not family. Jay 'Mitchell' is one of the worst ideas they've ever had, I hate that soap cliche of families taking in randoms, I hated it when they did it on Neighbours but it's more annoying on EE because the characters actually act like they're family. The Kim/Denise/Patrick trio winds me up no end. I also think that even though many of the storylines were plot-driven in Santer's era, they were character-driven at the same time - Syed and Christian's relationship, Zainab's behaviour totally fitted in with her character, she cares what people think about her and has strict morals, therefore she wouldn't have reacted well to the news that Syed is gay and I think, yes, it was a dramatic storyline, but character-driven. Well, on Zainab's part at least. I know Christian and Syed's build up to their relationship could have been better. However, another thing I've liked during Kirkwood's era is Ian and Mandy's relationship - I find that fascinating. My main gripe though, as I wrote on DS, is that there are too many 'antagonists' or 'villains' - Michael was supposed to be a villain when he came in, now I don't know what he is. I think EE just needs more 'nice' characters who are likeable. I dislike nearly everybody thanks to the writing and that never happened during Santer's era. The Yusef/Zainab storyline is one of the worst in years. If there have been any plot driven storylines recently, that's it - the moat predictable, crappy storyline you could imagine - everyone knew how it was going to end, and like they've pressed the reset button, Zainab and Masood get back together like nothing has ever happened, like the story has been erased from the history of the show. Zainab has a lot of explaining to do for her actions but Masood, like a fool has not questioned any of her horrific behaviour. That is unrealistic because the man would want answers. Why does the show also have this obsession with couples being unhappy too? Kat and Alfie, Ricky and Bianca, don't even get me started on the Whitney/Tyler/Fatboy triangle, is that supposed to be entertaining? I can't even follow it anymore because it's so boring and I hate Whitney as a result of her selfish, slutty behaviour. I do agree it's great to have Kat and Alfie back, but I don't know if I'd rather they never returned. They are the second reason after Derek why I've stopped watching. I literally can't stomach them anymore at all, they are so despressing I'd rather watch the shopping channels. They have been universally ruined. Hardly anyone likes them anymore, it was totally unnecessary for Michael to be the father of her baby. Their stories don't make sense anymore. They left in 2005 both blissfully happy, and return to have their baby swapped (I don't have a problem with that) but it seems as though they've fallen out of love with each other and constantly wish they could get a divorce. I know that's not the case but if you watched on a casual basis you could be forgiven for thinking that. P.S. I worry for Sharon. It's the wrong time for her to be coming back. I'm going to be devastated if she has to share any scenes with Derek Branning which I'm guessing will be the case. I really hope they don't ruin her by assocation with the dislikeable cast.

I totally understand the Kirkwood bashing, I'd like to know why you think it isn't justified, Carl, as I do respect your opinion. For me the show has become unwatychable in many ways. A lot of people seem to have a problem with Santer's era, but it was a lot better than the show currently is IMO. The main things for me are that: - he's ruined Kat and Alfie. I dread them appearing in an episode together because they're so dreary and depressing these days. - very few of his new characters have worked. - he brought in Derek Branning (panto villain with no purpose, cringeworthy and pointless) - he has made nearly all characters unlikeable The only good thing I can think of is the fact that Janine is finally a brilliant character again - I think she was trashed under Santer.