I Am A Swede

19 minutes ago, Khan said:

If people like THOSE people ever faced actual oppression, they'd scream and beg for their lives like scantily-clad sorority girls in slasher movies.

4 minutes ago, OLTL #1 fan said:

and y'all didn't act that way w/ Obama?

No

Nadal is out in Montreal, beaten by 18 year-old home player Denis Shapovalov! But Federer is through to the quarterfinals. This also means that Andy Murray keeps the no.1 spot one more week.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/40896616

2 hours ago, OLTL #1 fan said:

we, his fan base, have no problem w/ Trump 

Wow, really?! 

No problems whatsoever?  Frankly that scares me a little..... 

4 hours ago, DRW50 said:

I'm glad you're enjoying the '80s episodes. One of the things I notice about them - and something that vanished fairly quickly with the arrival of the Tates and shortening of the title - is how introspective and intelligent many of the conversations are. The talks about religion and the loss of their wives with Rev. Manning and the rabbi are something that simply would not have aired on the show within a few years. Or the talk with the rabbi and Jack, even. There is also a very nice conversation with Jackie and Kathy about her fears of marriage due to the terrible relationship her parents had. Kathy often felt one-dimensional by the mid-90s...it's a bit sad to remember when she wasn't. 

I was thinking the exact same thing! I found it amazing that the conversation between Rev. Hinton and the rabbi went on for several minutes without interruption. That would be completely unthinkable on practically any tv-show nowadays.

I think all the characters were so much more three-dimensional back then, and we got to see much more of their different personalities.

Gemma Atkinson (ex-Carly) will participate in this year's Strictly Come Dancing

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-40874025

13 hours ago, Bright Eyes said:

 

I love you.

After watching more old episodes recently (there's been some fantastic 1980s videos posted on Youtube) my level of tolerance for all things Dingle has sunk to a new low.

I just watched the episode with Joe's funeral, and it was tough to watch for several reasons. First and foremost of course because it meant saying goodbye to Joe (), but also because the Dingles turned up and almost ruined the episode for me. How is it possible that they could become popular? It's a complete and utter mystery to me. All I know is they make me sick every time I see them. Hate is a strong word to use and it shouldn't be used lightly but frankly it's the only word that is strong enough to describe my feelings for that revolting bunch. 

This date 23 years ago, August 9th 1994, was a sad, sad day in Emmerdale history. The very first Dingle, Ben, made his first appearance on the show. Thus it began....The disease soon caught on and infected the whole show, and there seems to be no cure in sight.  

It's fantastic to get to see these old episodes. There has been so few 1980s episodes available before.

Lovely old episodes.  

14 minutes ago, marceline said:

 

We have to stop being shocked that people support him. A whole swath of Americans live in a right wing bubble that is essentially an alternate reality. Fox News, Breitbart, Drudge, it's brainwashing pure and simple. I had a couple I was friends with - and I could see when they started watching Fox that it just made them vicious and stupid. Suddenly one transphobic post after another and non stop ranting about the "libs." These folks can't be reached anymore than the people in Jonestown could. They have completely given themselves over to a cult mindset. I remember seeing a report at one of Donald's rallies that one of his supporters said he prays to a cardboard cutout of Donald every day.

Without implying any other similarities this is frighteningly reminiscent of how Germans behaved towards Hitler and nazism in the 1930s.

Yes, it wasn't until 1988 that the show started airing all year, and at the same time all over the country. Before that it took seasonal breaks, and was aired in different time-slots in different regions.

I guess you could say that Jack had very little to be cheerful about during the 90s. The farm was struggling and he was fighting a losing battle against the likes of Frank Tate who had a completely different view on things than Jack did. But it didn't exactly make Jack an endearing character during that time. It did make it more understandable why Sarah would have an affair with Richie though, but at the same time it made it even more mysterious why Rachel would have an affair with Jack. 

11 hours ago, Juliajms said:

I just saw new polling numbers showing that 45 has an approval rating of 33% I guess we are supposed to be shocked by how low it is, but all I can think is that 1 out of every 3 people we meet approve of him. How is that possible?

I can't believe that either. 

Love that! I can't imagine an episode like that in today's Emmerdale. But back then it was perfectly natural.

This was also the last episode before the show became fully networked, starting with episode 1212, January 6th the following year.

Thank you! It's the first time (that I remember) seeing Debbi Blythe as Marian. I have to say that I prefer Gail Harrison.  

These 1988 episodes must also be after Dolly's affair with Stephen Fuller. Even though I do love Matt, I can see how she would be tempted, and they did lay the groundwork for a story like that for a long time. He was content staying at Emmerdale for ever, and she wanted a place of her own. Even though she had been gone for a long time by 1988 I can see how maybe the shadow of Peggy also played a part. It can't have been easy for Dolly living with the family of Matt's former wife.

29 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

 

I know what you mean. I still think they should have tried to bring Matt back a few times (for Dolly's exit, or Joe or Jack passying away) but maybe the actor wouldn't have been interested anyway. 

 

I never even knew Matt had scenes with any Tate. A passing of the torch, I suppose. Sad when he said the Sugdens wouldn't even miss him.

 

His goodbye with Annie broke my heart a bit.

Mine too.

I think in many ways Matt was more of a son to Annie than either Jack or Joe.

^^

Two milestone episodes, with two milestone characters. One (Matt), the embodiement of the Emmerdale Farm era, and the other (Kim), the symbol of the 1990s.

Two complex, multi-faceted characters of the kind that today's show is sorely lacking.

14 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

 

I'm glad you're enjoying them. I know you love that era so the few I had I was hoping that some fans might like to see, especially when the current show is much more plot-heavy and aimless. I miss the Sugden days and I especially miss Annie and Henry.

I do love that era (late 1970s) most, but I really love all things Emmerdale pre-plane crash.

Katharine Barker's Dolly is my all-time favourite Emmerdale character, but all the characters were written so well back then. I have developed a special fondness for Sam Pearson as well. Such a marvelous performance by Toke Townley.

Jackie Merrick is also a character that has grown on me. It's such a realistic portrayal of a young man trying to find his place in the world. Watching his wedding to Kathy was both wonderful and bittersweet because you knew that he would be dead a year and a half later. I loved him and Kathy together and can't help but wonder how things would have turned out if he hadn't died. He and Kathy were so much more suited for each other than Kathy and Chris.

Not everything was perfect back then of course. I do find the comedy scenes with Seth winding up Alan and/or Amos a bit annoying sometimes. But Seth worked great as a mentor of sorts for Jackie.

5 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

Bless Deena Payne for continuing to trash Viv's exit.

 

 

Love Deena! Still miss Viv!

And she's so damn right! Viv (and Deena) deserved so much more than she got! Not even a funeral. It was a total disgrace!  

They managed to get Pete away from the clutches of Debbie, so maybe there's hope for Ross too.

I've had a fabulous day so far watching old episodes of Emmerdale Farm that our very own DRW50 has posted on YouTube.  

It's such a treat to be able to visit Beckindale in the 1970s and see old friends again; Annie, Sam, Matt, Joe, Amos, Henry, Dolly, and Mr. Hinton.

If you haven't seen these episodes before I highly recommend that you do. But be warned, they have very little in common with today's version of Emmerdale. For one thing, they're actually very good!