I Am A Swede

With Jackie Tong it was different. Her character, Daisy, replaced Pauline Collins' Sarah, and although Pauline did some wonderful work Sarah was not my favourite character. So it was easier to accept Daisy and over the years she really grew on me until by the end of the show she was one of my favourites. Daisy was one of the characters who changed the most over the years, together with Edward (who also became her husband). Talking about this has given me the urge to re-watch this show now..... I think I'll do that when I'm on vacation over Christmas. It's been a while since last time.

^^ It took me a little while to warm up to Lesley-Anne's Georgina. She was brought on as a replacement (sort of) for Elizabeth after Nicola Pagett quit the show after series 2, and I preferred Elizabeth (and still do).

I don't care if the Dingles are played by fine actors or not. They remain despicable, unlikeable characters I won't lie and say that I've never tolerated some of them at times. Marlon was quite tolerable when he was with Tricia, and I used to quite like Chas as well. But on the whole I have disliked that family from the start, and their ever increasing presence has done nothing to change that. And it might be unfair, but when I compare the hatchet job that has been done on the Sugden family to the ever growing number of Dingles on the show it doesn't exactly endear them to me either. It seems like there's always a new Dingle-relative or previously unknown offspring popping up. Like this new story with Nate. I guess we're supposed to feel for Cain now that his life has been turned upside down by this new son he didn't know about. But I don't give a f*ck about Cain Dingle's feelings. After all the misery and heartbreak he has inflicted on any number of Emmerdale residents before this I say "karma's a bitch" and I'm ecstatic that he's hurting. It couldn't happen to a more deserving a**hole! But it's only a matter of time before Nate is swallowed up by the Dingle pack and is singing Cain's praises like everyone else. It's nauseating!

^^ Yes, it's a disgrace what's been done to the Sugdens. Sebastian is living with Rebecca and Ross, so he's still alive, at least for now. But being a Sugden he's probably doomed..... Andy is still alive of course, as are his children Jack and Sarah. They will probably be safe from the Sugden curse since they're half-Dingles, not to mention that Debbie is their mother. I mean, is there anyone who believes that the show would kill off a spawn of that bitch. For some reason they love her and her family.

I know how you feel. I can't listen to Michael Jackson anymore after seeing "Leaving Neverland"

That's the problem. The show has so successfully destroyed the Sugden family so there's not much left. Peggy died young and her two children (Sam and Sally) died before their 3rd birthday. Joe never had any biological children (at least that we know of) and his two step-children Mark and Rachel also died young. Mark never had any children, while Rachel had Joseph with Chris Tate. Jack's oldest son Jackie was another one who died young and never had any children. (Kathy miscarried once during their brief marriage) Jackie's (and Robert's) half-sister Sandie still lives for all we know, and has at least one child, daughter Louise. And of course we have the honorary Sugdens, the Skilbeck family: Peggy's widower Matt, his second wife Dolly and their son Sam. It used to be my dream that the show would re-introduce them, but I doubt that's likely. I'm not even sure anyone remembers them now. We could possibly also mention Rosemary Kendall, daughter to Annie's cousin Arthur. She appeared on the show in 1975-76 and, while not a blood Sugden, at least belongs to the family.

So, now Robert is gone..... Another sad Sugden exit. I haven't always been fond of him this time around, mostly due to his involvement with whiny Aaron, but he's still a Sugden. I guess I should be glad that they at least didn't kill him off, although they came as close to it as they could I guess. Sending him to prison for a minimum of 14 years..... I don't know why they couldn't give him another exit. Let Danny Miller go too, and give them a happy ending. It's not like the show haven't let characters, even popular ones, go before this... (Kathy, Viv, Terry and Dolly comes immediately to mind) Now the name of Sugden is almost obliterated from the show. Victoria is called Barton, and the only remaining Sugden, Diane, is nowhere near as prominent as she once was.

Say what?!

I wonder why the quality of writing has deteriorated so much over the years. I'm sure there are talented people still out there, capable of nuanced, layered writing. And shows like Coronation Street and EastEnders are primetime shows watched by large audiences. They should be able to attract more talented writers. But maybe their soap opera status is an obstacle?

For some reason this song comes to mind....

Don't even try anything like that! You know damn well what I meant. A picture of Patrick McNee and Diana Rigg has no relevance whatsoever in this thread, just like your long rambling on famous soap fans had no place in the "What are you listening to" thread just to name another example.

I think AdamNewmanFan meant that no-one wants you to post any more quotes from it here!!