BetterForgotten

I just hope they don't do the awful flip-flopping with Vicky's accent again.

I don't think they'd ever dare recast Michelle. I do think they'd probably recast Vicky though, and since they're mentioned more often these days, we might see her and Spencer (ugh), return at some point. Vicky has Sharon, Martin, Rebecca, and Ian, and Spencer has the Moon/Slater family.

Do you really think it's leading to a Kathy is alive storyline? I don't know, I have my doubts as numerous people at the show have said that she's dead and they have no intention of revising that (DTC himself included, I believe).

Shane initially auditioned for the part of Tom the fireman (another ex of Sharon's that's dead). I know the cougar story that was floated around for years about Peggy involved Dennis, but maybe it was initially Alfie? I know Barbara's sick leave in 2003 scrapped plans for several stories, so that could have been a casualty of her absence from the show, but who knows... Though Peggy did forgive Alfie for stealing from her, so maybe that forgiveness was going to turn into sex.

She mentioned she's in marketing now and designed the website for his Channel 4 series, which he made a sarcastic remark about. It was harmless though, and she looked lovely and has aged very well. The episode itself really made me miss Pat and Pam St. Clement, I'm glad they included her. Letitia Dean and June Brown were the funniest, I'd love to get drunk with those two. I did like when Letitia randomly mentioned at the end that Pam discovered a pig's foreskin in a jar during a scene with Pat and Sharon, lol.

Yes, she only wanted to be friends with Sharon and didn't want to acknowledge her as her daughter. Sharon decided it was best to just walk away. It was a very short story, and I don't understand why they never delved into it more at the time.

And no matter what, it's not like this bio family is going to automatically replace Den and Angie. She was raised by Den and Angie and they are who she considers her parents. She was rejected by Carol Hanley when she reached out in the early 90's. The only family Sharon has living are Vicki and Dennis, Jr. I don't see the harm in her connecting with her (albeit half) blood relatives. Now, if 15 of them moved in and started to dominate the show, I would have issues, but I doubt that's going to be the case.

Looks like we'll be seeing some of Sharon's biological family sooner than I thought. The credits for the episode airing on the 26th lists a character named Kristopher Hanley, and Hanley of course is the last name of Sharon's bio mother. He's played by someone named Jonathan Broadbent. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0546rp0

There seemed to be an understated quality about the show in these years, which changed by the late 90's when it felt like the entire program was revamped to be more sensationalized. The McDonald's do annoy me somewhat (in a way that's similar to how I feel about the Carter's on EastEnders these days), but they do at least seem authentic. Also, am I the only one who preferred Andy over Steve? And of course, I am loving Bet during this era, even if Alec disturbs me with the way he treats her at times.

I know the late 80's and early 90's aren't given a lot of attention or credit, but I've really been enjoying the episodes Auntie Corrie (a great channel overall) has up on YouTube. The show seemed so underrated in these years.

So Aaron's become Gail Platt? LOL

That's how radio is, not just Radio 1, but all pop music radio stations. Once you're over 40, it's a struggle to get airplay outside of Adult Contemporary stations.

The Graham Norton Trailer: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=899590476728038

Oh shoot, I had forgotten that Matthew Robinson directed the very first episode of EastEnders. It's kind of ironic though, as Robinson is probably most responsible for the show's first big attempt as contemporizing and veering from its roots, though I really did enjoy his era as EP as a whole.

I love when Pam St. Clement speaks in her real posh accent...

Previews from the Graham Norton special: The new trailer for the 30th:

Natalie should have been on the underrated character list! Sorry, I've always had a soft spot for Lucy Speed. But happy to see Matthew Rose, Sanjay and Gita, Nigel, and Alan Jackson on there.

Letitia Dean interview: http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a627777/eastenders-star-letitia-dean-sharon-and-phil-are-right-together.html#~p3QHyFXJwJRp5Z Even though she mentions's Dennis's death, I'm guessing she wasn't a fan of the Shannis pairing and storyline as she never mentions it among her favorites.

People can say what they want, but she'll always be the most relevant female pop star in music history. Madonna and Michael Jackson set the template for the definition of what a pop star is, no one else can claim that or is really on that level.

This "feud" seems incredibly fake to me. It seems calculated on both of their parts to stay in the headlines and gossip columns and to pose as supposed "rivals."

Taylor and Madonna also have a pic together, courtesy of M's instagram: http://instagram.com/p/y3kBbgGEZt/?modal=true

In today's world, Hilda Ogden's exit (which, IMO, is probably the best ever exit given to a beloved long-running character on a soap) would be lambasted for being "boring" and "playing it safe." Corrie used to do great and classy exits for its veteran characters once upon a time. I do think there is a lot of life left in Bet, even in her short 2002 return, she stole every scene. They don't make characters like that anymore.

No matter how many times I watch it, Bet's 1995 exit always break my heart, but strangely makes me smile (much like Bet herself). Too bad Julie Goodyear will never return, but I can't see them knowing what to do with a character like Bet in the Corrie of today.

The video for Living For Love is out:

I still can't get over how eveytime I catch an episode everything leads back to the f.ucking Carter family. I've never felt so sick of a shoehorned family in my life on a soap. Have we become too pessimistic? I had no issues with the Slater domination in 2000-2003, which was definitely the show's last great gold era. Did I not mind a new dominant family back then because the show was very good overall or was it because the family was just better overall? It's strange how it didn't bother me back then as much as it does now.