TimWil

Good episode tonight.

John Bowe gave quite a moving performance re both Edna's passing and Chrissy's request. I even liked the actress who plays Chrissy. Freddie Jones I always go back and forth with-on the one hand he can do beautiful, subtle work like he did tonight but on the other he sometimes rants and raves like he's playing King Lear at the London Palladium.

Oops,I was wrong, it's Sienna. OK. Wow, they do look similar.

I gather that the dementia storyline with Ashley won't reach a climax until next spring but I really hope they don't attempt a brief "Christmas miracle" in which he suddenly gets part of his memory back.

What I want to know is why the hell is Stephanie Davis STILL in the opening even after the newest cast members have been added to it? Talk about leaving the door open...

The boy who plays Jacob is terrific. i just hope they don't go overboard turning him into a troubled teen.

The young actress who plays Tracy is cute but I agree that she shouldn't be too involved with David's storyline. I far prefer Leyla to be the lady in his life during this ordeal.

I wonder when they're going to get around to writing off Edna, either by sending her out of town or killing her off. 

I agree re: Brocklebank. I didn't like him at first but he's grown on me, I really like Billy's friendship with Eva and Aidan and he really stepped up to the plate in last night's episodes. I just want Sean GONE.

I think Kate is definitely the weak link of the new Connors although the actress is fine and nice to look at. I have a feeling that she and Caz might just go off into the sunset together sometime this summer and Kate Oates will come up with a new love interest for Sophie.

I saw a posting on another board (Carl, do you go on Datalounge?) where someone presented the viable possibility of Paul dying, Les and Pam retire and decide to move elsewhere because they can't bear to live in Walford anymore, Billy takes over the funeral business and Honey takes over the flower stall. I see that happening.

I really do think Paul could be the hapless victim of Gavin's "insane plan" which I think is all about decimating the Mitchells. Perhaps he ends up getting killed rather the intended target, Ben.

They just need to kill off Phelan, already. After tonight's episodes it's fair enough to say that Johnny can be added to the long list of presumed suspects by the time the deed is done. And it really has to be done.

Ryan Thomas really isn't delivering the goods with Jason's reaction to Tony's death, is he? I know scenes of extended grief are difficult to play but he just doesn't have the range to pull it off.

I stand corrected about Belle being legal but didn't the doctor say he could get "struck off" if the relationship is uncovered? Is that because Belle is a patient of his? I didn't think she was.

I found David's heartfelt monologue to his soon-to-be-separated testicles to be a tad bizarre. What is the actual name of that song he had playing on his laptop? I know it had something to do with testicles and Nazi leaders like Goebbels, Himmler and Hitler.

EE has a statutory rape storyline. Emmerdale has one now. EE has a baby with possible developmental difficulties. Emmerdale has one now. FFS now doesn't anyone over there see what a horrible conflict of interest it's been to have Sharon Marshall writing for first EE and now Emmerdale when she's been reporting on all the soaps for This Morning and has been privy to advance storylines for them?

I really like Jamie Borthwick on EE but I don't see him "making it in Hollywood" at all, especially in blockbuster feature films. I can see him getting a specific role in a series, say, on Netflix or Amazon and doing nicely but that's it.  

I wonder when that plumber Ronny Hale (John McArdle) will be returning. I remember the actor was very attractive when he was on Brookside. Would it be too risqué for it to turn out that Ronny was brought into three-way sex with Laurence and his wife and Chrissie was the result? If that ended up coming out, pardon my pun, I can see why Chrissie would flee to London or wherever if the rumors are true she's not long for the show.

I really do think Julia's Theme is overused for exits, much like the word "icon" is bandied about to describe way too many characters. I don't think either Tamwar or Nancy deserved it.

I was hoping Luke's sudden appearance signaled the end of the dreary Bethany Being Bullied storyline but I have a feeling it isn't. I think the young actress playing the ringleader is pretty, though, and has a bright future. She looks like she would have fit in perfectly on Brookside-I seem to remember her mother sounded like a Liverpudlian.

Simon Gregson looks really good and I don't think it's just the color on his face. His hair looks different. Has he lost weight, too? Talk about awful timing for Beverly Callard to have her "breakdown," just as Steve's returned. So we won't end up seeing Liz for a few months? Will she find out about Tony off-screen?

I'm expecting you not to agree, Carl, but I do think Lizi/Star being revealed as 14 sort of validates the casting of Tilly Keeper as a 14 year old to an extent. 14 year olds these days look a variety of ages.

Amy-Leigh Hickman (Lizi/Star) reminded me more than ever tonight that she looks exactly like a teen version of Ishia Bennison, who played Guizin Osman in the early years.

I thought the nurse attending David's scan was adorable.

I agree re Michelle and Will. I've always liked Steve but those two have chemistry, too.

Jonny Labey is apparently doing a play in August so there's speculation as to whether he'll be taking a break or if he's actually leaving the show,

I still can't get over Louise not screaming The Vic down after Ben pushed her head in the bowl. But, no, that would disrupt the flow of re-introducing a Carter.

Such cute guys...

https://instagram.com/p/BEI1MDaiXWM/

I really do think that was the worst duff duff I've ever seen. Johnny photo bombed Ben's rant! Just bizarre on every level.

I wonder why hulu dropped it.

When I go to the UK at Christmas every year one of the digital channels always airs old episodes of Celebrity Come Dine With Me. There's one with the actor who played Richard Hillman and he's sort of mocked for being such a show biz "luvvie" who's only interested in talking shop. Adele Silva (Kelly on Emmerdale) was in these episodes, too, and she rolls her eyes and says she doesn't want the dinner conversation to revolve around acting. I always think "Well, of course you don't, because you stink at it."

Thanks for the link, Carl. But I'm assuming her hand has never been mentioned on the show because how could Joanie have a job doing manual labor at the factory?

I admit I do like Tilly Keeper, Carl, but agree with the age thing. Liv on Emmerdale is meant to be the same age as this girl!