TimWil

Do you mean that they both look like beached whales? I hate to be cruel but really...they both look absolutely awful. Adam Woodyatt is on his way to being obese.

Great post, Carl. I especially enjoyed your assessment of Cindy Sr. It always bothered me when she'd be referred to as a "minx," "maneater" and "bombshell." She was a totally passive-aggressive daddy's girl and not terribly bright, either.

It really is too bad that the final recast of Lucy simply didn't work. If they'd found a dynamic, distinctive powerful actress to play the role rather than someone more suited to Hollyoaks then things might have been different.

I just hated it that Nick's last words were "I'm sorry, Ma. Forgive me." I think he should have been unrepentant to the bitter end. He was responsible for the deaths of three people, including his teenage son. It was a sentimental, unrealistic ending. He should have ended up dying alone in Reg Cox' flat.

I'm positive the killer is Max. I have been for a few months and I won't be changing my opinion.

I enjoyed that, Carl. All I can add to that is thank God that Dot/Nick's final few episodes have proved to be memorable because everything leading up to them since Halloween have been utter shite.

I agree about Natalie. Lucy Speed was terrific and still looks great. She's married to a gorgeous actor named Spencer Austin and they have an adorable little girl. I could see her returning to EE someday. I could actually see Natalie with Mick.

But why on earth is Winston (Ulric Browne) on that list? He's been horribly hammy for as long as he's been seen in the background and that thing sticking out from his forehead is hideous.

I agree it was a TERRIBLE mistake to kill off Paul. I think he and Bianca as a couple could have been fabulous. Patrick identified his body (was it onscreen?) so I guess there's no way he can be brought back.

Michael Greco (Beppe) was sexy, though. He still looked good when he had a tiny role this past season on Revenge as a posh hotel concierge. The real story behind his sudden departure was he refused to sign off on a short extension to his contract. Beppe was to get dumped AGAIN by Lynne in favor of Garry and Beppe was to go slumping off to Leicester. He said no way to that bs. The writers had to scramble so they brought on Lynne's fiance (the one who jilted her on her wedding day) to play out that storyline instead.

Good. I couldn't stand Derek Martin. Charlie was a buffoon.

Very well put, Carl. I can't help but wonder what the hell was DTC thinkng when he gave the greenlight to that.

Good God Jessie Wallace was horrific last night. I wanted Kat to be violently attacked, preferably by Stan who'll be dead soon, anyway.

I agree, BetterForgotten. He does have a great body and a cute face yet still doesn't project any sort of sexuality.

Good God, last night's episode was f*****g boring. Even a shirtless Ben Hardy couldn't keep me from nodding off several times.

It must have been a photo op for the kick-off. No way are the actors ever present for the actual conference, which goes for at least three days.

LOL, Carl. I think it's been made obvious that Shabnam wasn't raped by Dean, though, it was a drunken encounter in a club bathroom. I like the use of history for Shabnam's secret. When she mentioned going out that night with Carly Wicks and Dawn Swann I wondered if we might see either of them back before the year is out. I'd prefer they recast Carly-Kellie Shirley worked my last nerve.

Tonight's episode was, believe it or not, extremely good. It was unusually well directed, written and acted, even by weak links such as Matt DiAngelo. And the twist revelation at its conclusion definitely earned the duff-duff.

True, Carl, she was Jewish and "middle class." Heaven forbid they'd let anyone like her on that show nowadays, especially under DTC. The actress who played her, Jacquetta May, still works from time to time.

My favorites were:

Angie Watts

Den Watts (only during the Den & Angie years)

Michelle Fowler

Dot Cotton

Sue Osman

David Wicks

Rachel Kominski

Joe Wicks (never been a more handsome male actor on that show IMO)

Tonight's episode made me want to throw something at the screen. Carol accused Max of getting it on with Emma's mother in the car lot office on the day of Emma's funeral. This was a beyond ludicrous contrivance to make Max get pissed off enough to change his mind yet again about The Arches and to be determined to keep it for himself. Awful, sloppy writing.

Oh God, I watched a bunch of EE clip specials when I was over there a few years ago and Ashdown was downright embarrassing as a talking head. He spoke about the show like the worst possible fanboy. His episodes were good at the beginning of his tenure but they became unwatchable by the end of it.

Isn't Tony McHale quite old now? I liked his work a lot.

Sorry, Phelps will probably never take over producing chores on EE or anything else. She's not interested in producing anything, she's only interested in writing. She's got a big writing project she's working on with the BBC that could keep her busy for the next few years anyway.

What I would find interesting is if Tony Jordan could end up as EP with Sarah Phelps also involved. I wonder if he'd do it if the BBC allowed his Red Planet Pictures production company to take control. That seems to be highly doubtful, though. Production companies do co-produce projects with the BBC but EE is a completely different story.

LOL re Daran Little, Bright Eyes. I wonder what happened for him to leave his beloved Coronation Street never to return. And then to end up writing for its primary rival EastEnders. I really did love his work on the BBC's Road To Coronation Street.

How could you forget June Brown, Bright Eyes? Her rapport with Lady Gaga was fabulous.

Great points, Ben, particularly re: Babe/Sylvie/Stan.

And I agree with you about DiAngelo in that the writers have been woefully inadequate in fleshing out Dean.

I agree, Bright Eyes. Stan's pining for a reunion with Sylvie has been absolutely ludicrous despite Timothy West's valiant efforts. Kellie Bright is so wrung out now from being forced to play out the rape secret for so long that she can't make anything look fresh anymore. And Matt DiAngelo is simply a s****y actor and so we have absolutely no idea what is up with Dean, pardon my pun.

I unfollowed Daran Little on Twitter just now because I was fed up with his endless self-congratulatory retweets clogging up my timeline last night and this morning. I wanted to tweet him "Dude, are you aware of how this makes you look? Grotesquely immodest is what it looks like to me."

Carl, no ass shots of Lee in either episode last night but plenty of his "ugly crying face." At least we were spared Johnny's reaction on Tuesday's episode, which would have consisted of him placing his pointy finger up to his forehead and grimacing like a maniac.

Last night's He Said, She Said episode left me absolutely cold. Matt DiAngelo is now so detached from his role that it's impossible to have any idea what could possibly be going on in Dean's head. Kellie Bright was very much by the numbers in Linda telling the police the details of that night. This episode could have had moments of real power but felt neutered. I can't believe the high praise it has received.

Just saw Judith McConnell as a lady having a pedicure in a commercial for Walgreens during Celebrity Apprentice. She's got short white hair now and looks terrific.

I remember Tim Holcomb, too. He had dark hair and was extremely cute and likeable. The first time we saw him was in a barn with Blaine, I think, and he had his shirt off. Hel-LO, Jamie! I suspect he was just considered too lightweight for the wringer they intended to put Jamie through. I think Holcomb left the business soon afterward.