Y&RWorldTurner

Britney is featured on Rihanna's S&M remix. It's actually the first song she's been a featured artist on. <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/j_RuHw4ubUY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Tonight's episode was really strong, barring Heather's pathetic ass, Ian being a wimp, and Christian's crying scenes. I loved Pat laying down the law on Carol. Nina Wadia was really good too. I actually wouldn't mind an affair between Zainab and Yusef now, they share a lot of chemistry. Lydia is playing Janine. I think there's potential in the two of them trying to upstage one another. I'm awaiting Pat and Lydia reconnecting. I was happily surprised that Pat brought up Diane running away from home when she and Ricky were discussing Whitney. I think there's been a lot character moments and the right amount of plot in the recent episodes. The show seems to have a lot going for itself at the moment. The scenes with Pat, Ricky, and Janine in Pat's kitchen were great too. I loved how Ricky hugged Pat with tears in his eyes when the police released him. The more I think about it, Pat's long absence had to be Pam St. Clement's doing, hence them adding in Pat having heart problems while in New Zealand to keep her away for a long time.

It's kind of expected though. Britney's career is passed its peak, she's now an artist of the first decade of this century. She'll struggle to maintain that momentum in the second decade of her pop career. Also, Cirus had some hype attached to it in its first week as her "comeback" album and she did a lot of promo for it. This album has been relatively low-key in comparison in terms of promotion and hype. To be fair, her sales were also slipping from album to album, and Cirus was not all that successful in the long-run as it only scanned a little over a million copies, with most of that coming from its first week sales.

Actually, the Pat/Janine scene was meant as a catalyst for Pat to confront Carol about her affair with Connon and the effects it has had on Bianca and Whitney. I think their supposed to share a scene about this on Thursday. Pat and Carol have been very civil to one another this time around, and especially since Billie's died. It will be a nice reminder, as they'll never really be friends, even though they care for many of the same people.

You should skip to the week of March 14th with Whitney's storyline at the forefront. You can skip to last Tuesday if you want as well, it's when Jean comes back. Phil/Ian pretty much disappear or are lower key after Phil and Shirley's non-wedding/wedding.

I'm looking forward to Lydia. Apparently, she doesn't like Pat for obvious reasons, and will be insulting Ricky and Carol. It'll be interesting to see Janine try to milk her for her money, but they also seem like a match for one another in some crazy way. Next Thursday:

Yes, and just to add the US physical market only fizzled out around 2001-2002 or so. The US was actually ahead of the world for years when it came to download consumption.

Billboard has a blurb on it. I'm not a Katy fan, but when you consider the only other album in the last decade to achieve 4 #1 hits off it was Usher's 2004 Confessions album and most of the albums that have achieved this feat achieved it during the 1987-1991 era, it does look impressive. These days, singles from an album don't tend to peak as high after the third single. http://www.billboard.com/#/column/chartbeat/weekly-chart-notes-katy-perry-jennifer-lopez-1005106502.story?page=1

I will miss Jim a lot, but this needed to be done. I bet John Bardon and the show came to this decision together. They only kept him on the show so long after his stroke because he requested it. This frees up Dot a lot more too. She only married Jim for companionship anyway, but I bet it will be very sad for her. It was very unconfortable watching Jim when he was on, and there's only so much they can do with referring he's there, when we know he's not. It's better they write him out. My guess is they didn't kill the character off out of respect for John Bardon.

With only two episodes to her name so far, I can definitively see a change in the way the pacing of each episodes feel with Kathleen Beedles there as Series Story Producer. The scenes, transition, and pace seem much more slower, toned down, and natural. The conversations and characters seem to work with the plot, instead of being consumed by it. I liked how Dot's fall brought Kat, Carol, Christian, and Yusef together. You wouldn't normally think they'd all be together in the same scene, but it made sense, and well, everyone knows Dot, so you could understand the concern for her. I did find it hilarious when Dot was on the floor and Kat, Carol, Yusef, and Christian were talking about her and she said it was very rude to talk about people when they're right in front of them. I wonder if Lindsey added in her little laugh and well-meaning eye roll after Dot said that line, it was funny. I don't know if it's Jean being there for Kat to show her more nurturing/caring side, or if it's Kathleen Beedles understanding the character more, but I think Kat is feeling a lot more like she did in her first stint than she has over the past couple of months. There's a lot of layers to the character when they choose to explore it. Kat and Jean have a nice relationship going, their scenes are just great. Kat isn't just bitter and screaming anymore, she has funny/sarcastic side, but her softer moments with Jean and when she was concern for Dot. Did Beedles do a good job with the women at Emmerdale? Heather is , but her on-line dating thing was funny at times. You know, I actually don't mind Tanya being Syed's fag hag. I thought I would hate that combination, but they work well together in some strange way.

This Katy's 4th consecutive #1 single. That hasn't been done since Mariah Carey with her debut album in 1990. If Katy has 3 more consecutive #1 singles, she'll tie Whitney Houston's record of 7 consecutive #1 singles.

Both Kathleen Beedles and Rob Ellis Twetteed that "exciting things" were on the way now that they're heading the story team. Whatever that means...

I just finished watching the Sharon/Michelle two-hander from '89. Very good. It's funny how long they stretched out Vicky's paternity, but it never really felt like it dragged. It made sense for this to be a two-hander, since both Den and Michelle had Sharon in common and loved her so much. Sharon and Michelle wouldn't get back on track until Vicky almost died of meningitis, right? Sharon and Michelle might be the best female friendship the show ever had, and I prefer them to their 90's counterpart of Bianca and Tiffany. There was just a lot more depth in Sharon/Michelle as they had grown up together and were such an essential friendship from the beginning of the show. I've said it before, but I think Sharon and Michelle, probably Sharon more so, successfully helped the show transition into the 90's when many great 80's characters had departed.

I do think Janine makes many of the same mistakes Pat made in her life. Like always going after money, marrying for money, and being vile to those who care for her. That's why I think their relationship is so complicated when it's explored, because really, I do think Pat sees a lot of her old self in Janine. Janine's life has mirrored some of Pat's backstory, barring the murdering aspects. I didn't know the Sharon/Michelle two-hander was up! Thanks. Letitia's had so many hairstyles over the years. I still think the short-do she had in the early 90's was her best look. I think both Letitia and Sue got prettier as they aged... This channel has a lot of Den/Angie/Sharon stuff from 1985-1987: http://www.youtube.com/user/QueenOfTheVic

I think this is one of Pat's first ever scenes. It's funny seeing Kathy visibly upset at seeing Pat. Years later Pat and Kathy would be such close friends. I always enjoyed their friendship. It's interesting how Pat evolved over the years from the drunken bitch that caused trouble to a more respected member of the community who usually dispenses wise advice. <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uLHeAOQOYHo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Pat's back next Tuesday. It feels like she's been gone for an eternity and this break has been longer than most of her other breaks. Dot's fall is tomorrow...

Someone at DS also mentioned that Pete McTighe from Neighbours has also joined the writing team. He was apparently one of Neighbours' best writers and wrote the 6,000th episode there. His first episode is supposedly next Monday. I wonder what promoted Kirkwood/Yorke to make changes to the story/writing team now. Kathleen Beedles/Rob Ellis were at River City not too long ago, so I guess someone at the BBC transferred them to EastEnders.

It's good to have Jean back. Her scenes with Kat in the mental institution were so raw and vulnerable. She's a great person for Kat to bounce off of, and a great supporting character. Gillian and Jessie have a great working dynamic.

She has a Twitter, and said she storylined the episode with some Ellis guy. http://twitter.com/KittyBeed Jean is back tonight. Can I get a SAUSAGE SUPRISEEEEEEEEEEEE from all?

Some budget stuff. The BBC spent 20% less on soaps last year, but EastEnders budget went up slightly because of the live episode. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/mar/22/bbc-spend-soap-operas

I remember Den's first scene with Dot the most, and how fast she was to give him her "I ain't one to gossip" line. And I think Pat was watering flowers outside of the Vic as Den came back to greet her. Someone mentioned that it was of great significance that Den died via Pauline's doorstop, as Pauline always had an underlying bitter hated for him. I wonder if Den's return would have worked better when Sharon was married to Grant in the 90's. The show still had solid writing then, and the 90's were Sharon's growing up years where she came into the forefront more. I'm glad they never went the Ronnie/Archie route with Sharon and Den. Den did love Sharon to the extent where it seemed like he wanted her for himself at times. He even said that even though Sharon wasn't his biological child, he could never love Vicki and Dennis the way he loved Sharon.

I think the PBS episodes are about at the time of Den coming back. I remember BBC America dropping the show just before Den showed up as well. There was the build-up, and then they pulled the show from the lineup. Too bad that story was such a flop. They made Den some creep with no morals at all, which he always had in the 80's, and made Sharon into such a pathetic mess that only lived in Den and Dennis' shadows. Vicki was always atrocious. I still barf at the sight of Den and Zoe Slater in bed together. Thank god for Chrissie during this time period. Maybe Bianca can meet Chrissie in jail and get released during the same time, only for Sharon to return around the same time.

She works better with that kind of singer-songwriter material, which this particular version of that song highlights. I still think the song itself is highly mediocre, but that version is a lot more bearable than the dire original.

On set with Tameka Empson: <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CWwvxI8E3pI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Dot spoiler: