Sylph

You're just learning that it doesn't really take much for soaps to have 'never been better.'

That's old. Everyone knows about that "rule".

And, have you see fans and critics criticise at the same time? I bet you'll say, yes. I've read several that continued to praise Corrie, this year, even though the fans were crucifying it.

So what?

But there's viewer criticism, and critic criticism, and the two, it would appear, are quite different.

I think EE has had better viewer support, than Corrie (bar the whole embarrassing Danielle fiasco). Corrie can be as bad as Y&R and B&B combined, and still the ratings will stay steady, but EE can have a bad week, and the ratings will reflect that. Granted, they haven't been perfect, but EE have told a broader range of storylines, featuring practically every character (segregated or not). Corrie can't really say that.

And I'm not really sure what my point is.

I've seen both fans and critics criticise, so this is all new to me that the soaps have been better!

And I forgot about the whole "they were never better" thing.

Really?

All I've seen is a ton of criticism.

I didn't really get this:

Peggy’s exit will also coincide with the soap’s 25th anniversary for which a live episode is planned. With four episodes a week, EastEnders, like Coronation Street, is now more and more an ensemble show, with regular characters hogging weeks of screen time, then disappearing or receding when their storylines are inactive. With such a ruthless turnover of stories and characters, British soaps have never been faster (or better).

OK... A completely banal statement. What was the writer's intention? What did he want to prove?

<p><span style="font-size:19.5pt;"><font face="Verdana">Toast to the TV diva as EastEnders' Peggy calls last orders</font></span>

<span style="font-size:7.5pt;"><b><font face="Tahoma">By Tim Teeman</font></b></span>

<span style="font-size:9pt;"><font face="Verdana">Oh dear, does this mean we will never hear “Get ahhht o’ my pub” ever again? This devastating dismissal, which Peggy Mitchell delivers with her face contorted like a cane toad’s, is reserved for the most heinous of villains, and it is a punishment worse than jail. However, it is a little rich to say, as John Yorke, the BBC controller of drama production did, that Barbara Windsor is EastEnders.

For sure, Peggy Mitchell is a stalwart character and with a spectacular storyline checklist — breast cancer, trouble-magnet sons, cheating husbands, villainous suitors — that befits any soap diva. That and the stratospheric hair. She is the pint-sized powerhouse landlady of the Queen Vic, cornerstone of Albert Square, where all the best fights, murders and revelations of adulterous affairs happen.

Her finest moments are too many to mention, but shoving Chrissie Watts into her husband Den’s grave was a personal favourite. But every soap queen — Elsie Tanner and Bet Lynch included — has her day. And despite fears that the world will stop spinning on its axis when the next episode rolls around, a new tragic diva chugging from the gin bottle and tangled up with a ne’er do well takes seed and the wheel of adultery and double-dealing continues.

Viewers have affection for their soap queens, but the capricious scriptwriters love to muddy that affection. Peggy has been vile as well as loveable in her 15-year stint. This fan would miss Pat Evans and her gravity-defying ear-rings more than Peggy and Windsor’s departure means no more confrontations between the two.

Peggy’s exit will also coincide with the soap’s 25th anniversary for which a live episode is planned. With four episodes a week, EastEnders, like Coronation Street, is now more and more an ensemble show, with regular characters hogging weeks of screen time, then disappearing or receding when their storylines are inactive. With such a ruthless turnover of stories and characters, British soaps have never been faster (or better).

Diederick Santer, EastEnders’s executive producer, has increasingly opted for ratings- friendly melodrama over misery; current storylines include the return of the villainous Archie Mitchell to plot the downfall of Peggy, a renaissance of the show’s chief bitch, Janine Butcher, an illicit gay inter-racial love affair and the deliciously over-the-top transformation from good to bad of a pastor who watched his drug addict ex-partner die impaled on a garden fork. Will Peggy leave in a black cab or hearse? And will her final line be . . . ? Well, I don’t need to say it.</font></span>

<span style="font-size:7.5pt;"><b><font face="Tahoma">http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article6894526.ece</font></b></span></p>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSjHrm8llMw

Huntress, how did that primetime mini-soap do? Geld, Macht, Liebe or what was its name?

As if you care! You don't like EE, you're a Corrie fan!

I've kept up with EE over the years, and like many of the actors/characters, but I do prefer Corrie overall.

But don't you think... That even though... This is an end of an era... It had to happen one day?

British soaps have a much healthier relationship with their veterans and handle the exits in a much more satisfactory way. Generally speaking.

Aw, I can't believe Barbra is leaving, she's always been one of EE's biggest supporters and one of the "faces" of the show when I think of it.

As if you care! You don't like EE, you're a Corrie fan!

Kevin Williamson talks about the future of 'The Vampire Diaries' and why high school is a 'horror movie' here.

Hey, dannigold, bring us more news when you can! It's been some time since we saw you!

Hold up! Don't tell me that's how much this box set costs???

That's what Amazon tells me!

Damn! That looks fabulous!

Maybe buying the box set will make up for not buying her previous album (Shhhhh)

Why should you spend $12.99 when you can go on a shopping splurge and spend $79.99?

I think it's still his job. I know some people were saying he comes up with the shock value stuff.

I think Max and Stacey is one of his major stories. Max buried alive must be, too.

Here is an interview, if you haven't read it:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/s2/eastenders/news/a77057/all-about-eastenders-dominic-treadwell-collins.html

Apart from Simon Ashdown, who you've mentioned, and who wrote Pauline Fowler's death episode, I think Sarah Phelps and Richard Zajdlic are also outstanding.

Diedrick Santer has been the main producer since early 2007.

Oh, he's still there. That's what I wanted to know.

They have various writers. Their most respected is Simon Ashdown, who I believe wrote the hugely popular Zoe/Kat, "Because I'm your muvva (mother)!" episode years ago.

I meant the so-called series story producer. Is it still Dominic Treadwell-Collins' job?

I see they're beating Corrie in the ratings.

Who runs this now? EP & chief writer?

I might buy the album just for that!

I was thinking the same thing!

I hope so. I love that cover.

I love it, too.

Is this the official cover?

Score one for the vampire people! (And the incredibly good-looking West Hollywood-living people?)

CW just picked up a full season of the breakout freshman hit The Vampire Diaries, and the network has also ordered five more episodes of Melrose Place.

Why did Vampire Diaries get a full season while Melrose Place didn't? Here's what we're hearing...

Diaries has been an unqualified hit for the CW—it's easily the network's top show. Melrose's ratings, meanwhile, are just marginally ahead of already canceled The Beautiful Life. In fact, a repeat of the canceled CW series The Game that aired on BET the other night beat out an original episode of Melrose Place. Sad but true.

So why keep Melrose on at all? Well, Melrose comes with endless publicity in the form of returning original MP stars like, oh, Heather Locklear, and insiders remain enthusiastic about the production quality and big upcoming storylines like a major character death and backstory reveals for fan faves like Katie Cassidy's Ella.

Now, help us answer a not-so-burning question: Which middle-of-the-road Melrose Place character is most expendable? We're pondering this upcoming character death, and we're trying to figure out who you could stand to lose. Katie Cassidy's Ella Sims is excluded, because she's clearly the show's breakout star, and Ashlee Simpson-Wentz's Violet is also off the list, because she's extremely crazy and no one likes her, but between the other regulars, Michael Rady, Jessica Lucas, Stephanie Jacobsen, Shaun Sipos and Colin Egglesfield, who should be safe, and who is a good candidate for a highly promotable sweeps-month killing-off?

Oh, it's really a good one!

I was just checking this one, love the lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJOHk_itzeI

although I don't quite get what this show did to get 21 million viewers, but hey!

Come again? I'm confused.

Could you re-write the passage about the reference?