Ben

That's the problem: I don't empathise w/ Ben at all. I used to understand why he did the things he did, and could see how having Phil as a father would be a problem for him, but his recent actions have gone beyond his dysfunctional childhood, and thug for a father, and all the conflicted emotions. When he bashed Jordan and sent him into a coma, I could understand how he came to that point; even allowing Phil to torment an elderly man, and all the subsequent abuse that Patrick/Denise received was to a point, understandable with how scared Ben was to come out. But, accusing someone of molestation is an act that goes beyond Ben's fractured upbringing - that's all on him, not Phil, but him. And the no consequences thing is again all on Phil, while the rest of his family always suffers Karmic retribution - Billy, Roxy, Ronnie, Grant... they've never gotten away with everything like Phil does, and now Ben does. It sends out the wrong message. And what's worse is all those around Phil & Ben prop their actions without any follow through. Jay raved at Ben for a minute, and they're still mates; Shirley continues to support Phil, no matter what he does; Roxy continues to live in Phil's house after what he did to Christian, and she still treats Ben like he never nearly destroyed her BFF's life. Roxy doesn't have to live there; I'm sure it would look better on her custody application if she wasn't living with known criminals! It's this lack of retribution that pisses me off. IA with you that JP is not the problem, the writing is. He's an OK actor, and plays Ben to the best of his ability, but the writing does him no favours. I think it's difficult to compare Charlie Jones and JP as their Ben's are very different. I think the actors can salvage the Masoods - they're not beyond repair, yet. I think they could have waited to bring Amira in, as her scheming with Yusef is so out of character. I'm disappointed that once Christian left, the Syed/Amira story has disappeared. This was one triangle that with the right writing, could have been really good; it could have been so ambiguous, as they all could have been root-able. The main problem with Yusef, IMO, is the bad execution the story began with. The moment Zainab started to fall for Yusef, remembering her old love for him, was the moment this story lost what credibility it had. She never loved him, that's the whole reason why she fell in love with Masood! And then she just decided he didn't set fire to her all those years ago. And now it's a domestic violence story!? I don't care how much Nina Wadia praises the story, the writing still sucks. That was a really good episode, with some funny scenes thrown in between Pat/Billy/Lola. Jo Joiner is rocking the story, but unlike you, I get why she's refusing treatment. She was in "fantasy world" where she thought having treatment meant everything would be fine for everyone, but then her "friend" died, and reality hit her, making her scared and confused. What vexed me is her refusal not to tell anyone; it's so annoyingly dragged out, and really it would have better if Tanya had told her family weeks ago, instead of playing the story in a sensational way by giving her a secret and a reveal. Lauren has improved a lot as a character, and I like that she's gone down that path. Abi did prove that she wasn't a weak character, but lately she's reverted back. And why have they regressed Kat? This part of her story was done with when she and Alfie left in 2005, so why rehash it all again? Is it b/c they've run out of ideas for her? Why hasn't Alfie suggested she see a therapist? I don't know what to make of Alfie giving her permission to sleep around when ever she feels like it. I loved the Janine/Pat scenes last week. No matter how many scenes they have concerning the same subject, the writers always manage to pull something new out of it. It was good to see Janine finally realize that her dad, Frank, was actually a jerk. The bubble has finally burst.

This looks interesting, and not simply reruns; the interviews will be a nice element, and the 2012 previews will be a good way to promote the show during the holidays. ETA: I'm a bit disappointed with the episode selection.

They are Benjy McHugh, Arlo Dean and Gemma (whose last name escapes me). Benjy was Yasmin's brother; Arlo was taken in by Fern and her husband, as was Gemma. Arlo and Gemma dated for a while - he was always getting into trouble, like drug dealing. Gemma went on to being involved in a triangle with Cameron Davenport and Paul (whose name also escapes me). She was all set to marry Paul, until he found out about her affair with Cameron and dumped her at the altar (I think). Paul and Cameron got into a fight and Paul fell from the roof of a building. This is all a bit vague for me. Channel 5 did lots of idents like this around that time - they had one for Sunset Beach, and later on one with Sarah Buxton promoting B&B.

Inside Soap's Producer Session with Bryan Kirkwood. (This is long!) Are you planning to split up Kat and Alfie properly? What fascinates me about Kat is our need to stay truthful to her history - she was sexually abused when she was just 13. She has this empty space deep inside her, and even though she has the happy family life she always wanted, she still has this pain. The main character flaw of Alfie is his refusal to deal with the truth, even in the worst situations. Now that Walford is overrun with strong alpha-males like Tyler, Anthony and Michael, will Kat start to seek comfort elsewhere? As for whether they'll split up... Well, people always say they want a happy ending, but if you think of any big partnership in soap - Stan and Hilda, Jack and Vera, Den and Angie, or Max and Tanya - not one of them had a truly happy marriage. It's the conflict that makes it interesting. Kat and Alfie are two of the stars of the show, so we have big plans. What are your plans for Derek Branning, and will there be a woman in his life? Derek - the big bad brother looming over Carol, Jack and Max - is going to be a big story for 2012. There's a huge amount of history, and his presence will affect everyone in different ways. He has a liaison with Rainie, which is brief and brilliant - and we get to see her as a kind of gangsters moll. But that's just the start - we've got a few surprises up our sleeves as well. Actor Jamie Foreman is a dream come true. We're starting to see a darker side to Jack. Will that develop in the new year? Jack has lost everything this year - and the accident with Amy was for him, more proof that the Mitchell family takes away everything he holds dear. He lost James, and he's not going to let go of Amy easily. It's the kick-off point for a big story with Roxy and Jack, and it reignites the feud between the Mitchells and the Brannings. These are strong clans with something important to fight about, and with Derek and Phil going head-to-head, it's very exciting. Will Denise get a story soon? Absolutely. Denise has been too quiet for too long, and it's one thing I'm sad about. We looked at everything that's happened to Denise during her time in Albert Square, and the one bright moment of happiness she had was with Kevin Wicks. So looking at that - and why that was taken away from her - sparks off the next big story for Denise... Will Heather get a happy ending? It is possible, yes. Andrew Cotton - Rose's loveable son - is coming back to woo Heather. The pair of them are a match made in Heaven - but that's all I'm going to say for the time being! We know there will be a fire at the B&B at Christmas - will that be the climax of the Masood story? Yusef is our Doctor Death - and he has a history where fire is concerned. I'd certainly suggest Zainab doesn't wear a nylon nightie for the next couple of months... The Masood divorce was a shock, and a very sad episode. Will Masood and Zainab ever get back together? There life has been a proper love story, but Yusef has done his worst and gotten away with it so far. There are a lot of cultural reasons why Zainab is drawn to Yusef, because of the shame she brought on herself when she first left him all those years ago. And now she has a choice to make between Yusef and Masood. Lets see which one she chooses! Michael and Janine are a brilliant combination. Is their relationship built to last? Michael and Janine are essentially the same person. They're both people whose personalities were formed at a young age through trauma - and here they are in a relationship. Janine has everything she dreamed off - money, power, and everyone under her thumb - and along comes this tall, dark stranger. But is it true love - or a case of 'be careful what you wish for'? And at Christmas, Janine makes a life-changing discover. Do you think Whitney should be with Tyler? I change my mind every time I see Whitney in a scene with Fat Boy or with Tyler. I think she has a big decision to make. Which is the right decision for her? I hope the viewers are shouting their opinions at the TV. Pat is leaving Walford soon - so do you feel it's your responsibility to give a character like that a good send-off? It was the worst possible news when we found out, but I respect Pam St Clement's decision to go. She's had 25 fantastic years, and is one of the biggest characters in EastEnders, so yes, Pat's exit from the show is an enormous responsibility. We looked long and hard at other exits for other big characters, like Peggy and Pauline, and thought, 'what haven't we really done before? What's big, epic, and fitting for someone of Pat's stature?' There won't be a dry eye in the house when Pat departs. We hear Wicksy and David are coming back. Can we assume it's for Pat's funeral? Don't assume anything! I love all the speculation about Pat's exit storyline. I'll confirm just one thing for now: David Wicks will be back for Pat's exit. And that's all I'm saying. Is Peggy coming back to say goodbye to Pat? Peggy's on a cruise unfortunately, so won't be able to make it back in time, which is a terrible shame. Seriously though - much as it's brilliant to see old characters back for events, they've got to have a role and purpose. That's what David Wicks has. You can't just bring Barbara Windsor back and just give her two lines in someone else's story. There is a danger of it being more about old characters returning, than saying goodbye to Pat in a fitting way. Bianca and Ricky are back soon. What can we expect? We've missed Patsy Palmer's warmth on the show, and I'm really delighted she's back where she belongs. Sadly, Sid Owen is only back for a short while, as he has other commitments, so it looks like it might be the end for Ricky and Bianca when the past comes back to haunt them. But we have a surprise for Bianca - Morgan's dad will turn up. He'll be played by Footballers' Wives Chucky Venn, who was great in that show. (Note: if he's who I think he is, he was as wooden as hell.) The baby switch dominated the start of the year. Do you think EastEnders went too far? Part of my job is to find stories that haven't been told before, and that only gets more difficult. When the baby-swap story was pitched in our story meeting, it sparked off the most fantastic debate. That told me it was a story worth telling. But we may have made a few mistakes - I think we misjudged the level of grief the viewers were prepared to see. However, I stand by out decision to do the story - I loved it, and millions of viewers enjoyed it, too. Will Sharon return? My answer whenever this particular question came up always used to be that Ronnie Branning filled the role of 'quivery-lipped blonde' in Albert Square. But Ronnie has gone now, hasn't she? Lola is pregnant with Ben's child - what is that going to mean for her? This is EastEnders doing what it does best and tackling an important social issue. Lola is the product of the care system, and so were Billy and Julie. So we're telling a story about the cycle of care - a story that started with Billy all those years ago - and the effect that's had to their lives. Lola is 15, pregnant, and doesn't take it at all seriously to begin with. But she will have to grow up when reality bites. We took a real punt on Danielle Harold, who hasn't had a lot of experience, but is doing great. The show has a rich history of taking in inexperienced actors, and turning them into stars, and I think Danielle is one of them. We saw another side to Kim in light of her HIV scare. Will you delve deeper into her character, or do you want to keep her for the fun stuff? Tameka Empson has been one of the best things on screen this year. Her CCTV footage of her robbing the Minute Mart has got to be a favourite moment since I've been here. We're giving Kim a big story that will really test her mettle. She'll get mixed up with Ray - Morgan's dad - and we'll see what happens when someone matches Kim's confidence and calls her bluff. She's got this enormous comedy façade, which we think is all a cover for quite a sensitive woman. But we won't lose the laughs. Will Peter and Lucy Beale ever return? You'll be seeing Lucy back much sooner than you think. Lucy will be back in the new year to stir things up in Walford. She really doesn't like what she finds when she returns home. Her dad has now replaced the woman she saw as her mother - Jane - with some gobby stripper called Mandy. So that's going to be the next big trauma in Ian's life - the battle between Lucy and Mandy. What happens next with Max and Tanya? Max is back and taking care of Tanya as she battles cervical cancer. But there's an unforeseen drama on the horizon, as the pressure of the last few months takes its toll in Lauren in quite a dramatic way. It's time for Jacqueline Jossa's Lauren to take centre stage. You've said that soap couples don't get happy endings. Is that true for Christian and Syed? With Christian and Syed, we have a couple in which the audience has an incredible emotional investment in. And they are unique as EastEnders characters as they have never cheated on each other. But it's a question of keeping their relationship interesting, of giving them conflicts. There will always be new challenges for them. Could Alfie be Tommy's dad? I have had this conversation with Shane Ritchie a lot. The answer is no! Tommy is Michael's boy, not Alfie's. What sort of Christmas can we expect this year? Explosive! Christmas this year is going to be like nothing we've seen before. We have two enormous stories that peak over Christmas and the New Year period, and there will be loads of twists and turns. I'm loving the speculation. Is Jean ever going to find a man and settle down? Jean is such a treasure to us. She has a bipolar story at Christmas which reminds us that Jean is a truly vulnerable woman, and also reminds us of the love in that household as Kat and Alfie look after her. After that, we have some great ideas on the table for Jean. But as for love, you'll have to wait and see. Will we ever see Poppy and Jodie again? We may see Poppy pop up as I'm a big fan of Rachel Bright and the character, but Kylie Babbington (Jodie) is keen to pursue other roles. And with Kim, Jean and Janine, we have lots of comic value. We work hard to keep the fun in - there has to be light amongst the dark.

I don't really like Ben's story, as he's a pretty unlikeable character, and he's written in such a messy way that I don't feel sorry for him, or anything really. He lurches from one nasty act to another, with some nice scenes thrown in for good measure, trying to show us that he's not all bad. There's never any consequences to his actions, or development of his character; it's just the same 'ol same 'ol story rehashed. And the Christian "twist" is the worst so far - it's so unnecessary. I'm sick of seeing Christian's character victimised by violence b/c he's gay (Qadim's thugs and now the aftermath of Ben's lie, and I'm sure he was gay-bashed a couple of years ago), not to forget that they've been here before with Steven Beale. On a side note: I've always thought it should have been Syed who got beat up by Qadim's thugs instead of Christian - that would have made more sense, as Qadim would have gone after him to avenge his daughter. The continuity in the Yusef story is terrible. They brought back Amira, and suddenly she's lost her brain after one meeting with Yusef. They actually had a good set-up with Christian/Syed/Amira, as you can see all the sides to the story as no-one is truly in the wrong, but by involving Dr. Evil, it has tainted that triangle and turned it into something it didn't need to be. The Yusef story could have been awesome, but due to the shoddy plotting, pacing and continuity with character's personalities, that has let it down. It's still entertaining for the most part, but a lot of the time it's difficult to suspend one's disbelief. Not feeling the moronic Moons and the Jodie/Poopy stuff; I don't get why they never got rid of Jodie when they axed Vanessa and Darren, instead of axing her a couple of months later. Not much to say about Tanya's story, as it doesn't get played much. I am enjoying the show without Alfie & Kat, who had become especially annoying before they left for their Spanish vacation.

OK, I did what a lot of people have done, and tuned into the show for the Silas story. There seemed to be enough buzz around it, that I decided to check it out for myself - and it's actually pretty awesome. I haven't watched the show properly for about 6 months during the whole Tony/Mandy relationship back in 2004/2005(? (domestic violence/Grace's death/Toby Mills...)), so I was quite surprised to see how good this story actually is. Karen Hassan and Jeff Rawle have been awesome, and without that level of acting, the story may not have been as good. But, the rest of the show isn't that interesting at all. The new Freshers suck; they're pretty boring, and represent one of the things that annoys me about this show: they have a lot of scenes that consist of dialogue that means nothing; the Gaz/blonde girl/Liverpudlian chick/ and the kid named after Bart Simpson are boring and annoying, and even though I like some of the other characters there doesn't seem to be much left after Silas to keep me watching. And I wonder how many of the viewers the show has gained feel the same? Like all big storylines on a low rated soap, they only seem to profit on the short term, but never in the long term. I've always wanted to know this: why does the show only film with one camera? They seemed to have always filmed like this, but I wonder why they don't upgrade to 2 cameras, saving them time and money and allowing them to use the cast better?

I don't know whether SW chose to leave - I'll wait to see what the press statement says. Emilia should have stayed, but it all depends on where the story goes. The best option is to kill Michael off, as I can't see him abandoning his daughter for anything. I thought the Kennedys would be the first choice, and that is predictable, but I guess it would allow Tash to get to know them and interact with others. There really are no other options really. Sadly, you are right: Lucas/Tash/Emilia could have been a family unit in #32.

So far, I'm enjoying Gypsy being back. I loved her in the 90s, and I'm loving her now. I quite like that she's causing friction for April, as Gypsy is oblivious to it. I like her scenes with Irene, Bianca, Colleen, and Liam - they have chemistry. I hope she's staying for a while to flesh all these relationships out. She's certainly a breath of fresh air. I'm disappointed Miles is leaving, as he and Leah were just starting to work for me, and it feels like Leah is going to lose another guy and be left all alone again. It's starting to get to the point where it's a problem for her character. It's also sad that Sally's last family link will be gone from the show, but I'm not as fussed about that as others are. I think I'll miss him, as he is a little quirky and different from the other men on the show.

Inside Soap have started their producer interviews again, so here's ED's Stuart Blackburn, which is basically the same 'ol same 'ol. I'll type as much as I can until I get bored. Which of your storylines have you been most proud of this year? There are three that I'm most proud of: Holly's drug addiction, Lisa's rape, and the Aaron and Jackson assisted suicide plot, which was so powerful on screen. Aaron's journey wasn't just about him coming out as a gay man, but his relationship with Jackson and the assisted suicide. It caused us many sleepless nights, but I think we were right to play it - it was a superb storyline challenge. The Dingles are often seen as the comic relief of the show. Are pleased with the way they've handled some serious plots recently? It's good to see the Dingles do something serious, as it reminds people what good actors they are. Lisa's rape story was hard to tell, but it's a tragedy that affects so many women and so many families. Lisa as a character - and Jane Cox as an actress - was the right person to play that story with. I think the most moving scene was when Lisa told Belle about the assault, and it was clear Belle knew what she was saying. What made you decide to shake up Laurel and Ashley's marriage? Soap is always about finding the human drama. I'm sure many of our audience have been in a relationship and had feelings for another person. Laurel, Ashley and Marlon all have good hearts, so it seemed this journey would be more watchable than an ordinary affair. Laurel would never see herself as a cheater, which makes it interesting. There'll come a point when Ashley and Marlon will have to decide if they'll fight the woman they both want. Which storyline is generating the most viewer reaction? It's the storyline with Sarah. Your child being ill with a potentially life-threatening condition is every family's worst nightmare. This is a story about a mother's love and what she'll do to save her child. And it's clearly touching the hearts of many, as they've been telling us so. Nicola and Jimmy are a favourite couple - do they have a future? I don't think it's ever going to be easy for them - not ever! Nicola doesn't forgive easily, so it's a testament to how much she loves Jimmy that she was able to put his involvement with Kelly Windsor, behind them. I want to keep them together, but there will be the odd challenge along the way. Have you had any audience feedback that's surprised you? I'm delighted with the reception Rachel has had. It normally takes months for a new character to be excepted, but she's fitted in so well. That's because she's tough, a working-class girl with a gob on her. People except she's not a clichéd troublemaker - she has a heart and she's vulnerable. Which character would you most like to bring back? Frank Tate - but I can't because he's dead. He was so grounded and working-class. I thought he was one of the truest characters around. Is their any sort of character you feel is missing from Emmerdale? We've been lacking a strong and powerful woman who has money and clout. But, we're bringing her in with the arrival of Megan Macey, played by Gaynor Faye. Having a family at Home Farm, however dysfunctional always works - but I don't want to replace the Macey clan because I love the stuff Jason Merrells has done with Declan. Some of it has been really heartbreaking. But bringing in Declan's sister will really stir things up. So what can we expect from Megan? She's an incredibly strong and confident woman who won't allow herself to be used by men - or anyone. Megan is very competitive and will keep Declan on his toes. She'll have the likes of Charity and Chas rolling around with laughter - but then half an hour later she'll shaft them. And she'll do it with a smile on her face saying, "it's only business, love!" When it comes to commitment, Megan would normally run a mile - but when lots of people in the village tell her not to go near Carl, it's like a red rag to bull. Is Katie on to a good thing with Declan? They're such an odd couple but they make sense. Katie likes the older, more complicated man, but one thing she's learnt is that she's not going to be messed around again. Katie's going in with her eyes wide open this time, and will challenge Declan every step of the way. Why did you make the decision to kill Mia Macey off screen? I did that to challenge Declan's beliefs - because the way he deals with problems is to turn his back on them. Ella was a problem so he sent her away. His dad was a problem, so he turned his back. He couldn't cope with looking at Mia because he wasn't her natural father. It felt like there had to be real consequences for that - and we also wanted to test his friendship with Jai. Charity wants to better herself by marrying Jai, but she's a schemer at heart. Can she change? Charity's trying to put her compulsive desire to be in destructive relationships behind her. But she's easily bored. She also wants her piece of Jai's success. So Charity hasn't gone soft, she's still as hard as nails. Will Cain get his comeuppance? There will be a big showdown with Cain and the Sharmas - and pretty much the whole village. Cain's one true love - aside from Debbie and Sarah - is Charity, and he'll do anything to stop her marrying Jai. The storm clouds are gathering at the moment, and the big question leading up to Christmas is: has Cain gone to far this time? Are Gennie and Nikhil meant to be together? I hope so. They make the oddest couple in the world, and it's never going to be easy for them. Nikhil can never seem to do the right thing, and that's upsetting for Gennie - she'll have a lot to deal with if they get together. Which character would you like to put in the spotlight next? Chas is going to have a big storyline that starts around the New Year and slowly develops. Lucy pargeter is a brilliant actress and Chas is a great character. Behind the teeth and the boobs, there's someone whole will carry a great story. We're going to challenge her beliefs and principles, and to test her relationship she has with her family is a big way. Hazel's exit is coming up - what's in store for her? It's going to be tired to her relationship with Aaron. The door will be left open for Pauline Quirke. There's still a deep sadness about Jackson, and deep guilt from Hazel. Hazel has a massive responsibility towards Aaron, as his story continues, and if she's honest, he could be her surrogate son. It's about whether Aaron and Hazel can move on from Jackson's death while they're both still living in the village. Amy's pregnancy plot has been fantastic. ( - it has?!) Will she come to the point where she can cope with motherhood? Poor Amy will have to make the biggest decision of her life as we approach Christmas. We're heading for an emotional, heartbreaking and soul-searching time for her. And Cain isn't exactly helpful along the way! Emmerdale celebrates its 40th anniversary next year. What would be your dream way to mark the occasion? We're hoping to do something very different that redefines our new modern Emmerdale. I want every story we play to be big, powerful and emotional. I want to find a way to give every character a voice and a role. I want 2012 to have the best storylines the show has ever had. That's a start - and the rest will be unveiled shortly! Viewer Questions: Is Gaynor Faye going to change her accent? No, we're saying Megan is Declan's half-sister. They may have spent time together, but she's changed and was brought up in a different part of the country. We know about Declan's dysfunctional background already. Ella Hart was amazing - please bring her back. There are no plans for her to return at the moment. I loved her - she was like the Southern belles of the 40s and 50s American plays. If you could steal a character from another show, who would you choose? Norris from Corrie, and Dot from EastEnders. It's brilliant that Emmerdale has brought in a realistic lesbian couple with Ali and Ruby, rather than young, attractive girls to grab ratings. What's in store for them? I love that their sexuality isn't the story. For Ali, it's a Shirley Valentine story - she'd been married for 14 or 15 years and fell in love with a woman. For Ruby, she fell in love with Ali, but not the idea of being a step-mum. The stakes are high for them.

Seriously? I'm stunned. I thought Michael would be safe simply b/c of Tash, who will now become a random character needing to move into another household she's never properly interacted with. And I'm also surprised about Emilia, who I thought they might keep on, too, especially if Michael were to leave, as he is. Just bizarre. I am happy they're keeping Tash. I just hope they don't get rid of Lucas, Jade, Kyle, Lou, Sonya, Chris... and seriously consider keeping Aidan and Libby.

Anything over a million is good in Australia, as their rating system is based on the 5 metropolitan cities - Sydney/Melbourne/Perth/Adelaide/Brisbane. I guess it's not as accurate as it could be, as anyone not in these cities doesn't get counted? I'd say Neighbours has always been more popular in the UK than Oz, but probably more evenly matched during the 80s/early 90s. H&A has always been more popular in Oz, especially in comparison to Neighbours, and the ratings it gets in the UK now barely hit 1 million - the show lost a substantial amount of viewers in 2009, and has never recovered since - but the show continues to perform well in Oz. It's quite sad to see how far these shows have fallen in terms of public support, but I guess it's their own fault for churning out dire material during their latter years.

This is another story that doesn't ring true: first Laurel & Marlon, now Moira & Cain! Way to trash a good character, Emmerdale. (I'm referring to Moira here, BTW.)

Thanks Carl, but I'm all good now. Apparently, it's extremely rare to be allergic to antihistamines, b/c they are the "cure" that is usually administered for allergic reactions. What vexes me the most is the know-it-all attitudes from some medical staff who believe they know best and refuse to listen to the patient. 'Oh, he can't possibly be allergic to the cure - lets give him a double dose just to make sure...' *Nearly flatlines in the process.* To make it all worse, I was then allergic to the steroids they prescribed to help combat the first reaction!

It's been over a month since I posted in here, and it's not b/c I'd forgotten, Ed, but b/c I was really sick - I had an allergic reaction to antihistamines, and was in hospital, and then I had to catch up on study and stuff. The show has moved forward since then (obviously), and I'm loving it. Sometimes I think they could do with a really big story, as there has been a couple of weeks that have been kinds sleepy, and I guess I really wish they would just push the storylines to their brink (avoid the safe options, as this show really loves to play it safe and not offend). What are you thoughts on the direction of the K's story? How about the Mal/Jade thing? Or the Sophie/Noah/Kate triangle and what will happen with that? Are you enjoying the development story? I think it's a combination of the actors and the writing. I think Tash has been received better than Michael, who has had poor writing. He started off slow, introducing the character, not giving him his own story off the bat, but that introduction phase felt like it never ended. And that has been a big problem for his character. I read people saying that he doesn't feel real, or doesn't feel like a proper character, and that's b/c of the bad writing. He was left to play second fiddle for so long, he nearly went stale. Rebecca really helped to developed him a bit, but it never lasted b/c he doesn't interact with no-one bar Tash. And Michael's never ending beach scenes are so tiresome that they do not do the character any favours. Tash is stronger, but that's more of a recent thing, IMO, as they have finally developed her. I love her relationship with Chris/Andrew/Summer post-near drowning, and her dynamic with Michael is better, but they still lack chemistry. Although, Valentina Novakovic has upped her acting, and is much more natural now - less ropey, IMO. I think the show would miss Tash's archetype; she fills a certain void that was missing when Izzy and Nicola left. Right now, I think the show would miss Tash. Michael not so much, but I wouldn't want them to ship him off and replace him w/ Emilia, as one of the issues is that the Williams don't work all that well with just the two of them, they need more players to flesh them out. I think Michael needs a love interest, and needs to interact with everyone else a lot more. Odd scenes with Lucas and Paul aren't enough; they need to build sold friendships between him and everyone else, so when he's in need, or is hanging out with the guys, he doesn't seem like a spare part. Plus, without Libby, he's down a character. I also don't think Sandy Winton is a bad actor; he does the best he can with the material he's given. ITA on your points about Michael spending too much time worrying about Tash. That has hurt his character a lot, but he was introduced in 2010 during a time when adults played second to the teens in their life. I believe the younger actors do see Neighbours as a stepping stone, and not as a show they could see themselves staying on long term. But that’s the nature of society, and the pull that is Hollywood. The show isn’t what it used to be, so it’s unlikely to advance their careers like it did for their predecessors. How do you think they handled the friends with benefits story? Has any other soap done this story before? I don’t mean one-night-stands or anything like that, but an actual arrangement for casual sex. Has her secret been revealed yet at Oz pace? I think that Kyle & Jade stayed in character throughout the Michelle story, but it just so happened to highlight their negative points. What I didn’t like about it was how everyone else just excepted it as normal behaviour, instead of saying something. I didn’t mind Michelle, although she could be very annoying at times. I’ve noticed that they’ve been introducing new characters very slowly, almost to the point where they look like they’re day players. I guess, I prefer this to shoving them down out throats where we are meant to care, but never do. Granted, this is too slow, but it’s something that I don’t mind compared to the alternative. I quite like Rhys; he works with Jade and Kyle, but I wish Ben Barber would inject some charisma into his performances. I wonder if they’re thinking about him as a love interest for Libby if/when she returns? LOL - the red light district! Interesting would be one way of describing it. I suppose you can move into translation as a direct use of the language. Not really sure what else you could do with it… Ooh, write a German script. LOL. Knowing characters is important, but so is knowing the structure of a script. Investing in a couple of screenwriting books would be good, like Story and Save the Cat! And watch lots of films. Steph did lack direction for what seemed quite awhile. I loved the Jay story. I thought they did the bushfire and the aftermath really well, but it was Steph’s aftermath at the hands of Pyromaniac Jay that let it down. They had the opportunity to really develop Steph, but after a pep talk from Libby, Steph was back to normal in a matter of episodes. I found the outcome of the K/S/J story quite in character for Susan (although I missed her leaving episode as I was in hospital, and haven‘t bothered to catch up), although I would have liked a slower build up to the Jim/Susan friendship. It probably would have been better if they hadn’t of been total strangers to begin with. I think Jackie’s holiday time hasn’t helped, as this is one story that relies on Susan’s reaction, and having her off screen stewing or going through the motions is not as affective as her being on screen showing her this. We need to understand more of Susan’s POV. I hope they explain what’s going on with her much better upon her return. I guess it gave them a chance to have scenes between Summer/Karl which I liked, but Andrew’s flyaway attitude towards it all is very telling of how they’ve structured the teens vs. adults on the show. I’m missing Libby so much more now, especially as you can see what her role would have been in the K/S/J story and the Michael/Tash story. And with the news about Kate/Noah, I would love to have had Libby recount her own experiences with Taj and why that happened. Pete McTighe would be an awesome EP, but it appears SB is here to stay. She has a think skin when it comes to criticism. That survey could have been better, and again it was all. About. The. Teens.

Sad news folks... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15320895

They are awesome, Ed. Really nice. They all do seem like really nice people and appreciative of your time to write to them. LG seems so nice, and she has beautiful hand writing. @ You doing the cliché thing in thinking the actor would be like his character! Tsk, tsk! Which actors are elusive to get? B/c I don;t really watch the any more, I can't really comment. But, when I do watch an episode, it does hold my interest, but never enough to make me want to watch the next one. My love of the show has drained, and I feel like the H&A I grew up with is no longer around. It's like from 2009 the shows DNA changed for the worse. I was so surprised to read that Heath was not supposed to be permanent and he was going to leave early on. I'm glad they changed their mind, as that would have been a mistake and pretty pointless. He's still on recurring though, which is not good. From what I've seen I do like Charlie & Brax, but I've not seen enough to form a logical opinion, like you. The storm sounds disappointing, and a minor character dying was predictable. But, it did translate into ratings, so I'm sure that's all they care about. It has been bugging me ever since I read that Gypsy was returning to support Irene through her cancer ordeal, b/c Irene has two children of her own who aren't dead, and it would be nice if they actually remembered that Finlay and Damien do exist, and something like this would be perfect in bringing them back. I saw Kelly for the first time the other day, when she and Xavier went horse riding; they seem cute together, and Kelly is likeable. Shame she'd not staying. However, everytime I read something about the show, Xavier is always in mortal danger - car accident, being bashed over the head, surfing accident... you name it, he's involved! I do like Colleen, but I feel her place in the show has been lost. It feels like they struggle to think of stories for the vets - Alf, Morag, Leah, Colleen, Irene... granted, Irene has her first proper story in years, and they make sure they do things for Alf, but the others suffer a lot, and Leah always feels like she's going around in circles.

Her exit is long over due. As you say, they never bothered to develop her, and so she became tiresome quite quickly.

Wow, major long letter from Steve! Don't think I've ever seen such a lengthy reply to a fan before. I guess DJR has a back log, or is just lazy. What did he say about the TV writing, if you don't mind me asking? Also, I get the impression that all the Braxton Bros are really nice guys in RL. Dan Ewing always comes across as nice, and so does Steve; they don;t have big egos, or aren't divos. ETA: Have you been watching the show recently? I've only caught the odd episode, but was just wondering what you think of it now. Was the storm any good?

http://www.channel5.com/shows/neighbours/news/have-your-say-on-neighbours-survey There's a new survey up at C5's page, asking for thoughts and opinions on the show, which apparently will be used to shape the future of the show. From what I can tell, it's not limited to anywhere specific, as the country options are Australia, UK and elsewhere. So, I assume open to International viewers (non-UK).

Seeing as no-one has mentioned it, Michelle Ryan will not be returning. There's a story on DS about it for those that want a link. I don't think she's needed at all. It would be nice if they remembered that Kat has already had a daughter, as they do play it like she's never had a child before.

No need to appologise, Ed. I get it - if you're busy, you're busy, and posting these "War & Peace" entries are time consumming. I love the direction of Jade and Kyle, and Tash, but not so much Michael. I've not been a fan of his no parenting idea, as that's a real irrisponsible thing to do, and he comes across childish. It's like he's completely blind to Tash's low self esteem and low confidence in herself; but to be fair, she does know how to put on a facade, so not entirely his fault, but after her reasons for hooking up w/ Ivan and the sexting, and then the grafity, he should be able to see how troubled she is, and refusing to parent her, refusing to be her father, is the wrong path to take. This story just highlights how much of a drip he is. I've talked about Tash before and how the show handles her, but I think they've just slightly veered off the map with the execution of her pychological problems, as her antics/actions don't always explore her inner demons as well as what they could. Those guys labelling her a "prawn" - keep the body, ditch the head - was really harsh for Neighbours. Although this cyber bullying story hasn't really been done right, as it would have been more logical if she was being called out for being easy, or a slut or something, not for being ugly, as she's certainly not that! Michael is bland, and his main problem is that he doesn't really work as his own character. What made him good before was Rebecca, and then when he has scenes with Lucas, even Libby, Paul, and to a degree, Tash, but give him his own story, and there's nothing there. He comes alive around other characters, but not on his own, and his relationship with Tash lacks chemestry. Sometimes you see it, and then other times you can tell Sandy and Valentina don't hang out much to form a close bond that can influence their screen partnership. It's something that has happened over the last few years, where the younger set don't seem to have much of a bond with their on screen parents (bar Declan/Rebecca, Zeke/Rachel/the Ks), and you can see that on screen. Usually actors build a good friendship with those they work closest to, and Valentina never talks about Sandy, and Jordan Smith never talks about Stefan, yet both Kym and Ryan have always talked highly of Jackie and Alan, as does Ryan and Eve about Morgan Baker, and even the Scully girls talked about how close they were to Janet, and their whole family unit. Do you see what I mean, Ed? I've been loving the development of Jade's character, as she was freaking out about telling Kyle how she feels about him. She's letting that fear rule her, and I think that's relatable for a lot of people. Those feelings are new, but I do think a lot of how she sees men is lnked to a bad experience in the past. She's also jealous of Kate, but not in an obvious way, as she hides it behide her dislike for talking about feelings, and doing "girl talk". I've not liked the one-night-stand "drama", as it has been blown out of all proportions by Kate, and this is why she annoys me, and a lot of people. The f*ck buddy story should be coming up soon for UK pace, and I'm so intrigued to see how this is handled on screen. "Housemates with benefits" is a play on the term "friends with benefits" that they've used in the past with Lucas & Libby. What do you think of Michelle Tran? I quite like her as a guest character breezing in and causing oblivious trouble. I see Rhys will be taking her place in #24; I wonder how he will fit in with that dynamic? You certainly travel around! Is an Erasmus year only for language students? Was that part of your degree, or something you applied for separetly? What you made study German? Do have career plans in mind that will work with that degree? Sorry for the 20 questions! That was a typo, as I meant short course. I used to watch Doctors, but I got bored with it. I actually think the show is a bit like a blank canvas in a way, as it feels like it could be so much more. It a good show for new writers. You should check out the BBC Writer's page for more details. I mention software, b/c it makes writing scripts a lot easier, but if you're only doing it as a hobby, then I guess I can see why you may not want to invest in software. Shame we can't just move out to Melbourne, like yesterday. I loved Chloe & Darcy, especially how oblivious he was to the age gap, and what people were assuming. Do you remember the home invasion? And when Darcy was attacked by Chloe's daughter Jordan? I don;t remember why the slpit up, but I think it had to do with Jordan, as I'm sure it was Chloe who left Darcy heartbroken. They didn't really connect the dots where Steph's devorce was concerned. There was a lot of aftermath left untouched with Steph, and how she dealt with her marriage breakdown, and bascially her whole world. That had a knock on effect with her choices she made, especially with whole Greg/Veronica thing; where it left her with Elle and Paul, who were responsible for Max's breakdown, even her friendship with Libby. They could have played up a lot more envy from her in regard to Libby & Dan, and the mess that Libby made of things, and how far back her hatred of Paul went. You give a very thoughtful discription of where Steph was emotionally, and a reason for her motives. I think Steph made it clear that she wasn't in love with Toadie, but loved him as a best friend. Playing up her loneliness would have been good. I was so disappionted with the follow up to her experience with pyro Jay, who had left her psychologically scarred, yet it was all swept under the carpet after a week. I believe b/c they never connected the dots and fully explored her reasons, that a lot of the time it felt like Steph simply moved from one plot to the next, without any real plan, when the incridents were all there, they just weren't being mixed properly. 2005-2007 was more about OTT storylines with bad executions or lame ass climaxes. There was of course out of character behaviour, but it wasn't like that was the driving force; you could see that the stories did in some way go with the characters - there were excepts of course, like Sky getting her skank on and having a who's the daddy story with 3 men. Boyd cheating was another one. It stands out as being so terrible b/c it didn't go with his character at all; it was like watching his evil twin parade around town. ETC would have stayed around a lot longer if her on screen family had stayed. The same with Pippa Black in a way, as all of her friends had left the show, and a new guard had entered, and that change in environment can be difficult to bare. Sky and Boyd were a good couple, but I think it was quite realitic that they didn't end up together but stayed as best friends. Sky and Dylan should have been end game, but they were trashed, and that was sad. I'm sure they've hinted that they've reunited off screen and that her off screen baby is Dylan's? Boyd would work, but what would be his story? I think he would work well for Kate, as she seems his type (the general look). He would be good for Summer to beef up her family connections, too. Max, I don;t think is needed. We have Michael sort of filling his role, and there isn't much for him to do at all. I can't really think what you could with Max, as his story is played out. I think the S/J/K story works b/c of the writing. There isn't much more you can do with them as a couple, per se, but has certainly given them soething to do. I like that you can see both sides, even though Susan is in the wrong, you understand why; Jim Dolan is also a good character, and actor, and this story with him is so sad. (What is with all the cancer stories in soaps right now?) It has also opened up a rivalry between Karl and Rhys, adding another dynamic to the story, which I quite like. Mal is clearly taking over Libby's role, but he has nothing to really do. They've brought him back without giving him a story of his own, thinking he doesn't need it. At the moment he's a spare part. Susan Bower really has to think outside of the box with returnees, but everyone is so busy praising her for bringing Mal, back that no-one is critisicing her for the poor writing. He had half a scene with Toadie, and he did have one with Lou, but really they need to give him scenes with Toadie where he simply reminises about the past. I would like to see Mal being introduced to Sonya and Callum, and retelling old embarrassing stories about Toadie to them. I think he's back more b/c Libby is abcent. I also think that Susan Bower likes the idea of returnees, but doesn't like to devote too much time to them when they do return; it's easy to throw in names from the past, than it is to develop them again. I liked the direction they were taking Libby. I thought it was all very identifiable, with her feeling like she should be somewhere where she is not, like all of her ideas and grand plans have come to nothing, and she's achieved nothing, but lost a lot. I think that's very real for people nowadays, and I can relate to those feelings, especially when you hit a certain age, or are approaching a certain age, and you feel you should be achieving more than what you have done. Presure from society, from yourself. I hope they expand on that when she returns, but at the same time, I know most viewers will be vexed if Libby hasn't moved on off screen. And yeah, I do miss her; I miss her presence, as I feel she brought something that is missing right now. I think that would be a good idea to leave Sky for a few years, as she doesn't really fit into the show right now. Not sure I'd buy them returning b/c they want to raise their children in nice neighbourhood, considering family was very important to both of them. I'd probably make it more job related. Although, I could see Sky wanting to be nearer to her familt home, and Dylan dragging his feat. Dee's exit was of her and Toadie friving off a cliff just after they were married. You saw the car go over and hit the water, with a stunt doll in Dee's place, complete with blonde wig blowing in the wind. It's a very infamous scene that should be on YT. I'll later for it. It was a very tragic end to the popular couple of Toadie & Dee. I didn't mind Marc, but he wasn't right for Steph or Flick, even though he suited the latter more. He was best as a guest, serving up trouble, and moving on. I never really bought Marc being in love with either Steph or Flick. As Dion said, that was Matt Hancock. He was one of the better characters out of that mess of a family. He and Maggie probably worked the best.

I never liked Connor's exit. They decided to go the mystery route, and leave you thinking psycho Rob had killed him, and at first it was OK, but then a week later it was revealed that he was living in China, and had simply dropped his wallet in Ramsay Street!? WTF? It never made any sense, as Connor's last scene was of him discovering that Cameron was really his evil twin brother Robert, and Rob grabbed a hold of him in a menacing way, saying he can't let him leave. And no follow up or nothing. Connor would never just leave his friends in danger like that. it was so bizarre. That Serena was not the same Serena Bishop that died in the plane crash. She was some chick who Darcy fancied, but I think she was dodgy in some way... oh, she was stealing prescriptions I think. Darcy was a doctor, and he used to run a General Practice with Karl; they used to clash quite often, due to Darcy's reckless behaviour. They worked well together. At one point, Darcy was scheming to sell the surgery out from under Karl to some large corporation, which Karl was furious with when he discovered Darcy's plot. Later on, the surgery exploded, trapping Karl, and Darcy had to rescue him. Karl had to trust him, and Darcy had to prove himself. I miss Darcy. Susan had that long hair right up until she got retrograde amnesia. When she was in teenage mode, she got it cut, but it was a gradual change, as she only cut it to shoulder length. It wasn't until later on that she way even shorter (and this was post-amnesia). That Toadie story draws a blank, as I don't remember a Mark (there's been a few!). The blonde woman must be Dee - great character, and her and Toadie made a wonderful couple. Shame Madeline West wanted to leave, but she did one hell of an exit. The man Steph is dating is Marc Lambert, I think. And those opening credits were the short lived pink theme, that most viewers hated, so they quickly changed them to a more suitable style. The arrangement in those were weird, and the whole concept was just wrong.

I liked Lance. I've said before that I loved the whole Toadie/Lance/Joel set-up, and they did try to recreate that dynamic with Toadie/Connor/Stuart and it did work in a lot of ways. Lance worked well with T&J and he had great chemistry with Amy - they were a very well defined and a popular pairing. In fact, it's a Neighbours theme to pair up an average looking guy/geeky/nerdy guy with a hot girl, giving the message that anyone can bag a hot girl, as beauty is in the eye of the beholder (they've done this many times before and the pairings have always been popular). I was disappointed when they had Amy cheat off screen on Lance, but I think this was all b/c Amy was leaving the show. I'm not sure about Andrew Bibby, but I would say he quit, as quite a lot of his cast mates had left (Billy, Anne, Amy, Ruth, Phil, Hannah), but it could have been a mutual decision as his stories were starting to dry up. I did love the scene they did for the 20th anniversary when Lance met Connor, and the two were put out at how similar they both were. Lance was jealous that Toadie had replaced him with a copy-cat, and Connor was threatened by Lance and Toadie's past. LOL. I remember that episode, Carl, where Alana wanted to change her name to Uhura. A lot of people didn't like Lance's Seven Labours of Love story, but I look back on it quite fondly, even though I do remember at the time how some aspects of it were a little boring.

I remember reading that. It was like, "I could make any character a drug addict..." or something. It's not like every character is gonna be believable as a drug addict - Edna, Marlon, Ashley, Adam, etc. They're playing it as Cain not wanting to have any baby that isn't with Charity, b/c they're, like, soul-mates or something. I remember the Jasmine story, and Cain wanted the baby. They should have had it the other way around with Amy wanting to abort and Cain forcing her not to. Actually, Amy shouldn't exist. Period.

It was. I liked their relationship a lot. I think Paul saw Dylan as a bit of a surrogate son, and in some ways, saw a part of himself in Dylan. I can only assume you're talking about Sky. I wouldn't exactly describe her as chubby - Ed will not be happy! Just to be clear, Sky was Harold's granddaughter - is she the sullen girl you refer to? I wasn't that taken with the story. I thought it was quite predictable, and I never really bought Boyd's sudden devotion to her and that baby. Plus, Kayla wasn't that interesting. And it wasn't a surrogacy story, as the baby was Kayla's bio child, who she ended up raising with her baby daddy, anyway. It was all pointless in the grand scheme of things. You can't say you don't learn anything! I just wish I could write actual essays as easily as I write these mammoth posts.