Ben

Maybe it will be brilliantly written and produced, but ultimately, it will be a grim exit for a character that deserves some kind of positive exit. Why must Janice been reduced to fearing for her safety? Why can't she leave on a semi-happy note? Why must everything be dark? (And I love dark stories when there in the right place, and when the show has varying shades.) Molly's funeral was disappointing, and I lost interest. Sally running out wasn't right, and I can't help being reminded of her numerous adulterous affairs, which I wonder why Kevin doesn't mention. Also, I hated the reaction Rita got, when everyone found out she was trapped under the rubble, and no-one cared to go see if she was OK. Instead, Steve cuts in to toast to the death bed wedding! And Nick goes into the pub, leaving the old people to run across the street to get help!? Insensitive and ridiculous.

All the good is tainted by all the mistakes that hack, Susan Bower, constantly churns out. That article is spot on, when Jenny Lewis says that the only way the show will move forward, is when Bower is willing to acknowledge her own mistakes. Every bit of negativity that is thrown at the show, Bower will put on a disillusioned positive spin, like it's all not really happening. Basically, she has zero clue as to what the show is about, and where its heart lies, and without this basic knowledge, she's constantly screwing the show over. Her version of family friendly is childish, immature, mediocre and twee; her desire to be edgy is character destroying. She doesn't want the show to be daggy, but daggy is what the show is about, and if you're ashamed of that, then she has no business being Exec Producer. Of course, she's too stubborn to step down, and FrematleMedia are too stupid to fire her, and hire someone with the love that this show deserves. As for ratings, well, that depends on the country. The Australian ratings have taken a battering these last few months, sinking to an all time low of 350,000 (I think it was), but the UK ratings have improved a lot, and have been pulling in highs of 1.65m for event episodes, and stabilizing at around 1.48m. This is a sign that the quality has improved, but also representing that the shows Oz reputation is shattered beyond repair(?)

That Janice spoiler is so grim and unnecessary. I really wanted a positive end to the character, and have it tie into her short-term desire to be a nurse (which was a good career move for her - I loved those hospital scenes she did during her training, when she met that patient), and not have that period be for nothing. And, I won't care for Lloyd's involvement, either. What a mess.

James: As awesome as that promo looks, it does symbolise everything that is wrong with the show.

I was one of those people, but the fact that it was all produced really well (the best soap quake I've seen) is a saving grace. It's just a shame they couldn't keep that momentum after it all ended. Also, the time line really screwed with the other stories, and confessed the hell out of Vanessa's pregnancy - in RT she should've been, like 5/6 months gone, but they decided to keep the 2 month earthquake as one day so they could match when Vanessa & Tyus didn't do the deed. And ITA, those Dana/Meg scenes were boring. I preferred the earthquake to the tsunami, as I felt that played too much on the Poseidon Adventure, and I knew how it was all gonna play out. The Cole/Caitlin/Francesca/Philip stuff was good though. The quake wasn't as predictable, and I generally prefer quake drama to capsized ships. Francesca was awesome. Nothing about her was annoying; in fact, she made a lot of other characters interesting, like AJ, Caitlin, and brought out a side to Antonio we hadn't seen. I loved their history, and the jealousy that Francesca had towards Gabi after seeing that tape.

If I'm going to post anything today, it's that I never ever want to see Lynn return, ever! I can't explain how much I detested that character. It didn't help that I never liked the actor either, so everything about Lynn sucked. She was miserable and dreary, with a droll vocal tone to match. She was truly one the worst character ever, on this show - IMO - I had hoped that the cardboard fair ground would've squashed her flat, but sadly it didn't. I'd happily take the Ferreiras and Shirley the Cat Lady over her any day. In fact, I'd compromise and except Sonia's recurring return, if it meant never seeing Lynn, again.

I think Corrie is seen to be in a better position than EE, simply b/c some changes have taken place. Of course, the storylines are still left over from Kim Crowther, and should've ended, like Molvin and Stape/Fishwick, and that is their weakness. ITA with everything you said about the stories, as they don't have much to take them through the New Year, except for Tracy, who I think they're pinning a lot on, especially with: Ideally, Tyrone would be better off leaving, and the show bringing in a new family; they should also dump most of those new characters, as they just don't work or are not needed. I hate the way Bill and Pam have been sidelined in favour of the new builder - I know they're only recurring, but more could be done with them. Also, there seems to be a bit of a mess with Liz, and that weird story w/ Jim's return and that builder guy. What happened to Jim anyway? Last I saw, Steve told builder guy that Liz had dumped him after jetting off to Spain off screen. I also think it's weird how they've fired the guy that plays Eddie. The Windasses work, b/c each one brings something different, and when one falls, the two left will feel incomplete and alone. Ironically, when they first arrived, I believed that Anna would've better as a single mother, but since they've changed the characters for the better, that no longer stands. Also, anyone else notice that they seemed to have slightly changed Greame's appearance? He doesn't look so goofy, or Curly-esque, almost like they wanted him to look better, b/c he's with Tina.

I see. I think the whole Joe story really damaged her for me, as there were many moments when she was terrible, b/c the story was terrible, and I guess I do forget about her past work, b/c that story, that character tarnished her, and I no longer pay much attention to her. Nothing. And I didn't. But, this like with most soaps these days (and years before really), where they churn out a disaster, but fail to capture the audience after. I think this event will keep the same amount of viewers that were watching it before, and possible a few more, but not many. I don't believe that spoiler for one second; it's too random and stupid to be true. If it is, then it'll be worse than Molvin, and I will tune out, again. That was grating, but I saw it more as Sally being in total disbelief. She didn't think it was real, which is why she wasn't getting the message, and had to ask point blankly. When something like this comes out of the blue, your initial reaction will be disbelief, and I think they got Sally's reaction just right. Molly's delivery was like everyone else's that wasn't saying a line in a normal pitch - over exaggerated. I noticed it on EE's live ep, where everyone shouted their lines, and most people yesterday were shouting their lines, or screaming them (Fiz), or gasping them (Molly, Peter (who did a better job). I guess it's the nerves and adrenaline of knowingly being live. BTW: I thought the girl that plays Kylie was awesome. It was like being live wasn't an issue for her, or that it was just a regular filming day. She wasn't OTT, shout-y or melodramatic, but kinda subtle. I also thought Dev was pretty good, considering his usual hammy acting. I also thought the episode should've ended on Peter flatlining and Leanne's hysterics, not Tyrone hugging Sally and learning Molly is dead - that could've waited until the next episode, as the former was the perfect dramatic cliffhanger. Their choice lowered the impact. Rita's situation is very symbolic, and really sad if she does end up dying in this . No-one is that concerned about Rita, even though they believe she's gone to meet Doreen, you'd think one of them would give Rita's cell a call, or Doreen for that matter. Re Ashley: Don't you see that they have plenty of other characters that are so more important than a butcher who has been in the show for years? They have to continue to prop characters, like Sean, Michelle, Cirian, Nick, Fiz, John, Kirk, Chris, Cheryl, Julie, etc. Watching this, I think makes it more obvious that the show has more deadwood than they're actually getting rid of. You did. And I'm not sure. Most of the time I think not, b/c she seems to move around in that chair a lot, and in positions I would've thought she couldn't do if she was paralysed. I don't know why she stood up, or made it look like she was standing, b/c that was odd.

Dion, that rumour is actually a spoiler, and they're all true; it's taken word-for-word from the latest Inside Soap magazine. Thanks, Carl. DS is very hysterical, but it never used to be. Don't know what's changed (a part from new members). These days, people can't express a critical opinion about EE or Corrie, without someone jumping on them for being a bitter fan of the opposite show. It's like they can't possible have any genuine concerns. Crazy. I like the way they're writing for Dot and Pat, but Pat has had some dodgy scenes lately that made her look stupid - e.g.: Pat absent-mindedly telling Ryan that Janine locked him in the freezer - Pat has never been that stupid, and was a contrived way of moving the plot forward.

I get what you mean, but I think b/c of the type of story they're telling, and the need to show that your show can have more modernized production values, it was important to experiment with the direction. I guess for me, it wasn't the same ol' same ol' but something different and unexpected, which is what I liked. Soaps now-a-days have to be more modern, and fight to prove that they're still socially relevant, even though most of the time they don't craps what that is. Of course those scenes were not supposed to be comedy, that was obvious from the tone. I guess some people aren't used to this kind of thing, or are just stupid. Or maybe they have a strange sense of humour. But HW has never been great, but always mediocre. That's not a surprise. That line that everyone is talking about that Bill delivered, was a terrible line anyway - "It's so frustrating not being able to do anything." Um, take a look around, Ken, there's plenty to do. That scene didn't need dialogue, a simple emotional reaction from Ken would've sufficed. Cheryl and Chris are pointless characters with a pointless story, anyway, and I didn't pay much attention to them, so didn't notice whether they were good or not. I didn't think the Dr. was all that bad. Better than Fizz, I thought, who you could so tell was struggling to act out her character's situation. Again, I get what you mean, but I think it's instinct for men to want to protect their girls, when of course they'd be fine to help. I did think characters like Sophie and Sian would have got stuck in, like what Tina did before she discovered Graeham was alive. I like Sunita, so I was worried for her, too. If they kill her off as the surprise 4th victim, I think that will be pretty pointless. Do you think they would actually kill Rita?

AMS, I really want to ITA with all that you said, and feel what you feel about the show, but I don't. To me, there are no real differences, story wise, between now and when Santer was EP. OK, community spirit is up, but the stories are still thrown together in a clumsy fashion, with no real thought about continuity and pacing; exploration of certain stories, like Carol & Connor are non existent, and come across messy and weird. I want to know what's going through Carol's head, b/c her affair w/ Connor comes across creepy and v. Freudian, and I'm not sure if that's their intention, and if it is, then why aren't they exploring that? Ian & Jane are a mess of a couple, and I don't understand the logic behind Jane's decisions. She's all set to leave Ian b/c he lied to her about Lucy's termination, then after months of scheming, suddenly her motive has shifted to feeling neglected and unloved by Ian; then after she 'fesses up to him, and does his usual sobbing accompanied by a flimsy explanation, Jane decides to stay, even though her main issues with the marriage/role in the family haven't been sorted out. Nothing has changed! So, why is Jane still there? Now, Glenda is prostituting herself, and Phil is as un-likeable as ever, with Shirley being as stupid as ever, and Jay wants to be a Mitchell and is acting all tough and beating up Connor, who as yet to serve any real purpose. The Kat/Ronnie friendship feels forced, simply b/c of their storyline. The Janine/Ryan/Stacey triangle has no depth, and I don't understand where R&S' lust/love for each came from. Also, none of them have any rooting value, so why should I care? A lot of characters have no direction, coupled with a lot of contrived plot points. Like I said in another thread, it's still watchable, but it's generally very blah and mediocre.

Considering EE is a mess right now, I can see why people prefer to watch Emmerdale. Personally, a bad episode of ED is better than a good episode of EE, as that show is all over the place - very plot focused, with a lot of unrealistic scenes, and stories that lack depth. It's still watchable, just generally not very good. This Viv plot is a bit meh, and Bob really needs to grow a pair, and Hazel continues to annoy, but I'm learning to tolerate her. The juries still out on Ella & Mia, as they seem to be drifting between not quite being bitchy snobs (Kim Tate, Lady Tara) and not quite down-to-earth (Natasha Wylde), so they never really create much of an impact. I hope the upcoming Eric & Val story is handled well, especially as it's rooted in his history, dating back to the 1993 plane crash and the death of his wife, Elizabeth.

What's surprised me the most so far, has been the direction - they've been taking risks, and doing more stylish, creative shots, which have been awesome. All of these episodes have a Hollywood disaster movie look and feel to them; a lot of thought has been put into the characters, and the increased budget has been spent well. On the whole, the stunt was awesome (bar one dodgy CGI shot of the tram driver crashing down), and the acting from the majority of cast has been surprisingly good - especially Jane Danson; it has shown that Fiz is just terrible, especially her cheesy blood-curdling scream "Johhhhnnn!!!" I loved how they remembered Carla still haunted by the factory fire that nearly killed her, and the inclusion of Gary's PTSD, which has been played well; Janice being forced into nurse mode, and her initial hesitation was authentic - I can see her leaving to pursue nursing or something similar, if she doesn't die (I hope it's something positive for her, if she doesn't die). The production of these episodes demonstrates that there has been a positive change in Corrie, sadly, the one thing that hasn't changed are the storylines, but hopefully once these are over, better ones will take their place. The sooner the crapfest that is John Stape and his rubbish storyline is over, the better (thank goodness Charlotte has left; a creepy character with potential in any other story bust this mess). So, if you've tuned out, then tune back in, even if it is just for the disaster.

Ian is a strange character, b/c he is a creep, but when paired with someone like Phil, Ian is the protagonist, and we are meant to root for him. He's only ever the antagonist within his marriages. He can be nasty and vindictive, and takes delight in other people's misfortunes (but never too far that he's a villain), but then he'll do something nice, and reveal that he does have a heart underneath it all. Ian is someone who you'll despise one minute, but will never hate, b/c he's never written as villain, just a normal guy who's a jerk with (major) flaws, whose endearing qualities are buried under a mountain of slime. Jane has gotten better treatment, and continues to be in love with him for reasons that are alien to me, but in RL this couple would never last - unless Jane's a masochist, but she's never come across as one. She needs to find someone who will treat her better, especially after the stunt Ian pulls next week (or whenever its set to air)... ETA: Don't you mean 2007? Unless he had a previous stroke before then, and this is what you are referring to. Jim's progress is matched with John's progress. I guess, when/if John regains his speech, so will Jim.

I still find the show watchable, even if certain stories suck. IMO, the show still has something that others, like Corrie, have yet to get back. I wish they would pace Chas' revenge better, instead of rushing through it. I'd like to see more scenes of her conflicting emotions, and trying to deal with the fact that revenge really isn't helping, but is something she feels she has to do. Also, who exactly is that moustache man that has popped up randomly and hangs around w/ Lisa? Why so I have the strange feeling that he'll start hitting on her sooner or later. This story with Jai/Charity/Debbie/the Dingles must be the story that TPTB said they had to put on hold when CW took maternity leave, last year.

And he lives in the same borough as me! Don't know why that surprised me, considering a lot of actors live in or around my area. I guess b/c I've never seen him around, unlike other EE actors. Not that I would want to either. Is it just me, or does he always have issues with his baby mothers? You'd think he would learn from his past, and I guess, his character.

This is true. I guess this was one of the jobs that DS' Kris Green took? Does anyone else think that US soaps would/would've benefited from sharing the load more? Obviously Y&R is a resounding 'no', but I mean more generally, and with the right team. I don't really understand this mentality, as it's a soap opera, and I know people have die hard favourites (I do), but you have to watch for more than that; it's why an ensemble cast has to work overall, and not be reliant on a select few. Of course, this mentality has its place, like when a show is so bad, everything is totally terrible, and only your faves matter. But, EE isn't in that shape, ATM. I love SW, too, and I hope they learn to use her and Ronnie right. I do wonder if they'll continue the tradition of her being the tragic heroine?

That can't come quick enough. Hopefully the pacing and continuity will improve. I wasn't referring to them returning, but the story that they returned with - Kat, in a blonde wig, running away from some crooks, who then broke into the Slater house, only to be scared off by Alfie pretending to be a cop. This was linked to their overly complicated backstory of Alfie being in prison due to some dodgy scam that conned these crooks out of money, and they, being oh so powerful, chased Kat all the way from Spain, just to be scared off at the last the minute. It was all to pointless and messy for words. ETA: You inspired the BAM!s.

I don't remember that, and it seems a lot of other people don't either. But I'll take your word for it. Must've been made very clear at the time. LOL. With the Masoods, I think it's b/c they haven't been used at all, not even in small family/couple scenes in a C-plot, just random episodes once a month. I don't think the show has done itself any favours by having Zainab rescue Syed from the fire, and not have any follow up at all. That was a turning point that needed addressing, but its like it never happened.

Again, that's bad storytelling. Weather the story was BK's or Santa's, it still should be treated with more respect, than what it has been given. After all, we, are the ones that have to sit through it. I hate it when new producers/head writers come in, and drop/ruin stories left over from the previous regime simply b/c they don't like them/aren't there's; it's so messy. Did Roxy sign it over to Peggy, or did she simply put Peggy back in charge of running it? I've always thought it was the latter, which is why it wasn't really Peggy's to give to Phil.

No-one's posted in here for a while, so I'll give it a bump. For those of you that are still watching, how have you found the show over the last couple of months? Say, since around the time Steph's secret was exposed till now. I think they've demonstrated that they can tell good stories. The shows not perfect, but the fall out from Steph's secret has been big, and some of the best acting moments in soap from Kym Valentine and Carla Bonner. And its allowed for Sonya to come into her own, as one of the most level headed characters the show had had in years. Got to say, Jane Hall is a treasure, and one I'm so sad the show will be loosing. Jane has played Rebecca's wrath of emotions with such nuance and ease, especially when Rebecca discovered Paul's affair, and most recently when she broke down in Lyn's arms. She deserves to be nominated and win a Logie, but they normally go to more younger and higher profile actors, which is a shame. I don't think I've ever seen a soap portray a coma victim quite like Neighbours did today. Normally, the character wakes up, says/does something dramatic, then falls back to sleep, only to wake up again and be completely recovered. I liked how they put emphasis on the medical side, and had Paul unable to speak, and needing help with giving him water, wiping his mouth, and generally having his family be his nurse. I liked how they showed the reality with Andrew and Rebecca at the prospect of Paul needing long term care, and Susan's stunned reaction, when Paul got agitated and embarrassed with Rebecca's nursing. Stefan's doing an awesome job, as usual. Sad that the show took another ratings dive last Friday in Oz, as it has been doing so well. It seems like most of Ten's line up have been doing badly, so not just Neighbours. But, when B&B out-rates it, there's definitely a problem. Shame Ten execs no longer care.

SNAP! That's how I feel about Viv and Victoria. I guess Chas' revenge will be the only good thing about this affair story, considering they've ruined Carl, in order to make Eve the sympathetic one.