LondonScribe

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South Africa: Generations: The Legacy (2014-present). Originally called Generations, it debuted in 1994, and ran until a dispute led to the entire cast being fired in 2014. The present iteration was born from that. Nigeria: Tinsel (2008- present) Nigeria: Super Story (2001- present, though reportedly may not be around for too much longer). Funny story. And I’ve never disclosed this, but in somewhat of a ‘sliding doors’ moment, I could have worked with the show’s creator.

Nothing new said here, but watching these classic episodes (or should I say vintage as ‘classic’ possibly shouldn’t be applied as a broad stroke with some of the choices), serves as a depressing reminder what we probably have to look forward to when everything is up and running down the line. I saw a suggestion that perhaps the series should be run in order from a point in 1998. Sign me up for that. Hardly any of it has dated badly in terms of language or subject matter, that I can recall, and we’d have the benefit of the older sets, Bell/Alden writing and superior production. It would be a riot if it build up a steady following, given that it would effectively serve as a first run for some of the few younger viewers the show has today.

It says a lot that episodes from 10 years ago have aged worse than those of 30+ years ago.

I’ve said (seemingly ad infinitum) that for me, 2003 was the last really good year the show had before John Smith (who was made Executive Producer after the exit of David Shaughnessy, who in turn had followed Ed Scott) really started to put his stamp on the show, as EP and I think Head Writer) and things started to miss with more frequency rather than land with more consistency. *The above subject to factual verification.

Nina’s son is Chance, a colloquial term or nickname for ‘Chancellor’. He is Phillip Chancellor IV. No prizes for confirming the name of his father 😉

Or even up to the early 00’s with what would equate to ‘run-of-the-mill’ or not-quite-headline’ scenes plonked in the middle of an episode. While going down a soap opera rabbit hole tonight, I located these 2 videos from the Christine/Isabella story in 2003 when (a still shades-of-grey) Michael helped cover up what he thought was a crime. He had detective Weber on his back and Victor wanting him to do his bidding in the Safra/Newman v Tuvia/Jabot corporate feud. The two dovetailed nicely: As I said, from what I remember, neither scene closed out their respective episodes but they feel meatier than anything in the last few years and the writing, direction, music, lighting and music made that happen.

This episode certainly left an impression on me when I first watched it all those years ago. The look, the sound, the feel, the acting (largely), the writing and emotion was everything for me. And exits don’t get much more gruesome than David Kimble’s. This episode was one of the many examples of Bill Bell at his gothic best.

Allocco and Kurtz’ scores are definitely missed. And I mean a lot of gothic, moody and sinister stuff from the 80’s and early 90’s. However good it would be to hear the litany of classic scores, the way the show is designed, shot, lit, written (number of scenes per episode, as well as the type of storytelling), and directed, I don’t think they would completely fit anymore. Sad though that is.

I remember the Masquerade Ball. I saw it in 1994 because of the delay in transmission to the U.K. at that time. Can’t wait to see the episode. I got a real kick out of the David Kimble storyline as well.

The character simply stopped being mentioned once Katherine passed on and his daughter Mac left. Actor Beau Kazer sadly passed away at the end of 2014.

It’s been about a month or so since Iain McLeod exited stage left at Emmerdale (at least as far as what’s in screen is concern, loose-ends notwithstanding). Is the show any more watchable?

Iain Macleod’s name is gone from the credits? Well, I’ll let the anniversary week pass (likely when he planned some of his stories to conclude) and gauge the general consensus before deciding whether to get back in or not. His Emmerdale was not for me. I’m taking the Y&R approach (though I think that may turn into a more long term ‘holiday’ given the shiny new hatchet gifted to Mal Young).

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/news/a863452/eastenders-casualty-holby-city-new-producer-kate-oates/ Reality is often more bizarre than fiction. And she’ll be overseeing Casualty and Holby City, too 😳 If I’m right, I believe this also makes her the first producer to get the ‘top job’ on the traditionally BIG 3 soaps (of the past 30 years) Of Eastenders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/6839858/kate-oates-heading-to-walford/ Nothing even close to being confirmed, but it seems it was more than just wishful thinking by the DS forum crowd.

I did not know that the old musical cue catalogue had been sold. Firstly, what a silly, short-sighted thing to do and secondly, doesn’t that make it harder to get them back/use them? As whoever owns them now may not want to sell them back? I did not know that Mike Dobson was back and couldn’t tell in any event. If he doesn’t have the rich, wonderful catalogue at his disposal then it could be a frustrating and fruitless experience for him. When he was given the keys to the kingdom, I simply recapped on this board what Mal Young did as producer of Brookside and the sensibilities he brought to the shows he had supervion of at the BBC. I did not once say he would be great for Y&R. What would happen if he is sacked is a whole other conversation and one that fills me with trepidation simply because SONY and CBS have proven time and again they can’t get this choice right. And that seems rooted in the fact that they want to stay away from Bill Bell and his interpretation of the show. Plus, the powers that be have shown how much they can dig their heels in when it comes to sticking by their appointments.

For my own reasons I’ve merely been a spectator around these parts but this is too big to pass up... http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/coronation-street/news/a855484/coronation-street-news-producer-kate-oates-quits/ In my opinion, viewers and critics in the media will look back over this period in a few years and wish they hadn’t pushed for this happen. Especially since Iain McLeod’s sensibilities have made an ex-Emmerdale viewer out of me. Unless Coronation Street truly is a mega beast all of it’s own, then I think he won’t do a better job. In my opinion, this is too soon for him. And as for Emmerdale, I can’t think of a single person who is ready or primed to take over. Unless they go cap-in-hand to Hollyoaks and hire Vicky Tennant (who has history with Emmerdale) or even get Ross Adams to write again, at a stretch.

(Casualty’s spin-off show, but now often seen as the superior of the 2 and now has the curious distinction of having retained its original theme tune since its inception in 1999, longer than Casualty before it altered in 2001, 15 years after that show began)

Ah brilliant, thanks for the clarification/correction. I hope those names were taken as no more than being thrown out there, rather than suggestions.

It was Kirkwood who introduced the 'David Essex-branch' of the Moon family and the Gold family. As well as the killing of Pat which people may never forgive him for (even if he did manage to get Nick Berry out of retirement for 30 seconds and Michael French to return). The good he did do, such as the year-long terror Dr Yusuf Khan (the brilliant Ace Bugatti) brought upon the Masood family will never be remembered to the above. Moving the E20 cast to the main show yielded mixed results. To be honest, I'm not sure how much he would want to return, given that fact he gets to call the shots at Hollyoaks and as I pointed out when he joined the first time, the BBC is a heck of a machine he has to work within, with more people to answer to, including Piers Wenger (formerly of Doctor Who) and Oliver Kent. The 4 people I would advocate (Myar-Craig Brown, Kathleen Beedles, Johnathan Young and Tim Key) sadly no longer work in soap/drama and the only other I would say is good at giving shows a shot in the arm (initially) is heading up Coronation Street. Paul Marquess? I'd say no. His last chance has probably come and gone with the chaos he wreaked on Hollyoaks (even if he created the Brendan Brady character that so many loved). After the damage he inflicted on both Brookside and The Bill. For some reason Alison Davis is always gone as soon as she arrives at Eastenders, even though she has shown over the years to be a good hand. Liza Mellody (who I didn't even know was back at the show) is a no-chance, no-brainer. She's too closely associated with Sean O'Connor, and as a tandem, they were canned from Hollyoaks about 13 (?) years ago. Even though I didn't mind the changes they brought to the show, I think something didn't click and they didn't last too long. Even if she was the perfect candidate, she is one of O'Connor's people and I don't see her staying. Simon Harper, current Executive Producer of Holby City, and soon Casualty. He's just got those gigs and it's his first executive job so it may be soon? Plus, he's seemingly in the mould of Oliver Kent, who I can't stress enough, I can't trust with a show like Eastenders after the mediocrity he inflicted on Casualty, both as Series Producer and latter as EP. Kent is still pretty young and obviously a schmoozer, hence his promotion within the BBC. I'm not saying they would or should, but apart from promoting from within the show (and I know how 'popular' Alexander Lamb is) there is the option of 'left of field/statement' appointments such as current writer/storyliner/editor(?) Jerome Buchan-Nelson (young, black, and yes that would be a 'thing') Or Vikki Tennant, who in about 10 years went from River City in Scotland to Hollyoaks as a writer, to Emmerdale as a storyliner/editor. I believe she is back at Hollyoaks as one of the Series Producers. Or maybe even former writer and consultant, Simon Ashdown? Dare I suggest that former acclaimed writers Tony Jordan and Sarah Phelps have outgrown the show? Whoever it ends up being, great care is to be taken.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/news/a831548/eastenders-confirms-producer-sean-oconnor-is-leaving/ Well, this is unexpected. The timing will make people believe that this came off the back of the Soap Awards and the general criticisms, but assuming it is as he has said, then the fact he is leaving on his own terms will probably annoy a lot of the DS rabble. You know a lot of (us) Brits love a sense of punishment or retribution. Of course, The Sun (who appear to have been the original breakers of the news item) are reporting he WAS effective told to go. We may never know exactly what the true reason is, but I know which version many people will 'prefer'. So John Yorke returns (again) as a temporary safe pair of hands presumably as a permanent replacement is sought. It would be 'something' if someone like Oliver Kent or even Bryan Kirkwood ended up back at the show, in the ultimate case of being careful what you wish for. Whoever it is, I don't think the Eastenders viewers will be happy.

Side note: I walked Tom Lister (Carl) in the Stratford in East London area a few weeks ago and was struck by how tall he was. I'm 6'0 and he's easily 6,3 or 6'4. I was in a hurry but didn't say anything to him, but seeing Carl's name reminded me. I'd totally forgotten.

I didn't know about the broken embargo. Then again, I still haven't rekindled my love affair with Eastenders so these things are passing me by. In fact, I only see bits and pieces of each British soap and only fully watch Y&R and Home and Away consistently as well as focusing on my own writing. I'm hearing of improvements to Coronation Street and I'm still adjusting to McLeod's tinkered version of Emmerdale, but is Eastenders (in general) worth getting back into?

Is it me or was a little jab at DigitalSpy and the like when talking about click bait websites? 😂

I see Digital Spy have jumped aboard the O'Connor Express pretty sharpish. http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/feature/a808647/is-eastenders-going-back-down-to-earth-under-new-producer-sean-oconnor/ It's as if someone watched a few of his actual episodes and realised "oh, we quite like this"