LondonScribe

Just watched today’s Knight-focussed episode of Eastenders. Wow We. One of the most nuanced and true-to-life expirations of racism as was, and as is. It might not chime with everyone (indeed I’m waiting for some in the media to invoke the ‘w-word’) but I found it very thought-provoking.

Just watched that TEXAS scene. Goodness me, that’ll stay with me for a little while. It also makes me want to go and find the show to watch. The power of sophisticated writing, the likes I could only dream of doing myself.

I don’t think there are many current U.S-based producers or writers who would go down the U.K. route of just writing a load of characters at once. Case in point, this stunt killed off 6 characters in one go (though one died 2 episodes later for the drama): The same producer then axed about 8 characters in the space of a week and a half on Family Affairs in 2003. Then about 11 characters over a 2-3 week period I believe in Hollyoaks years later in 2010.

I’ll admit, I know little about Patrick Mulcahey, as he hasn’t written for the shows I watched or certainly at the point I watched them, but I’ve heard nothing but really good things about him and his work. So this level of cautious excitement is fascinating to me. Now I know how you all felt when I came armed with information and warnings about Mal Young and his previous work in the U.K. when he joined Y&R 🤣 Of course this is much more positive and I look forward to seeing how this plays out, however long it lasts for.

Wow. Once put like that, it’s a pretty big moment.

I’m guessing ITV has now modelled his new role and structure on BBC’s Soap and Drama department, so he’d basically be doing what Kate Oates does. I don’t watch enough of Coronation Street to make my own subjective judgement, but enough people say that his stewardship of the show has led to uninspiring output that there must be something to it.

This time around, she’s back permanently, though I think I read somewhere that her schedule didn’t work out for that week.

Ah that 1994 period after Phil Redmond’s ‘parachuted in’ period was over and Nicholas Prosser was left to retool the show out of the rubble. Then Mervyn Watson came in and established the Dingles as a core family. And the show has never looked back, neither moved forward, it seems.

It has just been announced that Zak Dingle actor, Steve Halliwell, has died aged 77.

This has probably been discussed but do we know (or have any ideas) who may have written DAYS during the strike? If they are sufficiently sensible, it might entice me to watch for the next 6 months 🤣

I watched the episode and I won’t spoil anything for people in this thread, but let’s just say that it’s clear that Chris Chibnall has left the building, and more pertinently, it’s VERY clear that Russell T. Davies is back.

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a45794166/hollyoaks-credits-new-producers/ Just in case the circumstances surrounding Lucy Allan’s abrupt exit wasn’t hammered home enough 🤣 What a sad indictment. And as history can not be learned at times, she could end up back in a promoted role in future.

I don’t think I'm imagining things, but are a number of running storylines and threads coming to a sudden end over the last couple of weeks? Almost as if the strike writers are wrapping things up in anticipation of Chris and Dan’s returns? I’ve lost track of the timelines.

Holby City and Casualty, I’ll give you. They are/were always officially designated ‘continuing drama’ whereas Doctors is a soap opera. To the extent that it features in the British Soap Awards in a way that the first 2 do not. And you’re right. Eastenders isn’t going anywhere.

And BBC’s original and last remaining medical drama/soap, Casualty, has just had its output reduced going forward. Plus, its only original character, Charlie Fairhead, is leaving the show after 37 years. And it’s Executive Producer, former Eastenders producer, Jon Sen, is off as well. I’d say the show probably has 2-3 years left. With Channel’s 4 and 5 no longer airing British soaps on their main TV platforms, it looks like the U.K. is slowly going the way of America when it comes to the value of soaps vs costs involved.

For anyone who may be interested. Hopefully it’s not geo-blocked.

Farewell Gladys, we hardly knew ye 🤣

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a45335600/hollyoaks-new-producers-2023/ I have no frame of reference regarding these 2 Acting Executive Producers, but Kieron Richardson has said that their material kicks in from January. Though a quote suggests it’s actually from the later part of 2023. One of them is called Hannah Cheers (previously Sowden) who previously worked on the show and has been drafted in from a Co-Producer role on Emmerdale. Given what I’ve heard about the current Emmerdale, that might not be hugely encouraging 🤣

Bingo! 🤣 And I’m no genius.

I’ll do a bit of a retrospective from my perspective at a date soon in the future, but word of warning, there were periods in the earlier years that I missed because I was too busy being a teenager 😉🤣 But watched consistently from about mid 1999 onwards (as the show was finding its feet post-Hart family axing) and could describe my views, chapter and verse on the big revamp in 2003 and the attempted Sean O’Connor-inspired retooling in 2005 that came too late to save the show.

I absolutely remember this, and thinking it was cool as heck at the time as I’m pretty sure none of the other soaps did anything similar.

This response is based on your timeframe and not today. The landlady is Elaine, Linda Carter’s mother, and fiance of George Knight, ex boxer. George is father to Gina (older and taller) and Anna (younger with blonde hair). Elaine helped Linda purchase part of the pub after the latter’s husband was presumed dead at Christmas. She moved George and girls in much to Linda’s surprise. Linda didn’t trust George who was initially cagey about his own ex-wife and mother of the girls. The mother is called Rose, and she vanished 9 years prior. Though we found out in June that Rose was in fact the long presumed dead Cindy Beale, who is in France with ex-husband Ian, and son Peter. Ian knows the Knights are in Walford, Cindy and Peter do not. Bobby went to prison/juvenile detention when the truth came out. He re-appeared as a teenager, upon his release and having converted to Islam. He’s generally a kind, good natured young man now, though he’ll always be tethered to his past. This largely occurred when I wasn’t watching but I believe when actor Lacey Turner went on maternity leave, Stacey was sent to prison, and while in there she met ex-lawyer Eve Unwin and they married out of convenience to assist Stacey’s case for release. It’s well-known within the square that’s what it is. Eve is gay, Stacey is not, but they are best friends, and if you stick with it, you’ll see how clear that is. Reiss Colwell is Dot Cotton/Branning’s great-nephew, who first appeared towards the end of 2022 at when Dot was being laid to rest (following both hers and actor, June Brown’s passing). He’s Sonia’s boyfriend, though he is married. His wife is has been in hospital in a coma for a number of years. He’s a character that divides opinion among the fanbase. Bobby is smitten with Anna and she’s fond of him, but nothing more substantial than that has occurred. Gina has been willing to leave the question of their missing mother in the past, though it’s suspected that her drug-taking stemmed from ‘Rose’ disappearance. Anna, however, wants to know what happened and where she is, even if just to provide closure. In short, Freddie Slater is Little Mo’s son, and the product of a rape by a man called Graham Foster, who was imprisoned in 2004. Freddie doesn’t know who his dad is or how he was conceived. Little Mo has refused to tell Freddie and none of the family want to go behind Mo’s back. But as Freddie decides to find out, Kat is panicking. Anna’s search for Rose spurred Freddie on to find out his dad. Or was it the other way round? 🤣 Oh, and a quick note. Freddie and Bobby are best friends. See above… Stacey’s 12 year old daughter, Lily became pregnant by Ricky (Jr) Mitchell (Sam Mitchell and Jack Branning’s son) and Stacey has been experiencing money woes. Earlier in the year, she took to doing cam work, a take off of OnlyFans. One man seemed particularly keen and he paid her handsomely to chat over the app while she dressed up/down for him. She couldn’t see him, he could see her. At roughly the same time, Freddie was diagnosed with ADHD and went to confront his old teacher, Theo Hawthorne, who made school harder for him. Theo appeared contrite and they came to an understanding. Theo ended up privately tutoring Lily who stayed at home during her pregnancy. Stacey is also getting close to her ex, Martin Fowler again. Long story short, Stacey’s mystery benefactor is a lot closer to home than she realises. I don’t have much time left to type this one out but perhaps someone else can explain? 🤣

Possibly? I’m guessing that will be expanded on. I’m sure they’ll find a way to link the tarot cards to Victor.

I suppose it probably doesn't matter, but any word on if anyone has been tapped to be the new Hollyoaks showrunner? Especially given all the mediums the show will operating on going forward and the creative adjustments that might be required. And how the budget might be affected by it- something I haven’t seen spoken about too much. If I had to guess, it will either be someone promoted from within (to avoid having to throw money at an experienced ‘name’ producer) or someone from the Waterloo Road team, being a show that is younger-skewed.

I was convinced Montague was going to drug either Cody or Sasha (or both). Of course, this latest development/plot point means no-one will listen to them when they plead their case. And as I’ve said before, I still think Gladys may extricate herself from trouble, leaving Montague to carry the whole can.