LondonScribe

I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know, but 1997-8 had Bill Bell (though I’ve seen people here speculate that he had started to fall ill, hence stepping back ) and Kay Alden, and a roster of long time writers and directors. Y&R, for its 50th has… Tony Morina and Josh Griffith, with writers and director(s) with any discernible history with the show you can count one hand. I’ve long stopped watching day-to-day (and it hurts), hence hardly posting in Y&R threads, but I miss the characters I largely grew up with, and am praying for something to pull the show out of its funk, not just for me, but for other watchers here that I loved discussing and (lightly) debating with. Based on the observations of those who still watch and post here, I may end up sleepwalking past important events during this period 😭 Sony and CBS seem to have thrown their lot in with Morina and Griffith and are prepared to die on that proverbial hill, so let’s all just hope a spark can be found 🤞

I watched River City for the first couple of years. And I’ll admit, I’m impressed it’s lasted 20 years. It was not well received in the beginning. When the 2 episodes a week were condensed to a single, 1 hour weekly episode, I thought they were moving it out of the way and letting it evaporate over time. I’ll watch the anniversary episode and might see if I can pick the show back up.

They can usually be found within a day of broadcast on YouTube’s most prominent ‘competitor’ if you just type ‘Eastenders’ and the date (I think in the U.K. date format)

I’ve made this joke before, but who’d want to take credit for the dreck I understand the show churns out? 🤣

Every time I drop in on the show and see Rocky on screen, the first thing that comes to mind is “It’s a puppet!” I’ve started saying it out loud, and my Queen gives me side eye. She didn’t watch the Brian Conley Show, whereas I did.

“It’s a soap, innit” 🤣

Jon Sen returned to medical drama, Casualty, the show he was in prior to Eastenders. This time as Executive Producer. So he’s driving the day-to-day operations. And you can definitely tell he’s in charge. Having previously driven the increased use of (mostly dark, moody) incidental music and CGI in his previous capacity as senior director, he’s now also driving story, and the show is so grim. And outgoing Series Producer, Loretta Preece wasn’t all sweetness and light herself, producing the very first Covid-19 death on British TV. But I wonder if his sensibilities were even too dark for her. Eastenders-wise, I’ve not watched much of it since Chris Clenshaw’s name appeared on a regular basis. What are people’s early impressions?

The chemistry between Trina and Rory is there, but I’m pretty sure the writers have a personality change or villainous act up their sleeve where Rory is concerned, just so we ‘know’ who we’re ‘meant’ to root for 🤣

I take back EVERYTHING I said about Tabyana Ali’s interpretation of Trina. It was way too early for me to have made that initial assessment. She IS Trina now. Her talent and growing chemistry with her co-stars shines through.

In relation to Trina, I wonder if what will happen with the character is like what happened when Victoria in the Young and the Restless was ‘re-imagined’ when Amelia Heinle took the role? I previously said that Tabyana Ali’s ‘softer’ take on Trina might allow the writers to make her more of a victim for Esme. Her being physically smaller solidified that in my mind.

One for those on here who still watch Eastenders. Ive completely fallen out of the loop with the show and understand that Jon Sen’s name is off the credits and that the last couple of weeks have seen an almost overnight improvement in quality. Is this true? And if so, has the new producer taken over? And do we think it bodes well for the future? From what I understand, the show has been pretty rotten the last couple of years under Sen.

Still maintain that this Spencer/Esme/Jos/Cameron/Trina business is leading to Esme implicating Trina- especially since the character has stayed on, and especially since the new actress’ initial take is softer, and potentially making Trina more vulnerable to Esme.

No joke here. Yes, it kept the show on the air, but will now feed into the narrative that said international broadcaster is to blame for the show’s demise, ignoring Freemantle and Network Ten’s role in this, turning their back on the show in the 1st place. The whole notion of relying on an international broadcaster to foot the bill of a show’s existence is folly. That is of course my opinion.

It’s almost absurd to think that the future of a soap opera has hinged on the funding of an international broadcast partner for over a decade. I wish that wasn’t the case, but history won’t mention that too much. The narrative will be “37 years and Channel 5 killed Neighbours”

Ah thanks for this. I didn’t click into IMDB, but did Wikipedia.

Tanisha Harper is 36 and Tahj Bellow is 27. Unless they plan to downplay TJ and Jordan’s relationship going forward, this should be fun 🤣

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/17820472/neighbours-axed-production-company-channel-5/

If I remember correctly, he was introduced by SSM and Kat Alden, and was one of the 1st characters dispensed with when Mal Young’s manoeuvres got himself installed as Head Writer.

Yep, I said Esme would find a way to get Trina blamed 🤦‍♂️ The identical phone case basically confirms this is where it’s going. And Joss/Cam’s collective IQ will drop by double digits through all of this.

It wasn’t bad. But Brits don’t take all that well to change, so that theme only lasted a year. I remember that period very well.

Indeed. The only thing that has remained consistent about our soaps are their themes. The only soap that has kept the exact same theme and arrangement is 22 year old daytime soap, Doctors.

Since Eastenders was mentioned… It’s a feature of all the British soaps. Most shows, in fact. A beat of feature that takes the show into the credits. Hollyoaks is slightly different as it neatly always has a post-credit scene.

From a U.K. perspective, Aiden’s suicide in Coronation Street was both powerful and harrowing for a number of viewers and reasons. Not a comment on the show itself.

Gives you a little clue as to who to expect in the rest of these updated credits.

Amendment to the credits. Same ‘Sons And Daughters’ style. Theme tune remixed. Esme, Viktor, Drew added. The rest are a mix of previous pictures and upgraded shots of current characters.