LondonScribe

RIP to one of the most important, stabilising producers the show had in the late 80’s. When The Bill Executive Producer Peter Cregeen was hired by the BBC as Head Of Drama in 1989, it was Michael Ferguson (and Pat Sandys, I believe) that Cregeen took with him and placed at Eastenders. It was important because previous producer Mike Gibbon had completely misjudged the tone of the show and took it to the other end of the spectrum after Julia Smith, with silly comedy mixed in with poor drama, and an aborted idea for an IRA terrorist bomb in 1988. Ferguson brought his production and storytelling chops from The Bill and steadied the show from 1990-1991, creating The Mitchell Brothers, and Eddie Royale, as well as bringing Nick Cotton back and Diane’s runaway story. The show was lucky to then move onto the late, great Leonard Lewis, but that’s another conversation. I went on a Casualty binge last year and was surprised to find out that Ferguson was the producer of Series 8, a sleeper hit of a period, the last really good period before they started to bring more soapy elements to the show. They don’t have his like producing anymore. Eastenders could really do with people like him and Pat Sandys.

Inject all of this cue (all one score) into my veins.

I clearly haven’t watched the show properly in a long while… What the heck was that writing? Awful!

Since news emerged earlier this year that Sydney Mikayla is due to start at university, I’ve been concerned and waiting for something to happen to Trina. I’m starting to think they might find a way around it, even if it reduces her airtime at worst. But as long as they do not lose her. Trina has proven too valuable and has managed to not only emerge from Joss’ shadow (where she’s always designed to be) but at times cast her own over Joss.

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/waterloo-road/a37702336/waterloo-road-return-bbc-one-new-episodes-axed/ This appears to be one of the ‘new’ northern set soap/drama series Holby City was axed for. To be fair, it was wildly popular for a period of time, and even possibly slightly contributed to the demise of The Bill. But most of the characters that made it popular have been killed off. So it’ll be interesting to see if the production team can craft characters as captivating as those before.

I’ve said this before, but I wonder if Lord Shaughnessy could have a word with his little bro and get him to rejoin The Young And The Restless?

Agreed. Was it perfect? No, but it was certainly better than what came before (Pratt/JPF) and after (Mal Young making it more like a British soap, complete with domestic abuser being ‘killed’ and buried by his victim and other women, lifted from his most famous Brookside storyline in the 90’s). Its telling that the (IMO) best writing duo lasted roughly 6 months and Josh Griffith in in his 3rd year, after Mal Young got roughly 2, and may have himself lasted longer had not been for suggestions he bullied and harassed people.

On that basis, that might not be the worst idea. New blood is needed at the top of the writing tree. Though we know who the executives are running the show and the huge conservative streak that runs through the soap world, and some fan pushback that would invariably result if (hypothetically) he was announced. Plus, I think I recall Ambitions dividing opinion on here.

Genuinely, do you feel he’d do a good job? I didn’t watch Ambitions so I personally have no frame of reference.

Oh Gladys. Her mouth will cause others problems again 🤦🏿‍♂️ And Lucy’s words to Scott screamed ‘giant anvil’ to me 😳

The only ‘saving grace’ is that is that it was her decision. Other than that, like you guys, I never got the sense she had that much of an impact on the stories. Josh Griffith seems to be a protected commodity over at Sony and CBS and seemingly has Carte Blanche to do what he pleases. Maybe.

Great point. I think the difference this time is Lucy Allan will likely be given more time. Plus, I think the show has a more baked-in formula and model, similar to machines like Eastenders and Coronation Street, so I anticipate it will be more difficult to radically overhaul things. I also believe the next Executive Producer is going to be promoted from within, thus reenforcing continuity. So the likes of Brian Park and Paul Marquess (who both did similar things to Family Affairs 4 years apart to varying degrees of success) won’t be able to wreck things. If we remember, under Marquess, there was a major (but unspecified) production snafu, that almost brought the whole operation down, expedited his exit and ushered in the much superior- but sadly too brief- era under Gareth Phillips (who was originally brought in to clean up Paul Marquess mess)

Paul Marquess, in my opinion, is one of the most destructive show runners in the history of modern British soaps. From the Brian Park school of turning shows upside down and mass axings, (indeed he was story editor briefly under him at Coronation Street), he took over at Brookside and gave the first inkling that he had indeed learned at the feet of the master. Though acting to a network brief, I blame him for destroying the essence of one of my all time favourite shows, The Bill, by axing 8 characters on his first day on the job (by storylining a race war that claimed the life of one of the longest tenured and senior-ranked characters at the time, and a series of events that killed 6 other characters by blowing up the police station). Over the next 3 years, the sex, sleaze, murder committed by police officers, etc wrecked the show for me. When he left, the successive production team tried in vain to restore the original formula of the show but it was too late for The Bill. Though I found Lucy Allan’s original tenure very boring compared to most of Kirkwood’s 1st go around, I was surprised when they brought in Paul Marquess. And sure enough, the same things he did before he did here. It’s been said before how the show became under him but he was mentioned, so I thought I’d chime in. As for Lucy Allan, I think she will be given the benefit of the doubt, at least for a while, as she’s over a decade more experienced, and I think she’ll have learned from her 1st tenure, especially the pitched story, inspired by the James Bulger murder case (following by backlash led by his mother) that was scrapped and basically did for her.

I wonder if they are going to try and ride this out, hoping stories like Jeopardy and other current affairs will serve as a distraction, and it quietly goes away. CBS & Sony seem stubbornly loyal to the show’s current Executives.

Didn't expect to wake up to this 😳 If exactly as alleged (or anywhere close to it) his position has just become untenable. But given the nature of these allegations, I’ll take my ‘next steps/replacement’ speculation elsewhere.

Britt pregnancy?

Yep, episode was flat, and the worship at the altar of Phyllis was ham fisted.

Wonder if he could have a word with his brother about Y&R? They could do with him.

Just watched tomorrow’s episode. The words ‘flat’, ‘ham’ and ‘fisted’ and ‘altar’ come to mind. They don’t even seem to be trying with character and dialogue anymore.

The GCAC was an infinitely better set than the Grand Phoenix. Certainly more spacious and less gaudy.

Jodie Whittaker is a versatile, powerful actor and under proper writing, could have thrived in the role. Chris Chibnall, however, was a poor fit for the show. I have a really bad feeling the BBC are going to ‘assess’ how series 13 goes, and decide on whether to carry the show on or call it a day. They’ve had 15 years of relative-huge success, and have cast a female Doctor. The argument may be made during the year that they’ve achieved all they could.

Spot on. I’m guessing the ship has sailed on that one? Or did she migrate with Edward Scott to B&B? For some reason, I’m imagining seeing her name appear on DAYS’ credits when Ed Scott was Exec Producer there. She was another who got Y&R as well as being a talent in her own right.

Want to jazz it up to reflect the times? Add a ‘None Of The Above’ option and see how many awards they take home 🤣

Why do I have a feeling Gladys is going to meddle, with the intention of engineering Brando’s placement with Carly and Jason, but will end up either driving Sasha away or causing her to lose her baby (whatever camera angles they could use to achieve that with Sofia Mattsson’s legit pregnancy)?

As a Brit, that’s turned into (at least) a double entendre. Google ‘Cockney Rhyming Slang Boat’ 😉