InLoveWithSoaps

The twist of Sienna and the cop who's Ben's son (he looks 45 and should just have been his brother) faking her death as a plot to catch Nico doesn't really make any sense but it was unlikely they'd spoil a real death through a flash forward months earlier. It was hilarious it backfired on her as Warren came back to take their son, and it was even more hilarious when she showed up at her wake screaming "he's taken my son!" and no one believed her with the mother of all stunts she just pulled. I find the twist of Sienna hiding out a pregnant Nico in her flat interestingly twisted and ironic, and something they would do.

The balance on this show remains way off. No one ever seems to appear for more than 4 episodes at a time and then they disappear for 2-3 weeks while other storylines take their place. It's easy then to avoid people you don't like but things often lose momentum and it feels as though they move too slowly and a lot of people are used to 25% of their potential.

Sass was the future of this show Lucy Lovegrove quitting after less than two years is a huge blow. I would have given up her brothers first had it meant she'd stay. The worst thing that happened with Sass during her run was anything Mason Coutts, that I couldn't enjoy. At least she got a happy ending with an alive Hawks. I like Kate's sister but the sassy (no pun intended) CEO's assistant thing is a bit overdone at this point, Sass, Bella,... And poor Jack, his boyfriends never stick around which is just weird. Stick with one.

VI had a meeting with Wheeler after AMC fired him but LML over at Y&R hired him first for another flop role. I do think it would have been very interesting to see what they would have done with Nick ten years after he left. He probably would have come back as they all do, darker with a chip on his shoulder, but they really could have used someone of his age in the Spaulding family with Phillip being in limbo at the time and Alan-Michael about to be foolishly dropped.
As for Mindy, I had wanted Cynthia Preston to be given a chance to revive that character. She showed up for the Cassie recast auditions but I think she would have been the right fit for Mindy, especially given that Bill had just left in late 2005 and they made the right call to put Billy back on the frontburner after years of nothing. Him having his Melinda Sue return at that time would have been a good move. Cynthia Preston kind of reminded me of Kimberley Simms.

https://www.backtothebay.net/news/2018/01/17/vale-jessica-falkholt/
So saddened about this, truly devastating. I liked her as Hope and wondered whether they would ever bring her back.

Reading some other stuff on that website trying not to spoil myself too much, I wonder if the gay character is going to be the new cop, Colby. He's been on for weeks (I'm still a bit behind though) and not a single mention of an ex girlfriend or flirting with anyone. Any other new man or woman on this show has a love interest nearly straight away, as on any soap, more often than not. If that's where they're going, and the show was more over-the-top, I say have Robbo who's living with him remember he'd been with men before and the two hook up, shocking the whole town.
It was always obvious the annoying mother of the new family would be killed off sooner or later because even though they've barely shared any scene thus far, the dad is, I bet, a future love interest for Leah. The daughters have been fine additions, not to mention Ryder. I only wish they had kept Scarlett around as I thought there was something so warm about her with great long-term potential.

Big Mo is ridiculous, (she does have good comedic timing so that's something). She probably won't be back after that, I don't see how she can stick around.

R.I.P. K.S. with random blurry picture

The actress decided to bow out. Frankie had a heart attack after the school's explosion which killed Neeta but I'm not sure you know her (one thing that really annoyed me recently was Grace telling Hunter to "get over it" when her brother covered his graffiti painting of Neeta, weren't they BFFs for a while?). I think killing off Frankie was another stupid move given right before she was thinking of leaving with her ex-husband. And now Darcy and Jack are ridiculous.

I hope I'm right about Sienna's mystery 'man'. That person playing the part in which she refers to Sophie as her "only daughter" seemed like foreshadowing but I could be wrong. That would be a great twist!

So Milo's trial got coverage in the local press but no one gave enough of a damn to follow it or see what he looked like?

They've worked wonders on Scott, going from an annoying nobody to one of the most human people on this show, yes I said it. I still think him pretending that the woman who raised him doesn't exist is harsh, but the addition of his brother has been great. What they've done with Scott reminds me of Grace's evolution. Of course he's no Grace but still.
Peri on the other hand is still as despicable as ever. There's no hope for her, lying to her mother that Tegan woke up from her coma to then make it look like her own mother caused her miscarriage. I've always hated her, her bullying a cancer-stricken classmate and then doing the same a year or so later with another girl.
I was taken aback when they showed the date of Bart's death, I can't believe it's been nearly a year since Amy's murder and all that surrounded it. They sure take their time, see the whole Milo thing.
The Glenn recast seems to have changed the character, I like him better than the previous one, but turning him into a crook overnight seems to limit his potential and it feels as though they're going with another abusive relationship storyline.

Corrie has always been the one British soap I never stuck with but I checked it out again for Christmas and I've been glued to it since. A 6th episode isn't too much on second thought given that it still feels like 3 episodes a week. I'd grown sick of Carla by the end of her last stint but she's been revitalized. What I appreciate most about Corrie is that it's really the only soap left that's got big families around. On others they mostly have groups of 2-3 people related to each other with a big family around like the infamous Dingles on Emmerdale (which has greatly improved since they've stopped with the whole who killed Emma which took away from her killing poor Finn right before, and that murder mystery was quite frankly plain boring and has made me sometimes hate Moira), you have the Barlows, the Platts, the Nazirs, the Websters, the Connors, etc. I think that's what works best. Daniel still is a future legend if they play it right.

I took a break from August to Christmas because I couldn't bear the show which is how I have been feeling about Emmerdale for some weeks now. I wonder if there might be some twist re: Abi. Like Willmot-Brown paying off the doctors against Max? Too DAYS-ish but I wonder if it's really it for her. I usually find the dodgy all-male businesses dull and boring but while I don't care about "Aidan" I love Bridget Kiely from Red Rock being on for a while even though she's basically playing the same as on RR. She fits right in.
Mick and Linda only become more and more insufferable it seems. The show needs to lose them if it really wants an overhaul, though I can already see Danny Dyer badmouthing the show forever if he gets fired. Carmel is another one of the recent creations I used to like but too much of her and her shrill attitude did her in.

The show won't be the same without Frankie. Then again all they would give her at this point was third-rate comedy stuff once every two months.
Regarding Amy's killer, I think it would have been better had it been James in order to frame Ste, thus explaining why he did everything to keep Harry out of prison. But between James and RyRy, James is definitely the one to keep for the long haul.
It's too bad Warren is already gone. I wonder where that leaves Sienna who had found more of a purpose again with that relationship, it seems there's hints to something with Joel but I'd rather he be happy with Cleo for the time being. I like the new Sienna/Grace friendship a lot.
Mac is the biggest POS I've seen on this show in a long time, even Patrick Blake wasn't so nasty. When he eventually gets his comeuppance it's going to be something.

I think the show has had a very good year. However I do find it unsettling at how many decent new characters disappear after a few weeks or months, like what was the point? Eve was a star for me and they had to turn her into a murderer, will Hawks ever return? Debs has gone MIA even though now she should be cleared so I hope she'll return because there was tons of potential with her. I know it's a Shortland Street thing but still some of the more recent regulars stay on for good when they're not that interesting, such as Kate and Blue (the acting during Ashley's death...), Dawn isn't all that either so if she ends up disappearing after a while I won't care. Margaret was a good return but a few episodes and then gone. At least Curtis seems to be back for good, I wish they'd have done more with Mo's father. They gave a grown up son to TK and since then nothing, but I suppose there will be some follow up.
Leanne and Damo have been the MVPs for me, they struck gold with them.

I'm actually quite happy with those two getting the axe as it's what I've been hoping for all year long sitting through their go nowhere scenes, and I think Lauren is a good character and actress but when I see those two, I don't really see their purpose for the future. If Ronnie & Roxy could be dumped like that, two sisters that are far inferior, spending their time being bored, boring, sharing men, and being unpleasant no less, could go. Steven was the only thing that breathed life in their material, and I'm quite unhappy with what they've done with him but I'm a month behind and it's such a chore to watch the show. I was shocked they did a Mick/Linda episode. Those two need to go as well, and I wasn't thrilled to see Whitney return, she's sleep inducing. Much like the Branning sisters, there was definitely something in her before but it's gone. I wouldn't mind Bianca coming back as I do miss her but I don't know how popular her last stint chasing after Liam was.

I'm a month behind, I'm so sad about Lucy, she had become one of my favorites. I'd have picked Esther instead, or even Kylie who's been a bit lost and on the verge of boring since the Norelle story ended. The actress, while good, lacks charisma.
I'm so glad though the Mason saga ended as Sass is a star and deserved better than this story. She & Hawks just work!
I really like Charlie & Jack together so I hope they keep Charlie on. I wonder whether Cam will ever return. I hated Ashley at first and felt the queen that is Harper deserved better family on than an annoying teen but she's okay with Blue. Intrigued about the dead bodies going missing. I'm glad a soap is remaining decent because the UK soaps have lost it a bit this year, except for Hollyoaks which at least never bores me. And H&A is good too (4 months behind), I still maintain it's the most character driven soap on the air.

I never expected they could make me care about Scott, it was time they gave him more substance. This story is very important right now, and I'm loving Diane getting something to do, her reaction is very realistic. Other thoughts on the show in recent weeks: I was so scared they were going to kill off my girl Cleo, especially with the red-herring of the annoying girl needing a heart transplant, surely they weren't stupid enough to do that.
I have started to really like Darcy although she's a one-note villain at this point. I hope we see more of Courtney's pregnancy story, it hasn't been on in like a month, nice to see less of Leela and Peri lately though. The end of the Nick the rapist story was well-handled, especially Cindy's involvement as she's so underused, but the actor was one of their better recent hires. A lesbian Muslim is quite groundbreaking and Farrah is so much better than her sister.

The show just feels aimless now, they're trying to be all ~realistic~ but it falls flat, and is ultimately boring, the bins, the community center, the leaks at the Vic, Denise's empty fridge. EastEnders never had to try that hard to be realistic. And then you have a bunch of random filler stories going nowhere. The stunts they came up with this year, for example. Tracey getting fired (I mean who cares?), post-it's invasion, Woody/Tina's one night stand... I mean they have at least an episode a week that's somewhat good, but maybe it's time to bring in a new producer. I also find the younger scene to be dead, Lauren & Abi are still there but haven't been relevant in years, it feels to me as though no one wants to write them off but no one has any idea what to write for them either, Whitney is kind of the same, Ben & Jay are in perpetual limbo. Bex is the only one that feels like she could lead the near future but her stories are repetitive and bring her down.

Harriet seems to be a case of the perfect supporting character that just doesn't work in bigger stories. I liked her with Ashley, but with Cain something's off.
This Megan/Jay/Nell/Frank custody arc is obvious filler and I think it's bringing the show down. I do like Megan but I have yet to see a purpose to that character. She could have been gone years ago nothing would have been affected. Her with Sam would work better.
Props to Ross for being "shot" and keeping a silent mouth, no screams, no pain or shock!

They actually lightly SORASed them for Ross's funeral in 2006 and who else but Mick Hazen (ATWT) and Eric Nelsen (AJ on AMC 2.0) to play them. They had no lines whatsoever. Clarissa stuck around until the end I believe but they didn't do anything with her. I know it's unpopular but I'd have said Kevin (I believe) was Rick's after all so that would have given him a kid legitimately old enough to be a teen. (2 year old Leah suddenly being one, ugh!)
I'll always be mad they didn't do a Blake/Alan-Michael redux after Ross's death. That was one of the best outcomes possible, although I know many wanted him with Dinah which could have worked too. Firing the last A-M who must have been as cheap as a Mandy Bruno was one of the pre-Peapack signs of how increasingly out of touch they were becoming. I'll never understand why they did that. You can't tell me it was because it was a failed recast given there was a lot more uproar about a certain recast around at the time, but they ignored it, and people didn't seem to dislike him too much, it was the stories they gave him first with Marina then with Ava that people didn't care for.
Re: Nadine, I'd have kept her over Buzz anyday. She was iconic! Not too fussed about Jenna's second run, she was isolated from everything that made her stand out in the first place. Her death scenes were cringe-worthy too thanks to Buzz.

And now Warren has killed Bart. This show!!! (Bart wasn't the exit I mentioned by the way, never had feelings about him either way.)

Add Sally & Neeta to what's working right now, I don't know which direction they will take them in but it's been a very interesting dynamic.

I don't know what's more disturbing. Bex being tricked into eating cat s*** or the bully girl eating an actual truffle that was sitting next to a pile of it in a box. Disgusting. Truly a low for this show, Thursday's epi was the worst I've seen possibly. Michelle's car crash should have killed those two girls, and even Louise.

I will give Redwater a try (the title is too similar to Red Rock - which I'm waiting to reprise this summer on BBC) but it should have aired last year. Wonder if Kat & Alfie will return to EE.

Oh no, Liam's gone for good. I liked him a lot and wish he had gotten a better story than this dull Eva thing. Is this how they wish to redeem Grace? Remove the reminders of what she did? I have loved Grace before but not recently sadly. They've just ruined her, at least Lisa didn't kill Nathan, with Grace it's harder to find a redemption plot, you basically have a cop killer and child murderer with her now and she's gotten away with it somehow. I also hate the exit coming up although I know no one will care either. Meanwhile, Scott just won't go away.
Killing off Amy is a dumb mistake. Let's see how long RyRy lasts. He could be good with Mercy. Cleo and Joel are so vital to the show at the moment, and not necessarily as a couple although if they don't go that way that would be a missed opportunity.

I was a bit disappointed in the way the Dee/Andrea story ended. Having Toadie get hit by a car was a bit too much. Anyway I loved the actress and I'd like to see her return.
@Edward Skylover what do you think of the upcoming casting changes, assuming you're not spoiler free for that?

Beautiful work from Gemma Atkinson this week. I was scared Carly was leaving for good. It was high time they gave her something substantial but I'm afraid it won't last. Marlon & Carly do work well together even though it's not the type of pairing that creates fireworks.

I thought the last couple of episodes were good. A bit too soapy with the aunt sleeping with her niece's boyfriend, but Martin and Bex are gems. The car crash was unnecessary but it looked better than that stupid bus crash from earlier this year. If Kathy dies that would make her return from the dead unbelievably pointless. She was better off as Sandy Roscoe. The Tina scenes were so well-done, I would hate to see her leave. Also only on EastEnders do you get two women well over 80 bickering, that was funny.

It was a really lame move. So all that Faith was huffing and puffing about was because Emma called her the devil? Gasp! I don't see how this excuses saying the woman's dead husband was not at peace. The pills twist did not make things any better. It would have been better for Ashley to be the one overhearing Emma and then forget about it, given he was involved in that story from the start. And what was Faith doing by the church anyway.

Good to know. I was just checking out when she was supposed to return the other day.

The guy who played the boring copier man - http://www.heart.co.uk/showbiz/tv/eastenders/eastenders-extra-photo-copier-guy/

Thanks. I thought for sure it was Will Savage but the videos cut before the cast list.