Who decided to put awful Ste and his rictus grin all over the start of the credits? It soured the whole thing for me. 

Exactly. You'd think they'd start the credits off with Tony seeing as he is an original. 

 

Ste is the primary reason I can't get into HollyOaks. His chemistry with Brendon was good (even though the relationship was twisted as f-ck), but I could never commit b/c they always force fed him on us.

And oh he's with his kids, it's so sweet. 

 

He's an awful father. I just don't want to see it. 

 

The credits are odd in that so many people are rushed through, yet others, like that nasty Scott, loiter on forever. 

Anybody else enjoying the 5 point of view episodes?  I am really enjoying it.  I am glad I started watching this show.  It is really good!

I think the POV Week has been brilliantly done, it's very clever. Am loving Nancy at the moment and this is the first of Warren's stints that I've seen and he is so charismatic. Trevor who?

Also completely agree that Ste grimacing with his kids and beckoning viewers in on the opening credits is just so grim. He's awful.

Weak links on the show for me at the moment are the actor playing DS Armstrong; Neeta (atrocious actress) and Liam Donovan (his two brothers both bring something to the table - he offers nothing). 

I'm not a Ste fan at all either but to be fair he really hasn't been on a lot.

 

I've liked the POV episodes. Something different and it was time for some movement/closure in the Patrick mess.

 

I also like the new opening credits.

Hollyoaks Fall preview.     Love it.  Who do you think you are?  I'm Mercedes McQueen Bitch....  

 

Hearing Jude, seeing Jude ... My God, am I dreaming? I'm pretty much excited for everything but whatever convolutions they come up with to create Celine's story. So dumb.

 

Even though she wasn't in the preview, I have a feeling Tegan's time may be coming to and end. She is one of the few characters I don't care for, so I hope I'm right. She hasn't had anything of significance for a long time.

 

I hope this is it for Nico. Seeing her bite it in some gruesome way would be delicious. It's been a fun ride though.

This Joe triangle is so stupid and a waste of my time. I'm liking Jesse/Celine, even if I'm still pissed about her potential with Cameron being squandered. I feel with the latter coupling Celine was surpassing her typical ditzy routine and becoming a complex bonafide heroine. I don't see that happening with Jesse, even if they are cute together. And the upcoming convolutions with them and Myra/Diego is going to make me want to bleach my brain. Emma Smithwick wrote Myra so much better than Kirkwood has since he returned; see Myra's role in the Mercedes/Mitzeee story as a great example.

 

However, everything with James and Jade/Alfie has been fantastic. I sadly can't imagine Jade will survive another bout of cancer, so when she presumably dies I will be a goddamn mess. I already teared up this week. And that fake-impromptu wedding between Jade/Alfie was classic Hollyoaks. It was sweet, romantic, bittersweet. The writers have really hit a major home run with this story. I also liked seeing some fire in Neeta telling Mac off for being an ass. The actress did good with the material. Her living with Grace is interesting. Maybe Grace's new love interest? You can't count it out, not on Hollyoaks. Which makes things so much fun.

 

As for James, unlike Cameron, I like the twist that Mac is an abusive ass. That they turned the whole Mac-good/Marnie-bad characterization on its head is great. It's going to be hard to see James' family probably disbelieve his claims. I just hope Marnie steps up for her son, the one person that has always stood by her, when the truth comes out. Of course, she might just succumb to a full breakdown like they've alluded to her having in the past. Since spoilers said Linda Gray will be no fan of Mac, I hope we'll get a chance to see her drag him for filth.

New credits are good but I agree they should not start with Ste.

 

Standouts to me are Sienna's pose/dress. The actress is so beautiful it's unspeakable. And Freddie Roscoe...God Almighty.....

I also liked seeing some fire in Neeta telling Mac off for being an ass. The actress did good with the material. Her living with Grace is interesting. Maybe Grace's new love interest? You can't count it out, not on Hollyoaks. Which makes things so much fun.

 

I was amused that Grace shot down the prospect of this pairing to Esther on the latest episode. I guess my soapy sixth sense was tingling.

 

I am fully ready for Joanne to go away now. When she moved on from Louis it looked like she learned her lesson. I don't understand why they are horribly backtracking this character. Being so pathetic at her age ain't cute.

 

And I hate to say it, but I think it's time for Myra to die. Her shtick makes me grimace. I wish she were an adult again.

 

 

Edited September 18, 20169 yr by Bright Eyes

Joan Collins reveals she turned down a Hollyoaks role, possibly the one Linda Gray accepted.

 

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/news/a807994/dame-joan-collins-reveals-that-she-turned-down-a-role-in-hollyoaks/

The sexual consent story has started off to a very well written start. I already have taken to Ben Davies as Nick, and it just feels so good to have freshers week back. Huge bonus to the show at not including Ste. Harry is so likable when he's with Holly/Zack/Cleo and away from him. They all felt like relatable young adults tonight. Zoe Lister should be proud.

Tegan doesn't blissfully appear for weeks, but two episodes in and she reminds me why I hate her. Calling Ellie a slut/skank or whatever it was merely because she's a petulant jealous lonely cow. I pray she'll somehow be a casualty of this October stunt. Worst character on the show. Luckily, that's not saying much because most of them are in my good books. I'd say Scott, for obvious reasons, and pathetic Joanne need to go. That's it really. Though I have made myself clear on how I'm feeling about Myra lately as well.

 

Porley did very good in the scene where she pleads with Freddie to get back with her. The show does a good job of always having something happening under the surface. For instance, Freddie could see something was wrong with Ellie, but even if his comfort leads to a reconciliation, there's still the secret of Freddie cheating on her with her mother, and not Cindy. It doesn't look like Ellie will get much of a break anytime soon. That scene where Ellie was describing what happened to Lisa, and Lisa didn't know how to react was unfortunately true to life. The hardest part of the story is seeing how confused and lost Ellie is about what happened. I wonder how long it will be before someone actually categorizes it as rape.

 

Today absolutely confirmed that Cameron is not the father of Leela's baby. This is another example like above. Celine/Jesse are currently apart while she goes through with this hackneyed Diego marriage, but even when/if they reunite, they'll potentially have to deal with the fact that he could be the father of Leela's baby. You know, with Iain McLeod having left for Emmerdale and Di Burrows taken off the credits awhile back, I'm thinking Emily Gascoyne as the sole Series Producer is working in the show's favour. Surely, it can't be a coincidence? If only she'd bring her friend Chris Fountain back.

I already asked about James in the ED thread, so anyway, another question - what do you think of Jack's niece? She reminds me of one of those Loose Women presenters....pairing her with that Liam is odd but I guess the show is trying to make them happen. 

 

I'm glad that even after all these years Jack continues to have random relatives popping into the village. 

I think Mac abusing James works. They've always said Mac had a temper, so it makes sense he took it out on someone in the family. They've really done a lot to make Marnie and James fully realized characters, even at their most camp/OTT-ness, and this just helps that rhetoric. At the same time, I don't automatically see Mac as evil because of his genuine affection for his other children, but he clearly has a very disturbing side to him. I mentioned before how I love that they flipped the script on Marnie/Mac as well. Neeta has already seen Mac's true colours, so I hope she'll be involved when James admits what happened to his family. Ellie is so much in her own world right now, with good reason, that she'll probably want nothing to do with the drama. But I can totally see Nathan and Alfie turning on James in the aftermath, so I hope Neeta is around to back him up. I'm interested to see Mac's reasoning for only ever turning on James.

 

As for Eva, I think the story is a bit jarring but the spoiler about the whole Osborne family disappearing has me intrigued. Though thinking about it now, it just came to me that it might be a replica of the Niall story. Still, the actress, having to have so many emotional scenes right out of the gate, seems strong enough to handle the material. I don't think the show is trying to make Eva and Liam an actual pairing. She's clearly just using him. I can see him somehow being collateral damage in her revenge quest.

Great use of Celine recently. I've always found her so-so but they're really doing a good job with her and they've struck gold with that pairing with Jesse.
The double wedding where both weddings didn't happen was some good drama. The Juanita character, although a caricature, was a fun addition. I didn't see the twist re: Diego coming.
Mercedes & Joe were working but I'm not sure I feel sad about them breaking up. I'm interested in seeing who they move them with. Although no Joanne please. She's a wet fish. I'm always annoyed at how Darren being Joe and Freddie's brother is swept under the rug.
The balance on this show does my head in sometimes. We had the week of the Patrick saga, and since then I don't remember seeing Sienna, Maxine etc. It's a bit anticlimatic.
I've never had a problem with Tegan but she was annoying last week. I've watched every episode this year but I can't remember Leela having sex with Jesse at all.
Joan Collins would have been a catch and more age appropriate to be Marnie's mother but I just don't see her in a British soap. Or even US soap. GL was just a case of right show in the right era/right character/right family.