Hollyoaks: Discussion Thread

[Chris B]

Okay I started with the week of June 7th and I believe the last episode I watched was the 17th or 18th. Overall the show has improved a little, but a lot of the characters are dull and the stories aren't very interesting. I'm eagar to see July 5th and on because I know it's when Marquess gets his name in the credits so no more blaming Allan for anything. As it is we all know he's there heavily tweaking her work and I'm surprised it's not better. Not sure how Theresa as Calvin's killer makes much sense and that was his choice. It's just more misery for the McQueen family and another way to tear them apart. That's the only story that family gets, just with different family member combinations.

Steph has never been an interesting character to me, so her upcoming exit or cancer story don't move me too much. It's very watchable but so many important characters around her are dead so it's hard to care. Ricky and Duncan are absolutely revolting and unwatchable. Zak and Michaela still have huge spark and are two of the strongest characters. Nancy is at a cross roads and I had wait to see where that character goes.

I also noticed less pop music, longer scenes and not every episode opens with the typical fantasy sequence set to music. I see him tweaking things to make it a more traditional soap, even in some of the choices the directors are making. Hopefully his storytelling holds up and he can completely revamp the show.

[DRW50]

The problem is what WOULD make sense for Calvin's killer? From what I saw of the story, which wasn't a lot but was enough to annoy me, Calvin was just his usual sanctimonious, entitled self. The important characters who were mad at him did not have a history of murder and he had not really done enough to push them over the edge. Sasha obsessing over Warren, Lauren being angry about Calvin causing problems for Gaz, Mercedes/Malachy and the affair...it was all frivolous. Not even getting into Lucy Allan's attempts to try to make Jake or Rhys a suspect. A more likely killer in the show's mind would have probably been a character tied to the underworld (like the twink Kyle) or some out of the blue racist like Des. Neither of those brings any real drama.

I think Teresa as the killer had some dramatic power and helped bring the McQueens together as much as it tore them apart. They've all had a lot of juicy story over this, especially Jacqui. The only one who seems to have been left out is Michaela.

I do agree that the show is still very uneven and I don't think one can say there have been big improvements. But I hope it will keep moving up. The ratings for Tuesday's episode were 1.37 million, which must be their highest since sometime last year, does anyone know?

Aside from that braying donkey Cheryl doing her bad dramatics over not being appreciated by the Valentines (how is she even close to them?), I thought Tuesday's episode was good. Sasha and Lauren throwing Leo off the couch. Carmel trying to bond with Lauren only to have this backfire. The stuff with the Ashworths is hard to watch and depressing but I did love that Suzanne and Cindy got along fine and poor Darren was left feeling put out. And that scene of Darren riding Holly's bike was fun too. Darren is such a brilliant character, he is probably the spine of the show at this point.

Ste was a bit OTT but I got a good laugh out of Dave and his attempts to con his way into a huge expensive meal. The small stuff, like his trying to pocket a beer on his way out (which Ste took as he was at the door), and then his big Stanley Kowalski routine as he thought he'd been banned from all the eateries in Chester. Why has he been fired????

[Bright Eyes]

Totally with you Carl. The whole thing with Cheryl was very ... WTF? Lucy Allan really forced her into having some sort of pseudo relationship with every single person on this show, eh? How utterly horrible.

I thought the stuff with Dave was quite funny. That fat ass Duncan is staying and Dace, who is actually very likable, will soon be gone, drives me batty.

[DRW50]

So is a new way for the show to get viewers having Frankie with...um...full on headlights throughout her last scenes on the latest episode?

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Kim Tiddy (Heidi Costello) interview:

Part 1: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s13/hollyoaks/interviews/a237611/kim-tiddy-heidi-costello-hollyoaks.html

Part 2: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s13/hollyoaks/scoop/a237626/kim-tiddy-interview-exclusive-part-two.html

[DRW50]

Thanks for the interviews Y&RWT. She looks a bit like the one who played Mandy, although she shouldn't make that fish face.

Garnon Davies is leaving the show. I guess Elliot has been just sort of there for a long time but Garnon's a good actor (cute too) and I still liked Elliot. I was kind of hoping he and Nancy would get together, since that would make him the only man to be with Sarah, Hannah, and Nancy, and that's good for trivia. Poor Jessica Fox must be sweating bullets, if she wants to stay on the show -- that makes everyone she has had a story or scene with either gone or going.

[Bright Eyes]

With Carley Stenson leaving, Jessica Fox is the best actress on this show and my personal favorite. Through everything, I have ALWAYS loved Nancy so Marquess better get clever and give her something to do. If he lets her leave, I'll be FURIOUS!

As for Davies, I really enjoyed him with Leila before I stopped watching. Maybe he'll leave with Michaela

[dannigold]

Four more to leave 'Hollyoaks'

Hollyoaks is to lose another handful of familiar faces over the coming months as four more actors prepare to leave the soap.

John Pickard - real-life brother to co-star Nick Pickard (Tony Hutchinson) - will bow out of the Channel 4 soap as chef Dom Reilly toward the end of the year at around the same time as Ashley Slanina Davies, who portrays mum-of-two Amy Barnes.

Glenn Wallace is also due to film his final scenes as Malachy Fisher, while Garnon Davies's swansong as sci-fi supergeek Elliot Bevan comes within the same few weeks.

Little is known about their respective departures but it has been confirmed that storyliners are busy planning their exit plots.

Speaking of his decision to leave, Glen Wallace told DS: "I've had such an amazing time up here in Liverpool at Hollyoaks and I've learnt so much both personally and professionally - but I'm a great believer in gut instinct and I just think it's time for me to move on and find the next challenge, the next story to be part of and the next family to join..."

Speaking of his decision to leave, Pickard said: "I've really enjoyed my time on Hollyoaks and I shall be very sad to leave, but after five years, it's definitely time to move on. I've loved working with Nick and it's been great living in the North - Liverpool is such a great city and we've both made friends for life up here. I'll really miss the social side of this job because the people really have made it all the more fun. Dom has been such a great character to play but now I'm looking forward to taking on new roles."

Garnon Davies commented: "It's very strange to think that after four years I'll be leaving this place. It's been such a great experience and I've loved every minute - everybody says it but Hollyoaks really is a great place to work. I've made some amazing friends in the cast and crew and I'll miss them all. I'm not sure that I'll miss Elliot's geeky glasses and that damn woolly hat but I will miss Elliot - he's been a fantastic character to play and I will look back on this experience with very fond memories".

A show source told DS: "We're all sad to be losing yet more friends from the cast but everyone acknowledges that actors want to move on to pursue other roles."

They added: "Nothing's been firmed up yet storyline-wise but one thing's for sure, they'll all be memorable exits."

[DRW50]

No, not Malachy :(

I wish Mercedes could go with him. The character is exhausted and after this I can't see her with anyone else.

I will kind of miss Amy and Dom, although I guess I'm not shocked. It figures that right after an episode where Amy was more fun than she has EVER been (loved her attempts to show her wild side by bragging about getting knocked up behind the bushes, then realizing how stupid this was) she's leaving.

They really seem to be losing or firing every existing cast member. I wonder if they might regret firing so many actors now, it's going to be all new character aside from one or two faces. If those faces, like Ashley Taylor Dawson, leave, what then??

[Bright Eyes]

This is not good at all. I'll miss Amy and definitely Malachy. With Amy leaving as well as Eliott and Steph, Nancy really doesn't have ANYONE left at all. Horrifying. And with the latest episode where Cheryl was practically EVERYWHERE, I am scared to think of what will happen to Hollyoaks.

I'm sorry, but I don't really care about Charlotte, Jem, Duncan, Cheryl, Ricky, India, Ravi, Anita, Gaz, or Rae.

I'm prone to giving the Sharpes, Costellos and O'Conners a chance but if they fail all this show will have is ...

Tony, Cindy, Darren, Jack/Frankie, Holly/Tom, Gilly, Rhys, Nancy, and the McQueens.

Hopefully, they'll pair Lee and Nancy!

Edited July 9, 2010 by Amello

[DRW50]

Cheryl's braying is just unbearable isn't it? I had to skip about 1/3 of the episode thanks to her. And what a selfish friend she is to drag Steph around when Steph just finished serious cancer treatment.

I also don't care for Jem, she seems entitled and sour-faced and she has a weird voice. The only thing I liked was that they had she and India bond at the end of their little fight over who should get a job. I like that so far Marquess seems to be saying women don't need to have silly feuds. He did this with Cindy and Suzanne too.

Of those you listed I like Charlotte (that scene where she checked out Jem's ass was hilarious and surprising), but the others I barely tolerate. Well I could like Gaz but that is only with a lot of serious changes and time and will they make the effort, is he worth the effort? I don't know.

I just wish we knew who was being fired and who left on their own because would they have fired Zak (and then this caused Michaela to quit) if they knew so many others were going? Or is this all part of their plan?

These new characters are going to have to be phenomenal, and yet even if they are, will viewers be invested if they are just new faces interacting with other new faces? I know there will be some overlap but I just wish more people were staying around.

If Clare Cooper leaves you will hear my scream over the Interwebs...

Nancy might eat him for lunch though.

I thought Gilly might go when Steph does but if not then he could still have interesting stories. I'm glad he and Rhys are having more scenes, I have always liked that friendship.

[DRW50]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s13/hollyoaks/scoop/a240936/hollyoaks-titles-delayed-again.html

[Bright Eyes]

Ugh.

[Chris B]

The fact that Duncan, Ricky and Cheryl are safe, yet they choose to write off a character like Zak (or even Dave) is kinda worrying. I see lots of pretty people being cast, but I'm curious about how interesting they will be. It seems like things are starting off rough if I'm bein honest.

[Bright Eyes]

Agreed.