EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

I never knew that. Thanks.

[DRW50]

Apparently there's some rumor going around and around that Cora will be revealed as Sharon's biological mother.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

That's not true, we've already met Sharon's biological mother, who only saw her as a friend and not a daughter.

[DRW50]

People keep saying that, and then someone comes along and says, well, the show will just say she wasn't Sharon's real mother after all.

Hopefully it won't happen.

People seem so fascinated by Cora...

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I wish they'd explore her paternal line. It would be interesting to see how different her relationship is with her biological father as opposed to Den.

I'm not sure if she has any half-siblings through her father, but she definitely does through her mother.

[dannigold]

Sharon's return trailer

http://www.youtube.c...d&v=rh_vXfOY1JI

Edited July 27, 2012 by dannigold

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Love it and love special effects.

Edited July 27, 2012 by Y&RWorldTurner

[Skylover]

I've basically stopped watching the show now. I didn't want to because I've loved EastEnders for years but I realised I didn't even like a single character other than Ben. The whole show seems to be based around random characters talking to each other about unimportant things these days. The Michael/Jean thing was atrocious, Michael has ruined Janine for me (I don't think I can watch while they're still together) and Kat's back and stilla a mess.

Sharon will get me tuning in but I can't even be bothered to watch for the Ben stuff at the moment because it's lost in the mess of everything else. Even Derek's hot son isn't enough of a draw.

[Ben]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but there are sparks of goodness within the mess recently. I was like you, Ed, a month ago, but underneath the messy big plots, there have been some wonderful scenes. Like, Shirley/Jean up on the scaffolding; Zainab/Denise continue to be funny; AJ was a great character, and I hope he returns (loved he parting line: "If Shabnam returns and is a lesbian, I want to know." Or something like that); Jay/Lola (she's actually surprised me recently, and I'm warming to her a lot); Janine being humanised without losing her bitchy edge; Lucy has been awesome, I just love her, and Hettie Baywater has stepped into the role seamlessly, IMO.

But none of these are main stories, or characters in main stories (apart from Janine (minus Michael), Lola's pregnancy), and maybe that's why I like them. What/who they push to the forefront are tired and just don't work. I don't care about Kat's affair, or Max's big secret (again), or dastardly Derek's family woes with doe-eyed Alice in Walfordland, or the randomness of Poppy, or psychotic Ben and the never-ending, lost-its-momentum Heather's murder story. I used to like Cora, but they've ruined her character by having her do odd things, and they've ruined Kim/Ray with some slack writing, which is a shame.

[DRW50]

I just want to see Joey and Max Branning have a red button special where they decide who has the biggest ass.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

No thoughts on the trailer, Carl?

[DRW50]

I think it's a cool commercial, the best they've had in a long time.

I'm not quite sure it fits Sharon's character though.

[Skylover]

Sorry to be a downer once again, but even reading those moments you mentioned makes me realise I'm glad I haven't tuned in. I literally feel no emotion whatsoever for those characters, especially Lola and Jay. I don't know why it's just not drawing me in at the moment. I think it might be a structural problem to the show which seems to affect a lot of the soaps at some point or another. There are no strong family units. As mentioned previously, the Mitchells are lost without Peggy, I don't think the Masoods work unless Syed interacts with them (speaking of which, has he had much to do with them recently? And have Syed and Christian featured much?)

So many of the characters have become parodies of themselves and therefore no longer work as characters. I'm thinking Shirley, Kat, Michael, Derek. It's almost as if they're they're to fulfill one purpose and can't function as characters in their own right (Michael as the antagonist, likewise Derek the antagonist with a human side). I'm not sure what Phil and Kat are upto anymore but they no longer get decent writing in the day-to-day episodes and seem to only be there for their legacy.

And Jack. JACK. The character I hate the most in soap land. If they pair him up with Sharon I will never forgive the writers. I like the Brannings but having them as such a huge unit (including Derek, Jack et al.) seems unnecessary and detracts from the chemistry the original lot have as a unit. I find Cora to be a cliche as well.

Sigh. It's a good job I'm enjoying Home and Away at the moment cos Neighbours ain't great either, but not as bad as EE atm IMO.

Has Joey had a topless scene yet? Haha

[Y&RWorldTurner]

The show is in limbo/transtion at the moment due to the change over in producers and Kirkwood leaving earlier than planned.

While not perfect, there's some strong elements that they can work out. We'll really have to wait a few months to see Lorraine Newman's true vision come through.

Edited July 27, 2012 by Y&RWorldTurner

[DRW50]

In spite of everything I do think there's still some life in Walford, which I can't say about any of the other British soaps, which now feel completely dead and suffocated.