EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

I think it's because Mick is supposed to be the typical "geeza" so we'll chortle at his discomfort. The whole thing felt pointless, and seamy...and biphobic. So much for "kindness." 

 

The scenes with Peggy learning about her cancer spreading to her brain and when she and Sal comforted each other were incredibly powerful and emotional. It really brought home the tragedy and the finality. The last shot in particular, with just her face in closeup as she learned. 

[NothinButAttitude]

 

The whole story is pointless. At least the Neville/Belinda portion of it, and Buster having tried to vandalize their home.  

[DRW50]

The Buster part is the only part that works for me. I liked the exploration of how stupid he felt and how he then made an even dumber, rash choice to try to turn things around. It was nice to see more of him with the Carters and with Lee (who is a lot like him). 

[TimWil]

Maybe Buster is more Neville's type? He sure is mine.

[NothinButAttitude]

 

Leave Kathy's future husband alone!

[DRW50]

I would actually enjoy a later-in-life sexuality story with Buster, although knowing EE, he'd sleep with Ben, especially with Ben's daddy issues...

[Bright Eyes]

The true reason he spent so much time in prison?

[DRW50]

Ben or Buster 

[Bright Eyes]

Buster.

[DRW50]

Ah. 

 

That would be an interesting topic to explore - whether he couldn't face the outside world partly for that reason. 

 

Karl Howman's so underrated on the show. I just hope they don't write him off. For me it's characters like Buster or Lee who are much more suited to EE than the flashier Carters.

[NothinButAttitude]

Phil was a total prat this entire episode. How dare he beg and plead Peggy to fight when his ass can't even fight to keep his lips from being wrapped around a liquor bottle? Glad Ronnie called him out over his attempt to bully Peggy into doing what he wants. 

 

Belinda's climax was predictable. Of course, Neville was a bad husband, Mick came to the rescue, and Belinda had to take the word of the wise sage that is Linda.  When Linda went on that tangent about marriage, I gagged. I'm all for a stable marriage on this show, but not when it is force fed to us every damn episode. We get it. Linda and Mick won't engage in an affair and they are rock solid. No need to sell it to us constantly. Primary rule to storytelling is showing not telling. Clearly, DTC and his writers missed that day of Creative Writing. Just a simplistic scene like him rubbing Linda's feet, like he did, would sell me. Not them constantly having to tell us what marriage signifies. 

 

Now that Neville is out the picture (for now), I hate now how they are gonna make Belinda pursue Mick now, so Linda can once again be a victim. I would've simply preferred if Belinda had just left Neville over the CostMart deal. Walford was her home--is the home of many of her family members. Her simply leaving her husband over him gentrifying Walford would've served enough reason to place Belinda back on the Square. It would've been more entertaining for her to lead the pack alongside Buster to prevent CostMart from coming in rather than making Neville a perverted old goat--a move to depict how Mick is the ideal man and husband.  

 

Nice to see Sonja express her real reason for not wanting the mastectomy--that being that she doesn't not want to lose her breasts, which define her womanhood. Compelling piece work even though I didn't need her to go get drunk to divulge her fear. 

Edited May 13, 2016 by Nothin'ButAttitude

[Bright Eyes]

I agree with you about the Belinda mess. Having her husband be a sleaze is such a tired way to bring her to the square. Why not take the opportunity to see if Neville himself could be a character in his own right. No, that would be too much work. However, Belinda wouldn't consider Walford her home as she's never lived there.

[NothinButAttitude]

But it is home to her family members. She still has some connection to Walford, which would provide her a reason to be against Neville's CostMart deal if they went this route. 

[DRW50]

It's actually embarrassing. Belinda sees the light because of the pure love and fat bulge of Mick Carter. And of course she's going to try to win him for herself, because now she sees what a true man is. 

 

It's misogynist as hell, even on a show full of sexist caricatures (Sharon being #1 at the moment). And it makes Belinda so ridiculous it's hard for me to even care about her now.

 

[NothinButAttitude]

I can't root for her either because of the same reason. I hope Sean O'Connor fixes Belinda and sets her sights elsewhere. 

 

I just hate how a show that once depicted strong women currently have none on the canvas. All of them are weak damsels that need a man to save or fulfill them. In most recent cases, that man to save them is Saint Mick.