EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

 

There's huge amounts of repetition and heavy focus on generally loathsome characters like Phil. It all feels empty at the moment. But that may change now.

[KMan101]

I don't even watch regularly and can go long stretches but it always seems to be Phil is nasty and ugly and miserable, everyone shuns him, something happens to make them feel sorry for him and then it's all "Poor Phil" ... no? It's wash, rinse and repeat. Aren't viewers sick of this? And Sharon sounded nuts for waxing nostalgic about Phil, JMO. It's so toxic.

 

Are they going for an alcoholism story with Kathy? In two episodes she's seen drinking it up and having a good time. While nothing wrong with that, it seems to be slightly focused on.

[Skylover]

 

I think they were trying to be comedic with Kathy drinking.

 

I'm so happy they had the guts to re-cast Michelle. I wonder if this means we might see Mark again. Such a shame they stuffed up his casting.

[KMan101]

Well, Michelle did make a call to Mark ...

[DRW50]

 

I was, yes. I'll be more excited if he puts a foot each up the asses of his daughters, but I'm not expecting that. I'm glad the first scene was with Stacey, as it should be. 

 

I enjoyed the episode other than the Phil [!@#$%^&*], but unfortunately that is what sticks in my head. I was also embarrassed that Sharon got her own version of All My Luggage:

 

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/all-my-luggage/n9944?snl=1

Edited December 26, 2016 by DRW50

[NothinButAttitude]

Last night's episode was OK. I wasn't that much impressed. It was just a lot going on that made me roll my eyes throughout the entire telecast. 

 

- Phil miraculously getting a liver on Christmas is bullsh-t. I hope his body rejects it and his ass dies. If anything, TPTB ought to realize from this last year that Phil is also at the end of the road. They should send his ass to the great beyond with Roxy & Ronnie too. There's nothing more he can offer. Free Sharon and Ben of his grip. 

 

- Martin & Stacey were cute, but I still feel that Martin loves Stacey more than she loves him. With Max being back, I'm sure I'll feel this way even more. 

 

- Dot's scenes were tragic. If they had Michelle do anything, she should've at least popped over and visited Dot, Pauline's dear friend. 

 

- I'm not the least bit interested in what Michelle's secret is. After Mark's paternity, Michelle shouldn't have anything else to conceal. Why must soap characters return with secrets? Why can't Michelle simply just came home b/c she felt it was time? I bet this 'secret' pans out to be something stupid. 

 

- So is this is how Lee is being written off? That he'll be going to prison? If so, it is better than them killing him off and us watching Mick and Linda mope around be victims for all eternity. Speaking of the Carters, can we get them out of The Vic? They just don't fit mold of being the family occupying The Vic. Sharon and Denny need to be back in there with Michelle now that she's returned. I'm sure Mark & Vicky's returns aren't long from now either. Let them all live there. 

[KMan101]

The Carters to me were the most cringeworthy celebrating the holidays. Why is the family still around?

Can anyone tell me what's appealing about Max? The actor is fine but I never found him very interesting. JMO. And I forgot they brought back Jack (I haven't been watching for a while). Another UGH and why?

[DRW50]

 

Max - charisma, a compelling anti-hero (in spite of a decade of poor scripts). That ass. 

 

Jack came back mostly because Scott Maslen likely wanted the paycheck and the show likely wanted to rehab Ronnie after 2015 destroyed her character. There's a lot of spec he will leave once Ronnie and Roxy are gone. 

 

I have to admit I've grown to like the Carters a lot more this year. I think my anger is too focused on the Mitchells to spread it out.

[Skylover]

 

What happened to Vicki, where did she go when she left?  I wonder if both Mark and Vicki will have British accents on their returns, and if they'll both be re-cast.

[DRW50]

 

She lives in New Zealand or somewhere with Alfie's brother Spencer. There's speculation she will return based on some of the tweets from the woman who played her a decade ago. 

 

Based on the attempts Michelle made to call him I think we'll be seeing Mark at some point. 

[Skylover]

 

Thanks. I didn't like 2003 Vicki from what I remember. Would they also bring Spencer back too, then? Mark was hot but his English accent annoys the hell out of me.

 

[NothinButAttitude]

It still bothers me that Vicky nor Mark had American accents when they grew up in America. It isn't that hard to find out of work American actors that'd be thrilled to occupy these roles. 

[DRW50]

 

Vicky was 9 when she left the UK so that didn't really bother me as much - the problem was they hired an actress who couldn't do an accent. And then to make it worse they randomly had her go back to her real accent. 

Mark Jr was ridiculous, for many, many reasons. I still don't understand why they had him perving over his 15-year old cousin and saying that was what they do in America. Whoever came up with that must hate America. 

 

Chris Parker is out of acting. With Alfie off the show and likely not returning anytime soon (if ever), I doubt it. 

[NothinButAttitude]

 

Well I just hope that if they are both brought back that their fixed b/c they've screwed up both of Michelle's kids.

[Skylover]

 

Agreed. They recently brought back Duncan Stewart and his wife in Home and Away and although she wasn't an American actress she had quite a convincing accent throughout her tenure IMO (perhaps Americans might view it differently) but I was pleased they saw it through properly.

 

Considering how DTC was so against the idea of re-casting Michelle it seems odd that he stuffed up Mark so badly. At the time it felt like he rushed through that whole plot so he could be the one who did it before he left.