EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[KMan101]

The UK soaps seem to have fallen into the same rut as the US soaps where they just constantly swap producers and writers. I agree stronger producers are needed for sure. It's clearly lacking.

[DramatistDreamer]

The end of an era.

[Vee]

Is this for all PBS stations across the country? Tragic.

[BetterForgotten]

If not for PBS, I would have never discovered EastEnders, so this does hurt a bit even if I don’t follow the PBS run which is like a decade behind anyway. 

I think a PBS affiliate in North Carolina still carries the show and does a regular fan event where actors visit. Don’t know if that even still happens though.

[DramatistDreamer]

I don't know. I just know that it was watching this particular PBS channel (I had access to about three PBS stations growing up) that I first remember watching EastEnders.

To be honest, I am surprised the show lasted this long on WLIW, for one, because they moved it away from what I referred to as the 'Brit bloc' of programming on Friday nights, which included shows like "Are You Being Served?", eventually moving it off Friday nights entirely.

I just remember never knowing how to find the show. At one point, it was moved to almost midnight and I couldn't stay up for that. I probably stopped watching around then. I had no idea that they eventually moved it to Tuesdays.

That's not even getting into the aspect of the show being at least a decade behind. In the age of the Internet, streaming and VPN, I'm guessing that would not go down too well.

Nonetheless, it's sad, for all the people who were still watching. Maybe Britbox(is that still available?) or some other entity might pick up EastEnders. Paying a subscription fee is not the same as watching on a public broadcasting network and having the luxury of dodging pledge drives.

I could have sworn seeing something, like a months old tweet trying to fundraise-- it sounded pretty desperate, tbh, so I don't know how successful they were in their efforts.

Edited October 17, 2021 by DramatistDreamer

[KMan101]

I think BritBox has Corrie, Emmerdale and EastEnders but I could be wrong. I've never tried to subscribe to it. Do any of the "official" subscription based services have a 'full library' of these shows? Or is it just 'recent years' starting with like 2010? lol 

 

There's a blog out there with lots of old episodes of the UK soaps, but you'd have to download them from FileFactory. It's a great source though.

 

I was honestly shocked some local PBS affiliates were still showing EastEnders. I know for many of them it was still getting eyeballs it seems. Why keep airing it if it wasn't? I think a Florida affiliate was showing episodes earlier this year. I'll have to check if they still are.

Edited October 17, 2021 by KMan101

[victoria foxton]

It's sad that PBS will no longer air EastEnders. I discovered the soap around 1993. And fell in love with EE. I have long stop watching it on WLIW 21. Before that EE aired on the now defunct WNYC channel 31. Before that station was sold in 1996.  If i wanted to watch a current episode. I would catch it on either YouTube or Dailymotion. 

Edited October 18, 2021 by victoria foxton

[wingwalker]

I do believe it's the BBC that's pulling the episodes from all PBS stations.  They probably want people subscribe to BritBox, which sadly doesn't have any of the older stuff. Just the newer episodes from the past 90 days. The episodes are usually available to watch within minutes of the UK broadcast is ending. But current EastEnders is so much worse than the stuff from years ago. 

[AMCOLTLLover]

i rewatched Kush's exit.. Poor fella left EastEnders for Holby City and BBC pulled the trigger on HC and axed it after the current season in 2022

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Imagine leaving a show for another just to end up jobless after the current season.

[wingwalker]

 Daniel Cosgrove from Guiding Light, As The World Turns and All My Children says hello!  

[DramatistDreamer]

And BBC is known to be quite stingy about licensing their content. Now that you have Netflix, Hulu, Britbox and Acorn, it will be easy to leave PBS stations out in the cold.

For example, Sesame Street went to HBO for first-run episodes, leaving PBS with, what is essentially repeats.

 

[KMan101]

 

It must be BBC. It's interesting how Drama can air EastEnders classic episodes but they don't put them on BritBox? I mean, seems silly to not leverage the classic years?

[MichaelGL]

Lawd! This show realized what a massive mistake it was to kill off Denny, and have decided to give Sharon a retconned grandchild!

[victoria foxton]

 

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[AMCOLTLLover]

Adam Woodyatt confirmed that he won't be returning to EastEnders as Ian Beale when he has completled 'I'm a Celebrity'.

I can't say that i am upset. I didn't liked him for years ever since the 'who killed-Lucy' plot in 2014-15 he became so disgusting as a character Ian and i was so happy when i heard that he is finally out.