EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[Chris B]

I'm very curious what this will look like. I will say, despite it's issues, it's still very enjoyable and good overall. I like that they made this change before the show had completely run out of steam. I think of Hollyoaks in recent years as a good comparison. 

BTW, do we have any idea when Wadey's stuff will start airing?

[Liberty City]

According to the announcement of Chris Clenshaw's exit, he's remaining with EastEnders through the 40th anniversary in February.

[BetterForgotten]

I see Michelle Ryan is a lot more complementary and nostalgic about the show than she's ever been. I'm not watching the show anymore, but are they hinting at a return for Zoe at all?

I feel old knowing that next year will be the 25th anniversary of the Slater's. Thanks to internet chatter heating up at that time and BBC America airing the show back then, that was my first time following the show in near real-time given the PBS delay.

[Vee]

They've brought back everyone else. It wouldn't shock me.

[DRW50]

That's also how I got back into EE. I don't have any real connection to the Slaters these days, aside from Kat (and that doesn't mean I care about her stories, including having her son beat the hell out of her so she can reunite Alfie for the fifteenth time, once the most offcamera story in the history of soap was over. 

I share @Skylover 's view of how hollow and cold EE is these days. The stories do nothing for me and there are no characters, just plot points. I would rather watch a test pattern than Cindy's return, anything with the Panesars, the wretched Reiss, or Linda's drunken loops.

[Manny]

No, they havent hint or mention Zoe so far. But maybe down the lines as we get closer to the 40th.. because seems the Christmas and New Year will be centered around other characters, not so much Kat.

[Bright Eyes]

I'm not watching the current show either, but I was lucky that A Day in the Life of Tracey (5 eps, all less than 10 min) was available to me and not geo-blocked, and honestly, it felt like old-school EastEnders. 

[MichaelGL]

Same it’s watchable, theres just a lot story directions I don’t care for, dragging out of stories, and not enough focus on characters and certain story beats.

 

If it was up to me I would’ve tied Cindy’s affair with the Six, bc Bernie is laughable as a villain and Nish is tiresome. Nish should’ve died a few weeks ago with Suki watching him take his laugh few gasps of air and deciding not to help him this time. 

The show gets in these lackluster periods embetween returns and Bianca’s appearances lol

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if a character isnt making a shock return on our screens or Bianca isn’t being used to help end this Reiss story, there’s not a whole lot of interesting stuff going on. 
 

Edited December 5, 2024 by MichaelGL

[Manny]

Omg, yes to Bernie and Nish!! 

Bernie is such a non-entity. If she didn't learn the truth, the show would be the same. There was no impact on the story whatsoever with her finding out who killed her brother (aside from her telling Eve, which could have been done any other way). That is such a let down. 

And Suki watching Nish die with a drink in her hand was such an awesome move and should have been the ending to that storyline. I hated Nish and Suki's pretending to be a happy family and then Nish confessing to killing Keanu and now this silly plot point. I am curious what Nish will do, because the only way this works for me is if we get some real fireworks and maybe Eve dies. I am bored of Eve and that would at least have some lasting consequences. 

I really loved the show when I came back last year, but now the last few months really is just fine in between the superfun return weeks (I adored Jane week and David week and Bianca has been fun). 

The crush was great, but I hated the aftermath. 

An I'm just not into the Cindy/Junior affair. Lauren has been so obnoxious. An Cindy is a terrible person. Looking forward to her downfall. 

I really liked learning about Elaine's history, that was interesting. 

[MichaelGL]

Those Sharon and Phil scenes from the 12/10 episode were so touching and emotional. This  loneliness’s storyline was written for the perfect character( Phil) and Steve McFadden is doing so much with the material. 

[Manny]

Today's episode has been AMAZING. I loved it so much. It was heartbreaking and awesome performances from Steve McFadden, Tish Dean, Kellie Bright, Jac Jossa and Charlie Suff. 

Not to spoil for those who didn't watch yet, so I won't talk details yet.

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[detroitpiston]

@Manny you weren’t lying about today’s show. The last few episodes have been pretty good but this was absolutely outstanding. I love the way they used Linda, Phil, and Lauren’s mutual alcoholism to showcase them all hitting new lows in their current addictions of choice. Brilliantly devastating the way they tied their journeys together.

Linda has been a mess for ages but they’ve really kicked it into high gear. She’s legit hit rock bottom and Kellie Bright is playing it all to the hilt. You can’t even blame everyone for being fed up and turning their backs on her at this point (though Elaine, Bernie and Johnny will forever be on my crap list for their enabling). It was so sad to see her running around town stealing bottles, scaring her kids, ruining the Christmas fun, getting Sharon robbed, going off on Alfie, pissing on herself, fighting with Johnny and getting kicked out. Its real alcoholism journey stuff but man is it heartbreaking to watch.

Steve McFadden has been smoking this Phil depression storyline. The embarrassment on Phil’s face earlier this week when Nicola saw all of the trash sitting around his house and even today when he and Sharon walked in on yet another Mitchell gathering he’d been excluded from and Nicola clowning on them both was expertly played. So were the scenes with Sharon pleading with him to take care of himself. I can’t help but like the guy even when he’s being a mean old abusive hardman because you know where it all stems from and he does have a heart.

Cindy getting pregnant Lauren hooked on pills has been outrageous lol, and I like the added layer of Ravi being Cindy’s dealer and Nicola now his main plug. Lauren is not at all one of my favorites but I loved how she and Phil got Linda out of the Christmas event and gave her the real. I was actually sad it didn’t work and Johnny had to kick Linda out.

That last segment with no one actually going to the AA meeting they agreed they all needed and Lauren popping another pill instead, Phil going off on Jay & pouring out the bottle Nicola gave him while sitting alone in the dark of his house, and Linda just passing out on the bench drunk as hell and all of the Christmas lights going dark was great stuff. This is the only soap on air for me that still knows how to pull at your emotions correctly.

Edited December 11, 2024 by detroitpiston

[Manny]

I am glad you enjoyed it as well!

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It really was done so well. I loved the door opening sequence and how they immediately showed us this episode will be something special and focused on our addicts. 

I loved Sharon calling Nicola out in front of everyone regarding what she did to Phil. I really enjoyed Nicola A LOT when she arrived, now I am a bit cooled off on her and I was so happy that someone (Sharon) knocked her down a peg. 

Linda's stuff was just hard to watch, but it was so well done. Loved Kellie Bright's acting. And they really showcased well why Linda was left alone. Linda saying those awful things to Alfie was really heartbreaking. The final scene of Linda alone sitting on the bench, next to the big Christmas tree. Chilling. 

I was thinking Linda might freeze to death, but I guess not.

Phil's last scene of the episode where he's fighting not to drink was so intense. Steve McFadden was amazing. I was so relieved when he did not drink finally. I was so happy for him.

[MichaelGL]

That scene was indeed powerful. The only thing that I would’ve added to it, would be  them replaying audio from the lead up to the last Queen Vic fire (him arguing with Peggy) over the scenes where Phil was fighting and overcoming the urge to drink.  Just one nitpick tho that doesn’t take away from how great the scene was. 

[Manny]

That was a powerful scene with him and Peggy. Adding some audio to showcase what is going through Phil's head might not be a bad idea. I would have then maybe just added different bad moments, not only that one. Just to show the chaos in his mind that was probably happening at that moment.