EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[Vee]

Ugh.

[NothinButAttitude]

Like why? That is one character who needed to be retired for decades. Yes, plural. There is literally nowhere else you can take this character anytime soon. 

This show really needs to grow a pair and start killing off certain characters. And Martin wasn't one of them. 

*coughs* Anyone with the last name Mitchell *coughs* 

It's time. 

[Manny]

I am happy that Max (Branning) is back and that might get me back to watch the show again. I am happy that Bernie and Felix are leaving, because both are such boring characters to me. As for Ben being back.. I used to like him. But reading all that he's done in between me liking him and today makes me really dislike the character and I have no desire in seeing him unless he will be seen as a bad guy that he is on the show, which will not happen. 

[Liberty City]

According to reports, dating to the original report by The Sun, Ben Mitchell was at the top of the list for Ben Wadley to return to the canvas and wanted to give Max Bowden a second chance at the role. Daily Mirror and Radio Times, among others, are further reporting on the return, so I suspect this brief return is going to test some waters.

I'm probably in the minority, but I liked Bowden as Ben and hope to see him further excel in the role this time around.

Digital Spy is now reporting Bowden's return as Ben Mitchell.

[Vee]

I do think Ben should come back. I think Max Bowden is all wrong for Ben.

[DRW50]

I would guess it's down to Kate Oates. Bowden is very much her type of leading man. She repeated all the stories she did on Emmerdale with his Ben. 

I also think EE has become conservative enough that only a white, straight-acting gay man is going to get story.

Edited May 26 by DRW50

[AMCOLTLLover]

Former EastEnders star Michelle Ryan is reprising her role as Zoe Slater on the BBC soap following an absence of over 20 years. 

It’s been reported that Zoe will return to Albert Square later this year and that she’ll take centre stage in a dramatic new storyline involving her family. 

The news comes amidst news of other big returns, which include Max Branning (Jake Wood), Tanya Cross (Jo Joyner), Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) and Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden), who will also be back in Walford later in the year.

[BetterForgotten]

Too many returns, that's when you know a show has run out of ideas and doesn't care anymore. 

Zoe annoyed the sh!t out of me most times, but the Kat/Zoe storyline will always be iconic and close to my heart (that's the era I first started following the show in near real-time), and probably the only storyline in 21st century EastEnders that had long-term value for the characters involved during their initial run together. However, after all this time and the writing choice that Zoe never wants to see Kat again, I think that ship has sailed and I don't know that it makes sense to revisit it at this point. 

[Liberty City]

I disagree; if this were Chris Clenshaw, then I would be worried. But it's a new producer coming in to clearly create the canvas they want to create, and I'm okay with that. Re-introducing characters to shake things up and possibly take some other ones out of the canvas. It'll be interesting to see the finished product.

[AMCOLTLLover]

There was a rumor that Jean will die and that’s probably why she’s back then

Edited Sunday at 05:56 PM by AMCOLTLLover

[DRW50]

I'm not even sure why Zoe would care, even if they know each other offcamera. 

I can't see Jean going, but if she is - good riddance at this point.

[Manny]

Wait, what?? Tanya and Shirley are coming back?? I didn't see this news so far. Wow! I might have to go back to watching with Max, Tanya and Shirley coming back. I don't really care about Zoe, didnt watch the show back when she was on.

Also, I did have a feeling at one point during Clenshaw when we were return heavy that some of those returns were just style over substance. Just so that the show can claim that so and so came back and die hard fans were joyful, even though the actual stuff on the screen was [!@#$%^&*]. 

I am kind of over these guest returns. I hope if Max and others return, it's on contract and not guest. 

[Chris B]

I haven't stopped watching but I've gotten to the point where I keep getting backed up and force myself to binge it. I'll admit they can throw out a good individual episode here and there but as a whole the show feels very disconnected and like they're throwing anything at the wall to see what sticks.

For example, I loved Lauren's initial return and I also enjoyed Penny and Penny was dropped, Lauren is now hooked on drugs and miserable and for what? Plus you have Kathy randomly having an affair with Jean's boyfriend...what happened to Jean's money issues? Why did we pivot to this? There is no cohesion or unifying plot. I'm beyond ready to see what the new writers do with the show.

[Manny]

Oh absolutely! I agree. It's sad that Penny has been sidelined so much. Kitty is such a great actress and she really got nothing outside of that stupid crush storyline that only brought this horrible Lauren's addiction storyline. 

I forgot about Jean's money scam, but I figured that it would lead to nothing. Sigh. 

Kathy has really been dragged through the mud. With her being revealed as Cindy's attacker and then being with Harvey.. 

I keep up with the show by reading what's happening, but none of it makes me want to tune back in. The nuMitchells crap with Shireen and Zack being Barney's dad is such a mess. 

But I am considering tuning in the returns, because Max is one of my favorite characters and if Tanya and Shirley come back, I would look forward to that. But I just don't think Jo Joyner would ever come back full time. 

[DRW50]

I haven't heard anything of Tanya or Shirley returning. It's hard to believe Shirley returning anytime soon, if ever.