EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Thanks dannigold!

[dannigold]

At least a double episode on the Monday means we will get through these episodes quicker. I hear that Monday is a bank holiday in the UK and the start of school half term, so nobody will watch them anyway.

Edited May 23, 2010 by dannigold

[DRW50]

Spoiler photos for Ben:

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/s2/eastenders/scoop/a221393/eastenders-pics-ben-mitchell-goes-to-court.html

[BadBoy93]

He did. He died of a heart attack later that year on Zoe`s birthday i think. Or it was someones family.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

While we're on the Slater family train, some on Digital Spy are speculating that the Slater's may get the main focus in this year's Christmas episode, with Kat back, and with Stacey, Charlie, and Jean leaving.

There's also speculation that Alfie might return a few weeks before Kat does, and that Jessie and Shane begin taping in late June/early July, so we may see them on screen by late August or somewhere in September.

Also, September marks 10 years since the Slater's were first introduced.

Edited May 23, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[Y&RWorldTurner]

http://www.walfordweb.co.uk/item.php?id=2399

Edited May 23, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[DRW50]

Thanks for posting that. The scam video would have been a pretty good idea. I'm really looking forward to seeing Kat again. I hope fans will give her a chance.

It does sound like the Christmas episode could be very Slater-centric, although with the way Stacey has been sidelined since Bradley's death, I also wonder if it may be a "here's your hat..." type of exit. I hope they will have some good moments before the end, the Slaters. I also hope they may bring one or two new Slaters in to keep the dynamics going, because there are not enough strong families. The Mitchells are dislocated and barely give each other a word, the Brannings have again drifted apart, the Masoods have been heavily damaged by Syed.

Edited May 24, 2010 by CarlD2

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I think they should bring Lynne back as a secondary supporting character, I think she would work well in that capacity.

I'm debating whether or not Little Mo is too "damaged" to make a comeback or not. Zoe will probably never return long-term, as Michelle Ryan doesn't seem to entertain the idea. Belinda would probably never work as a long-term character, and she was never really close to the other sisters.

I wonder what Kat would have thought of Sean Slater, I don't think she would have liked him much. I did like the dynamic Kat and Stacey had before Kat left, though.

Are there other Slater's out there that we don't know about? I guess they could always create another cousin or something.

[DRW50]

Big Mo has some brothers and they probably have kids. Belinda has kids, doesn't she? I think they could have Belinda return a few times. I think Little Mo might work for Billy's exit, as I think unless something changes there's no real reason for Billy to stay around. I think Zoe could be successfully recast. Michelle Ryan was just OK. Lynne is someone else I'm not sure what they could do with but just to return for visits, she might work. I hope they will at least bring back Lynne and Little Mo if Charlie dies. I know that Jessie Wallace and the woman who played Lynne had issues with each other though.

If Sean had been around when Yorke was producing then I think he could have been interesting. He was so damaged, as was Kat, so that might have been a dynamic. The Sean of the Santer era was often just an unwashed, racist thug who barely noticed his family. Other than sneering at Kat and Zoe for daring to go near a black man, I can't see him interacting with them.

Thanks to the BBC, Walford Web is now putting up detailed spoilers (one involves Ryan showing off his fantastic chest...)

http://www.walfordweb.co.uk/spoilers.php

Edited May 24, 2010 by CarlD2

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I don't think Belinda has any children, I was watching episodes from 2002 where she appeared, and she only mentions her husband Neville.

Elaine Lordan (Lynne) was an alcoholic during her time on EastEnders and had problems with many of her co-stars and producers on the show. Jessie Wallace was also having personal problems around this time, it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't get on.

Bringing on some of Mo's relatives could work. I assume with Charlie, Stacey, and Jean gone by late this year, Kat and Alfie will be staying with Mo. If Roxy looses the Vic, though, and Kat and Alfie eventually get to run it, I guess they would could move there, too.

[DRW50]

It makes you wonder if the show will take the risk of letting non-Mitchells take over the Vic. I guess they could say Peggy is letting Alfie and Kat run it. I hope this happens. They seem to be going out of their way to show that Roxy can't run a pub, and Ronnie "I'm going to half-assedly start a fire for insurance money" isn't a lot better.

Is Elaine better now?

The sad thing is I think Elaine and Jessie were close before they fell out.

I'd love to read a book or something about some of the backstage tensions at Eastenders over the years, especially during that era. I've also heard that the cast tended to split over whether to support Barbara Windsor or whether to support Wendy Richard.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Yeah, I don't think Roxy has long more being in charge of the Vic. They seem to be showcasing her atrocious business and leadership skills a lot lately.

I really did enjoy the Vic as a public place when Kat and Alfie were there and Peggy was away, I think they really lightened up the place.

Yeah, I think she's now recovered.

They both seemed to have matured a lot since, especially Jessie. I think they could be able to work together again, if it were to happen.

Jessie has really taken care of herself since leaving, she's lost a ton of weight and looks healthier.

Did Barbara and Wendy not like each other? I thought they knew one another way before EastEnders?

Edited May 24, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[DRW50]

I'm not sure. I'd just read on Digital Spy that they were like the two queens of the set.

I agree that the atmosphere in the Vic was better when Kat and Alfie were around. I think Nana Moon also helped with that. I know she could be cloying sometimes but I hope they will try to bring in more older characters who were like her, who had energy but were also older and respectable. A lot of the older characters on soaps now act like children, or sulky teenagers.

Sometimes I think they may set Phil and Shirley up to run the Vic but I'd rather they not. Frankly I wouldn't mind seeing them split up. Phil has never liked her anyway.

[DRW50]

Not that this has anything to do with anything but I'm surprised they keep Lucas in such tight slacks. Not that I'm complaining, but he fills them out more than sufficiently.

[Bright Eyes]

Can someone send me that link to EastEnders episodes on YouTube again?

I deleted the PM's after I thought I had favorited the link.

Thanks in advance.