EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Tanya Franks (Rainie) interview:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/scoop/a258447/enders-rainie-teases-this-weeks-eps.html

[DRW50]

I was about to post that too, it was a good interview. She's a very good actress.

There are rumors that

[Y&RWorldTurner]

She's only back for three weeks and the Vic fire isn't until September, so I don't know how true that is.

BTW, I've read that this summer has been the highest rated summer for the show since 2004.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[DRW50]

Yeah I heard that too. I'm glad...I tend to go hot and cold on Eastenders but I think the show has improved these past few months, while it's certainly far from perfect and the complaints are valid, I feel like some things are being fixed and the show has more of the feel of the Eastenders I knew, less of the glossiness. I haven't seen tonight's show yet but I've heard that the Phil drug scenes are kind of harrowing. I hope that's true -- drug addiction isn't funny and this is something which Eastenders showed very starkly in the 80s. That was the peak era of the show for me and if they are going back to that type of grit then it's a great idea.

Oh and Perry Fenwick celebrate 1000 episodes apparently. Good for him. Even after all this I still think Billy has some potential, if they bothered. I kind of wonder why they didn't have him in this Phil story. Imagine if he ended up buying drugs for Phil. His relationship with the Mitchells would never be the same again.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Today's episode:

I'm shocked they showed Phil and Rainie smoking crack and being as stoned as bluntly as they did, especially in the timeslot the show comes on in. I'm glad they didn't shy away from the controversy. Those were very significant scenes showing drug abuse and how fast it can consume one's life.

I enjoyed the scenes between Janine, Pat, and Peggy. I like that Janine and Pat have been interacting a lot more lately, even if Janine was only after scoring a free meal today. Oh, and Peggy made a reference to Janine pushing Barry off the cliff in Scotland.

The Heather/Shirley scenes back at the flat raised a very important issue about Shirley. The issue being how she neglected all the other parts of her life to be there for Phil that she didn't have a life for most of the year outside of him and his children, and then when she found Phil and Rainie together after sex, it just sealed things for her.

At least they're showing Jack in physio and haven't automatically cured him yet. Though, I could do without Scott Maslen's yelling.

Great choice having Kim work at Roxy's salon, and nice that she seems to be friends with Carol now.

Bianca has some nerve being pissed at Carol for dumping her damn kids off on Pat, when that's all she's ever done.

Janine: Tiffany, what did I tell you about lying!?

Tiffany: That sometimes it's necessary.

I think Tiffany works best in scenes with her aunt Janine.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[Ann_SS]

Phil and Rainie's drug scenes were very disturbing. They were so over the top which made them realistic. I hope that Shirley wakes up and gets on with her life after seeing Phil with Rainie.

I can't believe how much I love Jack and Max now. I have even grown quite fond of Ronnie. I have totally done an 180 on these characters in the space of two or three weeks.

Kim promises to be a star. She is ballsy as hell. She will deserve an award if she can convince Carol to smile and start enjoying her life. Bianca is unbelievable. Like mother... I suppose.

The Peggy/Pat/Janine scenes were quite good. I did love Peggy mentioning poor Barry as well. Ryan better watch his back. It is strange seeing Janine so happy when she isn't scheming or blackmailing someone so it can't last long.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Ann_SS

[Matt P.]

I gasped in shock when Phil hit his mum! I used to like his character but he's turning into a monster. Poor Shirl!

[DRW50]

Like you both said, I am glad they showed some of the more intense scenes of Phil and Rainie. I was afraid we'd just get another ha ha moment. The panic attack scenes were very searing to watch. Steve McFadden did a fantastic job, and Tanya Franks, who has the less showy role, was also excellent.

I still don't think Ryan and Janine work as a couple. Perhaps that's the idea of their stories but their stories have been like this for months. The casual loss of their jobs at the bookies confuses me -- was the bookies idea Santer's and Kirkwood didn't like it?

Whitney is annoying as hell. Bianca seems lost, and so does Carol, although I'm hoping that will change.

I loved the scenes with Janine at the Vic, both with the kids and with Peggy and Pat. I agree that Janine and Tiffany work well together. I'm also glad they have gone back to Pat's old protective feelings towards Janine. And for some reason Charlie is one of the few women who look good with bleach blonde hair.

Surprisingly I thought the scenes with the Branning brothers and Ronnie were great. Max and Jack are very believable as stubborn, tough men who don't like to admit they care about each other. This, not a rivalry, is where they are at their best. The dance about asking Max to be his best men, complete with Max grudgingly agreeing, then the awkward hand slap -- PRICELESS. So was Ronnie's reaction. I liked the brief moment of bonding with Glenda and Ronnie too, although it had kind of an abrupt cut.

We seem to be back to Heather being annoying and stupid and childish. I was hoping the baby might help her grow up. I just don't have any time for her.

The stuff with Kim going to work at Roxy's was fun but they also didn't go TOO over the top. It makes sense that Roxy would be impressed by her. I'm glad they didn't take the easy route of having them fight.

There were a lot of little slice-of-life scenes I enjoyed, such as the priceless moment where Carol and Bianca would basically force the kids to talk to them ("I'll turn the TV off," "I'll give you a quid,"), or Tracey and Shirley working on a crossword puzzle, or Ronnie and Glenda sunbathing. Glynis Barber looks fantastic!

[Y&RWorldTurner]

They started working there at the very end of Santer's episodes and even then we barely got to see them there very much. Considering how much they treated that job like a joke, especially Janine, it's probably better they get fired.

I think Ryan and Janine are going to implode soon, especially with the Lily reveal on the horizon. Janine can't be happy for long and can't stop being herself and compromise to make a marriage work. If they do make it down the aisle, that marriage will be doomed from the get go.

Apparently, Aunt Sal is back next Thursday...

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/spoilers/a252713/a-visit-to-phils-leaves-peggy-stunned.html

Edited August 10, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[DRW50]

It was nice of them to bring her back one more time, especially as it sounds like they don't really have a lot to do for her.

I wonder if this will be it for Glenda after Ronnie learns

I hope not.

I'm looking forward to what seems to be coming up for Carol. I hope it leads to a strong story.

I can see where Janine and Ryan must be imploding soon...this story for me has been a little too slow. I do wonder what they will do with Ryan once the truth is out and/or he's done with Janine. I wonder how he'd do with a story where he becomes an escort.

[Ann_SS]

That was very funny. Tiffany will be a piece of work when she grows up with Bianca as a mother and Janine as an aunt.

Carol and Bianca forcing the kids to talk was very funny. I like these little touches. It makes life in Walford feel more real.

Ryan will be lucky to make it out of Janine's clutches alive. He doesn't have a clue what she is really like. He is a bit of a sneak and con artist, but he is a saint compared to Janine.

I wish that there was another woman in his age range available for Ryan. Chelsea could have been a possibility. If EE does bring back Shabnam, she would be good as well.

Edited August 10, 2010 by Ann_SS

[Ben]

I think he does know what Janine is like. He learnt that the hard way with her treatment of Stacey, and still he's stuck by her, b/c he loves her. I like how Janine proposing is b/c she fears he will leave her, which is based in her insecurity of loosing the people she loves, like Frank. I really do love these two as a couple, and I think they can go far together. Janine is the more extreme version of Ryan, which I think will make finding out about Lily, all the more interesting.

[Ann_SS]

If nothing else, I look forward to the truth about Lily coming out. Stacey is leaving soon so I don't see how that is much of an impact on Janine and Ryan, but we'll see.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Today's episode:

It was a more tame and conversation-based episode where nothing new really happened. There were some highlights though.

It was nice to see Carol smiling and laughing with Kim, as brief as it was. Carol hasn't had many fun moments like that since she's been back.

Whitney is always better when she's in a supporting role, like she was today with Ryan when she was talking about Janine's marriage proposal with him.

The Peggy and Shirley conversation about how Phil always blames everyone else for his problems was good too.

It's nice to see drunk off her ass Shirley again. It's also nice to see character you wouldn't normally see interact together, like Shirley and Janine, and Carol and Kim.

I think the main highlight of this episode though was Max goading and provoking Jack into attempting to walk again. Those scenes were quite heartwarming and you just knew Max had the best of intentions.

That was a nice, quirky, and fitting proposal from Ryan to Janine at the end, even as you know that marriage won't really work or go though.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

The news Carl has been waiting for...

Apparently, Tanya is back on September 27th.