EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I think she's been better recently, and has a lot more of that outsider quality. Trying to help Phil when she knows she can't, and telling off Peggy about Phil's upbringing, and cutting the cord from Heather a bit. I think there's more to explore with her, and I think they will.

[DRW50]

Oh I agree that she's been better the past month or two, and Linda Henry also looks a bit softer in the way she's lit.

Finally saw today's show.

I was surprised that Vanessa's makeover for Abi was with a dress that no one could work with. She looked like Cindy Brady's doll. Her hair bothered me at first but then I got used to it. Was anyone else hoping the makeover might end up with Abi all in white, like Vanessa?

I loved the scene with Vanessa and Max dancing and laughing in the kitchen and embarrassing Abi. It reminded me of that great scene with Terry and Irene and Irene's annoying daughter Sarah.

I really liked the scene with Heather, Darren, and baby George. I like when the show has him get more involved in George's life.

I didn't buy the scene where Minty told Peggy off that way. It just felt like words put into his mouth. I think he should have just said he wasn't going to bother speaking to her, or something.

Does anyone think Westbrook looks a bit like a rougher Kara Tointon with the new hair? They also have somewhat similar voices.

I thought she was pretty decent today, in her acting.

I'm glad they are addressing some of the natural issues that would arise in Syed's life besides he's gay! and it's a secret! like his work and his feeling useless. I think Marc Elliott did a good job in those scenes. The affection between Syed and Christian was generally believable, like Christian playing with Syed's hair. I think they have had some affectionate moments here and there even with Santer but it was just back then they both seemed to have no real personality or emotion besides unpleasantness and melodrama. Now they have a bit more.

I'm surprised Jane didn't remember Kelvin, since he's been mentioned several times over the past few years, but I did laugh when Tamwar said that Ian was trying to "friend" him. I wonder what Ian wishes he'd done with his life. Ian is one of the few who has gotten what he wanted in terms of career. He wanted to be a caterer and a cook and he is one.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I'm actually surprised Vanessa wasn't wearing white in today's episode. There's obviously more to that character than meets the eye. She definitely has some OCD disorder.

[DRW50]

I was trying to figure out if they were saying that this was the first time Ian has heard of Kelvin in years. I couldn't tell if he was surprised to learn about Kelvin's life now. I guess I thought he knew that since he's gotten some cards from him. Perhaps he just didn't know about anything beyond the cards.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I think they were saying Ian was surprised to learn where Kelvin is in his life in the present and found out extra information about him in his MatesGate profile.

[Ann_SS]

Exactly. I never buy the Ian is dissatisfied and a failure spiel that the writers come up with almost every year. Since he was a teenager, Ian loved to cook and wanted to do exactly what he is doing now. I remember Pete ragging on him because he was afraid that Ian loving to cook meant that he was gay. I vividly recall Den scolding Pete, telling him that he should be pleased that Ian was doing something that he loved, was good at, and made him happy. It was a light bulb moment for Pete who completely supported of Ian from then on.

Ian may not be a millionaire, but he is the most successful businessman and richest man in the Square. Yes, people tease him and he can be a prat, but his life is great. Compared to the other families in the Square, his family is in good shape. He has one messed up son, but his other three kids are doing well (Lucy relatively). Ian is married to a woman who loves him for some unknown reason and is basically his mum incarnate. He has a brother-in-law who indulges him despite all the teasing. I can believe Ian misses his parents, cousins, grandmother, Aunt Paul, and Sharon, but he has Dot if he needs that support. I simply don't buy that Ian is so unsatisfied.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Ian has had a horrible personal life, and if his marriage to Jane fails soon, he would add yet another failed marriage to the list that he was a big part in its destruction.

I think he wishes he had more fun in his life, because really, his life hasn't been the most pleasant. He sees Kelvin with his model girlfriend and glamorous lifestyle living in a fancy house and wishes he could compete somehow. A lot of men have that jealous instinct when they see how far their friends have exceeded expectations in their lives.

Ian also mentioned something about "getting out of Walford" to Lucy and Peter if they do well on their exams. Maybe he had aspirations of making it as chef and caterer in a much more posh district than Walford?

Edited August 24, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[DRW50]

I do agree that he probably had more hopes for his love life.

I wonder if anything was changed between the filming and the airdate. Apparently the spoilers for Syed involved him being knocked back from getting work or begging for a job or something. That didn't come across in this episode. I think there was also supposed to be more hesitancy about taking a job from Christian (although I do think that might end badly). I will never say they're this fantastic couple but I do appreciate some of the moments I never thought I'd see, and frankly I'm surprised even got through on a British soap, like Syed sitting between Christian's legs. That's the type of natural little moment which is a nice surprise.

I wonder what Bianca's scenes were in this episode, as she was in the credits I heard. Probably just something with Ricky.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

According to Ellie at Walford Web, Bianca was never in the episode, so it was probably an error on the BBC online credits list.

Apparently, Ryan's mother Debra is back next Friday:

Edited August 24, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[DRW50]

That should be interesting. That whole story with their mother seemed to never be fully developed. I know a lot of people still seem confused over who he killed.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Dennis vs Albert Square

After Dennis and Sharon come back after revealing their relationship, and everyone thinks Dennis walked out on a pregnant Zoe. The whole square is against Dennis, Charlie and Kat want to have his head, and Dennis first meets Johnny Allen, who would of course later have him killed.

Sharon tries to defend him at one point, and Kat yells, "Don't even think about starting with me Sharon, cuz if you want to stand up and fight in the street, I'm just about ready!"

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Edited August 24, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[DRW50]

He also ran into Jake and Danny Moon -- Danny was the one who stabbed him on Johnny's orders, right?

That's a great clip. There were so many classic characters in the mix at that time. Wisely the show used them and pointless characters were kept in the background.

Zoe was such a pathetic, selfish character, through and through. Never liked her.

Nigel Harmon brought such a quiet confidence to Dennis. He wore that as well as a tight pair of jeans. That's the type of thing I've missed on EE in recent years. He was just so magnetic, you couldn't take your eyes off him. I love that knickers scene with Dennis and Kat.

I don't like that hair color on Kat but I do like her fighting spirit. Sometimes I forget just how aggressive Charlie was too -- he's slowed down a lot in recent years.

Pauline, and Pauline and her dog, which she probably got because Wendy loved dogs in real life. Pauline became Wendy more and more. I always liked the bond between Sharon and Pauline. It's a real credit to Wendy and Letitia Dean, and to John Yorke and then Louise Berridge, for establishing that bond so believably, because from what I've heard and seen, they didn't have all that much to do with each other in Sharon's first run on the show.

I think this was the only time Sharon and Kat interacted.

I keep forgetting Billy and Pat lived together at this time (platonically). How random. Given that they both go from home to home and have such loose family ties you'd think they would spend more time together than they do. I really like this version of Pat who knows the score and opens the door in that silk dressing gown. It's nice that recently she has a bit more energy again and isn't as bogged down.

[Ann_SS]

I always get the impression that the dissatisfaction that Ian occasionally expresses is far deeper than not having fun in his life which I think is far more plot driven than character driven. Perhaps Ian does regret not having a more glamorous wife than Jane. Mel was his most sophisticated wife and she didn't last. Not that I could ever see him happy with her in the long run.

I think that a lot of times the spoilers tend to be overly dramatic compared to what actually happens on screen.

Edited August 24, 2010 by Ann_SS

[Dion]

Yes that's very true. They didn't have very much to do with each other and when the whole Sharongate business came out Pauline actually commented that she felt that she'd failed Sharon by not having been a greater presence in her life and promised that she'd look out for Sharon more in the future. Of course Sharon soon left, but when she came back Pauline was able to live up to that promise. So while Sharon and Pauline may not have had much to do with each other during Sharon's first run, the stage had already been set for a much closer relationship during Sharon's second run.

[Ann_SS]

I recall that you saying that unlike Christian and Syed, Sharon and Dennis never hurt anyone, well, they did hurt Zoe. It is just more tolerable because Zoe was annoying and unlikeable. Sharon and Dennis' lies about their affair had negative consequences. If they had told the truth when they decided they still wanted each other, Den would have never been able to use Zoe to drive a wedge between Sharon and Dennis. I was just glad that they were able to reunite eventually and we got to see them happy and married in Walford.

I loved Nigel Harmon as Dennis. He combined sex appeal, cockiness, and vulnerability that made Dennis must see tv for me. I will miss my beloved Dennis forever. Damn EE for killing him off.