EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[dannigold]

Here is a very brief look at Jessie Wallace as Elsie Tanner, in the BBC4 corrie drama. It starts about 4.37 in the showreel.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/08_august/25/bbcfour.shtml

Edited August 26, 2010 by dannigold

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Thanks for posting, Jessie actually looks a lot like Pat Phoenix when she's dolled up like that. What do you make of her Manchester-based accent? I'm at work and can't really listen to that brief segment...

Yeah, I figured they would do this to bring in more casual viewers and keep diehard fans guessing whether or not Peggy will be killed off. I'm glad they're doing that, it helps build suspense.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Today's episode:

Again, I think I choked on my vomit seeing Minty and Heather half-naked.

I think Vanessa and Max work very well together. Her tough love act and not being overbearing with Max, like Tanya would have probably been, is a nice contrast. Using Darren's worries over George was a cleaver way to get Max to open about about Bradley and his parenting.

Dot was right, Max was generally an awful father to Bradley, and that shouldn't be forgotten and is something that will probably haunt Max forever.

Heather better not get too comfortable, the minute Sam finally decides to settle for someone like Minty because she has no one else, Heather's ass is history.

At least Syed finally got a taste of what Christian was really like when he stumbled in drunk off his ass with Roxy. Christian and Syed haven't dealt with their differences as people yet, so showing this side of Christian and seeing Syed's reaction was important.

I did feel sorry for Jane tonight. She is really doing most of the heavy lifting when it comes to parenting Ian's children, yet she's also genuinely gullible towards them to her own fault. Normally, I would find the way Jane found out about the abortion from Zsa Zsa too contrived, but I think it worked here. Zsa Zsa got the wrong idea as to why Jane was so visibly hurt and when Jane mentioned being lied to and how it had nothing to do with the exams, she figured it had to be about the abortion.

She was no great actress, but I am going to miss Melissa as Lucy. She had a nice rapport with the rest of the Beale family, and I think today's episode showed that. however, I'm looking forward to the recast and hope she looks a bit more mature, yet also has chemistry with her on-screen family.

[Bright Eyes]

What do you think the chances are of someone dying in the Vic fire that hasn't been announced as leaving the show? For some reason, I keep feeling like they're building Heather to die. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking.

That scene where Max let down his guard with Vanessa was very well done. It got me a little choked up.

When is the new Lucy supposed to air? I'm surprised they didn't just recast Peter as well.

Even though I knew she would find out about the abortion, I wasn't expecting it in this particular episode, so it hit me like a ton of bricks juts like it hit Jane. I felt for her for the first time tonight. Can anyone explain to me though why Zsa Zsa thinks she has any right to run her mouth? STFU you stupid cow.

[Ann_SS]

If it is true that

then I highly doubt that anyone will die. However, you are not alone hoping that Heather dies.

I loved Christian coming home drunk wearing Roxy's skirt. Hilarious. My problem is with Tamwar. It felt like he was stirring for no reason. Syed didn't have a problem with Christian going out with Roxy. Yet there was Tamwar wondering if it meant that Christian didn't care. WTH? I hope Syed insisted that Roxy clean up her own sick because that is disgusting though not as disgusting as Minty and Heather.

I like Dot's version of tough love with Max. Jake Wood is a solid actor, but I can't get past how Max treated Bradley. Max can only move on by doing right by Darren and his other three children.

So Jane knows the truth. The Beales are in for a rough time.

Edited August 27, 2010 by Ann_SS

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I wonder if the show will remember that Ian and Alfie were really good friends (and it was with Ian's help that Alfie got to tell Kat he loved her and stopped her wedding to Andy Hunter). Ian is probably going to be needing a good friend soon.

And I hope that Shirley and Kat become good friends, I think they would get along fabulously as friends.

Kat and Bianca could go either way, they'd either really hate each other, or take a liking to one another. Kat probably won't be amused by the Mitchell sisters either. Though maybe she could eventually bond with Ronnie regarding their childhood traumas.

Edited August 27, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[DRW50]

I hope the show will remember their friendship. Surely they must be bringing up Ian's lack of friends for some reason?

I thought Laurie Brett did a good job in the episode, especially her quiet pain over Lucy's lies. That was such an understated cliffhanger -- I appreciated that.

Like Ann mentioned, I was confused by Tamwar's behavior. I often feel like Tamwar is mostly a plot device in Syed's life. I have thought all along that Tamwar might accept Syed's homosexuality but not his relationship with Christian, but the show had him accepting both not long after the truth came out. Then he wasn't sure but kind of accepted them. Now he immediately believes the worst, based mostly on setting Syed up to be let down by Christian's behavior. To be honest I'm not entirely sure why Tamwar was even needed in those scenes. I've never been a big fan of the Roxy/Christian friendship, but I did enjoy those nutty scenes where they came back drunk. I think he was wearing some of her hair extensions.

Skipped everything with Heather and Minty.

The writing for the Max/Vanessa scenes was interesting. They pointedly did NOT have Vanessa nag Max about his nasty comments to Darren. Instead he sorted out his own feelings. That's very refreshing and it's what Max needs. While I'm a bit surprised at how quickly Vanessa has worked herself into Max's life, it makes sense. He's been holding so much inside for months and she is trying to push him into accepting himself. The show also did a great job of having Darren and Max make up without actually going overboard on soppiness.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Max/Vanessa's dynamic is interesting. At first, I thought they were both using each other to escape from their lives and it was strictly just a relationship based on sex. But as we get to know Vanessa more, she seems to be a catalyst for Max to open up about himself and his insecurities. I wonder how much longer Vanessa has on the show. There seems to be a lot to the character that we don't know yet, but they're hinting at.

Edited August 27, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[DRW50]

I don't know -- Vanessa could leave tomorrow or never, it's hard to say. I can see where she may never truly fit into the Square (just look at that scene with Dot, she was almost bewildered by Dot), but I do like her. She has the need to get to people and to control them yet she isn't doing this out of malice or anything. I know that

but I think he and Vanessa could be a fascinating partnership. When Vanessa started she reminded me of some of the worst of primetime soap ladies but now she's reminding me of some of the more interesting, like those women who ran rings around JR on Dallas.

[DRW50]

I guess that cutesy name means he will never have a major role on the show but does anyone think Mr. Allcock is kind of hot?

[Ann_SS]

I did think that Mr. Allcock was hot. For a second, I thought that Jane might have an affair with him, but not likely.

I like that the show has Tamwar determined to stay in his brother's life, but yesterday showed that Syed needs a real friend. Syed should be hanging out with someone his age, but with more experience on the relationship front. Instead of staying at home, Syed should have been at the pub, playing darts with his friend and having awkward encounters with his parents.

I don't want Max and Tanya back together, but I don't want him with Vanessa. I see what they are trying to do with Vanessa, but seriously Zoe Lucker is a dire actress. Jake Wood is too talented to be stuck with her. I hope that she doesn't stick around very long or there are some very long painful years ahead.

Edited August 27, 2010 by Ann_SS

[DRW50]

The show needs more attractive guys, they should keep him around and put him with, I don't know, Roxy or someone.

That's true. Who would you have as his friend? An existing character or a new character?

I wish they'd develop Tamwar's character more. Recently he's just seemed to be a plot device, and his dialogue with Syed in this last episode was so generic. He could have been some best friend of the housewife from a 1953 soap. I miss when he used to be quirky and funny. Although that scene where he was in a fetal position after Christian leapt at him was kind of hilarious.

[dannigold]

Here is the synopsis for September 10th, Barbara Windsor's final episode.

The Mitchells are left devastated after the fire and it soon becomes clear that things will only improve for the warring family if sacrifices are made. As the locals help to clear the market of debris, the scale of the disaster hits home for everyone involved, and they try to come to terms with the departure of one of Walford's most formidable figures

[Sylph]

So, dannigold, do you have any opinions about this show or are you just the news bearer?

[Ann_SS]

I think that Roxy is being saved for Michael Moon. However, Kim and Denise are single and available, even Shirley can use a new man without Phil's baggage.

I think Kim would be perfect friend for Syed. She is loud and opinionated, but seems to be a really caring person who will listen to a friend's troubles. She also has tons more relationship experience with men than Syed. Christian going out on the town and getting pissed with Roxy wouldn't faze Kim, but she would tell Syed if she thought Christian was crossing the line.

The teens/younger characters as a whole need to be a more cohesive group with stronger friendships. I watched some old YT clips of Sharon, Michelle, Ian, and Kelvin just hanging out in the Square and at each other's houses. I was struck by how tight they were and how much fun they had which is why they could get past their occasion disagreements and have such fast friendships as adults. The writers have to invest similarly in the current younger group.

Edited August 27, 2010 by Ann_SS