EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

The episode was disjointed, but I thought it was pretty good. I liked seeing so many different characters and the moments with the hen do were very entertaining. Pat cares about Peggy but she always feels sorry for Janine so it was nice to see her stand up to Peggy for some home truths. They did a good job of showing the contempt the other women feel for Janine without making Janine too panto in her reactions. I also liked the reactions from Denise and Carol. The stuff with Pat and the stripper was fun, and so was Pat lifting up the sheet and not realizing Ryan was naked. It's always nice to see Pat this way.

I didn't quite believe the reaction from Dot to Ryan but I did enjoy that scene. Apparently it was Daran Little's idea, and the guy who plays Ryan agreed to show his ass. I think I was more surprised, pleasantly, at how much time they showed his bulge. Eastenders isn't exactly known for hot guys so the ones they have might as well show it off.

People still like to say Eastenders is miserable but I think they've made an effort in recent months to improve the comedy and have it more integrated into the drama and be more diverse, and not just the HA HA HA garbage they used to give Minty and Garry.

I'm really liking what they've done with Sam these last few days. Loved that scene with Peggy and Sam in Peggy's bedroom. Daniella seems to be able to play the toughness mixed with the obvious vulnerability and pathetic nature. I wish they could keep her around a while longer, I think she works as someone for Bianca and R&R to bounce off of.

Stacey still seems so isolated, which made the cliffhanger with Dot a bit abrupt, but I'm glad we're getting to see more effects of her being off her meds. Big Mo as always seems to not be bothered by anything in Stacey's life...

[DRW50]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a274143/partridge-chryed-should-stay-united.html

[Bright Eyes]

In that scene where Janine admitted her fears to Ryan and did that little jump, it came to me that if someone like Alison Sweeney tried that as an acting choice, she'd look like a complete idiot, but with Charlie Brooks it worked really well with the scene. She was great today.

Edited September 7, 2010 by Amello

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I thought today's episode was really well-done overall and set the tone for the more explosive (both literally and figuratively) episodes to come later in the week.

Great acting from Lacey Turner, Charlie Brooks, and Steve McFadden in this episode.

The stuff with Janine was great, especially when she broke down with Ryan telling him how she's afraid to be abandoned like what her father Frank did to her, and how she isn't sure if she can love Ryan they way he wants her to. Even sough they ultimately got married, I do think their marriage is doomed regardless.

Poor Pat looked like a Muppet. But that is something she would wear, I guess.

The stuff with Stacey and Max was also quite gripping. Even though she's off her meds, her guilt is killing her inside. I loved those scenes with Max where she was telling him about how sick she is with the lies and guilt. The scenes with Jean inside the Slater living room were also nice.

The Phil stuff is really disturbing to look at, as it should be. In one scene we got to see the snot dripping from his nose onto his mouth, eww. I'm glad Shirley rejected Phil's ass though and didn't come rescue him.

It was a good directing choice to have Stacey look at the Queen Victoria bust that she killed Archie with before she went upstairs and looked at the picture with Archie and Peggy.

And that was a great cliffhanger to have Stacey confess to murdering Archie to Peggy at the end, it sets up things nicely for Peggy's exit.

Aw, one or two more episodes with Barbara Windsor left. Peggy can be a pain in the ass, and she was a few times in today's episode, but the character iconic and Barbara has a great flamboyant presence to her that few have and can pull off.

Edited September 7, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Scott Maslen will be in the new series of Strictly Come Dancing. So, I guess, we'll be seeing less of Jack?

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s104/strictly-come-dancing/news/a274198/strictly-celebrity-lineup-revealed.html

Kara Tointon and Tina O'Brien will also be contestants in the new series.

[DRW50]

I guess if the speculation about Sam Womack being pregnant in real life is true they might both go away together for a while?

Geez these pictures are so unflattering -- they remind me of that Torchwood episode about the 1920s killers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/strictlycomedancing/2010/dancers/

Scott and Kara don't look too bad though.

[DRW50]

Apparently Goldie was also on Eastenders.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_Hudson#Angel_Hudson

[Bright Eyes]

I just read about his son.

[DRW50]

Oh that's awful.

Steve McFadden is doing such an unbelievable job with this story. The tremors are what get me the most. Never thought I'd see stuff like that on a soap.

That scene where Peggy raged at Phil after she found out about the phone calls was just fantastic work from Windsor.

Y&RWT that's funny about the Muppet and Pat. She reminds me of Mokey Fraggle.

Another day of Stax. They should have put them back together. And Max was wearing jeans. I have a hard time believing Jean would be so flippant about Stacey being off her meds, unless she was just being defensive or something.

Poor Dot is so alone.

I thought the guy Janine went home with was kind of hot. Surprised they showed him in such tight underwear that he was...barely able to fit into. Has that actor been on anything else?

I know it won't last but I'm glad Shirley isn't letting Phil get to her.

Looks like they cut some stuff out involving Ryan's mother Debra. From last Friday's Digital Spy summary.

Edited September 8, 2010 by CarlD2

[Y&RWorldTurner]

His name is Andrew Hall.

Here's an article about him from last year: http://thelichfieldblog.co.uk/2009/10/09/director-relishing-the-challenge-of-new-lichfield-garrick-show/

Here's his IMDB profile: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0355303/

[DRW50]

Thanks. Well apparently he doesn't mind popular shows too much if he goes around half-naked on one of the UK's main hits.

I forgot to mention how much I enjoyed that scene with Sam gulping the champagne glasses one by one. And then they played "She's a Lady" for Peggy, the song used for her promos. Her obliviousness towards Janine, and Janine getting so annoyed, was fun.

Charlie Brooks did a good job in those scenes where she confessed to Ryan although I still think there's something missing with Janine. I did like that stuff though, and how Janine is being better integrated into the Butcher family. Instead of what it was under Santer, which was often Bianca and the kids, Pat trailing behind them, Janine on the outside always screwing up, the lines are more blurred now.

I think they should have had Billy opening the door as the cliffhanger.

I thought Perry Fenwick was great at showing Billy's confusion and his fear. I also wonder how much of this was borne out of his letting Jase Dyer die. I wish they did better by Billy, as Perry is so underrated.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Apparently, some are saying that BBC One aired a trailer for the Vic fire that will be starting on Thursday, but I guess it hasn't been posted online yet.

Small preview clip of the Phil/Peggy scenes in Thursday's episode:

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[Y&RWorldTurner]

Ryan/Janine/Lily spoiler for the upcoming weeks ahead...

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3129147/Janine-and-Ryan-steal-Stacey-Brannings-baby-Lily-in-EastEnders.html

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Bryan Kirkwood did an interview for the BBC EastEnders blog.

For those of us who are outside of the UK and can't see it, a poster on Walford Web transcribed what he said.

Oh, Carl, you should be happy to know that Kirkwood said Carol has a big storyline coming up...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/eastenders/2010/09/bryan-kirkwood-interview.shtml

http://www.walfordwebforums.co.uk/prod/index.php?/topic/274-bryan-kirkwood-talks-about-the-vic-fire-and-whats-to-come-for-the-future/page__view__findpost__p__9143

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[dannigold]

Here is the interview

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