Got really behind because I couldn't get the episodes (computer troubles...ugh), but I've been catching up. Loved Blossom and Alan! I'd love it if either one or both came back in a more regular capacity.

Thursday's episode was really good. Carol's finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. She hit rock bottom with the near-suicide, got her world rocked, and now things are starting to look up. Her and Bianca were great together at the end.

I'm loving this thing with Janine, Ryan, and the Slag sisters. Ryan wore the hell out of those shorts Kat and Alfie are starting to bug, and I almost want to say "especially" one or the other, but it's really both of them. Extremely obnoxious. I do have a question about these houses in Albert Square. Why is that on most days, the living rooms look so tiny, yet when there's a "party" going on, there are dozens of people freely moving about? It was the same way for Billie's fateful party.

Ben, Charlie Brooks accidentally let it slip that

Ryan and Stacey have an affair!

which, of course, prompts the poisoning, I'm assuming.

Edited November 2, 201015 yr by Amello

Alvin, where the heck is your Tuesday write up? (-1)

Anyway, Tamwar and Daryn were hilarious on Tuesday. "I'd date a murderer." "I,d date anyone from petty theft to drug mule" (or something to that affect)

TAM: Where can I find a girl?

DAR: I don't know. Asians 'R' Us.

TAM: Why does it have be an Asian? That's borderline, that comment."

I was dying. It will be really nice to see Tamwar in a story.

However, I haven't been enjoying the huge focus on Kat & Alfie, who are eating the show.

And BAM!

Alvin won't be happy to hear that! But it's true.

Kat and Alfie are starting to bug, and I almost want to say "especially" one or the other, but it's really both of them. Extremely obnoxious.

And BAM!

Alvin won't be happy to hear that! But it's true.

Honestly, Kat started to bug me almost instantly. But Alfie, I have grown very fondly of.

ETA: nuLauren also bugs me - why is she so full of moody angst since she's been away?

When wasn't Lauren full of moody angst?

The Beales have probably been away because they have to recast Lucy.

And BAM!

Alvin won't be happy to hear that! But it's true.

I don't have a problem with them back and they aren't dominating the show to the extent they did in their first two weeks (which EastEnders always does with returning characters it seems), but so far, they haven't delved beneath the surface of the characters, but maybe that's for a reason, given that they're apart of an upcoming story that's supposed to be big.

Kat is a much more complex creature than what is on the screen at the moment. We've seen bits of pieces of her softer side with Stacey, Jean, Lily, and Big Mo. But so far, they're making the same mistake with her that they made with Bianca when they first brought her back by having her yelling/fighting with everyone. This show tends to pick one feature of a character that returns and totally goes over the top with it.

When wasn't Lauren full of moody angst?

The Beales have probably been away because they have to recast Lucy.

I don't think the first Lauren had much of a personality to begin with. She was just a little girl that hated Max from time to time, and sometimes Lucy's friend.

The Beales appear to be back this week, but I don't think their story will kick off in full swing until Lucy returns with the recast.

Oh, Amello, I was very busy on Tuesday and Wednesday to post. I will say that I liked the Vic re-opening with the whole community there on Tuesday's episode. I like the bottom portion of the new Vic, but the new living room and that tropical wallpaper is just rancid to look at.

I'm sure you've all seen this by now, but here's an interview with Jacqueline Jossa (Lauren).

Page 1: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/interviews/a285801/jacqueline-jossa-lauren-branning-eastenders.html

Page 2: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/scoop/a285804/more-from-enders-star-jacqueline-jossa.html

Another thing I'll say is that I like how Pat is being positioned as some sort of prime matriarchal figure on the show. With both Pauline and Peggy gone, she's really the only one left from that generation, and she's not as obnoxious as Peggy and she's not as cold as Pauline. She's a perfectly sane balance.

Edited November 4, 201015 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

Thanks Amello, for the scoop. I guess we saw the start of that this week, with the Ryan/Stacey kiss.

And BAM!

Alvin won't be happy to hear that! But it's true.

Well, someone had to say it.

It's not like I don't like them, b/c I do, just not over exposed in this way. Storylines are all over the place, b/c one half of the show doesn't work, while the other half does. Continuity, pacing and balance are off in a big way, and Kat & Alfie are a part of that. ITA with Alvin - the show does pick a character trait and magnify that by 100, whenever a character returns. This doesn't do them any favours, and has so far worked against Kat. Her and Alfie's return story was unnecessary and their backstory was overly cluttered; the pregnancy would have been enough. Then... BAM! Alfie's not the dad. BAM! Michael arrives (new character alert) and is the dad. BAM! Michael wants to runaway with Kat. BAM! Kalfie reunited. It's just been too much in a short space of time, that I've not cared about a single one of their stories. I don't get why its had to be so rushed.

BK has put in a lot of effort in bringing back the community feel to the show; he's given Darren a reason to exist, fleshed out the Brannings/Jacksons, given other characters, like Pat, Janine, Carol, Glenda... more prominence/depth/development. But, I think it's glaringly obvious that continuity has slipped by the wayside. Why was there no police investigation into the Vic fire? Why does Phil act like he owns the pub, when really it's Roxy? Why build an industrial kitchen in place of the toilets? So random and so unnecessary.

When wasn't Lauren full of moody angst?

Maybe it was the actor, but Lauren didn't seem to have the weight of the world on her before she went to summer camp. She seemed to be a lot more excepting and chilled out with things. Then, she smokes a bit of dope (or whatever), gets her heart broken, and acts like the walking dead, being rude and dissing Dot, acting so petulant, moody, miserable, etc. I just don't see any reason for her to be acting like this.

The Beales have probably been away because they have to recast Lucy.

That's not good enough, and not really a valid reason. I know the actors have probably been on a 2 month vacation, but their holiday time should be more spread out. How am I supposed to invest in Jane's revenge if it all plays off screen? 2 months ago, Jane revealed her plan to fleece Ian, and this week, she's 'fessing up to Christian, and Ian's finding the bank statement. Where's all the other beats to the plot? Its bad storytelling.

I don't know if they really want you to invest in Jane's revenge plan against Ian. I think that was more Santer and DTC. Some used this story to talk about how bad Kirkwood is but Kirkwood would probably be playing this story heavily even without Lucy if it was his. It's a terrible story and Jane's baby rabies has been a terrible story for years.

Maybe it was the actor, but Lauren didn't seem to have the weight of the world on her before she went to summer camp.

I remember Lauren as being very sullen at all times. She was barely seen for most of 2010, so that might seem like she was less upset, but I still remember how she would barely even look at Max as she left for summer camp. I think Lauren has been angst-ridden for her entire time on the show.

BK has put in a lot of effort in bringing back the community feel to the show; he's given Darren a reason to exist, fleshed out the Brannings/Jacksons, given other characters, like Pat, Janine, Carol, Glenda... more prominence/depth/development. But, I think it's glaringly obvious that continuity has slipped by the wayside. Why was there no police investigation into the Vic fire? Why does Phil act like he owns the pub, when really it's Roxy? Why build an industrial kitchen in place of the toilets? So random and so unnecessary.

I agree with you about bad continuity, but Phil actually does own the pub. Roxy signed the pub over to Peggy before the fire, and Peggy, after leaving Walford, signed it over to Phil.

I don't know if they really want you to invest in Jane's revenge plan against Ian. I think that was more Santer and DTC. Some used this story to talk about how bad Kirkwood is but Kirkwood would probably be playing this story heavily even without Lucy if it was his. It's a terrible story and Jane's baby rabies has been a terrible story for years.

Again, that's bad storytelling. Weather the story was BK's or Santa's, it still should be treated with more respect, than what it has been given. After all, we, are the ones that have to sit through it. I hate it when new producers/head writers come in, and drop/ruin stories left over from the previous regime simply b/c they don't like them/aren't there's; it's so messy.

I agree with you about bad continuity, but Phil actually does own the pub. Roxy signed the pub over to Peggy before the fire, and Peggy, after leaving Walford, signed it over to Phil.

Did Roxy sign it over to Peggy, or did she simply put Peggy back in charge of running it? I've always thought it was the latter, which is why it wasn't really Peggy's to give to Phil.

She signed it over to Peggy. She wanted nothing to do with the Vic at that time because she finally realized what Archie was.

I hate it when new producers/head writers come in, and drop/ruin stories left over from the previous regime simply b/c they don't like them/aren't there's; it's so messy.

I think it's more than just disliking the story, I think that the BBC's firing of the story's central character is also involved.

While it is messy, I guess I can't be that bothered because the story was so awful and made Jane look like a lunatic. I still shudder at the memory of her with the crazy eyes while watching the video of the woman giving birth.

I do agree that fans should be annoyed at the long gaps (whereas I don't really see why people should be so shocked or disappointed at the gap in story for the Masoods, given that they just ended a big story this spring/summer, one that clearly ended earlier than expected because Preeya quit.)

I don't remember that, and it seems a lot of other people don't either. But I'll take your word for it. Must've been made very clear at the time. LOL.

With the Masoods, I think it's b/c they haven't been used at all, not even in small family/couple scenes in a C-plot, just random episodes once a month. I don't think the show has done itself any favours by having Zainab rescue Syed from the fire, and not have any follow up at all. That was a turning point that needed addressing, but its like it never happened.

Someone mentioned that the last storyline Dominic Treadwell-Collins is involved with is Stacey's exit, which happens around Christmas. So, we'll see the work of a new storylining team by the New Year.