Yeah I don't know how they're going to fill the younger woman absence left by Stacey. I am liking Lauren a little more lately but she still has a long way to go.

I forgot to say how much I loved the scene of Janine playing the recording to herself over and over.

There have been a lot of quiet and showing, not telling moments in the recent episodes. It makes a nice change.

Ryan sure knows how to pick them, eh? The best thing he can do is let Stacey take the fall, and if he wants to be dirty, get Janine for attempted murder. Take his daughter, move away, and start all over somewhere else. Because hooking up with these Prisoner Cell Block H character isn't good for him at all.

Peter was totally spot on about Ian. He's a selfish pig. Even this far into the whole mess, he was willing to make Jane think Peter pushed Glenda because she rejected his advances. The hell!? I hope Peter comes back soon.

And what was with Ben? Are they afraid to give this guy too many lines? I'm interested in how he's going to handle Ben being the one who pushed Glenda.

The way these stories have been going, it's impossible for a newer viewer to not get wrapped up reading all of the back story. What did you all think of Bradley? Honestly, reading all he did, it looks like he was fast on his way to becoming another Ian. The shy "nice guy" who is really controlling a bit sadistic.

Ryan has also killed, although that was in self-defense. I think they should do a prostitution story with Ryan. It would make more sense than the Glenda stuff, and he's not exactly Mr. Personality or Brains, so that body is most of what he's got going for him.

I think they are giving Ben little dialogue because they want to show him as being menacing. It works, but this character will have a tough road ahead if he is ever going to become an important character. Santer so firmly established Ben as a joke that anything beyond Ben all singing and all dancing is going to disappoint many.

Bradley was a nice guy. He did pressure Stacey to have an abortion and he dumped his girlfriend he moved to Canada with, but other than that he usually tried to do the right thing. I miss Bradley. Santer and DTC had no time for him and only saw him as Stacey's patsy, but his absence has left a void, as there are no other nice guys, although they have kind of put Fatboy in his role.

One very small moment I thought was really well done that wasn't mentioned was Kim lighting up when she saw Denise enter the choir in support after Patrick had told Denise Kim needs her just as much as she needs Kim. Very subtle and poignant, IMO.

I liked that too. I thought all the Kim scenes were very sweet, and they do a great job with the Kim/Denise relationship.

I also liked that bit where the water started falling onto Jordan's card and at first you assumed Denise was crying.

Oh, lord. Not the roof again.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/tv/2010/12/24/eastenders-stacey-branning-threatens-to-jump-off-queen-vic-roof-115875-22803905/

I didn't see today's episode yet, but apparently, Stacey got Julia's Theme.

I think this is the first time a character has gotten it twice in the same year and the first time on Christmas since 1992.

Edited December 25, 201014 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

I haven't seen it yet either but I've heard there's some good Stacey/Max stuff. I will miss them together.

Some of the anti-Kirkwood posters at DS are creating multiple threads demanding his firing and saying "Salford" needs help so that alone is a good time I guess Tracy and yet more bad writing ruining Corrie's Christmas episodes has caused some upset.

Edited December 25, 201014 yr by CarlD2

It looks like a great exit, Lacey/Stacey deserves it. She did carry the show for good periods at a time over the past 5 years.

If any character was the face of the show in the late 00's it was Stacey, the same way Kat was in the early 00's.

I'm glad she got away -- I hope that even if she doesn't come back they might someday do a one-off on her new life, like they did with Bianca. Do you think that would work?

I wonder where Janine will go next. I can't wait to see her scenes today. Kirkwood has done a wonderful job bringing her back to her best, or close anyway.

I'm glad she got away -- I hope that even if she doesn't come back they might someday do a one-off on her new life, like they did with Bianca. Do you think that would work?

I wonder if the BBC has enough money to do stuff like that anymore, but it's a good idea.

Stacey's exit sounds similar to Kathy's exit from 1998, which I loved. Of course, they're both under very different circumstances.

I heard that Stacey didn't have a real goodbye scene with Kat though, which I would have liked.

I wonder where Janine will go next. I can't wait to see her scenes today. Kirkwood has done a wonderful job bringing her back to her best, or close anyway.

I don't know why Santer never "got" Janine, Kirkwood seemed to get her better almost immediately.

Edited December 25, 201014 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

I think Santer tended to write more with forced camp -- which does work in some cases. Janine, she's campy, sure, but she also has a real jagged edge, which I think Kirkwood gets.

That's a shame she didn't get a final scene with Kat.

I had forgotten about the BBC's money crunch in more recent years. I really liked that they used to have them for various characters. If Stacey is a ratings grabber then they might be able to do something. Too bad they can't make those DVDs like Emmerdale and Corrie have with ITV.

John Yoke apparently said there's some deal with Lacey to do some one-off projects for the BBC. I guess it's similar to the deal Jessie Wallace had when she left.

Stacey's last scene:

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmjIeDW6WNs?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmjIeDW6WNs?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmjIeDW6WNs?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Kathy's 1998 exit:

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcDJKokBI7k?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcDJKokBI7k?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcDJKokBI7k?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

I love final scenes like these for some reason...

I hope Stacey has a happier life than Kathy did.

I know some have said they ripped off Kathy's exit but I think there are some differences (namely that Kathy wanted to leave - Stacey had little choice).

I still get emotional when I hear Julia's Theme...