EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

I won't disagree with you there. I think she's the best actress I've seen on almost any soap, and in terms of close bond with a character, the only ones on Eastenders I've felt that way about beyond her were Sue Osman and Pauline Fowler. I hope she stays, especially since her going right now would feed into the CRISIS! hysteria that is becoming impossible.

Y&RWT, I was going to ask if you knew anything about whether or not Matthew Rose was supposed to have a prison rape story, but the actor said no.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I know Joe Absolom always said he never wanted to stay long, and apparently, John Yorke wanted to bring him back at some point for a longer stay, but Joe said no, he never wanted to return. I guess that's why they had Matthew send a card with flowers to Steve Owen's funeral that read something along the lines of "I hope you burn in hell."

A prison rape story could have been interesting though, especially considering what a creative and ratings high the show was on during the 98-02 era. Joe was cute too.

Edited January 9, 2011 by Y&RWorldTurner

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I like Carol and all, but she's a very difficult character to write for and a lot of people misunderstand her and think she's a cold nuisance. Lindsey Coulson never really likes to do one thing for too long either. I heard that Matthew Robinson had to beg like hell to bring her back for that '99 story with Bianca and Dan for Bianca's exit.

John Yorke and Lindsey are close friends and he apparently wanted to bring her back too for the aftermath of Sonia having to give up her baby, but Lindsey was adamant about not coming back and moving on. At one point she said never wanted to return. I guess Patsy Palmer coming back helped to change her mind.

As for close bonds, I think Kathy Beale is the one I can identify with, since she reminds me so much of my aunt, who I'm close to. A voice of reason character that's had some very difficult experiences in her life and never really found happiness. Sharon too, as all of my favourite eras of the show had Sharon as a central heroine (80's, early 90's, and early 00's), which I actually think are the best eras of the show. For some reason, when Sharon's on, I always find EastEnders to be at its best.

[DRW50]

I have come to appreciate Kathy over the years but my first memories of her were when I started watching on PBS, which was the 1997 episodes, and it was a lot of sighing, quiet misery, and around and around woes with Phil. I wasn't a fan. I remember marveling at seeing the earlier years for the first time because she seemed so much happier.

Carol is a very hard character to write for, and sadly I agree with you, a lot of people do just misunderstand her as miserable or moaning. A lot of people say well, this story with Connor is so awful, it's terrible, she should go because she deserves better, but even when this wasn't going on and she was just a harsh mother, or when she was first grieving Billie, some fans were saying it was boring and she was depressing and they didn't like her. I think some of the Connor story has shown a new side to Carol, a more complex, strangely sensual and desperate side. That's one of the reasons I was hoping she and Connor might somehow work something out. I guess that won't happen and I won't be surprised if she goes but I will miss her. What I will most hate is if she is used as a battering ram against Bryan Kirkwood. I'm already so weary of hearing that he somehow ran off Lacey Turner and Barbara Windsor, when he had little to do with their decisions to leave.

Do you agree with the view that all these departures (if Carol also goes) are too much for the show to handle?

I think they can still be fine but only if they focus on the right characters. I guess it would also be the right time to bring in a new family, although this may not be the best climate considering the show is being slated so much lately.

Do you think it might just be time to write Jane out for good? Of course it would be horrible PR to fire a pregnant actress, so perhaps not.

Edited January 9, 2011 by CarlD2

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I think the show can handle these departures, but they need to give proper material to the people already there to pick up the slack. Personally, I won't miss Ronnie, and Carol really hasn't been featured all that much since she came back, barring Billie's death and some stuff with Connor. It would be easy to write her out if Coulson wanted to leave again. Stacey needed a break, and I really haven't missed Peggy all that much or thought about her in a while.

The show still has a strong enough cast with these people gone, they just need to focus better on what's left, develop new characters carefully, and bring back old characters with better care.

As for Jane, I don't know if that character has had much of a purpose for the past two years. They could get rid of her, but I don't think they will. There's no one else to pair Ian with, and I doubt they would try.

[DRW50]

It's who they focus on and the stories they give them I wonder about. I always love to see Max and if it were me I'd make him the center of the show, but not if the Tanya monster envelops him again. I still think there is some potential for Vanessa, although they seem to have dropped her somewhat.

For a while in 2009 I thought the Masoods would become a long-term, prominent fixture, but whether through some backstage issue, or just the horrific writing they endured during and after the Chryed reveal, they seem to have been knocked way down the scale.

I wish they'd put Denise in a more leading role again.

I also kind of wish they'd write Phil out but I know they can't afford to do that. It's sort of a double-edged sword with Phil because a lot of people don't like the way Phil is acting now (which is pretty much basic Phil) but the drug addiction Phil returning would alienate other people.

Hopefully they will keep Janine in a major role and also not have her go too far. I'd like to see more of Kat in a more complex role too.

Is it wrong to say I kind of wish they'd split her and Alfie up for a while? I think Shane Richie is a decent actor and Alfie can stand on his own it's just that the stories he had on his own, like Alfie/Little Mo, were big mistakes.

[Dion]

Jane actually had an emergency hysterectomy after Steven shot her (ie: her fertility problems aren't just the usual run of the mill can't conceive or have trouble carrying to term type thing that soaps usually go for so they can have the miracle pregnancy option still open to them) so unless Jane's uterus miraculously grows back (and that's one thing which you can be sure will never happen) they'll be writing around her pregnancy I imagine.

I'd have Jane decide to leave Ian and Walford (Although that might be too close to what they did with Tanya) and then come back having (or at least appearing to on the surface) completely put her marriage behind her (aside from anything to do with the kids, Bobby especially). Jane needs to be separated from Ian for at least two to three years to give her a chance to develop at least some independence as a character. Long term Ian and Jane could get back together but in the meantime Ian could be paired off in a short term marriage to Mrs Ian Beale #5 (she could turn out to be psychotic or perhaps die tragically) or they could even keep him single (though I fear he'd just end up pining over Jane if he stayed single).

[DRW50]

I think I am mixing her up with Sam from GH with their baby woes. Since Sam is now magically able to possibly conceive I assumed Jane might too. All the baby rabies stories blend together...

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I hope this isn't true, but someone at DS is saying that Pam St. Clement is leaving the show, but will leave at the end of the year.

Probably just lies from the press, who knows...

Edited January 9, 2011 by Y&RWorldTurner

[DRW50]

That would be so awful I know that Pam hasn't had the best health in recent years, but she's such an integral part of Eastenders. I might not have said that in the last few years when all Pat did was babysit children and drink with Peggy and go on holiday, but she really came alive this past year, showing again why she's so important to Eastenders.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Nowhere else is reporting it, but one poster on DS who seems to have something against the show is saying he's heard it on Radio 1. He seems to be making crap up about the show and posting it as information.

Edited January 9, 2011 by Y&RWorldTurner

[DRW50]

Apparently this person likes to make up threads, or so some said at DS, so hopefully it isn't true.

[BadBoy93]

I hope we have some news of new characters joining the show. We havent heard any since Lacey's sister joining. It has just been this actress leaving and this actress going. Come on, Announce new people coming IN not OUT.

[LondonScribe]

This 'feeding frenzy' (as it has been called) reminds me of the shooing Eastenders received when Loiuse Berridge was Executive Producer. The odd thing is that the show isn't in a swamp like it was in 2004 when it hit its nadir.

At this point, if the quality of refreshments at Elstree dipped it would be attributed to the state of the show. I'm not sure how many of you here are based in the UK but we have a tabloid press that I don't have much time for. This won't die down until a head rolls. Probably Bryan Kirkwood's, despite the fact it has been said no heads will roll. An early end to the story is not satisfactory in the eyes of many.

[Kylie]

I'm still not sure what the controversy actually is. I've read some of the links, I've Googled some stuff, and most importantly I've watched the scenes on You Tube. And I just, well, I don't get it. Is it really just the sensitivity of James dying or is the swap that's the problem? A combo of both?