Random episode from 1992 and 1993:

<object width="480" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xe7kav_eastenders-27th-october-1992-part-1_shortfilms?additionalInfos=0"></param><param'>http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xe7kav_eastenders-27th-october-1992-part-1_shortfilms?additionalInfos=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xe7kav_eastenders-27th-october-1992-part-1_shortfilms?additionalInfos=0" width="480" height="360" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><b><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xe7kav_eastenders-27th-october-1992-part-1_shortfilms">Eastenders 27th october 1992,part 1</a></b><br /><i>Uploaded by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/Tomj180">Tomj180</a>. - <a target="_self" href="http://www.dailymotion.com/us/channel/shortfilms">Watch feature films and entire TV shows.</a></i>

<object width="480" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xe7k1h_eastenders-27th-october-1992-part-2_shortfilms?additionalInfos=0"></param><param'>http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xe7k1h_eastenders-27th-october-1992-part-2_shortfilms?additionalInfos=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xe7k1h_eastenders-27th-october-1992-part-2_shortfilms?additionalInfos=0" width="480" height="360" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><b><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xe7k1h_eastenders-27th-october-1992-part-2_shortfilms">EastEnders,27th October 1992,part 2</a></b><br /><i>Uploaded by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/Tomj180">Tomj180</a>. - <a target="_self" href="http://www.dailymotion.com/us/channel/shortfilms">Classic TV and last night's shows, online.</a></i>

<object width="480" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xegi6y_eastenders-18th-march-1993-part-1_shortfilms?additionalInfos=0"></param><param'>http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xegi6y_eastenders-18th-march-1993-part-1_shortfilms?additionalInfos=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xegi6y_eastenders-18th-march-1993-part-1_shortfilms?additionalInfos=0" width="480" height="360" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><b><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xegi6y_eastenders-18th-march-1993-part-1_shortfilms">EastEnders 18th March 1993 part 1</a></b><br /><i>Uploaded by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/Tomj180">Tomj180</a>. - <a target="_self" href="http://www.dailymotion.com/us/channel/shortfilms">Check out other Film &amp; TV videos.</a></i>

<object width="480" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xeghy4_eastenders-18th-march-1993-part-2_shortfilms?additionalInfos=0"></param><param'>http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xeghy4_eastenders-18th-march-1993-part-2_shortfilms?additionalInfos=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xeghy4_eastenders-18th-march-1993-part-2_shortfilms?additionalInfos=0" width="480" height="360" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><b><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xeghy4_eastenders-18th-march-1993-part-2_shortfilms">EastEnders 18th March 1993,part 2</a></b><br /><i>Uploaded by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/Tomj180">Tomj180</a>. - <a target="_self" href="http://www.dailymotion.com/us/channel/shortfilms">Check out other Film &amp; TV videos.</a></i>

So, Martin and Sonia have split!

I want Martin back. I don't know how the previous actor was but the character should be in the Walford at all times.

Edited January 16, 201114 yr by Amello

Martin has no family or friends left. He was also a total !@#$%^&*] to most people. At least if he were still with that Ogre Sonia, he'd have her family as connections.

And no way is the show bringing in the American Fowler's.

Though, I wish Sharon and Michelle would return together, but their children would be American too. No more bad Brit actors with crap American accents, please!

I wish the show would bring on an American family, or just a couple or two siblings or whatever, played by good American actors. It'd be something different and interesting.

That would be a very refreshing idea. The show is so hated at the moment by some vocal fans that the idea would probably get a lot of backlash, but if the actors and writing is good enough it might work. It has to be better than thrilling storytelling such as American = drug dealer.

It's very hard for Americans to be employed legally in the UK/EU, so expect a family of Canadians playing Americans (if they don't cast Brit actors) if that ever happens.

I wonder if the Mitchell's and Sharon will ever know Mark Fowler Jr is Grant's son. They can't tell that story without Sue Tully and Ross Kemp, so it's likely to never happen.

And the fact that Sharon's son and Den's grandson is an American will likely piss off a lot of fans if that character is ever brought back. If Sharon ever comes back soon, I guess they could sideline the character and not have him say many line and he could realistically pick up a semi-cockney accent over time, which would be difficult with someone like Mark Fowler Jr, as he's well into his teens now and has been an American all his life.

No question that I want Sharon back, but it would be an added bonus if Michelle came back with her. I've always loved their friendship and I'm happy knowing they're both in Florida probably happy together somewhere. But Sue Tully clearly never wants to act again, so it's likely the character will never appear again.

I wish they'd recast Michelle. I really want to see the Fowlers on the show again. I don't mean Martin, as he bored me and I thought he was a drag on the family. I mean close to what they were again in the show's best years, 85-88.

I heard Sue was close to coming back for Ian and Mel's wedding in '99 and then again when Letitia returned as Sharon in '01, but it never worked out.

A lot of diehards would probably be against a recast, since Michelle is an original character with deep history on the show. Plus, if Sharon ever returned, would this recast have that essential friendship chemistry with Dean that Tully had? I think the Michelle/Sharon friendship is a vital element of both of those characters when they're on screen together.

Of all the weddings to return for, Ian and Mel. Odd.

Diehards may already have so many issues with the show as it is, the show might as well take the risk. I think with time and care - if soaps can do that today - it would be worth hiring a good actress who would have chemistry with Dean and work in the role Michelle once filled, especially since there is no one like that on the show now. There are no quiet, strong women.

I was just watching another 1985 episode, episode 49. This was on the heels of Sue being completely shut down after Hasaan's death, to the point where she let herself and the cafe go to ruin. She recovered because she held Mary's crying baby, and the next day she gave Hasaan's baby clothes to a disturbed Pauline. Meanwhile, Annie's crying was so constant that Mary began yelling at her to shut up, and finally, in a moment of madness, almost suffocated the baby.

Can you imagine ANY of that being allowed today? All that brilliant drama, all kept off the air by censors and the press, while stuff like rape, child molestation, and constant violence are seen as no big deal.

I heard that the '94 pub siege where Dougie Briggs wanted to sexually assault and then run off with Sharon and where Michelle was accidentally shot was supposed to be a lot bloodier than it was, so much was edited out and lost that the producer at the time lost his job over it.

I wonder if the Sharon/Michelle two-hander from 1989 is up anywhere. I've never seen it, but always wanted to see it. After they think Den "died" and where Michelle confesses to Sharon that Den is Vicky's father. It's the third two-hander that was ever produced.

Sharon and Michelle (4 April 1989)

The third two-hander featured the best friends Sharon Watts and Michelle Fowler. In the aftermath of Sharon's father's death, the two friends started an evening at home with a bottle of wine and their memories. This episode was written by Tony McHale and directed by Mike Gibbon.[1]

After Den's supposed murder, Sharon - his daughter - began to speculate about the identity of the mysterious woman who had been seen with him prior to his death. When Sharon told Michelle that she felt that she and her daughter Vicki were now her family, Michelle blurted out a secret that she'd been keeping for over 3 years - that Den was Vicki's father and she was the mystery woman who was seen with Den before his death. Michelle thought Sharon would be comforted to know that she was, in a sense, Vicki's sister, and that a part of Den lived on in Vicki. However, Sharon took the news very badly, feeling hurt, angry and deceived. After slapping Michelle and having an emotional showdown, Sharon left their flat wishing that Michelle had never told her.

Out of having too much time, I just counted the characters with the most two-hander episodes.

Phil appeared in the most with four two-handers

Sharon, Dot, and Den all appeared in three two-handers, giving them a tie for second place.

Kat both appeared in two two-handers, giving her third place.

The other two-hander characters only appeared in one-two hander.

1. Phil - 4 two-handers (Grant and Phil 15 November 1994, Ricky and Phil 20 April 2000, Phil and Sharon 5 September 2002, and Lisa and Phil 27 March 2003)

2. Sharon - 3 two-handers (Sharon and Michelle 4 April 1989, Phil and Sharon 5 September 2002, and Den and Sharon 30 September 2003)

2. Dot - 3 two-handers (Dot and Ethel 2 July 1987, Sonia and Dot 9 May 2002, and Den and Dot 26 August 2004)

2. Den - 3 two-handers (Den and Angie 16 October 1986 --> First Two-Hander Ever, and Den and Sharon 30 September 2003, Den and Dennis (1 April 2004))

3. Kat - 2 two-handers (Kat and Zoe 2 October 2001, and Kat and Alfie 25 May 2004)

If I were to add in three and four-handers, all of the above characters total of "special episodes" would go up.

Dot is the only character to appear in a one-hander..

Edited January 17, 201114 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

The show had quite a few from 2000-2004 or so didn't they? I wish they did more now, their cast is much stronger now than it's been in a long time.

I saw the Michelle/Sharon two-hander when it was still on Youtube. It was very powerful. The early scenes were devoted to Michelle and Sharon laughing and talking about old times. Then Michelle told her, and Sharon was furious and devastated. Amazing acting, especially from Sue Tully. They didn't make up until Vicki had meningitis.

The show did such a fantastic job with that secret and the long, slow impact it had - soaps don't know how to do that now.

Tony McHale wrote the Sharon/Michelle two-hander, he was their senior writer for years, he also created the Jackson family before he left. Most recently, he was the Series Producer on Holby City, which he also co-created.

The show had quite a few from 2000-2004 or so didn't they? I wish they did more now, their cast is much stronger now than it's been in a long time.

Yeah, Louise Berridge produced the most two-handers with Phil and Sharon (5 September 2002), Little Mo and Trevor (31 October 2002), Lisa and Phil (27 March 2003), Den and Sharon (30 September 2003), Den and Dennis (1 April 2004), Kat and Alfie (25 May 2004), and Den and Dot (26 August 2004).

John Yorke only produced two I think with Kat and Zoe (2 October 2001) and Sonia and Dot (9 May 2002).

I think the Matthew and Steve (3 February 2000) and Ricky and Phil (20 April 2000) two-handers were Matthew Robinson's, but could have been John Yorke's too as I'm confused as to actually when Yorke officially took over from Robinson.

I think a good time for another one would probably be with the bay switch reveal between Kat and Ronnie. They could ask Tony Jordan to come back to write it as he loves writing for Kat and would probably do it, as he came back to do the special Dot one-hander.

It looks like the two-hander between Carol and Bianca had to be expanded to include other characters with Patsy's early leave. That will air on Tuesday.

Edited January 17, 201114 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

The show did such a fantastic job with that secret and the long, slow impact it had - soaps don't know how to do that now.

I think part of the problem when soaps try to stretch things out now is that they make characters become so unlikable and worn out.

I was watching a 2007 interview that Letitia Dean did with Paul O'Grady in 2007, he asked her about Sharongate and if people were rude to her in public or hated Sharon for coming between the Mitchell brothers, and she said no, the public was very nice and sympathethic towards her. When I was watching the Sharongate stuff this weekend, it was very evident in thw writing, no matter how long things were stretched out, that Sharon didn't become a totally unlikeable mess of a character, which would happen today and which actually happened with Stacey throughout parts of the Stax storyline.

5:48 in, she starts talking about Sharon. I love her sense of humour.

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tZB6JjLfPI?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tZB6JjLfPI?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=9tZB6JjLfPI?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Of all the weddings to return for, Ian and Mel. Odd.

Not really when you think about it. Ian and Mel's wedding was really the first wedding that Michelle conceivably would have bothered to come back for (it's not like she had much to do with Ricky and Bianca for example). Plus, Michelle wasn't to know that the union would last all of twenty minutes!

Plus it would have been an opportunity for Michelle to make an appearance at the turn of the millennium and also be an early 15th anniversary guest return.

I've heard that Matthew Robinson gave Sue Tully her first job as a director on the show and was going to ask her to return the favour by appearing for Ian/Mel's wedding, but at the last minute he thought it would be a waste of a return for her, so it fell though.