I never knew Sid Owen did this. How...interesting.

Some scenes of Whitney's upcoming story, with some scare quotes from publicity seeker Ann Widdecombe and one of EE's worst villains.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1351901/First-look-EastEnders-Whitney-Dean-takes-streets-teenage-prostitute-soaps-controversial-new-storyline.html#ixzz1CXeA6cZE

I'm glad Janine's role in this isn't as ugly as I first thought.

They don't have parental controls on British televisions? Sheesh. It really burns me up because it's pure laziness on the parents' part. Don't want your kids watching EE? Then don't f'n let them!

If you are going to be offended by a story on Eastenders then pick one that actually teaches bad lessons.

Widdecombe has a very ugly career in Parliament and she desperately wants publicity.

I loved Janine's prostitution storyline from the early 00's. It was so realistic and made so much sense. She was such a lost and abandoned child and such a big outcast and pariah in Walford society. Frank had left her, Peggy kicked her out of the Vic, and Pat was interested but too consumed in her own problems with Roy. There was literally no one on her side.

I remember a very sad scene from that storyline where one of Janine's former clients saw her on the street and opened his car door and tried to pull her inside his car almost raped her, but Zoe was walking by recognized Janine and he stopped before he got too far.

They've done a good job of building up to this story with Whitney. With Bianca gone, she feels isolated from the rest of the family, and given her past history with sexual abuse, I can see why she might consider herself useless already.

Edited January 30, 201114 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

The last few episodes have gone by just a little bit too quickly for me. In particular, the stuff with Darren and the Phil/Ian drama. IDK, I just feel like they could have done more with the Phil/Ian situation. Beginning of Thursday's episode, everything was normal, by the end of Friday's episode, Phil had had a massive heart attack, Ian stung him along for what had to have been at least an hour, Phil recovered and then asked Shirley to marry him. I know EE usually does a day per episode, but still, it seemed very fast.

And the Darren stuff. Sheesh! He wasted no time getting pissed about Jack becoming a partner, and the whole thing really just made both he and Max look bad, especially yesterday. They were both way over-the-top. And I don't even know what Jodie's point is anymore. I found it hard to believe she would be okay with being used a sex object to sell cars.

The Whitney stuff is good, though. I've been liking her for the first time, and I hope Janine stay clean throughout the whole thing, just so Ryan can shut his trap.

Boo hoo, no one gives a f!ck about your problems, Syed and Christian. Christian is ridiculous. They've been together for less than a year, but he demands they have a child? That's way too fast for any couple! But I guess they're on "gay time" just like Luke and Noah were. Anything that happens in real life over the course of several years is demanded by the fans to take place inside one year. Ridiculous. And Roxy is an idiot. I don't quite understand WTF is going through Syed's mind either. If he was against having a child because it's too early for that, then fine. But he's against it because of his religion? So he's okay with the gay thing, but he think he and Christian are unfit to raise a kid together. They are, but come on!

Edited February 1, 201114 yr by All My Shadows

Reminder: EastEnders will be on tonight to make up for no episode airing this Friday.

I just flat out loved that last scene with Kat and Alfie. Finally, after years and years of stagnation and stageiness and way too much mythologizing, the Vic has a live wire again. I was so hooked when Alfie yelled "SO DID I!" and at Kat's gasp of pain when Alfie blamed her for the baby's death. I watched that scene three or four times.

I don't think the people at EE now "get" Kat, which is sad, because she's very special, but they do seem to know how to write very well for Alfie, and along with Max, he is probably the most complicated and interesting male character on the show at the moment.

No matter how flawed some moments are I am still more drawn into the current Eastenders than I have been in a long time because it has that jagged edge again, the lack of self-reverence which acts as some sort of veneer, and while this can sometimes be awful, sometimes it can be absolutely brilliant. That last scene reminded me so much of Julia Smith's Eastenders -- I can see Angie downing her drink and laughing/jeering/crying right along with Kat and Alfie.

I loved those scenes as well. Shane Ritchie (I think that's his name?) was amazing.

I also loved all the Darren/Tamwar scenes. Loved seeing Vanessa get Darren fired so Max would rehire him.

Cheryl Fergison interview.

http://www.walfordweb.co.uk/item.php?id=2820

Looks like Denise might soon get another pairing in

Yousef, Zainab's first husband.

Edited February 11, 201114 yr by Amello

Sam Atwater is now in a more interesting story than anything he had on Eastenders.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/dancing_on_ice/3397608/Lover-man-Sam-Attwaters-ice-moves.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1356471/Dancing-On-Ice-2011-Sam-Attwater-apologises-admits-romance-Brianne-Delcourt-fake.html

Janine's grandmother has just been cast.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/eastenders/2011/02/margaret-tyzack.shtml

It's funny but it never once occurred to me that Janine and Ricky might still have relatives on their mother's side.

Janine's grandmother has just been cast.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/eastenders/2011/02/margaret-tyzack.shtml

This. is. awesome!!!!!!

Yes, more focus on Janine please.