dannigold - i love the interview with Simon you included also - a thousand thanks!

I forgot to add that Holyoaks does not have a headwriter, but the story consultant and storyliner, both help to devise the storylines with series producer Gareth Philips. EastEnders is the only British soap with a headwriter.

Edited April 2, 201114 yr by dannigold

I forgot to add that Holyoaks does not have a headwriter, but the story consultant and storyliner, both help to devise the storylines with series producer Gareth Philips. EastEnders is the only British soap with a headwriter.

once again, thanks so much dannigold for this information -- at least now i know who i can thank for my favorite stories on both EastEnders and Hollyoaks!

Kathleen Beedles was the series producer of Emmerdale from 2005-2007 which involved The Home King Explosion, The Cain/Sadie/Tom Kidnap Plot, and Who Killed Tom King ?

So i say we are in safe hands.

I'm looking forward to Lydia. Apparently, she doesn't like Pat for obvious reasons, and will be insulting Ricky and Carol.

It'll be interesting to see Janine try to milk her for her money, but they also seem like a match for one another in some crazy way.

Next Thursday:

Lydia has a frosty reunion with Pat before later offending Ricky and Carol by making disparaging remarks about their family; while Janine is shocked to see that Whitney is back in Walford.

Okay, I'm trying to catch up, but I really can't take much more of stupid/idiot Jane and stupid/mean Shirley constantly falling over themselves to keep the attentions of stupid/slimy Ian and stupid/fat Phil. I'm at a few episodes after Glenda left...if I were to skip ahead to this past Friday's episode, is there anything that I would be missing? And if so, what specific episodes, just so I can catch that stuff and not the nonsense.

You should skip to the week of March 14th with Whitney's storyline at the forefront.

You can skip to last Tuesday if you want as well, it's when Jean comes back.

Phil/Ian pretty much disappear or are lower key after Phil and Shirley's non-wedding/wedding.

Edited April 5, 201114 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

The April 5th episode was simply delicious, from start to end.

I might be willing to accept a Jean and Ian pairing, as long as they don't go back to Jane/Ian.

I enjoyed some of the lighter stuff even, like the Heav online dating fluff.

It's great to see the Masoods getting so much play and airtime. I'm so intrigued as to how the roof collapse affects Syed and the Masood's relationship.

Oh and I had to say, I could not get enough of Lydia/Janine. Pure delight. I cannot wait to see if Lydia and Pat cross paths.

I cannot wait to see if Lydia and Pat cross paths.

They do.

You should skip to the week of March 14th with Whitney's storyline at the forefront.

You can skip to last Tuesday if you want as well, it's when Jean comes back.

Phil/Ian pretty much disappear or are lower key after Phil and Shirley's non-wedding/wedding.

Thanks.

I think I'll skip ahead to Jean's return, then. I like Whitney's storyline, but I'm mostly in it for Janine's involvement, and I can't bear being three weeks behind now that Pat's back.

I think you would enjoy the episode with Janine and Lauren looking for Whitney. There are some good scenes with Janine/Whitney and with Janine and Jody Latham.

This is how I like the Mitchells...completely defeated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwBTu_V-coA&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSaED7za6NI&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Michael Moon is a quasi-Andy Hunter, but Andy was, in spite of some very cliched writing, a hot piece. Michael just looks a bit sickly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdlNeG3P3a8

The Masoods, and Mas in particular, used to be a favourite of mine, but now I'm so indifferent to his hypocrisy. I hate what they have done to his character over the last year. On the plus side, I love Tamwar, and feel he's really developed into a decent character. I'm also liking Afia, too, and warming up to Yusef as well. In fact, I think I may like him more than Mas & Zee.

I wonder what this Syed story would've been like if Mas & Zee hadn't committed sins themselves, but instead were actually good Muslims who hadn't cheated/gambled/lied? They wouldn't be hypocrites for a start, but would it have be easier to empathize with their religious stance on Syed?

Thanks.

I think I'll skip ahead to Jean's return, then. I like Whitney's storyline, but I'm mostly in it for Janine's involvement, and I can't bear being three weeks behind now that Pat's back.

I recommend you watch Phil & Shirley's non-wedding ep, not for them, but for the Ian/Jane scenes, which I loved. It was the moment Jane got a clue and finally dumped Ian; they were really well written, I thought, and showed Jane retaining at least 20% of her dignity. If you've already see it, then skip ahead to the Janine/Whitney/Lauren/Rob stuff - like others have said - from a few weeks ago, as there really wasn't much noteworthy stuff in between.

I would like Yusef more if there weren't frequent reminders of how wicked he is supposed to be - the black outfits, the schemes, the cutaways to him looking superior. I wish we saw more of a softer side, as we did when he was talking to Afia before the engagement party.

At the time of the Chryed reveal I was very annoyed that the show stacked the deck by making Masood and Zainab so hostile, and for some reason they have continued to pile this on with Masood. They have taken away what made him popular in the first place and now he is this miserable and weak man. Zainab I still love because she still gets some warm and human moments, like her scene with Afia.

I'm still not entirely sure about where they've gone with Tamwar. It wasn't too long ago he was just the kid brother caught in the middle of a family war, and now he's having sex in Syed's bed! At first this story was just plot plot plot but in the past few weeks they've finally started showing more of their different personalities and how they mix - like that awkward scene where she wanted to dance and he didn't but he got into it for her.

I loved the scene where Syed and Masood looked at each other in the pouring rain. This was the first time I've ever felt sympathy for Syed, even if I don't know why he brought Christian with him. Christian looked his most attractive with the stubble.

I'm glad to see Pat back but wish we'd seen her conversation with Carol. The show never lets us see them interact. The scene with Janine was sort of been there, done that, as was the stuff with Janine and her grandmother, although this does have potential.

Tanya is so smug all the time. I wish Ian had blasted her.

Heather's love storyline is just pointless and pathetic...like her.