EastEnders swept this year's Inside Soap Awards.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a342413/inside-soap-awards-2011-the-full-winners-list.html

Best Soap

Best Wedding

Funniest Performance - Tameka Empson

Best Young Actor

Best Actress

So, what's the verdict on the Ben story? Let me be shallow and say that gay!boxer can do better. Where's Steven Beale when you need him?

Steven Beale is one of those soap characters that should have been an integral part of the show, but because of clueless soap producers/writers was not.

Louise Berridge really screwed the character over, when she had an 13 year old Steven decide, after learning Ian wasn't his biological father, he wanted to leave Ian to live with the father he never knew in New Zealand (Simon). Seriously, how ridiculous was it that Ian allowed a 13 year old to do that? The character was written out for no apparent reason at all the the first time around.

Then when Santer brought the character back, he totally raped him of any integrity and damaged him so bad that the character had to be written out.

I wonder with Pat leaving soon if she'll mention Steven. I mean, he is her grandson.

Edited September 30, 201114 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

I don't think it was a big mistake to write Steven out under Berridge. Wasn't this after Steven had written poison pen letters to hurt Ian? Steven probably needed to get away.

The biggest mistake was that hideous storyline that told viewers being bisexual means you are mentally ill. I'm so tired of seeing that sh!t on TV. That's not what it means, really!

I also had little use for the story where Jane was shot and couldn't have kids, as it basically destroyed her character, and, along with the need to have Lucy with the same annoying stories and smirks again and again and again, destroyed the Beale family.

I don't think it was a big mistake to write Steven out under Berridge. Wasn't this after Steven had written poison pen letters to hurt Ian? Steven probably needed to get away.

Yes, which he tried to frame Janine for (and Pat was on Janine's side through this, despite everyone else thinking it was her).

What made no sense to me was why Ian/Pat allowed a 13 year old to go off to a strange country to be with the father who wanted nothing to do with him. It didn't seem in character for any of them, and Steven was only a kid,

Steven's stories do see damaging/depressing, the worst for me being trying to murder Pat. With her gone by the end of the year and Ian not wanting anything to do with him, he'll probably never show up again, which sucks. The Beale family essentially consists of Ian and Jane. Ridiculous.

Spoilers on Pat's death. I'm a bit encouraged that she dies this way, though it sounds similiar to another legendary character's death.

From ITV1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OFZMXuHUZ0

I'm really enjoying the Ben story, and all the stuff with Amira/Syed/Christian.

I thought Ben'c oming out scene to Phil was extremely powerful and I can't wait to see wht happens when Phil returns. I think Josh has been doing a good job and I'm glad that the writers decided to focus on Ben's sexuality rather than trying to create another gay love story. The only thing that has let it down is Ben having feelings for Christian. I think that's wrong and I don't like how it portrays young gay people as needing a father figure. However, I was glad that in no uncertain terms Christian told Ben how inappropriate it all was.

I HATED Christian's ultimatum of 'it's me or the baby' - it's so wrong. Syed is the father and does have rights. Therefore I see no reason why Christian should have no access to the child at all considering his and Syed's relationship. I still findte Yusefplot totally unbelievable. Why can't anybody see how evl Yusef is? Everyone is blind too it, it's like they're all stupid. Even Christian.

I don't really like Ben's story, as he's a pretty unlikeable character, and he's written in such a messy way that I don't feel sorry for him, or anything really. He lurches from one nasty act to another, with some nice scenes thrown in for good measure, trying to show us that he's not all bad. There's never any consequences to his actions, or development of his character; it's just the same 'ol same 'ol story rehashed. And the Christian "twist" is the worst so far - it's so unnecessary. I'm sick of seeing Christian's character victimised by violence b/c he's gay (Qadim's thugs and now the aftermath of Ben's lie, and I'm sure he was gay-bashed a couple of years ago), not to forget that they've been here before with Steven Beale. On a side note: I've always thought it should have been Syed who got beat up by Qadim's thugs instead of Christian - that would have made more sense, as Qadim would have gone after him to avenge his daughter.

The continuity in the Yusef story is terrible. They brought back Amira, and suddenly she's lost her brain after one meeting with Yusef. They actually had a good set-up with Christian/Syed/Amira, as you can see all the sides to the story as no-one is truly in the wrong, but by involving Dr. Evil, it has tainted that triangle and turned it into something it didn't need to be. The Yusef story could have been awesome, but due to the shoddy plotting, pacing and continuity with character's personalities, that has let it down. It's still entertaining for the most part, but a lot of the time it's difficult to suspend one's disbelief.

Not feeling the moronic Moons and the Jodie/Poopy stuff; I don't get why they never got rid of Jodie when they axed Vanessa and Darren, instead of axing her a couple of months later. Not much to say about Tanya's story, as it doesn't get played much. I am enjoying the show without Alfie & Kat, who had become especially annoying before they left for their Spanish vacation.

Jodie and Poppy are leaving the show soon, it was announced a couple of weeks ago.

Well, George Michael is...not happy about the way Eastenders tells gay stories.

I just wonder where he was in 2008-2010, which were also quite reprehensible.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2060178/Gay-people-deserve-better-BBCs-pathetic-attempts-represent-George-Michael-slams-EastEnders-gay-storyline.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Some pics of the cast filming Pat's funeral.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2060687/EastEnders-cast-gathers-Pat-Evans-funeral-scenes-sombre-festive-episode.html

Apparently, it's been confirmed that Michael French is returning as David for the funeral...

I wonder if they will mention Pat's old relationship with Mandy.

I hope David will have some good scenes with Bianca and Carol.

Any word on Diane? Even if they couldn't get Peggy or SImon, Diane should be there.

Have you heard about the stories where

Tamwar is disfigured, and Heather is murdered

? Is all this happening at Christmas? Wow.

I think Heather is leaving somewhere at the beginning of next year, so not sure if her exit is ties into Christmas.

I just stumbled upon the Sharon/Phil two-hander from 2002:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YKddtM4H__g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pIH2E_yPojk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The show seemed to exploit the hell out of the two-hander format during 2002-2004. Now, it seems as if they don't even do it much anymore. Even when they used to be done sparingly, there seemed to be more frequency in the 80's, 90's, and early 00's when they were done.

Back when I used to be able to stomach the EE areas of the Digital Spy forum, one of my favorite posters there ranked the two-handers. I didn't realize there had been so many, and with random characters like Ricky and Phil.

If anyone wants to see more Mandy, another 1992 episode with her has been uploaded.