On the topic of Kathy, I was pleasantly surprised when Heather's death got Dot to remember Donna, and how she took her in and how she died in Dot's living room.

I haven't watched any of this lately but I'm glad to hear they mentioned Donna. I always wonder if any of those who went on and on about Ronnie/Danielle ever watched the Kathy/Donna story, which is one of the most emotionally devastating stories ever on a soap opera. One Ronnie/Danielle fan did put up the Kathy/Donna story, and surprise surprise, it was taken down

I remember last year Dot told Rainie about Donna, which was appropriate given Rainie's drug addiction, not to mention the actress' resemblance to the actress who played Donna.

Kirkwood's returning to Lime Pictures to develop new scripted and reality programs:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a373783/eastenders-former-exec-bryan-kirkwood-returning-to-lime-pictures.html

Did anyone see the documentary the BBC did with Rita Simons and her deaf daughter? I thought it was pretty well-handled and heartwarming.

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Thanks.

Thanks Y&RWorldTurner, I will give that a watch.

Ed, your Ben avatar freaked me out when I first saw it!

I've also noticed you trying to infect DS with your Ben love. Thankfully it isn't catching!

Well, that was fast. Mandy is being written out.

I guess this is the start of cleansing the show of Kirkwood's influence.

Though, I'll miss Mandy. I think they just started using her to her full potential.

However, the on/off stuff with Ian was bound to get tired fast.

http://www.thesun.co...edding-day.html

Edited April 4, 201213 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

That's a shame. I think Mandy had a lot of potential. Nicola Stapleton is so underrated.

Ian and Mandy's relationship is one of the best things to come out of Kirkwood's tenure, they really work well together IMO and I don't see why it couldn't have been a long-term thing. Was she axed? If so, I think it's the wrong decision.

Ben - I take it you just don't like Ben then? You are right, I'm spreading the Ben love

I wonder if Sharon comes back for Ian's 100th wedding.

Though, I'm sure she'd be shocked Ian's marrying the woman who killed Roly (even if she blamed Grant more for that than Mandy)!

That's a shame about Mandy. She's one character that actually works, who has depth and history with the show, so I'm disappointed that, whomever decided to get rid of her couldn't see her potential (from how that article is worded, it doesn't sound like she quit). I'm thinking her pairing with Ian may have been a mistake, as they haven't written them in the way they should, meaning they sometimes feel "off", like something doesn't click. IMO, they go round in circles too much, and they write them like they are blind to their situation and who each of them are in order to create unnecessary angst. I don't think Mandy is in love with Ian, and I don't think Ian is in love with Mandy, and I believe they both know this, even if they don't really acknowledge it; they kinda feel like a stop gap until someone better comes along who can give them what they want (more so with Mandy, as you know she'd be the first to go if she found her prince). I think they've missed a trick to tell a story with some heart, instead of the usual stuff they churn out these days.

Ed: I don't like Ben. I should, b/c he has all the ingredients that I love in a character: emotional trauma, psychological scarring, depth and layers, tragic past, conflict with family members, etc. But I find he's less of a character and more of a caricature, like they've added all the ingredients and hoped it would rise, but instead its fallen flat. The writing has failed him. They've piled all these issues on to him and not developed any of them properly, instead they've stirred it a bit, said it's all down to his big bad dad Phil, and that's it. Too easy, too simple. I also think the character is too much for Joshua Pascoe to handle at his age, as Ben's too complex, and JP doesn't have the experience or talent to pull it all off and produce a well rounded character. Plus, I have a problem with characters who don't suffer any comeback for their many crimes. Like I said, the writing has sucked for the most part.

I think this episode is from 1990 is from Grant and Phil's second week on the show:

And damn, Michelle Collins always looked so much older than Adam Woodyatt, and Peter Dean was always a terrible actor.

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Michelle Collins has always looked pretty old.

I still wish the Mitchells has never been on Eastenders.

I don't mind the Mitchell's during their first 5 years or so on the show. Phil and Grant were actually quite goofy and light-hearted characters in the beginning (which is apparent in the episode I just posted).

But by the late 90's, they were getting tired and really started to dominate the show.

I was watching the Goodbye Heather thing - the narrator is so flat and takes away from how you should feel. Who is she? Didn't they have someone else for years?

I don't mind the Mitchell's during their first 5 years or so on the show. Phil and Grant were actually quite goofy and light-hearted characters in the beginning (which is apparent in the episode I just posted).

But by the late 90's, they were getting tired and really started to dominate the show.

When Kathy was around I kind of felt a little for Phil, because I thought she was a drain (at that time anyway), but once they made him the big stud/kingpin of Walford, I had a tough time watching him.