Janine's exit is definitely going to leave a big hole. She's carried huge parts of the show over the past few years, and was one of the highlights in an otherwise troublesome era for the show. I hope Charlie Brooks comes back after a two year break...

 

New Year's Ever Trailer:

 

I began watching EastEnders on October 7. Since then, the following characters have all been written off the show:

Jean Slater (moved)

Ollie Walters (moved)

Jack Branning (moved)

Sam James (moved)

Michael Moon (murdered)

Joey Branning (moved)

Ava Hartman (moved)

There's also Alice Branning and Janine Butcher, both arrested for murder and likely gone as well.

That seems like a lot of cast turnover in under three months. Is that normal for this soap?

Say what you want about the Christmas ratings but I loved the episode. David and Janine work so well together. (and David Witts’s return to the show has really worked for me and I think with Janine gone he may be my new my favorite character).

David quickly became my favorite as well. I love the family dynamic with all the grandkids in Carol's house and David worming his way into everyone's affections. He's teaching a master class in being a lovable rogue who people keep trusting against their better judgment.

The best part of David conning Janine was when she said to him, after her big confession, that if the roles were reversed she couldn't resist the urge to use it against him. That was very scorpion-to-frog.

Not a great promo, but no one in this family seems the least bit interesting to me. I also don't think I care for any of the actors so far.

 

He really does sound just like Alfie.

To me it's kind of sad seeing such downmarket, trashy people running The Vic. I guess Kat and Alfie were that way too, but I didn't feel like the show was pushing the Shameless element with them as much as they are with this family.

I hope that kiss between Gary Lucy and that weird looking twink was less awkward onscreen.

If EE wants ratings I'm not sure why they cast Danny Dyer. He's widely disliked.

Without giving too much away, Eastenders featured a scene that, in a way, reminded me of David Kimble's exit from Y&R.

Think Kick-Ass. Just a tad less gruesome. No doubt OfCom are in for some complaints, mainly due to the time it was shown (8-9pm, pre-watershed)

I was surprised by that, I wonder how soon before Ronnie meets her demise as well.

I'm glad they're writing her as a full on villain now. That troubled heroine crap just never worked for her.

The late Carl White was a tough tough to figure out.

He was so desperate to get Kirsty Branning back that he staged a car accident -- with himself in the car! -- to frame Max Branning for attempted murder. But when Max kicked Kirsty to the curb he didn't go after her at all.

Carl also was peculiarly easy to get the jump on. He was constantly snarling at people and threatening to make them pay, but aside from Peter Beale he never successfully roughed anybody up who didn't pay him back worse. He never saw it coming. The same day Ronnie clocked him with a champagne bottle he purloined from the Vic, he turned his back on her and got trunked to death.

The guy didn't learn from his mistakes.

P.s. When I dispose of a body in a car by sending it to the scrap yard, I will not hang around looking emotionally distraught as it gets compacted. People might get the wrong idea, especially if the car starts leaking like a squeezed juice box.

Pics from Sonia's first episode back:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/eastenders/posts/Photo-Spoiler-Sonias-back

I have never liked Sonia (or Cassidy for that matter), but her relationships with Carol and Bianca are relatively unexplored and are about the only good thing that could come out of this return.

The girl with the guitar is obviously Rebecca Fowler, so I guess we finally have a Fowler on the show again...

Edited January 6, 201411 yr by BetterForgotten

Matt di Angelo is returning as Deano.

I actually think this is a good idea, as the character had a lot of potential, he was just stuck with bad characters and at the time di Angelo was so green.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a544018/eastenders-matt-di-angelo-returning-as-deano-wicks.html

He was rather cute. He did have chemistry with Linda Henry so I hope he's improved and can stay.

I liked Deano, and his relationship with Shirley was left underdeveloped, so this will be good to explore. However, I'm not sure the character needs a permanent return, as I don't know where they can take him long term. A 6 month guest stint would be long enough, IMO - just enough time to explore his relationship with Shirley and his grandfather, Stan, and have a few scenes with Stacey.

On another note: Shabnam is back, and is now a bigoted, unlikeable woman. Her racist comment seems to have caused a stir, and I hope this is something they explore with the character. I hope Shabnam rediscovers some of her old traits at some point, as Original Shabnam was more likeable and a free spirit, if underdeveloped.

BBC to build brand new expanded EastEnders set

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2014/eastenders-set.html

Has there ever been an American character who played a regular role on EastEnders?

I got that question answered elsewhere, and the closest EE got was Vicki Fowler's short-lived American accent.

New question: Did anyone see a scene with T.J. and Cindy showing romantic interest towards one another before she got pregnant? We may be looking at an Immaculate Conception.