Does you know anything about the arc with this Jason Cox character? He does seem interesting and refreshing for EE standards. It is good to see someone stand up to the Mitchells [especially Phil] and not back down to them. They've always needed formidable opponents against them to make me somewhat care about them [well Phil b/c I like Grant].

I think Grant ends up burning down the Vic to get the money to pay Cox.

It must have been repetitive for viewers to see these random hardmen come in to menace Grant and Phil, but the atmosphere (something EE has lost in the last decade) makes it more believable.

This is another one - Jimmy Coogan. The clips for him also have a lot of good stuff elsewhere with Bianca, Nigel, etc. (my favorite is Nigel and Bianca unwittingly watching a porno). This one is the strongest of the set, due to the Arthur scene.

It's interesting to see how they handle Kathy in these - strong, involved in the drama, but yet still endangered. And she's involved without the endless screaming, shouting and pouting that women on EE can't live without today.

I've never heard of Jimmy Coogan either.

How many dodgy men did Grant and Phil overcome before Ross Kemp left the show?

I know it had to get old the audience to watch Grant and Phil do criminal stuff time and time again. I don't see how McFadden has stuck around so long with the same story for 20+ years.

So do any of you think they actually could go ahead and have it turn out that Pete Beale was Sharon's birth father, making Sharon and Ian half-siblings?

I'd be surprised if they didn't, Tim.

NBA, Phil was a different character in his first 10 years or so on the show. I'm not sure where the idea of "hardman Phil" being "iconic" and a "legend" came from. He's never been all that popular in this role. He never will be, as it's a huge embarrassment, like watching your grandfather try to breakdance.

Edited March 26, 201510 yr by DRW50

On a 2005 episode which aired last night here in NY Dot described Phil to Johnny Allen as "the quiet one" and "the one with a brain, unlike the others." I agree that the idea of him being a "hardman" is ludicrous. The interchanges between Grant and Phil on last night's episode were beyond camp.

Edited March 26, 201510 yr by TimWil

So do any of you think they actually could go ahead and have it turn out that Pete Beale was Sharon's birth father, making Sharon and Ian half-siblings?

Do you think that would be a good idea to relate Sharon and Ian?

IMO, I don't think it would add to the characters or their relationship, and for that alone, it would feel like a very unnecessary plot twist. It's not like they aren't good friends, or have a rivalry going on that this kind of thing could smooth over. It's a short term plot point that will have no long term impact.

I think it would be better for the show and for Sharon, if her bio dad was someone unknown, a new character who isn't related to anyone on the show. I did quite like the idea of Den being her bio dad all along, but they squashed that. I don't know what it is, but something about this whole story leaves me cold (and bored), and I think that's b/c the way its been written so far is quite predictable and not that interesting.

I just hope

they won't have Sharon's father as Kathy's husband. It's so cliche.

I agree, Carl. Someone on another board is really pushing for that, which is irritating. Just because they supposedly share the same name doesn't mean there's a link.

There's no way it could have been Den because Sharon would then turn out to have had sex with her own half-brother and had a child with him. I'm glad the show put the kibosh on that right away on Tuesday's episode.

Maybe it could be Angie's brother? Was it ever established she had siblings?

Just remembered that someone who worked on the show told me that the very pretty actor Paul Nicholas (he played Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar in the West End) was considered to play Sharon's birth father around 2002 (Angie's death?). That idea was nixed. He was later brought in to a workshop to play Kevin Wicks but that didn't work out either. There is a good physical resemblance between him and Leticia Dean. Maybe he can still play her birth father after all. Another actor I have a feeling they're considering is Christopher Villiers, who played Grayson on Emmerdale. He's the right age and would have the right look.

Edited March 26, 201510 yr by TimWil

There's no way it could have been Den because Sharon would then turn out to have had sex with her own half-brother and had a child with him. I'm glad the show put the kibosh on that right away on Tuesday's episode.

Just to clarify, I'd totally forgotten about Dennis! I'm really not advocating incest! For some reason, I had a total mind fade when writing that post.

Thank God you brought that up, Tim.

Carl: I also don't want it to be Kathy's Gavin, either. Too predictable and unbelievable.

Getting to the Carol episodes in March. Carol always makes episodes better, especially if she isn't there to be depressed with her family.

I do wonder if the show remembered that Carol and Billy once went out on a blind date...

I just think Carol can only be with David. Paging Michael French...

I'll always love her most with Alan, but David's good too.

Alan's the only man that's ever respected her the way she deserved, so I agree, that was her most mature pairing (even if ultimately they were never going to make it work out).

How could I forget about Alan? I'd be very happy if he was brought back to rekindle their relationship.