I decided to take a break from early March drudgery and watch today's episode, and I'm not sure if anything can better epitomize some of my feelings about Eastenders.

As much as I complain about DTC, I do think he tries to take some stories seriously and at times has a certain faith in the audience that Santer lacked.

For instance, Kat's story, which has been poorly paced, but is unrelentingly grim in a way that EE has rarely been in the last 10 years. We've seen everything in her life torn to pieces. The scene in the Vic with her family and Alfie where they were patronizing toward her and wanted to get her to "open up" and she proceeded to tell them that she'd spent most of her life doing anything she could to ignore her rape and now that she had been destroyed as a mother, she had nothing left to stop her from facing her rape - this was incredibly brave, uncompromising material, well-acted by Jessie Wallace. Yet I have no way of trusting this, because Alfie is simpering in the background, and I have to assume this will end in the idea that she and Alfie are back together so that means she's happy and healed.

It's the same with Phil and Ben. Phil is the same old piece of [!@#$%^&*] as always, abusing his son in myriad ways, conditioning him, further polluting him. Yet I can't really say that this is going to go anywhere, because when has it ever gone anywhere? Viewers will cheer as he beats his son, the way they always do, and cheer as he gets one over on Phil (the new Dan or Steve or whoever else).

Boring old Denise Van Outen as the new Square mattress just means yet another return to predictability, with Max's throbber the only interesting part of him to the storyliners

Seeing this disgusting old man repeating the same stories that were disgusting 15 years ago just makes me ashamed to watch.

Anyway...

I like Nancy and Tamwar together. I think they're a good match.

Shabnam reminds me so much of Julia Smith-era EE characters. I hope that continues.

I'm glad they had that long scene with Carol and the cancer counselor. She really needed it to help conclude that story arc, and Lindsey Coulson was wonderful as always.

Apparently, there is a midnight announcement on the way. I bet it's really nothing, but let the speculation begin....

EastEnders Ultra ‏@EastEndersUltra 11m11 minutes ago
Some super-exciting #EastEnders news at midnight!!

It's probably an announcement that they're adding in an extension of the Carter family with a bunch of cousins on the way.

The sad thing is, I could see that happening....

I wish I could see this.

Edited April 3, 201510 yr by Bright Eyes

Maybe the casting of Sharon's "real" father? I predict the actor cast will be either Paul Nicholas or Christopher Villiers!

I guess the big news is there's going to be a 6 episode spin-off series filmed in Ireland with Kat and Alfie. It's going to be broadcast in 2016 though. I guess they'll be off the show temporarily and return when production on this is wrapped.

Can they please ask Tony Jordan (or Sarah Phelps) to write an episode or consult? Like please?

Kat and Alfie to get their own show!

Edited April 3, 201510 yr by BetterForgotten

Not that anyone thought she was actually going to die, but it's odd they would reveal this right after the cliffhanger of her life being in the balance.

I still can't tell if this means they are leaving the show.

I do like spinoff shows and I'm all for EE doing a better job in Ireland than they did the last time around.

The Carter family drama once again proved to be forced manure. It's so bad it should be on Hollyoaks. Next week is going to, no doubt, be torture.

Edited April 3, 201510 yr by Bright Eyes

Tony Jordan Tweeted that he'd like to write for it (well responded to a fan).

https://twitter.com/tjordan952/status/584100472186875904

I hope they take him up on it. It's too bad EastEnders doesn't have people like Jordan and Phelps on the writing team (and hasn't in several years) anymore.

BE I've just been skipping all Carter stuff, unless they're in scenes with characters I like (Tamwar, Sharon). I guess I haven't missed anything. I see that Dean is back, and I guess I should fear for the Carters, but I just don't care.

BF who do you think the show's better writers are at the moment, and who are their worst?

The best IMO are Christopher Reason, Jeff Povey, James Payne, and Rob Gittins, but they all have a longer history with the show than others.

The worst I think are Carey Andrews and Wendy Granditer.

I know a lot of people think Daran Little is the best. I always tend to associate his style more with Corrie though.

I'd say Reason too.

He's written some good episodes, but he really should go back to Corrie (and replace Blackburn).

I wonder what the reason was for his disassociation with Corrie. He has such a long history there and seemed almost destined to be Series Producer one day.

Isn't Darran Little the EP of Real Housewives of Cheshire? I think he is.

Didn't he leave when Collinson took over? I wonder if there was a falling out.