EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

I've grown to like Sonia again this year, after either loathing or ignoring her for a long time. She seems more relateable and isn't so nasty and judgmental all the time. I can't say I'll miss her, but I hope they keep this balance when she returns. The carer story and her slowly dying relationship with Tina has been the most consistent story this year, somehow.

 

Carmel - me me me me me me I'm so exciting and troubled me me me me me! I just can't stomach her. 

 

They need to have Denise have an abortion. There is more story in that than in Phil stealing another child. 

 

So Ben is giving Phil part of his liver because he's lonely and needy. Bad idea. 

 

It was such a mistake getting rid of Lee. He's such a believable, likeable, gorgeous young man. What a waste. 

 

Jane and Ian make me sick. Having to hear Jane whine about how she wants it to go back to the way it used to be (whenever that was - presumably when she spent a year hiding from him that she dumped his daughter's corpse like a bad habit) is pure agony. Why does the show not see that many viewers do not view her as a victim? 

[NothinButAttitude]

Exactly! Can they catch the hint that most people find Jane and Ian repulsive after everything they've done. Hell, I can remember the week Bobby got caught, most fans on Twitter were cheering him on and wishing he had killed Jane. Most people want her dead. 

[DRW50]

Goodbye Claudette

 

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/news/a807833/eastenders-exclusive-claudette-hubbard-is-waving-goodbye-to-albert-square/

 

I've always enjoyed Ellen Thomas on EE from her days as Mercy's gran, but Claudette was one of the worst-written and most convoluted characters in the show's history. The Fatboy story ruined her. When they paired her with Patrick recently I was ticked off, as it made him look just awful. 

 

I just wish [!@#$%^&*] Babe and Jane could be next. 

[NothinButAttitude]

I don't mind Claudette. She never bothered me that much; however, Babe and Jane.... Oh I wish death on both of them hoes.

[DRW50]

Kyle is leaving.

 

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/news/a807952/the-massive-eastenders-shake-up-continues-as-the-soaps-first-ever-trans-actor-riley-carter-millington-leaves/

 

I didn't mind him, but he never had anything to do, outside of one episode with Denise Welch. He was clearly cast solely for tokenism and headlines. Nothing more. Stacey didn't need a sibling. All that nonsense with that key was pointless puffery.

[Bright Eyes]

Goodbye to Claudette and Kyle. Claudette was just a mess of a character, but I never hated her. Ellen Thomas' ... presence ... was certainly always entertaining if nothing else. As for Kyle, he won't be missed either. I couldn't feel more indifferent if I tried. I have to believe SOC is just waiting for Badland's contract to expire. I can even understand why he might keep Jane, as much as I disagree with that decision, but Babe is a cancer to this show. She absolutely sickens me by her mere existence.

[NothinButAttitude]

I didn't mind Kyle and hate to see him go, but I agree with @DRW50. DTC simply used Kyle as a character to generate buzz and it never went anywhere. I also agree that Stacey did not need another sibling. She already has a plethora of family on the Square. If that was not enough then they should've recast Sean. 

 

I still gotta give it to O'Connor as he is cleaning house like no other. I am still crossing my fingers that he kills Jane off, and gets rid of the Carters altogether. I know he can't do the latter b/c Kelli Bright is pregnant and the UK probably has a law similar to ours about firing pregnant women, but as soon as she gets back, get rid of 'em. 

[Bright Eyes]

Today's Ben/Phil scenes would have been great if it weren't Ben/Phil in the scenes. That is not their relationship. Phil hates Ben, and Ben has tried to kill him. There is no love there, and if the writers want there to be, this is a soap, so take the damn time to show the journey. I can believe anything on a soap as long as you show me how characters actually got from Point A to B. This is just a sick lie.

 

What a nice surprise that Denise's first day in class went positively. I wish Denise could have a friend that had an I.Q though. Carmel and Kim make me weep for her. This whole story is going to give me a hernia. For my health, I'm going to give SOC the benefit of the doubt. Getting rid of Ronnie/Roxy gives me hope, and he was around when Lisa shot Phil right? The way the Sonia story has been so pleasantly written this week gives me more hope, too. It was for more watchable then any of the sloggish stunts DTC has plodded out. Bex's reaction tonight was a particular highlight of the week. Jasmine Armfield is so damn good. I'm going to love her living with Martin/Stacey. And since Kathy works so well with them, show her building a relationship with Bex, too. Ben, maybe Ian if I cared about him, could get jealous that she so easily can be a mum to Martin and his family, but still feels like a stranger to her actual sons.

 

Shakil was the worst today. His gurning made me want to scream. Carmel being a lush in front of her teenage son on a weekday was horribly embarrassing. If they were honest about her in the writing, I could find her fascinating. But this mess we're supposed to find so lovable. I don't think so.

[NothinButAttitude]

@Bright Eyes I don't get why the writers just assume that we are gonna buy the insta-love fest between Ben and Phil b/c we aren't. Like you said, it's too much toxic energy and we need to see gradual growth to believe it. Phil hasn't accepted Ben's sexuality for the longest. I also think that b/c Phil is knocking at death's door shouldn't change their relationship. If anything, Ben should be cheering for Phil to croak even though we know he won't. 

 

 

[DRW50]

I'd say Phil is more apathetic about anything and everything, including his kids. He only cares when he can use them as an object to make himself feel better. 

 

If they acknowledged that Ben is needy and is trying to save Phil because he has nothing else (since Jay is gone and Paul is gone and the show has no relationship between Ben and Kathy), then it would make more sense. The real problem is this should be a complex father/son relationship and it isn't - it's just an abuser and his damaged son. The show is trying to ignore it because otherwise there's nothing to tell.

 

I knew they were coming but I was so annoyed by the scenes of Ben shouting at the doctor for daring to tell him the truth. I hate when Eastenders does this. It's so lazy. 

 

Speaking of annoying, I have grown to hate Belinda, who is rude, loud, selfish and stupid in all her appearances. I'm not sure who decided to make a promising character so wretched but I want someone to slap her every time I see her. Between her and Carmel I don't understand why the show has such a truly grotesque view of women, especially older women. I wonder if it's another gay man's fantasy. 

[DRW50]

I've never seen this. 

 

Phil will haunt your dreams.

 

[NothinButAttitude]

@DRW50 So is Jay officially gone or is this temporary? 

 

With Belinda, I've come to the conclusion that DTC doesn't know what to do with her. He simply just brought her back to fill the void of Kat. Wasn't Belinda the lighthearted, fun sister, who was a bit haughty under the original actress? At least that's what I got. The Slater clan just becomes so unappealing to me time and time again as the years pass by. I remember when they used to be my favorite on their arrival. They started to take a turn for the worst around 05/06 and never recovered. 

[DRW50]

Apparently he's been back filming again. I don't think there's been anything official said about whether it's temporary to write him out or if he's staying. There was no better time to write him out than what we already got, so hopefully if he returns it won't just be temporary. 

 

Belinda was the one who was ashamed of the family and married a rich man. She was haughty and then underneath was a bit of a drunken slut. I don't know if they're trying to continue that now but it just doesn't work. She mostly seems like an overbearing, rude moron.

[DRW50]

!@#$%^&*] off and never come back, ever, ever, EVER. Best soap news of the year.

 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/1803444/albert-squares-aunt-babe-is-the-latest-eastenders-star-to-give-up-on-the-struggling-bbc-soap/

 

 

[Bright Eyes]

She was number one on my hit list. The only time she interested me was when she got Tosh riled up to beat Tina, so that Tina would finally leave her. If they kept her down that route, doing morally questionable things to protect her family in her own way, she could have been great, but the writers very quickly made her detestable. Good riddance of the highest order.

Edited September 18, 2016 by Bright Eyes