EastEnders: Discussion Thread

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Tameka Empson (Kim Fox) interview:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/interviews/a239209/tameka-empson-kim-fox-eastenders.html

[Ann_SS]

I don't think that Denise is dead, but Lucas may have thought that it was her. Don was so good tonight. I loved Lucas' subtle reaction to Chelsea calling the person who killed both Trina and Owen was a monster. I'll miss him when he leaves. I'm glad Libby continued to have faith in Denise.

The Beales/Masoods bidding war was very entertaining. Christian and Syed are never going stop playing their games so better they get together and continue to make each other miserable. I'm looking forward to Christian's gym. He has a nice body.

I won't miss this actor playing Ben. I look forward to new Ben. Hopefully, he and Shirley work just as well together.

Edited July 13, 2010 by Ann_SS

[Bright Eyes]

I'm shocked you guys liked the Masood/Beale scenes. I thought they were boring for the most part. Ian was pretty funny though.

I don't know why but today Ben's voice got on my effin nerves. I couldn't stop laughing every time he opened his mouth. IT. WAS. TOO. MUCH. When is the actor gone? And I'm assuming we saw the last of the current Lucy awhile back, right?

I absolutely am all over this Lucas story. I totally think he's lying that the body was Denise. It's all in his devious plan to pin her as Owen's murderess and get off scot free. Kirkwood has done a great job at making this story a winner.

[DRW50]

Yes, I thought most of the family elements were a nice touch, and while I thought some of it was a bit forced with the Mitchells and the Beales, at least they made the effort. It was nice to see the brief scene with Carol, Jack, Max, and Ronnie. Carol and Max are so believable as brother and sister, even though they have had little time together onscreen. Did anyone else think Jake Wood ad-libbed some of that about Darren's smelly feet? I thought Lindsey Coulson was cracking up in the one scene before they quickly cut away from her -- Carol usually doesn't laugh at anything.

It was great to see so much of Patrick and hear his point of view, as he said he had wanted Denise to be his daughter, and the best scene, as he wept over how helpless he felt. That was a very important scene because Patrick has been a spare part for such a long time, and Lucas has always made him feel like that. Other than that the best scene was when Chelsea said if Denise killed two people she was a monster -- and they had Lucas flinch ever-so-slightly.

A lot of the episode seemed low-energy. The stuff with Peggy standing in front of Phil's car was poorly done. Phil was looking away from the road, and for a moment I actually thought he was going to hit her! The scene where she talked to him about not running away was good, if a bit slow, and the same is true for Shirley leaving. I thought Ben had way too much dialogue, and Louise, as often happens, was a bit creepy as well as cloying. Everything about her emotions seems put on.

While I'm glad to see Carol with the Brannings and I liked how she turned her opinion of Darren around, I think it is rushed pacing to have Abi already crushing on him at the start of the episode, when they'd barely shared a scene together.

I thought the scenes with the Masoods and Beales were strange, and nnot all that entertaining. Ian seemed to be doing a comedy routine even he didn't believe in, and Christian was very light and very glib about what should have been a horrible situation. Syed was as one-dimensional as ever. How pathetic the characters look, IMO, when what were very difficult, life-changing events somehow just turn into Syed making his doe eyes at Christian yet again. If the show doesn't have an interest in investing in these characters it's difficult for me to invest. The only thing I paid attention to in these scenes was that Christian apparently no longer has any hair on his arms.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I wonder what's going too happen to Lucas at the end of this storyline? Is he going to commit suicide? Allegedly, this storyline is climaxing during the last week of this month.

I wonder if Denise is going to be an unwelcome guest to her own funeral or something like that.

Does Denise have another sister other than Kim? Lucas mentioned calling her "sisters."

Did Denise ever find her real father? I know she initially came thinking Patrick was her father, but he wasn't.

I don't mind Abi having a fast crush on Darren, isn't she like 13? I know a lot of young people who start crushing after they first meet someone. This is the same Abi who was acting like Jordan was her husband when he was in the hospital a few months ago. Tanya and Max's sex lives must have screwed her up for good.

When Syed and Christian get together, I hope they live happily ... on the backburner. I think the show will get tired of them soon and they'll be written out, or one of the actors (probably Marc Elliot) will leave and they'll write them out with a happy ending of some sort.

Edited July 13, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I found my answer about Denise's other sister, Daphne, who will attend her "funeral" next week.

Edited July 13, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[Ann_SS]

I know this is Eastenders and not a US soap, but I would love for Kirkwood to bring back Don as Lucas' twin. He can terrorize the Square. I'll miss Don.

I doubt Kirkwood writes them out. They do seem to be a popular couple. Besides I think that Eastenders will want to keep the actor who plays Christian if he wants to stay. Christian has lots of ties to the canvas and I think that he has become a solid character in his own right. I wouldn't mind if Marc Elliot leaves. He is the weak link. But in this economy, I doubt that he would quit. Kirkwood will probably come up with drama for them in a few months like cheating, family troubles, etc.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I question how much the BBC is committed to a long-term relationship between those two. I think the actors don't have any chemistry with one another, and the build up to their relationship has been piss poor thanks to the Santer era. Kirkwood has inherited a mess when that couple is concerned. It will be interesting to see if he can make them more interesting and developed like he's done with the Lucas story.

It will be horribly repetitive if their next storyline is some triangle or something that tears them apart, since that's been their story since day one. I don't know how much else they can explore with Christian and Syed once they get together legitimately. It almost feels like they've been tapped out before they legitimately became a couple.

I mean, there's been gay bashing, Syed being disowned, a triangle with Amira, working/professional encounters, etc with these two already. It almost feels like they can't chart new territory with these two one they get together for real.

Maybe one of them can deal with some sort of illness or something...

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Charlie Brooks (Janine) is a bleached blond again. The article also hints that Janine may be exploring her more darker side again.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1294311/Call-boys-blue-EastEnders-bad-girl-Janine-Butcher-looks-like-shes-good-again.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

[Ann_SS]

I forgot to mention that I loved Ronnie and Jack over the last two episodes. I'm not a fan, but they have been very sweet together. I'm looking forward to their next drama.

[DRW50]

I agree with you about Ronnie and Jack. There's a sweetness in their recent scenes, which is rare for them, and it's nice to see Jack feeling ill at ease, because there's always been an awkwardness about this character, at least now there's a reason. I'm glad they haven't given him a miracle cure just yet.

Y&RWT it's not that I have a problem believing Abi would crush on Darren I just wish there'd been another episode or two of setup. As it was she already seemed to fancy him at the start of the episode, before they'd had a scene together.

I can't see Christian and Syed staying around forever, although I think it depends on Partridge's career with the BBC. If he keeps working for their light entertainment division he might not have time to be on a demanding show like Eastenders.

I don't know what you can do with them but I just hate what Syed does to the Masood family. They are drained of all personality and life, every single one of them, when he's around. He is just this constantly weepy lamprey and thanks to him I actually start to dread seeing Masood, Zainab, or Tamwar. They were becoming more and more popular before they became all about poor Syed and his struggles (which the show seems to forget involved lies, adultery, and nastiness towards his wife, not some kind of starcrossed love affair).

[Ann_SS]

Don was outstanding again today. The scenes with Lucas and the Masoods and later Lucas and Patrick were so good. Lucas is a sociopath. I'm glad that the cops are suspecting Lucas and aren't buying Denise as the sole culprit.

I think that Marc Elliot isn't very good, but he made me sorry for Syed in the session and afterward with Tamwar. Syed is such a pathetic character. Yet his desperation is hard to watch and makes me feel sorry for him.

Carl, you got your therapy session. It was bizarre which is likely what it is like in real life.

Ian's unsympathetic conversation with Zainab was morbid, yet it was funny when they talked about Cindy trying to kill him.

Edited July 13, 2010 by Ann_SS

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Today's episode:

Syed annoyed the crap out of me. This whole woe is me attitude and how everyone else is to blame for the mess in his life and he has no choice in any matter. Whatever. I found him entirely unsympathetic during that therapy session. The scenes with Christian when Christian almost ran into Adam and then in Christian's apartment were weird. These two have no chemistry, IMO.

Nothing ever changes with Syed and Christian, everyone else is always to blame and they have no accountability.

I liked the Shirley and Ben scenes where she was teaching him how to act in prison and all the lingo that goes along with it. The boxing stuff with Ben and Jay was a little much on Phil's part, but I expect nothing else from him.

The Lucas stuff was really good, especially how he lied through his teeth to Patrick. Don was really good in those scenes.

The Ian and Zainab exchange was funny as hell

Edited July 13, 2010 by Y&RWorldTurner

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Oh, I also laughed when Jean tried to invite Patrick to Ina's surprise birthday party.

[Ann_SS]

I liked the contrast between Shirley and Phil's interaction with Ben. Shirley was giving Ben practical advice so he can protect himself, while Phil thinks that boxing lessons can help Ben.

Chemistry is subjective, but the real problem is that Marc Elliot is not a good actor. He reminds me of Jake Silbermann. I don't believe either Syed or Noah are desperately in love with their respective love interests who are the better actors.

Edited July 13, 2010 by Ann_SS