Watched Jack and Sarah getting married. Is it weird that I think Amos looks better in 1994 then he does in 1972? And my God, I do not like this Luke/Jessica and their uptight parents. And this Luke kid, was it just this episode or is he a terrible actor?

I could tell Kim Tate, the actress, was playing the scenes colder than written like she said she did in an interview. I wish there was more of her grand bitchiness online.

And ANNIE! She still has that glare where you don't know if she wants to cut you or hug you! LoL I really don't think any of the other UK soaps had matriarch's like her, did they? By that I mean, she's much more like a US soap opera matriarch as she is the head of the main family of the show. The other soaps, EE, HO, CS, didn't have that number one main family that stuck around decade after decade from the beginning.

Anyway, off to finally watch the Plane Crash episodes ...

Edited July 21, 201015 yr by Amello

You're right -- the other British soaps never had a long term matriarch. Corrie had strong women but they were not heads of families, they were more prominent figures in the community. Eastenders was similar, unless you count Pauline. The real head of the family early on was Lou, and she probably would have stayed around a long time (Anna Wing is still alive and acting even now), but Wing wanted to leave after a few years.

The only other soap which comes close was Crossroads, with Noelle Gordon, who was the head of her show for almost 20 years until she was fired in 1982.

I sometimes wonder if the McAllisters worked out the way they were supposed to or if the show gave up on them. Their main claim to fame is bringing the Dingles in.

It's funny you mention uptight, because the man who played the father of the family was the lead in some of those "naughty" (not porn, but a lot of nudity from men and women) British films of the 70s.

What a great episode. Poor Viv. Girl, I would totally be your friend. Screw those losers!

And please, tell me that smile from Charlie was devilish and not gleeful. I want Diane to get screwed over so bad. I wonder if she would blame Rodney?

Really enjoyed that Shadrach/Doug scene as well. I love when characters come together like that.

I forgot the most IMPORTANT part of the episode ... Nikhil has a great ASS! Today sold me. He is FINE!

I can't believe they got that on air. Tight, white transparent boxers, in close up. I mean damn. You don't get that very often. I guess it's a good thing he didn't turn around.

I can't help feeling sorry for Diane, especially because she has lost everything and been cruelly betrayed. I really hope that we don't have to see her groveling to Doug after this. I wonder if Nicola and Jimmy might give her the Woolpack back. Otherwise what is she going to do? Besides have a nervous breakdown.

I can't believe they got that on air. Tight, white transparent boxers, in close up. I mean damn. You don't get that very often. I guess it's a good thing he didn't turn around.

I can't help feeling sorry for Diane, especially because she has lost everything and been cruelly betrayed. I really hope that we don't have to see her groveling to Doug after this. I wonder if Nicola and Jimmy might give her the Woolpack back. Otherwise what is she going to do? Besides have a nervous breakdown.

I'm actually most interested in Rodney's reaction to all of this. I would think it would effect him greatly. Not as much as Diane, of course. However, we still don't know for sure if he's done anything sinister. Tune in tomorrow ...

What did you think of the Viv stuff today?

Edited July 22, 201015 yr by Amello

I'm never all that interested in Rodney but with so much else he has lost in the past few years (his money, he can't even keep a job, he hasn't had a relationship), I wonder if this might push him into a tailspin.

I liked the Viv scenes. I hope we get to see more of this. I am tired of Viv being written as a harridan. There's a very complicated woman underneath all the rest and Deena Payne is an underrated actress. There's so much we don't know about Viv. I hope that this story will start to get more airtime.

Do you keep forgetting Sandy is still on the show? I do.

Those scenes with Moira and the karaoke were bizarre. I think she was trying for comedy but I was a little scared of her.

I loved the reaction to Nicola and Jimmy taking over the pub, especially Chas's reaction. Jimmy is so wonderful though.

Yes! Eve is becoming more of a manipulative little cow. However, she clearly has a death wish. Messing with Chas and Charity? Bitch has got balls!

Loving the slow realizations that Charlie was a punk. The moment Diane comes to grips that she's been screwed over will be heartbreaking.

My hopes aren't high, but I hope they're going somewhere with Viv taking sleeping pills. Is it shameful that all I could think of was the current story with Hope on Days? Jusr imagine that with Viv ...

I don't think I liked Jackson today either. Charity is way more witty than he is. It shouldn't have been written otherwise.

Pics of Shadrach's demise

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/scoop/a248400/emmerdale-pics-shock-exit-for-shadrach.html

I forgot to mention, that John Lennon line from Val was utterly hysterical. I was laughing for a good 5 minutes.

Edited July 23, 201015 yr by Amello

Holy sh*t, that was freaking sad!

I'm surprised they used music (Snow Patrol's Give Me Strength) for Shadrach's final moments...

I'm surprised they used music (Snow Patrol's Give Me Strength) for Shadrach's final moments...

Me too. Does anyone know why they basically never use music?

They've used music a fair amount over the last few years. My all time favorite was the superb episode where Ashley and a very distant and angry Laurel won custody of their biological son Arthur from the parents he'd been mistakenly given to at birth, Greg and Mel Doland. Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work" played at the start of the episode, and then near the end, when Mel Doland collapsed in tears outside the judge's chambers.

Using it too much blunts the impact and also invites itself to criticism -- already some at DS are saying the scene was ruined because of the music choice.

Watching some old episodes today. It was not a good idea to watch Alice and Tricia Dingle's deaths back to back. I was a freaking mess afterward.

Superficially, I wish Scott Windsor would return. Ben Freeman is gorgeous.

I finally got to see a good amount of Robert Sugden. The actor is cute. I never knew Robert and Debbie were together. Did they ever end up sleeping together? I guess Debbie and Katie have more in common than it looks, LoL

Zoe Tate. This character is off the charts. I don't even know how to describe. I just finished watching the Home Farm explosion, and the look in her eyes watching the place blow up with Scott, Viv and Dawn inside was creepy as hell.