Emmerdale: Discussion Thread

[JamesF]

Just to address the Kim "back from the dead" issue, it's really interesting because she was definitely regarded, in the press at least, as being dead at the time. If I remember correctly, Frank identified her body specifically to signal that Clare King wouldn't return.

When she did come back, the explanation was extremely weak - something along the lines of Frank being so upset that he mis-identified the body. That's the first recollection I have of a UK soap being ridiculed over here for this kind of story and seemed to set a benchmark that was followed by the rest. Dirty Den's return from the dead was probably the next and obviously the sensationalism has escalated since.

[DRW50]

Thanks. That's interesting. I wonder if Claire quit and came back.

What do you think of the show at the moment?

[JamesF]

To be honest I only watch it very occasionally, usually for big events or if I'm at my parents' (it's the only soap they've kept watching).

There's something about the show that just hasn't clicked with me since the early 2000s, pretty much in line with when it went to 5 days a week. I used to like the countryside archetypes - the farming family, the rich family in the big house, the newcomers, the stragglers who have lived in the village forever. Then it just became a rotation of disparate characters to pad out the cast and I always hated the Dingles.

I did come very close to being a regular viewer again when Gavin Blyth was EP. There seemed to be a buzz about the show and the stories were more reminiscent of what I used to enjoy, particularly with the Wyldes.

That aside there have been bits and pieces which I've thought were excellent and only Emmerdale could pull off. Off the top of my head, Laurel's baby dying, Shadrach's death and the Cameron hostage stuff last year. The latter in particular is something that just doesn't work in Corrie or EE.

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

Why are they making Aaron so stupid? Like no one is like legit this desperate for sex or affection are they? This guy is responsible for another human beings death and the way he treats his best friend, his mom, Paddy....this is sorta vergiing on disgusting.

No one in their right mind would date someone like that.

[DRW50]

He's done nothing to Adam, Chas, or Paddy. Adam wouldn't have a job or a wife if not for Aaron. I'm not sure what you mean.

If anything, Paddy is the one in the wrong, as he is tipping Chrissie off about Aaron, which could lead to Aaron and his family, and even Paddy and his family, being hurt or killed by Lawrence and Chrissie. This story has severely damaged Paddy as a character.

The story is a godawful, plot-driven stunty mess, but Aaron's actions made sense to me. Over and over and over Aaron told Chas and Paddy he wasn't with Robert, he was staying away from Robert. Over and over and over, that wasn't good enough. They still thought the worst of him. For months. When he knew they had such a low opinion of him no matter what he did, he decided to go for it. I can't say I blame him.

Edited July 9, 2015 by DRW50

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

Him hiring someone to kill Chas doesn't count for anything? His constant disrespect and disdain for Paddy and Chas isn't anything?

Same for Adam who he also threatened to send back to jail over Victoria. Only God knows what he'll do when Adam tries to tell Aaron to stay away from him.

Robert is a sick twisted psychopath IMO at this point and he's just preying on Aaron yet again cuz the guy is weak and stipid

[Bright Eyes]

Colour me blind, but except for the show trying to stupidly tease us into thinking Robert might kill again, I have loved everything about this story. Actually, the almost killing Chas bit never bothered me at all. I bought that he would contemplate that as an option. I want him to go one step farther, two steps back. The journey of him dialling back from his amped up, clouded emotions and judgments is fascinating to me. Still, I am dreading tomorrow. I can only hope they don't go too far with him. I can only hope they keep him as a balancing act and not have him fall down too dark a hole. This disaster has me scared for the worst and excited for greatness all at the same time. It's a waiting game caring about the integrity of the Robert character. A nail biting, anxious, nerve wracking waiting game.

As for today in particular, I thought it was a great episode. For someone like Chas, it's agonizingly clear that she excels exponetially when away from the Dingles. It gives me joy to love her as mother and friend Chas, but make her spout Dingle speak and it pains me greatly. Lesley Dunlop always delivers when she's given something to do. Given that she's been mentioned as having visited T.J. in the past, I hope they bring him back in a few years time.

Another actress I have found myself fond of is Denise Black. If he shockingly manages to make it out of the upcoming disaster alive (yeah right!), she would be an asset to the show. Was she popular on Corrie? Did you like her there, Carl?

[DRW50]

Aaron doesn't know about that so I'm not sure why it says anything about Aaron.

His disrespect and disdain for Chas and Paddy is how they also treat him. He generally stays away from them and they tend to get involved.

Adam was a dumbass who could have easily put Vic behind bars for scrapping her car. Aaron fought his corner against Robert, and it's over now. I'm not sure why Aaron should hold that against Robert when he's practically cut off an arm for Adam and never gotten any sign of loyalty or friendship in return.

Aaron stayed away from Robert for months and Paddy and Chas still believed the worst of him. If you have people constantly saying you can't control yourself and practically sitting on you, telling you they have no faith in you, then you're eventually going to lash out.

Robert's a bad guy, but he's also a charismatic and at times very likeable man. Aaron has always had a certain edge, and he's clearly drawn to Robert for this reason...especially since Robert is such a hot piece of ass.

Edited July 9, 2015 by DRW50

[DRW50]

The show has no moral compass. The characters do terrible things, especially for the Thursday double, and it's never explored. They keep doing this with Robert (and Ross and Carly, but they want us to pity Ross and Carly - they want us to hate Robert and root for his death), all of this melodrama and hysteria for ratings, and it's always, always terribly done. The Robert/Chrissie episodes where she threatened to set him on fire were probably the worst of Emmerdale this year, if not of all UK soaps. It's so disheartening because Robert could be such an asset to the show and he and Aaron do have chemistry, but it's always ruined by plot-driven stunts and repetition. Oh, Robert's threatening to kill Aaron/saying something mean again, yawn. I will be surprised if he's still on the show by this time next year. This and what they're doing to Leyla always make me want to quit watching again.

Denise Black was popular on Corrie as far as I know. She was an interesting character, as she was tied to Ken, yet also independent and not one to just be in the background. I have some Corrie 1994 episodes on my Youtube channel and she really lights up the screen in them - especially the one from February or March where Ken learns she was asking about his age and takes the piss by using his bus pass, taking her to a hall for old people to meet and get food, etc.

I do think she'll die this summer, but I hope not, because she's done wonders for Zak and Belle and the moribund Dingle household. I do wonder if something has happened with Jane Cox - if she isn't back soon I will start to wonder if Joanie is replacing her.

Edited July 9, 2015 by DRW50

[Jkcdsm75]

I really like Robert and hope they don't go too far with him. Agree with the comments on Aaron being sick of Chas and Paddy judging him - he basically said as much when he threw their past in their faces. For the most part the dingled gross me out, but chas and Aaron are two of my favorites.

[DRW50]

http://livesy.tumblr.com/post/123659366963

Turn your volume down before taking this one off mute.

https://instagram.com/p/462oYjA0vj/

[NothinButAttitude]

Dear God. Robert is just trying to 'off' everybody.

I don't like Paddy anyways so Robert can do him in.

[Bright Eyes]

He stopped it eventually, so all is well! And yes, it was just to Paddy. I wish Marlon would get in his way ...

[DRW50]

I am boycotting this shitfest "killer Robert" storyline and anything involving Robert, Aaron, Chrissie, Paddy, et al. until the story is over.

It's one of the worst stories I can remember on this show and one of the worst stories of the year on any soap. It's clumsy, transparent, and always, always poorly written. It's also cheap and it's desperate as hell in its attempts to make the audience hate the character, in the process rendering a ton of characters either irrelevant (Lawrence, Chrissie, Adam who up to this storyline had been an important part of Aaron's life, rather than a bit player who walks around behind Victoria before they vanish back to offcameraland), extremely OOC and nasty (Paddy), just plain dumbassed (Chas) or so blatantly plot-driven I sometimes struggle to believe it is the same character day to day (Aaron).

There is nothing more desperate and lazy than to have a "baddie" threaten to kill a child. It obviously won't happen. It's a tacky little sop of a trope that only the worst of soap indulges. It doesn't make me boo and hiss at the screen.

It makes me realize that a story is [!@#$%^&*] and not worth my time.

At this point I would rather watch that dull old pervert Rodney leering in every scene than sit through this tripe.

Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. And the show should be ashamed at not only destroying characters, but doing so for a story that has been a complete and total bust and has never, ever had one strong dramatic moment. Not a single one.

Garbage all around.

Edited July 10, 2015 by DRW50

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

I was wondering if you were going defend your boy Robert