Emmerdale: Discussion Thread

[Bright Eyes]

Just found Tom Merrick's return episode and another episode from December 1980 on YouTube.

[DRW50]

A man from Debbie's maternity leave story will be coming to see her.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/s12/emmerdale/news/a294283/dominic-power-joins-emmerdale.html

I wonder if they will ever put her with Nikhil.

I get tired of people talking about how miserable Debbie is. EVERYONE on the show is miserable. At least she isn't weeping over her paraplegic partner who is carrying a Down's baby.

[DRW50]

I watched an episode from a few days ago and everything was so downbeat. The entire atmosphere of the show, and of the village -- there is no light to be found. Even potentially humorous situations are tinged with misery. The main comic relief was supposed to be the older residents standing and commenting, but that just seemed sad.

I don't know if Pauline Quirke is suited to dramatic acting - her speaking patterns and facial expressions seem off.

The stuff with Rhona and her baby, I have a hard time with how infantile Paddy and Marlon behave. They were both so giddy when she said she was going to keep the baby. It was like it was their baby and she was just the carrier.

Who was that girl working with Zak? She's a bad actress. Her accent gets in the way.

All the stuff with Lisa and that creep is very very uncomfortable. Why are they doing this story?

Seeing Maisie and Will so broken is just awful to sit through. I thought they were supposed to be gone by now? Maisie was once such a fun character.

The only scene I liked was when Hazel thanked Declan for paying for Jackson's care.

I really did not like any of the stuff with Leyla or her sister. The only positive I can say is that woman who plays Leyla did a good job, especially in the last scenes where she was stunned and horrified and embarrassed when Justin revealed their affair. I also think that it was good casting to have Justin look like a brunette version of David -- you can see why Leyla was attracted to them both (now we just need to see him naked). But I hate the child in peril stories, and I really do not like Alicia. I have known way too many people like Alicia, self-centered, nasty, rude, yet always the injured party. I don't need to see this on a show I once enjoyed. And the actress looks so much like Victoria, it just reminds me of Victoria never having a story.

It's like every story has been given an added dose of misery, that this is now a common part of life in the village, that nothing ever has hope.

[Sylph]

Mirror's Kevin O'Sullivan say Emmerdale's Christas episode is a hidden gem, they pulled out all the stop for the wedding apparently.

Here is an interview with Tom Lister and Lucy Pargeter:

http://www.rte.ie/ten/2010/1222/emmerdaleinterviews.html

[Bright Eyes]

Wikipedia says Scarlett is exiting in January? Any truth to this? (I hope so.)

[Bright Eyes]

Lucy Pargeter was brilliant tonight. The MVP scene was easily Paddy telling her that even though she broke his heart, she was still a good person and deserved to be happy. It was lame though how Eve got off so easy. Not even a slap? The hell? That's one problem Emmerdale has sometimes, it's too tame.

Seeing Eric treated as a character is very refreshing. Chris Chittell transitions his emotions so easily. I can't wait for more of this story.

One thing I am surprised about though is that both Sam and Diane were in episode but had absolutely no lines. Worse, Diane was just in the background. Weird.

The Macey add ons don't work for me. Mia is alright, but the father is annoying all get out.

Edna as a character also flourished tonight, both in that scene with Eve where she tells her she'll stand by her even though she doesn't condone what she has done and then right after tells Chas she hopes all the best for her.

If they make Andy the stalker, the nonsensical raping of Sugden family will continue. Although, if Andy could still be a viable leading man (and I think he is) after planning to kill his brother, killing his mother (accidentally) and beating his wife, then maybe this really wouldn't ruin him at all. LoL

[DRW50]

I think it will be the cop.

The father is annoying and creepy. He also seems wooden, which is odd, since he's been in TV for many years.

[JamesF]

I felt conversely to this episode as I did about EE. I don't generally watch Emmerdale but I understood exactly what was going on, why characters were reacting in the way that they were and there was consistency about it.

The wedding was the right mix of camp and searing drama and Lucy Pargeter played the hell out of it. You could tell she was absolutely chuffed to get the big Christmas climax after years of playing sideline hijinx. The final confrontation when she told Carl she deserved better and linked it back to Paddy was beautifully written and acted. She shouldn't be a likeable person - openly admitting that she chose a man over her son and broke Paddy's heart - but it works.

Why is Katy dating a man old enough to be her grandfather? Don't care about Layla's child or whatever.

I really like the Geordie girl in the B&B that's connected to Val. An unusually good actress for a teenager and she seems to have great chemistry with the other characters. I'm very interested in where they go with the Elizabeth Pollard story. I never thought it would get brought up again and it's great to see the show acknowledging history prior to 2000.

My only other random note is that I suddenly find Carl King and David as sexy as hell. Not sure where that's come from.

[DRW50]

That's basically what Emmerdale has become -- the same depressing things happen over and over and over every single day.

I've found them sexy ever since David got his haircut (even if they need to lawnmow his face a little) a few years ago, and Carl, I think he's always been hot, perhaps a little more now after he's become a sociopath. I do miss the days when he'd walk around in his underwear, but the sight of him in the sweatpants was a nice Christmas present.

[Bright Eyes]

I love Chas and all, but tearing down Andy was not f*cking cool. Shut your trap, bitch! And Katie was such a bitch tonight. Andy DOES deserve better. I'm glad he knows that.

Why the hell did they turn Adam into such an assh*le. The reason his character was a hit was because he's was the good guy. Now he's seems like a huge prick. DUMB! However, I hope the show is teasing me with Scarlett maybe leaving. That would be heaven since the actress is terrible.

[DRW50]

The ratings for Emmerdale keep impressing. They were about 2 million above last year's Christmas episode, and Monday's ratings were also very good, around 8 and a half million.

[Bright Eyes]

I've picked the show back up. My little hiatus was certainly necessary, but Eric actually having a story, one where Chris Chittel proves why he,s been around for years, is worth any Jackson crap. Though I did manage a laugh when Paddy and Hazel started dancing and all he could do was yell! Hilarious.

What I didn't understand was Diane being so angry at Chas for starting that row with Eve in the pub. If anyone knows what it's like to be cheated on, it's her. She should have sympathized with her and banned Eve indefinitely or something.

Edited December 28, 2010 by Amello

[Ben]

I loved the slap down that Chas gave Eve, and that Eve fought back. But, Chas being nasty to Ashley and Andy left a bad taste for me. That was unnecessary, and Charity doesn't help.

I love that the Eric story from 1993 has been brought back up, after long been forgotten. But, I'm confused. I thought Elizabeth was the Thai bride that Eric married (actually, I can't remember if they did), who mysteriously disappeared. But, she isn't, and I vaguely remember Elizabeth, and I'm now confused as to what actually happened to the Thai bride, and why Eric wanted Elizabeth dead. I do remember that he was going to kill her, but the plane crash did that for him - or did he kill her and place her body amongst the wreckage to make it look like the plane crash did it?

Does anyone else think Katie's new beau, the cop, will turn out to be some sort of psycho stalker, and Andy will have to eventually save her? I bet they'll use this to prop an Andy/Katie reunion of some sorts, with Katie having to apologize for not believing him.

[Bright Eyes]

Regarding Elizabeth, he wanted her dead because she threatened to go to the police because Eric framed her son, Michael, for cheque fraud. When the plane crash hit, Elizabeth died. BUT, it has never been revealed if Eric killed her and blamed the crash or not. That's the whole mystery.

Dee De La Cruz, Eric's bride from the Philippines, eventually got tired of his business woes and paranoia and left him, leaving him suicidal.

Do you want Andy/Katie to reunite, Ben?

Edited December 28, 2010 by Amello

[Ben]

Thanks Amello.

She was Filipino! Now I remember, sort of. I liked her. You'd think I'd remember a name like, Dee De La Cruz. LOL.

Some of that Eric/Elizabeth/Michael story rings a bell. Do you want Eric to be a murderer or not? Would it change his character if he was?

I think Andy & Katie are played out. I think they suit being friends that still have a connection, but one that isn't romantic. Andy needs to move on, and find happiness with someone else.