Emmerdale: Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

Everything about middle-aged Amy is insulting to viewers. I also don't get the logic of having a story about a guardian making inappropriate advances on her when the show just did a story about her lying about David making inappropriate advances. Why shouldn't viewers just believe she's lying again?

I think the show probably wants rid of Nikhil and is just biding its time until the actor goes. They probably see him as weak and only want "real" men like Cain, Carl, Aaron.

So how were the scenes of David in the wedding dress?

[Ben]

That hasn't aired, yet; it happens in today's episode.

They do seem to be heading that way with there male characters. Reminds me of OLTL and their idea of "real" men. I hope Nikhil stays, and someone gets a clue, soon.

[Ben]

So, David dressed up in Leyla's wedding dress, and went to the pub. B/c he was drunk, the scene was played for LOL moments, and I took them as such. It was odd and strange, so the LOL factor was all that was present. He played them well, and I liked the David/Nikhil interaction - that's been missing lately, especially with Leyla's exit. Alan was the only one who quipped that David was probably having a breakdown, trying to inject a seriousness at the end of the scene. But it was all sort of dismissed and laughed off.

Cain trying to force Amy to terminate her baby, when she wants to keep it, was so silly, simply b/c she'd never pass the psych exam (not with her wanting the baby as much as she does). Those scenes in his house, when he locked her in, were just too OTT... I know, they were meant to show how ruthless Cain is... Meh.

[DRW50]

Cain would never want to abort one of his children. It shows once again how lazy the show has become and so ignorant of its own history. Stuart Blackburn was talking a while back about how essentially they would choose a character to become a drug addict at random.

[Ben]

I remember reading that. It was like, "I could make any character a drug addict..." or something. It's not like every character is gonna be believable as a drug addict - Edna, Marlon, Ashley, Adam, etc.

They're playing it as Cain not wanting to have any baby that isn't with Charity, b/c they're, like, soul-mates or something. I remember the Jasmine story, and Cain wanted the baby. They should have had it the other way around with Amy wanting to abort and Cain forcing her not to. Actually, Amy shouldn't exist. Period.

[Bright Eyes]

Though I have no plans to watch the show anytime soon, colour me shocked to see that Gennie seems to be in the middle of a love triangle. Of course, any joy this miraculous occurrence could potentially provide is ruined by practically every other "story" on the show.

[JackPeyton]

i just found this show via a friend telling me to watch the aaron storyline. I am now in May 2010 and am loving it, but sadly it is only the aaron storyline.

[DRW50]

For me the show wasn't the same after Gavin Blyth took over, but I did like the story with the Wylde family and Mark's murder.

If you are interested in any of the past, the first 10-15 episodes are on Youtube and then some scattered episodes and clips of later years.

I think you really should watch the plane crash episodes if you have a chance. They were superbly done. That changed Emmerdale, and British soaps, forever.

(ignore the ass in purple Spandex)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00I5PQg9FLo

[Bright Eyes]

Man, Emmerdale just doesn't stop with those affairs, eh? However, with them seemingly making Cain some devil incarnate, I hope they just do a murder mystery and be done with it.

[Ben]

This is another story that doesn't ring true: first Laurel & Marlon, now Moira & Cain! Way to trash a good character, Emmerdale. (I'm referring to Moira here, BTW.)

[Ben]

Inside Soap have started their producer interviews again, so here's ED's Stuart Blackburn, which is basically the same 'ol same 'ol. I'll type as much as I can until I get bored.

Which of your storylines have you been most proud of this year?

There are three that I'm most proud of: Holly's drug addiction, Lisa's rape, and the Aaron and Jackson assisted suicide plot, which was so powerful on screen. Aaron's journey wasn't just about him coming out as a gay man, but his relationship with Jackson and the assisted suicide. It caused us many sleepless nights, but I think we were right to play it - it was a superb storyline challenge.

The Dingles are often seen as the comic relief of the show. Are pleased with the way they've handled some serious plots recently?

It's good to see the Dingles do something serious, as it reminds people what good actors they are. Lisa's rape story was hard to tell, but it's a tragedy that affects so many women and so many families. Lisa as a character - and Jane Cox as an actress - was the right person to play that story with. I think the most moving scene was when Lisa told Belle about the assault, and it was clear Belle knew what she was saying.

What made you decide to shake up Laurel and Ashley's marriage?

Soap is always about finding the human drama. I'm sure many of our audience have been in a relationship and had feelings for another person. Laurel, Ashley and Marlon all have good hearts, so it seemed this journey would be more watchable than an ordinary affair. Laurel would never see herself as a cheater, which makes it interesting. There'll come a point when Ashley and Marlon will have to decide if they'll fight the woman they both want.

Which storyline is generating the most viewer reaction?

It's the storyline with Sarah. Your child being ill with a potentially life-threatening condition is every family's worst nightmare. This is a story about a mother's love and what she'll do to save her child. And it's clearly touching the hearts of many, as they've been telling us so.

Nicola and Jimmy are a favourite couple - do they have a future?

I don't think it's ever going to be easy for them - not ever! Nicola doesn't forgive easily, so it's a testament to how much she loves Jimmy that she was able to put his involvement with Kelly Windsor, behind them. I want to keep them together, but there will be the odd challenge along the way.

Have you had any audience feedback that's surprised you?

I'm delighted with the reception Rachel has had. It normally takes months for a new character to be excepted, but she's fitted in so well. That's because she's tough, a working-class girl with a gob on her. People except she's not a clichéd troublemaker - she has a heart and she's vulnerable.

Which character would you most like to bring back?

Frank Tate - but I can't because he's dead. He was so grounded and working-class. I thought he was one of the truest characters around.

Is their any sort of character you feel is missing from Emmerdale?

We've been lacking a strong and powerful woman who has money and clout. But, we're bringing her in with the arrival of Megan Macey, played by Gaynor Faye. Having a family at Home Farm, however dysfunctional always works - but I don't want to replace the Macey clan because I love the stuff Jason Merrells has done with Declan. Some of it has been really heartbreaking. But bringing in Declan's sister will really stir things up.

So what can we expect from Megan?

She's an incredibly strong and confident woman who won't allow herself to be used by men - or anyone. Megan is very competitive and will keep Declan on his toes. She'll have the likes of Charity and Chas rolling around with laughter - but then half an hour later she'll shaft them. And she'll do it with a smile on her face saying, "it's only business, love!" When it comes to commitment, Megan would normally run a mile - but when lots of people in the village tell her not to go near Carl, it's like a red rag to bull.

Is Katie on to a good thing with Declan?

They're such an odd couple but they make sense. Katie likes the older, more complicated man, but one thing she's learnt is that she's not going to be messed around again. Katie's going in with her eyes wide open this time, and will challenge Declan every step of the way.

Why did you make the decision to kill Mia Macey off screen?

I did that to challenge Declan's beliefs - because the way he deals with problems is to turn his back on them. Ella was a problem so he sent her away. His dad was a problem, so he turned his back. He couldn't cope with looking at Mia because he wasn't her natural father. It felt like there had to be real consequences for that - and we also wanted to test his friendship with Jai.

Charity wants to better herself by marrying Jai, but she's a schemer at heart. Can she change?

Charity's trying to put her compulsive desire to be in destructive relationships behind her. But she's easily bored. She also wants her piece of Jai's success. So Charity hasn't gone soft, she's still as hard as nails.

Will Cain get his comeuppance?

There will be a big showdown with Cain and the Sharmas - and pretty much the whole village. Cain's one true love - aside from Debbie and Sarah - is Charity, and he'll do anything to stop her marrying Jai. The storm clouds are gathering at the moment, and the big question leading up to Christmas is: has Cain gone to far this time?

Are Gennie and Nikhil meant to be together?

I hope so. They make the oddest couple in the world, and it's never going to be easy for them. Nikhil can never seem to do the right thing, and that's upsetting for Gennie - she'll have a lot to deal with if they get together.

Which character would you like to put in the spotlight next?

Chas is going to have a big storyline that starts around the New Year and slowly develops. Lucy pargeter is a brilliant actress and Chas is a great character. Behind the teeth and the boobs, there's someone whole will carry a great story. We're going to challenge her beliefs and principles, and to test her relationship she has with her family is a big way.

Hazel's exit is coming up - what's in store for her?

It's going to be tired to her relationship with Aaron. The door will be left open for Pauline Quirke. There's still a deep sadness about Jackson, and deep guilt from Hazel. Hazel has a massive responsibility towards Aaron, as his story continues, and if she's honest, he could be her surrogate son. It's about whether Aaron and Hazel can move on from Jackson's death while they're both still living in the village.

Amy's pregnancy plot has been fantastic. ( - it has?!) Will she come to the point where she can cope with motherhood?

Poor Amy will have to make the biggest decision of her life as we approach Christmas. We're heading for an emotional, heartbreaking and soul-searching time for her. And Cain isn't exactly helpful along the way!

Emmerdale celebrates its 40th anniversary next year. What would be your dream way to mark the occasion?

We're hoping to do something very different that redefines our new modern Emmerdale. I want every story we play to be big, powerful and emotional. I want to find a way to give every character a voice and a role. I want 2012 to have the best storylines the show has ever had. That's a start - and the rest will be unveiled shortly!

Viewer Questions:

Is Gaynor Faye going to change her accent?

No, we're saying Megan is Declan's half-sister. They may have spent time together, but she's changed and was brought up in a different part of the country. We know about Declan's dysfunctional background already.

Ella Hart was amazing - please bring her back.

There are no plans for her to return at the moment. I loved her - she was like the Southern belles of the 40s and 50s American plays.

If you could steal a character from another show, who would you choose?

Norris from Corrie, and Dot from EastEnders.

It's brilliant that Emmerdale has brought in a realistic lesbian couple with Ali and Ruby, rather than young, attractive girls to grab ratings. What's in store for them?

I love that their sexuality isn't the story. For Ali, it's a Shirley Valentine story - she'd been married for 14 or 15 years and fell in love with a woman. For Ruby, she fell in love with Ali, but not the idea of being a step-mum. The stakes are high for them.

[DRW50]

Why bring in Declan's sister when you wrote out his whole family? What's the point? This is like when Eastenders had such brilliant ideas as bringing in Steve Owen's sister who had the PMS of death, or whatever it was. Why are they casting Gaynor Faye? Is this some type of deal they have worked out with Dancing on Ice? Suzanne, Gaynor...I can already see Ray Quinn as another long-lost Hope son.

Why does Chas need another big story?

If someone doesn't seem like they will cheat, then why make them cheat, and why do it so suddenly? I've always assumed that the only reason any woman would want Marlon is because he probably has a large penis. Why don't they go tell a story about that, with some other female character.

Why does Cain need to whore around the village?

[DRW50]

Interview with an Emmerdale writer.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/rossendale/9365036.The_Lancashire_lad_writing_scripts_for_Yorkshire_soap_Emmerdale/

I didn't know that Lorraine Chase, who played one of the best Emmerdale characters EVER, was going to be on I'm A Celebrity. Anyone who watches that please tell me how she does. I would love to see her on Emmerdale again.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

The most overrated pest to hit the show is leaving:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/news/a351625/emmerdale-star-danny-miller-to-leave-soap.html

[DRW50]

It's pretty incredible when you sit back and realize that it was only a little over a year ago that Aaron was the talk of the soap, with huge attention from fans focused on this character. I've never seen any major gay character lose such support - now, only a handful of people give a s!it.

They ruined this story in so many different ways, sacrificing quality and potential for misery and shock value every time.

I hope the people who now run Emmerdale never, ever tell a gay story again. Their story with the two lesbians is just another example. Awful, miserable, asexual, downmarket, trash.