I'd quit watching Emmerdale, for the most part, after what they did to Viv and Terry, so I never did see the wrapup of the Barton marriage troubles.

Such wonderful acting from James Thornton and Natalie J. Robb. Tender, sweet, painful. I felt like the family got bogged down in too many depressing "issue" stories (and too much bad acting from their daughters), but if Thornton had stayed, then I think they could have become the matriarch and patriarch and grounding force the show needed.

It almost feels like they're on a different show entirely.

Sitting here in tears watching John's death.

How Natalie Robb did not get any awards for her work here (probably some of the best I've seen on any soap) I don't get.

I swear DRW50 your boy Robert is grade A classic. Even when Aaron is trying to break it up with him he somehow manages to make it seem like he's the one who's hurting and being attacked....lol

His confidence in knowing that Aaron would text him the second he walked out the door. So arrogant and yet so beautiful cuz you know deep down that's what he wants. I do hope Aaron sticks to it tho. Let Robert stew and ache.

I'm impressed you were able to follow those scenes. I was too focused on his ass in those trousers.

I think Aaron is making the right decision, and Robert is too emotionally immature to see it. Unfortunately Aaron has a host of other problems that will not go away just because he isn't in Robert's pants. He's trying to be the good son for Chas and that does nothing to help his self-loathing issues.

I wish he'd move out but I have no idea where he'd even go. I guess there's always the farm.

What other problems are you referring to again? I mean he does seem dark and moody but aside from the tragedy of Jackson is there some other past event that's really affected him?

He tried to commit suicide not long after he came out. There are all the self-worth and self-harm issues, blaming himself for failing anyone and everyone in his life, the issues over Chas leaving him as a young child, etc.

I wonder what they'll do with Jimmy, if anything, while Nicola is gone. He has no strong relationships with anyone else in the village.

I keep seeing people say he'll sleep with Bernice. Ugh Poor Bernice. I hate those types of stories. I hope it won't happen.

Who is his son Carl by? I had not heard of this character.

This babynapping story is ridiculous and, as Debbie said, it makes no sense to believe Nicola would kidnap a baby, even with her recent struggles. That Jimmy has so little faith in her makes me very sour.

Gemma Atkinson with yet another future Emmerdale actor.

While I'm glad that they didn't actually try to make viewers think Nicola being menopausal or losing a baby made her want to kidnap a child, this story proceeded to make me loathe a character I already hated (Jai) and make me dislike a character I liked (Jimmy). It's one thing to not be sure of your wife. It's another to actively undermine her to the police and to the village, and then play innocent when it leads to terrible consequences. He's a horrible husband, far more than I ever imagined.

And the scene of her being put in the police car as her family (including her father, who had driven for hours just to be there) just stood around, Jimmy gawping like a dying fish - bullshit.

Over and over Megan sees Jai's weak, sniveling ways, and calls him out, only to back down. It's so frustrating.

I really like Rakesh and how he tries to keep Priya steady. I hope the show won't have her sleep with Kirin...

I think Bright Eyes was a Ben Freeman/Scott Windsor fan (another forgotten character, sadly)? Anyway, here's a photo of him recently on the set of Doctor Who, reunited with his old costar JLC (and they both had Debbie...). Someone said he was just filming nearby and wasn't actually filming for the show. Who knows.

http://blogtorwho.blogspot.com/2015/02/series-9-alien-revealed.html

Thanks for posting that, Carl. He still looks great, from what I can see. If they are reunited on DW, though sci-fi has never been my thing, I hope you'll remind me. I'm happy to see he's getting work, any road.

He seems to do a lot of musical theater.

I first saw that on tumblr and the person who posted it said he was filming Emmerdale nearby. I got excited, and then I read that it was in Spain. Unless they have a surprise remote where we learn Scott is Annie Sugden's toyboy, that seems very, very unlikely.

(Scott being one of Robert's old !@#$%^&*] buddies would make sense, but I doubt they'll go there...)

With Donna and Viv both gone the door is probably closed for good, but I still miss the character.

I can't lose hope. As long as the invisible Cathy and Heath are locked away in the village, a return could still be possible.