Emmerdale: Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

I do think this story is better than any you described, and I think they've taken some care to make sure we know how this affects Alicia and that she is the victim here.

I just feel like some of the twists they did for dramatic reasons, like stopping the investigation after only a few episodes, and having Chrissie call her unforgiveable names in the street, do more harm than good. It's that part of the story that I see as too much of sensationalism, even as I think some of the story has merit (and I don't think that they are trying to attack women who wear sexy clothes or are flirtatious - I feel like they've done just the opposite).

[cassadine1991]

I remember at first Sam was caring to John Paul concerning his rape but all that changed when she learned he had an affair with her husband

[Bright Eyes]

Though she has had questioning comments recently, Kate Oates' preview for Laurel has me very excited. Her surprise twists are usually fantastic. Can't wait.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/s12/emmerdale/news/a633146/emmerdale-producer-kate-oates-long-journey-ahead-for-laurel.html#~p65bNtuW1CK9RF

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

Happy to see there are some people in the village who aren't kowtowing to Chrissy and her bs. You can even see it in her eyes...she doesn't even believe her own son's story. So why is she so adamant that everyone treat him like nothings wrong. or nothing's happened?

Oh my who was the cute who hugged the grieving older husband? Vail's husband I believe.

Awww Finn getting the attention of that very hot nurse...I know its not the right time but it was touching.

Edited March 6, 2015 by ThePrinceOfSunspear

[Bright Eyes]

The cute nurse, Darren, will play in story some more. Compared to the hideously freaky looking guy

he is a welcome improvement.

You not knowing anybody's name always gets me to smirk. I think you're talking about Paul, Val's gay son with Rodney. The grieving older husband is Eric, the actor with the most longevity on the show.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Bright Eyes

[DRW50]

I thought that last guy was kind of cute. So is Darren,

I wish they hadn't had all the material where people said horrible things about Alicia be what we saw at the start of the week, because I think it may have alienated some viewers, especially the vileness from Chrissie (I have a feeling they will ultimately want us to sympathize with Chrissie, but after what she said, it's going to be very difficult). Yesterday's episode had some beautiful scenes with David/Leyla/Alicia and David/Jacob. I was so impressed with the work from Natalie Anderson and Roxy Shahidi and Matthew Wolfenden. It was the best work I've ever seen from Matthew. I didn't know he could cry like that or tap into those emotions. And Natalie's just been a revelation. It's a shame that Kellie Bright is already locked into the BSA for months of staring into space.

[Bright Eyes]

When it comes to Emmerdale, we can only hope for a nomination. Like the year Jane Cox should have won, but the undeserved Jessie Wallace got it, even though she's barely given a good performance since she returned and even said in her speech that Cox should have won. Or Michael Parr and the Donna story last year and probably countless others.

[DRW50]

I'd forgotten she said that.

I always sound so bitter when I talk about EE and the BSAs. I do think they deserve some awards. Adam Woodyatt for sure (please no mushmouth twatface Dyer). It's just they don't deserve every award going.

I also think Charlotte Bellamy is doing a bang-up job with Laurel's descent into self-destructive behavior. Laurel isn't a likeable character and we are less likely to care when unlikeable characters fall apart, but this is a story where you need a talented day-to-day performance. Some Emmerdale actors can't do good day to day work. She can, and it really makes a difference here, especially the scenes like her repeatedly getting everyone to lie and to stay quiet about all of her lies.

[Jkcdsm75]

I've always been a huge fan of Guiding Light, in part due to its longevity. Since it's been cancelled, I've enjoyed reading more about other shows and their storylines, as well as decisions that ultimately hurt the show. None of the soaps today really seem to be all that good and I have no interest in watching them. It's really sad how silly most have been compared to soaps of years ago.

Anyway, done with American shows, I started reading about foreign soaps and for some reason Emmerdale stood out, maybe because there were so many clips of it online. It was interesting to read of past stories, as well as questionable behind the scenes decisions (killing off so many Sugdens).

I was really pleased to find out you could watch new episodes online, so for the last few weeks I have been watching, as well as trying to watch some past episodes I missed that help me understand the current story. While there are some aspects I find odd, I think the show is great. There is a sense of community on this show that American soaps totally lost.

First time posting here ...

[DRW50]

Welcome! I'm in the soap boat you're in, right down to my love of GL. That and my love for ATWT are what pushed me to Emmerdale. No soap on the air today or in recent years is more like ATWT and GL than Emmerdale.

I'd love to hear more of your thoughts. I am going to give my longwinded review of the week later today (I hope).

Have you ever seen The Doctors? I think you may like that too. If you want a link let me know.

[Jkcdsm75]

Sure send the link. I've read some of the Doctors discussion on the cancelled soaps boards. I always saw some of ATWT as well since it was on before GL. I never liked it as much, but did love it had so many long term characters (unlike GL) and during the Marland years just a TON of characters in general. Interesting we both watched those and that Emmerdale is similar - guess that explains it!

The story I still find the most interesting is the one with Robert/Aaron/Katie's death/Chrissy. I think the actors playing both the characters are great and Robert is certainly a complex character. Whomever in charge now that brought him back made a great move. My favorite family by far is the Sugdens, probably because they are the original family and are more like the Bauers (longevity, loss of key players over the years, real life death that hurt the family (Jack/Bert Bauer)). I like the dynamics between Robert, Andy, Diane and Victoria. From the older clips of Victoria, I really like this actress/character and wish we saw more of her. I dont' really get why she's not the main heroine.

Initial thoughts:

--As mentioned, the Robert/Aaron/Sugden story is my favorite. I do wish Robert hadn't been so physical with Katie before she died, as I would dislike if he just went all out psycho and what a waste of a legacy character. Her death clearly can be viewed as an accident, but the physical aspects before I would have left out.

--The show certainly has way more gay/bi characters than I've ever seen, as well as past characters I read about (Zoe). Interesting.

--The Alecia/Lachlan story has been great so far - been very impressed with the actors involved. I like how the story has brought Alecia/David together, not town apart.

--Overall, I really dislike the Dingels (and sounds like longtime fans felt the same way!). I don't care that they are poor/trashy, but the weird incestous cousin sex relationship just grosses me out. Having said that, Aaron and Chas are two of my favorite characters, so I would keep them. I do like Lisa and the young daughter, but the rest I just find weird/creepy overall. I don't mind Debbie, but I have a hard time getting over the fact her parents are cousins. Are they distant cousins? Just seems like a VERY odd writing choice to me, especially since it sounds like various cousins have had sex more than just Charity/Cain ... I like Marlon okay as well. Overall though, they are my least favorite part of the show.

--The last few days have been very dark stories - is it always this way?

--I really like the balance of rich/poor, something we don't have in American shows anymore.

--I've watched up on a lot of the disasters over the years and they all seemed well staged/written.

--Completely shallow, but while the show clearly has some very attractive actors/actresses, it's interesting how many people on the show are NOT that attractive and wouldn't likely be on an American show.

--Watching old clips, it seems like a mistake to me that they killed off all those King brothers. I don't know the reasoning, but I really liked the Carl King character and now Jimmy has no brothers/family and seems so isolated. He also seems like a different character than the older clips, but maybe that's just the clips I am seeing.

There are some initial thoughts! Curious on feedback!

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

Sad that Darren is leaving...whats the point then of evening bringing him on and having him flirt with Finn. Unless they're planning on having Finn and Aaron find their way to each other....still though I don't think that would ever work onscreen. Finn and Aaron don't generate any type of chemistry.

Lol I'm learning Bright Eyes you gotta give me time. Only so much space in my brain considering all these shows I've gotta keep up with! Eric was pretty emotion which was touching. The last scene with Val breaking down was intense.

[DRW50]

TPoS, Finn/Darren isn't about Aaron, it's about

[DRW50]

It's funny, because some of the main comments I hear about Emmerdale from new viewers (that relationships are so confusing - like Bernice and Paul saying today that they're siblings) is what many often said about ATWT during the Marland years. For me it adds complexity and history, but I can imagine it would be mindboggling.

You should have seen the Dingles when Eli and Shadrach were around, among others. They were a skeevy lot for many years, with a few held up as "good" Dingles. You'd have Dingle court, "Dingle law," and so on. Fortunately most of that has waned as Zack is no longer able to be the head of the family.

Charity and Cain are distant cousins, yes. The show phased out this side of the Dingles (aside from Cain and Charity of course) when Gavin Blyth came in in 2009 or so. Not long before that you had Chastity throwing herself at cousin Marlon and making out with him, Eli pining for Debbie and her stringing him along to help her cover up a murder, and Chas and Eli sleeping together. Eli also had the hots for Chas' sister Gennie.

I'm not sure why they don't do more with Victoria. I think the actress has a limited range, but when it's properly written for (often in her scenes with Finn), she does fine. Even when the show was heavily focused on teen heroines (Holly Barton, Amy Wyatt), she didn't get a big role.

The King brothers - well, the baby of the family, and my favorite of them, Max, was killed when the actor wanted to leave. Matthew and Carl were killed because the actors were fired. I've never understood why, as I thought they both worked fine. Carl was very popular with fans and Tom Lister likely would have stayed forever. I've always felt like Stuart Blackburn killed him off just to show he could do what he wanted and to leave on a big shock death. It was a stupid decision and the ramifications of that are still felt - imagine how he'd be with Chas and Aaron now? Imagine him back with Chas instead of shackling her to that dead tree with the dead animal on his head.

Jimmy was very different in his first few years on the show. Sour, spiteful. He was, contrary to what some fans claim, ALWAYS an idiot - that was the point of the character. It's why his wife Sadie hated him - she'd never wanted to marry him (she'd wanted Matthew). It's just that after a few years, they stopped going, "Ew, he's an idiot," and started going, "LOL, he's such an idiot, isn't he adorable?" I saw a fan say that he got a personality change after Sadie hit him on the head in that show home explosion. That's pretty much the point where he started getting the dopey Jimmy stories and started parading around in his shorts.

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

Darren has HIV?

And why would Emma wig out? Val has HIV and she seems to have nothing but compassion for her.....

Also I can't believe what Andy just did. So basically he's renting out his house for sex. I mean yeah he's got a hot body and looks pretty manly with the wilderness beard thing going on but that just reeked of desperation.