The "foreign soaps" topic

[JamesF]

Yeah, there is although it's about the same standard as the American soap press. All hype and things taken out of context.

I've been watching EE fairly regularly recently which is strange seeing as I'm more of a Corrie man. Kevin's just married Denise after she found out on their wedding day about sleeping with Shirley and decided to forgive him. Shirley got into a huge scrap with Pat in the street and they were arrested. Stella is still abusing Ben but has managed to get an engagement ring out of Phil. Dot's taken in a baby after Jim reported his Polish mother to immigration. She's making it out that he's her grandson and nobody is any the wiser but she can't cope with the strain of looking after a baby. As for the triangle, it's still very much plodding on without much movement. Stacey and Max are still doing it at every opportunity and Stacey's now worming her way into a friendship with Tanya, manipulating her to do things that Max wouldn't necessarily agree with e.g. business decisions.

There are a couple of other daft subplots about Mickey being a gigolo and that daughter of Denise's having a crush on Gus but that's the main thrust.

[heatherwebber]

Thanks for the EE update. Dish Network is still running about 5 weeks behind.

I've been seeing some press about the BBC possibly dropping Neighbours due to some contract negotiation troubles. I'm not sure if there's been any progress.

[Sylph]

Thanks, James.

I think that last time I checked the credits Brigie de Courcy was replaced with Dominic Treadwell-Collins. I wonder what changes will this bring. I'm not really a fan of the current storylines... I'm just gonna wait and see.

[JamesF]

The problem that EE has at the moment which it's never been able to master is pacing stories over 4 episodes a week. I mean I like the Max/Tanya/Stacey story in theory but it has been dragging on for so long now and from what's been in the papers, it will still be going well into the summer. The payoff will be good when Tanya finds out but I think that's only because at the moment it seems so far off as to be unimaginable.

As for the other stories, I like Mad May but the Stella stuff is a letdown. As with everything else, it's just become quite repetitive to keep filling airtime.

According to today's papers, the BBC has pulled out. Whether that's true or not remains to be seen but they were offering £70, 000 per episode compared to ITV's £104, 000. What is undeniable is that in Fremantle's greed, they will most likely kill the show. It only survives in Australia because of the UK stability. ITV will botch it up as it does with most things and dump it after a few years. Five is a more tenable solution and I hope they win out the bidding war (which seems likely as ITV is antsy over some of the contract clauses such as VOD rights etc). They've been airing Home and Away since 2001 and do a pretty good job with it.

[Sylph]

I kind of started hating that Power of Three — Tanya, May and Jane (especially her, she's become such a... after Grant left).

Yes, maybe Max/Tanya/Stacey is the best of the lot, and Stella’s story is so creepy and horrible, but you could just tell it was going that way.

[JamesF]

I only started watching a couple of months ago so missed all of the Grant debacle but I quite like Tanya, May and Jane. I think it stems from the fact that the show has never really done female friendships particularly well and it also ties their stories together in a less artificial way.

Stella..meh. I can't really get past the fact that the whole story is predicated on Phil and Peggy being both stupid and out of character.

[Sylph]

I guess it can be seen in that way. I'm just not sure they even like each other. I mean Tanya is certainly not in Jane's league, and May has become a psychopath, she lost all of the qualities she shoul have been standing for (being an example of an honest and successful woman). And her voice when she yells is just so annoying...

As always...

[JamesF]

You're totally right. Last night my flatmate and I were referring to them as "the coven". It's what I've come to expect of EE these days. Plot contrivance and campy theatrics but it's enough to entertain me because I've not been invested in the show for years.

[Sylph]

Coven! That's the word I was searching for!!  It has really been a while since EE was any good, apart from tiny moments in some scripts.

Here's what Paul Abbott said about what should be done with EastEnders:

[heatherwebber]

That quote from Paul Abbott is old, isn't it? That was back during the mess with Den's return and a few other big disasters.

What I see as the biggest problem now is most of the characters they've been showing front burner all the time are fairly new. It's too much seeing all the new people and anyone who has been on for any length of time, except Pat, become totally back burnered. The one thing they are doing right is keeping Pat right in the middle of things.

Sounds like Dot is back in action but I haven't seen her for a long time. Since Sonia & Martin left to the point I'm at about 5 weeks back she's just gone.

I can't stand the Max/Stacey mess.

Most everything else is just ok. It's not as bad as the show was a couple of years ago but nowhere near as good as it's been at other times.

But it's still way better than anything that's been on in the US soap scene for years and years.

[Sylph]

And I forgot to add that I’m interested in seeing what happens with Squiggle’s and Darren’s on-line fraud.

Yes, Abbott’s comment is old. And the problem with characters is something another Corrie script editor mentioned in an interview — EE has these great characters, but they burn them so quickly.

At any other given time, I would completely agree with your comment about US soaps, but the things I’m seeing on EE nowadays are pretty horrible. Nothing compelling.

P. S. Plus, that Carly/Deano/Shirly feuds and stuff is really annoying. The whole of the teen drama is pure pesimism and darkness, not a light and entertaining story in sight...

[therethan4eva]

me being from puerto rico..i watch spanish soap opreas

[heatherwebber]

I can't say EE is great at the moment but it's a masterpiece compared to that awful mess it was about 2 or 3 years ago. It was getting worse and worse then they brought in a new producer from Holby City who overnight turned it so much worse than it had ever been before. It was nasty until they removed this woman. She was obsessed with dark lighting which made all the sets look tacky & cheap. But it was the awful stories and the nastiness of the characters that really stunk. It was better than anything on American soaps even at rock bottom worst but it was still awful.

At the moment the American shows are all pretty bad other than some of CBS and Days.

But I do wish I could get Corrie & the Aussie soaps.

I am looking forward to Hollyoaks on BBC America. Hopefully they'll bring Hollyoaks: In the City back. I loved what little I saw of that.

Really, this is the sort of thing SoapNet ought to be looking into instead of dreadful reality garbage and spinoffs of the currently awful General Hospital from the same messed up team who wrecked and demolished the show in the first place.

[Sylph]

Grace Dent The Guardian:

[heatherwebber]

I don't see much of a teen scene on EE at the moment other than the internet fraud thing.

All that stuff mentioned in that Guardian column is beyond what I've seen so far.

It all sounds very peculiar. Especially the Stella & Ben abuse.