Yesterday's EastEnders

I think its been a lot better than it was under the last guy. Phelan took too long to finish off but David's attack and Aidan's death were brilliant.

Yeah, but both brushed over far too quickly in favour of more Connor factory shite and more Bethany shite (and particularly affecting because David, Shona, Aidan and Eva were up to the acting, unlike most of the rest of the cast). The repercussions have been minimal (see also Phelan where Anna was sent on her way after killing him, Nicola and Michelle were shot with no lasting effect, and no-one seems to even really remember he was there). Oates' thing seems to be rushed issue-led storylines and a complete disregard for longer-term continuity.

Shall we head over to the Corrie thread to discuss the upcoming McDonald debacle?

that upcoming McDonald debacle really needs to not be discussed, or happening

Yep. It's going to be the thing that finally stops me watching, I think.

I don't know what you are referring to and google gives a lot of conflicting information so please do take it to corrie rolling.

I can't get over some of the acting in Eastenders and suppose I've always felt this way. It's either so pantomimey or so gruff and dull and one-note. A lot of Emmerdale actors are poor but most of the bad ones at least have a modicum of charm. Corrie's cast still has charm in abundance even when it's bad. Who are the charming or charismatic performers in Eastenders? As grindingly depressing as Ee can be it's the tin ear with comedy that truly lets them down. That heist episode with Mick in novelty slippers truly beggared belief.

This show is really grim. I've gone through periods of watching it recently because I've been looking after my quite ill mother and she has it on but she stopped watching it on the reg because it was getting her down. I saw tonight's though and, omg, mum otm.

The Sharon-Keanu affair storyline complete with extended shirtless scenes seems dreamed up by a lab to be as camp as possible on paper and yet utterly useless on screen

How many people live in Martin and Stacey's house?

15?

not only that but a lot of them are small children - a total nightmare

I was also agog at the new Slater family tradition which seems to be recreating the dance routine from Mean Girls?!

The general consensus is between 15 and 17 people, so let's do some maths and see if that is correct: there's Stacey and her three children (four) Jean, Kat and Mo (seven), Whitney and Tiffany (nine), Martin (10), Hayley and her newborn (12) and now Alfie and the kids (16).

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a25406097/eastenders-how-many-people-stacey-fowler-house/

I forgot about Tiffany.

Ben Mitchell as a camp arch-villain in the style of Brendan from Hollyoaks - completely at odds with a lot of the character's history but watching it play out on screen has been hilarious

I stopped watching and have only just learnt I missed a '30 years on' appearance from Lofty and Mary the Punk.

https://youtu.be/FMIn07983n0

Which was utterly pointless as anyone they would have recognised was on panto leave

Eastenders is really good just now

What an episode tonight… Serious fire, heroics, a birth, comedy. The ratings fight back is clearly on.

"Comedy"

Well the Jack scenes were in the time-honoured line of EastEnders’ tin eared feel for comedy, but I did like Jean’s expression at the end.

I haven't watch Stenders in ages, but I couldn't resist the lure of the 1979 episode. Sadly, it wasn't very good, but I love the idea, and the casting was spot on. They haven't done a high-concept episode in such a long time. I hope they're getting back into them more.

both Eastenders and Corrie are really, really bad at the moment. Eastenders is improving slightly, I really like Stacey's surprise lesbian wife and the Panesar mum, but there is a lot of nothing happening and I need Ben to simply not be in it for a while.

I really like EastEnders - but am aware I do cut it a lot of slack. The writers have just got rid of two young characters - Dana and Jada - that were starting to develop well after shaky starts. Janine as pantomime villain is getting a bit tiresome though.

I really liked Dana. It was nice to see a young woman who wasn't a sexy siren with a secret or a troubled vixen with a heart of a gold.

Eve (the aforementioned lesbian wife) is great, but they really need to use her in a major plot. I like all of the Panesars. I really like Bobby Beale’s range of expressions.

I see that Lofty and Mary the Punk, and Colin and Barry, will be back briefly ‘for Dot’s final farewell’ this autumn.

and Lauren! Jac Jossa must be bored of making sponsored Instagram content. It will be interesting to see how they handwave away Ian, Max, Carol and Bianca all not being there.

Maybe they will be? You know how they like to stack the surprises.

Eve (the aforementioned lesbian wife) is great, but they really need to use her in a major plot. I

Can’t complain about tonight’s developments on that front …. Also distracts from the terrible Alfie

I don't understand how Brian Conley and Shane Ritchie can both be in it at the same time. Surely it's one diamond geezer end-of-the-pier entertainer at a time?

Denise and Jack? Are they honestly going to pair up every single adult with every other adult at some stage in this programme? Can't wait till Phil and Martin have their spring awakening and end up together for six months.

Jack’s become incredibly dull and in dire need of a good plot. He’s been basically reduced to overprotective dad. Rumours are he’s about to stray from Denise.

I've only just found out they're a couple and now I'm furious that he's going to cheat on her. Who with? Is it his turn with Sharon?

Jack's already been engaged to Sharon.

Jesus christ, this programme.

Innit though. it's like how everyone in Corrie is no more than one degree of separation from Steve, Gary, Leanne or Maria.

I read an interview with the Maria actress in one of the soap mags lying around my grandparents' house a few weeks ago and she was saying the character has had 31 partners in her 20-odd years at Corrie.

I'm sure I said it earlier in this thread, but it is always funny when anyone in a soap lays out the history of any house or character on the street/square/close. It always sounds just crazy.

Who with?

Keep watching … Duff Duff duff duff du du du duff

Tonight, we say goodbye to a Walford legend. 7:35pm on @BBCOne #EastEnders #RememberDot pic.twitter.com/miw1QLZsFu

— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) December 12, 2022

[wipes away a tear]

Good to see Colin, Mary, Lofty and Ian.

I was expecting it to be cheesy and full of pomp, but I thought it was really good considering how it could have been otherwise... until they started comparing her to the Queen. It took me right out of it. Also, everybody standing up in the church felt like a Harry Hill TV Burp moment.

Yes that was a real clanger

Toe-curling, because it was nicely done until that point. Ian lurking in a bush was unexpected. They brought it back at the cemetery though, Jack throwing her cigarettes onto her coffin, Abide With Me seguing into the theme tune...

Rip Mick… a full Vera Lynn farewell complete with White Cliffs of Dover.

he'll be back, Harold Bishop/Dee Bliss style

We absolutely reckoned he's up for the full Harold Bishop reveal. Janine husbands should really stay away from cliffs.

The actress playing Lola is doing an incredible job.

Cindy reportedly returning from the grave in a few months, with Ian. How many of Ian's wives have tried to murder him? He doesn't bear a grudge.