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Post by frapperia on Dec 25, 2007 20:33:13 GMT
Oh my god. How bloody depressing! Cancel Eastenders.
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Post by joshjones on Dec 25, 2007 20:34:57 GMT
I'm not sure why, but Max Branning with a Santa hat on is terrifying.
Roxy's "shocking" Santa minidress is actually quite tame compared to some of what I've seen people wearing for Christmas.
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Post by Rad on Dec 25, 2007 21:09:27 GMT
Wow, that was pretty bleak. ALthough no-one died (yet) so it could be worse.
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Post by junky on Dec 26, 2007 13:57:09 GMT
Roxy's "shocking" Santa minidress is actually quite tame compared to some of what I've seen people wearing for Christmas. Liz Mc Donald for instance?! It's not Christmas till you can say ".. and Liz has her tits out!!" - maybe next year during the Queen's speech.
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Post by joshjones on Dec 26, 2007 14:15:52 GMT
What would Dot say?
Roxy showing her skimpy costume to Ian was a good summation of her character. She is the worst of Grant and Phil, put into a female form. Someday she and Ronnie are going to live out Baby Jane.
They got around 14 million for their affair fallout episode, the highest-rated BBC program of the year. That's the first time that's happened since 1988. They deserved it; the episode was just great. They had the big flashy slaps and falls, but also many quiet moments. They also knew which less talented Brannings and Slaters to keep in supporting roles. And I'm impressed by how well-written and acted the children of Walford are now. Many of them are not written as blobs, or as sarcastic midgets, but as their age. Lauren was key to the resolution of the affair, as Lucy was key in Steven's return to Walford, and they not only did their part, they enhanced the power of the stories.
I hope the EE producers and producers of other soaps also take note that these ratings came without any big murders, deaths, or mafiosos.
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Post by jetsetwilly on Dec 26, 2007 14:22:53 GMT
Lucy and Peter are rubbish twins though. Lucy looks about 37.
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Post by joshjones on Dec 26, 2007 14:25:10 GMT
I did wonder about that once and went to Wikipedia. They said the actors who play Lucy and Peter were only born a week apart. He does seem a lot younger than she does.
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Post by annakin on Dec 26, 2007 15:50:28 GMT
something is puzzling me. given all the hoo ha about Steven being the twins brother, and wanting to see them and be part of the family is no one bothered about Cindy's other child? I'm sure she had just had a baby (while in prison??) when she died, and Ian agreed with her sister that she should bring her up. have i made this up out of my mind??
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boyd
Junior Member
Posts: 98
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Post by boyd on Dec 26, 2007 15:50:37 GMT
Isn't that common for their age though? Girls develop faster and then boys shoot up past them come 15.
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Post by joshjones on Dec 26, 2007 15:55:07 GMT
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Mike
Su Pollard
"I want a chandelier. A motorised one."
Posts: 382
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Post by Mike on Dec 26, 2007 22:32:01 GMT
They deserved it; the episode was just great.. I thought it was a load of contrived bollocks, personally. Though in fairness, if you insist on dragging a storyline out for an entire year you have to end it somehow. Don't even get me started on Phil coming over all 'emotional' over a photo of his long-lost (and hitherto almost forgotten) daughter. Presumably now we're meant to sympathise with him despite the character a) having completely outstayed his welcome in the show and b) being utterly impossible to sympathise with. Shirley's one-liner was the only decent thing in the show.
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Post by Muinimula on Dec 27, 2007 1:12:03 GMT
The best thing about the Christmas episode was the mark that remained on Stacey's face after Tanya slapped her. It was really red, and it looked like she full-on went for it. A good soap can be built on well-placed, forceful face-slaps.
It could have done without the fall down the stairs at the end, though. There is such a thing as "too much".
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Post by joshjones on Dec 27, 2007 11:50:43 GMT
I agree with you, but what they built on top of the contrivances was why the episode worked for me. Instead of another case of somebody overhearing something at the Vic or catching people in bed together, they had the big reveal over a DVD. Then they had such contrasting reactions from Bradley (imploding), Tanya (exploding), Max (lying and lying until no one, even his own daughters, believed him), Stacey (too ashamed to lie anymore). That slap was just such brilliant soap. None of the scenes felt real, necessarily, but they felt like a heightened reality. I don't even really care that much about any of them but I could sense their pain and torment and it was just riveting to watch. I felt like I was watching what was natural for the characters and sprung from their actions, instead of yet another moment caused by the shooting or stabbing or arson of the month. And the scene where Dot dressed Max down was wonderful, I watched that several times.
There were some bad moments, mainly the fall down the stairs, and Jean, who just felt fake and very "ooh look at what an acting moment this is" (she always feels that way to me), and Mo's self-righteous, useless nagging, but I thought the rest was some of the show's best drama in years and years. I was most impressed by Tanya. Eastenders used to have a slew of screwed-up, tough women who simultaneously seemed real and way larger than life and knew how to give a good slap, but many of them are gone now. Tanya really has the potential to take over that central position Kathy, Carol, etc. vacated if they give her the proper writing.
For my New Year's soap resolution I'm going to try to tune out all the Mitchells, since, except for maybe Ronnie and Peggy, they're all just unpleasant or repeat the same stories over and over.
I don't quite get why Jack Branning is such a prize either. I never saw him on The Bill, but on here, don't they already have Sean Slater to be the apelike block of wood who looks very good half-dressed and goes around brooding all the time?
Someone over at DS said they might bring in a male version of the Slaters, a family of mostly brothers. Walford does need more good solid male characters, but I'd rather see a family with brothers as well as sisters. That cuts down on the partner-swapping.
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Post by Robbing the Dead on Dec 27, 2007 15:09:50 GMT
People are always falling down the stairs in EastEnders.
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Post by pauliepoos on Dec 27, 2007 15:29:40 GMT
People are always falling down the stairs in EastEnders. Indeed they are. You'd think Walford Primary Care Trust would appoint a Falls Prevention Co-ordinator. I don't quite get why Jack Branning is such a prize either. I never saw him on The Bill, but on here, don't they already have Sean Slater to be the apelike block of wood who looks very good half-dressed and goes around brooding all the time. Scott Maslen has much better arms than Robert Kazinsky. And a better chest. And a better face. But while Jack Branning is more of a Darcy, Sean Slater is more Heathcliff. Sean would be a lot more adventurous in bed (or on the stairs, or in the Vic's cellar) but Jack would bring you a cup of tea in the morning. I could go into further details about how they'd differ in bed, but there are impressionable youngsters, and Ruth, reading.
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Post by joshjones on Dec 27, 2007 15:40:08 GMT
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Post by Robbing the Dead on Dec 27, 2007 15:43:21 GMT
I'd say Robert Kazinsky has a better face. He has a better name too. I just remembered who he's going out with! Poor him. I'm sure she's lovely in real life.
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Post by Rad on Dec 27, 2007 17:13:19 GMT
Sean would be a lot more adventurous in bed (or on the stairs, or in the Vic's cellar) but Jack would bring you a cup of tea in the morning. I could go into further details about how they'd differ in bed, but there are impressionable youngsters, and Ruth, reading. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by Nurse Dunkley on Dec 27, 2007 17:21:40 GMT
So we've had: - Tiffany - who fell down the stairs in the midst of a row with Grant, and ended up in intensive care for a bit, before getting better and being released only to get mown down by Frank shortly after
- Laura Beale - who fell down the stairs shortly after a row with Janine
- Tanya branning who fell down the stairs rowing with max (yes? I'm waiting for the omnibus to watch it all)
Are there any more? People should only have big rows in flats or bungalows.
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Post by pauliepoos on Dec 27, 2007 19:40:20 GMT
It dawned on me earlier how everyone is related to everyone on The Square, so I've done this little quiz. It's a bit like the Who Am I round on Going For Gold with Henry Kelly, except you don't have to press a button and answer with a European accent.
1. My ex-husband’s daughter-in-law’s cousin’s wife’s uncle’s mother-in-law and I go back a bit. Who am we?
2. My brother’s ex wife had a kid with my son’s uncle, who also had a kid with my aunt. Who am I?
3. My ex husband’s cousin’s son is my sister’s cousin too.
(I'm a bit bored)
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Post by joshjones on Dec 27, 2007 22:39:43 GMT
Those are all pretty good. I keep thinking one might be Shirley or Pat or Mo, but I'm probably wrong.
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Post by Rad on Dec 28, 2007 13:09:53 GMT
I think 1 is Pat and Mo
I need to really think about the other two...
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Post by Rad on Dec 28, 2007 13:13:22 GMT
2: Michelle Fowler?
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Post by pauliepoos on Dec 28, 2007 13:18:16 GMT
Well done.
Pat's ex-husband’s (Frank) daughter-in-law’s (Bianca) cousin’s (Bradley) wife’s (Staceyu) uncle’s (Charlie) mother-in-law (Mo)
Michelle's brother’s (Mark) ex wife (Lisa) had a kid (Louise) with my son’s uncle (Phil), who also had a kid with my aunt (Kathy).
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Post by Robbing the Dead on Dec 28, 2007 14:34:47 GMT
So we've had: - Tiffany - who fell down the stairs in the midst of a row with Grant, and ended up in intensive care for a bit, before getting better and being released only to get mown down by Frank shortly after
- Laura Beale - who fell down the stairs shortly after a row with Janine
- Tanya branning who fell down the stairs rowing with max (yes? I'm waiting for the omnibus to watch it all)
Are there any more? People should only have big rows in flats or bungalows. Peggy must have fallen down the stairs before... Oh, after being shot, Phil fell down the stairs in front of his house.
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