Emmerdale - General Discussion

[TimWil]

What is with Denise Black (Joanie)'s right hand? Has it been this way ever since she started on the show? It seems withered.

I think Isobelle Steele (Liv) shows promise. She reminds me of Jodie Foster when she was a child actress.

Edited April 8, 2016 by TimWil

[Pete Martell]

The non-Edna stories were about what I expected, and thankfully didn’t take up much time.

Other than my annoyance that Edna’s family was not there (instead going on a “day trip” - even though Lily and her son had a terrible relationship after he found out she was his mother and even though Eve hadn’t had much contact with her father or Lily that we ever knew of), and a bit too much of Kerry being sour (they have gotten the balance wrong with this character in recent months), I thought the scenes were done well enough.

I wasn’t really expecting to be emotionally affected, but Pearl’s goodbye to her, and Sandy and Ashley saying their own goodbyes, were very poignant, and very real. I felt like I was there with them, somehow. 

I’m also glad they remembered her relationship with the Kings, and Jimmy’s fondness for her. It was a nicely done scene.

I also loved the last scene of Sandy celebrating with Edna, real or imagined, over helping Ashley through his crisis of faith. Freddie Jones and John Middleton are perhaps the most underrated acting pair in Emmerdale. 

And the beautiful shots of the countryside and community were also a nice touch.

So overall I’d say I’m pleased, and I think Shirley got the respect she deserved. As did Edna. 

Even after all these months, I miss her as much as ever. But I’m glad I got to say goodbye. 

[Pete Martell]

Leah Bracknell, who played the iconic Zoe Tate, is battling stage 4 lung cancer. Her partner set up a fund page for her treatment (Emmerdale and several former cast members tweeted about it so it's valid). Amazingly they've almost reached goal in only a few days, which certainly shows the impact she made as Zoe, and the kindness of people even in such dark times. I know many can't afford to give so I'll put the link if you want to at least share. She left an update today. 

https://www.gofundme.com/2r2kwanw

[Gulftastic]

My lord, that was a tough watch. John Middleton was amazing.  I was crying for pretty much all of it.

[LilWharveyGal]

20 hours ago, Gulftastic said:

My lord, that was a tough watch. John Middleton was amazing.  I was crying for pretty much all of it.

I haven't had access to the show in over 10 years and just read about this episode on the BBC.  I have to admit my first thought was - Why Ashley?  Hasn't he suffered enough?

[Gulftastic]

Over a year! Anyway, Emmerdale has blundered into something great with Charity and Vanessa. I hope they don't mess it up. Watching Charity properly fall in love would be great for her character, and Emma Atkins would be typically fantastic.

[TeeVee329]

Ooooh good twist with Debbie's boytoy being Chris Tate's son Joseph out for revenge on Charity.  Nice delve into the show's history.

[Chas411]

Excellent.

i did have to laugh at Debbie's dramatic "so all this to get at me" comment after he listed every possible way in which Charity had ruined his life and how his whole life basically revolves around getting her back for it.

[TeeVee329]

Ugh, Debbie.  She's so annoying, it's often quite hard to feel bad for her when she gets kicked in the teeth.

I wonder if we're going to see more Tates.  There's Kim, obviously.  And I know the actress who played Zoe is quite ill, but that character had a daughter as well, didn't she?  And then there's Noah, that could be interesting, if he gets curious about his bio dad and half-brother.

Edited January 5, 2018 by TeeVee329

[TeeVee329]

Oh Charity, telling Noah to stay away from Joseph just guarantees he's going to seek out Joseph all the quicker lol.

[pointybird]

On 24/12/2017 at 6:04 PM, Gulftastic said:

Over a year! Anyway, Emmerdale has blundered into something great with Charity and Vanessa. I hope they don't mess it up. Watching Charity properly fall in love would be great for her character, and Emma Atkins would be typically fantastic.

So excited for this. I REALLY hope this is the direction they take it.  Both Emma Atkins and Michelle Hardwick are very good actresses and I'd never have thought of these two characters as having romatic chemistry, but they really do.

I hope Vanessa isn't too put off by Charity having done a massive dump on Joe Tate's carpet though (I couldn't believe the "you might want to give it 5 minutes" comment - hilarious!).

Please, Emmerdale, don't stuff it up!!!

[TeeVee329]

The show did a good job with the Whites' car crash, both the actual stunt and the tension in the car as Lachlan's mania ramped up in those final moments.  I'm kinda whatever about Lawrence, but I did kinda come around on Chrissie, or at least the actress, she was fun to watch, so her death made me a little sad.

I do think there's this weird undercurrent that the Whites needed to be wiped out/punished because the Robert/Aaron fanbase demanded it, for daring to interfere with their love, never mind everything Robert did to them, I guess.

Relatedly, I am excited that Joe Tate bought Home Farm from them.

[Chas411]

Yeah it seems to be universally unpopular opinion to dislike Robron but I can't stand them or either character. I think the fan pandering to them has been awful for the show. I didn't even watch on Christmas Day because I knew it centred solely on them.

[TeeVee329]

I liked them quite a lot in the beginning, but yeah, the obnoxious entitlement of that fanbase and the pandering of the show and sites like Digital Spy to them has really soured me.  I think it started when they viciously turned on Paddy for not liking Robert when I think it's perfectly reasonable for Paddy to have doubts about the dude who tried to murder him.  I'm sure they're furious Rebecca isn't dead.

[Chas411]

Yeah even though it's painfully obvious Rebecca's whole existence was to give Robron a child so I'm assuming she'll bite it soon.

[TeeVee329]

So Joseph and Noah met.  Joseph seemed keen to, which was a little surprising given what he said to Charity when he revealed himself about not believing Noah is actually his half-brother.  I'm really curious and hopeful that this goes somewhere.

Pete and Rhona...whaaa?

[TeeVee329]

Really like that spoiler about

Hannah Barton coming back having transitioned off-screen and returning as Matty Barton.  It fits quite nicely for me, given Hannah's long absence.

[TeeVee329]

Liking the introduction of Matty Barton so far.  Ash Palmisciano is really good.  And I like how the show used Hannah's long absence in crafting this story, both in that it set up a realistic time frame for Hannah to have come to this self-realization and transitioned into Matty, but allowing Moira - in addition to struggling with her daughter now being her son - to call him out on having abandoned her through the many, MANY crises the Bartons have gone through lately.

[TeeVee329]

That little spark between Matty and Victoria today was more interesting than the entirety of Victoria's relationship with Adam.

[TeeVee329]

I do really like that, in introducing two new members into the Dingle and Barton clans, they went a different, creative way instead of Xeroxing a character archetype that's worked before.  I'm really digging both Ryan and Matty.

OTOH, I think it's lame that Joe Tate is now just Debbie's whipped love interest like all the others.

Edited September 11, 2018 by TeeVee329

[Tallulah7606]

Don’t know if anyone still reads this thread, but I have to ask- what on gods earth is going on with Mattys accent!? He came in with quite a neutral accent, with a little bit of manc, but now he seems to be trying to morph it into a stereotypical Leeds accent. Every now and then when he he says something like ‘no’ or ‘go’ he elongates it. It might be a minor thing, but it’s grating on me 

Edited January 22, 2019 by Tallulah7606
Misspelling

[Chas411]

I haven’t watched in a while but popped onto say RIP Lisa. I loved her and Zak up until Joanie gate and after that I never Really rooted for them as I couldnt get over how badly he behaved. 

[Gulftastic]

Very sad news, I'm afraid.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-50069971

Poor Leah. I loved her in Emmerdale. Zoe Tate was a groundbreaking character and she played her so well.

[TeeVee329]

Chas naming her baby Eve is so weird.  C'mon, writers, I know it was ten years ago now, but we all remember Chas' feud with Edna's niece Eve re: Carl.  She would never.

Edited October 26, 2019 by TeeVee329

[TeeVee329]

Randomly been enjoying some YT stuff from the era when I first started watching this show, 2009-10, the Wylde/Lamb dramz, the OG Bartons and Holly's drug addiction, Aaron and Jackson.  

A question I do have about the current show - after whatever was happening with him and Victoria flickered out, has Matty had a love interest?

[Tallulah7606]

3 hours ago, TeeVee329 said:

Randomly been enjoying some YT stuff from the era when I first started watching this show, 2009-10, the Wylde/Lamb dramz, the OG Bartons and Holly's drug addiction, Aaron and Jackson.  

A question I do have about the current show - after whatever was happening with him and Victoria flickered out, has Matty had a love interest?

No love interest for Matty no, they seem to have focussed more on the negative side of being a trans man, he’s had some abuse and some horrific bullying but no girlfriend. 
I have a question, what does YT mean? 😂 

I too have been watching episodes back from when I first started watching, but for me that dates back to the early 80s 😳 I’m currently up to the mid 90s, and it’s bizarre watching the old Kim Tate vs the current Kim Tate. She was actually quite sweet way back when, took a while for her to turn into the superbitch we now love to hate 

[TeeVee329]

11 hours ago, Tallulah7606 said:

No love interest for Matty no, they seem to have focussed more on the negative side of being a trans man, he’s had some abuse and some horrific bullying but no girlfriend. 
I have a question, what does YT mean? 😂 

Ou-yay Ube-tay

That's a bummer about Matty.  I thought it was great that, in addition to the family story with Moria, they went for the soapy romance story with Victoria, I really don't get why they backpedaled.  And now Victoria's involved with her rapist's brother...'kay?

[Tallulah7606]

I know nobody replies to this thread much anymore, but I have to ask... WHAT IS GOING ON WITH SARAH SUGDENS EYEBROWS!??

[TeeVee329]

I'll say this - I'm not super excited Debbie's back, but her hair color is looking good.  Sometimes when CW goes blonde, it's too blonde, but she struck the right balance this time.

Aw to Paddy changing his last name to Dingle.  Now he shares a last name with all the people he loves - Chas, Marlon, Aaron.

Edited January 2, 2021 by TeeVee329

[TeeVee329]

It feels like they're doing this storyline about Luke's sexuality because of the tabloid press about the actor dating the actor who played his brother and it makes me feel a little uncomfortable about it.  I do think it's interesting they didn't make Ethan the guy he'd been with, just a bystander to whatever he had with this Steven, that was a bit of a twist.

What is going on with Victoria's hair?  It's a no.  Meanwhile, I'm liking Amy's pink streaks.

Edited January 23, 2021 by TeeVee329

[TeeVee329]

It's kinda impressive that the writers found a new, different kind of rock bottom for Charity.  Although it does feel a bit old-hat, we've been here with her before so many times.

So Luke fessed up to Victoria much quicker than I was expecting, although he's still being dishonest about how long and how involved he was with Ethan's flatmate.

Edited February 12, 2021 by TeeVee329

[TeeVee329]

How old is Jamie Tate supposed to be?  I thought he was a bit old to be with Belle and thus reads as waaay too old to be with Gabby.  I liked her calling him on that, trying to dismiss her as some lovesick schoolgirl when he clearly viewed her as old enough to sleep with.

Though didn't they sleep together like a week ago in show time?  Seems early for the pregnancy test.

Altogether, not sure I like the direction the Home Farm canvas is heading.  If they want to shake things up, why not have Zoe's daughter Jean arrive to wage war with Kim.

[TeeVee329]

Nick Miles was fantastic last week portraying Jimmy's fears about losing Carl*.  But I was also glad Nicola popped his balloon about "two parents and their kids, the way it should be, nice and neat" (though this attitude does make sense for a bloke like Jimmy) by pointing out how not-neat their setup has always been because, seriously, like Kelly couldn't swoop back in and pull similar nonsense re: Elliott.

* and if they tied this back to the trauma Jimmy surely must have from all of his brothers brutally dying before their time, all the better!

Edited March 2, 2021 by TeeVee329

[TeeVee329]

I'm really liking Laurel in the Gabby pregnancy storyline.  You can tell that she's, like, shocked and horrified by every development and every move Gabby is making.  But I like that she's made a choice to keep calm in front of Gabby, that other parties like Nicola and Diane are going to kick off, and that she needs to provide a respite from that if she's ever going to get Gabby back from Kim.

Edited March 4, 2021 by TeeVee329

[Tallulah7606]

On 2/19/2021 at 2:48 AM, TeeVee329 said:

How old is Jamie Tate supposed to be?  I thought he was a bit old to be with Belle and thus reads as waaay too old to be with Gabby.  I liked her calling him on that, trying to dismiss her as some lovesick schoolgirl when he clearly viewed her as old enough to sleep with.

If I remember rightly, Jamie was born mid 90s (1996?) he was a baby when his dad Frank died and he died around ‘97ish. Belle was born on Christmas Day 1998, so there’s only actually a couple of years between them. I’ve never understood the whole “Belles too young” thing, she’s in her 20s! 
On a totally different note, I LOVE Mackenzies character-I’m hoping he sticks around for a long time. He’s easy on the eye too, lol!

[michelec]

10 hours ago, Tallulah7606 said:

On a totally different note, I LOVE Mackenzies character-I’m hoping he sticks around for a long time. He’s easy on the eye too, lol!

Agreed. I like how he comes through with the dry, snarky humor on the regular.

[TeeVee329]

Mac's okay.  I am stupidly annoyed at the retconning his arrival lead to because I remember instances of Moira mentioning her mom during The John Years, being in contact with her, and I believe she even went to stay with her after the initial Cain affair came out.

[Tallulah7606]

16 hours ago, TeeVee329 said:

and I believe she even went to stay with her after the initial Cain affair came out.

That was the infamous but never seen Nana Barton, Johns mum

[TeeVee329]

...why would Moira go stay with John's mom after cheating on him lol?

[TeeVee329]

Whoa, Jimmy and Bob talked today about Dawn's death in the King's River Showhome explosion!

Also, while Jimmy was feeling guilty at Dawn's grave, there was a nice shot of Mark Wylde's headstone.  I miss the Wyldes!

[michelec]

On 3/4/2021 at 1:25 PM, TeeVee329 said:

I'm really liking Laurel in the Gabby pregnancy storyline.  You can tell that she's, like, shocked and horrified by every development and every move Gabby is making.  But I like that she's made a choice to keep calm in front of Gabby, that other parties like Nicola and Diane are going to kick off, and that she needs to provide a respite from that if she's ever going to get Gabby back from Kim.

I'm watching the late February episodes, and I thought it was hilarious that within 48 hours-ish of Gabby taking the pregnancy test just about everybody knew about her and Jamie. I know it's a small village, but jeez.

[michelec]

I'm watching the first week of April. Maybe I've seen too many episodes of Law and Order, but I got a funny feeling when Charles and Ethan were talking about the night that their wife/mother "left." Especially when Ethan said that the last thing he remembered was hearing them argue while he was in bed, and then she was gone never to be heard from again. No phone calls, no letters, no nothing. That doesn't add up. I just hope we don't hear about her skeleton being found in a wall or something down the line LOL.

 

[Tallulah7606]

18 hours ago, michelec said:

I'm watching the first week of April. Maybe I've seen too many episodes of Law and Order, but I got a funny feeling when Charles and Ethan were talking about the night that their wife/mother "left." Especially when Ethan said that the last thing he remembered was hearing them argue while he was in bed, and then she was gone never to be heard from again. No phone calls, no letters, no nothing. That doesn't add up. I just hope we don't hear about her skeleton being found in a wall or something down the line LOL.

 

I don’t watch law and order, but I got a similar feeling about this to you 😂 

I find Ethan difficult to watch, I love Charles but Ethan is so wooden and emotionless, it’s like he was cast in haste.

You’re right though-something big has to happen out of this storyline, otherwise it’s just a whole lot of pointless narration between too many people.

[TeeVee329]

Meena celebrating killing Leanna by shaking it to Britney Spears' "Toxic" was kinda awesome. 

Edited July 11, 2021 by TeeVee329

[sas616]

Cannot stand Meena.   I hope they don't drag this out too long and she's discovered for the  evil you know what that she is.    But I'm sure they will.

[TeeVee329]

I appreciated Cathy a) reminding me that Donna's her and Heath's sister because I had kinda blanked on that and b) giving Bob (and the show in general) grief about pretending Viv never existed.

David and Victoria?  Smells like running out of options for both of them.

[TeeVee329]

Soaps are build on coincidences, but Nate's ONS turning out to be Vanessa's girlfriend was too much of one IMO.  I thought Vanessa was living a decent distance away from Emmerdale, how can she have a GF who Nate could have met in a local bar?

Poor Manpreet!

Edited December 31, 2021 by TeeVee329

[Tallulah7606]

I know right!! 
I still have a headache from how hard my eyes rolled back when she got out of the car. 
To be honest, I’m irritated that Vanessa even bothered coming back. Yes she had cancer and it was a horrible time for her, but running off to her mums and leaving Charity to cope with her own grief back at home with the kids for a year and a half is really bizarre behaviour.

[TeeVee329]

Meena holding Manpreet and Vinny hostage was really dragging (especially because I was pretty sure they wouldn't kill off Manpreet and definitely sure they wouldn't kill off Vinny) so I'm glad she's finally been exposed.  And Liam socking her unconscious - BEFORE finding out that she killed his daughter - was very satisfying.

[Tallulah7606]

On 7/11/2021 at 1:02 AM, TeeVee329 said:

Meena celebrating killing Leanna by shaking it to Britney Spears' "Toxic" was kinda awesome. 

Meena IS awesome! Lol! I adore her, she’s completely batsh** in the most wonderfully looney tunes way. 
I genuinely think I’m completely alone with this opinion, everyone else seems to want the storyline to end-but this is the first time in my forty-odd years of soap watching that I’ve wanted the serial killer to keep going as long as possible. 

I’m looking forward to this week in emmerdale and dreading it all at the same time