Eastenders (PBS) - General Discussion

[Chip]

Editor's Note:  This topic replaces the old EastEnders forum which has been vaulted at the location below:  http://forums.previously.tv/forum/567-eastenders-v/

This is for general discussion of the episodes currently airing in the United States on PBS.

If you are watching on the BBC or have access to the BBC episodes, please remember not to spoil anything that may happen later in the series!

[Patssy Stoned]

I soo freakin' love this show, I  wish it were on every night.  Andy had me rolling with laughter when his will was read--I almost felt sorry for poor Sam.

I wish little Mo and Alfie would get together.

I want Chrissie's air.

that's it for now.

[terrymct]

Chrissie, Sam, and Zoe's storyline is definitely coming to a head finally.   It's been interesting, but it's time for either Chrissy or Sam to finally crack or slip up.   I'm tired of Zoe's weeping and the other two throwing barbs at each other.

I've been wondering who will take over the pub when this all finally comes to light.   Johnny Allen would be the obvious choice since he'd have the money to buy it and the skills to step in and run it.  Part of me, though, hopes that Alfie some how manages to get it.

Pauline needs a new storyline asap.  She's more interesting and should have more common sense than what she's been given in the Chloe/Rebecca storyline.  

[M. Darcy]

That's a good question about who gets the pub next.  It does seem to change owners quite a bit.  I can't remember who is the next owner -  I wonder if Den has a will. 

[Chip]

We don't get EastEnders on PBS in Georgia. How often is it shown?

[M. Darcy]

In Washington DC we get two episodes every Saturday morning (which is then repeated Sunday morning).

[terrymct]

In Washington DC we get two episodes every Saturday morning (which is then repeated Sunday morning).

The episodes are repeated during the week on WETA's UK channel, too.  (One of the DC area's PBS stations has started a channel that's just BBC programming)

[Chip]

One of the DC area's PBS stations has started a channel that's just BBC programming

That sounds great!

[sugarbaker design]

In my market, Channel 21 in Long Island, NY, Phil has just come back.  Seems he has no idea that the Vic, the Arches and the Cafe are no longer Mitchell businesses.  Uh oh.

[Patssy Stoned]

I will FOREVER love Andy for the smackdown he gave Sam in his will.  I was rolling with laughter!

[terrymct]

OMG, the Pauline - Chloe/Rebecca story isn't even close to the end.  Rebecca's grandmother is cutting Pauline out, firmly but slightly passive aggressively.  Instead of having sensible old Pauline be grateful for getting to know the girl and realizing that Rebecca is actually in a good place with her adoptive grandmother, Pauline wants to get a lawyer.  Yeah, that will end well.   Just so Pauline can have another person sitting around her table for tea.   The arcs for Pauline versus Dot really strike me as odd.  Over the years, Pauline was the one who was generally on top of things even though she was facing a lot of ups and downs.   Dot was the one who life had beaten down and turned into a fairly cold and unlikable person.  Now, though, Dot is happy, friendly (if a little manic still), and has a fairly reasonable view of life.  Pauline is the cold, hard one.  Its like they've switched positions.

I hope Little Mo and Alfie's secret semi-romance comes out soon or at least they stop sneaking off to corners together to talk.  That storyline is wearing thin.  I do agree with most of the characters on the show.  Alfie and Cat are well suited for each other.  Little Mo is more like someone Alfie has to care for, another in the line with his Grandmother and various relatives.  Cat is more of his equal and a challenge for him.

[M. Darcy]

Pauline is so damn annoying! I can't imagine this storyline was popular when it first aired. I would think anyone who was involved with adoption would find it very insulting.

[Patssy Stoned]

Well last night was boring.

I fine the Tina/Johnny storyline beyond tedious.

And Pauline's pity party is not interesting me at.all.

[Ohwell]

Well, here's hoping that the Pauline - Chloe/Rebecca storyline has finally been resolved.  Pauline acted like she was satisfied with the outcome, but I don't trust her.

[terrymct]

Well, here's hoping that the Pauline - Chloe/Rebecca storyline has finally been resolved.  Pauline acted like she was satisfied with the outcome, but I don't trust her.

That was my thought, as well.  It's be a lovely ending, but the writers won't let things sit like that.  They've been turning Pauline sort of psycho, so this has to come around again.

So, did Dot push Johnny on to the straight and narrow?  Maybe straight and narrow-ish.  I can't imagine that he'd give up the power of his connections.  I could see him moving more toward his legitimate business activities, which seem to be increasing in proportion anyway.

[terrymct]

So, Dot's driving instructor hit on her.  It was telegraphed a mile away, but it's still sort of fun to see Dot and Jim's relationship get a little harmless tweak now and again.

Johnnie really seems to be serious about going legit.  I think he should have fired those two guys regardless, though.  They're not exactly the most competent of assistants.

Zoey, tell Cat or don't tell her.  This is dragging on way too long.

[Ohwell]

I hope Zoey contacts Sharon and/or Michelle, and goes to America.  I'm just sick of the "dead Den" storyline. 

The Dot/driving instructor story was cute, but again, it dragged on much too long.

Johnnie does seem to want to go legit.  Wonder how long that will last.

[terrymct]

So, Zoey may or may not be going to Ibiza tomorrow or next week.  Chrissie's assessment is was right.  Zoey is, and always has been, a victim.  That's what makes her boring.

 

My favorite scene of the week was Cat and Little Mo packing Zoey's bags.  I loved the sisterly feel and the backstory was interesting and well done.

[Ohwell]

I thought Zoey would be gone by now. *sigh*

 

It will be interesting to see Cat's reaction when she finds out about the "almost" relationship between Alfie and Little Mo.

[terrymct]

I thought Zoey would be gone by now. *sigh*

 

It will be interesting to see Cat's reaction when she finds out about the "almost" relationship between Alfie and Little Mo.

 

It has to come out soon.  I think that's what the scene between Billy Mitchell and Alfie in the pub was about.  Billy's still a wee bit p.o.'ed and he's going to let it slip sooner rather than later.

[Ohwell]

I really hope that Billy can move on with his life.  Little Mo has always annoyed me with her supposed naivete. 

[M. Darcy]

Dennis is back!!!  I love Dennis.   One of the reasons I didn't watch the episode of Downton when Anna gets raped is not only did I not want to see a violent rape, I didn't want to see it committed by Dennis.  

 

Just shut up every single Slater.  Except Little Mo - I don't think she was screaming in the pub. 

[sugarbaker design]

Dennis is back!!!  I love Dennis.

 

 

Well thank goodness, I'm sick of the Johnny/Tina, Pauline/Dot driving show.

[M. Darcy]

I totally loved that Dennis just didn't give a shit about Johnny Allen.  Though,

considering Johnny is part of the reason he is killed, probably not a smart thing to have done.

[Ohwell]

I'm not clear about why Dennis and Sharon came back to Walford.  While I like Dennis, I never liked Sharon.

[Patssy Stoned]

All I have to say is:  I'm getting bored with the Tina and Billy story.  enough.  Pauline and Rebecca/Chloe.  Mind your own business you miserable bint.  Driving Miss Dorothy?  cute, but enough.

 

I'm sad to say I'm not even looking forward to tonite's epis.

Edited May 7, 2014 by Patssy Stoned

[Chip]

How long are the episodes on PBS?

[Ohwell]

On my station, I get two half hour shows, back to back, on Saturday mornings. 

[Ohwell]

Well, I hope that Zoey is FINALLY gone for good!  They dragged out that storyline much too long.   

[M. Darcy]

Normally Zoe bores me but I loved her telling off Kat.

[terrymct]

Zoe was absolutely on the mark with Kat, too.

So, now we have Kat with a nugget of knowledge that's she's going to keep following up on until it finally comes out. I hope Dennis and Sharon's stay is brief. I know they aren't blood kin, but their relationship squicks me out all the same.

[M. Darcy]

Their relationship doesn't bother me - they met as adults so they weren't raised together and they aren't related. Plus can you blame Sharon - look at the other single men in the Square.

Edited May 12, 2014 by M. Darcy

[terrymct]

For years, Sharon used to be one of my favorite characters.  I can barely stand her now.  I don't think it's the pseudo-brotherly love.  It's more her whining/whinging and these sloppy storylines she's been in, I think.   I'm ready for her to head back to the US to stay with Michelle or something.

[Ohwell]

While it's true that Sharon and Dennis aren't related and weren't raised together, they were regarded as brother and sister for many years.  I can understand if the rest of Walford is uncomfortable with their relationship.  It squicks me out, too, although I can stand Dennis a bit more because at least he did try to have another relationship--even if it was with stupid Zoey.  Sharon, on the other hand, couldn't see past Dennis.  She had to have him, no matter how squicky it was.  Even when she's with Dennis, she has a sneaky look about her, like she knows it's not right.

[sugarbaker design]

While it's true that Sharon and Dennis aren't related and weren't raised together, they were regarded as brother and sister for many years.

 

 

By whom?  Sharon and Vicky didn't even know of Dennis' existence until Sharon and Dennis were well into their thirties.

[Milz]

 

Zoey is, and always has been, a victim.  That's what makes her boring.

 

Being an idiot makes her boring too, imo. Sam's an idiot too (Andy Hunter, RIP, was correct about her.)

 

Re: Johnny Allen

 

What a waste of a character!  So much potential to be Albert Square's big baddie and what happens? His personal life gets in the way.

[M. Darcy]

Not that I condone murder, but really Kat, she helped kill Den.  Its a good thing.

 

I like Kat sitting at the bar and quietly taunting Chrissie but she lost me when she started screaming at Sharon and Dennis.  They did nothing wrong.

[Milz]

Kat was defending the Slater name. Sharon and Dennis made a Slater look like a fool (ignore the fact what screaming and yelling at a the neighborhood watering hole makes you look like).

 

I'm beginning to wonder if Kat will become the Pat of her generation.

[M. Darcy]

Kat could never be as awesome is Pat is. 

[Ohwell]

By whom?  Sharon and Vicky didn't even know of Dennis' existence until Sharon and Dennis were well into their thirties.

 

Yes, you're right.  I didn't mean to suggest that they were regarded as brother and sister for "many years."  However, when Dennis came to Walford, I do think that the townsfolk regarded him and Sharon as siblings, even though they knew Sharon was adopted.  I just think that they were seen as "Den's children."  I think that's the way they initially felt about each other until they fell in love.

[sugarbaker design]

It seemed to me they thought of each other certainly as Den's kids, but not necessarily as brother and sister.

[Milz]

Sharon definitely considers Vicky her sister. But that's probably because Michelle is Vicky's mother and Sharon was around when Vicky was growing up.

 

I don't know why  people in the Square would consider Sharon and Dennis to be "brother and sister", considering Sharon is adopted and  Dennis was never around while they were growing up. Can't say it's like the Ian and Simon thing where everyone thought Simon could be Ian's half brother. IIRC Simon used to call Pauline and Arthur, "Auntie Pauline" and "Uncle Arthur".

Edited May 23, 2014 by Milz

[Ohwell]

Well, there were certainly some people around the Square who reacted with revulsion when Sharon and Dennis started dating.  That's what I'm basing my opinion on. 

 

Plus, even Sharon and Dennis anguished about their attraction for each other and I don't think they would have felt that way if they hadn't thought about themselves being "brother and sister," and worried about what other people thought about their relationship,

Edited May 23, 2014 by Ohwell

[Milz]

I can't remember if the "old timers" like Pauline, Dot and Ian were repulsed by Sharon's and Dennis' relationship. Pauline doesn't like Dennis because she's still mad a Den for impregnating Michelle. Maybe the people who were repulsed are the Square's newbies? Maybe the Square was still trying to recover from Zoe's parentage?

[Milz]

It's getting good on WETA. Kat knows what happened to Den---the real story.

[TimWil]

Last night on WLIW we saw Cheryl Fergison as Megan, a prison inmate who Big Mo was visiting. She had 2 lines. Was it a year or so later when she was hired to play Heather?

Ugghh, the Millers. Casting those actors as the parents was one of the biggest casting mistakes the show ever made. Both were physically repugnant and as characters were dreary to the extreme.

[Ohwell]

Ugghh, the Millers. Casting those actors as the parents was one of the biggest casting mistakes the show ever made. Both were physically repugnant and as characters were dreary to the extreme.

Ugh.  I hate the Millers, including the younger children.  I care nothing about their storyline:  thieving, lazy, illiterate dad; enabling, thieving, common-law wife; thieving teenaged mom; thieving boy.  The only one I like is the oldest boy whose name I can't think of.  He cares for his family so much, but I wish he'd just leave them and make his own life somewhere else.  Worst casting ever.

[terrymct]

It feels like the Chrissy storyline may be coming to a head, but I'm not sure yet how it's going to play out.  She's definitely trying to get out of town (and probably the country) quickly, which makes me think that when her exit is blocked that Den's death will become general knowledge.  

 

Mo-Cat-Alfie-Billy.  I do not care anymore.  Mo and Alfie are completely without chemistry.  I don't understand why he'd go with her over Cat.

[Ohwell]

Mo and Alfie are completely without chemistry.  I don't understand why he'd go with her over Cat.

I think the only reason he wanted Mo is that he feels she's "safe," and more dependable than Kat.  He still loves Kat, but I think he just got tired of the roller coaster ride with her.  The one I feel sorry for is Billy because he really tried to learn from his mistakes, and how he treated Mo after her rape and bearing the rapist's child.   

 

I think that Mo and Alfie are kind of underhanded and I haven't liked them since they got together.  I thought it was interesting that Mo told Billy that their relationship was over, but Alfie keeps putting off telling Kat, and stupid Mo can't see the light. 

[M. Darcy]

Aw, what a sweet proposal.

Hopefully that means that the wedding is soon. I believe that's when Sam goes nuts and digs up Den.

 

I was kind of hoping that when Kat told Billy that Little Mo still loved him and if it wasn't him, who else would be it, Bill would have replied - well, Alfie.