Eastenders (BBC) - General Discussion

[TimWil]

The bit with Lola suddenly popping out of her job to go to the Albert is typical of when EE becomes contrived to the extreme. It's simply sloppy writing. 

[Wootini]

I seem to recall Lola taking beauty classes or something. I mean, she had that whole makeup kit that she would drag around. And Peter wanted her to go to school for something real, but she just wanted to do hair and makeup. So her I could see having enough education that Dean could give her a tryout. Paul? Who knows. Did he take one look at that white boy 'fro and say "Hell, if you can keep THAT mop under control, you can handle anyone's hair!"

[Wootini]

Wow, this whole time I've been wondering just how Masood was going to screw this up completely. Find out where the kid is? A little shady. Blast Shabnam for giving away his grandchild? Pretty awful. Go to find the kid ON THE SAME DAY THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE OPENING YOUR NEW MARKET STALL? Really unprofessional and potentially dangerous to the family. Take a picture to shove in Shabnam's face to make her feel even worse than she already does about herself? Incredibly thoughtless and cruel. But giving the address to Shirley so Dean can raise the girl? Holy crap, Mass, even I didn't think you were THAT stupid. You really screwed the pooch on that one!

[eejm]

I was wondering if/when CF would pop up again in Shirley's family.  She is a carrier, meaning the whole family from Stan and Sylvie down to Ollie are potential carriers.  What's odd is that as Jade is a sufferer, Shabnam as well as Dean must be a carrier.  CF typically occurs in caucasian families, but not often among Asians.  Despite it being rare, I wonder if we'll find out about the disease popping up elsewhere in the Masood family.  

 

Finding out that Jade CF is obviously going to be hard on Shirley because it will remind her of her son who died.  I think it will be a huge shock to both Shabnam and Dean as well.  Shabnam will feel horribly guilty for abandoning her sick daughter, while Dean's already questionable mental state is probably going to wither away even more.  It will make for an interesting summer I think.

[TimWil]

I think Shabnam might have already known about her daughter's CF. That would explain her seemingly over the top reaction whenever the subject of Roya was brought up. Fatima certainly knows. Why didn't she tell Mas about his granddaughter's condition?

[M. Darcy]

Masood is just like Ian and Jane - he's not listening to the mother as to what she wants.  That conversation with Tamwar was great - Tamwar was the voice of reason and saying everything that we are.

 

Umm, Dean, don't you need to actually pay the money to Lola?  Don't spend it all at once.  Speaking of Dean, back in PBS land, we had our first episode with Dean Wicks over the weekend (we lost Dennis at 9 and got Dean at 9:30) - which sadly means I have double the Dean now. Uck.  Matt looks so young though! 

[TimWil]

In his first appearance Dean stole flowers which were left in a memorial to Dennis. That was obviously the least of his crimes!

[Wootini]

Huh. I have to give it to EastEnders. I honestly thought the cliffhanger was going to be a drunk Stacy throwing herself at Kush and Shabs (or someone else) would walk in on them. I didn't expect Dean to come in blabbing to everyone about their kid.

 

It's also funny because watching Stacy and Kush give each other these furtive glances makes me want them together more than him and Shabs. THIS is how you do it, EE. Not like with Charlie and Roxy where you just have them sleep together out of nowhere and tell us that they've been flirting off-camera this whole time. However, I'm now afraid that drunk Stacy is going to end up sleeping with Martin and he'll get the wrong idea and that'll just turn ugly as hell.

 

Oh, and something that's been bugging me for a while: When Stacy took over Kat and Alfie's apartment, she did some remodeling, but it looks like she literally transplanted the entire kitchen to the other side of that room. I swear before, when you were in that room looking at the door, the table and sink and stove and stuff were on the left hand side. But now they're on the right. That's some major redecoration! Or am I remembering wrong?

[eejm]

Oh.  My.  There are regrettable drunken one night stands and then there's a regrettable one night stand with the local rapist.  Roxy can really pick men sometimes, can't she?

 

I take it Kim must not have gotten a full view of her vodka fountain online before buying it.  Pam was obviously delighted by it.  Hee.  

 

Excellent stuff from the Masoods over the last couple of days.  I can understand Shabnam's shame and her need to hide Jade's existence even from herself.  I can understand her anger at Masood going behind her back after she told him under no uncertain terms to forget about Jade.  But this is really something Shabnam can't wish away or expect her father to just brush off.  And I don't think Masood, Shabnam, or Shirley have any real idea just how much more of a loose cannon this will make Dean.  This looks to be a really interesting summer for both families.

 

While Carol did not deserve that punch from Shirley, I laughed.  Linda Henry seems to enjoy playing Shirley On A Bender, she does it well.  And Bushra?  Well, her take out by Carmel was pretty good, but too bad she wasn't in the garage with Buster...

[Wootini]

Oh, I LOVED Carmel's two-faced slap line. That was delicious.

 

And I also laughed at Shirley punching Carol. (Carol didn't deserve it at that moment, but I'll accept it as a punch for the other times recently that Carol HAS deserved a smack… :D )

 

I agree that the Masood storyline is really good. Because it's not black-and-white. Everyone is in the wrong but also in the right. I can see both sides. Although to be honest, I'm kind of on Shabnam's side, because it was her decision to make and she made it and Mass should respect that despite his apparently INSANE desire to have a grandchild for some reason.

 

I'm not sure what they're doing with Dean, though. When Roxy started flirting with him and he reacted, I thought maybe he would start making a move and she'd try to say no when he got too heavy, leading to drama. But instead they just slept together? The hell? I don't understand what we're supposed to think about Dean. Are we supposed  to feel sorry for him being denied his kid? Because I don't. He's kind of a sociopathic monster who probably shouldn't even be allowed NEAR kids of any kind, his or not. Are they just trying to forget that whole storyline with Linda even happened? Do they regret telling it? (Probably not, because it helped them get some awards, but still…) Because after they confirmed that Oliver was definitely Mick's (which was unlikely, if not impossible) it seemed they were going out of their way to distance themselves from the Dean The Rapist angle. Sorry, my memory isn't that short.

[Wootini]

Good lord, but Roxy sure can pick 'em, can't she? 

[eejm]

Good lord, but Roxy sure can pick 'em, can't she? 

 

Yeah, I don't know how much more of a point the writers can make about Roxy's poor choice in men and insecurity when it comes to Ronnie's approval.  I can see this ending with Ronnie going after Dean somehow.

[Wootini]

The only way I want to see Ronnie going after Dean is the same way she went after Carl. ;)

[TimWil]

I understand Roxy being drunk out of her skull and making a bad choice by bedding down with Dean. Sort of. But then a day or so later she not only summons him back for seconds she begins the session with "Shut up and get naked"? Did she not get the memo that he's an alleged apist? I guess she doesn't believe Linda. Hmmm. I can envision a scenario where they're in the middle of the act, he cracks up for some reason, thinks she's Linda, calls her "Linda" and rapes her. And it ends uo being recorded on Ronnie's webcam and it's up to Ronnie to decide if she wants to expose Dean with the certainty that her dirty secret will also be exposed. God help Roxy.

Edited June 20, 2015 by TimWil

[eejm]

I understand Roxy being drunk out of her skull and making a bad choice by bedding down with Dean. Sort of. But then a day or so later she not only summons him back for seconds she begins the session with "Shut up and get naked"? Did she not get the memo that he's an alleged rapist? I guess she doesn't believe Linda. Hmmm. I can envision a scenario where they're in the middle of the act, he cracks up for some reason, thinks she's Linda, calls her "Linda" and rapes her. And it ends uo being recorded on Ronnie's webcam and it's up to Ronnie to decide if she wants to expose Dean with the certainty that her dirty secret will also be exposed. God help Roxy.

 

I don't think it's that Roxy believes Linda is lying, but I think Dean's bad reputation excites her.  The fact that Charlie and Ronnie have sort of shut her out now makes Roxy even less eager to do the right and responsible thing.  It's very creepy that Dean is now involved with a woman who is about 10 years older, just as Linda is.  Not only does it not look good for Roxy, but it also doesn't look good for Dean.  Does he know that his FWB's sister has a bit of an absent conscience?  And armed with a protective attitude toward her little sister and anything questionable from the webcam...yeah Ronnie could go medieval on Dean.

[TimWil]

"Dean's bad reputation excites her"? Like, that he's a RAPIST? That would make it even worse, in my opinion, if she does believe Linda and Mick but still wants to have sex with him.

[eejm]

Is it a terrible idea that will probably end badly for Roxy?  Absolutely!  But Roxy often makes bad choices in men.  Sometimes - in the case of Carl White - really bad choices.  Choosing Dean right now is very much in character for her.  She doesn't know Mick or Linda well, so I think Roxy might be conveniently ignoring any doubts she has about Dean for the sake of "making her own choices," as she told Dean the other day.  

[TimWil]

Well, then she's a moron, and so when I hear the other characters say she's one next time I'll believe them.

Lindsay Coulson (Carol) is leaving the show. Boo. I'm optimistic that Michael French (David) can be convinced to be a part of Lindsay's exit.

Edited June 20, 2015 by TimWil

[Wootini]

Ah, Buster… Unlikely Voice Of Reason.

 

Seriously, the face on Dean to barge into the Vic and be all "Hey Linda, I'm really sorry I raped you. Can't we put it behind us?" And then get upset when Mick and Linda are basically like, "Get away from us you psychopath." Buster's not wrong that the boy's got serious psychological issues.

 

I keep waiting for the moment when Dean suddenly comes to realize what he actually did to Linda and stops pretending it was anything but sexual assault. But now I am afraid that moment is never going to happen. We're not actually supposed to feel sorry for him or want him to be allowed anywhere near his child, are we? Because, no. Just… no.

 

And thankfully while we have to endure Cindy again we were at least only subjected to one brief whiny outburst.

[TimWil]

I think Ronnie will end up exposing Dean via her handy webcam, perhaps if he tries forcing himself on Roxy if she were to rebuff him. I'm guessing this will happen around the time of Mick and Linda's wedding.

Edited June 24, 2015 by TimWil

[Wootini]

As delightful as it was to watch the guys handcuff Kush to the fence in his underwear, since it was for his birthday, it's a shame he wasn't in his BIRTHDAY SUIT! :D

[Decider]

Hate, hate, hate this Shabnam-Kush-Stacey storyline.

Cora!  That was unexpected.

Casting news:

Dean Gaffney is coming back to reprise his role as Robbie Jackson, presumably to do with Lindsey Coulson's exit storyline.

Edited June 26, 2015 by Decider

[Wootini]

I disagree. I only hate the Shabnam/Kush/Stacey storyline because we can't have Kush and Stacey together. I much prefer him with her over Shabs. Sorry, Shabs. :) But this is how you do a proper love triangle, unlike Ronnie/Charlie/Roxy, which is the absolute worst. Here at least we got to watch Kush and Stacey fall for each other and try to resist their feelings so as not to hurt Shabnam. As opposed to Roxy and Charlie who just started having sex out of nowhere and then felt guilty afterwards. Also, with that one, it's hard to root for anyone because Charlie doesn't have chemistry with either of those two. At least Kush works with both Shabnam and Stacey. (Obviously better with Stacey!)

 

What I hated was the scene with those chavs (that's the right word, yes?) beating up on Shabnam. I absolutely loathe bully storylines. They're so uncomfortable to watch. Because there's no reason behind the attack, it's just because they're awful people. I would've thought Stacey and Kush would feel bad enough about sleeping together (I'm assuming that's where that was heading) without the added guilt of having done it while Shabs was being beaten up. Ugh.

 

But I agree! Cora was an unexpected surprise!

[Decider]

I think Stacey and Kush came out of nowhere, too.  They have more chemistry together than Roxy and Charlie, I will agree with that.  Stacey was all about Shabnam being her best mate and supporting her all through the time when she was struggling with her feelings for Kush, but now that they are together and engaged, Stacey just has to be with him?  Feh.  It was the same with Stacey-Ryan-Janine but at least Ryan was Lily's father, so there was that connection between the two of them.

And the way that Stacey is using Martin is sad to watch, too.  At least have the common decency to not lead him on and instantly run to him to be loved up every time she can't have Kush.

Edited June 26, 2015 by Decider

[Wootini]

To be fair, Stacey only threw herself at Martin and very quickly realized that it was very much the wrong thing to do and not fair to him, so I give her credit for dropping him like the idiotic hot potato he is. ;)

 

But honestly, I'm surprised MORE women in the Square aren't throwing themselves at Kush! :D

[eejm]

Wow, does Shabnam just need to be in a room with a guy in order to get pregnant?  But if it was Kush's baby, wouldn't she a bit too far along to be just finding out?  Wasn't that back in January?  Does she have someone else on the side too?

[Decider]

To be fair, Stacey only threw herself at Martin and very quickly realized that it was very much the wrong thing to do and not fair to him, so I give her credit for dropping him like the idiotic hot potato he is. ;)

Stacey will run back to Martin again, count on that, especially now that Shabnam is pregnant.  Thank goodness Stacey and Kush haven't actually consummated their attraction just yet or I could see her turning up pregnant and all.

Edited June 26, 2015 by Decider

[TimWil]

Well, the latest is that STACEY is pregnant now, only it's apparently Martin's baby. And thus the plot thickens to a ridiculous degree.

http://www.soapsquawk.co.uk/news/eastenders-interview-stacey-slater-is-pregnant.php#results

Edited June 27, 2015 by TimWil

[Eatveggies]

Where is everyone at in the storyline? We are at Spring 2005. Kat and Sam came back today. Am I too far behind to join in the forum?

[Decider]

Eatveggies, this thread is for the current BBC episodes that are airing (June 2015).  The PBS episode thread is where discussion would be for older episodes.

Another pregnancy on the show?  BORING.

Edited June 29, 2015 by Decider

[Wootini]

I was stunned to find out Shabman is pregnant. Mostly because I had forgotten that she and Kush ever got physical. Like, EVER. Let alone recently enough for her to get knocked up. Sigh. And if that rumor about Stacey is true, I can see myself not enjoying the next 6-9 months of this show very much. :-P

 

Also, only on soaps can you take a tumble into a table or down a short flight of stairs and lose your baby, but get the crap kicked out of you repeatedly by bullies and discover that not only are you pregnant, but the fetus is fine! O.o 

[M. Darcy]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  Is the concept of birth control ever going to hit the Square?  Boots really needs to open a store there.   

[Wootini]

Honestly, you can't win either way. Soaps need unplanned pregnancies for drama. So either people are stupid and don't use protection, or they do use protection and it fails. Somebody's going to come out looking bad no matter which way you go.

Edited June 29, 2015 by Wootini

[M. Darcy]

Heh, that's true.  They do need the drama. 

 

Oh, and Nancy.  Shut up.  Whatever Kush and Stacy are or aren't doing is none of your business.

[Wootini]

I have to say I really enjoy the way EastEnders makes Shabnam so abrasive and unlikeable and then craps all over her like they're almost daring us to feel sympathy for her.

 

And OF COURSE Stacey goes running back to Martin. Ugh. What a mess.

 

Nice to see Dot again, but I can't WAIT until Vincent is exposed and Patrick and shout "I TOLD YOU SO!" at the top of his lungs. :D

[Decider]

Loved the scenes with Carol and Buster and I really wish Lindsey Coulson wasn't leaving.  I wonder if Shirley will apologize when she finds out that bra doesn't belong to Carol.  Not holding my breath on that.

[Wootini]

Wait, so Carol DIDN'T sleep with Buster? Because I was completely confused by that whole thing. They seemed to be having a moment, and then we cut away. And when we cut back, she was leaving, and they looked to be going in for a hug or a kiss when Denise walked in. So I don't know what happened. Whose bra is it, then? That was very badly edited. You need to show people starting to go at it before you cut away if you want us to think they had sex. 

 

But yes, I also enjoy Buster with Carol. He's the only one that treats her like a normal person. Sonya is so condescending and annoying. Ugh.

[M. Darcy]

Yeah, I don't think they had sex.  All her other clothes looked just the same like they hadn't been removed - she got everything else on but forgot her bra? Plus, if they had had sex, given her surgery and how she feels, she probably would have left the bra on.  As do all women when they have sex on tv.  

 

Plus, neither one of them are so stupid to have sex in the living room like that when anyone can walk in. 

 

I think she was just so pissed at Sonya and the third degree she was getting that she said it.  Which, shut up.  Don't tell the doctor what your mom wants.  Let her tell the doctor.

Edited July 1, 2015 by M. Darcy

[Wootini]

I didn't think they had sex, either. So maybe that was Buster's bra? 

 

OR MAYBE VINCENT HAS ANOTHER DEEP, DARK SECRET! :D

[M. Darcy]

Heh.  That would be awesome.  Its probably just Roxie's. Or Ronnie (I can never remember which sister has which name).

[Decider]

I would bet my last dollar that bra belongs to Roxy and she left it behind after hooking up with Dean.  

I am also betting that Carol was winding Shirley up when she said she and Buster had sex, especially after the chat she had with Buster about not wanting to be thought of as the frumpy old gran.

 

So nice to see Martin tell Stacey that she can't run back and forth to him, but of course that changed right quick now that Kush is standing by Shabnam.  Not looking forward to the "Stacey's pregnant" storyline. 

Edited July 1, 2015 by Decider

[Wootini]

Oh yeah! I was trying to think whose bra it could be, and i totally forgot about Roxy and Dean getting nasty in that house. And Roxy is TOTALLY the type to leave her knickers behind. :)

[eejm]

Does anyone else think that Stacey is headed for another manic episode?

[Decider]

*raises hand*

[M. Darcy]

 

Its probably just Roxie's

We were right!  Man, when the entire group in the café was giving Carol such a difficult time, I was hoping she would point out every single time they did the same exact thing.

[Wootini]

We're a few weeks behind on the PBS episodes that we watch concurrently with the present-day ones, so right now, Stacey has just been dealing with cleaning up Jean's house and trying to get her back on her meds. Which is good, because it's a reminder of just how awful Jean was to Stacey back then, so Stacey's behavior when she sees her mom again makes more sense.

 

But yeah, Stacey is clearly heading for a meltdown and poor Martin is NOT going to be able to deal. Also, I expect that's where she'll confess her fling with Kush and blow that out of the water. Or maybe she'll wait until the wedding to really flip out. That would be more dramatic! :D

 

And I appreciate finally getting to see Nancy and Tamwar actually have scenes together and act like an actual couple. Even if I'm still not really seeing any romantic chemistry between them at all. Not even when they were in bed together! Oh well! They're still adorable!

[TimWil]

Good episode tonight. I think Gavin, the property development, Brian Slater and the key are all intertwined. This is shaping up to be something fascinating.

Fun fact I realized as I was watching the episode: the piece of music being played as Jean walked down the aisle was the same piece of music that Amanda Carrington walked down the aisle to in a particularly notorious episode of Dynasty. Anyone remember the Moldavian Massacre? This was surely no coincidence and probably a DTC touch.

[Wootini]

You think the key and the development are intertwined? Why? That seems pretty out of left field. Although I always enjoy when separate storylines ultimately converge to become something bigger than you ever expected.

 

And no, I didn't remember that was the music from the Moldavian Massacre! Hah!

 

I love how Cindy doesn't even have to speak to make me see red. All she has to do is give someone one of her snotty looks and I just want to bean her with a music box. Ugh. That girl is so annoying!

[TimWil]

The key, Gavin, Brian Slater and the new development plans being somehow intertwined make sense to me because it was established that Brian worked on construction sites-maybe he'd worked for Gavin back in, say, 2002 or 2003, had done some dirty work for him and proof of that is locked away?

Edited July 8, 2015 by TimWil

[Wootini]

A lock box buried in the building they're digging up? Sounds good to me! :D