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Is Bryan Kirkwood the worst thing to happen to soap?
He killed any kind of momentum Santer created for Eastenders - disrespecting the show's history, ruining various characters, turning the show into a London Hollyoaks, killing Pat - and was soon replaced after his ridiculous reign and now he's destroyed what was once a really underrated fantastic teen soap. His first stint was amazing but now it's been cancelled out by his lack of characterisation, storytelling and general care for how realistic the show is. Hollyoaks will never be able to redeem itself after a couple of years of constant deaths, no continuity etc.
I have no idea how he is still in work. He's horrendous.
I have no idea how he is still in work. He's horrendous.
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The strange thing is when Kirkwood puts his mind to it he can produce brilliant work. The fire at the Dog in Hollyoaks was a fantastic week of episodes while I thought Billie's death in EastEnders was stunningly scripted and produced. He also refreshed Janine. But for some reason he's lost his consistency.
But because of the above I have to say Bryan Kirkwood isn't the worst thing to happen to soap. I think that accolade should go to Stuart Blackburn. Storylines go round in circles, characters regress or suffer personality transplants, there is a lack of depth and a lack of excitement (he's almost the anti-Kirkwood in that nothing ever happens in his shows whereas too much happens in Hollyoaks). Hollyoaks is at least holding up well ratings wise this year; Coronation Street is shedding viewers at a slightly alarming rate.
2012 I'll admit he really lost it though. And his most recent stint on HO has been awful bar some stuff.
Care to share what this cracking material that he produced ? and don't say Pats death 😩
You've got that spot on... 2011 was like a hanger on if that makes sense? 2010 was pretty much a great year IMO, and so 2011 was coming away from that, after the departure of Ronnie though, that's when things went messy, Pat's departure, well it left a giant hole... But, Pat was unrecognisable in her last few months anyway, because the show was so bad... It's a shame really! Kirkwood can produce some good stuff though! He produced some of the most memorable episodes for EastEnders, and the Queen Vic fire was flawless!:p
As awful as he was. Kirkwood tried, and was new to the show...
Newman sat on her lazy arse, and did ****all for the show, and had been there for 21 years, her attitude towards the show was ****ing disgraceful...
The Queen Vic fire would have been better if someone had died in it. And if Barbara Windsor hadn't forgotten how to act - half of the argument with Phil had to be translated by dolphins. It's a shame as I thought she was really good in her exit episode.
He had some good ideas but the execution let him down - like Phil's drug addiction; he came through that far too quickly.
I didn't think it was that noticeable, I still think it was flawless!:D better than the Rover's fire in 2013... That was good, but at the same time a bit anti climatic...
I think that his current stint on Hollyoaks is a new direction. It is more over the top and fun, which is very appealing to a certain audience. I like how the show comes across as quite lighthearted and enjoyable considering some of the storylines.
However, the emotional moments have been incredible. I have actually cried at events, such as JP going to the police after the rape, Carmel's death, baby Katy's death and funeral.
-Whitney's prostitution
-Yusef/Zainab domestic abuse
-Janine in general
-Stacey, Ronnie and Peggy's exits
-Parts of the Kat/Ronnie baby swap
-Phil's stalker
-Billie's death
-Shirley/Phil
-Dot/Rose
-Teens in woods
-Southend
-Jay/Abi
-Characters such as Lola, Fatboy, Zsa Zsa, Vanessa and Jodie
I know many of these plots are hated but I'm a fan of then all. The show was far from perfect in 2011 but it was still gripping IMO, far more so than now.
I have no evidence behind this theory but I think the Rovers fire was rushed so Phil Collinson could produce it. It was only released to the press just before Christmas but it was aired in February which is a quick turnaround. It seems like Collinson was pushed and he may have wanted to burn the Rovers down before he left so brought the scripting/filming forward. As I said before, though, all conjecture.
He had Ronnie, Peggy, Stacey and Pat all quit under him. Probably the shows biggest females. He had the complete OTT reaction to the baby swap, and it was his era when the BBC started making budget cuts. We don't get any special segments anymore like 'Eastenders: Greatest so and so'
I also think the powers-that-be would have had to clear the controversial content before it was fully scripted. They then panicked when they got bad press. They should have either foreseen the issues and told Kirkwood 'no' at the start or backed him until the conclusion of thr storyline. Not back him then change their mind halfway through. That hurt the show more than anything.
Yeah but Sam Womack only quit because she hated the baby swap plot, and Pat was killed off when Pam had only asked for a break. So Kirkwood's to blame for those two.
Almost all of my favourite characters are either dead or gone and the ones left who I still liked who has been in the show for a number of years, which was about 3 (Ste Tony, Darren) we're just completely different people to those I once fell in love with. I accept that characters change and grow, bit it was more than that. It was a character transplant massacre in some cases.
BK has killed off around 30 odd characters since being EP of Hollyoaks this second time round, 30! That isn't normal. The storylines are ridiculous, the storytelling is dreadful and I just couldn't think of one positive reason to carry on watching something that I no longer enjoyed in the slightest. I know that from time to time Hollyoaks had it's far-fetched moments between 2006-2013, but then I can almost name so many amazing and unforgettable moments. The Dog fire, Max's death, Niall's revenge, Brendan's sexual abuse, Amy/Ste domestic violence, Newt's schizophrenia, Silas, the bus crash, Lynsey's murder etc. But with in the last year, I can't remember one apparent 'OMG moment' that I didn't see coming or remotely enjoyed.
So yeah, to me, BK is the worse thing to happen to soap.
It's pretty suspicious though that Sam quit during the baby swap storyline then returned a year after Kirkwood stepped down?
Also the Pam St Clement thing, I guess we'll never know what really happened. But Babs Windsor claims Pam only ever asked for a break. So who knows?
Also the Pam St Clement thing, I guess we'll never know what really happened. But Babs Windsor claims Pam only ever asked for a break. So who knows?[/QUOTE]
Sam was getting abuse on the street from idiots that couldn't tell the difference between fact and fiction so that could've been a reason.
Paul Marquess made The Bill unmissable from 2002-2005. Watchin the repeats on Drama Channel and it's still great to watch and he did an OK job with Hollyoaks but he created the awful Brendan Brady>:(
Lucy Allen wasn't great but she was much better than the terrible Emma Smithwick who shouldn't be allowed anywhere near television. She had an obsession with Brendan and that Maddie creature.
Bryan Kirkwood has ruined Hollyoaks but I'm enjoying it in a 'So bad it's amazing' kind of way. I sit through every episode and can't help but laugh at how silly some of the storylines are but I won't give up watching anytime soon. It's not Hollyoaks anymore and I've accepted that the old show is now an over the top pantomime.
The glorified secretary was a ****ing disaster, for her 21 yrs she knew sweet FA about the show of its history, she hated criticism and was not best pleased with DS during her tenure of torturing the viewers of EE. where soap producers are concerned the current crop bar DTC barely have the intelligence to make a cup of tea never mind produce a soap.
As for Marquess I hate that with a passion he screwed The Bill and a few good friends working in front and behind the camera, Kent at the Holby twins is another idiot who disregards the productions history for sensationalism, those I have mentioned do not have the smarts to hold a Golf Sale sign in the high street.
Until Ms St Clemments publicly talks then what Windsor says about iit n the media is **** packet bullshit,
Can you imagine a soap nightmare team consisting of Bryan Kirkwood, Lucy Allen, Emma Smithwick, Stuart Blackburn, Lorraine Newman and Louise Berridge all working together on the one soap. :eek: