Is Shirley now the Queen of EastEnders?

james_killroyjames_killroy Posts: 1,210
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It feels like the show is now built around her. Is she the new queen of the show or will Stacey reclaim the crown when she returns?

I also noticed DTC favourite a tweet calling Sharon and Shirley the new Peggy and Pat. Do you agree?
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Comments

  • jamesc_715jamesc_715 Posts: 8,500
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    Nobody is the "Queen" of EastEnders. DTC created Shirley so he's using her more now. DTC likes a lot of female characters especially Shirley, Sharon, Ronnie, Stacey, Jane, Carol and many more.

    In regards to Sharon and Shirley being the new Pat and Peggy, yes I do agree. I hope this happens in future.
  • Broken_ArrowBroken_Arrow Posts: 10,637
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    Nope. Never.

    DTC isn't an idiot. He loves Shirley but I'm sure he knows this will be her only chance to be the "queen" while he's in charge. No future executive producers will afford Shirley the same prominence DTC has given her.
  • valdvald Posts: 46,057
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    No. There are, and have been, too many great female characters for one to be singled out, although Janine will always be my number one. I'm looking forward to Stacey's return, she's a great young actor. She didn't need to return as she's been getting plenty of work, so kudos to Lacey for agreeing to come back.

    I can see the similarity to Peggy/Pat, but I prefer the dynamics between Linda and Shirley as they battle for Mick's attention. Give me that over an engineered love triangle.

    I find Shirley an interesting character so I'm thrilled that they've brought in a family for her and that she is getting as much screen time as other prominent characters.
  • StubeStube Posts: 16,806
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    No, DTC is just taking a criminally underused character, who is played by an amazing actress, a chance to shine.
  • Ell_RenEll_Ren Posts: 9,911
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    There is no 'King' or 'Queen' of EastEnders. Shirley is simply being utilized better, as are numerous other characters. :)

    Shirley and Sharon are definitely the next generation Pat and Peggy though, I would love to see a frenemy relationship like this develop between them, esp as Letitia Dean and Linda Henry work so well together.

    I like Linda and Shirley getting along rather than fighting. :)
  • lionkingonstagelionkingonstage Posts: 3,046
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    Carol is the new Pauline, Sharon is the new Pat and Shirley is the new Peggy.
  • Sunset DaleSunset Dale Posts: 1,732
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    Queen of the gutter yes.
  • Sunset DaleSunset Dale Posts: 1,732
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    Carol is the new Pauline, Sharon is the new Pat and Shirley is the new Peggy.

    Surely Shirley is more like pat than Sharon is.
  • vaslav37vaslav37 Posts: 69,082
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    Carol is the new Pauline, Sharon is the new Pat and Shirley is the new Peggy.

    Pauline, Pat and Peggy were all legends.

    Sharon is a legend but I dont view Carol and Shirley as legends yet.
  • Broken_ArrowBroken_Arrow Posts: 10,637
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    Surely Shirley is more like pat than Sharon is.

    Sharon is Sharon. She's been there since before Pat anyway. She's good enough in her own right not to be derivative of other characters.

    The ship has sailed as far as making Shirley the successor to Pat as far as I'm concerned. Pat can't ever be replaced, much less by Shirley.

    Carol is Pauline at her worst. In other words Pauline in 2006 before she snuffed it.

    You can't replicate what Pat, Pauline and Peggy brought to the show. They were one offs. Pat should still be in Walford. Biggest mistake ever.
  • valdvald Posts: 46,057
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    Surely Shirley is more like pat than Sharon is.

    Yes, that's more like it. Pat was a dreadful mother who liked a drink. Peggy was the snob who revelled in status and thought she was a better mother than anyone else.
  • broadshoulderbroadshoulder Posts: 18,758
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    No. By this time pat was in character

    Shirley has no direction but backwards

    Make the most of this producer Shirley
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,925
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    I do wonder if Shirley being a more popular character than Sharon is a misjudged opinion on here. DTC clearly prefers Shirley, but he frequently mentions Sharon more than Shirley in interviews and she was a lot more prominent than Shirley in the World Cup promo.

    So one has to wonder if Sharon is the poster character to keep the long fans happy. Shame that doesn't translate on screen.
  • Ell_RenEll_Ren Posts: 9,911
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    No. By this time pat was in character

    Shirley has no direction but backwards

    Make the most of this producer Shirley

    ^ Now we are exploring Shirley's past, it will give her a new direction and will develop her character more. :)

    By saying that Shirley and Sharon are the new Pat and Peggy, by no means suggests that they are replacing them, just that they are the 'them' of a new era. Shirley and Sharon are good characters and I can see them forming a Pat/Peggy bond.
  • Broken_ArrowBroken_Arrow Posts: 10,637
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    Aaron1995 wrote: »
    I do wonder if Shirley being a more popular character than Sharon is a misjudged opinion on here. DTC clearly prefers Shirley, but he frequently mentions Sharon more than Shirley in interviews and she was a lot more prominent than Shirley in the World Cup promo.

    So one has to wonder if Sharon is the poster character to keep the fans happy. Shame that can't translate on screen.

    Sharon is more popular and widely known than Shirley. That much is obvious. I don't take into account the bitter and spiteful commets on Facebook and Twitter. The opinions of those people mean nothing to me since all they can do is make personal comments about Sharon's looks and they form part of a dwindling viewership that never saw Sharon or EastEnders at their best. I'm confident DTC knows what he's doing when it comes to Sharon. He can still love Shirley and pander to her fanbase while doing what's best for the show and its continued success by restoring Sharon to her former glory. For every current viewer who hates Sharon there are even more ex viewers who haven't seen her in this stint. With the way the writing is going for both Sharon the show itself there's a chance those ex viewers could tune in, like what they see and keep watching.
  • Ell_RenEll_Ren Posts: 9,911
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    Sharon is more popular and widely known than Shirley. That much is obvious. I don't take into account the bitter and spiteful commets on Facebook and Twitter. The opinions of those people mean nothing to me since all they can do is make personal comments about Sharon's looks and they form part of a dwindling viewership that never saw Sharon or EastEnders at their best. I'm confident DTC knows what he's doing when it comes to Sharon. He can still love Shirley and pander to her fanbase while doing what's best for the show and its continued success by restoring Sharon to her former glory. For every current viewer who hates Sharon there are even more ex viewers who haven't seen her in this stint. With the way the writing is going for both Sharon the show itself there's a chance those ex viewers could tune in, like what they see and keep watching.

    I think they are both popular characters, for the most part, for some reason some Sharon fans are unable to recognize and accept that Shirley is popular and some Shirley fans are unable to recognize and accept that Sharon is popular also.

    I think a lot of people like both characters, it's just the 'haters' are more repetitive and loud with their opinions.

    I don't see why DTC can't like Sharon and Shirley? Why does he have to have a preference?

    And why are Sharon and Shirley always compared? Besides the link of Phil, they are two completely different characters and there is no need to compare them to one another?
  • OminousGloryOminousGlory Posts: 5,019
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    Does it matter if she is or not? There's only one ruler: King Phil.
  • Sunset DaleSunset Dale Posts: 1,732
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    Sharon is Sharon. She's been there since before Pat anyway. She's good enough in her own right not to be derivative of other characters.

    The ship has sailed as far as making Shirley the successor to Pat as far as I'm concerned. Pat can't ever be replaced, much less by Shirley.

    Carol is Pauline at her worst. In other words Pauline in 2006 before she snuffed it.

    You can't replicate what Pat, Pauline and Peggy brought to the show. They were one offs. Pat should still be in Walford. Biggest mistake ever.

    Oh I don't think she is a successor to pat, just that Shirley is more similar to pat than Sharon is. Though yes Sharon shouldn't have to hang on the coat tails of pat. She is successful in her own right, though its a shame she has been so poorly written for since she came back.
  • jamesc_715jamesc_715 Posts: 8,500
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    Does it matter if she is or not? There's only one ruler: King Phil.

    Not for long I think ;)
  • Sunset DaleSunset Dale Posts: 1,732
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    Phil deserves a good kick in the balls. >:(
  • Broken_ArrowBroken_Arrow Posts: 10,637
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    Eli_Ren

    DTC clearly likes both characters and is working on making both characters successful. I never said otherwise. You're the one who keeps making it a war between Sharon and Shirey fans. Pat was heavily mentioned in this thread too. Are Pat fans at war with Shirley fans too?

    Sunset Dale

    I trust DTC with Sharon. You can tell he's a big fan from his Twitter. He won't let us down. I may not agree with all of his decisions but I think he gets Sharon.
  • Ell_RenEll_Ren Posts: 9,911
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    Eli_Ren

    DTC clearly likes both characters and is working on making both characters successful. I never said otherwise. You're the one who keeps making it a war between Sharon and Shirey fans. Pat was heavily mentioned in this thread too. Are Pat fans at war with Shirley fans too?

    Sunset Dale

    I trust DTC with Sharon. You can tell he's a big fan from his Twitter. He won't let us down. I may not agree with all of his decisions but I think he gets Sharon.

    Bib: I never said that you personally had said otherwise?

    I'm not making any war, I didn't say it was a war, but I have noticed a divide that's all. You can't deny it, it's very noticeable, I don't understand why Sharon and Shirley are constantly compared and why one always has to be better than the other that's all, so I'd appreciate, If you weren't rude about it.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,925
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    Ell_Ren wrote: »
    Bib: I never said that you personally had said otherwise?

    I'm not making any war, I didn't say it was a war, but I have noticed a divide that's all. You can't deny it, it's very noticeable, I don't understand why Sharon and Shirley are constantly compared and why one always has to be better than the other that's all, so I'd appreciate, If you weren't rude about it.

    Because that is clearly what the producers want us to do. Otherwise they wouldn't off plugged in that promo in the middle of a semi final World Cup match.
  • Ell_RenEll_Ren Posts: 9,911
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    Aaron1995 wrote: »
    Because that is clearly what the producers want us to do. Otherwise they wouldn't off plugged in that promo in the middle of a semi final World Cup match.

    I took that at face value because of the rivalry between the characters? Not as a bid to compare them constantly.
    I just always see red when I see these threads because they always turn into pages and pages and pages of repetitive character bashing's. Haha.^_^
  • Broken_ArrowBroken_Arrow Posts: 10,637
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    Shirley is a negative character. That's why she gets compared unfavourably to others. That and the fact the scripts directly pit the characters against each other.
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