Has the 'Who Killed Lucy?' storyline been a success?
boogie woogie
Posts: 16,417 Forum Member
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The title says it all really. EastEnders has seen much change over the past seven to eight months with DTC taking the helm and probably the most prominent moves was the decision to kill off one of the show's longest serving characters, Lucy Beale. It's a plot that's garnered much media attention and appears to have got the public talking about the show again after a lacklustre few years under Brian Kirkwood and Lorraine Newman. It's now been three months since the arc kicked off and with it set to culminate with the
show's 30th anniversary celebrations next February it's fair to say that a lot is riding on the reveal being a worthy pay-off after such a significant build up.
So far, I've found it a very well executed storyline that has managed to maintain a reasonable amount of intrigue with a diverse mix of characters. One the successes of this plot lies in the fact that its affected the community at large with the Beales being a focal point of life on the Square with deep roots and a rich history going all the way back to legendary matriarch, Lou. Arguably, the success of a major soap arc lies in its ability to incorporate a large amount of characters and EastEnders have achieved this effortlessly. At one point or another we've seen how the murder has caused ripples through the lives of many residents- the Beales, the Brannings, Denise, Whitney, Lee, Jake, Sharon, Phil, Dot and now Billy- who is the latest suspect due to Lee's latest shock admission. It's great to see how so many have become embroiled in the saga and how they've reacted.
Most importantly, DTC has provided some cracking plot twists and cliffhangers with the arc to really hook the audience. The latest one with the aforementioned Billy revelation has caused the plot to take another unexpected and ultimately exciting turn. The storyline has also served as catalyst for a number of returns, i.e. Libby, Christian and Rainie which has been great to see.
In addition, the writing team have excelled themselves by managing to create some truly heartrending moments of pathos and poignancy amongst the intrigue of the whodunnut aspect. The aftermath episode centred on Ian being told about his daughter's death was a spellbinding piece of drama which was true to life, dignified and simply beautiful to watch. It easily ranks as one of the show's best episodes in recent years- arguably even the best.
Overall, I think that a combination of character mix, decent writing and sublime acting by all involved has elevated this story above all others. There are some aspects that don't sit particularly well with me- the apparently irresistible sex god that is Max Branning having it off with the family liaison officer was definitely a step too far- but the positives far outweigh the negatives for me right now.
show's 30th anniversary celebrations next February it's fair to say that a lot is riding on the reveal being a worthy pay-off after such a significant build up.
So far, I've found it a very well executed storyline that has managed to maintain a reasonable amount of intrigue with a diverse mix of characters. One the successes of this plot lies in the fact that its affected the community at large with the Beales being a focal point of life on the Square with deep roots and a rich history going all the way back to legendary matriarch, Lou. Arguably, the success of a major soap arc lies in its ability to incorporate a large amount of characters and EastEnders have achieved this effortlessly. At one point or another we've seen how the murder has caused ripples through the lives of many residents- the Beales, the Brannings, Denise, Whitney, Lee, Jake, Sharon, Phil, Dot and now Billy- who is the latest suspect due to Lee's latest shock admission. It's great to see how so many have become embroiled in the saga and how they've reacted.
Most importantly, DTC has provided some cracking plot twists and cliffhangers with the arc to really hook the audience. The latest one with the aforementioned Billy revelation has caused the plot to take another unexpected and ultimately exciting turn. The storyline has also served as catalyst for a number of returns, i.e. Libby, Christian and Rainie which has been great to see.
In addition, the writing team have excelled themselves by managing to create some truly heartrending moments of pathos and poignancy amongst the intrigue of the whodunnut aspect. The aftermath episode centred on Ian being told about his daughter's death was a spellbinding piece of drama which was true to life, dignified and simply beautiful to watch. It easily ranks as one of the show's best episodes in recent years- arguably even the best.
Overall, I think that a combination of character mix, decent writing and sublime acting by all involved has elevated this story above all others. There are some aspects that don't sit particularly well with me- the apparently irresistible sex god that is Max Branning having it off with the family liaison officer was definitely a step too far- but the positives far outweigh the negatives for me right now.
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Comments
Still have no clue who did kill Lucy either so It's working!
I am utterly bored by the SL atm as it seems to have been forgotten...........
Erm last week ended on a cliffhanger with billy becoming a suspect.
I would rather have a plot that's going on for ten months, involves a lot of characters, has been planned in advance with many twists and turns over plots involving whose responsible for the black bags being left out in the street.
For me, this has really stood out from other soap whodunnits. Although there's always been an element of mystery to it, the grief of losing Lucy has taken priority over any sensationalism, and for me that's why it's such a shame Jane, Bobby and Cindy haven't been around to see their reactions over time like we have Ian and Peter. Unlike other soap whodunnits, there's so much we don't know about that fateful night. Most murder mysteries show you everything leading up to the crime and leave 'Who?' as the only unanswered question. With this, not only are we not aware who killed Lucy, but we're also in the dark about how, where, why and who, if anyone, knows the killer's identity.
For 10 months?
I think it has been a success. It's got everyone talking about the show again and the effects of Lucy's death have been far reaching, it's affected more or less everyone with various story strands stemming from the initial death.
It's hotting up again now at the moment after a few weeks on the backburner like it should be. They're also successfully running several other stories alongside it which is good to see.
Why do you think it's been a flop?
I wonder if that story was a dirty protest by one of the writers. "You want filler rubbish, I'll give you filler rubbish!":D
I think the story has been fantastic, I was worried about the long term impact on the Beales, but I think this will shape the unit for the rest of their stint on the show, the same way Mark's death directed the Fowlers. Like everyone has been saying. This isn't a story about a family and their grief, or about a murder, this is a story about a community caught up in a murder and the grief that brings.
And no doubt Tunagate was inspired by Lorraine leaving her lunch in the (distracted by hot guy walking past window) studio canteens fridge
erm, Friday ended with Billy becoming a possible subject - first time the SL has been touched on in about 2 weeks
I am allowed to be bored with it - its not a crime - I just wish the pace would pick up a little as I am loosing interest