You're quite right. I forgot some people never grow up, but you know what I mean.
yes. But I can't help feeling that the youngsters in EE have more decency than some of the so called 'grown ups'. Whitney gets a lot of flack on here but at least she finished with Fats when she realized she was wrong for him.
yes. But I can't help feeling that the youngsters in EE have more decency than some of the so called 'grown ups'. Whitney gets a lot of flack on here but at least she finished with Fats when she realized she was wrong for him.
yes. But I can't help feeling that the youngsters in EE have more decency than some of the so called 'grown ups'. Whitney gets a lot of flack on here but at least she finished with Fats when she realized she was wrong for him.
Yes, finally, but she's hardly the little innocent victim she likes to portray herself as is she? I know she had it tough with the abuse sl, but since then she's made a full time job of looking for, and finding, the most unsuitable men around and then being surprised when they hurt her. We all know it's only a matter of time before Tyler reverts to type and breaks her heart yet again.
Since her original problem, Whitney has had masses of support from her family and friends, but has not benefitted from any of it.
I'm 18 and even I prefer following older characters and their storylines. I'm not sure why but I don't feel a connection to most teenage characters in soaps.
Personally in EE I find the likes of Abi, (although I notice she's become a bit more bitchy recently) Jay, Lola and Peter (when he was in it) much more interesting because they seem like normal, fully rounded characters.
I could not split a hairs difference between the personalities of Lucy, Whitney or Lauren. to me they all seem like caricatures of teenagers, written by adults thinking that is what teenagers are like rather than being real people. All going through various stages of rebellious behaviour and angst, dull, dull, dull...
For some reason producers of ALL soaps seem to be obsessed with this age group and it NEVER works. It didn't work when Corrie introduced loads of teens, and Neighbours went through the floor when they became obsessed with their teen characters. I nearly threw something at my TV when episode after episode went on about the bloody deb ball.
Fair enough that the soaps need to keep evolving and attracting younger audiences but I don't know why the producers seem to think that young people will only want to watch shows featuring characters of their own age? Personally I have always enjoyed stories that involve characters of all ages. But the producers know best of course and will keep repeating the same mistakes!
I like watching the teen storylines in Corrie often more than other storylines...and I used to watch Hollyoaks but stopped because I got bored of it. So I suppose some soaps do it well and some don't.
I'm 18 by the way.
I think teen storylines and characters, above all else, are unfair to the teen demographic. In soaps, particularly Eastenders, every negative aspect of the teenage personality is magnified tenfold for the sake of sensationalist drama. So, the Square/Street/Village is populated with aimless, bone-idle, unambitious pissheads who have no appreciation for the things they're blessed with.
I'm not saying teenagers aren't like that, but not to the extent that is portrayed in soaps. And the fact is that it's a chore to watch such characters, because all you can think about is either how despicable or boring they are.
EastEnders:
The teens tend to be focused on too much now especially with Love Triangles
Emmerdale:
I think the teens and adults are mixed quite well
Coronation Street:
Again simular to EastEnders, The teens appear too often with love triangle storylines
Hollyoaks:
I do miss the adult characters as I feel Bryan Kirkwood and Paul Marquess did a good job including them. I think the older characters were originally meant to appear in the original 2010 opening titles but were axed when the titles were changed back to the posing shots.
There's no yes or no answer to this as everyoone watches soaps for different reasons and for different characters.
My personal view is it all depends on the story, and how it is executed. I think teen stories have a place in soap and can be very interesting if done right. However you get a problem when there are too many teen stories going on at once at the expense of other characters and other stories. EE right now is a good example.
I like the George storyline in Hollyoaks dealing with being homeless. I prefer the freshers more but maybe that is because i am older.
Soaps do tend to stereotype teens as always trying to get drunk or falling preganant.These are issues but it is shown all the time. All the 16/17 year olds seem to get into clubs easily enough.
EE is doing to many love storylines for the teens and adults too. Also as soon as a charater gets older they go off the rails. Even though Anthony is not a teenager he could have a great storyline with the gambling past.
I'm not really liking most of the storylines for the teens in EE atm.
Whitney - seems to be on an endless loop of getting involved with the wrong person. Seriously Whit, the fact that your new beau has bedded your rival and perhaps your best friend as well, should tell you something. Why can't you just stay single for a while?
Fatboy - works better with the adults imo. Unrequited love story yet again. Wish Cora hadn't forced him to move out as he's brilliant with Dot.
Tyler - serial seducers don't last long and he in that guise just doesn't work for me. He was great in the boxing s/l though and I think he needs something serious again.
Anthony - he's only included in this as Tyler's brother when really he's not a teen anymore (character turned 25 last year). I'dve preferred it to be him that Fatboy had a friendship with as he needs that sort of dynamic. He needs to interact with more characters as well, maybe become a friend to Tamwar and Afia? Him and Amira don't work - he needs a genuinely nice girl who's a bit more worldly-wise yet won't take advantage of him (I don't think there's any young female character on EE who's like this though).
Lauren - again, works better with the adults. I'dve liked to see Peter being brought back for her as she worked well with him in her pre-JJ days. She was nicer back then as well but now seems to have become a Lucy type character. I also don't like the way that Tanya & Max (but Tanya especially) favour her over Abi, and I think that Abi should have found out about Tanya's cancer at the same time as Lauren - if you're going to tell your children something like that then you tell them together at the same time.
Lucy - why did they bring her back again? I don't see what she brings to the show in all honesty except her rivalry with Whitney. If Danny Mitchell (one of the worst characters ever imo) was still around then I'dve given her to him.
Ben - an example of a character who in a certain storyline comes into his own and is brilliant (kind of like Aaron in ED with his coming out storyline). For me he's great atm, and works well with Lola/Abi/Jay.
Lola - not sure what she's there for either. I can see Jay being the dad to her child in all honesty as it would break up him and Abi (like when Darren was baby George's dad it broke up his relationship with Libby).
Jay - one of the best young characters imo. He works with everyone and it will be interesting to see what Lucy's return means for him. I'd like him to stay with Abi and be as good as Bradley & Stacey were together.
Abi - Lorna's doing her GCSEs this summer so I think we'll see her start to get a storyline of her own towards the end of this year. As has been suggested on this forum, an eating disorder s/l would work for her, or a self-harm one perhaps. I do think something needs to happen so that her family are focused on her rather than Lauren all the time.
Tamwar - I love this guy, yet he's so underused! I wish TPTB would wake up and realise what a great character they have there. I think he'll be instrumental in the Chryed relationship. As for Afia, she needs to have another friend on the square, maybe this could be a use for Lucy?
When I was a teenager I watched soaps like: 'Prisoner' (Cell Block H), 'Dynasty', 'EastEnders', 'Sons and Daughters'. Usually these programs had a no or a tiny minority of teen characters. It was the adults I was interested in.
Also, look at 'Doctor Who', especially the classic series. Children and teens loved it, but the few teen companions (Susan, Adric) weren't the most popular or long running. Teens loved Jo, Sarah Jane, Leela, Tegan - adults!
The thing is in the main three soaps you need to develop the teen characters for when they become adults.
Look at Corrie:- You Have Tyrone Dobbs, Fiz Stape, Maria Connor, Kirk Sutherland, Gail McIntyre, Kevin Webster, Sally Webster, Dennis Tanner, Steve McDonald, Tracey McDonald, Leanne Barlow & Jason Grimshaw were all teen characters at one time. Yet they are all now mainstays of the soap who you could not imagine being there.
I imagine all major soap producers have to keep in mind that they are developing the future of the series as well as producing good current stories.
Similar really to people of my age who are more interested in things that reflect my agegroup's concerns and life ... like which of my neighbours will turn out to be a serial killer, who is stealing my post, whether the new baby three doors down has been switched for a more healthy one .... that sort of thing;)
The thing is in the main three soaps you need to develop the teen characters for when they become adults.
Look at Corrie:- You Have Tyrone Dobbs, Fiz Stape, Maria Connor, Kirk Sutherland, Gail McIntyre, Kevin Webster, Sally Webster, Dennis Tanner, Steve McDonald, Tracey McDonald, Leanne Barlow & Jason Grimshaw were all teen characters at one time. Yet they are all now mainstays of the soap who you could not imagine being there.
I imagine all major soap producers have to keep in mind that they are developing the future of the series as well as producing good current stories.
You make an important point.
The charaters I have most affection for tend to be the ones like Janine and Bianca, and part of that is from knowing them as youngsters. Even Ricky, who is not that interesting, feels right in the show because we have seen him mature.
Then we have those we have known since they were born and are now teens.
Comments
You're quite right. I forgot some people never grow up, but you know what I mean.
I did like Sophie and Ches from Corrie at one point but I can't stand either now, I do like Katy Armstrong though
Emmerdale's teens are ok. I've always liked Victoria and Belle, can take or leave Hannah and Amy but I do not like Sean
I think teen storylines can be good if they're about issues that teenagers can relate to that aren't to do with love lives
I agree.
Yes, finally, but she's hardly the little innocent victim she likes to portray herself as is she? I know she had it tough with the abuse sl, but since then she's made a full time job of looking for, and finding, the most unsuitable men around and then being surprised when they hurt her. We all know it's only a matter of time before Tyler reverts to type and breaks her heart yet again.
Since her original problem, Whitney has had masses of support from her family and friends, but has not benefitted from any of it.
I could not split a hairs difference between the personalities of Lucy, Whitney or Lauren. to me they all seem like caricatures of teenagers, written by adults thinking that is what teenagers are like rather than being real people. All going through various stages of rebellious behaviour and angst, dull, dull, dull...
For some reason producers of ALL soaps seem to be obsessed with this age group and it NEVER works. It didn't work when Corrie introduced loads of teens, and Neighbours went through the floor when they became obsessed with their teen characters. I nearly threw something at my TV when episode after episode went on about the bloody deb ball.
Fair enough that the soaps need to keep evolving and attracting younger audiences but I don't know why the producers seem to think that young people will only want to watch shows featuring characters of their own age? Personally I have always enjoyed stories that involve characters of all ages. But the producers know best of course and will keep repeating the same mistakes!
I'm 18 by the way.
I'm not saying teenagers aren't like that, but not to the extent that is portrayed in soaps. And the fact is that it's a chore to watch such characters, because all you can think about is either how despicable or boring they are.
The teens tend to be focused on too much now especially with Love Triangles
Emmerdale:
I think the teens and adults are mixed quite well
Coronation Street:
Again simular to EastEnders, The teens appear too often with love triangle storylines
Hollyoaks:
I do miss the adult characters as I feel Bryan Kirkwood and Paul Marquess did a good job including them. I think the older characters were originally meant to appear in the original 2010 opening titles but were axed when the titles were changed back to the posing shots.
My personal view is it all depends on the story, and how it is executed. I think teen stories have a place in soap and can be very interesting if done right. However you get a problem when there are too many teen stories going on at once at the expense of other characters and other stories. EE right now is a good example.
Soaps do tend to stereotype teens as always trying to get drunk or falling preganant.These are issues but it is shown all the time. All the 16/17 year olds seem to get into clubs easily enough.
EE is doing to many love storylines for the teens and adults too. Also as soon as a charater gets older they go off the rails. Even though Anthony is not a teenager he could have a great storyline with the gambling past.
go figure...
Whitney - seems to be on an endless loop of getting involved with the wrong person. Seriously Whit, the fact that your new beau has bedded your rival and perhaps your best friend as well, should tell you something. Why can't you just stay single for a while?
Fatboy - works better with the adults imo. Unrequited love story yet again. Wish Cora hadn't forced him to move out as he's brilliant with Dot.
Tyler - serial seducers don't last long and he in that guise just doesn't work for me. He was great in the boxing s/l though and I think he needs something serious again.
Anthony - he's only included in this as Tyler's brother when really he's not a teen anymore (character turned 25 last year). I'dve preferred it to be him that Fatboy had a friendship with as he needs that sort of dynamic. He needs to interact with more characters as well, maybe become a friend to Tamwar and Afia? Him and Amira don't work - he needs a genuinely nice girl who's a bit more worldly-wise yet won't take advantage of him (I don't think there's any young female character on EE who's like this though).
Lauren - again, works better with the adults. I'dve liked to see Peter being brought back for her as she worked well with him in her pre-JJ days. She was nicer back then as well but now seems to have become a Lucy type character. I also don't like the way that Tanya & Max (but Tanya especially) favour her over Abi, and I think that Abi should have found out about Tanya's cancer at the same time as Lauren - if you're going to tell your children something like that then you tell them together at the same time.
Lucy - why did they bring her back again? I don't see what she brings to the show in all honesty except her rivalry with Whitney. If Danny Mitchell (one of the worst characters ever imo) was still around then I'dve given her to him.
Ben - an example of a character who in a certain storyline comes into his own and is brilliant (kind of like Aaron in ED with his coming out storyline). For me he's great atm, and works well with Lola/Abi/Jay.
Lola - not sure what she's there for either. I can see Jay being the dad to her child in all honesty as it would break up him and Abi (like when Darren was baby George's dad it broke up his relationship with Libby).
Jay - one of the best young characters imo. He works with everyone and it will be interesting to see what Lucy's return means for him. I'd like him to stay with Abi and be as good as Bradley & Stacey were together.
Abi - Lorna's doing her GCSEs this summer so I think we'll see her start to get a storyline of her own towards the end of this year. As has been suggested on this forum, an eating disorder s/l would work for her, or a self-harm one perhaps. I do think something needs to happen so that her family are focused on her rather than Lauren all the time.
Tamwar - I love this guy, yet he's so underused! I wish TPTB would wake up and realise what a great character they have there. I think he'll be instrumental in the Chryed relationship. As for Afia, she needs to have another friend on the square, maybe this could be a use for Lucy?
Also, look at 'Doctor Who', especially the classic series. Children and teens loved it, but the few teen companions (Susan, Adric) weren't the most popular or long running. Teens loved Jo, Sarah Jane, Leela, Tegan - adults!
Look at Corrie:- You Have Tyrone Dobbs, Fiz Stape, Maria Connor, Kirk Sutherland, Gail McIntyre, Kevin Webster, Sally Webster, Dennis Tanner, Steve McDonald, Tracey McDonald, Leanne Barlow & Jason Grimshaw were all teen characters at one time. Yet they are all now mainstays of the soap who you could not imagine being there.
I imagine all major soap producers have to keep in mind that they are developing the future of the series as well as producing good current stories.
I watch Corrie as well sometimes. The only teens that spring to mind are Ches and Katy.
You make an important point.
The charaters I have most affection for tend to be the ones like Janine and Bianca, and part of that is from knowing them as youngsters. Even Ricky, who is not that interesting, feels right in the show because we have seen him mature.
Then we have those we have known since they were born and are now teens.