I say this as a huge Pat fan, but that episode was wrong on so many levels.
I won't deny it was well written for the most part but it was not a fitting end for the character of Pat. It didn't suit her at all. A vibrant, larger than life character should not be reduced to a dying old woman scared out of her life. Yes, it's realistic. I won't deny that. But tonally it did not suit Pat one bit.
But she had had several health problems over the years, thought this was just one more and then discovered it was a lot more serious than that. Granted it was a little rushed; there could have been a couple more days in between her self-discharge from hospital and her final scenes. And they could have included a few reminiscences about Frank/flashbacks or whatever. But as for it not suiting her - we don't always get to choose how we die, or can plan the death we want. I'm not sure that Pauline Fowler's death "suited" her, or Jamie's, Mark's, or some of the others' suited them. But the producers had decided to kill them off.
I suppose she could have had chemo, bought herself some more time, and carried on with life as usual, while hiding it from everyone - but that would have dragged it out too much, imo, and people would have surely felt that it was copying Ethel's storyline. At least we didn't see her getting thinner and thinner over the months as the cancer ate away at her, so she was a shadow of her former self. She died very much herself - sending out for her G&T - and surrounded by her family.
wowah so many people talking about a fictional characters death it really is touching and most of my friends on facebook have been writing status's about Pats death .
A vibrant, larger than life character should not be reduced to a dying old woman scared out of her life. Yes, it's realistic. I won't deny that. But tonally it did not suit Pat one bit.
wowah so many people talking about a fictional characters death it really is touching and most of my friends on facebook have been writing status's about Pats death .
Are people not allowed opinions on this forum or something? Not everyone is going to love something :rolleyes:
Derek's punch looked like it hurt, didn't it?
I loved Janine running up the stairs once she knew something was really wrong. I think the Janine and Pat scene was my favourite but they were all good
Whenever I see those words together now, I always think of Hazel.
Agreed. I'm just putting a new spin on it Hubby's at work so my mum and I are kicking back and enjoying a few g & t's in memory of Pat! Who knows? We may even have a sing along to The Good Life by Tony Bennett yet!
I fell asleep for a couple of hours so watched it on iplayer it was a sad moment. Pat has been a fixture the square for years. Good acting tonight by all involved, even though it was a depressing episode I'd say it was probably the best episode of the soap in a long time. To finally see that Janine actually had feelings was a rare sight indeed and in general the whole atmosphere created was great viewing.
Whilst I think the episode was brilliant in parts, I actually moved in closer to the TV for the David scene, there was a lot that didn't work.
Ricky and Bianca had no real farewell to Pat - their scene with Pat and the Tiffany scene came much too early.
I'd have had them start the episode with Ian returning, have him race to Pat's, then have the Dot scene, meanwhile downstairs all the "any sign of David?" stuff could have continued. They didn't need to Mandy reveal today, that could have waited.
I'd have had Bianca and Tiff next, maybe Mo. Then Ricky, Janine and David.
The Gin scene was good, plus the optic bottle and the Whitney/Tyler kiss - but I'd have then panned from their kiss to the Frank sign in the gardens given the recent comparison by Pat that Tyler was Whitney's Frank.
There wasn't enough of the subtle, heartwarming scenes that EastEnders does so well. The Janine scene was fantastic, but maybe a cut to Ricky looking through the door and smiling, it just lacked those extra touches.
Carol and David in the rain was fantastic too, plus Bianca, but again, Derek wasn't needed. Nice mention of Joe.
At the end, I'd have quite liked Pat saying Frank's name or something.
I liked the theme, but I prefer the subtle introduction as with Peggy & Julia's themes, still with the fade to black though - agree that the credits weren't long enough as more of the theme was needed.
All that said, it was very real and for any other drama I'd probably love it, but for a soap, I don't know, I think you expect a warmer ending - Pat was often quite a fun character, I'd have prefered to see her putting on the brave face a bit more and more humour, so that the scene with Janine and then David stood out more.
Sad ending, Could have been 500% sader by playing the music over shots as the camera slowly moves out of Pats room etc. Fade to black was a bit lazy.
I'd maybe have had a cut to Pat's bedside table, with a photo of her and Frank on it, her lipstick, a pair of earrings and a G&T then had the credits roll over that.
I guess it's easy for us viewers to be critics and state what we'd have done differently. However, I do appreciate why the team made the choices they did.
I enjoyed it and felt that the character got a decent send off - much learned from the Pauline/Wendy fiasco! That said, perhaps they underestimated what the viewers would find acceptable in the circumstances. I felt some of the padding wasn't really needed - a chance of pace, a break from the sadness of watching someone dying but it got lost in the episode as I just wanted to get back to Pat.
The Mandy/Ricky reveal was lost and badly timed (the whole plot is stupid anyway!) I'm also fed up of these 'bad boy' characters EE's is so intent on providing. This new Branning guy is so weak and repetitive.
Anyway, my thoughts on the main subject. Firstly, it was all too quick. Not sure why Pat couldn't have been told a little earlier then an episode prior. We could have seen her racing against the clock to try and put things right before she was too ill to do so. Have her doing the 'perfect' christmas etc etc
Next, I would have liked to have seen her having more of a heart to heart with Ricky - the good son who's pretty much always stood by her. A nice touch would have been him telling her that she was a Mum to him and despite her failings with her own sons, he was proud and so on.
Her final words should have been stronger and more concluding. She kind of died fairly weakly - not wanting to die and being scared - words she could have said earlier on and then leaving her dying with her family and David by her side having made peace and not going to her grave alone.
The music was fine - let's face it, Julia's Theme and its variations are hardly amazing pieces of music but it would have been more emotional to have it starting quietly in her final moments, fading to black and then playing over the credits.
Aside from these little points it was well done, well acted for the most part and very emotional. You did feel like you were saying farewell to an iconic character and I don't think anyone could ask for better then that!
I cried my eyes out watching tonight's episode. My mum died from pancreatic cancer in August, bit close to home at the moment really.
There were parts I didn't think were realistic, but that's fair enough - in the end, it's a soap storyline and it's for 'entertainment' (although that seems the wrong word with an episode like that), and they have poetic licence to change things, fit in conversations etc.
But other parts were so realistic. The scene with Janine lying on the bed was lovely, reminded me of lying with my mummy like that. And the scene with David at the end. The scenes with Tanya. And the scenes with Ian, quite 'subtle' but really touching scenes. And with Tiffany, giving her the earrings. I remember watching my mummy sorting out her jewellery, telling us who she wanted to have everything (she wrote us a list to help us!). No words for how sad that is.
Comments
cant wait for more derek and max scenes
Brilliant performances from everyone, they should be proud.
Loved the scene where David was introduced, lol has he really never saw his grand kids before!?
And of course the Janine and Pat scene, loved how Janine ran upstairs and just point blank refused to believe it - such a real reaction.
But she had had several health problems over the years, thought this was just one more and then discovered it was a lot more serious than that. Granted it was a little rushed; there could have been a couple more days in between her self-discharge from hospital and her final scenes. And they could have included a few reminiscences about Frank/flashbacks or whatever. But as for it not suiting her - we don't always get to choose how we die, or can plan the death we want. I'm not sure that Pauline Fowler's death "suited" her, or Jamie's, Mark's, or some of the others' suited them. But the producers had decided to kill them off.
I suppose she could have had chemo, bought herself some more time, and carried on with life as usual, while hiding it from everyone - but that would have dragged it out too much, imo, and people would have surely felt that it was copying Ethel's storyline. At least we didn't see her getting thinner and thinner over the months as the cancer ate away at her, so she was a shadow of her former self. She died very much herself - sending out for her G&T - and surrounded by her family.
R.I.P Pat
wowah so many people talking about a fictional characters death it really is touching
Contradictive, don't you think?
Derek's punch looked like it hurt, didn't it?
I loved Janine running up the stairs once she knew something was really wrong. I think the Janine and Pat scene was my favourite but they were all good
RIP Pat
Cheers Pat!
She had dried blood all over her face.
Whenever I see those words together now, I always think of Hazel.
Like them rough, do you?
Agreed. I'm just putting a new spin on it
I'm sure Pat would approve
Oh I have. On the day of Dennis's funeral. I started to cry as the theme music began and I cried all the way through.
I was madly in love with Nigel Harman though!
I found this episode very sad. I'll miss Pat and I'm glad she made up with Janine.
I despise Derek.
And I always liked David Wicks and still do. Oh please let him stay for a while!
Ricky and Bianca had no real farewell to Pat - their scene with Pat and the Tiffany scene came much too early.
I'd have had them start the episode with Ian returning, have him race to Pat's, then have the Dot scene, meanwhile downstairs all the "any sign of David?" stuff could have continued. They didn't need to Mandy reveal today, that could have waited.
I'd have had Bianca and Tiff next, maybe Mo. Then Ricky, Janine and David.
The Gin scene was good, plus the optic bottle and the Whitney/Tyler kiss - but I'd have then panned from their kiss to the Frank sign in the gardens given the recent comparison by Pat that Tyler was Whitney's Frank.
There wasn't enough of the subtle, heartwarming scenes that EastEnders does so well. The Janine scene was fantastic, but maybe a cut to Ricky looking through the door and smiling, it just lacked those extra touches.
Carol and David in the rain was fantastic too, plus Bianca, but again, Derek wasn't needed. Nice mention of Joe.
At the end, I'd have quite liked Pat saying Frank's name or something.
I liked the theme, but I prefer the subtle introduction as with Peggy & Julia's themes, still with the fade to black though - agree that the credits weren't long enough as more of the theme was needed.
All that said, it was very real and for any other drama I'd probably love it, but for a soap, I don't know, I think you expect a warmer ending - Pat was often quite a fun character, I'd have prefered to see her putting on the brave face a bit more and more humour, so that the scene with Janine and then David stood out more.
I'd maybe have had a cut to Pat's bedside table, with a photo of her and Frank on it, her lipstick, a pair of earrings and a G&T then had the credits roll over that.
I enjoyed it and felt that the character got a decent send off - much learned from the Pauline/Wendy fiasco! That said, perhaps they underestimated what the viewers would find acceptable in the circumstances. I felt some of the padding wasn't really needed - a chance of pace, a break from the sadness of watching someone dying but it got lost in the episode as I just wanted to get back to Pat.
The Mandy/Ricky reveal was lost and badly timed (the whole plot is stupid anyway!) I'm also fed up of these 'bad boy' characters EE's is so intent on providing. This new Branning guy is so weak and repetitive.
Anyway, my thoughts on the main subject. Firstly, it was all too quick. Not sure why Pat couldn't have been told a little earlier then an episode prior. We could have seen her racing against the clock to try and put things right before she was too ill to do so. Have her doing the 'perfect' christmas etc etc
Next, I would have liked to have seen her having more of a heart to heart with Ricky - the good son who's pretty much always stood by her. A nice touch would have been him telling her that she was a Mum to him and despite her failings with her own sons, he was proud and so on.
Her final words should have been stronger and more concluding. She kind of died fairly weakly - not wanting to die and being scared - words she could have said earlier on and then leaving her dying with her family and David by her side having made peace and not going to her grave alone.
The music was fine - let's face it, Julia's Theme and its variations are hardly amazing pieces of music but it would have been more emotional to have it starting quietly in her final moments, fading to black and then playing over the credits.
Aside from these little points it was well done, well acted for the most part and very emotional. You did feel like you were saying farewell to an iconic character and I don't think anyone could ask for better then that!
There were parts I didn't think were realistic, but that's fair enough - in the end, it's a soap storyline and it's for 'entertainment' (although that seems the wrong word with an episode like that), and they have poetic licence to change things, fit in conversations etc.
But other parts were so realistic. The scene with Janine lying on the bed was lovely, reminded me of lying with my mummy like that. And the scene with David at the end. The scenes with Tanya. And the scenes with Ian, quite 'subtle' but really touching scenes. And with Tiffany, giving her the earrings. I remember watching my mummy sorting out her jewellery, telling us who she wanted to have everything (she wrote us a list to help us!). No words for how sad that is.