What will happen to EE if this Lucy Storyline Flops?

attitude99 · 19/04/14 - 23:55

What would happen if the storyline would flop, e.g. not turn out as successful or take a completely wrong turn & end really badly with the killer being really predictable.

I'm not saying the storyline is going to flop, it seems DTC has been working really hard & I hope the 10 month wait is worth it but, what would happen to the show if it does?

0...0 · 19/04/14 - 23:56

Grant Mitchell will make an explosive return which bombs.

Or Beaconboof will take over as EP and bring back Martine Mccutcheon!

[Deleted User] · 19/04/14 - 23:59

what we have to wait 10 months till we find out who the killer is

Heathyheath_ · 20/04/14 - 00:03

If the storyline flops in terms of critical reception and viewing figures to be quite honest with you I think it'll take Eastenders a long time to recover. There has been so much time and effort invested into this storyline and will continue to be for the next ten months so I really hope that it works out because I'm not sure where Eastenders will go if that happens. I guess there's nothing they can do but to continue trying to make compelling television that'll get people interested and talking.

Sora2311 · 20/04/14 - 00:04

If it bombs I know what will happen. February 19th 2015, Ian wakes up sad after having a dream about Lucy, until suddenly Lucy walks out the shower (Melissa Suffield Lucy), she shouts for her mother asking her a question and out pops Cindy who was just on the phone to Kathy who is happily married to Den Watts living in Essex.

ryanr554 · 20/04/14 - 00:13

They just have to continue trying to write compelling stories I suppose.

EPs probably ask themselves this question for every big storyline. Kirkwood probably asked this question for the Who Shagged Kat storyline as well.

I don't think we will need the answer anyway. If the story keeps up a good quality, at the very least it will keep steady viewing figures about 7M (after repeat). I can't see it falling below that unless the quality really nosedives.

EEAS1997 · 20/04/14 - 00:17

If it does, Eastenders will be in trouble. It won't be axed, nor will anything overly drastic happen, but in terms of a loyal viewership, the show would be in trouble. We'd have low ratings, and the recovery would be incredibly slow. DCT has come in as the 'saviour' of the show, and if his first major story flops, then viewers will lose any trust they had for him. I don't think it's a problem though. I think the story will be successful.

[Deleted User] · 20/04/14 - 00:17

Well a murder reveal is hardly decent for the 30th anniversary...

CelticMyth · 20/04/14 - 00:19

Kat will have another affair. Max will have a passionate fling with Cora. Ronnie will have a baby that will be abducted by aliens. The usual

guestofseth · 20/04/14 - 00:23

Then they'll try again like all soaps do when a storyline doesn't work for them. All storylines come with risks, this one in particular as its format (playing out like a non-soap whodunnit, the death being at the start instead of the middle) has already had people moaning, but without risks soaps, or any tv programme, would grow stale. It's better to try and fail than deliver same old same old. If it doesn't work then it's back to the drawing board and they'll try something new, of course eventually they'll have to stop trying but I can't really see them getting to that point any time soon.

I don't think this storyline will be a quick fix, and I don't think it's meant to be. It's meant to build momentum over the year, the true test will be next February, not next week or next month. I hope it works for them because from what I've read/seen they deserve to but there are no guarantees, DTC and the BBC will know this but they're putting the effort in and trying to turn the show around, and will continue to do so.

priscilla · 20/04/14 - 00:23

There will be thousands of threads on DS titled 'It was a flop', 'huge mistake' etc..

Shazla09 · 20/04/14 - 00:25

Thesmartone wrote: »

Well a murder reveal is hardly decent for the 30th anniversary...

It worked perfectly well for the 25th. ;-)

big dan · 20/04/14 - 00:25

priscilla wrote: »

There will be thousands of threads on DS titled 'It was a flop', 'huge mistake' etc..

'Lucy Beale - witness protection?'

0...0 · 20/04/14 - 00:27

big dan wrote: »

'Lucy Beale - witness protection?'

it would be a first. An entire family separately go into witness protection, then meet under their new identities.

priscilla · 20/04/14 - 00:30

big dan wrote: »

'Lucy Beale - witness protection?'

Yes

She never died, the body Ian identified was a fake. She'll return to the Square with her mum and grandma.

Shazla09 · 20/04/14 - 00:34

Ian approaches his bathroom. He can hear the shower running. Who can it be?? He tentatively opens the door and is shocked to be confronted with Lucy soaping herself. She turns round and says, "Dad! Get out!"
Cue duff duff.
Where do I claim my prize...?

H of De Vil · 20/04/14 - 00:49

Unless the twists of this storyline can continue over a 10month period without getting boring, i really can't see casual viewers caring and waiting that long. The reveal might get a good rating, but 10months for a killer reveal is too long. The Who killed Archie? murder reveal was able to keep people gripped because it concluded 2 months after the murder.

MrAndrew · 20/04/14 - 01:11

Has it been said that the cause of death/ killer is revealed in February next year, or just that the storyline will run up to atleast that point? If not, the reveal could actually be much sooner, with the consequences (hopefully nothing police/ court based!!!) coming into full effect around the 30th anniversary.

I think once the scenes of devastation/ grief settle down (which I'm looking forward to WAAAAY more than finding out who or what killed her!) it would feel a bit like limbo knowing that no matter how many clues or twists they throw our way in the meantime, the killer reveal will not come until February.

CURSE 'The Sun' for forcing the news out so early, I imagine the social buzz and ratings for the coming Mondays episode would have been SO much higher if that death had come as a complete shock. The general impact of it would have been much greater.... But as it is, it already feels like the storyline has been going on for ages, with us having known it was coming months ago.

[Deleted User] · 20/04/14 - 07:00

If it bombs dtc will be out after 2 years rather than 3.

Hildaonpluto · 20/04/14 - 07:07

Filiman wrote: »

If it bombs dtc will be out after 2 years rather than 3.

Has he been rumoured for 3 years?
I think it wouldnt bode well for the BBCs third EP in a row to be edged out because of underperforming.I think it would tarnish it as damaged goods in media circles.

Hit Em Up Style · 20/04/14 - 07:11

Charlotte Moore and Ben Stephenson can't stop praising DTC. He is safe as houses and I would be willing to bet won't be going anywhere until after the set rebuild is complete. Diederick Santer stayed four years. DTC will do similar.

Vicks-Louise · 20/04/14 - 07:12

MrAndrew wrote: »

Has it been said that the cause of death/ killer is revealed in February next year, or just that the storyline will run up to atleast that point? If not, the reveal could actually be much sooner, with the consequences (hopefully nothing police/ court based!!!) coming into full effect around the 30th anniversary.

I think once the scenes of devastation/ grief settle down (which I'm looking forward to WAAAAY more than finding out who or what killed her!) it would feel a bit like limbo knowing that no matter how many clues or twists they throw our way in the meantime, the killer reveal will not come until February.

CURSE 'The Sun' for forcing the news out so early, I imagine the social buzz and ratings for the coming Mondays episode would have been SO much higher if that death had come as a complete shock. The general impact of it would have been much greater.... But as it is, it already feels like the storyline has been going on for ages, with us having known it was coming months ago.

I don't think it has been officially said that the 30th is the reveal just that the story runs til then however what I have seen DTC say in various articles is that there will be a massive shock twist at Christmas that will leave the viewers with absolutely no idea who could have killed her so the idea that we won't know at Christmas and we may well be even more confused than we are now does make you think the reveal could be the 30th

Kim_x · 20/04/14 - 07:28

I don't think it'll be so much the identity of the killer that determines whether or not it's branded a success, as it's likely that whoever is responsible didn't mean for her to die. It's not like Stacey where it was a let down because others had stronger motives to do it than her (especially Ronnie.)

Obviously some motives will come out for certain people to be questioned and perhaps charged by the police. It's been said that we will learn more about every character during the aftermath. That'll be the test, I think. Are 50 big secrets really going to come out of the closet? It's one thing having these surprises, but it feels like overdoing it to me. Character assassination of characters during the storyline will also be a test. We've seen enough of it in recent years. The motives of characters already on dodgy ground with viewers (Kat, Sharon etc) will need to be such that they don't cause further damage.

JayLee1 · 20/04/14 - 08:13

Let's not forget that it wasn't until 1988 that viewers had to wait (from the opening episode on 19th February 1985) for the murderer of Reg Cox to be revealed as Nick Cotton. Viewers had patience back then.

Stupid_Head · 20/04/14 - 09:03

JayLee1 wrote: »

Let's not forget that it wasn't until 1988 that viewers had to wait (from the opening episode on 19th February 1985) for the murderer of Reg Cox to be revealed as Nick Cotton. Viewers had patience back then.

20 odd years later and a lot of people don't even have patience to wait a week for the next episode of their fav American series, hence why illegal downloading is so popular.

bean_of_sb · 20/04/14 - 09:04

big dan wrote: »

'Lucy Beale - witness protection?'

If it flops they go back to the original anniversary script:

For the 30th anniversary, Lucy, Kathy and Cindy Beale are all revealed to be in witness protection. Derek Branning rises from the dead to rape every male character in Walford. Cora and Ronnie have a sprog-off, competing with how many Walford residents are secretly their children. To then add to the suspense, they have a sprog-swap-off which of course Ronnie wins.

The final scene is a big gay orgy for Jonny with all the straight men, Lee included.

Post-credits, tiffany's identical twin steps out of the tube station, has a quickie with Max, turns to leave and is run over by Ronnie.

Hey there!

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What will happen to EE if this Lucy Storyline Flops?

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