EE: Are they trying to turn Stacey into Pauline Fowler

IanMandy · 01/10/16 - 08:49

It's something I've noticed the past few episodes and especially when Martin drew the comparison yesterday, I feel that they are trying to turn Stacey into Pauline.

While I think it would be a good direction for the character to mellow her (yet keep her fiery spirit), and making her the new Fowler matriarch at least would suggest they are keeping Martin and Stacey together long term, I wish EE would stop trying to recreate classic characters with modern ones (like turning Sharon into Peggy-lite). Having said that, I do think Stacey does fit the matriarchal role in her family unit and having Martin marry someone in the same mould as his mother would be rather fitting

kingcnut · 01/10/16 - 08:54

Literally just said the same thing in another thread! Yes! What a misery guts!

LM · 01/10/16 - 09:09

I hope not
Pauline defined the word "battleaxe". No one will hold a candle to her

I like to think Pauline is cursing somewhere. She would of hated Stacey as a daughter in law (i mean she hated sonia and sonia was innocent compared to stacey) and now her beloved launderette has closed.

bean_of_sb · 01/10/16 - 09:25

I don't see her as Pauline II, but I can see that they are making her the head of the Fowler/ Slaters. She's running the whole family and that obviously is going to be stressful, especially when moving.

It will be interesting to see the family when there is a bit more breathing space. Kyle is going, and surely it's a matter of time before Belinda shacks up with either Max or Jack.

Adrian_Ward1 · 01/10/16 - 09:53

I think they are a bit

NoughtiesMusic · 01/10/16 - 10:11

I remember in 2014 how they were seemingly making her a source of support/comfort for various characters. Very much in a weird Pat/Dot way.

Hope they don't make her into Pauline. One Pauline was more than enough. I know she was a great character played by fab actress, but I never actually warmed to her like I did Pat or Dot, as tptb were intent on keeping her as a harsh battleaxe (though she had brilliant sarcastic putdowns). Kate Harwood utterly destroyed Pauline's final year on the show.

But making Stacey a Fowler has worked out so well. Nu Martin went up hugely this year supporting her through her postpartum psychosis. She's still a Slater by blood, but she has well and truly moved away from being a Branning.

BadLadAsh · 01/10/16 - 10:27

I hope not! Stacey Slater is a character in her own right.

marius1 · 01/10/16 - 10:33

OH god I hope not! even Stacey with her constant moaning could never b as miserable sa Pauline fowler. x

Westy2 · 01/10/16 - 10:38

I assume Lacey Turner is planning to stay long term, as she's tasted life outside the Square, both with on screen story lines & non Eastenders work, plus changes to her off screen lifestyle.

bass55 · 01/10/16 - 11:01

Pauline wasn't always a misery guts. She became very bitter and sour-faced towards the end, but she had always previously been a nice (albeit formidable) person.

They're clearly turning Stacey into some kind of matriarch, but I have to say I prefer her like this to the 'punching everyone/sleeping with anything that had a pulse' Stacey.

IanMandy · 01/10/16 - 11:57

bass55 wrote: »

Pauline wasn't always a misery guts. She became very bitter and sour-faced towards the end, but she had always previously been a nice (albeit formidable) person.

They're clearly turning Stacey into some kind of matriarch, but I have to say I prefer her like this to the 'punching everyone/sleeping with anything that had a pulse' Stacey.

It would be nice to still see some of the fights- though I hope she remains faithful to Martin (she hasn't cheated on him yet has she) but I do think she suits being a mother which is what defined Pauline's character. I really hope her and Martin have children of their own

Adrian_Ward1 · 01/10/16 - 12:04

bass55 wrote: »

Pauline wasn't always a misery guts. She became very bitter and sour-faced towards the end, but she had always previously been a nice (albeit formidable) person.

They're clearly turning Stacey into some kind of matriarch, but I have to say I prefer her like this to the 'punching everyone/sleeping with anything that had a pulse' Stacey.

I agree loving her Right now

kitkat1971 · 01/10/16 - 12:07

I agree with Bass - Pauline wasn't always a battleaxe - it was quite a gradual transformation which went into over drive in her last year.

I think Stacey is stepping into the 'head of the famil)' role and I guess there are similarities in a very pretty girl (Pauline is meant to have been pretty when young) falling for an 'oridinary' kind man (although Martin is of course very handsome) who is never going to be able to provide the high life but loves her and their kids and actually makes her happy, although they'll often struggle with life, money etc.

I really, really like the Stacey we are seeing now.

Carolyn_Brown · 01/10/16 - 12:12

Martin and Stacey are fantastic at budgeting the housekeeping too, she works in a hairdressers, he's on a market stall and they can afford the rent for a mutli bedroomed house in the east end. Last time I looked the rent alone was around 1500 a month.

Pauline was never the same after she bashed Arthur over the head with a frying pan.

Kate Ford fan · 01/10/16 - 12:19

Sharon was only turned into a Peggy satellite because DTC and his writers didn't understand Sharon's character at all. I'm all for Stacey becoming the head of family in a show that has struggled to write for 'strong' women for years now.

Stube · 01/10/16 - 12:54

I think it is all to do with recapturing the essence of the show - working class families and their dynamics. I don't think SOC is trying to turn Stacey into Pauline - it's a natural progression for Stacey. She's always been assertive and head-strong, and she's had that maternal instinct when it came to looking after Jean when she was a teenager. I'm loving Stacey's development recently.

Luner13 · 01/10/16 - 13:03

What an absolute bore she is now (though to me she always has been)

trevor tiger · 01/10/16 - 13:08

Maybe Pauline wasn't always a battleaxe but she wasn't a simpering fool with a none stop soppy grin either. I'll be honest and say I never liked Stacey but she was definitely a character in all senses but now she's barely a shadow of her former self and I really cannot bear her.

vald · 01/10/16 - 13:08

Stube wrote: »

I think it is all to do with recapturing the essence of the show - working class families and their dynamics. I don't think SOC is trying to turn Stacey into Pauline - it's a natural progression for Stacey. She's always been assertive and head-strong, and she's had that maternal instinct when it came to looking after Jean when she was a teenager. I'm loving Stacey's development recently.

Looking after Jean would have given her good practice for being organized and caring for others. She probably always longed for a big happy family which is why she is so happy now.

I think what SOC is doing is giving us more strong, loving units. A couple of years ago the Carters stood out as being the only one on the square.

Skittle Bomb · 01/10/16 - 13:34

Stube wrote: »

I think it is all to do with recapturing the essence of the show - working class families and their dynamics. I don't think SOC is trying to turn Stacey into Pauline - it's a natural progression for Stacey. She's always been assertive and head-strong, and she's had that maternal instinct when it came to looking after Jean when she was a teenager. I'm loving Stacey's development recently.

This.

What we are seeing with Stacey is natural character growth. She has two small kids to look after now and is also responsible for a 15 year old to boot. Stacey has just adapted to her new surroundings.

summer_ste · 01/10/16 - 13:42

NoughtiesMusic wrote: »

I know she was a great character played by fab actress, but I never actually warmed to her like I did Pat or Dot, as tptb were intent on keeping her as a harsh battleaxe (though she had brilliant sarcastic putdowns). Kate Harwood utterly destroyed Pauline's final year on the show.

Hmmm just curious when you started watching, as for years Pauline was quite a warm, loving character and centre of the community. It was only towards the end she became a harsh battleaxe.

Shianne_ · 01/10/16 - 14:10

I hope not. Stacey doesn't need to be made into the 'new' somebody else. She's already Stacey Slater - one of the most iconic EastEnders characters ever.

Check it out · 01/10/16 - 14:30

They aren't turning her into anyone. They've just allowed the character to settle into family life and her focus is her family. Last night was showcasing this by having Stacey running the ship with the move and sorting out the hiccups along the way, like Bex and her issues with the dinner and the bedroom. The comparison drawn to Pauline was more just a way of paying tribute to how the NuFowlers are a capturing of the essence the original Fowler family had. A working class family rooting together to muddle through.

Whilst I don't believe she's being lined as a NuPauline, in the way they tried to explicitly make Sharon the NuPeggy, I think they are establishing how her traits and her strong-mindedness and role in the community is like that of Pauline's. Stacey is Stacey, but naturally I think she shares some traits with the greats like Pauline and Pat. It feels like a natural growth.

IanMandy · 01/10/16 - 14:51

It does appear that SOC, as stated above, is re-establising the true essence of EE and it appears the current generation of Fowlers are meant to recapture that, with Stacey as the head in a role which I feel suits her. By drawing on the core values of the show, I think SOC will want to keep the Fowlers together in the long run as they are the original working class family. I feel that with DTC, we wouldn't have had this as he is more geared towards sensationalism (like Kush being Arthurs dad) although it was a stroke f genius on his part to pair themup together. They have a lot of banter but show they do love one another- similar to Jimmy and Nicola in ED

Adrian_Ward1 · 01/10/16 - 14:56

I think Lacey will stay long term.

lou_123 · 01/10/16 - 15:35

NoughtiesMusic wrote: »

I remember in 2014 how they were seemingly making her a source of support/comfort for various characters. Very much in a weird Pat/Dot way.

Hope they don't make her into Pauline. One Pauline was more than enough. I know she was a great character played by fab actress, but I never actually warmed to her like I did Pat or Dot, as tptb were intent on keeping her as a harsh battleaxe (though she had brilliant sarcastic putdowns). Kate Harwood utterly destroyed Pauline's final year on the show.

But making Stacey a Fowler has worked out so well. Nu Martin went up hugely this year supporting her through her postpartum psychosis. She's still a Slater by blood, but she has well and truly moved away from being a Branning.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Great post!

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EE: Are they trying to turn Stacey into Pauline Fowler

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