and that's it.. thought it was ok, didn't flow that well but hopefully will get better as the series goes on

Argh can't stand Lauren G!

haha!

So glad it's back on, it's my guilty pleasure

yep! she was the only original not in tonight's episode i think

Well I can't stand Lydia all over again! If she's gonna cry and whine this whole series then there's really no point watching it! Can't say this first episode was overly exciting, didn't seem to flow at all and was so strange seeing Lauren G and Lucy at Lydia's dinner, considering they've barely been able to stay in the same room together in the past.

Why is Lauren G still in this show?

She ruins every scene she appears in, she should be cut.

Good first episode tonight, the first episode of the season is usually a bit flatter than the rest as new people are introduced, but this one I'd say went better than the season 3 opener.

I am shocked that they made the Brickyard look glamourous. It's smack bang on the Romford ring road behind Homebase. It used to be a Travis Perkins builders merchants.

Faces is the new Sugar Hut then.

I fear TOWIE may have jumped the shark with Mark's departure. From the outset with the new titles which don't feature any of the characters, to the poor introduction of Georgina and Joey's doofus mate, it didn't gel for me at all. Would Mario really ask Mark's mate 'Arg out on a night out? Seriously!

However the final scene at Lydia's birthday meal was classic Towie, even if Lauren is now a bit part in the show.

Well for me it was not as good without Mark Wright.

Tonight just lacked everything.

Mick will be in Wednesdays episode and scenes have been filmed in Sugar Hut recently.

That faces looks well tacky!

Poor Lauren G - I think she knows her days on this show are numbered. Couldn't help but laugh at her trying to stop Arg from coming over. And then attempting to offer Lydia advice but not being able to get the words out through all the slurring.

She was well spoiling for a fight with Arg - god help her. Must be hard adjusting from being at the centre of the show to being at the sidelines. Loved that last scene. Didn't really notice the lack of Mark tbh.

I just can't see TOWIE lasting for much longer than another season or two after this one.

It's becoming too much like the hills without Kirk and Mark as well.

It's peaked sadly.

I don't like the new credits, and the only originals in the show tonight were Arg and Lauren G. It's just lacking something now.

I see since Gemma announced she's joined CAN she's been shoved to one back ground scene (what happened to Amy) and I'm sure she'll have a minimal role and then be axed at the end of the series.

Yep , its way past its sell by date now.

Its a ghastly show anyway but now its not even worth watching even for curiosity and the odd laugh...........

The Arg/Lydia bullshit .... seriously whos interested it all that crap again ?

All the newbies and most of the cast are just fame hungry attention whores with zero charisma and add nothing to the show and Chloe looks even more like an extra terrestrial than she usually does.

Well the new series really didn't grab me, even more contrived than you could expect and with all these newcomers i think my Towie fix last night will be the last.

Knew the bubble would burst sometime and with all the character changes it just doesn't work.

Bye Towie.

did that feel even more scripted than normal to anyone else. Like nothing felt real. Can already tell Marios gonna cheat this year with that new girl. Arg and Lydia are just taking over Mark and Laurens place.

**Gossip**
Apparently (on the grapvine, from someone who works on TOWIE production) recently Arg refused to do a newspaper magazine interview and pics when he was told he wouldnt be on the front cover and Lydia has been saying she doesnt think James' 'style' fits in with her new found "fashionista" status ..

Agree with every word.

Chloe's teeth/mouth resemble those of a horse.
Dos'nt she know how ridiculous she looks.

definitely more like a soap now, and it's become very predictable. but still watchable for me

I didn't like it at all Only the originals could pull this series off, now there's too many characters who lack what series one or two had.
It's not the same without Mark either, to be honest. Think I'll stick with Made in Chelsea.

Gemma only had a background scene, and she's their best character! Her friendship with the twins was one of the highlights of series 3.

Is Lydia's shop still up-and-running? You remember, the one that sells cupcakes for £2.50!

Another dissapointed viewer here, it's just far too contrived now, and a lot of the best characters have gone.
Didn't enjoy last nights episode at all really, it's all too stale now, time to pull the plug.
Made in Chelsea is much more enjoyable to watch.

It is very popular in Loughton to be honest and seems to do very well even when TOWIE is not on the television.

I will probably get ripped apart but i am going to stick up for Lauren G!

She seems to be picked on more than any other person on the show. Chloe seems loved but i honestly think if Lauren did some of the things Chloe does she would be criticised. For example, if Lauren had a daughter and was out all the time partying, i think people would slag her off for that. Also, all the moaning about not having a man, if that was Lauren i imagine people would be saying why dont you focus more on your daughter.
Don't even get me started on Chloe's birthday ''engagement'' party where she actually dressed as a bride and arrived by carriage! come on if that was lauren she would have been slaughtered!

Then theres the bum implants she wants and the surgery she has already had. I dont want to be mean but she is far stranger looking than Lauren yet i see more nasty comments about Laurens appearance than anyone on the show. Personally i think chloe saying things like a new bum will bag her a man, and all teh surgery she has had, is a very bad example to set for her little girl. My mum was constantly on a diet when i was little and i picked up the same weight anxieties so i dread to think the self esteem issues she could end up with.

There have also been stories in the press (may or may not be true but anything negative about lauren seems to be taken as gospel) about Chloe trying to get with Simon Webbe when he had a gf.

I know im probably coming across as a Lauren superfan lol but i'm really not, i'm indifferent to most of them. I did really like Lydia at one point but then she seemed to get too big for her boots with the 'Im the ONLY one who will ever stand up to mark wright' stuff etc.

This also isnt meant as an anti-Chloe rant. I think she seems a nice person just fragile and with a lot of issues. I just used her as an example to show why i think Lauren is unfairly treated. Ive seen comments here that say Lauren Pope obviously cant stand her and must hate filming scenes with her. From what i know they live together and continued to do so between series, Lauren P has said nothing but nice things about her and i regularly see pap shots of them on nights out/shopping together. It could be true but to me just seems another opportunity for people to be cruel about her.

I think the production team were very lucky with their original casting and didn't realise how popular the show would be and how 'famous' they got.

The other structured reality shows, in particular Made in Chelsea have got the mix right, which has left Towie behind.