I see so much negativity about Emmerdale's current producer, that I decided to start an appreciation thread, and if I'm the only one who's bothered to post it then so be it......

I think people underestimate Stu, he's a good producer and has produced some very strong storylines over the last few weeks, and for those who say something like "well he's no Gavin Blyth", that is true, he's not..... He's a producer in his "own right" and brings his own ideas and elements to the show........ I too miss Gavin and wish he could see the great work he created, but slagging off any successive producer who comes along for the sake of it is not going to bring him back......

RIP Gavin, and Good Luck Stu!!!

I hope you're not holding your breath as you wait for replies!

I can still speak up for the producer if I want to though!!!

I think Stuart is doing a great job - and ive seen nothing to make me think otherwise.

It seems to be every producer from the late 90s onwards got slagged off big time........

None of the producers of the 70s and 80s and early 90s seemed to......... judging from what people have watched on DVD etc.......

One example, someone on another forum who shall remain nameless said "I think the show changed forever from Kieran Roberts onwards." What planet he lives on I don't know......

Cheap shot. And it absolves you from actually giving any reasons for why you think Stuart Blackburn is doing a good job doesn't it?

Stuart Blackburn is getting slagged off because he axed a few people - How dare he... *insert AS MUCH SARCASM AS HUMANLEY POSSIBLE*

What storylines have you found to be strong?

Sorry but you are wrong, I actually called him a producer in his own right which is praise, and for the excellent entertainment he and his production crew have provided over the last few weeks, why shouldn't I show my appreciation......????

I know most were of Gavin's devising, but Stuart's done a good job of carrying them on as good as could be expected......

Lisa & Derek rape story
Marlon/Rhona/Paddy love triangle/baby blues
Adam & Ella affair
Aaron & Jackson/assisted suicide plot

It's been great viewing all the way!!!

Those aren't reasons, they're just compliments.

An appreciation thread is fine. But you dismissed those that have criticised him as if we're blindly devoted to Gavin Blyth and can't move on. Which is rather patronising and insulting.

By using that as a reason for people criticising the show, you have given yourself an easier way of praising it, because you don't have to counter any of the criticisms and negative discussions that are going on.

Well as I've said time and time again, all I do is sit back and watch the show without speculating and trying to get to the bottom of how a particular producer (whoever that may be) came to create and achieve a particular storyline.......

I just sit back and watch the finished episodes one after the other night after night and not worry how the production crew behind the scenes are doing their jobs....... Because I know they're fully qualified, if they weren't they wouldn't be where they are now....... and that's showbiz!!!!

Except he isn't a producer in his own right, he's admitted himself to be continuing with Gavin's legacy. Whilst I admire him for wanting to see Gavin's vision through, these ideas and stories were ultimately what Gavin had put in place with a clear vision of where he wished to take them. Unfortunately Stuart hasn't been able to capture and understand the characters in a way that Gavin did, as a result the programme is suffering.

Maybe when Stuart shifts into where he wishes to take the show we might see an improvement as he'll be focusing on his own ideas. I think then he might have a better grasp on what he wants to see come across.

At present I wouldn't rate him as a producer and think he's had far better before him, however I recognise that this is a transition period and will give him the benefit of the doubt and hope that things improve. I will admit that this seems unlikely though whilst his focus seems to be heavily reliant on the younger cast members.

Gavin also started off the Debbie/Cameron storyline too, another one that looks to be good.

**

I know Stuart contemplated changing the outcome of Aaron/Jackson - but he knew what Gavin wanted, which was, unfortunately the AS, so out of respect for his friend and colleague he kept it that way. Just like he has or is doing with the storylines BH has listed.

Of course he understands the characters, they have detailed character backgrounds in the files at YTV...... Plus they have archivists working in the crew, for minor details like history of the character and if any references have to be made to the past..... I think they know what they are doing.....

....and over the next few months, he will be introducing his own storylines and new ideas to keep the show fresh....... but people didn't give Stu a chance - current storylines were already written and in production when he took the producer's job, he couldn't just change them or drop them without a explaination.....

I am aware of those facts so there's really no need to be condescending in your response.

I said when compared to Gavin the characters don't seem to be understood. I think it's fair to say that character consistency has been thrown out the window in recent months, Gavin could maintain some believability by having the plots being character focused as they were driven forward and ensuring that characters acted how they'd been potrayed. Stuart seems to be more sensationalist in his approach and doesn't care how the characters behave as long as the story is told and gets the desired outcome.

It is my opinion that had Stuart been in charge of the Aaron coming out story it wouldn't have been handled as well as it was. Many worried that making a character such as Aaron gay was a stretch too far, however Gavin made sure that the story played out so that viewers would engage with it by making sure Aaron acted how we as the viewers would expect him to act. I think Stuart would have struggled to enable that natural progression to happen as he'd have no doubt gone for a sensationalist approach.

Maybe due to your way of viewing a programme by accepting it for mindless entertainment you fail to pick up on these deeper underlying issues as you're not looking for them. However it is unfair to assume all watch TV in that way, should the writers suddenly decide to make Edna a secret granny prostitute who's having a sordid affair with a footballer would you buy into that plot also? By your logic you would as it's the direction the producer wishes to take the character in, however those who care about the history of the show would know Edna would never do such a thing.

I don't know if it's entirely SB's doing but ED isn't very good at the moment. It's lacking the warmth it used to have. The storylines seem to be cobbled together to be sensational. Why aren't they character led as they used to be, rather than forcing bizarre personality changes in characters to fit those same sensational storylines?

I don't see how Aaron coming out as gay would have been handled differently whoever the producer was, if you're gay, you come out as gay simple as that, if you're not you don't....... I thought the Aaron coming out story was excellent, ditto for the Zoe coming out storyline........ As for how Stuart would have handled it, he would have had the character reveal in some way or another "I'm gay" and then either accept his sexuality and move on, or struggle to come to terms with his sexuality and go off the rails, a la Aaron....

As for the Edna prostitute thing, that's just stupid that is....... and I'm sure if the producers read this they'll think so too.........

These people must be watching a different Emmerdale to me, all of the characters that have been there for a while seem the same to me as they did 2 years ago......... If they have I wouldn't notice because I watch it every night it's on.

Not at all! Why has Brenda morphed into a moron when she wasn't before (she was an interfering busybody to begin with)? Why has Nikhil been running around flaunting his sexual relationship when he was such a shy character (explained by his first love being unfaithful to him)? Why are Pollard and Val now a pair of stupid walkovers when it comes to Amy, instead of the pair of crafty dodgy dealers they used to be? Why is Chas constantly butting into everyone else's lives? These are only a few of the personality bypasses which have been performed of late.

I have no idea anymore if you just post things to deliberatly get a response or if that is actually your opinion and you really are that blinkered. It seems you fail to grasp anybody elses views and automatically write them off if they don't share yours opposed to accepting not everyone will agree on everything.

I honestly fail to see how anyone could say Nikihil in his current form is either the same character he was with Maisie or has had at least some natural progression to show how he's reached this point. With Maisie he was shy and caring wanting to ensure he was there if she needed him whilst everything was going on but also giving her space. Now all he seems to be concerned about is going out all the time.

Declan also arrived as an upbeat, friendly character but has seemingly morphed into a self obsessed ruthless git. This could have easily been explained with some great writing, all it would take is a brief conversation between him and Jai where Jai points out that having Ella back in his life and is slowly making him go back to how he was when she was around before, bitter. This would have given us as viewers an understanding of how Declan and Ella's relationship was in the past as well as letting us know that the it was Ella who brings out this side in Declan's character. At the moment he seems to have just altered his personality over night.

Like I said though character driven plots are no longer how the show operates, it's now all about the next big conclusion to drag viewers in.

You seem more interested in the production crew than the characters and as long as the show is put out on time you have no problems with it. It's no wonder the show is consistently good for you.

That is true, but they were explained on screen in the dialogue if you listen out carefully and observe......

Nikhil was shy to begin with but has grown in confidence, people do....... I know I've been there......

Brenda has been lost since Terry died really, so I think her mind is on other things at times.....

Pollard & Val decided to foster Amy and make a fresh start, so maybe for them it was time to leave their dodgy dealing behind them....

Chas, since she became a join landlady of the Woolpack likes to see herself as a friend, there when you need them..... Paddy on the other hand is an old friend, so it's obvious she would be there for him......

Incidently, it's nothing new, Alan Turner was a boozing bullying manager for NY Estates when he first started and later morphed into a kind of pillar of the community type figure.......

It may well be stupid but you said yourself you don't care how a plot comes to be but just tune in for enjoyment. So going off what you've said that means you would accpet a plot as ridiculous as this and not question it as you have faith in the producer and production crew that they know what they are doing.