So you're the new producer of EastEnders. What do you do?

I'd axe the Friday night episode and get rid of Adi, Spencer, Tariq, Gus and Juley, and also get the Mitchells back by paying any huge amount of money for a long-term contract to Ross Kemp and Steve McFadden. I'd have Den take over the pub, and the Mitchells take over the Club in a reverse of fortune. The Mitchells scrap the 'Angies Den' name which angers Sharon. I'd make longer running storylines and use a technique which manages to entangle most of the characters in the storyline sometime along the way. I'd have regular two, three, or four handers and get rid of some of the humour, it doesn't work on EastEnders. I'd up the drama and ensure all acting is of perfect quality. I'd also try and get more "whodunnits" and mystery storylines that viewers are drawn into and kept guessing as to the outcome.

I'd focus Monday and the first half of Tuesday in the daytime with storylines untangling crazily and then the last of Tuesday's and Thursday's focussed at night with highly dramatic episodes. It would be character driven and not sensational, storylines which are powerful but not made to have a huge impact based on face value.

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What would you do if you were the new exec?

Umm...???????

Two of the same type of thread. Problem?

Axe It! Axe It!

Rather than pay huge amounts to bring back previous favourites, I'd get rid of 90% of the current script writing/storylining department and beg, steal or borrow some decent writers for the team. The improvements can only come from solid, well plotted and written scripts - there's some good characters in EE, both old and new - how about using them properly. Oh, and sack Spencer of course

I would try and create a better balance of storys for older characters such as Pauline, Dot etc and the younger cast members as Eastenders, like Corrie seems to be concentrating on the younger characters and neglecting it's older ones despite the fact that the soaps are meant to target audiences of all age ranges.

I'd get rid of all this 'Shannis' crap and have more about Dennis and Den's father son relationship looking at how people deal with finding a long lost parent or child in later life..... especially when they have had a bad childhood like Dennis. I'd make Den more like the Dirty Den of old instead of this sad old lech trying to recapture his glory days that they have made him into now.

I'd reunite Kat and Alfie and Billy and Little Mo, after all viewers waited so long for them to get together it is stupid how they split them up after a couple of months. I think it would be interesting to have a storyline seeing Billy coping with raising another man's child, especially under the circumstances it was conceived..... which is what would make it different from Ian raising Steven.

I would axe Zoe (for being such a crap wooden actress) Kate, Sam and Karina.

Don't want to start a big discussion about this but I strongly disagree about Coronation Street "neglecting" it's old cast members!

Well they did for a while Benc but this year they came good on their promise to bring the older cast back to the forefront of the show this year.

EastEnders have trouble hanging on to any of their cast, thats one of their big troubles lol

I'd get rid of Spencer, Juley, Adi, Ronnie and Tariq first and foremost. I'd make the cast interact FAR more than they do ,especially Kareena and Ash who just seem to stick to their family and that's it. I'd get their mum to appear again and possibly make her a full-time character seeing as she was better than all of them. Then the new Ferreira line-up would be mum, Kareena and Ash and if that didn't work, they'd all have to go.
Spencer would get killed off. In time-honoured EE tradition i would bring in a new "hunk" (not that Spencer ever was but you know what I mean ), who could shock horror, actually ACT. Basically like Paul Nichols or Joe Absolum again rather than the average Jack Ryder and you know who..

Mindless gangster plots would be thrown out the window unless halfway believable. Just generally ensure the writing was good, entertaining and plausible rather than completely stupid and dull. Stories would build up over time and new characters wouldn't get ANY major storylines for possibly at least a year, however they'd get semi-big plots and be involved in another people's stories first so people feel they're a part of the show. Like with the Slaters whose introfuction was perfect and they didn't get their big stories until a year later.

I'd bring in a young couple in their mid 20s-mid 30s because there seems to be a lack of characters in that age group, especially a couple.

Humour is a dodgy thing in EE, but I'd at least get Alfie back to how he was at the start. I also wouldn't involve him in as many serious storylines in future because frankly Shane Richie ain't THAT good at all.

As for possible returns - I'd want Kathy back, perhaps to see Ian then decides she wants to stick around. Carol and/or Bianca back to see Sonia. Michelle of course too.

Oh there are loads of things..

Oh and another thing I would do is any 'special episodes' where the characters are on holiday etc would take place somewhere else other than Spain...... How about a special where Pauline and some other characters all go to America to see Michelle..... Martin, Sonia, Vicky and Sharon could all go along..... Of course it would mean persuading Sue Tully to reprise the role. Also wasn't/Isn't Eastenders quite popular in America? I remember hearing about some hoo-haa because they were cancelling it on BBC America.

I would first have the sched changed (and cut an episode):

* Monday Night - 8pm, Wednesday Night - 7.30pm, Friday Night - 8pm

* Then find ways to axe Ash, Ronnie, Tariq, Derek, Juley, Spencer.

* Bring in a new team of writers - Ones that are good at gritty drama.

* Bring in two really buff 30 year old guys (like Nigel lol) and one 28 year old girl.

* Try to coax Grant back and find a new actress to play Michelle so she can come back too.

And see how it goes from there By this point Peggy and Phil will have officially returned.

I'd bring in a new, young male in his 20s as a relative of one of the older characters of the soap, who has no other real relatives in the soap. Then, he announces that he is leaving the area to get a job in a new location and the farewell episodes come. Note, this character flirts with all the women brazenly and has them all falling at his feet, but refuses to go any further than flirting.

Two months after his departure, he comes back and announces his wedding and the older relative says "Who's the lucky lady?" and in walks another man. For extra effect, the relative has to be homophobic.

I think I'd go back to Old values at any cost bring back the Mitchell clan. Get rid of Andy.
Give Pat a family Get Ian Married off to Jane.
Get rid of The Miller Family.
Bring in Aunt Sal and family move them into the Square.
Marry Pauline Off

Add some Comedy with Pat Dot & Jim and Pauline

GET RID OF DEN!!!!!!!!!

with that done i would also get back the whole mitchel family and give aunt sal a long term contract, to be a side kick of peggys, i think she would get on with dot as well. this is the first major thing that needs doing.

I would kill off ash, i think the others from that family have been fine, although ash is just a no no. Since Sasha and karina have returned the family hasbeen good.

I would kill Andy, have a storyline where the mitchels arrange for his death, Peggy returns as the dutchess of walford.

I would give more bitch fights as i think every soap needs a bitch fight, especially involving pauline fowler. The fowlers need a make over.

I would send sonia away for a while after she finds out about the affair, and have her return with bianca, bianca gives martin a piece of her mind, which sparks a feud between pauline, i would have sonia get pregnant- and have carol return for a few episodes to see her have the baby and help her.

Bianca and grant would be involved in a storyline, she still hates grant for doing that to tiff.

with den gone, i would send vicki off to see him, she decides to stay with him, and this would see shannis get married. ending that storyline.

i would put an ending to this on/off storyline with kat and alfie- i would keep them together- if the split and get back together once more it will just be pathetic- i realise this time it couldnt be helped but the Kat/Alfie hectic marriage storyline has run its course.

With Den and Andy gone this gets rid of any possible ganster storyline.

the fowlers, the mitchels, the Watts, the millers, the moons and the ferriers would be the main families in walford, with al this confusion of characters leaving for a year or a couple of months, outr of the way and the families stronger, it would make EE more watcheable.

I like the idea of giving the Fowlers a make-over. Even though they are the salt-of-the-earth (re: a bit dull) family in Walford, I am quite fond of them, and agree that they need to become a little more extensive (just Pauline, Martin, Sonia & Betty don't cut it): i'd bring in the absent Kenny Beale, Pauline's not-often-seen brother, but as a real bad penny, an Alan Bradley type, who would be a real sweet-talking charmer around town, but develop a mean streak and be a real tormentor of his sister on the quiet. He could drive the pointless Derek away, for starters. I see him as a two-faced cross between Vince Pinner (Paul Nicholas's character in Just Good Friends) and a non-panto Nick Cotton. A benefit of this would also be to try and make Pauline a little more sympathetic, as she's turned into a bit of an uber-dragon recently. And Kenny could have baggage, such as a scorned old partner and who knows how many love childs, from his days in the Square.

But who would I cut: the Fereirra's (but not Tariq, who is the best of the bunch), Spencer Moon, Derek Harkinson. I'd make the show alot 'neater' in terms of structure: the grounded families, on the lowest run of the lifestyle ladder (The Fowlers, The Brannings, The Trumans) with their market stalls etc; also on this level, but a bit more up-market, i'd make the Slaters the savage claws-out family they used to be before they became a sludgy mass of tears and hugs, similar with the Millers; i'd use the Moons, who work SO well in the Vic, better, and make them the quirky 'sunshine family' amongst all the misery; and then on the top level, the power families, who amongst them own the Suqare: the Watts and the Mitchells. There is almost a class structure in Albert Square, at least there was in the beginnging (the Fowler/Beales on the bottom, the Osmans, the Watts at the top), and this is why things like Fowler vs Mitchell war was so tantalising, because the working class was challenging the top dog. That was a great dynamic. But now everyone is trying to do everything with everyone. It;s all much of a muchness. There are no unwritten guidelines, and this is why it feels so directionless.

i'd bring in some people too: EastEnders, and Albert Square, in it's very context, is a great place for old sitcom and british comedy stars to end up (there is almost a sense the Pauline Fowler is how Miss Brahms ended up, and that all them old Carry On girls are walking around with a giggly smily, like Peggy Mitchell, do you see what I mean). So i'd bring in Aunt Sal (Olive, from 'On the Busses'), and possibly amongst the Fowler/Beales, how about this Aunt Nelly Pauline's gone to visit, and how about having her played by Michelle Dotrice (Betty from "Some Mothers Do Ave 'em"). And if Kenny was played by Paul Nicholas, then i'd love i, seeing these old faces in the Square.

So that's what i'd do. There is more, but as one previous reply consisted of nothing more than "Axe It! Axe It!", I didn't know whether this was the place for in depth babble analysis. So what do you think?

I would get rid of the farrieras but keep sasha maybe she could become involved with Kenny Beale,
Bring in aunt Sal to be a double act with Peggy.
Cut the watts I would have just Den Chrissie and Denise, Sharon can stay away for a while and vicki can just go forever!
Have more comedy with Pauline maybe get her a new fella also with Dot and Jim they work best with the funny lines.
get rid of gus and juley but only after a big story maybe have Juley killing spencer moon.
Charlie slater should have a big nervous breakdown after everything he has been though and bring in both Belinda and Nevile full time but don't have them living on the sq.

Well,you had actually put The Bill in THIS thread. It looks like you edited it since I pointed that out.

Whats the Email address of Louise Berridge?

I would imagine louise.berridge@bbc.co.uk - judging by other bbc email adresses

Aunty Nelly was a character in EastEnders a couple of years ago, she lived in Walford with Pauline and Arthur, so it was a fair while back. II like the idea of bringing her back and strengthening the Fowler clan. I would bring Aunty Nelly back, and she could reveal to Pauline that she's got a half sister! Going back years ago, Aunty Nelly could tell Pauline her father cheated on Lou. Lou chose to forgive him, it only happened once but out of the affair there was a child, a girl, not much older than Pauline. In a light night conversation, not unlike last Tuesdays' episode, Nelly tells Pauline she's been in contact with her half sister Noleen. Noleen tracked Nelly down a year go and they've been in contact ever since.

Pauline tracks Noleen down in Manchester in a spin off episode. Noleen is the complete opposite to Pauline. She's feisty like Pauline, but is also man mad. She's quite a flirt and a free spirit, and just the total opposite to Pauline in every way. This makes for initially a difficult first meeting. After a few drinks, Noleen becomes all tragic and spits on Pauline's fathers name, for abandoning her and choosing Lou his wife and Pauline and Pete and forgetting her. This leads to an angry row in which Pauline slaps her new sister and storms off back to Walford. The end of the episode we see Noleen sitting in her kitchen with a glass of wine, crying, she then says that she's been forgotten all these years, not anymore!

Noleen turns up in Walford a few weeks later and makes her presence felt amongst the Fowler/Beale clan. She takes a shine to Patrick, much to the annoyance of Yolande, she also flirts with Jim and initially she and Dot are enemies. This causes no amount of grief for Pauline. On her first night in Walford Noreen makes sure she's remembered by singing and dancing on a table, supported by Patrick and Jim.

Just an idea. anyway. Yeh I like the idea of Bianca coming back. Sonia being pregnant would be a good reason for Carol to come back. I mean she did miss out on the whole of the last baby Sonia had.

I agree the Ferreiras haven't been as dull since Sasha and Kareena came back. I'd axe Ash I think, or turn him gay.

I'd implement my storyline idea for Stephen Beale, recast him and bring him back as a handsome young teen. I would also bring back Simon Wicks to be involved in the storyline. This would bring Pat back into the loop in the Square and would also involve Ian and the twins with their new heads.

I'd introduce a grandmother for the Millers, if you think Rosie is fiery, you'd see where she gets it from.

Patrick and Yolande would finally foster two boys and a girl. The eldest lad would turn to crime and despite their best efforts to help him, he'd go on a downward spiral, things would culminate with the lad being arrested on a sexual abuse charge.

I'd introduce a love interest for Stephen Bealse. Darren Miller and Lucy Beale would have a first kiss behind the alotments.

Nick Cotton would return seemingly a changed man. Dot would take him in but we would see NIck back to his old ways with the lad who lives with Patrick.

Bring back Peggy, Aunt Sal, Phil and Grant, soon after Den Watts takes over the Vic again.

Vicki Fowler leaves Walford after being bullied in college, she finds all her project work torn. Despite Chrissie's best efforts to help, Vicki will pine for her mum and leave Walford.

Peggy would help set the Moons up in Barry's old house.

The Mitchells would arrange for Andy to be killed. Things would go wrong as per usual, when Sam is caught in the crossfire!

Reunite Billy and Little Mo. Bring Kat and Alfie back together.

Michele Dotrice is nowhere near old enough to play Auntie Nelly - the actress who played her years ago would now be about 75. She was an evil old bag, and not in a good way (I didn't like her anyway). Love the idea of Kenny coming in though - especially if he was played by Paul Nicholas.

Let some nutty terrorist blow the bloody place up and start again with a whole new cast

I was thinking the same thing! They could maybe keep some of the cast, but make them re-audition to be in EE.

If not that, then I liked the idea of bringing Aunt Sal & family in. I'm not sure about having the old characters back, but having a new mitchell clan (I know as it's Peggy's sister that her surname's not Mitchell, but same principal), could work.

Give the Millers 6 months with a new writing team to see if they're going to work or not, get rid of the ferreiras straight off, along with Juley bruv and Sharon, Andy, Pauline & Derek,. Den must leave, because he should never have been brought back. We were happy with him being dead and he should have stayed that way, although there would need to be some way of bringing Chrissie in, because she's great.

Make Kat & Alfie a proper fun double act and send Spencer to live with Kelly in Spain. Send Charlie Slater away and bring Lil Mo back.

i would reunite billy and mo as well, i think the idea of building the fowlers up is great.
the families in eastenders need to be more stable as well.
i would put an end to cast breaks as well, it just ruins it, the families get ruined and thats what it needs- the families to be stable.

By the way willhung Pauline already has a long lost sister - so she can't have another one.

Aunt Nelly (lou's sister) has been making appearences on and off for years now - her and Ethel were best mates untill she dumped Ethel on Pauline and Dot when she was dying. The actress who plays her is probably well established as the character now.

But the idea of bring back Kenny Beale is spot on - thus bringing a Beale back into the square and giving Kenny the role as head of the family. With Pauline becoming more of a care free character. Kenny could also make a play for Pat again and the out come being that they end up back in a relationship and are this time well matched and happy together.

Speaking of Wicksy - he is in fact Petes son - so if he ever came back this may resurface - Peter is therefore Ian's nepthew and still a relative of Paulines.

But rebuilding up the Fowler/Beale clan is a very good idea.