We have a long wait but...

Here's the sneek peak for Episode 11

Based on this small snippet, it honestly looks like another below average episode to me. I'm really hoping that the second half of series proves to be better than the first half but based on the teaser, I'm already feeling unconfident about how the rest of the series will fair. I'm still pretty disappointed with the poor quality of the first half.

20 episodes seemed like a great extension at first but now I'm left contemplating on whether it would have been better kept at 13.

24 episode have been commissioned - stated in a BBC media article. The quality will end up suffering even more. I'd rather a 13 episode series and BBC using the remaining budget for new shows. The problem with a long series is that we're left with lots of boring filler.

Also, CBBC has finally stopped showing reruns of TSOTB on a regular basis. Instead their showing reruns of TBR and TDG on loop. It was always suprising how they continued to show TSOTB after so many years when other other programmes made in the same era were never shown again. It'd still be nice to see some old favourite such as 'The Crust', 'The Ghost Hunter','Stupid' remastered on TV.

The Dumping Ground returned last Friday starting with episode 11 which means Series 4B has officially started and will continue every Friday as usual. I only just caught up. The episode was focused on Sasha/ and a bit of Harry. However, it was a pretty below average episode in my opinion. Nothing special.


Yeah, it seemed endless. TSOTB was so popular which is likely why it had endless repeats. I guess there was a certain charm to it in the sense that it was so iconic. I definitely agree with you about how nice it would be to watch old programmes like The Crust and Stupid. That brings back so many good memories, I loved those shows along with other gems like The Basil Brush Show, Roman Mysteries, Kerching, The Queen's Nose etc. They really missed a huge opportunity to do this for the 30th anniversary of CBBC last year. Just imagine a whole weekend dedicated to showing the old CBBC programmes for the past 30 years. Such a shame it couldn't happen. That would have been the perfect time to do it.

As for The Dumping Ground, yeah it's a shame we'll likely be subjected to watching more pointless filler. I think this is also why I still consider Series 1 to be the best series of The Dumping Ground so far. The first half of series 4 was disappointing and although I'm hoping things get better with the second half, I'm still not confident that it will because of the extended stretch of episodes. Originally, it seemed like a great idea. I could see why they would do it since TSOTB had around 20-25 episodes but the thing is it worked with TSOTB because the episodes were only 15 minutes long (sometimes they would even put two episodes as 1 because of its short length) whereas The Dumping Ground is roughly 28-30 minutes which makes the length and wait a bit more draining.

After having a long think about it, yeah it probably would have been better if they kept the 13 episode length that Tracy Beaker Returns and Series 1 and 2 of The Dumping Ground did.

I quite enjoyed the most recent episode. Was it that Sasha stole an item and put it into the foster parents bag because she didn't like them/to frame them? Or am I getting confused here?

Been a long time since I consistently watched Tracy Beaker I think the last time I did was in Tracy Beaker Returns when Tracy left, Although I dip in here and there. I think Tracy Beaker Returns and The Original when Tracy was gobby and trying to get fostered by Cam was better than this Version as it seemed like the episodes got straight to the point and tackled much more serious issues without stretching it to like 20 episodes. This seems so generic.

Best thing about the most recent episode was the guest appearance of Sheila Hancock. The plot itself was very average. The episodes in this series have been very formulaic The directing and the sets perhaps are some of the reason for it. The current sets for the home are very dull and the episodes are always shot in the same angles. The scripts have also declined in quality. Though. this could be due to lack of any good, strong characters. The cast of TBR and the first series of TDG were all great compared to current ones.

Agree about the scripts, but not the characters. There are plenty of strong characters but they are not being written very well at all. Generally as well there is just very little narrative development; the show just meanders along aimlessly but it never really goes anywhere. TSOTB, TBR and early DG could all be gritty, it's lost that. It seems to be aimed at a younger audience now but it doesn't really work.

Sorry to be negative but I can't help but seem so bored with this current series. I feel like it's getting progressively worse. This might be the weakest series of the show so far.

I actually found last week's episode with Bailey to be pretty decent. I feel like Bailey is more likeable now. I think he's started to grow as a character. I like his commitment to caring for Mischief. However, I found today's episode rather boring and uninteresting. Floss is still unlikeable.

It's at the point where I don't care if I miss an episode. I've genuinely lost interest in the show which is disappointing because I feel The Dumping Ground can do so much better than this.

I liked the Bailey ep - atho he wasn't really dumped per se. I mean they only knew each other for about a day. Crikey.

I do think the show has become more kid- ified. I know it's on CBBC but in comparison to the earlier series there is a lack of serious storylines and plot. I'm more concerned about will the childrens parents come back for them? Will they make it work with foster families instead? What exactly is their history?

Getting tired of episodes where there is a competition (we must be on the 8th one by now) or where an outside character comes in for the (one) episode. Maybe a friend or a date etc and then leaves by the end of the ep. Usually we never see or hear from them again - even a comment (in the next ep) about what happened to them or something would give the show consistency.

I reckon someone at the BBC has found the earlier series too miserable and asked the writers to lighten it up and pipe in annoying chart music. I prefer the earlier series - there was more drama which was actually gripping.

Recent episode was not great tbh that might be cus I don't like Floss (from the start). She's like Tracy Beaker but without any of the charm.

Floss is nothing like Tracy Beaker. Sasha is probably the closest to Tracy in terms of her fieryness and stroppiness, as well as the irresponsible mother backstory we see from time to time. Floss is one of my favourite characters, although the actress is a bit limited. Her deadpan one-liners often have me laughing. I think sometimes she's just not very well written. A lot of the characters badly lack development. Take the twins for example - they haven't even had their own storyline since they joined the show, and we know absolutely nothing about them. Ryan has been exactly the same since he joined. It's like each episode focuses on a character, but despite learning more about their personality, the character never actually progresses.

It's very formulaic and it's like the BBC have just commisioned episodes till the end of time, and the writers are on autopilot. This is a children's home but there's rarely any sense of sadness, being without parents or lacking a moral compass. It's just very fluffy and directionless. One of the best episodes in recent times was definitely the Kazima one, but that was a while ago now. In this block the strongest episode has been Sasha's, where Harry leaves. Sasha and Jody will probably become the frontrunners when Tee and Carmen leave. Annabelle Davis is definitely a strong enough actress to be at the front, not sure Kia Pegg is though.

I reckon she is Tracy-like in the sense of her being stroppy and mostly plotting things (using others) to get her way, like in the recent episode. Many times we've seen Tracy shout at others, ruin something of theirs or tear things up (literally). That's what Floss does too along with having a big ego (another similarity).
I cannot say about having a similar backstory as I honestly can't remember what exactly happened to Floss (family wise).

I agree that the Kazima episode was one of the strongest - the episodes are always better when there is a sense of real danger.
I prefer Kia over Annabelle as an actress but horses for courses.

I thought that was a really on form episode, the best one in this block so far. It was much busier and more exciting than recent episodes. Tyler is probably the show's most likeable character so nice to see him more prominent than he has been lately. On the one hand, it's great to see Chloe made a permanent character; the actress absolutely shone in her guest episode so I'm no surprised, and it will be great character development for Ryan, which is badly needed.

On the other hand it's a real shame Sammy is only a temporary character. I thought they were going down an Asperger's route with him and what a talented young actor he is. And now he's gone after only three episodes? Bizarre.

I enjoyed Tyler's episode. It was good that they showed the problems in trying to reunite from both sides. His Mum was struggling as much as he was.

And Liv from Emmerdale!

Yeah, that's what made it such an enjoyable episode, it was actually about something and not just a load of fluff, which too many DG episodes are these days. Liv only joined Emmerdale in March so probably started filming in January, this block of episodes was shot in Summer 2015. Still odd though, I agree! But that girl just has something about her, good luck to her.

Just watched the ep where Sammy leaves. Thought he was sticking around? It was a good ep but they should have had a different dangerous situation for him, as the thing with the kid climbing onto the roof for attention was already done in Tracy Beaker Returns (with Lily).

Does anyone know who that young asian boy was? He was with the group when they returned from paint balling. This is in the Tyler episode.

Can't recall his name. It was a blink and you'll miss it scene, but he moved in at the same time as Chloe. What the point of him is we've yet to see!

They are really stringing out Ryan's redemption. I keep expecting the road to damascus moment but it refuses to come.

It's turned into a soap. Every episode so far have been very slow and have lacked good plots. It all feels very samey and tiresome.

The programme has heavily declined in quality. Only way out is to get a new writing team. It's evident that the current scriptwriters have lost interest and have run out of original ideas.

Thinking Ryan is a future Rob Titchener.

After a couple of strong episode, what a load of forgettable blah that was. And Floss has got the worst teeth I have ever seen!

Ha that doesn't bode well for him does it.
I did find the festival ep a bit cringey. I'm re-watching earlier eps of the Dumping Ground on iplayer and with the earlier series it's like night and day. They're so much better, more serious with tense moments. Feels like the series has got quite goofy over time - too much fluff atm.

I assume you've been rewatching the Series 1 episodes? So have I and the episodes still hold up today and feel just right. That was when TDG was at its best for me. I enjoyed every episode from that series, with my favourites being Freedom, SOS, WWGW, Dreamland and Scary Beasts. It still had that grittiness and I still miss the old house.

Also, get ready to say your goodbyes to Carmen and Tee. They leave in today's episode.

I've never warmed to either character so I'm not sorry to see them go, however much the clunky script and overwrought soundtrack tried to make me cry. Both characters have been spare parts in this series, and no mention of their departure was made in earlier episodes - it was like 'boom, they're going today'. Given that both characters hark back to TROTB days, frankly they deserved better. Like most of this series, I'm distinctly underwhelmed.

I think Amy-Leigh Hickman is a lovely girl and a very good actress though, I'm sure we haven't seen the last of her.