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What has HAPPENED to our soaps?!!!!


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Old 08-02-2005, 15:42
Huch'net
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Ratings for Week Ending 23/01/2005

1 EASTENDERS (MON 2002) 12.39
2 EASTENDERS (FRI 2003) 12.02
3 EASTENDERS (THU 1930) 11.61
4 EASTENDERS (TUE 1930) 11.19


1 CORONATION STREET (MON 1934) 12.66
2 CORONATION STREET (MON 2029) 12.20
3 CORONATION STREET (SUN 1929) 12.15
4 CORONATION STREET (FRI 1933) 11.94
5 CORONATION STREET (WED 1930) 11.78
6 EMMERDALE (THU 1903) 10.40
7 EMMERDALE (MON 1902) 10.20
8 EMMERDALE (WED 1858) 9.88
9 EMMERDALE (TUE 1904) 9.79
10 EMMERDALE (FRI 1901) 9.45

Ratings for Week Ending 25/01/2004

1 EASTENDERS (MON 1959) 13.62
2 EASTENDERS (TUE 1930) 13.61
3 EASTENDERS (THU 1930) 13.38
4 EASTENDERS(FRI 2000) 13.10

1 CORONATION STREET (MON 1932) 14.69
2 CORONATION STREET (WED 1930) 13.92
3 CORONATION STREET (SUN 1929) 13.58
4 CORONATION STREE T(FRI 1932) 13.29
5 CORONATION STREET (MON 2029) 13.00
6 EMMERDALE (THU 1901) 10.91
7 EMMERDALE (MON 1901) 10.79
8 EMMERDALE (WED 1858) 10.62
9 EMMERDALE (FRI 1900) 10.38
10 EMMERDALE (TUE 1900) 10.32


---------------------------------------

All of our soaps sure have LOST the PLOT!

Does nobody else feel that classic moments are NOT being made?

Mad Maya - what a let down, totally forgotten about, over-hyped, over-shown trash! I'm afraid it was NOT a night to remember and doesn't even compare with the littlest of episodes such as Steve murdering Saskia in EastEnders. The Maya storyline was ALSO totally unplausabile with many holes!

Sarah the Stalker - same as Mad Maya, totally forgotten about! No mention since!

Janine - nothing heard, no trial!

Then we have lots of plots/ characters/ families that just aren't doing it for viewers! Not just EastEnders but all of our main soaps, they've lost their realism.

What does everybody else think? How did this decline start? Is there a decline at all or is it just the Soap forum making everything negative?

I personally think something needs to give them all a good kick up and make things more competitive, I think this something is EastEnders! Corrie & Emmerdale have had no competition meaning the simplest of storylines such as a 'book club' can be the main storyline throughout an episode!
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Old 08-02-2005, 15:46
Lazy Gal
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I agree but most of the classic casts have gone and they don't know what to do with the new ones to make us care about them.
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Old 08-02-2005, 15:51
Drifter
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Originally Posted by Huch'net
Then we have lots of plots/ characters/ families that just aren't doing it for viewers! Not just EastEnders but all of our main soaps, they've lost their realism.

Like what?

Emmerdale certainly can't be said to be in decline in terms of entertaining viewing Quite the oppsite surely..

Corrie has had a slow start to the year, very very dull, but it's picked up a bit recently.

The Mad Maya stuff was overrated in part, but the late Wednesday episode WAS a classic I think.
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Old 08-02-2005, 15:51
Huch'net
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None of them seem to have a 'classic' cast, when I think back to EastEnders when they had fights in the Vic, everyone would be involved sat in their 'groups' - Pat would be watching on. Coronation St seems to do it, but not in the same way, its not so dramatic and nobody appears to have a sense of what is going on.

Another thing was Karen Mcdonald leaving, it was a total let down she was a main character and that was the send off she got, it was pathetic! And what was with burning the car, nothing was ever said again! Its all just for effects and instant ratings. Coronation St is too relaxed, when was the last time anybody actually died? Maxine? I know Tommy is going to die and I hope this will boot things up a bit, I hope...
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Old 08-02-2005, 15:52
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Tommy is going to get stabbed by his daughter - I'd say that's as unrealistic as they come lol!
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Old 08-02-2005, 15:55
Huch'net
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Originally Posted by Drifter
Like what?

Emmerdale certainly can't be said to be in decline in terms of entertaining viewing Quite the oppsite surely..

Corrie has had a slow start to the year, very very dull, but it's picked up a bit recently.

The Mad Maya stuff was overrated in part, but the late Wednesday episode WAS a classic I think.
Emmerdale's different, I think it appears to be the best out the three soaps but it does not get the publicity to make it into classics like, there's no sense that "everyone's talking about it" as the press seem to just totally ignore. But Charity is certainly a classic character, one of the best in Emmerdale ever. I don't know whether Emmerdale can said to be in decline because it is the only one that seems to have remained constant for the past year or so..
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Old 08-02-2005, 15:57
Lazy Gal
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Emmerdale isn't really big league though at award ceremonies when they go to announce best soap everybody has grown to expect it to be Corrie or Easties.
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:08
Drifter
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It's so stupid though - I think it just takes a long long time to shake off that farming tag and is seen by people who have NO clue whatsoever as being "uncool".

They only way they can get the big press interest is through ratings increase (or at least equalling the others). They just have to keep churning out decent episodes and storylines like they are now, and continue to improve even more.

This year I'll be pretty damn annoyed if they don't win more than they ever have at the soap awards. They always win one or two - last year they got 3 because of the storm. This time they SHOULD get 4 at least I'm hoping.
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:08
enoughisenough
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Originally Posted by Huch'net
Ratings for Week Ending 23/01/2005

1 EASTENDERS (MON 2002) 12.39
2 EASTENDERS (FRI 2003) 12.02
3 EASTENDERS (THU 1930) 11.61
4 EASTENDERS (TUE 1930) 11.19


1 CORONATION STREET (MON 1934) 12.66
2 CORONATION STREET (MON 2029) 12.20
3 CORONATION STREET (SUN 1929) 12.15
4 CORONATION STREET (FRI 1933) 11.94
5 CORONATION STREET (WED 1930) 11.78
6 EMMERDALE (THU 1903) 10.40
7 EMMERDALE (MON 1902) 10.20
8 EMMERDALE (WED 1858) 9.88
9 EMMERDALE (TUE 1904) 9.79
10 EMMERDALE (FRI 1901) 9.45

Ratings for Week Ending 25/01/2004

1 EASTENDERS (MON 1959) 13.62
2 EASTENDERS (TUE 1930) 13.61
3 EASTENDERS (THU 1930) 13.38
4 EASTENDERS(FRI 2000) 13.10

1 CORONATION STREET (MON 1932) 14.69
2 CORONATION STREET (WED 1930) 13.92
3 CORONATION STREET (SUN 1929) 13.58
4 CORONATION STREE T(FRI 1932) 13.29
5 CORONATION STREET (MON 2029) 13.00
6 EMMERDALE (THU 1901) 10.91
7 EMMERDALE (MON 1901) 10.79
8 EMMERDALE (WED 1858) 10.62
9 EMMERDALE (FRI 1900) 10.38
10 EMMERDALE (TUE 1900) 10.32


---------------------------------------

All of our soaps sure have LOST the PLOT!
Sorry what am I missing. Millions are watching the soaps.....
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:11
Lazy Gal
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I like Emmerdale but it's different to the other two big league soaps and don't ask me to put a reason on it because I'm totally confused and trying to think there's just something not there that the other two have.
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:18
Silvermist
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There are many reasons for the decline in viewing figures, not just the quality of the shows themselves. For a start there are many more entertainment options available now. Just look how many of us are on the internet when there are soaps to be watched.
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:20
bronze bully
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I totally agree. The soaps have lost the sparkle they once had. I have 3 main reasons in my mind :

1) Too many episodes of every soap / overload. 2x or 3x a week was more than enough.

2) Too much hype in papers & mags. Too many soap mags revealing EVERY single plotline weeks before it happens - you don't need to watch them thesedays you know everything thats happened before & after it's screened. In the old days Soaps didn't get as much coverage they get today - it was worth watching to see what happened next. If you know whats going to happen & don't fancy it,you wont watch.

3) Too much youth. Kids used to be seen and rarly heard - EE had teenagers in Chelle & Ian etc in the old days, but they were grown up in a sense and knew their place. Thesedays you can't pick up a Sunday paper without seeing Sarah Lou or that vile Candice posing in their bra's - you never had Susan Tully or Letita Dean resulting to soft porn like that. Soaps need their older characters back at the front, decent actors who don't shag around on & off set, who come in & do their work with skills they have gained through years of acting.

I used to watch them all, I loved them, you couldn't get a bigger addict, but when all three of those points above started, I was forced to switch off. I only stay faithful to EastEnders now & thats only through loyalty.

In the words of Kathy Beale : "Sort it aught"
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:20
Lazy Gal
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LOL, mind you 12 million is still pretty good and keeps them up there as some of the most watched shows in the UK.
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:21
bronze bully
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Originally Posted by enoughisenough
Sorry what am I missing. Millions are watching the soaps.....
There was a time when they fetched 17million each.....
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:23
Lazy Gal
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Only for special episodes. I think EE holds the highest audience ever with 30 million don't they?
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:25
enoughisenough
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Originally Posted by bronze bully
There was a time when they fetched 17million each.....
There was a time when the whole nation watched a space shuttle taking off! BROADcasting has gone for ever. It's now NARROWcasting, every digi channel is after you. 12mil is a big audience for any TV programme and with digi plus developing etc figures will continue to decrease for all shows...
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:26
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Originally Posted by bronze bully
Thesedays you can't pick up a Sunday paper without seeing Sarah Lou or that vile Candice posing in their bra's - you never had Susan Tully or Letita Dean resulting to soft porn like that.
Being a straight woman, I'm no expert but I cant imagine the thought of Sue Tully in her underwear being a big selling point
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:27
Safra
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You can say that the soap ratings are declining but then again so are all other TV shows ratings. Soaps (Corrie/EE/Emmerdale) are still the most watched programmes.
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:29
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Originally Posted by Safra
You can say that the soap ratings are declining but then again so are all other TV shows ratings. Soaps (Corrie/EE/Emmerdale) are still the most watched programmes.
That is true.

Remember the days of the 20 million + ratings were the days before Sky.
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:29
bronze bully
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Originally Posted by NewWoman
Being a straight woman, I'm no expert but I cant imagine the thought of Sue Tully in her underwear being a big selling point

well thats true
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:31
a_reyes
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I tell u what I do enjoy EE, I have for a few years now...I'm not as fussy as a lot of "critics" on here that pick up on EVERY single little bloody thing that ain't TV History! But the other day on UK Gold I watched the very first EE episode for my first time and I have to say I was gobsmacked! Absolutely BRILLIANT! Magic stuff from start to finish and it was all down to the interaction of all different characters with each other giving that real sense of community! You don't get that much anymore...It's mostly just characters involved in a storyline with each other staying in their own little world.

In that first episode everyone seemed to know each other well, today it's like no-one knows much about the other, loss of that community feel. Plus the realism of that first episode was priceless, right down to the portrayal of the Asian community...Put's the Ferraira's to shame!
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:44
Lazy Gal
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They had a different cast back then. EE has had to change with the times to accomodate modern soap.
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:56
WalfordWill
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I must say though, I miss some cast members in EastEnders and last year I didn't really enjoy a lot of it,but I've begun to enjoy it again. Corrie I was gripped by last year. Its having a slow start to the year but at the end of 2004 it had 7 shops blown up and a mad woman steal a car with a baby and seemingly burn it out, to two women trying to kill each other on top of the factory roof, its only natural there be some downtime, til they build up to the next big storyline.
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Old 08-02-2005, 16:58
Lazy Gal
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Corrie was excellent last year but it didn't face stiff competition did it?
EE was probably at it's worst.
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Old 08-02-2005, 18:10
motor mouth
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Originally Posted by Huch'net
Ratings for Week Ending 23/01/2005

1 CORONATION STREET (MON 1934) 12.66
2 EASTENDERS (MON 2002) 12.39
3 CORONATION STREET (MON 2029) 12.20
4 CORONATION STREET (SUN 1929) 12.15
5 EASTENDERS (FRI 2003) 12.02
6 CORONATION STREET (FRI 1933) 11.94
7 CORONATION STREET (WED 1930) 11.78
8 EASTENDERS (THU 1930) 11.61
9 EASTENDERS (TUE 1930) 11.19
10 EMMERDALE (THU 1903) 10.40
11 EMMERDALE (MON 1902) 10.20
12 EMMERDALE (WED 1858) 9.88
13 EMMERDALE (TUE 1904) 9.79
14 EMMERDALE (FRI 1901) 9.45

---------------------------------------
Why did you take Eastenders out of the chart you gave us of Emmerdale and Corrie? I know it isn't fair to compare something like Eastenders to quality shows like Corrie and Emmerdale, but come on you shouldn't feel embarrassed that Eastenders isn't watched by as many people as Coronation Street... It's not doing that badly... yet....
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