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EE Does Sharon no longer have any direction as a character?


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Old 28-08-2014, 17:03
iMatt_101
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It seems this way
And no, I'm not just talking about recent times
It seems to have been this way since her return in 2001

Back in her 1985-1995 stint she seemed to have a lot more direction
She was an actual character that was developing.

Since 2001 it's as if they don't have any actual direction for the character or seelopment plans, and just throw at EE any plot they see fit. They're not moving her forward as a character and just give her any SL that will make TV.

Is she no longer a strong character moving forward? She seems like a victim of 'hype' now, someone they're keeping going and giving SLs for the sake of her being a popular character rather than what is actually best for her.
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Old 28-08-2014, 17:47
Harlowe
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Problem is the first era you mentioned she was a main and original character the likes of the Mitchells was very much secondary but as time has gone on other they've outgrown her and are now the main player and the longer she was away other characters have become prominent.

Sharon 2001-2002 imo had direction but it was 2003-2006 that it started to go sour and I think a lot of ppl pin point that as a very bad time for the show and a lot of characters in general.

2012-2013 was possibly the worst years for Sharon as a character that was down to producers and writing, it didn't work and was disastrous.

2014 has very much been about repairing her character, she a lot better then the last two years but sometimes damage is done, the problem with this current storyline is it never seems it's about her.

it's always about Phil and feels like other characters are being shoehorned into it aswell, tbh the spoilers so far don't seem like it's gonna go in her favour and the worry is the outcome is gonna take her back to where she was last year, no job and stuck in a b'nb plus she is suffering from a lack of family.
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Old 28-08-2014, 18:05
Hildaonpluto
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As a soap character Sharon is pure soap gold-a treasure box gift for any soap writer so for me its not the character without direction but the writers.
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Old 28-08-2014, 19:04
Filiman
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As a soap character Sharon is pure soap gold-a treasure box gift for any soap writer so for me its not the character without direction but the writers.
I think this is 100% true. Sharon is a character that oozes soap: she has a strong contextual soap background; a strong characterisation anchored in a vast array of soap behavourisms; is a popular character; and has been key to many of soaps best storylines.

It's these newish EE 2.0 writers that are to blame, not the character. She IS soap gold.
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Old 28-08-2014, 19:13
sorcha_healy27
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I posted in the other thread
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Old 28-08-2014, 19:16
Filiman
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I posted in the other thread
Me too - thought I had a bad case of de jevu.
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Old 28-08-2014, 22:12
iMatt_101
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I posted in the other thread
Me too - thought I had a bad case of de jevu.
I'm using a phone with poor wifi so this forum keeps glitching for me

What happened was I made auto-spelling mistakes on this thread so I tried editing it but it ended up making another thread
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Old 28-08-2014, 22:19
sorcha_healy27
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I'm using a phone with poor wifi so this forum keeps glitching for me

What happened was I made auto-spelling mistakes on this thread so I tried editing it but it ended up making another thread
No worries matt!
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Old 28-08-2014, 22:41
Shevk
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She seems like a victim of 'hype' now, someone they're keeping going and giving SLs for the sake of her being a popular character rather than what is actually best for her.
A lot of characters fall into this category in EE. I view Bianca, Kat, Alfie, Roxy, Phil and Stacey in this way/
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Old 28-08-2014, 23:36
Hildaonpluto
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The hurricane/tornado promo video billing her 2012 return was a big mistake and a good example of soapstyle over soapsubstance.
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Old 28-08-2014, 23:42
jimbo23
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I really hate all these questioning the brilliance of sharon!

shes great, she has potential, she just needs better story lines and more focus, we had one great ep the other week where i though here we go, then nothing really since, now next weeks spoilers say shes going to have second thoughts about ripping off phil. zzz
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Old 29-08-2014, 00:56
Broken_Arrow
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As a soap character Sharon is pure soap gold-a treasure box gift for any soap writer so for me its not the character without direction but the writers.
Completely agree. She's as perfect a soap character a writer could get. I can't understand the attitude the current writers have towards her. As a huge EastEnders fan I can't believe the writers aren't chomping at the bit to write big storylines for her.

With that said, her first stint was the best one. But that is because it comprised the first 10 glorious years of EastEnders when the writing and direction of the show and the characters was at its best. It's a different show nowadays and all the poorer for it. Sharon's character went on a complete journey from 1985 to 1995. She's just floating about now like pretty much every other character.
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Old 29-08-2014, 02:13
lou_123
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I really hate all these questioning the brilliance of sharon!

shes great, she has potential, she just needs better story lines and more focus, we had one great ep the other week where i though here we go, then nothing really since, now next weeks spoilers say shes going to have second thoughts about ripping off phil. zzz
I think a lot of characters need decent storylines LOL not just sharon, Ian's getting all the storylines ATM, it isn't fair on the other characters, fair enough ian should take centre stage as he's been in the show since 1985 and they're coming up to their 30th, I just feel after the 30th, the soap really need to have a good think about their storylines for characters, their are a lot of couples on EE who just don't match, lola/peter, Denise/ian, they should split then all up and give every single character a new direction, and also visit old ones, the whole cast need a fresh start, dtc has done this quite well so far, and he's built up a lot of characters, however once they character are built back up they should focus more on storylines, storylines since about 2010 have been really bad structured, their either too rushed/too slow/aren't really storylines...
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Old 29-08-2014, 03:43
Aurora13
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Sharon character is limited by the acting. Sharon relies on being in storylines carried by far more able actors. She was the weakest of the youngsters when EE started and times haven't really changed.
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Old 29-08-2014, 09:52
jimbo23
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I think a lot of characters need decent storylines LOL not just sharon, Ian's getting all the storylines ATM, it isn't fair on the other characters, fair enough ian should take centre stage as he's been in the show since 1985 and they're coming up to their 30th, I just feel after the 30th, the soap really need to have a good think about their storylines for characters, their are a lot of couples on EE who just don't match, lola/peter, Denise/ian, they should split then all up and give every single character a new direction, and also visit old ones, the whole cast need a fresh start, dtc has done this quite well so far, and he's built up a lot of characters, however once they character are built back up they should focus more on storylines, storylines since about 2010 have been really bad structured, their either too rushed/too slow/aren't really storylines...
I agree with this, the structure of all the storyline shad been awful, and yeah these couples that just dont add up, I originally thought although it was very far fetched that a women who looked like Denise would lower herself to Ian esp as she new how he treated jane, but I kinda saw were it came from. But I'm loosing all respect for her now she hasn't packed her bags and gone,

Then there's this Lucy killer storyline, I have said it befor I think they have no plans of who the killer is yet and there just waiting to see how it pans out, somthing needs to happen soon tho as it's getting old fast,

As for Sharon, she needs splitting from phil and I genuinely think they should bring in a family for her. They could have her meet a new man, bring back Vicky and co, or re write her birth family into fitting with her. Then build her some storylines
It can't be that hard to write decent stuff for a character who's been around this long!
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Old 29-08-2014, 10:23
Mattehhhftw
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Problem is the first era you mentioned she was a main and original character the likes of the Mitchells was very much secondary but as time has gone on other they've outgrown her and are now the main player and the longer she was away other characters have become prominent.

Sharon 2001-2002 imo had direction but it was 2003-2006 that it started to go sour and I think a lot of ppl pin point that as a very bad time for the show and a lot of characters in general.

2012-2013 was possibly the worst years for Sharon as a character that was down to producers and writing, it didn't work and was disastrous.

2014 has very much been about repairing her character, she a lot better then the last two years but sometimes damage is done, the problem with this current storyline is it never seems it's about her.

it's always about Phil and feels like other characters are being shoehorned into it aswell, tbh the spoilers so far don't seem like it's gonna go in her favour and the worry is the outcome is gonna take her back to where she was last year, no job and stuck in a b'nb plus she is suffering from a lack of family.
I have to disagree with some of your comments. I think from 2003-2005 Sharon had a very good direction and was written well. The Watts family at that time were big in comparison to the Mitchells as Peggy and Phil had both left, leaving just Sam and Billy. I do agree though that her 2012-2013 time on the show wasn't good but this year she's feeling like old Sharon again. What she needs is some of her own family, I'm suprised DTC hasn't introduced Vicki back or something. I know she has her son but that isn't the same.
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Old 29-08-2014, 13:52
Broken_Arrow
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Sharon character is limited by the acting. Sharon relies on being in storylines carried by far more able actors. She was the weakest of the youngsters when EE started and times haven't really changed.
I couldn't disagree more. I love Letitia Dean's over the top portrayal of Sharon. She's a brilliant soap character. As for the acting snobbery, it's a bloody soap. Not The Sopranos. Most of the cast are mediocre to good with a few exceptions.
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Old 29-08-2014, 14:00
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If Sharon had come back under any producer but Kirkwood and then not suffered at the hands of the Newman/Kirkwood handover she would have been OK. Instead her return story was daft and for some reason Kirkwood had her paired off with Jack. Either this came about because the show viewed Sharon like Ronnie as a tragic heroine and thought with Ronnie gone Sharon would work with Jack or they just didn't really have any idea who to pair her with but the Jack romance was wrong on so many levels. Then once all of Kirkwood's material was over Newman subjected her to a pill popping storyline and a demon child plot. Both of which were crap but at least they were a step up from being a Branning satellite.

DTC has at least tried to fix some of what went wrong by giving her The Albert but the problem is we never see it. While putting the Carters in the Vic was a good decision I do wonder if its Sharon and Phil who should have been put back in there with the Carters just being a new family on the Square. Sharon is Mrs Queen Vic and I think saving her character will only happen if she gets her pub back. That's Sharon's blood and the key to her success is being landlady.
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Old 29-08-2014, 14:05
Broken_Arrow
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If Sharon had come back under any producer but Kirkwood and then not suffered at the hands of the Newman/Kirkwood handover she would have been OK. Instead her return story was daft and for some reason Kirkwood had her paired off with Jack. Either this came about because the show viewed Sharon like Ronnie as a tragic heroine and thought with Ronnie gone Sharon would work with Jack or they just didn't really have any idea who to pair her with but the Jack romance was wrong on so many levels. Then once all of Kirkwood's material was over Newman subjected her to a pill popping storyline and a demon child plot. Both of which were crap.

DTC has at least tried to fix some of what went wrong by giving her The Albert but the problem is we never see it. While putting the Carters in the Vic was a good decision I do wonder if its Sharon and Phil who should have been put back in there with the Carters just being a new family on the Square. Sharon is Mrs Queen Vic and I think saving her character will only happen if she gets her pub back.
I don't blame Kirkwood for what happened to Sharon. I blame Simon Ashdown and his Branning obsession. I also blame Lorraine Newman for allowing Ashdown to do what he did to Sharon. They are to blame. I'm not even sure Kirkwood would have brought Sharon back. I think that was a direction from the BBC to regain viewers.

Sharon should have been brought back with her own storyline like in 2001 when she bought The Vic rather than being a plot device during the climax of Heather's murder storyline. 7 episodes went out that week and I think Sharon appeared for about 15 minutes. It was a bloody joke.
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Old 29-08-2014, 14:14
james_killroy
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Sharon should have been put back in The Vic. People say Sharon wouldn't live there after its where Den was killed but forget she lived in the pub for 3 months after his body had been dug up and had no issue living there then.

Sharon running The Vic is how it should be. The Carters are a good family but that pub only works best if Sharon or Peggy is running it.
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Old 29-08-2014, 14:23
Harlowe
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I have to disagree with some of your comments. I think from 2003-2005 Sharon had a very good direction and was written well. The Watts family at that time were big in comparison to the Mitchells as Peggy and Phil had both left, leaving just Sam and Billy. I do agree though that her 2012-2013 time on the show wasn't good but this year she's feeling like old Sharon again. What she needs is some of her own family, I'm suprised DTC hasn't introduced Vicki back or something. I know she has her son but that isn't the same.
2003-2004 had it moments probably 2003 to early 2004 was the best for the Watts and Shannis, even 2005 around Den's death but a lot of the time was stung by absences and rather dodgy storylines.
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Old 29-08-2014, 14:25
Broken_Arrow
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Sharon should have been put back in The Vic. People say Sharon wouldn't live there after its where Den was killed but forget she lived in the pub for 3 months after his body had been dug up and had no issue living there then.

Sharon running The Vic is how it should be. The Carters are a good family but that pub only works best if Sharon or Peggy is running it.
I like Linda Carter as the landlady, to be fair. I wouldn't be in a hurry to remove her from that position but the rest of her family needs to take a backseat for a while.

Had Linda not arrived I think Sharon should slowly have regained The Vic over time rather than straight away like in 2001. Of course the best way to have given The Vic back to its rightful owner (the one who was obsessed with it long before Peggy) would have been to make The Carters Sharon's family and not Shirley's. A case of DTC picking his favourite over what would have been best for the show and Sharon.
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Old 29-08-2014, 14:29
james_killroy
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I like Linda Carter as the landlady, to be fair. I wouldn't be in a hurry to remove her from that position but the rest of her family needs to take a backseat for a while.

Had Linda not arrived I think Sharon should slowly have regained The Vic over time rather than straight away like in 2001. Of course the best way to have given The Vic back to its rightful owner (the one who was obsessed with it long before Peggy) would have been to make The Carters Sharon's family and not Shirley's. A case of DTC picking his favourite over what would have been best for the show and Sharon.
Oh no way! making the Carter's Sharon's real family would have been the biggest mistake ever made. Sharon is Den and Angie's daughter and will always be Watts. Moving her away from those two to make her a Carter would have been terrible.

Sharon's real family are best left forgotten. She has Vicky, thats all she needs and in a few years Dennis will be old enough.
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Old 29-08-2014, 14:32
Ell_Ren
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I don't think Sharon should be back in the Vic. No offence but Letitia Dean isn't the greatest actress and just because she was in the show early on doesn't mean she should take priority over any other characters. I think after Den being killed there, it wouldn't work for Sharon to be back in the pub.

I also think that bringing the Carters in as Sharon's family would have been a wrong move, Sharon is a WATTS and that is how it should stay imo.
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Old 29-08-2014, 14:37
james_killroy
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I don't think Sharon should be back in the Vic. No offence but Letitia Dean isn't the greatest actress and just because she was in the show early on doesn't mean she should take priority over any other characters. I think after Den being killed there, it wouldn't work for Sharon to be back in the pub.

I also think that bringing the Carters in as Sharon's family would have been a wrong move, Sharon is a WATTS and that is how it should stay imo.
Letitia Dean is a great actress. She just hasn't had anything decent to get stuck into since her return.

All these new viewers of 2006 would know Letitia was great if they had watched her in the show previously.

Some of the domestic abuse scenes between Sharon and Grant are the best EastEnders have ever done. Letitia and Ross were excellent and not many in the current cast could match the skill of those two today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CVnN-e8mN4
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