I think this year has been a massive improvement for EastEnders as the show pretty much hit rock bottom for most of 2013. However, I have only watched since 2007, so what does everyone else think the worst period was?

Also, do you think if dtc took over after Lorainne newman, the ratings wouldn't of been so low?

I think the worst period of EastEnders would have to be from August 2011 until October 2013. The storyline's and characters were at their weakest with no drama, which EastEnders is well known for.

2011
Actually all of Kirkwoods time on the show

2012 and 2013 got to be the worst I had ever seen it, and I'v watched since 1989

I can remember watching from 2004 to around 2009 or 10. I can only remember bits of 2011-13, I sort of lost interest.

2011.

Moon Boxing storyline was memorable only for how god awful it actually was. I think 2011 was also the revival of the football team as well.

2012 has got to be the worst year the whole Kat shagger story plus had Derek. 2013 some say was the worst but I disagree 2013 wasn't so bad with Michael and janine stuff. What good stuff can anyone remember of 2012

The Queen Vic fight of 2012. 'Nuff said.

1989 - 1990
2004
2006 - 2007
2013

There was a brief time between Den Watt's first death and Mandy Salter's first arrival when not much happened, except Pat yelled "JANINE" a lot to the girl who happened to be mixed race back then!

30th January 2014 - present

2011-12. Basically Kirkwood's reign.

Yes I agree, 2011 started out really well IMO, the baby swap storyline was very silly, but fair enough, the viewers tuned in, and 2007-2010 was a massively popular era for EastEnders, so it kept it's audience pretty much through 2011. But once the baby swap storyline was over, the cracks started to show, and you could feel peggy and staceys absents, ronnie and pats exits just added a lot more damage to the show, I'm very glad stacey and ronnie are back, and I hope they have lots of drama coming their way! It's such a shame we can never have pat back, but I would love peggy to return! Hopefully she will!

Last year was crappy crap.

2011-2013 has to take the crown for that one surely.

I will never forgive Kirkwood, never.

Dan Ferrera and the Kidney Stone Storyline 2003, worst episodes EVER

that was 2004

There's always been rough patches but due to my age I can only remember from the early 00s onwards. (I have been back and watched earlier episodes but it's much harder to spot bad patches that way rather than in complete sequence in time context).
2004 was pretty up and down. I switched off for most of 2006.
From the backing down of the baby swap storyline it got pretty damn dire. Yes there were some good bits but really it didn't pick up until Christmas just passed.
So that's most of two years!
In answer, 2011-2013

2002 - 2004 when Louise Berridge Produced

The Berridge Era.

Dreadful.

2010-2013

I quite liked 2010, a lot of good and very popular moments

2010 - Still very strong, but the cracks began to show after the live episode
2011 - Loved the baby swap, everything derailed afterward
2012 - This is when the rot really settled in, although there were a few surprising high-points
2013 - Awful, awful, awful, the worst. But then on November 1st everything switched on again

Kirkwood's era for me.

Up until then, I'd have said 2006.

2012 to November 2013 was the worst period ever. We started 2013 with a very poor New years day episode and the year just got worse.

2006
2004
2005

In that order.