Why does the show really lack them currently? Scenes like Ian and Jane, Dot, Max, Sharon, Kat and Alfie etc... Going for a drink down the vic of a night, and the Carter's appearing briefly for a few weeks, only serving customers, or scenes in the chippy with Ian chatting to one of the customers, and happy conversations between dot and another character in the launderette? They've all been replaced by really long scenes with some really depressing and boring conversations, I feel like the show lacks normal life! The only time we really see the vic of a night is a forced Carter special occasion, and all the new characters?:/

Because they have SL's to tell. There is no time for pointless chatty scenes. Ever scene has a progress in the SL.

I know what your saying but if overdone it can get boring. Look at the scene with Poppy and her friend in the Vic a few years ago. It was pointless and silly and never went down well.

But I agree scenes have been very long and depressing. I'm loosing the will to stick with EE atm.

Same here, DTC's era got off to a good start, but it's starting to change now, and the show feels a bit weird now, there's so many new characters and it's actually REALLY depressing, but we do need everyday normal scenes, look at the episodes from the 80's on youtube, community spirit, friendly chats, and gritty drama were all mixed together, and the writing was exceptional! The show has lost so much! not every scene has to involve a storyline, it's nice to have some everyday scenes, and I don't mean between characters like Poppy (most the younger cast need axing anyway), I mean characters like Ian, Jane, Dot, Phil, Carol etc... Instead of really long scenes with poor writing!

Hmm. I get what you mean but I'm not sure if these current writers can actually pull off scenes like that!

I actually think Thursday's episodes was one of the most everyday episodes we've had in a long time. Max and Stacey outside the Vic, Ronnie and Roxy having banter at home, Les and Pam buying Cora a drink. That was actually the overriding thing I noticed most about the episode.

Funny enough ive been thinking the exact same thing

Ah, some are really good but some are really bad! I'm sorry, but Daran Little is MAJORLY overrated, he's actually AWFUL!

Yeah I know, but it was all ruined by that AWFUL musical bingo night thing, and all the younger cast members, bringing the show down!

You and that bleedin musical bingo! you've not shut up about it

Musical Bingo is current, which is better than the show living in a bubble in the dark ages which it previously was.

More of an effort is made these days to make the show slightly realistic by including real news events and current trends etc which is a good thing.

We do need younger cast though and younger people do tend to have bigger friend groups. Normal/community scenes are needed as they provide a bit of a breather in the stories that are depressing and dominating most scenes. Musical bingo sounds weird tbh and I don't see why Nancy had to be "landlady for the day" instead of going out. Dexter needs to go and fatboy snd whitney have ran their course and tamwar should become part time but the rest of the younger cast are fine.

I miss the dot "I ain't one to gossip" scenes and the community spirit things. Donna and the more isolated characters could do with them tbh to be more involved with the older cast. I enjoyed the fat blasted but we've not had that for a while

I do know the the OP means, the show has been a big heavy both terms of storyline (tone) and in how much time those storylines are given, but the truth is the shows has shone for it, its been getting alot of praise, and its really benefitted the storyline, to slow the show down a bit, and not allow the storyline to move on, until Linda is ready to do so, brings viewers alot closer to her.

All those people posting saying they are bored of Linda and want to move on, seem to forget that Linda cant move on from what has happened, thats the point of the storyline.

I have to disagree with a lot of these comments but I think EE is at the top of its game at the moment. I stopped watching EE a few years ago because it. was. dire.
But I started watching again earlier in the year, dipping in and out of episodes. I'm npw back to watching it again religiously because the drama right now is gripping. My favourite storyline atm is The Carters and Dean but I'm really enjoying the whole Max/Emma affair, Peter/Lauren being followed, Ronnie/Charlie relationship and to a lesser extent Phil/Sharon/Shirley (the Mitchells have never been a favourite of mine) and Roxy/Aleks. I'm even enjoying Ronnie and Roxy again lately... I went off them a while ago and Ronnie went from being one of my favourite characters to being incredibly annoying and grating on me in every scene she appeared.
I don't watch EE for unnecessary happy "Oh we all get along so well" filler scenes. I watch it for raw gritty drama and that's exactly what I'm getting atm.

just to follow on, its clear from Fridays episode we are starting to move on, other storylines are being added, and developed in the episode, so we are seeing less of the Carters, and time is starting to move at a more normal pace.

Thing is we can't just watch Linda constantly until the reveal. So the storyline needs to fall into the background scenes for a while and the other stories to re-emerge or begin. I may hate Alfie but the fire story needs to come back into it as does the shooting as they were major stories too. Eastenders has no reason why it can't be dark and gritty with some light relief filler/random gossip scenes like in the 80s. The show doesn't and should not revolve around linda and every other storyline to pause until she's ready.

The next couple of weeks look like Linda's storyline is pushed to the background while some of the other big storylines take front and center (kat/alfie and phil/sharon). Then they'll probably swap again as that's what EE does. Works for me.

this does not mean anything, but looking at Digiguide, ther Carters only get a mention on Tuesday, not to say we wont see them the other days, but yes it does look like their storylines are falling into the back ground a bit.

I wont welcome the return of Alife, who really should be on a countdown to his exit right now.

I agree with this.
I've never been a fan of Alfie's but he's more irritating to me nowbthan ever before, which I didn't think was possible.
Alfie needs the boot.

someone has been reading my mind.

I know it does fall into the background next week and linda isn't I Tuesdays episode I think. Wa ms meant to quote your post in it as you was saying linda can't move on which is what half of all last week and the whole week before focused on and it was getting repetitive when we know it won't come out at the moment in time. Now her mother has visited it would make sense to be on the back burner with maybe the fake bar smiling but when alone the odd breakdown moments. Also if it focuses on a character you hate (I detest linda) it makes you want to switch off.! I am pleased the other stories are beginning again and the Coker story is to begin soon!

I hear ya! I like Linda and Mick, I think they're my favourite characters at the mo hence me not minding their storylines haha. Although I must say that when Mick was being forced into everyone's storylines afew weeks ago it was incredibly annoying!!
But I understand what you're saying. I'm not a fan of Alfie, Phil or Sharon so I'm not overly excited for the next few weeks.
Are the Cokers Cora and Dexter?? If so then I'm definitely not looking forward to seeing more of them. Dexter winds me up blud, init doe. And Cora? Don't get me started on Cora.

We'll pan was I. The trailer with the secret so we know they have a SL somewhere I. The next few weeks. I like mick and all te carters apart from linda as I find ee OTT (the rape SL is the only exception as that's a understandable reason). Alfie I just hope it's leading to his killing off as he has turned into such an unlikeable pathetic excuse of a character. Of he does it'll be something to look forward too though! Cora will be more involved I. The babe/Stan stuff which will be when slyvie turns up. Phil is just very stale tbh and Sharon is so snobby. Atleast their stories will give us a break from the rape which has been the main focus as of this month so far.

Daran Little is a Carter writer anyway, I don't think he's awful but he's only good for the Carter episodes. He mostly specializes in the writing for Johnny and Mick, so he should stick to that - just like Simon Ashdown stuck to the writing for the Brannings these past few years.

I get what the OP means. The majority of scenes are purely there to advance the plot, when it would be great to get more scenes that simply advance characters' relationships. Great scenes will do both, but they don't happen very often.

The musical bingo was a missed opportunity to involve a good mix of characters, instead it was a plot device for Nancy/Dexter and a way of using all the random/rarely used characters for an episode (Les & Pam, Cora, Dexter, Fatboy, Tamwar, etc). This could have been a good event to have characters interact with other characters that they don't normally do, or highlight the community spirit, which has been missing for a while.

I did like the Max/Stacey scene, and the Ronnie/Roxy/Aleks/Charlie scenes, as they showcased some nice character moments.

I loved the musical bingo night!

I thought it was a nice, light hearted contrast to Linda's rape storyline!