When DTC recently extended Danny Boy Hatchards contract for another year, I was expecting a proper sl for his character. Yet, as we go into summer we STILL haven't had any decent sl for him or Maddy Hill, even though both have now been in the show over a year.

Of the 2 Nancy seems the most integrated-of course she is part of the Carter sl's but she also has a relationship with Tanwar which takes her away from the family realm. She has also been used heavily over the last 18 months (although nothing specific to her) so she seems more established.

Lee STILL seems like an extended extra. He has a link outside the family to Whitney, but, as she herself seems like an extra in recent months its not like this has raised his profile.

It's strange, given that these 2 are so central to the Carter family that they've been so neglected. Tina, a character who's so much more expendable for the Carter dynamics, has been given significantly more storylines during her tenure than the 2 adult Carter children.

If they are they will only be made tk revolve around shirley. Any carter storyline comes down to her being mick and deans mum or jimbo. Londas rape isnt even about linda anymore. Same goes for this hade. With this twist itll focus more on shirley and dean then them masood.

I want lee and nancy to have a storyline but i want dtc and shirley/mick and dean to all leave first.

The only storylines not tirned shirley related i can think of are (or involved in)
Lucy beale murder
Roxy/aleks/charlie/ronnie
Kathys return (so far)
Les/claudette affair
The fire
Kats secret son
Carol/david
Biancas exit
Staceys return/janines trial

Everything else shes at a part and a big part in the majority.

Lee a s nancys stories will no dohbt be turned about her after a few weeks or months.

I do find it hilarious that no matter what the subject of the thread, you always manage to find a way to revert it back to Mick and Shirley. I remember going on threads a while back and in almost every one, no matter the subject, you managed to somehow bring it round to how you wanted Mick killed off. You also neglect to mention that Shirley has been low key prior to last week for 2/3 weeks and wasn't around much throughout Feb ect...Shirley wasn't involved in numerous big stories, the Lucy Beale story was the biggest story throughout last year and is still running, the fire was another big story, as well as the car crash on New Year and Dot/Nick. She is being utilised better though and I for one, am pleased. Linda Henry is a cracking actress. They just need to give Shirley a bit of progression and not pit her against everyone.

Shirley has been involved in less stories than she has been in but she has played a prominent role in the stories that she has been involved in. Same with Mick.

Also it doesn't always come back to Jimbo, where did that come from? This story with Jade/Roya will be a combination of Shirley's story, Masoods' story, Shabnam's and Dean's story. It will go between all of them and sometimes will be a combination of all of them. So far it has focused more on Masood and Shabnam, and now we are seeing it from Dean/Shirley/Busters POV.

I'm sure Nancy and Lee will have stories soon but currently they are supporting other stories and I think that is ok.

You list all those as if one of them wasn't the biggest storyline of the last year...

Deleted.

I want to Lee and Nancy to have their own storylines, too. Hopefully, it happens soon. Although, I don't think it will happen during the summer. Definitely not for Nancy, because she's a supporting character for the Masood's storyline.

I want some proper focus on Nancy and Tamwar's relationship. We have had some scenes with them, but not really specific to their relationship.

Nancy had epilepsy Stuff but need more work she has stuff coming up with Stacey and Kush

Yeah, but it's time for her to have a storyline where it's mainly about her. For most of her time, on the show so far, she has just played a supporting role in other people's storyline.

EDIT.Nancy is involved with the Masoods so I think she will play a part in the Roya storyline. She is also involved with Tam and spots Kush/Stacey who are linked to Shabnam so I think they may be integrating her a bit more with the Masoods.

I agree. I like Nancy with the Masoods.

Poor Lee and Nancy

Does anyone find it strange that Shirley is VERY overused. She's at the top of the appearance count but she's way ahead than everyone else. She's in all of next week and the week after. She's involved in Jean's wedding, she has stuff coming up in Ramsgate. She will be heavily involved in Dean's storyline.

When will Shirley have at least 2 weeks break?

Phil is a central character but he doesn't always appear in many episodes and he's not in the cast lists for the next 2 weeks. Why can't they do the same for Shirley?

And the stories she has been involved in include lindas rape, Phil and sharons wedding/the shooting, and being micks mum.

So really she has been in less stories than those she hasn't been in....in which case you have totally contradicted yourself. It's laughable the extent to which people will go just to have a dig at the once overexposed carters, who for the last 3 months havnt been overexposed AT ALL!

You really can't please some people.

I actually prefer Nancy's scenes with the Masood family than with Mick and Linda, funnily enough. I definitely think with her link to Tam, she will be involved in their upcoming stories, esp as she spots Kush/Stacey too. I liked her relationship with Shirley so I would quite like to see her involved in the whole Jade story, Jade is related to Nancy after all.

You'll be waiting a long time for the BIB. Shirley and Mick are going nowhere. I don't see DTC leaving for a good while either.
I don't particularly have any interest in Lee. Nancy has had a couple of small stories ie the nearly wedding and her epilepsy. Lee's had hardly anything but a couple of shags. I don't know why the actor/actress bother other than the good wage and a chance for the future as an actor / actress in other dramas or films. Nancy started off well but has become a damp squib. I can see Lee being axed at the end of his current contract. He and Nancy are just glorified support actors to give Mick and Linda a family unit.

I agree. Shirley has been used, far TOO much. After her current storylines have been wrapped up, she needs a LONG break. It's not fair on the other characters on the show. It might be hard but characters should all get their fair share, if possible.

Prior to last week, Shirley was only in 2 episodes for the fortnight before and they were only small appearances, she didn't appear much throughout Feb/March and she will also have a long break soon when Linda Henry takes her A/L. She may be at the top of the appearance count but she hasn't featured heavily in every one of those episodes. I don't think she is overused, there is loads of other storylines playing out too that Shirley has no involvement with. When Shirley features, even for one brief scene, there is a LOT of discussion about it, so I think it feels like more to some. If Shirley does anything - about 20 threads ensue and she is spoken about alot.


Good post. I agree.

I agree.

Yep. Sharon's storyline last year was all about Shirley. Linda's rape storyline was about Shirley too. I'm so tired of her getting many storylines. I want to see more of other characters . She definitely needs a long break. I wish they wouldn't overdo it with Shirley. I really miss Linda

I actually think they work well as supporting characters. A show needs supporting characters and I don't see that as a problem. I think Nancy has more potential than Lee, if I am honest though.

She was partly involved and dot and nick but towards the beginning. I also class the car crash under that.

Really? She had about 2/3 scenes with Dot at the very beginning of the storyline, hardly a major player in it and then had no involvement after that, she also had no involvement in the car crash.

totally agree, whilst they haven't had major storylines they have had storylines otherwise we wouldnt have seen

nancy & wayne,
nancy & dexter
nancy & tam
Lee & Lucy
Lee & whitney
Nancy's epilepsy
Lee doing a plumbing course as part of being in the army

and whilst not a storyline as such, the scenes within the carter family and the three kids, Nancy, johnny and lee together were good to see
I liked that they have good bonding and get on well, was nice to see them laugh and have fun and EE have kept this on with them going over the albert with whitney and tina the other week.

I think that based on the other storylines we have had with the Carters and their involvement in other storylines it would of been overkill to give every carter a major story in their first year.

I always think it is nice to let some characters bed in and develop links and relationships to other characters before they get pushed to the forefront and I think that EE have worked it really well with these two

I think Eastenders could have done a domestic violence storyline with Lee and Whitney and explored Lee's temper. A lost opportunity for Lee and Whitney, who could both do with a good story.

When was the last time a young character introduced as 'the child of...' actually broke out and became a stand alone character of their own and not one still being primarily know as: 'the child of...'

Peter, Lucy, Sonia, Martin, Lola, Ben, Lauren etc - all seem to be (or have been) defined largely by who their parents are/were rather than anything else. It seems to be a problem Eastenders has over the years where it struggles to take young actors/characters and evolve them beyond being 'the child off...' spare parts.

Is this serious!? So what, Shirley can't speak to anyone on the square now without being implicated as 'taking over everyone's storylines'