I think it's been much better. The show ATM is IMO a lot more entertaining than it usually is during the summer. Last year was pretty awful, but I'm enjoying it a lot more this year, and the storylines are slightly stronger... What's everyone else making of it?

Agreed Loulabelle. After the live episode it was endless Carter crap for a long while, but it's having a much stronger Summer. Last summer the nation was gripped by Mick's swimming plot and absolutely nothing else happened.

I didn't think you'd be much of a fan considering your favs Kat & Alfie are off screen for a while. 🌚

Don't joke about things like that Loulou. My only fav that's offscreen is all round sex goddess MyLauren

It's been a much better summer, it doesn't feel like they've closed up shop there's been lots going on.

I am looking forward to autumn when Kathy finally arrives completely. The summer has been OK but I think autumn will be better. As for the Kat/Alfie mention I'm so, so glad they've gone and I really do hope they stay written out for good unless Kat comes back without Alfie who should die. I'm also looking forward to Bobby being outed as Lucy's killer. I think Ian will crack eventually with other people being blamed making his guilt unbearable. This will be brilliant and will be the downfall of Jane. I think this could be the end of the Beales altogether as a family as we know them leading to a complete overhaul of EE with new ideas. Then we will just have the Mitchells as the longest standing family if the Beales collapse.

Better than previously summers some cracking episides and Acting

It's great tbh seeing 3 main families like how they are, Ben, Billy & Jay turning against Phil & seeing him for what he is. No doubt Jay will be off & Ben will shun Phil over Kathy. Eventually the Beales will crack & the downfall of Jane will be amazing. I hope though there is yet another twist where it is revealed about Lucy's attacks & Bobby hitting her didn't actually kill her (or if he hit her at all!) but it was the fault of someone else. I hope when Max gets out of prison him & Carol head off on the motorbike not to return for a few years because Max needs a new start & of course Carol is leaving.

This summer so far has been really good. The ratings have held up really well too & that is understandable due to how good EE is right now. I think we're gearing up for a very very explosive autumn.

It's been very strong. I'm loving the B/C plot lines as well. Pam has been fantastic, Stacey & Martin are starting to look like the type of couple I want to route for, Vincent is quite interesting and the various twists in the Lucy Beale case has made it incredibly gripping, just like it was in the lead up to the 30th anniversary.

I'm hoping it will remain this way!

Really great material for All of the cast, strong storylining with lots of potential - there's so many options and possibilities for all of what we're seeing on screen, nothing really seems obvious and combined with the good acting talent we've been seeing, that's what's making EE really watchable. This autumn is going to be incredible

I knew things would get better again. Maybe they didn't want too much stuff happening in the spring.

I've wondered this recently! Perhaps the blow from someone else caused a head injury that killed her but she remained conscious for a short while before Bobby hit her? Then again I think Bobby did inflict the blow that killed her. He's turning increasingly unhinged and I think he was responsible for Lucy's death and might seriously hurt someone else. I agree that Max and Carol should leave together on that bike. That would be a good exit for Carol especially. She deserves some happiness and adventure after spending most of her life as a drudge.

Perhaps! I mean I don't mind either way how its played out Bobby wise, I just think it would be more interesting if he didn't actually kill her because of an attack earlier on in the evening. It would also be interesting because Jane & Ian have been holding it together for months under massive amounts of pressure because they think he killed her & it would be interesting if it was proven he didn't.

I loved it when Max & Carol got onto that bike & sped off on it. That's how I'd love their exit to be.

Bobby is the killer.

That's the whole point of live week. Surely putting someone else in the frame would invalidate live week and the good work of keeping the identity secret all that time.

It's really picked up the last few weeks. Bar a couple of great episodes June did nothing for me.

I don't agree but then it depends on how you define summer. For me, it's June-September and the whole of June and majority of July was as shite as anything post-anniversary. That's nearly 2/3'rds of summer by my definition.

It hasn't been great at all so far but certainly a lot better than last summer's woeful offerings.

A couple of swift weeks ago I started a thread bemoaning EastEnders but two weeks on since the Kush-Stacey-Shabnam triangle garbage - then it has picked considerably. I thought regurgitation of the Lucy killer s/line would confirm that summer filler episodes were set to continue on unabated but the whole thing has made for surprisingly entertaining viewing compared to what I was fearing at the start of it - even if Bobby still is the guilty party :-\