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EastEnders: Which characters do you actually give a toss about?


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Old 03-08-2015, 22:08
Steve Soapbox
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I've watched EastEnders for years, was really into it when it first started, but I've gotta say of the current cast I don't think I actually care two hoots about any of them, with the exception being Pam Coker who until recently has always put on a smile for everyone but is now struggling with Paul's accusations.

The hallmark of a great soap is that you really care about its characters and in years gone by I can honestly say I did: Pauline and Arthur Fowler, Lofty, Angie Watts, punk Mary, Cindy Beale, David Wicks, Frank and Pat Butcher.

But these days everyone seems so unrealistically sour and bitter I just don't care about any of them. If you met any of them in real life you wouldn't give them the time of day.

I blame the superficial writing and the shambolic plot structuring, realistic human emotion and plausible psychological development being sacrificed for shallow sensationalism every time. Yet with four episodes a week you think they'd have more time to credibly explore complex character interactions and developments. But obviously not so.

The UK soaps seem to be in a dire state at the moment. Really apparent if you lived through the glory days of the late 80's/early 90's.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:11
sexy_princess
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Not many.

Dot, Pam, Sonia Sharon (but only because of previous good will). Will be looking forward to Kathy though.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:13
Scrabbler
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Easier to say those I don't give a toss about Shirley, Dean, Lee, Whitney, Vincent, Cora and Fatboy.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:14
cooler
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Only about 5.

Patrick, Denise, Carol, Pam, Jay.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:14
Danny_Francis
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None bunch of DeadEnders lol
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:16
bass55
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Not many, actually.

In fact, the only ones I really care about are the ones I've watched for many years: Ian, Sharon, Phil and Dot. Kat and Janine, both recently departed, are also two characters I can say I actually care about. I'd probably add Stacey and Patrick to that list too. The likes of Pauline, Pat, and Frank are sadly long gone.

I can't say I really care for any characters that have been introduced in the last 5-10 years. Ronnie Mitchell is often held up as a "complex, layered character" but she is honestly the clearest example of the lazy writing that has plagued EastEnders (and all soaps) in the last decade. Ronnie was purposely designed as a tragic heroine; she was created so that audiences would feel sorry for her after they threw endless horrible situations at her. In the old days of EastEnders the writers didn't need to employ such cheap tricks to make a character likeable or sympathetic - it took realistic writing to make characters like Pauline Fowler or Sharon Watts likeable precisely because of their "ordinariness". When bad things happened to them you actually cared, because they felt real. You just don't get characters like that any more.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:18
0...0
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Sharon and Denny mostly, last carriers of the Watts flame. Patrick and Denise too. Probably Dot for old times sake.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:19
wizardt
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All of the long term characters (80s and 90s characters), Denise and Stacey.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:27
Steve Soapbox
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In the old days of EastEnders the writers didn't need to employ such cheap tricks to make a character likeable or sympathetic - it took realistic writing to make characters like Pauline Fowler or Sharon Watts likeable precisely because of their "ordinariness". When bad things happened to them you actually cared, because they felt real. You just don't get characters like that any more.
This sums up how I feel about soap now. The very dramatised ordinariness made everything and everyone so much more relatable. And I think it takes great skill to pull this off. Unfortunately that skill is long gone.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:28
Creamtea
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Sharon, Cindy, Denise, Whitney... erm...
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:29
vald
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Quite a few...Linda, Nancy, Tam, Shirley, Stacey, Billy, Jay, Masood, Dot, Denise and Patrick.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:30
0...0
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I think they're too hooked on surprises and OMG moments, so everyone becomes more cartoon like and stop being real.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:34
Steve Soapbox
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I think they're too hooked on surprises and OMG moments, so everyone becomes more cartoon like and stop being real.
Yep, we're watching cartoon characters now, not real developing human beings.

Phil Mitchell is a prime example: zero character development despite all that's happened to him. Well, ever since the writers turned him into Grant Mitchell when Ross Kemp left. He was a nice guy originally.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:36
Adrian_Ward1
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The Mitchell's. Denise . Mick and Linda . Carol. Stacey. Ian and Jane. Kim and Vincent. Shirley .Cindy. Whitney. Masood.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:36
0...0
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Yep, we're watching cartoon characters now, not real developing human beings.

Phil Mitchell is a prime example: zero character development despite all that's happened to him. Well, ever since the writers turned him into Grant Mitchell when Ross Kemp left. He was a nice guy originally.
Yes, precisely. How many times has he been shot, battered, had someone steal his business etc? The nuances have been sucked out of soap sadly.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:47
srhgts
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The Mitchells, Cindy, the Carters apart from ****ing Shirley and Dean, Shabnam, Whitney, Tamwar.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:54
J-B
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MyLauren, MyCindy, Jay, Patrick.

It's far, far easier to classify the ones that I absolutely despise:

Claudette
Paul
Pam
Carmel
Cora
Cora
Liam
Cora
Fatboy
Janet
Rapey
The Shirley Creature
McBeale
Murderous Bob
Libby - I really couldn't detest Libby any more than I do.
Horrible Sharon
Happy Carol
Cora

Then there's the ones I'm ambivalent about:
Les
Phil
Bitchell
Beale
Roxy
Queen Ron
Kush
Tamwar
Masood. I range from loathing him when he's playing the nice guy, to absolutely loving him when he's violent and drunk and beating his own son.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:54
londongirlGre
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All of the Masoods, especially Tamwar.
Nancy and Lee
Denise, Patrick and Kim
Fatboy

I like most of the characters but the ones listed above, are the ones that I properly care about.
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Old 03-08-2015, 22:56
dazza89
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Tracey, Marie and Jo
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Old 03-08-2015, 23:03
J-B
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I've changed my mind. I don't care about Jay or Patrick. Only MyLauren, and MyCindy.

Thanks.
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Old 03-08-2015, 23:22
dancing.queen
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Stacey, Martin, Max, Carol, Mick, Linda, Lee, Whitney, Ian, Jane, Phil, Sharon, Jay, Ben, Kathy, Roxy, Patrick and Denise.
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Old 03-08-2015, 23:22
IJoinedInMay
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Phil. He's the one I'd be most gutted about leaving for whatever reason.

I don't think I'd care nearly as much if anyone else departed.

The writers do a slightly better job at making the younger characters feel real than the adults. Jay behaves normally and I felt that Abi and Lauren were believable as slightly spoilt teenage siblings...well, if you ignore Lauren trying to kill her dad.
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Old 03-08-2015, 23:42
Nefersitra
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Patrick.
Sharon
Ian
Jane
Phil
Ronnie
Roxy
Tamwar
Masood
Carol
Abi
Dot
Kat
Jay
Billy
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Old 04-08-2015, 03:34
Brando_
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Patrick, Denise, the Mitchells, Shabnam.
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Old 04-08-2015, 09:04
lulu g
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Carol, Billy, Ian, Jay, Patrick.
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