I watch all soaps regardless what the storylines are.

Hollyoaks
Emmerdale
Coronation Street
Eastenders
River City
& Take the high road on STV Glasgow

I am thoroughly enjoying Emmerdale at the moment - shame the ratings are not higher than they are.

Kate Oates is a fantastic producer who has provided plenty of drama and comedy. I much prefer it to Coronation Street right now - I call it the Stuart Blackburn effect. When he was at Emmerdale, I preferred Corrie. It is a shame for Emmerdale to see Kate leave next year but Emmerdale's loss is Corrie's gain.

There is nothing in the show that puts me off. I am looking forward to Thursdays rewind episode revealing three secrets. Drama at its best.

But, honestly, I wonder if some of you here do actually watch Emmerdale just to moan about it.

Maybe you're right. Maybe it's time to stop then! A lot of people have given up on soaps altogether, and I sort of understand why.

But in the mean time, I'll continue to watch, and post as I like.

Not actually sure how you can declare Thursday to be "drama at its best" though. As we've not actually seen it.

Honestly, I've stopped watching

I've seen bits and pieces throughout the year but 2015 has been such a poor year for the show. Ross, Aaron and Robert dominating all year has forced me away. There's absolutely zero appeal to them. It doesn't help when the 'back up' stars are people like Chas and Jai either. Don't get me wrong, I think they all have a place on the show, but to dominate like they have all year is way too much.

So, mainly, it's the characters, for me. I find a bunch of them so unlikeable, whilst my favourites are often left with nothing to do. Charity and Nicola (my absolute favourites) have been off screen for the majority of the year which doesn't help.

I'm often fooling around when I state "Charity is Emmerdale" on threads, but her presence has been missed so much, and my lack of interest has me questioning whether I really do watch the show for a handful of characters, or have I just been unlucky to not take to any of the current characters that are being forced down our throats?

Since the helicopter crash and Ross showing up alive it's became too silly. Drama for the sake of it which isn't what Emmerdale should be

Interesting. Losing Alicia and Val this year has left a big gap for me as well - not the show's fault, but even so, on top of Charity and Nicola, you feel it. I like Carly as a new character, but they haven't done much with her.

Maybe we are just unlucky - if you don't like Chas/Aaron/Debbie, it's a pain right now as they're everywhere, and I don't like any of them. Not keen on Ross any more either. At least I like Robert with the Whites and Sugdens.

i only started watching ED because of Robron... still here cause there's still drama left for Aaron and Robert

I find that the more likeable characters are kept in the background. There's a lot of good/nice characters in the show, but the more moody, aggressive types have completely taken over and dominate it now.

Is it really unlucky to dislike the majority of those taking centre stage this year, or can we blame the writing? The only decent writing has been for Laurel's alcohol storyline. Even Belle's breakdown had me huffing and puffing and I adore Belle.

Then again, I've disliked Chas, Aaron, New Robert and Ross ever since they first appeared... so I guess it really is just bad luck.

I'll be forcing myself to watch again soon due to the new changes behind the scenes; I just hope the new producer spreads the stories out a bit more - even if it's just a few more filler scenes of the 'lesser' characters talking in the pub. Anything to give me a flippin' break from the 'stars' of the show.

Good points
Cain x10000000000000 to infinity
The Chas stalker story
Whatever the fallout if the shooting is going to be for Robert and the Whites
Vanessa' s PND
Megan' s future


I' m curious to know what will happen between Lawrence and Bernice. I like both characters but I don' t think this relationship is good for either and I don' t get where ge' s coming from .
Plenty of characters who I like.

Can' t be doing with Aaron' s perpetual misery ( althoygh I did feel sorry for him tonight) or Ross and the comedy stuff is not doing it for me

Pretty much everything except Jai .

It has its bad weeks and episodes like all the soaps and the plot devicey build up to Thursday episodes has been a real weakness. The last few weeks have lacked a certain something - I'd say Robert but I don't think it's just him (and I'm a bit tired of Ross too so it's not his absence that's bothering me). Overall it has the best bunch of characters and actors out of all the soaps. I can only think of a small handful of characters I dislike (Jai, James etc) and even then they're tolerable. I even enjoy the majority of the comedy - silly as it may be - even this Finn and Jimmy stuff. It's saved by likeable characters.

I feel very out of step with the rest of DS in that respect as I enjoy about 85% of the show! Remove the Ross and Debbie affair, Jai, James and Pete and revive Val from the dead and then it'd be perfect .

I'm still enjoying it although Vic, Chrissy and even the normally sensible, Diane do grate a bit so I'll be glad when the Who Shot Robert storyline moves on. I'm looking forward to Nico and Chastity returning and I'd really like to see the other White ( Rebecca?) make an appearance which I'm sure will happen.

I loved Laurel's storyline! And the Alicia/Lachlan one as well. It was only when those two ended (a bit abruptly) that it started to go down the pan for me. I still like Belle as well, loved her being all sassy with Kirin. Such a shame they're pushing the relationship with Vanessa, because I find it a bit weird, tbh.


I don't either. I'm hoping this is leading to Lawrence confronting his past, and accepting that Bernice deserves more from a relationship, and if he can't give it to her, they're better off apart.


Tbh, I think it's me who's out of step with Emmerdale now. It's got a new audience, that loves "Robron" and thinks Ross is fit and all that. But I don't much recognise it, from even 2 years ago. I loved it when it was gritter and more down and dirty. It was just a lot better than this, but things change. Maybe my time is up.*

eta: *sinks sadly beneath the waves, until Nikhil comes back, then pops up again.*

I watch Corrie purely for the episodes thread and nothing else. Without those I would have stopped watching it months ago, there is no way I would have subjected myself voluntarily to the crap that was and is the CampCallum plot unless there was a really good incentive (the thread).

Emmerdale on the other hand, although not on top form at the moment, is still mostly enjoyable and most of the characters are likeable. I hate Jai so not in the slightest bit bothered with his storyline, same with Rakesh and Pariah, Bollard, and the god awful Victoria, but none of them are remotely as bad as the insufferable never ending mess that is Aaron, Robert and Chas. I am sick to the back teeth of seeing Aaron's miserable bulldog licking piss off a nettle face snivelling and sobbing on every bloody episode, while his screeching witch of a mother squawks and caws to anyone unfortunate enough to be within a five mile radius of her that her repulsive offspring is innocent, whilst she sits on her broomstick and does bugger all to stop his appalling ways. Can't stand Robert either, the story should have been who killed him not who shot him, then I'd have had more interest in it. They spoil ED completely, their like three dog turds in a flower bed. I sincerely wish the three of them would fall down a big black hole never to be seen, heard of or mentioned ever again.

Do you ever think you may get a little too involved?

' bulldog licking piss of a nettle' Brilliant!

Spot on CollieWobbles.

After not watching for two months I am so pleased I couldn't. Now I'm back I'm just not interested.

I'm glad I'm not alone in not completely enjoying ED right now. DS seems to love the show, so I thought I was just being weird. Now that I can no longer watch Monday's episodes, I've realized I'm not engaged in any of the major storylines in play right now.

I don't care who's stalking Chas, b/c Chas is continuously written like a horror banshee with no redeeming features; I don't care who shot Robert, or even that Robert was shot (b/c it was predictable and Robert has been reduced to a panto villain); I don't care about Aaron's woes, or the revolving door of random arrests each week; I don't care about insufferable Eric (this story has been so poorly handled); I also don't care about the impending quadrangle of Ashley/Harriet/Bob/Brenda, b/c it ruins the great couple that is Ashley/Harriet (and potentially opens the door to the awful reuinion of Laurel/Ashley).

While I love Ross, I don't like what they've reduced his character to; he's lost his heart. His vendetta againt Pete is so tediously boring - as is his romance with Debbie. I also don't like the lazy writing for Diane and Victoria, who have become irritants. This is not how Diane would behave. I hate Jai, so have no time for his drug addiction.

ED usually does comedy right, but the whole Jimmy/Finn £100 challenge story is awful and random. It doesn't fit in, and I don't understand why Finn would even go along with any of this. Although, I do think people paying to be verbally abused is funny, and I love that Layla spotted this money making opportunity (I actually quite like Tracey in this story).

The characters and stories that I am interested in aren't given much development or airtime. I like the potential of Lawrence's past and how him and Bernice will develop; I don't mind Lachlan, but I wish they would do more with his character; I also don't mind Chrissie lusting after Rakesh, and the potential that could create for him and Priya and her own issues.

For the first time I'm interested to see where Megan's story goes, and I'm sort of interested in the Sharma business wars (if only they were fighting over something more than a small sweet factory), simply b/c it involves the awesome Nikhil - what's not to love about Nikhil?!

I also can't wait for the fallout of everyone learning that Adam is not the father of Vanessa's baby, and that Rakesh switched the paternity results.

One half of the show has a lot of potential, while the other half is lazyily written for hollow sensationalism.

This is honestly the Best Rant Ever. *applauds*

I don't agree with all of it, but ... amazing.

Actually, scrap that, I do agree with all of it.


Definitely, there is some potentially good stuff. Yes to the Whites and their entanglements. Yes to Megan and Nikhil (yay!). And even I've got kind of drawn in to the Vanessa saga, and I don't much like her.

But I am really sick of the Barton Bros/Debbie, and Aaron/Chas.

Maybe the show just needs a proper shake-up, Nikhil back, Nicola back, bring in Chrissie's sister (I hope) - that might give it a shot in the bum. But the writing really needs to be better in places as well.

Deschanel, your post was great!

And as for Collie's epic rant

The show does need some renewed energy injected into it. Nikhil needs to be back permanently, and I'd forgotten about Nicola, who needs to return ASAP to sort out Jimmy's randomness. I think the Whites need beefing up, and including Chrissie's sister would be a good way to explore their dysfunction in all its glory. A sucessful Home Farm family is always best when at the height of rich dysfunction.


Thanks HoL.

I've just realised how much I love collie

Epic rant. Totally spot on as Aaron would say to rob

Just waiting for the return of The.

That sums it up for me as well, Jessica; but at present it is appalling. Rodney and Jimmy baiting Finn. because he is gay, making him wear a frock and eat a mixture of kippers and bacon & egg, then teaching two young girls to cheat him in a dare. Tracey...say no more. The writing for Eric is rubbish, as is Who-shot-Bob. I look forward to the exit of this producer and hope the new one will bring back our lovely rural Emmerdale.

Kerry and Dan went up in my estimation for their concern not to have Ruby feel abandoned as she was dying. I am looking forward to seeing what Nicola Stephenson makes of her character Tess.

I intend to watch ED again for the Tess'n'Nessa Show, and to say hello to Dan and Kerry in any such episodes that either of them feature.


I stopped watching for almost 2 years in 2011 and again briefly as the implications of Ruby being killed off sunk in. As I say, I am about to give ED a chance as a part-time interest.

Right now?

Finn and Chrissie. Despite both characters being treated appallingly. Seriously, you really have to be a fan of the Dingle's to enjoy the show right now, everything is going their way and all of the peripheral characters are sidelined.

However, I am looking forward to the Vanessa/Kirin/Adam baby reveal and whatever happens to Megan next.

Frankly, I'm holding on until the new producer takes over, I need a break from Kate Oates super speedy, super villainous Emmerdale.