What on earth has happened? Where did the show go wrong?

At present the show is a mess. Episodes seem to be dragging on like hell.
Storylines are dropped and then picked up for a few episodes and then disappear all of a sudden. Minus the odd good episode the show has been terrible.

Characters like Martin,Kush and Shabnam are bringing iconic characters like Stacey down and all 4 of them have become such a bore to watch.

Anyone else struggling to care about EastEnders right now?

Unlikeable characters, stories dropped for months then picked up for a week, scenes being repeated over and over and over again. It's so dull.

It has its problems but I'm still enjoying it.

Nothing wrong with it

Yes Dan I fully agree. The creative team need a shake up and fast.

Wow Dan! I never thought I'd see the day you posted something like this. I know you have criticised EE before, but...

Yeah I stopped watching not long after the anniversary. Something just didn't hook me in. I think the storylines have too many "secrets" and too few pay offs? Not sure.

Oh dear Dan, this is like the Dalai Lama renouncing Buddhism!

I haven't been paying much attention to this forum recently and can't say I've noticed much difference in EastEnders, some episodes are better than others but overall I'm still enjoying the show. Biggest disappointment has been Kathy's return, handled all wrong in my opinion and just want her "return" to be over and for her to get back into day to day life, the scenes last week with Kathy in the cafe were great, more of that needed!

I think this forum plays a part in how we all enjoy our favourite shows, whether we realise it or not it seems to have a mainly negative impact. Without it, I've enjoyed things a lot more.

Relying too much on secrets. Its all about secrets these days. There are no other plots. You have Dean lurking about ready to pounce in TWO stories. Characters dragged to unlikeable or boring status. It's some feat I have to say!

The Kathy / Gavin stuff is awful! Her comeback could have been great but its been ruined by plastic gangsta Gavin!

The Beales have been completely destroyed. I'm glad Peter showed his disgust and left before he was brought down with the whole mess too.
At least if they do bring him back with a new head he won't be sullied like the rest of them.

The Kush / Shabnam / Stacey thing is beyond tedious, cannot even be bothered to comment further.

Like the Carters but I've had enough of the Dean situation.

Don't even get me started on Ronnie without a heart. She thinks nothing now of taking a life. I can't even count the amount of times she has jumped the shark.
Her story needs to be wrapped up and done.

The Christmas episodes were some of the best I have ever seen in any soap and I am sure Eastenders will get back on track.
Sadly, its in trouble at the moment.

I am losing interests atm. It a shame because last year was good. Let hope next year is good.

Oh I really think there is.


That's the problem.

Two main issues dropped straight after the plot really takes off.

*Lee's depression
*Les cross dressing.

What about Stacey's Key?
Not going to follow up with Vincent?


Something needs to be done I agree.




Too Many secrets that we've started to see a mile off too.


Well........

I think it's The Beales and Mitchells saving the show right now tbh. The Cokers have been good with this recent storyline too.

It must be up shit-creek if you're saying this Dan. For you to criticize EE is a rare thing.

I agree with your opening post though ....

Total crap right now, I can barely pay attention to what's happening because it's so dull. This coming from someone who doesn't expect much from Eastenders, just something that mildly entertains and its failing badly for the first time in years.

I really don't care about Kathy and I am sick of the Lucy stuff, I just don't give a damn.

Thank you I think lol.

Yeah it really is terrible on the hole. It's really not EastEnders I am watching at present.

Give me what we have now over Newman and Birkwood any day.

I always find the Autumn hit and miss as they focus so much on Christmas that they drag plots out so they peak over the festive period.

Not perfect but I find it more than watchable.

I voted 50/50, we've had some brilliant episodes, the Cokers storyline on Friday were some of the best scenes we've had this year...despite having to wait so long Les's secret to be revealed. Shabs and Kush and the loss of there baby has been handled well...when on screen, block storytelling at its worst. I am enjoying Lee's depression and think again the story is being handled well. Kathy's return certainly wasn't played out how I expected but now she is back its getting better. Bascially we have some great storylines going on but all have come with negatives whether that be having to wait so long for the story to happen..The Cokers, stories being dropped to quick..Shabs and Kush or stories being dragged out..Lucy's murder. Its certainly not crap, but certainly not brilliant but I am still enjoying it and think when we think about it there has been far more better episodes this year than what we think.

Dan2008 I also agree what you said about Stacey. She needs to get away with Martin,Kush, Shabnam. These days she too nice and boring. Bring back the old feisty Stacey who take no nonsense from no one/

Hopefully it's only temporary. But yes it's a bit of a chore at the moment.

I am struggling Dan, the show is a mess!

Dean raping Linda destroyed the Carters and last year they were a breath of fresh air!
Buster appeared promising but has so far failed to deliver!

I hate Sharon as a Mitchell, Sharon waiting on Phil with his chips and eggs is like WTF, Den and Dennis would be turning in their grave! The strong Sharon would never have married cheating lying Mr Tomato head in the first place.

If the parentage of Stacey's baby turns out to be Kush I will seriously SCREAM!

Kathy's return is more disastrous than Dirty Den! Her acting ability is horrendous

Jane is diabolical, she was fab on live week but since then she has been terrible. Ian is not to far behind her. The whole Bobby is the killer story and everyone is covering is bullshit.

This Kim and Vinnie shite is YAWN!

If DTC has the balls and strikes up a Mick and Ronnie affair I might become interested.

The only interesting characters for me atm are Pam and Les.

I cant believe I am actually looking forward to Alfie Moon returning

Block Storytelling is a huge issue. Shabnam and Kush just disappearing for weeks after the stillbirth plot, Lee's depression coning to the forefront and then been forgotten again, the Coker stuff now been pushed out and out of the spoilers for the next few weeks... ARGH!

I'm not keen on the Mitchell family dominating as much as they have recently as well but that's because personally I find the majority of them unlikable.

Bobby Killed Lucy SL started to get silly by the time the sixth person found out, now they're all letting Max rot It's got unrealistic and quite repetitive


However overall I still think the show is doing alright and is in a better state than it was under Kirkwood and Newman. Some very good scenes and storylines have come this year. Shabnams stillbirth SL, Les/Christine, Lee's Depression have all been great so far. The show has some very good acting and some very good writing talent as well but I would say that more so recently than earlier this year and last year it is slipping towards a mixed bag for me with more average and poor episodes in with good ones.

I voted 50/50 because I think the show is still good but but not consistently good, it can be fantastic (as in Friday and this Monday for me) but kinda crap others

I did enjoy it but recently I've felt less enthusiastic about watching. Like over the last few weeks instead of usually feeling happy it's on I've felt more 'ugh'. I've also felt the same about Corrie too but that's a different story. The last few episodes for me have given me a feeling that EE has morphed into something I don't really like and that I feel it can't get out of. I haven't even bothered catching up on missed episodes either, usually EE gets good this time if year but it's very 'ugh'.

They've been dreadful too....they're on a loop. Sharon threatens to leave Phil and then changes her mind, Ben tries to impress daddy and falls flat on his face, and Jane has sold her soul to protect her brat. Terrible stuff, and predictable.

So-so, bordering on crap (I'd say 65/35, in favour of bad). I agree about the likes of Martin and Kush dragging Stacey down and her character is a far cry from the near iconic figure she was when involved in the Den story, Sean, or the big week of episodes in 2005 wherein she looked after and sectioned her mum. You just can't compare her then to the moody bore she is now.

And yeah, the block storytelling/on and off nature of these secrets is driving me round the bend. It still hasn't been explained why Ryan returned for all of a nanosecond last September.