Me too. And when Carmel went to call Donna a bitch, but Mick interrupted her with, "... a BLT? The geezer 'ad a ready meal on 'im!"

Yes, a very unusual duff duff. Although, I like that they are showing what it is like for older people feeling sidelined by the fast-pace of modern life, with Patrick and Dot.

I much prefer her as funny-bitchy instead of downright nasty

Mick has been great recently as has Linda, SOC writes DTC's own creations better than he did, they don't lurch from one screamin' raah to the next and they actually act like a believable couple, like they did when they first arrived before they got bogged down in a lifetimes worth of storylines. It will be a shame when Linda does leave temporarily as she is great.

I agree, it's great how they are being used more but also showing how they are being sidelined by the other characters. Dot's story in particular is heartbreaking but it is lovely to see June being used more regularly.

True It turns out EE characters can actually be nice and likeable. Who would've thought it possible? I hope Linda leaves on good terms, like to take Olly away to some sort of therapy or something. I don't want more Mick/Linda discord. Perhaps Lee's exit will have something to do with it.

I feel that EE has never done that with their older characters before. In fact, the writers have been guilty of sidelining them as well. Dot, especially, has become little more than a on-screen babysitter recently.

I have criticisms of SOC but I do think he is using all the characters far better than DTC ever did

Definitely. I think people need to give him more of a chance. He's laying down the foundations of his forthcoming work. As Atti and I have said before, how can the audience root for a character or have any sort of emotional response to a tragedy if you don't like them/know anything about them first?

I loved it, Carmel vs Donna was hilarious and Kush falling over

Although that ending cracks me up just thinking about it, it was like something from TV Burp or some kind of parody.

What was it?

Yes who would have thought it? Must be the Christmas spirit In the extended trailer, Linda is seen crying and talking about not losing someone so perhaps it's Elaine she goes and stays with. Like you I hope she leaves on good terms and her and Mick don't row before she goes as it wouldn't be a good exit.

Apparently Dot has been used more by SOC since September than she was the whole of the DTC era, and she had a relatively big story under DTC with Nick dying.

It is so nice to have this new refreshing change of tone to the show and also to see a producer build on EE's core principles and modernise it for a 2016 audience. This weeks episodes have been brilliant so far, Monday's episode was actually really well received by social media as was Tuesday's (not that this really matters) and if I'm honest I don't think the BBC cares for the ratings much anyway. They are around the same as last year (if not slightly higher) and it is nice to see the show not having storylines and shock plots just to attract temporary audiences (even though the R&R story could be accused of this I suppose) and just have character based everyday stories that are far better than silly sensationalist nonsense.

Loving the Christmas emojis

I love his use of character but I still think a couple of new families is urgently needed for him to work on, otherwise he'll run out of them and too much focus on characters for a sustained period of time is never good.

I've been thinking about R&R exiting, I'm actually really sad about it, if you think back to when they came in they were so exciting in their brashness and dare, but they've been ruined over the years and I suppose they had to come to some sort of end. It's still sad though, they've been such key characters for a good chunk of time.

Have you talked to him about your concerns yet?

I hate the dark, gets my anxiety up as well


You bet


Depends if you find it in its top secret location on top of all the rubbish

Only when talking about me

I never thought I'd warm to Donna until now

Do you mean the end with Patrick? It was a bit abrupt.


Maybe I suppose that would be fine. If she just leaves too abruptly again it will be too similar to the times she left during the rape trial.

Oh that sounds promising. Although her storyline with Nick was pretty major, it kind of felt like they brought him back just to give Dot something to do. I hope SOC is using her more regularly.

It's funny you should say that as lately I have not felt the show to be as dated/stuck in the past as it was before. I think it's because the characters are acting more like normal, everyday people and less like parodied Carry On characters from 1960s East London.

Agreed, soaps ought to be catering to their strong fanbase, I think, as the viewers that they attract during their 'shock plots' will normally tune in, find the plot in hand utterly ridiculous and tune back out again.

Yes I agree some new characters should be brought in, but perhaps this is what he has been working behind the scenes, actually planning these characters, studying them, giving them a storyline from the get go and ensuring there is a decent actor to play them well. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I'm quite sad Roxy is leaving, when Ronnie is not around she is able to be more of a stand alone character as opposed to constantly under Ronnie's control, but their exit I am looking forward because we don't know how they are going to leave. Even though the pool story was leaked I keep thinking it's a red herring.

I don't care. Let 'em find it. You can't prove nuffink

Yeah - an angel with a broken halo

It is odd that it's the only exit that's been leaked.

Yeah I did, and he understands. He does his best to understand, despite not having anxiety himself (I presume). I could tell he was really sorry for making me wait so long, but I made him make it up to me with lots of hugs

Atttiiiii <333

what was the duff duff again? I forgot

The other characters' exit scenes were pretty decent so even though Linda's is temporary I think it will be decent enough.

The Dot and Patrick friendship is lovely and it's lovely to see the two of them once again part of the show.

I agree, even though the show modernised when DTC first came in it soon became dated again and it seems to reflect real life better now. I am also liking the interesting angles taken on certain storylines, such as the kid at school being stabbed and killed and the focus on the wider community, allowing Walford to be part of a bigger community as opposed to it's own little insular bubble it was in danger of becoming. People can say as much as they like that EE has become a parody and a sitcom now under SOC but nothing will top the comedic scenes between Vincent and Phil in the run up to last years Christmas, Claudette falling down the stairs and being buried alive and Gavin's comedy house, that was ridiculous. Other things like sticking two fingers up to older viewers by tampering with the shows history should also not be forgotten, either.

EE still gets decent ratings and they should also include iPlayer ratings considering it always seems to be the most watched programme on there. I agree, they should stick to and cater for the core viewers who watch week in week out, not provide some short term shock story that alienates such viewers and only attracts people in who watch to see what the fuss is about.

It is odd, surely the press would have photographed the multiple endings the BBC had planned? Plus, since SOC likes to keep things secret it's also odd how the pool death was leaked in the first instance.


GLEEKY FLEEKY

Patrick was sat on the stage by himself in the dark tonight.

aww that's sad

I am always on fleek, even my depression is on fleek

ew what is with these emojis this isn't lit

What the actual hell??

There are soap convo's going on 😲😲😲😲😲😲

I feel that people were grateful for DTC's early efforts (most notably, the Carters) because of the mess Newman made, but soon enough he just went too far. The Carters and Mitchells became ridiculous and were steeped in self-parody. If SOC ever approves the line, "I'm a Mitchell!" I'll not be happy

In fact, I wonder if that was part of SOC's reasoning for axing R+R? He probably recognises that the Mighty Mitchells have become too untouchable and are simply going around in circles. I think he has really made a good job of turning Phil's alcoholism plot into a decent story. Given that DTC re-introduced Phil's addiction via Comedy Gavin's actions, I suspect the plot was never meant to be this significant.

The difference in writing is subtle but noticeable. For example, tonight when Phil was talking to Jay about Walford changing (pubs shutting etc) and him not being 'on top' anymore was quite poignant. EE rarely gets that 'real'. Even Lee's payday loans plot is very 'now' and something a lot of people get themselves into trouble over.

Oh god, some of DTC's comedy 'misses' are on a par with Lorraine's


Which makes me think that you're right and that the pool death won't be the actual exit.

Tone raised by half an inch

Yes I agree, DTC made a huge impact when he first came, mainly because he had three storylines planned as well as a new family, and he did shocks and surprise twists. I do think he did very well with the 30th celebrations but after that it was very hit and miss. The Carters had become eyes deep in depressive storylines that dragged on and on and on and it made them unlikeable, now this has been rectified and Mick and Linda are great again.

I think you're right there, plus how SOC has a history of making villanous characters have consequences which suits Ronnie. The Mitchells had become silly coming out top dog yet again over the Hubbards, and like you say, the live cirrhosis story was probably never supposed to be like it is now, likewise with Lee's depression, they have been carried on and have both turned into decent and engaging storylines. DTC apparently had storylines planned up to Christmas, so I can only imagine what we would be seeing now however I imagined SOC took one look at it and scrapped the lot.

Definitely, the little subtle things make a huge difference. Like with the Vic raid and Mick went to pick up Ollie after the robbers had left, whereas with DTC he would have probably given the robbers a kicking only to get one back. Phil's monologue tonight was very good and insightful into Phil, it was indeed a poignant moment and it was very real. Like you also mention, Lee having payday loans affects lots of people, especially as it is coming up to Christmas with lots of people vastly overstretching their budgets just so they can have a good Christmas.

All of SOC's storylines have lots of hidden clues as to what is coming up, it actually means that you have to look into it deeper and not take it at face value, meaning you become invested as a viewer and want to find out what happens.

Oh yes, DTC's comedy was terrible

The pool death being leaked like it was doesn't fit in with SOC's vision at all, and to me seems like a stunt done by the BBC to gain some publicity and suspicion around R&R's exit. There was also a story about a bus crash on NYD but how true this is I don't know.

The 30th anniversary was very well done although, ultimately, I found Who Killed Lucy? to be a let-down, mostly because of the length of time the storyline was dragged out for and because of DTC's over-enthusiastic proclamations of how game-changing it would be for the whole Square. Honestly, I'd rather have a full year of SOC's recent work than a year of the Beales all shooting each other furtive, open-mouthed glances.

The best thing I've noticed about SOC (so far, anyway) is that he doesn't appear to have favourites like DTC did. It makes me laugh that everyone is pining for DTC now, considering how they did nothing but bitch and moan about the overused Carters for two years.

Phil's 'falling off the wagon' being an revenge act on Gavin's part seemed so comically blase that I can almost guarantee that DTC did not intend to grow it into a cirrhosis storyline. Also, if you notice, the characters never mention this now. During all these tough conversations between Phil and Sharon, you'd expect Phil to, at least once, mention that it was her father who put him in his current state. Seems to me that SOC would sooner forget that particular plot point.

Oh dear, I imagine DTC had a, not at all predictable, Gavin return planned for Christmas Day, topped off with a showdown between him and Darth Ronnie on NYE

I meant subtle BUT noticeable, by the way

Totally. And, as we've said before, the Vic break-in was so much more unexpected and shocking because of SOC's work building up the Carters relationships again. I also had a thought tonight about Whitney and Mick, they had a nice little scene again. All DTC ever had them doing was Whitney throwing herself at Mick.

You're right actually. Remember I said that to you a few weeks ago? The pool death seems so un-SOC it's ridiculous. I even initially thought it was something DTC had pre-planned and they had to go ahead with