I am still feeling angry about how terrible last night's episode was. Who on earth thought Shakil's 16th birthday party would make an acceptable 30 minutes of prime time TV viewing? It was cringeworthy not just because of the subject matter, but also because of the horrifically bad acting.

It doesn't make sense that characters like Shakil are being kept on, while the wonderful Les and Pam have been axed because the writers cannot be bothered to stretch their imaginations just a little and come up with more material for them.

It really is, watching that clip from 2010 that someone posted here the other day shows just how downhill it's gone

I don't think it was awful but it was a very clumsy way of getting Mark and Courtney together and exposing Denise's pregnancy. I'm disappointed in how they're handling both these s/ls.

The Mark and Courtney scenes are incredibly contrived and the dialogue is cringeworthy.

Is this the work of Treadwell-Collins or Sean o'Connor? I know the latter appears on the credits, but might these still be DTC's last stories playing out? If it is O'Connors, I really fear for the future of EastEnders if this first few weeks are anything to go by.

I've been saying this for weeks now.

The show has been in decline since 2011, and this is by far worse than a lot of Kirkwood's work. The show feels like it's in another Newman lull. Nothing remotely interesting happening, dull characters, dull storylines, lack of long term characters and way too much focus on the teens, which just makes the show one big cringe.

Yes, next week looks brilliant, but no doubt it will be good for a couple of weeks, before becoming completely trash again.

To be honest, centering an episode around Shakil's birthday and him wanting to get into Bex's knickers is never going to be a hit is it?

Unfortunately, the show has been so boring lately. There have been some decent episodes and scenes, but they are swamped by dull storylines and characters. It doesn't help the show is inconsistent and the quality changes almost each episode.

To be fair, soaps are ongoing programmes and, with the amount they have to churn out, it would be near impossible to maintain a certain standard. Let's not forget this is all being produced by human beings, so storylines, writing and acting will have highs and lows. Let's take Corrie - its been on for 56 years now. Add to the fact that you cannot please all of the people all of the time, so one man's meat will be another's poison etc.

I do sometimes think that we may expect a little too much from our soaps. Just enjoy the highs and hope the lows don't last...

Apparently Batten and Lamb have been in charge of the episodes in recent weeks. Makes you wonder if Kirkwood and Newman were really to blame for the poor quality of their eras.

It's been awful, sensationalist rubbish for a while now. The DTC/Lamb era is truly awful.

Best to stop watching untill SOC's work appears, he might give us good, gritty and down to earth EE back.

Its ok but not brilliant. Hope next week is good

Its been pretty dire.

It was one of the worst episodes ever made they have downed tools for years now. It will never match or beat the great era's it once had.

Some of last nights episode was some of the worst I have ever watched in EastEnders, Ben, Jay, NuFowlers and Kush were the only good things I have to say.

Do what I do. Read the spoilers and watch if they interest you. transition periods are often dreadful.

I've missed a few episodes and nothing much interests me about the show anymore. Even the characters I liked act stupidly so Im not sure I want to watch them any longer.

And this is a very polite remark, rubbish is a better term.

Don't worry, Grant's back next week.

Says it all.

Kirkwood's era was nowhere near as bad as people make out on here in my honest opinion. Newman's was awful, but that was because nothing happened. If she'd actually put in some effort to the storylines, it would have been a lot better.

I think its alright

This is where I have been for a long time. It did pick up a bit when Kathy returned so I started watching again. But Gavin turned into a massive damp squid. Just like anything promising does.

Fresh and interesting characters leave without being given proper chances to to flourish. While others remain there for years going around in circles. Most of the time now when they bring in new characters they are 2 dimensional or the writers use them as a pet project for some agenda or other.

That's why I just read the spoilers now and watch if it sounds interesting. However, I don't always read the spoilers anymore.

There is currently about 7 characters I am only remotely interested in. So will soon be walking away from it for good.

Not unless they bring back half the old cast.

Sad really.

Yes im at the verge of giving it up too. I would have no reason to come on here if i did.

BIB: Spot on, you know its bad when you're not interested or enjoying characters that you usually like.

This week has been dire. An entire episode devoted to Shakil's birthday party and parts of it felt more like a sex ed documentary than a soap opera. I think tonight's episode revolves around Kim's salsa class so thats another one to delight in.

The only salsa i like is the one you have with nachos