Eastenders - "Dirty" Den Watts and Angie Watts

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vald

25-09-2016

Originally Posted by skp20040:
“I would disagree with that, they were both strong characters both very flawed but whilst both did awful things they also had redeeming features, that was what made them both popular not because that is how things were at the time .”

One doesn't cancel out the other.

LHolmes

25-09-2016

Originally Posted by bass55:
“The writers didn't really know what to do with him. They should have put him back in the Vic straight away, but instead he wandered around the Square with his hands in his pockets for an entire year. They made Den sleazy when he was never like that before. On more than one occasion his behaviour towards Sharon was creepy and it was definitely implied that his feelings towards her were inappropriate. The Zoe blackmail story was also the final nail in the coffin. The writers clearly had it in for him after webcam-gate. They trashed the character.”

This.

His return week was excellent as were the episodes where he set up Phil even though it boxed Phil into a corner he couldn't be got out of in a hurry plausibly. However, the character really went to pot after Leslie's suspension.

Skittle Bomb

25-09-2016

The best thing to come from Den's return was Chrissie but after she killed him there was no way she would have been able to stick around.

skp20040

25-09-2016

Originally Posted by vald:
“One doesn't cancel out the other.”

But I personally do not think Den was popular because he was a cheat , a criminal and abused his wife and that is how times were and that was the audience.

misty cloud

25-09-2016

Sorry but as a teenager during the 'Den and Angie' years I see him as a total pig, he was not a 'loveable rogue' and was no better or worse than Phil. What I find interesting is Angie is a character who people feel sorry for yet Sharon and Shirley are ridiculed for tolerating Phil's behaviour which is no different.

vald

25-09-2016

Originally Posted by The Grimes:
“How on earth was Den Watts so popular with fans? Surely even for the 80's he must have been considered a villain?

The way he cheated and treated his wife was borderline mentally abusive and the cheek of him to tell Angie that she had to be faithful was downright brazen. Who knew that a telephone could interfere in a marriage so much... Jan Hammond was a huge character before we had even seen her.

He seemed to find it amusing that she was turning into a lush and his temper was very unattractive, Taking advantage of a school girl surely was the last straw with fans?

I'm not surprised Sharon Mitchell is so neglectful of Denny Rickman with her upbringing.

When Den returned I liked the fact that Chrissie Watts was almost the opposite to Angie. What a shame the characters are both dead.”

Originally Posted by skp20040:
“But I personally do not think Den was popular because he was a cheat , a criminal and abused his wife and that is how times were and that was the audience.”

That's not what I was saying. I merely said that his behaviour would have been more acceptable in the 80s than it would be today because attitudes to marital abuse and things like racism were very different. It was only 10 years after Alf Garnet was considered the funniest thing on the box. Of course his charisma was a huge asset.

Keyser_Soze1

26-09-2016

Originally Posted by bass55:
“I suspect Den was so popular because he was a multi-faceted character; he actually felt like a real person with flaws and shortcomings. He was clever, quick-witted, and I think ultimately had a good heart (he cared about the community and his friends) but at the same time was exceptionally cruel to his wife. But let's not pretend that Angie was completely innocent either.

Both Leslie and Anita excelled at OTT camp drama. It was their 'style' and was very much of the time.

The writers didn't really know what to do with him. They should have put him back in the Vic straight away, but instead he wandered around the Square with his hands in his pockets for an entire year. They made Den sleazy when he was never like that before. On more than one occasion his behaviour towards Sharon was creepy and it was definitely implied that his feelings towards her were inappropriate. The Zoe blackmail story was also the final nail in the coffin. The writers clearly had it in for him after webcam-gate. They trashed the character.”

A brilliant post.

Unlike Weeble (who just destroyed people's lives for the sheer sadistic fun of it) Den actually cared about the community - he was more an anti-hero than a villain.

Oh and for the record the peak version of Den 85-89 would have kicked any version of Mitchell's arse young or old.

See what happened when he was in prison for example.

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