Compared to other years tonights Halloween Eastenders episode was very low key compared to previous.
But with Christmas rumoured to have the same approach I feel that a 30 minute episode will be enough.

Lets be honest 1 hour of pulling crackers with laughing and joking around the dinner table would be a complete overkill.

Anyone else agree?

nope, just because its a more laid back approach doesnt mean it should only be 30 mins lol

To be fair if tonights wouldve been 1 hour it would have been a drag so if Christmas will be the same then it might be for the best.

Have we been given any idea at all about what's going to happen??

The last few Xmas episodes have felt like drags even though they've had 'drama' tbh so a happy Xmas episode will probably be worse!

The last Xmas episode of EE I've actually enjoyed from start to finish has been 2009 when Archie was killed. 2010 with Stacey's exit wasn't as bad as the more recent ones but it wasn't as good as the year before.

Most Xmas day episodes have just been build up too and Boxing Day being the only episode with the drama!

2011 - Massod Fire (Boxing Day had all the action)
2012 - Branning death (No episode that year had any action)
2013 - Janine's Exit (Janine ran around the Square in the last 10 mins)
2014 - Carter rape reveal (Boxing Day had all the action)
2015 - Bobby drama (Boxing Day had all the action)

Well hopefully we will still get Some drama At Xmas

In my opinion EastEnders haven't had a decent Christmas day episode since the B and B fire in 2011. Last years in particular was the worst I've ever known. So perhaps an alternative approach is for the best.

I think it should be 2 half hour episodes. Episode 1 is the build up and ends with a real chiff hanger. Then give it an hour for word to spread/ social media to kick in, and then have the explosive second episode.

I miss that. Having 2 episodes was much better than one 60 min episode.

I say have the first episode at 6:30 and then the second at 9:00 and that would give us a few hours to get hyped up.

Absolutely. The 1-hour episodes tend to drag.

I agree, let's go back to the Christmas 2-parters. Loved them.

You know what would make my Christmas?

The departure of Shirley. Horrible character played by an unconvincing actress.

Whatever about the character but don't pretend that Linda Henry isn't a brilliant actress.

I'd settle for a split episode. Thirty minutes around 6-30, then thirty minutes after 9-00.

EastEnders haven't smashed Christmas since 2009, Archie's death, in my opinion, and even that didn't reach the heights of the Stax reveal two years before. My favourite Christmas ever was 2001: Little Mo getting her head shoved into her dinner, Phil discovering he's Louise's dad, the Slaters bringing Zoe home and Kat punching Roxy (not Mitchell, Zoe's pimp).

Id rather watch an hour of dot peeling her sprouts than anything else that's on the telly on Christmas night. It's usually strictly, dr who, Mrs browns boys, EastEnders and some ressurected comedy series.

Let's just hope that EE doesn't get any ideas from Corrie's last Christmas offering

She's good enough for soap standards I guess. Though I can think of plenty of actors in EastEnders and the other soaps that are better than her.

I'd rather have 2x30 mins.

Sometimes I fall asleep watching EE on Xmas Day. LIke the Derek death year. Geez that was tedious.

Spoilers indicate that it's 30 minutes of Billy and Donna discussing the bin situation, interspersed with Belinda doing a Christmas Sale at the salon, and McBeale pissing herself in public.

I shan't be watching, I will watch the big two though.

Agreed, one of the best EastEnders Christmas Day episodes. It was very gritty and hard hitting classic EastEnders storytelling. The episode had it's light moments but was fearless in the way it portrayed domestic violence. The show got a bit of flak for showing such harrowing scenes on Christmas Day, but those scenes probably reflected what was sadly happening in a lot of homes that day and every day

Christmas 2000 was also a great one, again it was more about character relationships breaking down, Sonia telling Jamie Martin was Chloe's dad, Peggy's breakdown in the wake of Pat and Frank's affair reveal.

I'm looking forward to seeing what EastEnders have at Christmas.
I've a feeling it may be the beginning, rather than the culmination, of some big stories.

I actually quite enjoyed Christmas episode last year but I agree with others, the last great one was in 2009 with Archie's death.

I've said this before 2 x 30 mins please rather than 1 x60 mins

I liked last years, but 2013 was the last great one for me.

I'll be tuning in for the first time in 3 months, I'm sure you all can't wait for my opinion.