1. DTC leaving and O'Connor replacing him.

2. Pam and Les' well written depatures.

3. Phil's transplant. McFadden has been fantastic.

4. The proper return of Kathy.

5. Stacey's phycosis. Turner and Bye were great.

6. Charlie's death. Wallace was fantastic.

7. Diane Parish given a good story by having Denise carry Phil's baby. I was worried about this at first, but they're pulling it off.

8. Dot and Patrick being given material. June Brown is back to her best.

9. Lee's depression episodes including the wedding and The Vic burglary.

10. A return to well paced storytelling and having the community feel back. Although this only counts post-September I guess.

I agree with the Dot & Patrick relationship. Loving that and it also gives Rudolph Walker something to do other than be a prop for Denise.

I'm also liking the Dot loneliness storyline as well.

Most of the 'Killer' Bobby reveal aftermath including him paralysing Jane (not that I'm pleased she's paralysed but I'm liking how she's coping with a lifestyle change)

11. The axing of Kyle
12. Phil being isolated and hated by his family while it lasted
13. Denise being found out for nicking a pasty in the Mini Mart
14. The sudden departure of Cassandra Trotter
15. Billy showing maturity on the job and being handed the keys to the Croker funeral business
16. Ben not toeing the family line and being quite moody which threatens the calm amongst the Mitchells

Dot getting used properly.

Ah yes, forgot to add Billy owning the funeral parlour. He's being taken seriously again, which is great. Fenwick can be brilliant with the right material. Bringing back Honey was a shrewd move as well.

Also a possitive for me was Maddy Hill leaving. The Carters are much better without the unlikeable Nancy.

Agree with both of your points, Damien. Billy has been seen as an unsufferably pathetic dimwit with no backbone over the years but he's upped his game and he's better now he's got responsibility of a serious job and Honey with their two lovely children.

Nancy was a plain tomboy who dragged everyone down around her including Tam.

Yes, I agree with all of these. Loads of brilliant stuff has happened, particularly in the later part of the year, and I am now consistently enjoying EE again. It's still not perfect but there are lots of good things happening.

Other things I've enjoyed:

1. The initial handling of Paul's death. It was incredibly important for a soap to tell this story, though it's a shame it got lost along the way to predictable Mitchell drama.

2. Nancy and Tamwar's exit. Just a nice exit for a couple who were refreshingly down to earth and deserved happiness.

3. Masood's final episode. It made me cry. Enough said.

4. The lovely episode with Colin's return, in particular his moving scene with Johnny.

5. Linda and Mick, especially now that SOC has taken over. They still have oodles of chemistry and work brilliantly together. I didn't care for Mick during the storyline with Nancy and Lee's friction leading to Ollie's accident but recently he has been fantastic, and Linda just goes from strength to strength.

6. The casting of Courtney Mitchell. Although I found the story with her almost getting together with Mark Jr a bit bland and predictable, I was so overcome when I saw the actress herself and how much she resembles her mum Tiffany. I wish they'd bring her back permanently and give her something a bit more interesting to do.

7. Bringing Johnny back. I know they've used him appallingly, and Ted Reilly has a number of critics, but I can't help it, I'm just so relieved to have him back on the square. Ditto Steven. I really hope that they can give both of these characters more interesting storylines in 2017.

8. Increasing Whitney's prominence. Shona is by far the best younger actress on the show and it's great to see her really shine.

9. Let's get crude for a moment: Lee's bum in those tight trousers. One for the perves among us.

10. Queen Pearl. The best soap toddler there ever was.

Pam & Les carried the show in 2016.
Since their departures I've found very little to enjoy.

Paul being murdered sl
Roxy going off the rails
Deans Rape trail and focusing on his victims
Masoods departure
Pam and Les (Christine, Pauls deathe, Babe etc)
Lees depression, Lying to Whitney and his family etc

Kat was really excellent during her all too brief January spell. I still think she's EastEnders' strongest character when they choose to write her properly.

Stacey and Martin have turned out to be an inspired pairing who have breathed new life into the Fowlers without looking back to the past too much.

I actually liked Phil (!) in that lovely episode on the Thames with Peggy.

Les and Pam were given a really well done exit.

The show feels like more of an ensemble without the off putting favouritism which blighted DTC's run.

1) The Slater, Moon beginning to the year inc. Charlies death and Stacey's Psychosis

2) Peggy's death. I don't like the character but her death was well played, the aftermath unfortunately was nonsense.

3) Martin and Stacey's relationship.

4) Paul Coker's death and the lead up to Les and Pam's exit. Although I didn't want the exits the scenes with Ben and his relationship with Paul and the aftermath were excellent.

5) A lot of characterisation and writing improvements post SOC taking over, still a way to go but getting there. Still don't approve of many of the exits though.

6) Dot back to being in the forefront of viewers minds and her loss of sight story.

7) The move back to a collaborative effort and characters not being sidelined for months on end. A lot more of the community scenes with a large range of cast members in each episode.

Thanks