There's negativity on all of the soaps' Facebook pages, lol. Each post has several people complaining about one character or another. They also don't seem to understand when you're meant to dislike a character, when they're the villain. Corrie's commenters complain about Phelan, Emmerdale has comments complaining about Emma and Eastenders just has complainers, full stop.

It's better though than constant twists and silly bombshells that were eating us every week. Trust me though, based on the spoilers for the next few weeks EE is really going to come alive!

I never moan about the standard of EE, after all it is just a soap and I am not expecting breaking badesque writing every week. However I have to be honest it is incredibly flat for Christmas. Tonights duff duff was just bizarre.

Really? Such as?

Oh FFS! Bunch of drama queens, it ain't that bad

There are a few fans who are very vocal and some resent O'Connor because he made some controversial decisions especially Ronnie and Roxy's axings/exits but give the bloke a break. His storylines are very low-key but I'm sick to death of the negative threads about him and he's very different to DTC which is refreshing. The characters were very unlikable and stories were unrealistic during DTC's period.

O'Connor was the story producer in 01/02 and he came up with some gripping storylines especially the Kat/Zoe reveal and Little Mo/Trevor. He was responsible for Helen and Rob's domestic abuse storyline in the Archers and it has been critically acclaimed by viewers and it trended on Twitter.

Was he around during the fantastic era with the wonderful Kim Medcalf

problem is I'm sure people were saying the same weeks ago and yet were still waiting for something to happen, I'm not asking for loads

Yes he was

22nd of december and 2 of the main storylines are about a christmas play and two teenagers splitting up, ****ing ridiculous what is he playing at.

He ain't all bad still Some decent stuff.

It was so weird

I thought we'd got past the meta duff duffs recently but they were back in style tonight.

Totally agree Les.

I am still watching however

To think it will be 9 years since the Stax reveal in a few days!

Tonight's episode was a bit slow but I think it's part of the build up to Xmas. We know Max is back so there is definitely going to be drama plus the Phil storyline is continuing to build ... I can't wait for Xmas day episode. Why would you decide after 22 years to stop watching right before Xmas kicks off????

I stopped watching EE years ago because I stopped enjoying it. I didn't announce it to the world though - I'm not important enough for that. I just got on with it.

Martins sing song at the market was so cheesy! What is SOC thinking? Even in the 80s it wasn't this naff.

That was awful, it was like something out of a musical.

I mean...I'd at LEAST give it until after Christmas?

I know, exactly. I stopped watching for almost all 2012/13 and I don't think I made one post on here about it. I also opted out of the latter half of 2015. I actually do make an effort to catch up a bit on things I missed when I start to watch again, because if I'm going to watch again I want to fill in the blanks. Binge watching episodes and clips in quick succession tends to make it all more palatable.

I don't know all the comparisons to the 80's are entirely accurate. I actually have seen most of 85 to 87 and the whole thing was much grimier than anything we have now. They did sometimes have different style of "duff duffs" some of them being more mundane.

I guess they did have maybe some more community - feel moments back then - mostly in the pub. I don't know if that was accurate of the time or what though.

Must admit, that was really bad.

I love it when we get a dramatic "I'm never watching again" flounce on DS

Ok hun, see you back next week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVavtX80m3Q

Of course it's the OPs opinion. That's implied!