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Eastenders: New Michelle


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Old 02-01-2017, 21:44
nightwish1990
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Anyone else think the writers are almost trying too hard to try and get us to see new Michelle as the iconic character that was there in 80s/90s?

Seems every scene she is in she is remeniscing about the old days. I like to talk about things that have happened but seems that that is all the writers are doing with Michelle. We get it she is Michelle Fowler. We don't need constant reminding.

The actress seems a good actress just working with crap scripts.
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Old 02-01-2017, 21:46
danyell
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I need constant reminding. She's nothing like old Michelle! Lol
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Old 02-01-2017, 21:55
funkycub
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I can't really warm to her at the mo- Even if I don't think of the old Michelle. She hasn't quite fitted into the show for me. Still willing to give her a shot tho
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Old 02-01-2017, 21:56
Adrian_Ward1
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She annoyed me tonight
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Old 02-01-2017, 21:57
Aura101
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She is not Michelle! It just is not going to work. I actually really like the actress, but she aint Michelle.
The whole thing is a joke.
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Old 02-01-2017, 21:59
Jimmy Connors
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We get it she is Michelle Fowler. We don't need constant reminding.
I certainly do need constant reminding. It will take quite a while before I can remember she is Michelle Fowler.
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Old 02-01-2017, 22:05
Adam_Manneh1
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People should give the character a year.
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Old 02-01-2017, 22:08
VoodooChic
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She needs a perm and some badly covered up acne
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Old 02-01-2017, 22:11
Chris525
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I cannot wait for Stacey to strike her with a clean backhand.
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Old 02-01-2017, 22:19
NoughtiesMusic
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I didn't watch EE when Susan Tully was in the role (I only started in 1996) so no emotional attachment to Michelle in the slightest. She's prickly at the moment and I reckon Stacey will snap at her. I know Belinda would have if she didn't leave. Like Nu Martin I'm sure she'll grow into the role.

Maybe her behaviour is like when they reintroduced Shabnam. She was cold and distant but they did a phenomenal job building layers to her character. Since Michelle is a legacy character they'll probably move onto whatever secret she might have a lot quicker.
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Old 03-01-2017, 05:42
Broken_Arrow
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This is the worst recast since Donna Reed took over the role of Miss Ellie on Dallas. It is an entirely different character to the Michelle Fowler of old. People change but not to this extent. The actress is fine but she's not Michelle. She looks nothing like her and acts nothing like her. I hope this is a shortlived stint and can be forgotten. I can't believe there are people saying she reminds them of Susan Tully's version. Can I have a sip of that Kool-Aid?
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Old 03-01-2017, 06:41
finlux
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I can't really warm to her at the mo- Even if I don't think of the old Michelle. She hasn't quite fitted into the show for me. Still willing to give her a shot tho
Yes, my thoughts exactly.

It's strange but I took to the new Lucy/Peter/Lauren & Martin straight away - even Mark when Todd Carty took over, but not yet with new Michelle.

Still, early days yet....
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Old 03-01-2017, 06:43
LHolmes
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Anyone else think the writers are almost trying too hard to try and get us to see new Michelle as the iconic character that was there in 80s/90s?
Hmm. I don't think they're pushing her too hard or even at all. She's mostly been in the background apart from the Christmas Day ep when she accompanied Sharon to the hospital.

She gets inconsequential scenes like making a minced beef pie and using up all the hot water. It's probably wise that they're using her in this way.

Tbh she'll never be who I immediately think of when I think of Michelle but I don't mind her. The passing of 20 years gives them a bit of licence re the character not being exactly the same.

I normally hate it when they recast adult characters but am giving this a chance as at least I understand the reasons behind it; the original actor being impossible to obtain.

Seems every scene she is in she is remeniscing about the old days. I like to talk about things that have happened but seems that that is all the writers are doing with Michelle.
She has just returned to the place she grew up after 20 years so it's only natural she'd talk about the old days. However, last night was the first time NuMichelle had mentioned Pauline.
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Old 03-01-2017, 07:20
Dan4
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I think she is doing a good job. Was never going to be easy. I heard a bit of Pauline in there last night when she was cooking in the kitchen. I think she'll be loved once her storyline drops.
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Old 03-01-2017, 07:41
09beyoncefan
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I think it's because she's in this sort of limbo stage between coming back and her big storylijne kicking off with the secret, so there isn't a lot to go off. I didn't see her original stint either (I was born tw years after her leaving lol) so perhaps it's easier for me but I'm giving her a chance. At the moment I don't really feel anything because she is just there, as I said it's like a limbo of tedium waiting to hear exactly why she came back.
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Old 03-01-2017, 09:00
Ten_Ben
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As Adam said, the character needs a year. It's only been the last few months that I've really warmed to, and accepted, James Bye as Martin. Michelle will take time. She's been away for twenty years and it's surprising how much one remembers of a fictional character after so much time, so yes, it is going to take quite some while for her to be accepted. I daresay that TPTB are aware of that and they've gone to the lengths of having Susan Tully/Adam W and Letitia D advise on who Michelle was and how she should be portrayed.

She doesn't feel quite at home to me yet but I'm sure she will in six months or a year's time. Michelle was always a little bit feisty, headstrong, stroppy and somewhat arsey. We've not really seen that yet but then she hasn't had anything to get her teeth into. It's also likely that she'll have mellowed a bit as she approaches 50, it's only natural.

It's a bit strange though, that:
(a) we've not seen anything of that hastilly removed publicity shot at Ian's where she was wearing the Pauline-type cardigan, and
(b) she's in the credits as 'Michelle Fowler', despite having a husband (Tim) in America. I doubt he's also a Fowler!
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Old 03-01-2017, 09:04
SegaGamer
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It's another recast that seem's forced on us.

I don't know what it is with Eastenders these days, but they seem to get their recasts all wrong. They should stop forcing the past on us and give us something new. I'm really not interested in constantly taking a trip down memory lane.

Stop recasting / bringing people back, it's boring.
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Old 03-01-2017, 09:09
mumbles26
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I'm still desperately trying to like her and warm to her but she's flippin annoying the hell out of me. Don't like her one bit I'm sorry, all that 'mum did this' and ' mum did that' twaddle made me want to kick her. Uurgh
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Old 03-01-2017, 09:12
davejc64
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They all had a lucky escape apart from poor Lily that pie looked disgusting.
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Old 03-01-2017, 09:15
mumbles26
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They all had a lucky escape apart from poor Lily that pie looked disgusting.
Yeah and who dishes up food and leaves it on the table uncovered before the guests even arrive? Cold mashed potato and cold cooked carrots - that poor kid had to eat it.
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Old 03-01-2017, 09:38
AuntieSoap
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People should give the character a year.
Give the character a year?? Good god thats a hell of a lot of rope to give the producers.

They have taken a massive risk recasting such a well known role. If it doesn't work from the outset and fly it will end with her being axed. It's totally unrealistic to expect viewers to hold back on judgement for a whole year. they don't with other characters and they shouldnt here.

Actress seems good, but her and new Martin do not seem in anyway connected to Pauline, Arthur and Mark for me, so their legacy is nought.
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Old 03-01-2017, 09:49
Sunnydays
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I can't really warm to her at the mo- Even if I don't think of the old Michelle. She hasn't quite fitted into the show for me. Still willing to give her a shot tho
Same here, I think that Susan Tully really owned that part, and I am finding it difficult to see this new actress as being Michelle, but give her a chance, I just hope that she is there for a purpose.
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Old 03-01-2017, 09:50
NoughtiesMusic
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Personally I'm fine with the recast. As I said above I didn't see the original Michelle and in all honesty the Fowlers, except for Mark, were never my favourite family in the first place despite their iconic status.

As brilliant an actress as Wendy Richard was, I never warmed to Pauline in the way I did to Pat or Dot. Aside from some excellent putdowns they went too far making her this miserable battleaxe with no warmth at all. Something other matriarchs like Pat had in abundance.

The original Martin was fine but I wasn't massively upset about the recast. James Bye has stepped into the role and is doing well with it now.

Mark was hands down my favourite Fowler.
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Old 03-01-2017, 09:59
Ten_Ben
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Give the character a year?? Good god thats a hell of a lot of rope to give the producers.

They have taken a massive risk recasting such a well known role. If it doesn't work from the outset and fly it will end with her being axed. It's totally unrealistic to expect viewers to hold back on judgement for a whole year. they don't with other characters and they shouldnt here.

Actress seems good, but her and new Martin do not seem in anyway connected to Pauline, Arthur and Mark for me, so their legacy is nought.
BIB1 - yes, it's only a mere 5% of the time that she's been away, after all.

BIB2 - it's only a well-known role for viewers who've been watching for more than 20 years. A lot of the audience will not know Michelle. Some that do won't care.

It's never going to work right 'from the outset', to think it possibly could is highly delusional. These things take time. A lot of time.
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Old 03-01-2017, 10:30
AuntieSoap
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BIB1 - yes, it's only a mere 5% of the time that she's been away, after all.

BIB2 - it's only a well-known role for viewers who've been watching for more than 20 years. A lot of the audience will not know Michelle. Some that do won't care.

It's never going to work right 'from the outset', to think it possibly could is highly delusional. These things take time. A lot of time.
This cracks me up and is so typical of this forum these days. We are told for months at a time that we are not seeing the new producer's "vision", then we have to give time for "bedding in" and now we are saying that we should not make a judgement on a character for a whole year. Hilarious and complete nonsense. Highly delusional.

It takes time to establish a new character, but Michelle isn't a new character. By recasting a character that was pivotal for many years and often mentioned since departing they are taking a significant risk.

Personally I have absolutely no sense of her being Michelle Fowler. None. That's the problem. Michelle has been brought back because of her undeniable legacy within the show, but none of that legacy resonates because they have changed actress. If the original actress was not open to returning the plans should have been shelved.

You are right that many viewers won't have seen the original Michelle, but many will and it feels like a betrayal of the audience to do this just as the stupid, pointless resurrection of Kathy was a betrayal and a complete flop.
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