No disrespect to the other soaps (I'm a huge fan of Corrie and Emmerdale) but am I the only person to have noticed that EE storylines tend to have a bigger impact. For example, if there is a punch-up in either the Woolpack, the Rovers or the Vic, the one that has the biggest impact is the one in the Vic. I've also noticed that when I'm out, people tend to talk more about EE than Corrie or Emmerdale. This doesn't mean that they don't enjoy them.

I also think that if a character pushed another into their husbands open grave in Emmerdale, then it wouldn't have been discussed as much as it was with EE.

Sorry if none of this made sense but I was just interested to know if others agreed or not. If not then how?

P.S. I don't want this thread to turn into one of those EE vs Corrie or Emmerdale threads!

Thanks

I find this too. I wonder if it depends on where you live??? I live in the South East so maybe that's why - where do you live?

North west Ireland!!!

Well that's blown that theory then!!!

From my experience, Corrie is seen by most people I know as a bit of light-hearted entertainment, and not taken seriously. Emmerdale is viewed as having great comedy but can also tug at heart strings. EE is very good at doing serious (and depressing) storylines but hasn't had as much comedy as the others.

Just my opinon...

I don't watch huge amounts of tv - and honestly, I have tried all sorts of programmes and found I cannot get into them.

I think EE was fantastic in that it got 'soaps' noticed. Before EE came along, soaps were mostly derided by the newspapers etc. Nobody took them seriously and let's be honest, I doubt they would have made front-page news back then. But with such classics as the 'Who's the father of Michelle's baby' storyline, the 'six months to live' storyline, the 'Appy Christmas Ange' storyline etc. suddenly everyone had to sit up and take notice. Suddenly, soaps were seen as portraying 'serious' drama.

So in that respect, EE really did help to change the perception of soaps forever. They pushed the bar for *all* soaps.

I'm sure that for fans (of whatever soap) a lot of the viewing is habitual, i.e. fans will stay with a soap even through the dark times as they know what they storyliners are capable of and look forward to things improving.

I would say - and it is only my opinion - that although EE is seen as being 'gritty' it's a far cry these days from some of the ground-breaking stories we've had of the past. It's still good viewing - and when well-written it's excellent - but I wish the BBC would give it back it's teeth and allow it to deal with the more hard-hitting stories from which it made it's name.

Um sorry Den deary but thats totally untrue. Corrie was was put down when it first started but it really took off in terms of the public to much crital aclaim. Long before Eastenders we had the cast of Corrie treated like Royalty and of course there was the huge Deidre/Ken/Mike storyline which was frontpage news and even announced on the News.

Corrie is the grandaddy of British Soap and being so weaved itself into popular culture.

Then in 1978 Dallas hit the screens and by 1981 was one of the most watched television shows in the UK. It was actually JR's shooting in 1980 which woke up the British media to the fact that soaps can sell newspapers and get people listening to radio stations. Many people in the UK stayed up all night to listen to Radio stations to find out who shot him when it was broadcast CBS. Again this was broadcast on both the 9 O Clock and 10 O Clock news.

This was the first time a soap was publised on the News in such a manner.
Then it was repeated with Deirdre and Ken 2 years later and Bobby Ewings shooting was on the 10 O Clock news and announced as a bong at the beginning and reported as if Bobby Ewing was a real person.

In May of 1985 every Sunday newspaper took up their frontpages with Bobby being run down.

The last time something took the press by storm was Deidre in prison and then Richard Hillman.

So there is a long long history of soaps and the media and this was the reason that Eastenders came into play because the BBC realised they were missing out on a ratings hit.

EE is known for its hard-hitting storylines so, in turn would EE exist if Brookside hadn't been on television for 3 years before it? In my opinion all soaps have to start off with big dramatic gritty storylines to grab the viewers' attention. When Corrie started in 1960, it portrayed the realism of unemployment and it was quite dark. Nowadays it is seen more as light entertainment rather than thought-provoking drama. EE is the same but it hasn't been 'watered down' as much as Corrie. However, as for Emmerdale, the opposite has occured - a simple afternoon filler about sheep rearing in the Dales is now a sexy and dramatic show...

Its funny you think Eastenders is less watered down than Corrie. Eastenders is not even a shadow of its former self which is a great shame whereas I find Corrie still manages to be adult.

I would love Eastenders to have the courage to go back to basics and once again pack a punch with realistic and daring storylines.

Eastenders set itself apart by being daring, like Brookside, it pushed the boundaries. Now I find Corrie has been far more daring and risk taking in recent years although I do feel there is a major gap in the soap market for something totally gritty and real. I wish Eastenders would once again fill that gap.

If you were to look at me and my housemates as a case study. Me and two others are from down south (Essex and London) and used to watch only Eastenders, whereas there were the other 3 who were from up north and loved coronation street. There was a very noticable divide as to who watched what, and who related to what and it applied to where we lived, and where the soap was set.


now we watch all of it, but there is still a north south divide in terms of identification.

I dont know what it is but eastenders has a nice feel to it. That the other two lack.

Um thankyou Polly, deary for pointing out the mistakes in my beliefs.

And for doing it in such a non-patronising manner.

I was at school when EE started, so I think I can be forgiven that I believed that EE caused a stir, when in fact - as you pointed out - others had gone there before.

However, I think I made many more valid points in my post other than just that one, and would be interested in hearing your views on those too.

fight..fight... I think it depends. My dads a northener (doesnt have the accent but was born in cumbria and lived in lancashire and yorkshire on and off most his life.) and i'm from wales but my mums from london. My parents are split and i found when i used to go down my dads on weekends i went mad about corrie. but now i live with my mum only i love eastenders but still like corrie and emmerdale.

My earliest memory of a soap being discussed was Eastenders 'who's the Daddy'.
I was at school and all day people were wishing the day away because that night we found out who was the father of Michelles baby.
In those days I had never heard of 'spoilers' and nobody knew who it was going to be (Although we all knew deep down it was that dirty rascal).
I remember my form teacher asking me to leave thoughts of tonights eastenders until after school, then went on to say 'Incidently who do you think it will be' and the whole of afternoon registration turned to EE chat.
Those were the days

I think EastEnders does have a bigger impact. I don't know why though.

Well back to the where we live theory I live in the North West and Corrie is usually the most talked about soap. Although, when EE is having a good run (like now) it can take over for periods of time. Being a student of course Neighbours gets talked about at uni as well! EE tends to be the most hard hitting though, if you know what I mean.

Agree 100%, EE handles there stories with care yet they make them as gripping as possible, for example Mo's 1st rape by trevor, the wife beating story in general, dots euphanasia story with ethel, Zoe and kat, Peggy's cancer. Where as i feel othert soaps like corrie seem to do it for ratings, Toyah's rape, Maya's revenge, Shelly and Charlie, not for ratings but terribly boring.

Exactly.

I still think, in terms of *British* soaps, EE did more to raise the bar than any other, in it's earlier days of course.

I would like to see a return to it's dealing with gritty, sometimes uncomfortable but utterly compelling storytelling of it's younger days.

I have had this argument with myself many times.
I'm not convinced we would view it the same way these days.
Things are changing, or maybe I was just sheltered from these things as a child.
But it would take alot to shock or make me feel uncomfortable now.

I do agree though, it was unmissable (although I never miss it now )

Yes, I've wondered as much myself - many times.

I guess the skill is in the storyliners and writers finding new, innovative subjects to shock us all over again.

Can't imagine what they could come up with.

Although I found the episode with Demi unconcious after taking an overdose quite difficult to watch.

I also found some of Trevor and Little Mo's scenes quite gruesome.

A few of the writers do a fantastic job, while others I don't think even watch the show.

It needs taking back to it's roots I agree, and If that means bringing Den back then ....

EE does have a reputation for drama but it is now also getting a reputation for improbable plots with holes which you could drive a bus through. I put this down to the pressure of producing 2 hours a week with a lack of attention to detail and the failure to forsee the problems in certain courses of action.

Examples...They killed Den off without realising that Chrissie would have to go as well. They made Phil Mitchell the subject of a watertight armed robbery arrest when it would just as easy to have made the evidence a bit more vague.

EE gets more notcie. I agree

Absolutely spot on.

Tracy-Ann Oberman had announced she was leaving beforehand.
I do think however that her exit storyline was badly thought out. She can now never return as she has been revealed as the murderer.

I read that Tracy was leaving after Den was killed. TRhis was before he was dug up.