This is a woodshed.
Traditionally, this was where you were taken when you didn't learn your lessons well enough or when you misbehaved or when you were just generally obstinate and stupid enough to warrant getting a smack.
This is Lorraine Newman.
She is the Executive Producer of EastEnders. At the end of the first week in January, we're going to be treated to Lexie's christening. Phil attends. Sharon attends. So do Billy, Jay and Cora.
Peggy isn't there.
Yes, I realise Barbara Windsor's left the show, and as a result of that, there'll be some sort of excuse why she wasn't on hand for the christening of her first great-grandchild.
Oh, wait ... there is a reason. Apparently, according to the writers, Peggy isn't coming to the christening because Sharon is there. Apparently, according to the writers, Peggy is still bearing a huge grudge at the way Sharon's danced around the affections of both Grant and Phil.
Lorraine Newman signed off on that script and that reason for Peggy's non-appearance.
Yes, when Sharongate was revealed, there was bad blood for awhile between Peggy and Sharon, and that was understandable. Sharon had slept with one of Peggy's sons whilst married to another, and the family had almost been ripped apart. Peggy was still smarting when Sharon showed up in 2001 and bought the Vic from under her nose and later took up with Phil.
But between 2001 and 2006 and everything that happened therein, Peggy mellowed. And so did Sharon. The Mitchells helped Sharon wrest the pub from Chrissie Watts, and when they were successful, Sharon repaid them by selling the pub back to Peggy at an incredibly cheap price.
If there's any proof needed that this whole kerfuffle about to unload in January is one of the biggest retcons going, WATCH THIS!
It's Sharon's last episode from 2006, when she is leaving for Florida and Phil is going with her. As any fool can see, there is nothing but love, compassion and concern for Sharon shown by Peggy - and Sharon had been staying at the Vic as well.
I ask you ... does this look as though Peggy couldn't stand to breathe the same air as Sharon? After Dennis's death, she comforted her, condoned her son taking care of her and accompanying her to America. When Phil wanted to tell Sharon about what he said to Dennis, Peggy cautioned against it, saying Sharon had suffered enough.
This was January 2006. Kate Harwood was the Executive Producer then, with Lorraine Newman signing off on this as Series Producer. Seven years later, Harwood is head of Continuing Drama at the BBC, and Newman is now the Executive Producer, and she's signing off on the biggest retconned moment, arguably, in the show's history.
This is the woman who's supposed to know and appreciate EastEnders' history, yet she's pandering to the lowest sort of viewer, who doesn't give a rat's ass about what's actually happened on the show before, as fact. Instead, the laziest writing room in history would rather make up their own facts than do a smidgeon of research. Besides, who's going to remember a small detail like this? I'll tell you who ... whoever's left of the legion of long-term viewers who know Sharon's and Peggy's history.
Or maybe Lorraine Newman just has a bad memory.
Ms Newman, meet your woodshed.
Traditionally, this was where you were taken when you didn't learn your lessons well enough or when you misbehaved or when you were just generally obstinate and stupid enough to warrant getting a smack.
This is Lorraine Newman.
She is the Executive Producer of EastEnders. At the end of the first week in January, we're going to be treated to Lexie's christening. Phil attends. Sharon attends. So do Billy, Jay and Cora.
Peggy isn't there.
Yes, I realise Barbara Windsor's left the show, and as a result of that, there'll be some sort of excuse why she wasn't on hand for the christening of her first great-grandchild.
Oh, wait ... there is a reason. Apparently, according to the writers, Peggy isn't coming to the christening because Sharon is there. Apparently, according to the writers, Peggy is still bearing a huge grudge at the way Sharon's danced around the affections of both Grant and Phil.
Lorraine Newman signed off on that script and that reason for Peggy's non-appearance.
Yes, when Sharongate was revealed, there was bad blood for awhile between Peggy and Sharon, and that was understandable. Sharon had slept with one of Peggy's sons whilst married to another, and the family had almost been ripped apart. Peggy was still smarting when Sharon showed up in 2001 and bought the Vic from under her nose and later took up with Phil.
But between 2001 and 2006 and everything that happened therein, Peggy mellowed. And so did Sharon. The Mitchells helped Sharon wrest the pub from Chrissie Watts, and when they were successful, Sharon repaid them by selling the pub back to Peggy at an incredibly cheap price.
If there's any proof needed that this whole kerfuffle about to unload in January is one of the biggest retcons going, WATCH THIS!
It's Sharon's last episode from 2006, when she is leaving for Florida and Phil is going with her. As any fool can see, there is nothing but love, compassion and concern for Sharon shown by Peggy - and Sharon had been staying at the Vic as well.
I ask you ... does this look as though Peggy couldn't stand to breathe the same air as Sharon? After Dennis's death, she comforted her, condoned her son taking care of her and accompanying her to America. When Phil wanted to tell Sharon about what he said to Dennis, Peggy cautioned against it, saying Sharon had suffered enough.
This was January 2006. Kate Harwood was the Executive Producer then, with Lorraine Newman signing off on this as Series Producer. Seven years later, Harwood is head of Continuing Drama at the BBC, and Newman is now the Executive Producer, and she's signing off on the biggest retconned moment, arguably, in the show's history.
This is the woman who's supposed to know and appreciate EastEnders' history, yet she's pandering to the lowest sort of viewer, who doesn't give a rat's ass about what's actually happened on the show before, as fact. Instead, the laziest writing room in history would rather make up their own facts than do a smidgeon of research. Besides, who's going to remember a small detail like this? I'll tell you who ... whoever's left of the legion of long-term viewers who know Sharon's and Peggy's history.
Or maybe Lorraine Newman just has a bad memory.
Ms Newman, meet your woodshed.
I despair of Lorraine Newman-this post clearly furthur illustrates to me thats shes not up to the job and had reached her peak in her previous position which she held for over a decade.To my mind the BBC realised they needed to elbow out Bryan Kirkwood quickly before he did anymore damage-Newman was close at hand and was given the post temporarily.But after 2 months she was given the post permanently.This tells me that the rumours Ive heard from media circles are highly credible.They being that NOBODY wanted the job of EastEnders EP after Kirkwood,that the show is seen as diminished and damaged goods in media industry circles.
ReplyDeleteIf they couldnt get anyone apart from a loyal yes lady to take on the EPs role then what does that say about the show and its longterm future?
Newman got the job as an emergency measure and was made official because too many people wont touch the show with a bargepole.
Another excellent blog post in terms of tone and language choices! And another entry which I can show my teenage daughters without fear of them reading swear words and insults which serve no useful purpose - you are really showing those who doubted you could do it that they were wrong, so keep it up!
ReplyDeleteAs for the woodshed analogy - that isn't something I recognise! What goes on in woodsheds in the US?! But you're right about the short-sighted storyline. Why couldn't they have had Peggy fully intending to attend, then laid low by flu at the last moment? She's an OAP, if they get flu it can lay them low very quickly, and for a long time. That's all they had to write into the story to explain her absence. In fact, they could have got some humour out of it too - Phil telling Sharon that Peggy's been moaning about not wearing the hat she'd bought for the occasion could have been played well by two characters who both know Peggy well and would well understand that she'd be annoyed to say the least at missing all the fun and gossip of the Christening! They could also have had Sharon saying how sad she is not to see Peggy again after the kindness and reconciliation they shared before Sharon left for Florida. The possibilities are endless if only a bit of imagination is used - how sad that the current crop of writers can't see further than the end of their own noses.