The kiddies are jumping up and down and creaming their knickers at the Walford Web kindergarten this morning, all in anticipation of widdle Wiam Butcher getting his first weally big stowywine (emphasis on the "whine" bit).
Widdle Wiam's about to be led astray into a life of gangdom,. and EastEnders are promo-ing it as something gritty and relevant.
OK, but let's remember something: If this is going to be gritty and relevant, then EastEnders has to recognise that most gangs in London, and especially in the EastEnd, these days are either black or Asian.
Is Liam black? No.
Is Liam Asian? Again, no.
In the past, most of the gangs depicted on EastEnders have been well-spoken, white drama schoolboys with the occasional black or Asian member (the gang who stabbed Jay) or a mixture of black, Asian and white youths in their late teens/early twenties riding around on BMXs (Connor's gang). Or middle-aged men pretending to be violent football hooligans (Jase's ex-gang).
The idea of pudgy Liam Butcher swanning around with any sort of London gang which is supposed to be "well'ard" (as opposed to swanning around London with Wellard, which is more amenable to Liam), is laughable. Liam is about as menacing as the Pillsbury doughboy. He's a fourteen year-old, being portrayed by a sixteen year-old, with the personality of a milquetoast ten year-old.
I hope TPTB have really gone the realism route this time, instead of pussyfooting around in a concerted effort not to annoy any minorities depicted. It would be amusing watching gormless Liam try to navigate a gang of Afro-Caribbean or Asian youths, because it's so incongruous.
EastEnders always manages to do comedy when it's unintentional.
Widdle Wiam's about to be led astray into a life of gangdom,. and EastEnders are promo-ing it as something gritty and relevant.
OK, but let's remember something: If this is going to be gritty and relevant, then EastEnders has to recognise that most gangs in London, and especially in the EastEnd, these days are either black or Asian.
Is Liam black? No.
Is Liam Asian? Again, no.
In the past, most of the gangs depicted on EastEnders have been well-spoken, white drama schoolboys with the occasional black or Asian member (the gang who stabbed Jay) or a mixture of black, Asian and white youths in their late teens/early twenties riding around on BMXs (Connor's gang). Or middle-aged men pretending to be violent football hooligans (Jase's ex-gang).
The idea of pudgy Liam Butcher swanning around with any sort of London gang which is supposed to be "well'ard" (as opposed to swanning around London with Wellard, which is more amenable to Liam), is laughable. Liam is about as menacing as the Pillsbury doughboy. He's a fourteen year-old, being portrayed by a sixteen year-old, with the personality of a milquetoast ten year-old.
I hope TPTB have really gone the realism route this time, instead of pussyfooting around in a concerted effort not to annoy any minorities depicted. It would be amusing watching gormless Liam try to navigate a gang of Afro-Caribbean or Asian youths, because it's so incongruous.
EastEnders always manages to do comedy when it's unintentional.
On a random note, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the hilarious and very circular ''Rachel Bright's comments' thread on Walford Web, if you can be arsed with it. It's the stupidest thread I've seen in ages.
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