At times we disagree and we may not be on each other's Christmas card list, but this woman gets EastEnders and understands how it's lost its brand.
Take it away, Nurse Ratchit ... AKA Mrs B:-
Bravo! Couldn't have said it better, myself. Thing is, Mrs B and I are the viewers who've watched fom Day One and who are forced to stand on the sideline and watch a formerly brilliant show pander to the lowest common denominator. We're the viewers who see the obvious flaws and dumbing down, but we're also the viewers the show should value.
Instead, we are the viewers TPTB disdain and count as irrelevant.
They'll miss us when we're gone.
Take it away, Nurse Ratchit ... AKA Mrs B:-
Probably in a minority of one here, but I find Steve John Shepherd's performance completely unconvincing. His version of contained menace is all twitches and that peculiar 'blink and you miss it' grin of his. As for his screaming into a cushion, that was borderline hilarious. They've ramped up his supposedly superior vocabulary to heighten his 'weirdness' but none of it is quite hitting the mark. This could have been a chilling tale of how a psychopath uses seduction and power to get a person to agree to murder yet it all feels slightly ludicrous; as if the production is conducting the entire scenario with a knowing wink at the audience.I have no idea what the future holds under DTC, but I am praying it is an improvement . When even a supposedly dark storyline seems ridiculous and poorly depicted in every way, it is time for a major reboot.I presume/hope that Ronnie is deliberately being pitched as a cold hearted, remorseless woman? That she will perhaps take the Michael mantle of strange dissociated person on the Square.Has Whitney actually kept her job after referring to a pupil as a 'brat'?!
Bravo! Couldn't have said it better, myself. Thing is, Mrs B and I are the viewers who've watched fom Day One and who are forced to stand on the sideline and watch a formerly brilliant show pander to the lowest common denominator. We're the viewers who see the obvious flaws and dumbing down, but we're also the viewers the show should value.
Instead, we are the viewers TPTB disdain and count as irrelevant.
They'll miss us when we're gone.
I know I don't often agree with your 'turn of phrase' (and haven't even commented recently) but I take my hat of to you (and others sticking with EE) for succeeding where I don't have the resilience to continue any longer. EE has lost me - and I have been watching since Ep1, when I was 16 (Michelle Fowler's age, give or take - her story so resonated with me as a friend of friends who found themselves accidentally pregnant at her age). Now I only 'keep up' with EE though the DS forum and your blog (whether or not I agree with your views!) and quite frankly it'll take a great deal of more realistic writing and characterisation to get me back. If I said all this on DS I'd be told I'm not a 'proper fan' as 'proper fans' keep watching no matter what, but life's too short and there's only so much loyalty you can use an excuse (in my mind, anyway - others will disagree - but taking 'fans' for granted is how EE has got in this mess!).
ReplyDeleteSo I'll keep reading DS and the blog (but will try not to wade in where I'm not wanted!) but as for EE itself? No, it needs to get its act together a whole lot more than it is now for this Ep1 viewer to come back. And I know I'm not the only one who feels like this. J.C.
I'm exactly the same, I haven't watched since day dot though but I have watched for a long time. I've found another soap that, imo, is much better and has been for a long time. My love for EastEnders has gone, but, who knows I may come back one day but I'II use this blog - as it's spot on in regards to a lot of things, show wise - and DS.
DeleteI'm still watching and continue to read this blog as you some up neatly how I feel. I haven't watched EE from the beginning, was born in 86 so I started watching probably around 94/95. Even back then I remember how electric EE could be, from Sharongate to Phil's alcoholism storyline. It tackled tough issues and was never afraid to do what the other soaps were scared of trying.
ReplyDeleteNow it seems to have turned into a watered down version of Hollyoaks. I mean even bloody Hollyoaks are tackling some pretty meaty storylines at the moment, EE just cannot seem to get back on track no matter what they try to do. They seem to think flooding the programme with 'sexy' youths is the way to go, forgetting that a key part of their audience is still the 25-50 bracket, not the tween brigade.
I'm gutted to see Charlie Brooks is leaving but I'm not surprised, she's been around long enough to know a sinking ship when she see's it and that's what EE is at the moment. Once she goes I am not sure I'll be able to stick it out for much longer, if at all. Danny Dyer entering the show might well tip me over the edge too as the show definitely does not need another Alfie Moon type character which I think is exactly what he will be. I also see an affair between him and Kat at some point because Kat will never be able to keep her knickers on just for Alfie, queue their break-up and eventual get back together shite all over again.
I really hoped Kirstie and Carl would be kept on and possibly pushed into the centre of the show as I have warmed to them very quickly, I can't really understand why they are going when there are so many storylines that could revolve around them.
Seems someone has let a spoiler out they shouldn't have. One of their new characters, Johnny it would appear, is going to be HIV positive.
ReplyDeleteHow the current team can cope with this remains to be seen.
If that is true, this is a rehash of the Mark Fowler storyline but with the added twist that the character is gay. There's been an agenda going on at EastEnders since 2010. I'm a big BIG supporter of gay equality and equal rights, but I'm a bit peeved at certain elements of EastEnders' hierarchy mounting an agenda. In truth the show hasn't had a good gay character since Colin, a bloke who just happened to be gay.
DeleteI'm not saying this isn't a good premise, it just requires FIRM acting talent to deal with the shit hitting the fan when the truth comes out, and you won't get that either from Danny DIRE or the insipid Kellie Bright.
ChavEnders.