Good episode, but, by far, the weakest of the week, without being the weakest of he weak. I don't know if that's because the Friday night episode, which is generally the weakest one, when it should be the cliffhanger, or if tonight's were generally under par or a combination of both. Something was off-kilter, and the bleeding obvious that was stated was that (a) Emma died, (b) Ronnie's been put in a coma to cover Samantha Womack's panto leave, and (c) Phil's been stitched up which will mean he'll be remanded to prison (again) to cover Steve McFadden's panto leave.
Alas, poor Emma! We knew her well, but her death means that the secret identity of Lucy's killer lives yet another month - six weeks, actually. Still, there is, on someone's mobile phone, a message from the Great Beyond, saying I can't keep the secret. Emma is dead, like the proverbial doornail, listed in Dickens A Christmas Carol. Aye, he's a student of literature, is our lad, Dom.
After a frenetic week of quality episodes, we're back in filler mode again, with nothing really happening in this episode, apart from Emma's death, Ronnie's coma and Phil's arrest; and I hope the many casuals who graced the viewing audience this week will stick with the series now and not be disheartened by the slower pace shown tonight, because tonight's episode was more or less the reactions of people to the events earlier in the day.
Amazing that almost no one seemed to realise that Emma had actually been hit by Roxy, except Roxy. Was I dreaming or did Pam and Les seem to think she'd merely fallen over? At least Lauren showed some compassion, concern and more than a smidgeon of guilt at the thought that no one thought to take her to hospital or even direct the paramedics her way on the Square. Lauren actually seemed more concerned about Emma than Abi, but Abi, recently, has been shown herself to be selfish and without compassion. Does that mean she's guilty? It could, but I think it just means that Abi is just a little bitch.
In another part of the hospital, Ronnie's wheeled down for brain surgery wherein she'll awaken as Bride of Frankenstein, one presumes. Her baby, arguably, the biggest newbie in the neonatal care unit and looking about two months old. (Knowing Ronnie and having the genes of Nick, the kid was probably born with a full set pointed teeth. The nurses better watch out).
The most bum-clinchingly awful line of the night went to Phil, when Charlie was allowed to see his son, and Roxy and Phil traipsed along to give a special kind of blessing:-
That boy is a Mitchell. He's one of us, and we look after our own.
Considering that this kid is the son of a cold-blooded bitch of a psychopath, and the grandson of two psychopaths, I'd say the Mitchells were on the slippery downward spiral of which Peggy would be frightened out of her wits.
The Mitchell hospital scenes of posturing on their part, juxtaposed with Charlie's realising that his manhood lay in a coma with Ronnie was contrasted with the occasional scene of Max in quiet desperation to hear something about Emma's condition. The scene where Emma's doctor confronts Max wordlessly was the perfect conveyance to the viewers that she had died, followed by Max's bidding her body farewell with a very contrite and sincere I'm sorry.
Sorry for what? Sorry for the way he treated her abysmally from time to time? Sorry for his daughters' rudeness? Sorry because he was the one who killed Lucy, perhaps? Emma's final scene was one of two poignant scenes in tonight's episode and the contrite reaction of les soeurs Branning was befitting.
Another scene I liked was Carol being told by Max about Emma's death and going to tell the girls, only now to find herself inadvertantly involved in the murder cover-up by virtue of finding Emma's file on Lucy's death under the sink.
I love it that Carol has become a tangential part of both the Cotton cover-up and now the murder cover-up or whatever it's called.
So Emma is dead, and the Ice Queen is on ice, Bride of Frankenstein, comatosed, with no one knowing what to expect when she awakens. Ronnie could awaken brain-damaged, but I wouldn't want the chore of watching her learn to walk and talk again, or knowing Ronnie and her propensity to blame others for works for which she is responsible, to use the brain damage excuse to behave just as she bloody well might please - or in other words, business as usual.
I was amazed, however, at the reactions of the local yokels to her giving birth and to Ian Beale's being the bearer of glad tidings of great joy. Apart from Ronnie bullying money for Nick's departure out of him, he had little to with her and precious little regard. Yet there the entire pubfull of gossips were, raising their glasses in a toast to the Ice Queen on ice and the monster she's spawned.
Maybe that's why Charlie wanted to run away from SonnyBoy and seek solace with the Yummy Mummy.
Here's betting they name the baby Archie.
The Queen of Scrotes Reigns Supreme.
Oo-er ... Nancy's feeling guilty. She's done something of which she knows her father wouldn't approve: she's let the evil grandmother, Shirley Queen of Scrotes, into the sacred den. She's not answering any of Mick's calls.
And when did Tina grow up? I can't believe I'm liking the Court Jester, who seems to have matured overnight once Tosh left the scene. Nancy's afraid to speak to Mick, knowing he might heartily disapprove of her having let Shirley back into the pub.
Tina's sage advice and one of the lines of the night:-
It ain't you who's gotta smell her morning breath.
That's truly a pukeworthy statement in the image it conjures, nonetheless the smell. The term "gag-a-maggot" comes quickly to mind. Shirley's enjoying lording it over everyone in a position of authority - we know she gets off on being the big authority figure. Who can forget the Do You Know Who I Am moments she flaunted when she was Phil's squeeze?
Yet there she was tonight, issuing orders to Nancy as if Nancy and Lee were the help, and Shirley wasn't the interloper. She was preening in her Mein Host role, announcing the birth of the new Mitchell heir (cue Denise: There's another Mitchell on the Square ... There's something for you to get excited about.) Even weirder was Shirley's toast about a new Mitchell on the block. The Mitchells treat the people of Walford with such disdain, I'd wonder at them and at Ian Beale rejoicing at that birth. After all and even though Phil's been a comfort to Ian, it was Phil holding the banner which read "Beale the Squeal" in the Christmas Eve episode where Jane proposed to Ian.
And even weirder was Nancy receiving words of wisdom from the departing Dexter, of all people, that even though Shirley was interposing, this was still Nancy's pub. Yeah, sure. That's why she couldn't tell Mick about Shirley taking over and why Shirley smirked so self-satisfyingly as she heard that Nancy couldn't tell Mick the truth. She thinks she's winning. Mick needs to seriously return and kick arse.
As nice as she is, Pam's a nosy parker.
The Addams Family of Walford.
Hilarious moment of the night? Ian Beale congratulating Nick Cotton on becoming a grandfather.
Dot goes off to pray and Yvonne goes to the hospital, still appalled at Nick's attempt to rid the world of Ronnie (for that, he deserves a medal). It didn't matter that his son and heir was in the car, he wanted to get rid of the only other psychopath in the village. Who am I kidding? Nick doesn't give a shit about anyone but himself, like Ronnie, and he thinks he can do what he wants.
Yvonne knows his secret and knows he'll never change ... until he shows her the 100 grand and spins a yarn about how he couldn't leave with the money, wanting to settle down with her in their own place and buy some things for the kid. Yvonne doesn't like Ronnie either, but she knows Charlie loves her (more fool him), but then, Nick shows her how he can make good the situation of the tampered car. He's kept the evidence of his tampering, and sends Yvonne to the hospital, as planned, but on a reconaissance mission.
Mission accomplished. Yep, Phil has a pair of gloves with him, as did Nick. The question is: Who made the phonecall to the Old Bill targeting Phil as the person who tampered with the car - and there's poor, dim Roxy thinking the feds had come for her, having hit (and killed) poor Emma.
Now think back ... Phil at the reception, turning the table over and angry at Ronnie saying ... what? You'll pay for this.
Denise Denise.
Denise is trying to straighten herself out, but it isn't easy. Heading to the Vic for some serious V & T drinking isn't the best idea either. Previously, she'd admitted to Kim that she lost her temper once with Patrick. This isn't systematic elderly abuse, this is the reaction of a woman who was seriously and serially abused psychologically whilst living with Ian. Ian led her to believe he loved her and wanted to marry her, then started issuing orders like a martinet and being more than just a tad subtly racist. He disrespected her whilst engaged to her - yes, Denise kissed Fatboy, but Ian slept with Jane and went so far as to blithely plan to rid the house of Denise the next day. He was the indirect cause of the pressure which caused Patrick's stroke, and then actively discussed sending him to a care home to cover his arse about Rainie.
Denise was left on her tod to care for Patrick, with Ian offering the guilt-filled "I care about you" message, and Masood proving that he'd rather sniff Jane's arse than help Denise.
One of the best scenes in the episode, and one of the saddest, was Denise getting desperately drunk at the Vic, rebuffing another of Ian's guilt-ridden advances and, actually, speaking the truth about Emma's incompetence as opposed to the pithy, hypocritical concern shown by Ian and Peter toward her.
I choked up when she returned to Patrick and Kim and gave Patrick a sad and sincere apology before admitting to Kim that she couldn't look after Patrick on her own any longer. I bloody love Denise - the most decent female character, bar Carol, in the programme.
Me and My Girl.
Well, I knew Dexter was good for something. The eternal plot device was used tonight to get the mountain to go to Mohammed. Stan pleaded his case for Cora to stay, and it was the other poignant moment of the piece, telling her he hadn't long left and wanted to spend it in the company of a good friend, this after Dexter telling him that Cora needed a friend.
So Dexter goes and Cora stays. Not before time.
As always, Timothy West and Ann Mitchell give yet another MasterClass.
Good episode, but ordinary.
Alas, poor Emma! We knew her well, but her death means that the secret identity of Lucy's killer lives yet another month - six weeks, actually. Still, there is, on someone's mobile phone, a message from the Great Beyond, saying I can't keep the secret. Emma is dead, like the proverbial doornail, listed in Dickens A Christmas Carol. Aye, he's a student of literature, is our lad, Dom.
After a frenetic week of quality episodes, we're back in filler mode again, with nothing really happening in this episode, apart from Emma's death, Ronnie's coma and Phil's arrest; and I hope the many casuals who graced the viewing audience this week will stick with the series now and not be disheartened by the slower pace shown tonight, because tonight's episode was more or less the reactions of people to the events earlier in the day.
Amazing that almost no one seemed to realise that Emma had actually been hit by Roxy, except Roxy. Was I dreaming or did Pam and Les seem to think she'd merely fallen over? At least Lauren showed some compassion, concern and more than a smidgeon of guilt at the thought that no one thought to take her to hospital or even direct the paramedics her way on the Square. Lauren actually seemed more concerned about Emma than Abi, but Abi, recently, has been shown herself to be selfish and without compassion. Does that mean she's guilty? It could, but I think it just means that Abi is just a little bitch.
In another part of the hospital, Ronnie's wheeled down for brain surgery wherein she'll awaken as Bride of Frankenstein, one presumes. Her baby, arguably, the biggest newbie in the neonatal care unit and looking about two months old. (Knowing Ronnie and having the genes of Nick, the kid was probably born with a full set pointed teeth. The nurses better watch out).
The most bum-clinchingly awful line of the night went to Phil, when Charlie was allowed to see his son, and Roxy and Phil traipsed along to give a special kind of blessing:-
That boy is a Mitchell. He's one of us, and we look after our own.
Considering that this kid is the son of a cold-blooded bitch of a psychopath, and the grandson of two psychopaths, I'd say the Mitchells were on the slippery downward spiral of which Peggy would be frightened out of her wits.
The Mitchell hospital scenes of posturing on their part, juxtaposed with Charlie's realising that his manhood lay in a coma with Ronnie was contrasted with the occasional scene of Max in quiet desperation to hear something about Emma's condition. The scene where Emma's doctor confronts Max wordlessly was the perfect conveyance to the viewers that she had died, followed by Max's bidding her body farewell with a very contrite and sincere I'm sorry.
Sorry for what? Sorry for the way he treated her abysmally from time to time? Sorry for his daughters' rudeness? Sorry because he was the one who killed Lucy, perhaps? Emma's final scene was one of two poignant scenes in tonight's episode and the contrite reaction of les soeurs Branning was befitting.
Another scene I liked was Carol being told by Max about Emma's death and going to tell the girls, only now to find herself inadvertantly involved in the murder cover-up by virtue of finding Emma's file on Lucy's death under the sink.
I love it that Carol has become a tangential part of both the Cotton cover-up and now the murder cover-up or whatever it's called.
So Emma is dead, and the Ice Queen is on ice, Bride of Frankenstein, comatosed, with no one knowing what to expect when she awakens. Ronnie could awaken brain-damaged, but I wouldn't want the chore of watching her learn to walk and talk again, or knowing Ronnie and her propensity to blame others for works for which she is responsible, to use the brain damage excuse to behave just as she bloody well might please - or in other words, business as usual.
I was amazed, however, at the reactions of the local yokels to her giving birth and to Ian Beale's being the bearer of glad tidings of great joy. Apart from Ronnie bullying money for Nick's departure out of him, he had little to with her and precious little regard. Yet there the entire pubfull of gossips were, raising their glasses in a toast to the Ice Queen on ice and the monster she's spawned.
Maybe that's why Charlie wanted to run away from SonnyBoy and seek solace with the Yummy Mummy.
Here's betting they name the baby Archie.
The Queen of Scrotes Reigns Supreme.
Oo-er ... Nancy's feeling guilty. She's done something of which she knows her father wouldn't approve: she's let the evil grandmother, Shirley Queen of Scrotes, into the sacred den. She's not answering any of Mick's calls.
And when did Tina grow up? I can't believe I'm liking the Court Jester, who seems to have matured overnight once Tosh left the scene. Nancy's afraid to speak to Mick, knowing he might heartily disapprove of her having let Shirley back into the pub.
Tina's sage advice and one of the lines of the night:-
It ain't you who's gotta smell her morning breath.
That's truly a pukeworthy statement in the image it conjures, nonetheless the smell. The term "gag-a-maggot" comes quickly to mind. Shirley's enjoying lording it over everyone in a position of authority - we know she gets off on being the big authority figure. Who can forget the Do You Know Who I Am moments she flaunted when she was Phil's squeeze?
Yet there she was tonight, issuing orders to Nancy as if Nancy and Lee were the help, and Shirley wasn't the interloper. She was preening in her Mein Host role, announcing the birth of the new Mitchell heir (cue Denise: There's another Mitchell on the Square ... There's something for you to get excited about.) Even weirder was Shirley's toast about a new Mitchell on the block. The Mitchells treat the people of Walford with such disdain, I'd wonder at them and at Ian Beale rejoicing at that birth. After all and even though Phil's been a comfort to Ian, it was Phil holding the banner which read "Beale the Squeal" in the Christmas Eve episode where Jane proposed to Ian.
And even weirder was Nancy receiving words of wisdom from the departing Dexter, of all people, that even though Shirley was interposing, this was still Nancy's pub. Yeah, sure. That's why she couldn't tell Mick about Shirley taking over and why Shirley smirked so self-satisfyingly as she heard that Nancy couldn't tell Mick the truth. She thinks she's winning. Mick needs to seriously return and kick arse.
As nice as she is, Pam's a nosy parker.
The Addams Family of Walford.
Hilarious moment of the night? Ian Beale congratulating Nick Cotton on becoming a grandfather.
Dot goes off to pray and Yvonne goes to the hospital, still appalled at Nick's attempt to rid the world of Ronnie (for that, he deserves a medal). It didn't matter that his son and heir was in the car, he wanted to get rid of the only other psychopath in the village. Who am I kidding? Nick doesn't give a shit about anyone but himself, like Ronnie, and he thinks he can do what he wants.
Yvonne knows his secret and knows he'll never change ... until he shows her the 100 grand and spins a yarn about how he couldn't leave with the money, wanting to settle down with her in their own place and buy some things for the kid. Yvonne doesn't like Ronnie either, but she knows Charlie loves her (more fool him), but then, Nick shows her how he can make good the situation of the tampered car. He's kept the evidence of his tampering, and sends Yvonne to the hospital, as planned, but on a reconaissance mission.
Mission accomplished. Yep, Phil has a pair of gloves with him, as did Nick. The question is: Who made the phonecall to the Old Bill targeting Phil as the person who tampered with the car - and there's poor, dim Roxy thinking the feds had come for her, having hit (and killed) poor Emma.
Now think back ... Phil at the reception, turning the table over and angry at Ronnie saying ... what? You'll pay for this.
Denise Denise.
Denise is trying to straighten herself out, but it isn't easy. Heading to the Vic for some serious V & T drinking isn't the best idea either. Previously, she'd admitted to Kim that she lost her temper once with Patrick. This isn't systematic elderly abuse, this is the reaction of a woman who was seriously and serially abused psychologically whilst living with Ian. Ian led her to believe he loved her and wanted to marry her, then started issuing orders like a martinet and being more than just a tad subtly racist. He disrespected her whilst engaged to her - yes, Denise kissed Fatboy, but Ian slept with Jane and went so far as to blithely plan to rid the house of Denise the next day. He was the indirect cause of the pressure which caused Patrick's stroke, and then actively discussed sending him to a care home to cover his arse about Rainie.
Denise was left on her tod to care for Patrick, with Ian offering the guilt-filled "I care about you" message, and Masood proving that he'd rather sniff Jane's arse than help Denise.
One of the best scenes in the episode, and one of the saddest, was Denise getting desperately drunk at the Vic, rebuffing another of Ian's guilt-ridden advances and, actually, speaking the truth about Emma's incompetence as opposed to the pithy, hypocritical concern shown by Ian and Peter toward her.
I choked up when she returned to Patrick and Kim and gave Patrick a sad and sincere apology before admitting to Kim that she couldn't look after Patrick on her own any longer. I bloody love Denise - the most decent female character, bar Carol, in the programme.
Me and My Girl.
Well, I knew Dexter was good for something. The eternal plot device was used tonight to get the mountain to go to Mohammed. Stan pleaded his case for Cora to stay, and it was the other poignant moment of the piece, telling her he hadn't long left and wanted to spend it in the company of a good friend, this after Dexter telling him that Cora needed a friend.
So Dexter goes and Cora stays. Not before time.
As always, Timothy West and Ann Mitchell give yet another MasterClass.
Good episode, but ordinary.
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