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Original poster

Should eastenders call it a day?

98 replies

creativebutterfly · 07/07/2023 17:29

Was a fan since childhood, in my thirties now. Stopped watching it properly 2 years ago and since then have never really had the urge or curiosity to sit down and watch a recent episode. I do read things about it online but that's about it. It just seems to be woke and rehashing old or dead characters and storylines that have been done to death in other soaps, not to mention £83m on a new set I mean wth! EE was the only soap I watched, the other ones seem just as abysmal.

What are your thoughts? Do you still watch it? What irks you about eastenders or any soap in general?

OP posts:
the80sweregreat · 07/07/2023 21:04

Us fans have to stick together!

Jellykat · 07/07/2023 21:17

Dont mess with the Easties gang!

the80sweregreat · 07/07/2023 21:45

We will send Phil round with a big old baseball bat .. just sayin'

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TV
Prescottdanni123 · 07/07/2023 21:46

Emmerdale has always been more preferable in my opinion

pinguins · 07/07/2023 21:47

YANBU. I just don't think it's fundamentally believable that anyone working class actually lives in London these days. The whole premise is therefore preposterous and I can't suspend my disbelief anymore.

TooBigForMyBoots · 07/07/2023 21:49

Woke?

Original poster
creativebutterfly · 07/07/2023 21:53

TooBigForMyBoots · 07/07/2023 21:49

Woke?

woke
1 of 2
adjective
ˈwōk

woker; wokest
Synonyms of woke
chiefly US slang
1a
: aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)

OP posts:
apapuchi · 07/07/2023 21:59

Hopingforagreatescape · 07/07/2023 19:51

I love it. It's my little bit of easy escapism. I look forward to it each day.

Me too. It's familiar, you don't have to think or even concentrate and it's entertaining. Ticks the boxes although it goes through peaks and troughs like I suppose anything 37 years old would (it's the same age as me 😂).

I especially love the set design, all the little bits and bobs, messy bits etc in the houses that are just like your average house. My husband is from Latin America where telenovela soaps are all glamorous and ridiculous (or more ridiculous) and he always comments on how ugly (rude, I know) some people on EE are but I suppose they just look like the range of people from totally average to gorgeous we get in real life. It works for me 👍

Jellykat · 07/07/2023 22:07

the80sweregreat · 07/07/2023 21:45

We will send Phil round with a big old baseball bat .. just sayin'

.. or Jean over to cook you sausage surprise!

LynetteScavo · 07/07/2023 22:17

I agree with the OP.

I used to love EE, now I can't reach for the remote quick enough when it comes on.

Nat6999 · 07/07/2023 22:19

I stopped watching when Grant left, he was my guilty pleasure.

PriamFarrl · 07/07/2023 22:25

What I’ve noticed over the last 20 years or so is that the public recognition of the characters has dropped through the floor.
In the past even people who didn’t watch it would know who Den and Angie were, or the Mitchell brothers, Tiffany, Ian Beale, Pat Butcher. I don’t think I could name one single character or actor in it anymore, and my friend’s sister is in it!

Moveoverdarlin · 07/07/2023 22:27

I watched it for years. Was a huge fan. I stopped watching about 5 years ago. Not long after Ronnie and Roxie died. I just found it awful.

I only watch Corrie now.

80sMum · 07/07/2023 22:27

I used to love Eastenders! Watched it avidly from 1985 till about 2006. Then I was working longer hours and kept skipping episodes and lost the thread, so stopped watching.

I've dipped into it now and again since then, but never watched more than a few episodes before losing interest. I think I last watched an episode about 5 years ago.

bonnieruthie · 07/07/2023 22:28

sashagabadon · 07/07/2023 17:57

Cindy Beale is back on it. I was trying to explain her back story to my dd and her connection to Ian. It sounded bonkers!

Surely not. Wasn't she dead? Especially after they also resurrected Kathy a few years ago.

I haven't watched it for years. The old stalwarts were still there, but there were some poor, newer actors and the storylines were worse. You'd think they'd have their pick of the talented actors with acting being so competitive.

bonnieruthie · 07/07/2023 22:29

Though it can't be worse than Coronation Street ? That was always dire, I thought.

Thiswayorthatway · 07/07/2023 22:30

Definitely end it

User10486743 · 07/07/2023 22:34

I watch it on iPlayer in the mornings so am probably not counted in the viewing numbers, it's OK, soaps always go through phases of good and bad, I have watched it since the start.

User10486743 · 07/07/2023 22:37

I don't think I would like it to be like real life

bonnieruthie · 07/07/2023 22:40

It was always gloomy and grimmer than real life I think. A killer or two hanging around for good measure.

There was a serial killer called Gray/Grey around the time I stopped watching. I wondered if he'd been caught.

SlidingHoors · 07/07/2023 22:45

I have watched it since it started and still love it. It’s complete nonsense, but soaps are, aren't they? This has it ever been.

I don’t really understand what’s ‘woke’ about it? And why that’s a bad thing?! It’s a strange comment to make.

Current storylines:

Killer-wife Cindy is back from the dead.
Her boxer ex-lover is running the Vic with his fiancé, Danny Dyer’s MIL.
Stacey is doing sexcam work and her 13 yr old is up the duff.
Kim is banged up for almost killing her stepson.
Chelsea is in love with her mum’s gangster ex-affair partner.
Kaff (also back from the dead) is about to marry Brian Connelly.

It’s all good old, crazy soap opera stuff! Grin

Original poster
creativebutterfly · 07/07/2023 22:46

bonnieruthie · 07/07/2023 22:40

It was always gloomy and grimmer than real life I think. A killer or two hanging around for good measure.

There was a serial killer called Gray/Grey around the time I stopped watching. I wondered if he'd been caught.

I stopped watching summer 2021 and for awhile I felt like I was out of the loop, but was having personal issues so watching EE was furtherest from my mind at the time, when my private life improved I had missed so many episodes it would of taken me a month to catch up so I just gave up, but recently reading snippets online and such doesn't sound like I missed much lol! It gives me time to focus on things I actually want to spend time on, before I watched EE out of habit.

OP posts:
Xtraincome · 07/07/2023 23:01

Saw the article today which spoke about EEs flailing numbers. I have recently got into it after a long hiatus and love it! The MN TV pace thread is an extra enjoyable perk of EE too

For me, it is absolute escapism with mostly good/great actors and OTT storylines. What's not to love? 😆

Mrsjayy · 07/07/2023 23:19

pinguins · 07/07/2023 21:47

YANBU. I just don't think it's fundamentally believable that anyone working class actually lives in London these days. The whole premise is therefore preposterous and I can't suspend my disbelief anymore.

Of course working class people live in London why wouldn't they not everywhere Is gentrified.

Totallyaddictedtoshoes · 07/07/2023 23:26

I absolutely love it and think that most of the actors are really good, you can tell when there's a rubbish actor as they are so shown up by the stalwarts (looking at you Knight girls!) it's always felt like a bit of familiarity and comfort, even when storylines are a bit bonkers. I've watched it forever, it probably isn't as good as it was a few decades ago, but I guess there are only so many storylines they can come up with. I still find there's a lot of emotion to be found in some, the recent one with Lola, a 26 year old who died from a brain tumour having a 10 year old daughter was particularly well done. I'd really miss it if it was canned, but I am old and like a bit of familiarity! Love the threads by the legend blondes too 🥰