To think Eastenders shouldn't be running storylines on torture and sadism?

[Heyeeee]

We all know EE love a good crack-whore, rape, or murder storyline.

But the latest one just seems like another step too far. Barmaid Tina is currently going through a nervous breakdown PTSD type thing, after her tormentor has turned up again. She is reliving the “torture” game they played as young adults, where she ended up being locked in the boot of a car. Forgive me, if I’m a bit scant on other details, I honestly found it really disturbing to watch - it was more Carrie than Corrie. I know things have moved on from the days of Rita and Mavis bickering gently in The Cabin but do we have to have these extremes instead?

I am considering complaining to the BBC, though part of me feels it will make zero difference. Last time I complained – 3 years ago – they wrote me back a long fatuous letter saying how EE was well-known for being “edgy” and if I didn’t want my kids to watch rape scenes on TV I shouldn’t watch EE. But it is pre-watershed – again not that that seems to mean anything. Should children be exposed to long drawn out stories in which people are having major breakdowns and flashbacks about torture games? I should add I do like EE sometimes, though I have periods where I don’t watch it as its beyond rubbish. It did seem to be getting good again, but now the latest turn of the latest psychopath storyline seems to be incredibly nasty and distasteful.

Should I make a complaint?

Or just completely turn myself off from modern media culture?

Yours,
In despair.

I don’t understand why anyone would let their kids watch soaps tbh.

Jeremy Kyle is pre watershed too, but I’d not let my kids watch it. Just choose what goes on your own tv.

I know things have moved on from the days of Rita and Mavis bickering gently in The Cabin but do we have to have these extremes instead?

I stopped watching soaps for this very reason. I used to enjoy the everyday, mundane shop/pub interactions between characters. When soaps started doing the ridiculously huge dramatic storylines, I bailed

Just because it's on pre-wedding doesn't necessarily mean it's appropriate for kids. as PP said - Jeremy Kyle for one

In answer to your question, don't bother complaining. Just switch off. This is why I don't watch TV anymore and mainly watch Netflix. I think popular culture is going to hell in a handcart. I'd rather just close that off from my life and pretend it doesn't exist.

I only really watch the soaps for the traumatic storylines now

I've never watched EE but about 15 years ago my dsd used to and I couldn't stand it, it was just half an hour of people yelling and screeching at each other. Dsd was about 8 or 9 at the time and neither of her parents minded her watching it - I just couldn't believe it was on before the watershed, can't be good for kids to see that can it? I was glad when her mum got Sky and she could catch up when she went back home.

I gave up on Eastenders a year ago.
I just couldn't cope with the misery, shouting, screaming .
Surely the idea of a soap opera is to escape for a little while.
If I want that sort of misery I can read a tabloid.
When I put my tv on I want to be entertained.

I love a bit of misery in my soaps.. Its why I stopped watching Eastenders about 6 months ago, because it became very boring. Who knows I might start watching it again.

I can't get past the fact that Tina was 20 thirty years ago.1988 Which is the year the song what triggered her memory (cant think what its called now) was born.
That would made her what 49/50.

YANBU. I'm sick of the levels of violence and all-round gloominess in the soaps ATM, even Doctors seems to be going that way. Corrie's gone way OTT on the death and despair, Emmerdale I don't watch but every time I catch the odd 5 mins everyone seems to be miserable, and I virtually never watch EE any more for the same reasons you cited here (yes, EE's always been edgy but there are limits to what a soap should depict, or rather there used to be). I also can't believe what gets shown pre-watershed these days (an uncut Saturday morning repeat graphically showing someone being knifed in the heart? Come ON, Corrie...)

I know real life has its dark side, but I miss the days when soaps used to be a chance to escape from real life and be entertained for a while, instead of more doom and gloom and constant attempts to tackle 'issues'. Thank goodness for Classic Coronation Street on ITV3, I prefer that at the moment tbh.

I also thought it was quite extreme, even for EE.

I stopped watching years and years ago and no lie, my mental health improved significantly. Think about what those storylines 3 x a week do to us.

GameOldBirdz too right.

Just switch off, OP.

I think it’s a weird storyline to do. Where did it come from? The stabbing storyline was very relevant. There is a huge gang/knife crime problem so although it was really harrowing it had a very good reason for happening. But this storyline I just don’t get. I think if they’re doing horrific storylines it should be something that is actually raising awareness for something IRL or something. Not just misery porn for teh sake of a dramatic storyline.

Tbh though all the soaps have gone to pot in the last few years. They’re all scraping the barrel.