Classic Eastenders on the Drama channel

[dingdongdigeridoo]

So, classic Eastenders starts airing on the UKTV Drama channel from tomorrow! Two episodes from noon, and they’ll also be on UKTV catchup.

Use this thread to talk about Den, Angie, Arthur, poodle perms, poor fashion choices and Ethel’s Willy.

Ooohhh excellent I love eastenders especially the old ones.

Marking place. I'm determined to find a way to watch this (we don't have the drama channel).

Absolutely loving the old episodes. The characters were fantastic - Ethel is hilarious and was always my favourite. I don’t bother with soaps these days - they can’t compete with the classic early days. What with this and classic Corrie my evenings are totally sorted!

I only started watching in the late nineties so these are all new to me. Can't understand why they where all so desperate to name their kids (Lucy and Louise) after their grandmother. She seems horrible. Pauline seems so meek and mild as well.

Just watching the first 4 episodes! Pauline smoking and drinking whilst pregnant! Tony Carpenter! Cor blimey cockney... ‘ you feelin’ a bit tom ‘n’ dick Paul?’

arriettyspiders - Channel is on Freeview so you should be able to watch it.

Modern day Albert Square is positively vibrant compared to the old days! I love how everything is brown and grimy. I only have vague memories of parts of London that used to look that way.

I love how Pauline being, gasp! 40 and pregnant! is so shocking. 80s fashion is bloody awful. Many of the actors look younger now than they did back then, thanks to the terrible perms and shoulder pads.

Anna Wing who played Lou Beale only died 5 years ago - she was 98

I love Angie. I dont watch the up to date either. I was 11 when Eastenders started.

i used to cut the shoulder pads out Couldnt stand the things.

The Banned!!!!!!

"Something Outta Nothing"

Thanks dingdong! It looks like we do have it (I don't watch much TV generally). I've watched the first episode online, however, at the Classic TV website.
It's marvellous isn't it. So 'real' if that makes sense. It's less 'slick' but almost like watching a play, and the acting draws you in. That's my tuppence worth anyway.

I cut out the shoulder pads, too. They were even in things like jumpers.

Oh i forgot about Mary and her baby.

They were clearly allowed to use branded products back then. I noticed Kellogg's cornflakes on the table, Walls ice cream being advertised on the wall of the cafe and Mary bought Pampers nappies from the corner shop. Now they have all made up brands like 'golden flakes' to prevent any advertising.

It did all seem far more 'real life' and relatable.

I saw an advert for Mighty White on Alfs shop wall in Classic Corrie.

Mark Fowler has a completely different personality. I looked up the original actor and apparently he killed himself when he was just 20. Very sad.

Why is Lofty such a lady magnet on this? First Sharon, then Angie. I remember him being a real woman repellent.

I’d forgotten about Mary too. Weird to think that her baby would now be in her 30s. They should bring her back on the show!

Oh I had forgotten that the original actor that played Mark Fowler killed himself.

I don't remember Lofty being a lady magnet either - he was quite the opposite!

Anybody else tonight the soft porn thingy that was in every pub back in the day. Think it was how kp used to sell their nuts, the top less woman would be revealed as all the nuts were sold. Sometimes it's been fuzzed out, sometimes not

Oh I noticed the fizzed out image in the background. Wonder if it was fuzzed out back then!

DH had to explain the sexy lady nuts to me! I’d never seen them before. I also noticed they serve pickled onions in the vic. Not seen a pub doing that in years.

Talking of food, it all looks so bloody grim on this show. That roast beef looked so dry it made my mouth feel weird. There are lots of very beige looking foods coming out of the caff.

There was a great shot today of Sharon next to the poodle and they look exactly the same. So many perms.

The lady who runs the shop is a terrible actress.

Its strange how much stuff about this is coming back to me now. I remember Nick blackmailing Kathy over the rape

I remember Debbie getting obscene phone calls and i remember who the culprit was.

I didn't know about this! I loved Eastenders back in the day and remember watching the very first episode.

its on drama right now Madison They are repeated late at night as well.

I'm watching it, it's great! I was only allowed to watch it at my grans because my mum thought it was unsuitable. It's much less ridiculous than the up to date ones.