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.

Pat mentioned Simon's brother last night who must be David , she said she haden seen him in months, she didn' mention that he would have had kids one whom would have been Joe, they probably didn't know about Bianca she also didn't mention Pete was his Dad ,guess they haden t decided on his back story?

I’m about a week behind but I’m confused about Mags too, she just seemed to suddenly be his live in girlfriend.

Glad not just me! Also strange how Debbie got married to police bloke she hardly seemed to fancy and left in about 10 days from start to finish.

Love the older balance of characters that mix with young people now hardly anyone over 55.

Debbie was probably seeing that policeman for a few months? The months to by so quickly in classic eastenders

No one else liked the policeman either, he didn’t seem like a nice bloke, not sure what she saw in him at all!

I'm about 6 episodes behind, just seen the one about the 1987 election.

Quite surprised about all the election stuff, and the women all encouraging each other to go to the “health caravan”. Were the scriptwriters trying to do a spot of public information broadcasting and/or swing the voting? It was the third landslide majority for Thatcher so not sure whether that worked!

Debbie & the policeman certainly seemed to get engaged very quickly, considering how distraught she was by poor Andy's untimely death.

I found the caravan odd were smear tests “new” then? I thought maybe managrams or something that hospitals may not have had equipment for? Nearest thing I’ve seen was call the midwife where sent x Ray vans into poor areas to screen in our break. They certainly got though everyone very quickly.

Bit of shook to find im only 6y younger than Dot now back in 1987! She looks ancient. Does her husband every come back? He’s appeared once or twice but not sure where he is supposed to be. Is he off working or has he left her? She didn’t seem to mind him popping back - very strange.

Wasn’t he with her sister, Rose? I’m sure she mentioned her last time he came back. She was in it a few years ago wasn’t she, her and her son?

Oh maybe the name rings a bell. But she talks of being evacuated in war and then wanting to adopt but her having to come back and looking for her mum. No mention of a sister then. Unless she was 16 plus at the time Dot was 3?

Oh I don’t know then, I can’t remember her talking about that. Her husband must be off doing something or other that’s dodgy.

Nice to see the Dagmar open! Made me laugh to hear that 60p for a half of bitter was considered as ridiculously expensive!!!

I’m always impressed that lots of scenes inside the Queen Vic are all done in one big take, with the same background music playing throughout, even when they cut to about five different conversations. I love the way that e.g. Den & Mags can be chatting in the back, then we cut to Dot & Ethel at their table, then Pat & Simon at the bar, then back to Den who walks out and speaks to Dot.

Wow, I’d forgotten completely about the special Dot & Ethel episode! Great way to explain some of the unknown history of the characters.

Disappointed that Naima appears to be falling for her previously unknown cousin, against all her principles. I guess it’s a quick exit up the aisle for her soon. It’s all very contrived, but I won’t be sorry to see her go!

Can’t stand the sight of Ali sniffing round all the women, and Den giving him advice on “pulling the birds” Poor Sue forgives him and it’s all hearts and flowers. I can’t remember whether the rekindled romance results in a pregnancy?

Can’t believe Dr Legge would recommend medication with brandy for Lou’s problems, and not even suggest seeing her himself!

I don’t get how all shops owners are broke, but like now it seems you have no more money working in laundrette or owing the pub or cafe surely they must made some money?

Naima’s flat looks so cheap and nasty and smaller than Mary’s room yet she owns the shop? Don’t get how she’s supposed be in love after meeting him yesterday? Or are they supposed to know each other?

Probably just an excuse to write her out? It's a shame the actress who played Naima was such an appalling actress they could have done so !such !ore with her character .

It’s been interesting to see what job Sharon is supposed to be “training” in was hairdresser now travel agent? In modern life she only seems to have run pubs so I thought she would have gone straight into it.

Did anyone watch the episode with Den and Michelle? Den seems broken.

He's a complex character into he? .do feel sorry for Michelle , but also for Lofty ,he's done nothing wrong she should never have married him .

I’d like it if she did run off with him. But can’t remebee what happened only they both at some point go away and come back in about 30years.

The exchange between Den & Mags was interesting too. Mags clearly pointed out that Den is happy to dish out the "no strings" line when he wants a bit of fun, but doesn't like it when he's on the receiving end, accusing Simon of "messing around with my bird".

And poor Michelle is still so much in love with Den, but she was nothing more than a one-night stand for him, his protestations about being anguished seeing Lofty being a dad to Vicky are just cheap words. I really feel sorry for Lofty, he's such a lovely guy.

I had to laugh when Arthur was doing the football training, and asked Sue for some empty plastic bottles for water. No such thing as bottled water in 1987 (apart from Perrier in the glass bottles of course!)

I don't like what eastenders did with lofty , the actor who played him was ent a bad looking guy but they made him geeky with better clothes and glasses he would have looked so much better but I suppose he was supposed to have been in comparison with "Heart throb" Wicksy

Den suddenly looks older and his hair is thinning. He looks more like he did when he arose from the dead!

Also I feel like I've missed an episode. I saw the money being stolen from the shop and the girl realising but next thing she was talking about leaving because of it but nothing about Naima. Did I miss something?

The story lines do feel a bit choppy sometimes.

Yes I felt like one was missing this week too. What happened to Mary’s purse? So the new bloke brother of social worker took it??

What money did Den owe? Thought paid everyone back VAT man and pub? Why isn’t Vic earning any money so it can at least pay for its stock?

Why didn’t cafe or cabs make any money what so ever?? Yet constantly busy.

I know, I feel so sorry for Lofty. Den is a brilliantly complex character. I think Leslie Grantham was an amazing actor.

Really don't think Den would have looked at Michelle beyond the one night stand though.

How did the one night stand happen ,? I don't think viewers saw it and it seems extreme to go from a him being your best friends dad to having sex!

Viewers didn't see if but in the early days Michelle was spending lots of time hanging around the older men of the Square, hence the "who's the daddy" storyline.