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.

Would have like Susan Tully to have returned but actually respect her for not doing so for whatever reason.

Apparently Eastenders had black characters before Coronation Street with the Carpenters . Then Coronation Street followed.

For some reason I've really taken to Darren as a character!

Was all tearful when Ethel was leaving on New Year's Eve episode. Then she turned up again in the next one.

That was weird with what must have been the first live cutaway on NYE going to Big Ben. I checked after and they put it out at late night to fit in with the bongs. More fun than interviewing a bunch of drunk bozos on the South Bank they we get now. It's just the same old same old every year.

I.wondered that about new years eve and Big Ben, so was the actual Bongs midnight? I would have been 14 on new years eve 1987:so probably up but watching with my parents 😂I do feel so sorry for Michelle but lofty Tokyo can see how trapped She would be buttie not loftys fault .

lofty too*

I remember staying up to watch that one and the bongs were live at midnight! A voiceover came on saying "and a very happy new year from all of us here at the BBC" 😂 or something like that. I was waiting for it to happen on the repeat this time!!

Think it was the first time I stayed up for midnight bongs

I didn’t realise the bongs were live on the New Year’s Eve episode – I wouldn’t have seen it at the time, I was 22 and at a party!

I did see today’s abortion episode at the time - lots of abortion details and varied reactions from many characters – again I think that was quite ground-breaking. And I clearly remember poor Lofty asking Michelle why she aborted his baby and not Vicky!

What is Den playing at? Delighted that Michelle & Lofty have split up but he doesn’t want Michelle, does he just want her to be miserable and alone, holding a candle for him?

Ooooooh Frank’s back! About time Pat had some fun. I don’t remember Kenny at all so I’m looking forward to his return too.

Arthur's got room to talk saying they can't afford to feed Michelle and Vicky when he's done buggar all.himself for years

I did wonder why we had TV on for new year , thought they were filling time. That must have been good.

Don’t think I’ve see so much detail on TV about clinic and Options and what happens. Must have been totally ground breaking 30y ago. I do feel really sorry for him though.

I always felt Michele was boring one and Sharon was more confident but it’s really
Not the case.

I think Den's just supposed to be an arch manipulator, so just wants control of everyone even when there's nothing he particularly wants from/with them. Look how he kept Angie dangling on a string!

I don't know what the rules are re spoilers on this thread? Given it's been on a few times! But I'll keep it general just in case. Does anyone else remember Angie's departure and does anyone think with hindsight it was really rushed and not befitting the significance of her character??

I have read about it Gower on Wikipedia but can't really remember it it's funny isn't it how many of the original cast left in the first 3 years or so?

Yes!! Although a lot stayed for ages to be fair, and Dot, Ian and Sharon are still there. So is Kathy, but she seems far less believable to me after the whole fake death thing. Young Kathy was a really good character

I think.in the early days of Eastenders they tried very hard to represent all facets of society,so they had an upwardly mobile couple, Asian shop.owners, an afro Caribbean family, young single mum on benefits ,poor white family with more affluent family members ,local.bad lad etc etc but it al l seems a bit contrived to.me in reality would all these people all live in one square?

Probably not, @x2boys, but on the other hand it all seemed to fit together well in dramatic terms. Far better than the completely unbelievable stuff they have now.

I’m a couple of episodes behind but why is everyone being so horrible to Michelle?!

Because she had an abortion......

Yeah I know but aren’t they being a bit too mean to her about it?

She treated lofty like absolute shit, and to top it off she aborted his child. That's why. She hasn't ever even a likeable character.

Yeah I'm reality your neighbours wouldn't have anymore if you had ,had an abortion or not I blame Pauline she should never have told Lofty!

Ever known*

gower4 I don’t mind spoilers at all, in fact I’d be interested to hear any!

The Kenny plot wouldn’t work these days – even in New Zealand he’d have regular contact by phone/FB, and a quick DNA test would sort out the paternity question!

Now that Den's admitted to Pauline that he's Vicky's dad, what next?

Angie's effectively left now, hasn't she? Don't remember any more storylines until she runs off with Sonny, in a totally unbelievable exit.

They,couldn't even keep in touch with Simon and David who presumably only lived in another part of London ,so they had no chance of keeping in touch with Kenny

Notice in today's episode, Den saying very convincingly to wicksey that he doesn't have a clue who Sharon's real dad is.

Makes a mockery of the modern-day ret-conned storyline where Gavin was supposed to have got Den to adopt her.

Anyone else still watching?

Yes I'm enjoying it did they ever find out who Simon's Dad was?