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.

That was grim , I assume the police Dr would do.an internal examination? You would hope it would be a lot more sensitive these day? And sending to make police officers to a woman whose been raped???

Male*

Now there is usually a helpline number given out after a harrowing storyline. I dont think it used to happen back then though.

I wonder how many were put off reporting back in 88 after seeing that.

Speaking of DNA John Simm was in this drama four years ago about the development of DNA

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_a_Killer

I think 1988 was when it widely started to be used.

Yes, the lack of a helpline number at the end is noticeable these days.

I think I remember the reaction at the time to these episodes, the deliberate contrast between the old-fashioned pair of male coppers’ attitude, and that of the WPC and the officers at the police station. It was said that the handling of this sensitive subject would hopefully encourage more reporting, if it was seen that the police were finally taking the issue of rape seriously.

Interesting to see some of the characters’ reactions too, the dinosaurs like Charlie Cotton & Mehmet saying any woman having a drink with her boss must’ve been asking for it, whereas the strong women Pat/Pauline/Michelle saying the circumstances were irrelevant, and it wasn’t Kathy’s fault.

Yes good episodes ,Charlie is absolutely vile but I did read he stuck the sideburns on to appear even more vi!e .there is some really good acting at the moment.

The woman police officer was brilliant the men on the other hand. Can’t believe they took both statements and instead of taking it to CPS they went back and checked she hadn’t made a mistake. Like really who would do that? Yes I didn’t want husband to know so I spread it around neighbourhood instead. Least looking at the modern rape story things have moved on so much.

It’s horrendous women got leaflet to arrange own pregnancy and sexual health checks and all embarrassment that would have been instead of police sorting it out there and then for them. Especially as been few years since AIDS crisis just leaving women to sort them selves out, wow. I was surprised that Peter actually believed it given he’s been so jealous of him, maybe that’s later.

Den has been a total hero

I think the story line was incredibly well done he came across as a nice guy at first helping everyone ,standing up for Arthur in court etc ,I wonder if it was a always the intention that he would be a rapist?

Den was amazing when he grabbed him. He seemed to nail what I imagine you would want to say in his position and how to say it.
And Gillian taylforth was amazing

Gillian Taylforth was incredible.

It showed really cleverly what a complex character Den was. Obviously deeply flawed and capable of doing wrong, but also with a definite moral code. The scene where he walked Kathy to Pauline's was really moving.

Yes Den was very complex ,he treated Angie,Jan and Michelle like crap and seemed to get a kick out of it yet was clearly obviously clearly disgusted about what happened to Kathy and tried his best to help her .a lesson that not everything is black and white with people ?

I think Den had a basic moral code. He did treat people like crap but he certainly wasn't a proper criminal or a totally cold-hearted person. Plus he was completely confident in his masculinity unlike Wilmott-Brown who was essentially inadequate and a rapist.

Where's Janine?

She's with her older sister"clare" somewhere I think she comes into it in 1989? Although when Frank first appeared he said he had three children😏

RIP Lou Beale!

So the Fowlers are just staying on in the house, no mention of transferring the tenancy into their names? Arthur said they can make some changes to the house, installing storage heaters and converting the outside privy!

Rather quick exit for Chris Smith. Offered a poor deal by the dodgy finance company, just accepts it and moves back to Stockport five minutes later.

Mehmet and Ali are such a pair of wasters, but I’d like to see Sue & Guizin doing something other than getting fake sicknotes to force the brothers to do their fair share. Lots of doctors’ consultations today, it was more like an episode of GPs Behind Closed Doors!

The Den storyline is too far-fetched really.

The funeral was well done but all that stuff before was bit predictable could have made her last few days more. Lou was great horrible at the family around table. Not sure how Michelle has been to selfish with her family. Yes she shouldn’t have married but not much else she could have done.

It’s so much of its time expecting Cathy to be over it already. Not sure why she wouldn’t get one of her many unemployed relatives to open the stall for her in the mean time.

The Den storyline is ridiculously far-fetched.

I get that they didn't want to lose him and Ange at the same time, hence the whole prison storyline filmed in 5 weeks and spread over 6 months, but even so!!! It would have been far more believable if he'd just stayed at the Vic, had a few more storylines with other women and then decided to go and find Angie in Marbella! Would still have left the door open for his return.

Yeah I agree gower I'm finding it a bit boring at the moment tbh,it seems to have lost its direction a bit imo,they lost too many characters in too short a time,Den was a good character they didn't need to involve "The Firm " at all.

It's really boring at the moment, I agree. They didn't do justice to the characters of Den and Angie - both exits were completely unconvincing. Den's gone from flogging a few dodgy radios at Christmas to "the Ronnie Biggs of Walford", and he also seems to be living a celibate life!!

I've decided 1985 and1986 were the only golden years. It was basically pretty rubbish for ages after Angie left the Vic!

I don't think other characters help , I mean it's hardly good drama ,no disrespect to the actors but Colin for example is incredibly boring apart from being Gay which is the most interesting thing about his character all he does is have a drink at the Vic,does is washing at the laundrette and does his designs they could have done a lot more storylines, and Carmel is just shouty and annoying .

I agree @x2boys. They basically made the whole show dependent on Den and Angie and then seemed completely directionless after the famous Christmas showdown!

Colin's about to learn he has MS which is pretty much the only other thing that ever happened in his life there!

It's a good job we know Cindy brings an exciting future...

Indeed gower Cindy heals and Steven !and all that brings...

Beale even Ffs!

I can't believe how over-invested I am
in the crapness of the Den departure 😂

I remember watching it as a kid and it all seemed plausible 😮 but watching it again, it is SO bad! They had loads of scope to do stuff - e.g. let everyone find out about Vicki so he has to go, send him off to Angie etc etc!! I think they could have managed without the prison period....