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.

They eat a lot of sandwiches in Albert square

It seems like Pat and Dennis just had Christmas a few weeks ago, how can they be having Christmas again already!

Time does fly when the original 2 episodes a week is now 10 a week! So in 1988 there were 104 episodes per year, that's only going to take just over 10 weeks in 2019. It'll be Christmas 1989 in August!

Interesting storyline about Shireen's arranged marriage, and Mr Karim's crazy outdated misogynistic ideas. I liked Dr Legg's reaction!

I was disappointed that Michelle/Vicky/Sharon/Ian have now decided to spend Christmas with Pauline. I was enjoying seeing her struggling with people refusing to obey her orders!

Of course!! 3 Christmas’s a year,no wonder Pauline’s stressed!😂

I think Christmas will be Monday (in 'Stenders World) the broadcast dates for those two episodes are 22/12 and 27/12

Today is 15/12 and 20/12............................. 1988 !

I feel old

Aha - So there might not be any actual Christmas Day scenes if it’s supposed to be 22nd and 27th Dec.

Just watched today’s instalments. Can’t believe they held a party in the surgery! And David getting drunk and trying to take advantage of Michelle – what a creep. And then him spiking Dr Legg’s drink in the pub!

I’ve still got one of those foil decorations with the cardboard Santa that was hanging over Donna’s head in the launderette!

Is Colin going to get his heart broken again?

Poor Kathy

Den shoving nick out of the way in the food queue was probably the highlight of my day

This extended mob storyline is impossible to understand!!

And how creepy was that story about Den taking Michelle out for the day when she was 6

I will watch on catch up this weekend, Eastenders Christmases are always grim .

I was also disappointed about no Xmas day Had to check not missed it. Maybe less big story lines back in the day. I also went cold at Den taking her out at 6!!!!!

Fed up of jail too, seems pointless to have loads of new people that will just end at some point.

It’s good see how Ian starts out on his business journey that is great. Though everyone is broke broke broke all the flipping time. Yet in pub and cafe

There are no words to describe how much I love watching classic EastEnders.

I'm finding watching Pete and Kathy's marriage fall apart very sad.

So confused about the firm or mob or whatever it is.

Can't believe Dr Legg is keeping Colin's diagnosis a secret from him.

Still watching this ,but there's no decent storylines at the moment, the prison scenes are tiresome, its"tragic" to see Donna,s decline ,despite being incredibly irritating.

I know Kathy has had an awful time but I think she's treated Donna terribly.

The prison scenes are awful. The bit with Vic and his HIV diagnosis are a bit strange. I get that they wanted to have the topic but it seems so tagged on with a character no one knew til 5 minutes ago. Perhaps testing the water? Mark Fowler doesn't return for over a year.

According to wiki June Brown was already 61 in 1988

Oh yeah. The stuff with Den taking over as "Number 1", don't suppose any knows if that was/is a real thing in prisons? Seems quite formal.

I remember finding Donna really irritating first time around. Seeing it again I think Matilda Ziegler plays it so well. I feel much more moved by it, especially in hindsight.

I wondered exactly that about "number one" - is it a real thing in prisons?

I thought today’s episodes were far better, mainly because there were no prison scenes. I’ve never heard of “number one” either.

OMG Pete’s racism. “This is my country” “Go back to where you came from”

So many examples today of useless men taking advantage of women. And poor Ethel, that cheap little ring, and being expected to handwash shirts and turn collars! Benny Bloom just wants a cook/housekeeper/maid for his tiny house.

Loved Dot’s tirade about the Common Market and 1992!!!

At last. Dr Legg’s told Colin. And quite rightly got given both barrels as a result.

I do feel a bit sorry for Donna now – I guess that was the intention. Initially she was a nasty little liar, but now she’s living in a squat, cold and hungry, selling herself to Ali for a tenner a time. I wish her all the best in blackmailing him tbh!

I'm still behind. I thought it was hilarious Ethel telling Dot that Benny just wanted to live with her and be his porcupine.

Was it not in today?

No.I record it it and it wasnt recorded ,bank holiday so that's why I assume?

Aha, that explains why I only had 4 episodes to watch today (Friday's & today's) instead of 6. They must show something special for bank holidays.

Matthew almost throttled Carmel!!! Disappointing to see her forgiving him straight away, and they didn’t even go to their own wedding reception? Not a great start to their married life. Why is Junior (and not Aisha) at Colin's having chocolate cake? Presumably so there can be a theft of the valuable CDs?

Pete’s unsurprisingly gone to pieces now that Kath’s left him. I had to laugh at Ian telling Pete he’d sold out the working classes by voting Tory.

Totally bored witless with the prison stuff. Hopefully Den’s trial will be happening soon and that’ll be the end of it.

Not seen today's yet but we must be at the end of January now which means the "demise " (not really) of Den is imminent?

It's all a bit grim at the moment, Pete and his drinking, is he having a breakdown? Donna and her unrealistic descent into Drug addiction, Carmel,s abusive relationship,there ,s no light releif, at least the prison scenes will be coming to an end soon.