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.

I know Limer,and yet for years Pete allowed Pauline and Arthur to struggle,with Arthur being out of work and no money coming in ,Marge said a couple of weeks ago that she took the "Brownies " on camp and they all brought their boyfriends ,all i can say Brownies in East London must be very different from the Brownie pack i attended in the 80,s we did things like treasure hunt ,s and badges such as home maker ,which consisted of making cups of tea etc

Is anyone still watching this properly? I've sort of given up now Den's gone!

I am! The differences culturally between then and now fascinate me. Cindy is fulfilling the soap side of things for me at the moment.

I don’t think it’s long before Eddie takes over the vic which means the Mitchell’s will enter about a year (their time) after. I’m looking forward to the Tiffany/Bianca era too.

I’m half tempted to set the classic bill episodes to record too after watching the endings of them before EE starts

I'm watching too ,but a bit half heartedly I think it's a bit dull at the moment but I think it will get better with Phi and Grant !

I’m still watching and loving it. I watched it when it first started in 1986 (I was 21 then) and watched off and on until the early 90s. Gave up watching when it went up to 3 episodes a week.

Pete’s away in New Zealand, but now Arthur’s employing Trevor! That stall must be a real goldmine

Wow, the pensioners are getting some of the EEC food mountain! And a mention of Chernobyl from Rod!

Julie (hairdresser) inviting all'n'sundry into the salon for a cuppa while her client gets a what are we doing , an inch off? then ignored .

And where on earth is the salon, looks like someones lounge !

Grant&Phil must be soon, Grant and Julie had a thing (though at the moment she's still with Laurie who is trying to steal Arfurs' customers ..... Good job Mo's onto him, now we haven't got Lou)

Wise words from Mo – where’s Frank when it comes to looking after his children? And poor Pat, having no choice but to take full responsibility for Janine’s welfare.

I see Cindy’s finally remembered to stuff a cushion up her top – and that red hair was about 30 years ahead of its time! Who ended up being the real father of Steven in the end, I thought Cindy was lying to Simon and Ian really was the dad? No DNA tests back then.

Oh dear, not a great start to Ian & Cindy’s married life. LOL at Dot getting herself invited to the reception!

OMG the slide show – I remember that ritual about a fortnight after coming back off holiday! I’ve still got my dad’s slide projector and all his slides (thousands of them).

Simon ended up being the real father, that’s why modern day Steven went to live in New Zealand.

As PP said I thought Cindy was a right cah when i watched this originally (when I was 9) but now I feel really sorry for her!

Did they ever actually do a DNA test on Steven though ,or did Cindy just know Wicksy was the Dad?

Don’t remember a DNA test I think she just knew.

I’m still enjoying this, though pat and frank yelling at each other all the time is annoying.
Been good to see how Ian did get cafe and start his Empire. Life was very different by 18/19 many people were marrying and settling down like their parents and it was supposed to be great.

Melody been bugging me too, you can go to guides at 10 or must go when 11 yet she’s in high school. But then was far less for kids to do and not as much money to go on classes every day.

I'm just finding it all a bit dull at the moment ,it seemed to lose its way a bit imo, I'm sure once the Mitchell's come into it it will get livelier though.

Ooh just found this thread by accident! Bloody loved watching these again. I watched them as a young child (how my mother let me I do not understand!) 1989 a bit of a dodgy year though. Trevor is the most annoying pointless character ever!

I watched them as a young child (how my mother let me I do not understand!)

Me too, I would’ve been 8 around where we are now. I distinctly remember asking my dad what rape was when the Kathy/Wilmott Brown story aired. I reckon it was the Sunday afternoon omnibus.

Trevor is a pointless and annoying character ,so is Marge ,Trevor reminds me a bit of the later Nigel Bates ,only Nigel was more lovable .

I can't believe Michelle and Danny, until today I just thought it was a FWB situation on both sides. But Michelle wanting him to meet her parents???? And now Michelle will settle for anything she can get - shame her standards are so low. Huge contrast with Mrs Karim, who's up in arms about discovering her husband's latest affair (although he's obviously done it before and she forgave him). And Pauline, having a go at that woman who ruffled Arthur's hair!

Trevor is annoying, he seems to just be there as the token comedy character who can be the butt of all the jokes.

Christmas is nearly here again, tinsel is up in the shop and Mo's booking parties at the centre!

Is Michelle just hoping that Danny will leave his wife & family for her? Or maybe she hopes that his wife will find out about their affair and kick him out? After her chequered history of failed relationships, you'd think she'd have learned some lessons!

Ha ha,@Limer it's still rather dull in my opinion ,but fingers crossed 1990 will be more exciting ,o just seems a bit pointless to me at the moment .

They have Christmas every 2 months

March and May now we're into July (tail end) and it's rocked round again.

Did it show 2x week originally ? If so then the catch ups are running at 5 weeks in 1 week?

Yes I think it was Tuesday ,s and Thursdays originally 70?

Agree it is rather dull (and having watched it in its original incarnation, I don't remember any of the current storylines, so I obviously thought it was dull in 1989 too!). But I got back into it once the Mitchells appeared, and the Ricky/Bianca relationship, and Kath took over the cafe (was it called Kath's Cafe, which she pronounced Kaffs Kaff?)

Yes, it was originally on Tuesdays & Thursdays, with the omnibus on Sundays.

Agreed Limer I don't recall any current story lines either and I watched it religiously until the late 90,s early 00,s although I did do my GCSE,s in 1990 so maybe that's why??? Although I don't recall working as hard as I could have done!😂😂

I liked the Clacton episodes! All the little stories going on simultaneously! Poor Marge! And Dot's dancing was excellent! Mo and the Welshman were definitely a good match.

I guess Christmas Day itself is almost here, having just checked the 1989 calendar I see it was a Monday, so maybe we won't see any actual Christmas Day scenes, just Boxing Day?

I quite enjoyed today's episodes ,I have had to skip the last few as they were so dull ,but it seems to be picking up.again?

The Michelle have now officially arrived, looking incredibly young.
Danny disappeared in a puff of smoke after Shell persuaded Mr Plodd to let him leave.
And mysterious elderly man carved it on the bench and was tracked down by Willy.