I can't believe Zainab burnt his clothes. I felt so sorry for Syed, he looked so heartbroken. :(

Glad Ben is leaving :dance: It sounds cruel I know but I can't stand him :P Zainab is very cold isn't she?

A chilling episode which Masood and particularly Zainab completely stole. The direction they've taken with Zainab and her shocking views is really VERY brave.

I find myself disliking Zainab now, she's just so extreme. I thought I could understand/slightly relate to her views before, but telling her son she wished he was dead? I hoped that doesn't backfire and that we get some jolly times back soon, she's one of my favourite characters.

Zabnab Masmood is amazing. :heart: But alas, tonight's scenes were quite shocking. I liked how they kept showing tiny clips of her trashing the house before the final setting it on fire bit. :P

I find myself disliking Zainab now, she's just so extreme. I thought I could understand/slightly relate to her views before, but telling her son she wished he was dead? I hoped that doesn't backfire and that we get some jolly times back soon, she's one of my favourite characters.

 

I think it would be a cop-out if they took Zainab back to all jolliness now. After this affair .... there can be no going back to the good old times. I don't normally have much good to say about EE but this storyline has kept me enthralled. It more than makes up for all the other - just plain silly storylines going on. I'm not interested in Jack, Ronnie, Roxy, Billy, Ben, Heffa, Dot, Ian - they're total pants compared to the truly believable Masood family's trials and tribulations. Tamwar the younger son ... I love his character ... and the actor who plays him (as all the Masood family) is excellent.

 

Norma

I think it would be a cop-out if they took Zainab back to all jolliness now. After this affair .... there can be no going back to the good old times. I don't normally have much good to say about EE but this storyline has kept me enthralled. It more than makes up for all the other - just plain silly storylines going on. I'm not interested in Jack, Ronnie, Roxy, Billy, Ben, Heffa, Dot, Ian - they're total pants compared to the truly believable Masood family's trials and tribulations. Tamwar the younger son ... I love his character ... and the actor who plays him (as all the Masood family) is excellent.

 

Norma

Well not right away... in a few months obviously. At the moment I can see her becoming more and more bitter, and more and more likely to alienate herself from viewers completely. I'm pretty sure she will return to "normal" after all of this tbf.

I always find it so odd that people on the forums dislike characters like Zainab when they do or say things as seemingly evil as what she's done and said. Surely that makes for a magnificent all-round character? If everybody was nice all the time it'd be terribly boring, a case in point being the way Masood has really come into his own in the light of the Chryed revelation now that he's been given the chance to show anger and passion, and done a fair few nasty things along the way (chucking out Z and walking past a bleeding Christian). I for one am enjoying Zainab practically more than ever over the course of this past week or two.

I always find it so odd that people on the forums dislike characters like Zainab when they do or say things as seemingly evil as what she's done and said. Surely that makes for a magnificent all-round character? If everybody was nice all the time it'd be terribly boring, a case in point being the way Masood has really come into his own in the light of the Chryed revelation now that he's been given the chance to show anger and passion, and done a fair few nasty things along the way (chucking out Z and walking past a bleeding Christian). I for one am enjoying Zainab practically more than ever over the course of this past week or two.

Oh so I'm supposed to continue liking her despite her apparently say she'd rather her son was dead than gay?

 

Well-rounded, fantastic writing, bla bla. As a person, I'm starting to dislike her.

i didnt initially like her but i like her now, although her words were chilling tonight to say the least.

I'm not saying you have to appreciate what she says (in fact I'm not saying you have to think anything, I'm just saying I'm surprised by the reaction!), all I'm saying is that she's an immensely watchable character, even moreso of late when she's tormented and clearly beginning to lose the plot. Yes, she's said some truly vile things, but it doesn't make me dislike the character, it makes her really fucking interesting and highly unpredictable, which are great traits for any soap character.

 

Also it's hard for us as whites with little to no concept of the Muslim religion to understand where she's coming from but for some Muslims their faith is everything and they'd have no qualms about cutting their son out of their lives if he was revealed to be gay. Yeah, it sounds nasty, but how could you expect to understand the power of her faith? You've just got to (not you personally) accept that her religion is dictating what she's saying (not to mention the fact that she's just given birth and has been low ever since and is probably suffering post natal depression, which can be incredibly powerful and turn you into practically a different person).

It's a testament to the acting that people feel so strongly about the characters. I agree with Norma all the other storylines on Eastenders are pants but the Christian/Sayed one more than makes up for the rest.

 

Well done to the producers for handling the issue in such a sensitive manner.

I'm not saying you have to appreciate what she says (in fact I'm not saying you have to think anything, I'm just saying I'm surprised by the reaction!), all I'm saying is that she's an immensely watchable character, even moreso of late when she's tormented and clearly beginning to lose the plot. Yes, she's said some truly vile things, but it doesn't make me dislike the character, it makes her really fucking interested and highly unpredictable, which are great traits for any soap character.

 

Also it's hard for us as whites with little to no concept of the Muslim religion to understand where she's coming from but for some Muslims their faith is everything and they'd have no qualms about cutting their soon out of their lives if he was revealed to be gay. Yeah, it sounds nasty, but how could you expect to understand the power of her faith? You've just got to (not you personally) accept that her religion is dictating what she's saying (not to mention the fact that she's just given birth and has been low ever since and is probably suffering post natal depression, which can be incredibly powerful and turn you into practically a different person).

Yeah I know all that and she's just doing it because its her culture and what she's brought up to believe in and it's fantastic it's being tackled on mainstream telly etc. On a very very basic level, I don't like her atm. That's all. No in-depth analysis needed because I think it's pretty obvious WHY she's doing it and that it's a good/great storyline.

 

OK. Good.

 

I haven't watched today's episode yet. Shall do in a sec, sounds immense.

Well thanks for telling me that I didn't NEED to write an in-depth analysis, but I wanted to post about why *I* couldn't understand the sudden dislike for her character across a number of forums I use to discuss EastEnders on. It really was nothing to do with what you said besides the fact that you reminded me to post said analysis.

Well thanks for telling me that I didn't NEED to write an in-depth analysis, but I wanted to post about why *I* couldn't understand the sudden dislike for her character across a number of forums I use to discuss EastEnders on. It really was nothing to do with what you said besides the fact that you reminded me to post said analysis.

My apologies, it sounded like you were telling me why I was wrong. I'm glad that was not the case. ^_^

Nina Wadia needs more recognition for her acting. What an outstanding actress.

As said above it really is testament to the show that is provoking such strong reactions and discussions on the issue.

 

I really think Zainab is suffering Postnatal depression - dealing with all this on top of Kamil's arrival.

 

The Masoods are really carrying EE right now. Nitin and Nina are just superb. Also, Himesh Patel deserves more credit - he is hilarious.

I agree Ryan - with no Janine etc. and the only Mitchell (Ronnie) in quite a dull storyline the show would be nothing without the Masoods.

Yes i never thought that zainab could be possibly suffering from post natal depression, it would explain some of her cuurent despair.

I am quite looking forward to the next couple of weeks now especially the...

 

 

Ben/Louise story escalating - Phil knocking Ben over, Phil V Lucas, Ben putting Jordan in hospital.