I am totally hooked and gripped on the Ashley storyline. Uusally, i am what one would describe as a casual viewer of Emmerdale. Lately, that status has changed to full time and i would say Emmerdale is by far the best soap at the moment.

The Ashley storyline and the excellent portrayal by John Middleton had really got my interest in Emmerdale, but this dreadful Zak and Joanie affair storyline is dreadful, why why why did they do this. Emmerdale as good as some storylines are really mess up big time with others.

I hate affair storylines at the best of times but they're ruining two great couples in Zak & Lisa and Paddy & Rhona, so I'm finding it quite tedious right now. The Ashley storyline has been fantastic so far though, I must agree!

The Paddy affair isn't needed either but its a tint bit more plausible than Zak. The Paddy affair is so predictable as in that you can just tel they will get approved for adoption and the it will all come out. Paddy has form as he has always cheated in previous relationships and his marriages and relationships usually end quickly. Zak i know is meant to be a ladys man in his earlier years but him and Lisa came through so much and were solid and out of nowhere he just doesn't have an affair he falls in love and wants to leave her with no second thought, its completely out of character. I have read the actor who plays Zak and the actress who plays Lisa are not keen on this storyline and i can totally see why.

 

As i said earlier the Ashley storyline is so strong and some of the scenes we have seen are harrowing and i honestly feel its something thats really happening to someone i know when i watch it. I usually vote for EastEnders in award ceremonies etc but John Middleton has my vote this year. I really hope they nail this storyline and dont ruin it later on, its looking like they are going to go down the route where Ashley will end his own life or get help doing it which i hope they dont do, id love them to play this out and have Ashley die naturally. The Hayley cancer storyline in Corrie for me was ruined by how they concluded it and im hoping Emmerdale dont follow suit.

 

 

Yeah, I'm not understanding the two affair plots either. I mean, they haven't been made a dog's dinner of in the way other soaps do with bad affair plots and even as one of the low points of the show, it's still miles away from the lows of the others, but I don't understand the point really. Zak and Lisa are too strong of a couple for Zak to literally fall in love with another woman - I could understand maybe him fancying Jonnie given she's more conventionally good-looking than Lisa and I could see an interesting storyline regarding that. As for Paddy and Tess, I can see the reasoning for the latter (trapped in a lonely marriage) but what reason does Paddy have for wanting someone else? Rhona clearly loves him, is still interested in him sexually and they're planning a future together etc., so there's basically nothing he can't get from Rhona that he can from Tess.

 

Or maybe the team are just practising for when the guy from the Hollyoaks crew takes over and everyone will be split up! :P

 

As i said earlier the Ashley storyline is so strong and some of the scenes we have seen are harrowing and i honestly feel its something thats really happening to someone i know when i watch it. I usually vote for EastEnders in award ceremonies etc but John Middleton has my vote this year. I really hope they nail this storyline and dont ruin it later on, its looking like they are going to go down the route where Ashley will end his own life or get help doing it which i hope they dont do, id love them to play this out and have Ashley die naturally. The Hayley cancer storyline in Corrie for me was ruined by how they concluded it and im hoping Emmerdale dont follow suit.

I'm the same regarding usually voting for Eastenders when it comes to awards but I've been supporting Emmerdale more and more. It's probably been my favourite soap this year - a lot of EE's high points have usually been better but Emmerdale is just consistently great, whereas EE has had a lot of dull moments. Charity's trial, Alicia's sexual assault, Laurel's drinking, Ashley's epilepsy and dementia, and of course Disaster Week have been among my favourite moments. I also feel Emmerdale has the perfect balance of drama and comedy and can do small talk well too which is more important than you'd think. I'm really quite nervous to see the change behind-the-scenes next year because I don't want Emmerdale to go back to being forgotten about.

I think a lot of people are nervous about the behind the scenes changes at Emmerdale as Kate really has stamped such a firm mark on the show and it would be a shame for all her work to go out the window. I agree Emmerdale do the small talk very well and make it important, they also have a good age balance in the cast which is also very important. I still prefer EastEnders and i honestly feel when EastEnders is on a high with a good storyline its in a league of its own on delivery, sometimes i find Emmerdale much weaker when executing the big storylines or maybe they fall down more on the follow on from a good storyline.

Neither of the two affair plots are remotely realistic, I agree that both couples are far too strong and there's no real reason. Affair plots are more realistic with newer or more volatile relationships, for example it was fine with Debbie/Pete/Ross. But I hate affair plots when they just happen for no particular reason with good couples like Zak/Lisa and Rhona/Paddy, especially when it's with no mark characters we can't care about. It just makes me dislike the characters more for breaking up solid relationships.

I agree, Zak and Lisa especially had such a strong marriage, didnt have problems and were good at talkig things through. Even if they get back together they have ruined one of the very few solid couples in soapland.

Have to see I did see that Aaron storyline coming but what an emotional episode all the same.

Danny Miller is an outstanding actor.

Danny Miller is an outstanding actor.

Easily the best Emmerdale has! That was such a harrowing watch, I expected it too but it was an incredible episode, excellently played by Danny as always. He always does full justice and then some to any storyline he's given.

Quite right too!

 

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emmerdale/...oadcast-awards/

I feel like Emmerdale goes unrecognised and underrated so it's nice to see them win that!

 

Tonight was great as a shock! Poor Tess :lol:

Calling it the "most professional soap" is really meaningful praise I think and it makes me very proud of all that Emmerdale has achieved. Its quality has been consistently high since 2013, got a good balance of drama and comedy and has always nailed character-driven plots, hugely down to the fantastic ray of actors the show has. I just really hope the Hollyoaks exc. producer doesn't ruin all the hard work that Kate has put into the show, although he seems to be more than aware of the standard he has to live up to so hopefully the show is safe in his hands.

Surprised by the Tess storyline. When Nicola got the role i wrongly assumed it would be a long term role. That said, her going for Paddy never seemed believable.

Surprised by the Tess storyline. When Nicola got the role i wrongly assumed it would be a long term role. That said, her going for Paddy never seemed believable.

 

I'd hoped Nicola would be around for longer (I always thought that her part in the Beth/Margaret Brookside storyline was overlooked - with Anna Friel getting all the praise). As to the ED storyline itself though - I'm amazed that people find it hard to believe that Nicola would go for someone like Paddy - especially given that her husband is rather handsome. I find it totally believable - when you get infatuated with someone - it doesn't matter about looks - its what is in your head and the attraction for that person. Looks aren't everything - when I was at 6th Form - there was a bloke who fancied me (couldn't believe it - as he was drop-dead gorgeous to look at and I was/still am - rather plain) but I never saw him as anything more than a friend - a really good friend - at the same time I fancied a bloke who was overweight, ginger haired, wore really thick-lensed glasses - and wasn't nearly as nice as the bloke who fancied me - it didn't matter - I was totally infatuated with the guy - and when it turned out he didn't feel the same about me - I was (almost) heartbroken!!!! Thank goodness I eventually got my head (and my sight) sorted out!

How amazing is Nicola? Ready to watch Emmerdale just to stan for her*.*

Oh my god Gemma Atkinson tonight!! Weeping.

Oh my god Gemma Atkinson tonight!! Weeping.

 

 

i agree.

 

really saw a diffrent side to her

 

also liking the storyline about meggan's baby

 

i'll be interested to see how that develops

 

also good to see sam not telling on who shot him, as meggan could do without that drama right now

My GOD can they just get rid of Rakesh already? He's so wooden.