Loved tonight's episode, Dot scenes in the launderette very heartwarming bought a tear to my eye, June Brown is wonderful actress, the character she brings was so moving. The bits in the background the voices of Jim, Lou Beale, Ethel Skinner and Pauline Fowler was a lovely gesture to the whole episode.

 

I thought Michelle's entrance was very good, looking across the square at the very house she lived at, I was hoping we be introduced to a grown up Vicky, just to bring the family back together again.

why did they do the thing where it pans up from her feet when she got out of the car? did they expect us to be all ZOMG MICHELLE'S BACK YASSSSS

This Michelle actually looks a bit like Susan Tully does now and definitely looks like the mother of the last Vicky we saw. I'm actually pretty glad they've bitten the bullet and recast. They really should have done so years ago and then it wouldn't be all awkward that she's back now when she missed all the funerals.

 

It wasn't until she was sat on the bench that I realised the last time she was in the square her mum, dad and brother were all still alive.

 

If Letitia Dean is giving this a chance, I'm more than happy to.

I read somewhere, I don't know where it was, it was a while back, the previous producer was in talks to bring Susan Tully back in May (probably she was meant to come with Mark Jr earlier this year), but Susan just refused the role to come back so they decided not to bother, so SOC decided the only way to bring the character back was a re-cast. Actually I quite like the new Michelle.

The storyline would have been better if they'd just recasted Michelle then. That and insisted Ross Kemp and Barbara Windsor work to normal schedules and not rearrange the whole show around them. Last Summer was a mess.

DTC was probably nervous that recasting an iconic character was too big a step, but the storyline was such a damp squib without her I don't see why they didn't. SOD has the right idea, Susan Tully has vehemently refused for 21 years now so to get the character back they had to recast. With a character like Michelle who has history and connections anyway it will be easy for her to fit back in. I can't see what will go disastrously wrong with a very good experienced actress in the role, as long as she doesn't have anything as awful as the Gavin saga :lol:

Looking at it now perhaps it might have been the best choice to recast as Susan Tully point blanked refused to come back. Michelle Fowler is one of the most iconic characters of EastEnders.

 

 

I just watched EastEnders for the first time in a while and fucking hell, it was really boring! Christmas episodes are normally supposed to be entertaining but tonight's episode wasn't. They should have moved Ronnie & Roxy's exit to Christmas day instead of New Year's Day.

The last 'happy' Christmas episode was 2003 with Kat + Alfie's wedding.

 

Not the next one with the very poor Dirty Den and Dennis robbery and Phil leaving for a year.

I think the way they're supposed to have exited is a bit morbid for Christmas :lol: I really can't see what will happen tomorrow tbh, I doubt Michelle will reveal all just yet. I can see her passing it off as she saw cheap last minute flights and came to visit or something.

And I was also thinking who was Michelle going to bump into first, would it be Ian, Mark, Dot or Sharon, I was angling for Dot as she would be the right person to talk to, obviously it had to be Sharon in the end. I don't know why Stacey gave that look as if she knew her, as Stacey has never met Michelle

And I was also thinking who was Michelle going to bump into first, would it be Ian, Mark, Dot or Sharon, I was angling for Dot as she would be the right person to talk to, obviously it had to be Sharon in the end. I don't know why Stacey gave that look as if she knew her, as Stacey has never met Michelle

 

Surely Stacey will have seen photo's in her / Ian's houses since Martin is related?

Loved tonight's episode. June Brown knows how to play Dot so well that her expression can paint a thousand words without the need of her having to say anything. The tape with Heather and Shirley was a lovely surprise (although I thought it could be the tape Dot recorded for Jim in her single-hander episode) and reminded me what a great double act they were. Was that an old recording or was it specially done for tonight? Either way, it was a lovely touch.

 

I was anticipating a montage of old character voices and I was so pleased with how they did it. It really brought a tear to my eye, then to end with Michelle stepping out the taxi was the icing on the cake. I also really liked the "who'll be the first to meet Michelle in the square?" element. I was expecting it to be Martin but it made sense to be Sharon. It also suggested that Letitia had accepted this 'NuMichelle" and that we should give her chance too. I must also add that Letitia was fantastic tonight.

 

Digital Spy article on Michelle's return here. Sounds like we could have a two-hander between Michelle and Sharon soon?

I forgot about the tape. Was great to hear Hev and Shirl together again. I still think killing Heather off was a bit of a mistake.

Is Phil gonna be a goner tonight?

Definitely not if Ronnie is to go ahead with her wedding on New Year's Day. Tbh, I think Phil will pull through in the future too, but I hope that we'll continue seeing this more human side of Phil instead of resorting back to post-2000 type. I think SOC will do so, but you never know what succeeding producers' plans for the character will entail. That's kind of why I was hoping Phil would die - the Mr Invincible act got tired long ago and I feel like it would be too easy for producers to fall back on this instead of finding new ways to take the character.

DON'T TOUCH DOT'S PUSSY YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S BEEN !!!!!

DON'T TOUCH DOT'S PUSSY YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S BEEN !!!!!

 

:lol: best quote ever

 

I also loved the bit when the pussy was licking its nuts while watching the Queen's speech :lol:

 

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOVED THAT EPISODE!!!

 

The comedy, the community spirit, drunk Kathy!!! - it had the feel of 80s Eastenders but in a modern and, most importantly, natural way. It made me realise just how great all the characters in the show are, regardless of how much they're used or what quality of material they're usually given. Those scenes in the Vic were just so incredibly heartwarming. NuMichelle is fitting in nicely - for those who watched when Sue played the role will never be able to see Jenna totally as the Michelle, but I think they'll be able to accept her.

 

It'll be interesting to see the contrast of moods from this episode to that of what will rumouredly happen on New Year's Day - I think SOC will show he can excel with drama as well though.

Anyhow, love to see where the Max Branning scenes are going, guessing he wants revenge on the Beales, which leaves me wondering if we going to lose another Beale next year. The robbery has to be Lee's exit going down for it. Great episode though, totally loved it, and the festive spirit in the pub with the whole community.