It was classic old school EastEnders...the best we've had in a very long time! As Liam says, a really engaging episode and it really did feel nice to have The Vic centre stage and feel like the community hub it used to be. This is what EastEnders does best and we need more of it!

I sort of did and didn’t enjoy that.

 

The episode itself was very good. Not too afraid to delve fully in to a controversial topic, Louisa was excellent and it was good to see so many characters in the Vic when there wasn’t a huge event for a change. The majority of the characters there haven’t been this in character for years. Great spread of characters too.

 

But the overall storyline still isn’t clicking with me and isn’t doing what I believe it was designed to do. I’m constantly team Ruby because I know her. These men, I have no connection to them. They’ve acted like pricks in every episode they’ve been in and I’m not emotionally invested in the slightest. The story feels like it’s more about Stacey and Martin and yet they are the two I really couldn’t take seriously tonight. Martin just looks like an insensitive moron and Stacey was pretty insensitive tonight, completely ignoring her friends’ wishes so that she can be on her high horse.

 

It was a great episode but the overall storyline isn’t working for me. Perhaps if the accused rapists hadn’t just turned up out of the blue as plot devices, it would feel different.

Got to admit tonight was the first time it felt like it actually dealt with consent. Previously it was more how people react when a rape accusation has been made, in particular the people that are close to either party involved. I think that everything that happened previous was relevant to get to this point, but perhaps it wasn't quite right to label this plot as specifically a consent storyline.

Got to admit tonight was the first time it felt like it actually dealt with consent. Previously it was more how people react when a rape accusation has been made, in particular the people that are close to either party involved. I think that everything that happened previous was relevant to get to this point, but perhaps it wasn't quite right to label this plot as specifically a consent storyline.

 

Martin is the big issue in the storyline which is why I feel the rapist should have been someone already known to us and someone Martin clearly had a known friendship with. Would it have been that difficult to get the guy who played Asif Malik back? Or even recast him? Martin is sticking by people we never saw him talk to until a couple of months ago and people who have always been presented as unlikeable. The parts where we or other characters are supposed to doubt Ruby just don’t ring true.

Martin is the big issue in the storyline which is why I feel the rapist should have been someone already known to us and someone Martin clearly had a known friendship with. Would it have been that difficult to get the guy who played Asif Malik back? Or even recast him? Martin is sticking by people we never saw him talk to until a couple of months ago and people who have always been presented as unlikeable. The parts where we or other characters are supposed to doubt Ruby just don’t ring true.

I was saying this was the problem - these "friends" of Martin's didn't exist until the rape storyline, so how are we meant to believe Martin's stance, backing these characters we've seen for 5 seconds over Ruby who we actually know better? Even if they had simply seeded Martin's friends into the show a couple of months in advance, planting the seeds and showing us their attitudes towards consent and sex before Ruby was in the picture. Then the storyline would make much more sense.

 

Take Corrie for example, and the way they handled David's rape by Josh. Josh was introduced pretty much solely for the rape storyline, yet he was seeded in a couple of months before, making friends with David and even having other connections among the cast (including a girlfriend in Alya). We saw the impacts on Josh, a character we knew reasonably well by the time the actual rape came along, as well as Alya as she blindly stood by her boyfriend, someone she had shared screen time with for longer than 5 seconds. Tiny differences but they go a long way!

 

That aside though, I did think it was a brilliant episode and did exactly what it wanted to achieve. Louisa was the star, her confrontation at the end had me cheering Ruby on, and I thought it was great how they didn't shy away from displaying different viewpoints, from the appropriate characters too.

I actually lean towards believing the two douchebags for the moment. She is seriously unhappy they got charged, sent a text to them the next day, and is always looking shifty/ acting cagey about it/ not wanting the photo leaked, etc. If they had been introduced a couple months before, it might have been easier to work out the truth.

I actually lean towards believing the two douchebags for the moment. She is seriously unhappy they got charged, sent a text to them the next day, and is always looking shifty/ acting cagey about it/ not wanting the photo leaked, etc. If they had been introduced a couple months before, it might have been easier to work out the truth.

Alfie Moon and comedy Ian/Masood plots are a no no for me.

 

The little boys playing the twins are adorable! :wub:

Alfie Moon and comedy Ian/Masood plots are a no no for me.

 

THIS

 

Axe Alfie!

 

God, cheeky chappy Alfie Moon is more insufferable than cheeky chappy Mick Carter. At least Shane can do serious scenes though.

Some Christmas news... Simon Ashdown is back to write the Christmas Day episode after returning for last year's. He also writes the Boxing Day episode (which is set on Christmas night) and apparently things take a turn for the worse (Shane Richie says "someone will have blood on their hands" - could be literally or metaphorically).

 

Some of the events of Redwater (the Kat and Alfie spin-off) will be referred to at some point in the lead up to Christmas.

I always get excited when I hear of a Simon ashdown script

 

Some of the events of Redwater (the Kat and Alfie spin-off) will be referred to at some point in the lead up to Christmas.

 

That's annoying really, as I never tuned in to it.

https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2018-12-10/...astenders-boss/

 

New Exec Producer announced as Jon Sen - interesting choice! The article says he was a writer in 2014/15 (i.e. better times) and with Kate Oates having overall direction hopefully this will bode well for next year on the show.

That's annoying really, as I never tuned in to it.

 

 

You missed nothing. It was so boring. I actually fell asleep during the last episode and woke up to find Kat floating in blood and Alfie flatlining on the operating table.

I watched the first two episodes and gave up. By the sounds of it, it won't matter if you didn't watch, you'll still understand the references.

I'm really hoping it will be strong xmas day episode like last year.

I really don’t get Linda’s game tbh surely she can’t expect Stuart to just come out with he shot himself after getting close to her ? :lol:

HOLD UP. Mary and Lofty are apparently returning for Dr. Legg's funeral next year! :o

HOLD UP. Mary and Lofty are apparently returning for Dr. Legg's funeral next year! :o

 

 

I saw that memo :lol: I was surprised Michelle wasn't announced to return and probably Paul Medford (ask your mum) ;) can't remember the character's name, I think it was Kelvin actually.