September 16, 200915 yr Author http://www.beautyhobby.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/woman_smoking.jpg 6. Dot Branning (7.41) Well Norma won't like this, as old Steptoe finds herself comfortably inside the elite 10, the highest placed of the EE oldie brigade. Dot is undeniably THE Eastenders institution, and whilst at times she can be a bit too much of a caricature of herself, there is a warmth to her character that puts her a notch above all the other oldies. I think probably appreciate June Brown more than Dot though; it's always amusing reading an interview with June Brown who manages to get away with being quite catty about the show which employs her, and dropping veiled hints about how she hates most of her bratty co-stars without ever giving names. It's all quite wonderful.
September 16, 200915 yr I find Dot/June so overrated, everyone goes on about her like shes God or something! I could name plenty of better actors on the show. please don't shoot me for saying this btw ha
September 16, 200915 yr ^ Oh I agree Chris. I don't think June is that great. But DOT is a legend and has to stay in EastEnders forever!
September 16, 200915 yr Author I would be surprised if June is still in Eastenders in a couple of years time. She is nearly 90, and has already begun cutting back on her appearances on the show since the conclusion of Nick's flop return. I agree, June isn't the best actress on the show (at their best, this would probably be either Jo Joyner, Patsy Palmer or Lacey Turner), although I still maintain she is the best of the OAP crew.
September 16, 200915 yr Agree with all three of those Shoat. I would also include Sam Womack. EE without Dot will be strange - she's just part of the furniture now. You always expect her to be there.
September 16, 200915 yr Shoat, are you shooting up on steroids or something? This sudden burst of activity is most out of character! I'm almost disappointed, your absolute lack of commitment to a countdown is one of your shining qualities! Anyway... Heather ∙ I'm always a bit torn when it comes to 'Ev. On the one hand she obviously has a huge heart and can be very funny but on the other I feel like Cheryl Fergison is capable of so much more. She's a very sharp and witty woman who shouldn't be relegated to playing a brainless dimmie. It's also pretty unfair and sometimes annoying that Heather is so many stereotypes rolled into one; fat bird, naive (bordering on dumb), largely friendless, self-hating etc. I do hope they redeem her with the baby storyline but I think it'll turn out in a typically ridiculous fashion. Not deserving of a top 10 finish and I don't know if she'd even come top 20 if we did the rate now! Tanya ∙ God, I love her. Almost as much as I loved Sharon. She's so grounded and yet classy, fun-loving but thoroughly middle-class. She's a delight to watch and the fact that she's often surrounded by other great characters - Jane (although we need more of the two of them together please), Chelsea (hush, she's fabulous) and Max means that any week with a Branning-centric storyline is almost guaranteed to be great. I do like how, for now, she and Max (who are one of the greatest pairings on television) are just happy. No drama, no secrets waiting to be spilled. It's lovely to see. I just hope they don't have her leave him and the kids when Jo Joyner goes on maternity leave. Dot ∙ As with Tan, it's nice that for now Dot is happy; Jim is home and she's no longer the subject of multiple murderous intentions. Also I think having the wonderful Liz become her lodger was inspired; they kind of sparkle together and it's nice that Dot can be motherly to somebody who isn't a Victorian brat practically asking for a stabbing through the eye. I do agree that we're seeing a bit less of her but that's not necessarily a bad thing; better to be under- than over-exposed. I wouldn't put her in my current top 10 but she's certainly an institution, the first character people associate with Eastenders, so it's not like she doesn't deserve it.
September 16, 200915 yr Heather i like, but like as been said she falls into the steretype of a stupid fat woman. The baby stroryline is going to interesting though and i hope we manage a serious story out of it and not just a few laughs at her expsense. Tanya, whilst at time i feel like its just too much storylines in too little time is a hugely likeable charceter (ignoring the burying of husbands alive part). Dot is also a lil bit OTT at times, but again a major asset to the show and will be greatly missed when she eventually leaves.
September 17, 200915 yr Author Agree with all three of those Shoat. I would also include Sam Womack. Sam Womack was good at the climax of the Danielle plot, although I don't think we've seen enough of her PROPERLY acting to say. They have Ronnie spending far too much running around after Jack Branning for a proper judgement to be made. Shoat, are you shooting up on steroids or something? This sudden burst of activity is most out of character! I'm almost disappointed, your absolute lack of commitment to a countdown is one of your shining qualities! Anyway... Heather ∙ I'm always a bit torn when it comes to 'Ev. On the one hand she obviously has a huge heart and can be very funny but on the other I feel like Cheryl Fergison is capable of so much more. She's a very sharp and witty woman who shouldn't be relegated to playing a brainless dimmie. It's also pretty unfair and sometimes annoying that Heather is so many stereotypes rolled into one; fat bird, naive (bordering on dumb), largely friendless, self-hating etc. I do hope they redeem her with the baby storyline but I think it'll turn out in a typically ridiculous fashion. Not deserving of a top 10 finish and I don't know if she'd even come top 20 if we did the rate now! Dot ∙ As with Tan, it's nice that for now Dot is happy; Jim is home and she's no longer the subject of multiple murderous intentions. Also I think having the wonderful Liz become her lodger was inspired; they kind of sparkle together and it's nice that Dot can be motherly to somebody who isn't a Victorian brat practically asking for a stabbing through the eye. I do agree that we're seeing a bit less of her but that's not necessarily a bad thing; better to be under- than over-exposed. I wouldn't put her in my current top 10 but she's certainly an institution, the first character people associate with Eastenders, so it's not like she doesn't deserve it. Well I fancy building a collection of failed rates, but I figured the people of BJ were unlikely to tolerate another new one until I'd at least finished one of them :( Hence the recent FREZNY of one result per day. You're pretty much spot on about Heather; she is a walking stereotype and whilst it's all terribly amusing, it does stop you from REALLY caring about her as a character, as you just know whatever happens, she will still remain a bit of a joke :( And I'm also with you on Liz. I do like the newly bolstered pensioner crew. I think Dot, Jim, Patrick and Liz make a nice little gang. Is Liz staying though, or is she simply around for a little while to help facilitate the upcoming Owen storyline? Heather i like, but like as been said she falls into the steretype of a stupid fat woman. The baby stroryline is going to interesting though and i hope we manage a serious story out of it and not just a few laughs at her expsense. Tanya, whilst at time i feel like its just too much storylines in too little time is a hugely likeable charceter (ignoring the burying of husbands alive part). I'm with you on Tanya. She is a good character, but there is such a thing as overkill, and I think the EE scriptwriters do have a habit of plugging certain characters to death to the extent where I get a little bored of them. Tanya came close to falling into this category at one point, as did Stacey and Ronnie. Sadly I think we shall be hoping in vain for Heather; I can see the who's-the-daddy plot becoming a bit of a "comical" farce.
September 17, 200915 yr Author http://scienceblogs.com/zooillogix/simpsons_CrazyCatLady.gif 5. Jean Slater (7.53) God bless batty ladies on our TV. I have to admit I thought Jean might be a bit more of a divisive figure. But she's actually done rather well for someone who has only been on the show full-time for 2 years. Personally I think Gillian Wright manages admirably with the manic, always-on-the-verge-of-exploding crazy persona. But I have also seen plenty of criticisms regarding the OTTness and Jean's unfortunately hugely irritating voice. The Daily Mail critic in particular HATES Jean, but then the Daily Mail does hate everything apart from Nazi Germany.
September 17, 200915 yr Sausage Surprise makes my life complete. In all seriously though Jean is an excellent character and I think she's probably done a fair bit for awareness of the bipolar disorder amongst a public who probably thought it was largely a joke or an excuse for being bat shit crazy. I do like how she's not completely hopeless either; she's got a job and she's managed to steer Stacey onto the right path. Thinking about it actually, she's a little underrated in the main. I never think of her when I think of the very best on EE but she really is. Did we know that TRACEY is played by one Jane Slaughter by the way? Odd coincidence (ish). And whilst we're veering off-topic here's a very nice picture of Gillian with Lacey: http://www.mhmawards.org/awards_ceremony2/source/image/01.jpg I've not seen any interviews with Gillian but I guess she brings a lot of her own personality to the role. In photos at awards etc she's always doing that nervy clutching-necklace pose.
September 17, 200915 yr I didn't have any idea who Sam Womack was until I looked it up! didn't realise Miss UK Eurovision 1990 had changed her name recently!
September 17, 200915 yr I didn't have any idea who Sam Womack was until I looked it up! didn't realise Miss UK Eurovision 1990 had changed her name recently! :heehee: Yea she got married recently and took her hubbys name...can't blame her :kink:
September 18, 200915 yr Author Did we know that TRACEY is played by one Jane Slaughter by the way? Odd coincidence (ish). How very timely. http://www.publicradio.org/columns/kpcc/airtalkblog/2008/08/26/LA%20Attorney%20and%20Clinton%20Delegate%20Gloria%20Allred%20Makes%20a%20Statement-thumb-480x360.jpg 4. Tracy the Barmaid (7.71) http://www.moopy.org.uk/forums/images/smilies/grin.gif YAY LOLZ ROFL. Proof that less is more, or is it simply a damning indictment from BJ on the state of the current permanent cast? Sometimes I do join the chorus of voices calling for more TRACE action, but then when I stop to think about it, I think it would really spoil her magic. The beauty of Tracey is that when all is erupting around her, when the Mitchells are happily smashing up and demolishing the pub or whatever, when the Queen Vic is witnessing it's annual Christmas punch-up or whatever, she still just floats behind the bar totally BLANK. She couldn't even muster a flicker of emotion when confronted by the return of Sam, the woman who had attached her and held her hostage in the Vic bathroom. Most people would have QUIT after that, but not Tracey. It is truly joyous. You suspect she would have happily served under Saddam Hussein's regime and not lifted an eyebrow. Trace is also IRREFUTABLE proof of BJs bias to vagina. She and Winston the Stallholder are pretty much on a par in how much they contribute to the show, yet Tracy finishes in the top 5, whilst he struggled to make the top 30.
September 18, 200915 yr Amazing position for the legend. I totally agree, despite at times wanting more action from Tracy it would really ruin it. Just let me see her get revenge on Samantha and I'll be happy :D
September 18, 200915 yr Author Oh definitely, I would love to see Sam's exit (whenever that may be) to include Trace bashing her head in with a doorstop and burying her in the cellar! Trace isn't actually averse to some action on occasion; I recall she slept with Dennis Rickman at one point did she not?
September 18, 200915 yr TREACY? What the fuck buzzjack? I mean I love a bit of blank bish as much as the nexct man but she's NOT TOP $ weorthy!
September 18, 200915 yr Author Come on Jark, don't take away from Tracy - she's a televisual institution! And she's one of the longest serving people on the show (I believe only Ian, Pat and Dot precede her?)
September 20, 200915 yr Author TOP THREE TIME http://blog.peta.org/archives/Britney_Spears_Tantrum.jpg 3. Stacey Slater (7.76) Going by some of the predictions in this thread, BJ seemed to expect this countdown to be a bit of a two-horse race between Stacey and Tanya. NOT TO BE. I must admit whilst I admited Lacey Turner for being one of the better actresses on the soap, I was never all that keen on Stacey who just seemed to be a teenage version of Kat Slater, handily filling in the gap left by Jessie Wallace's departure. But I'm pleased to see I was wrong after all, and she's going to be the teenage version of Jean http://www.moopy.org.uk/forums/images/smilies/grin.gif It can only be a matter of time before we see drunk Stacey stumbling into the Vic offering Sausage Surprise to all!
Create an account or sign in to comment