T Boy

I just don’t think they’d sideline Zoe in her own exit. I guess maybe they would if she’d done something truly terrible behind the scenes but I’d imagine she just wanted to stop. It’s odd they announced she’d filmed her final scenes but there’s been no announcement that they’ve actually aired but I suspect they have. They absolutely screwed this up and for a character so many had been asking to return for years. First photos of Janine are out there too-arguing with Linda of course.

Mini Mo should run away one night and Kat believes that this is an omen that something has happened to Zoe. Alfie tries to reassure her that nothing is going to happen to Zoe whilst Jean cooks up a sausage surprise to take everyone’s mind off it. Tommy somehow materialises in Walford the next day with news that Zoe passed away in the evening around the time Mini Mo disappeared. Mini Mo is never seen or heard from again. Like Dave the cat.

So we’re not missing these episodes then?

When the actress who played Debbie Bates, Nigel’s first wife, quit she apparently just went into the office and said ‘write me out now, kill me off, I don’t want to do this anymore’ and so she had an off screen death. I definitely think this is what’s happened with Michelle Ryan. She’s had enough, doesn’t want to film anymore and doesn’t ever want to come back.

At least today’s was the episode we needed this week. Cindy is such an unashamedly unserious character, never change. Some cracking one liners today and some nice heartfelt moments thrown in too. The Hawkins family can stay gone.

Killing Zoe off is so mad that I actually suspect it’s happening because Michelle Ryan has requested it. She returned after being ground down for 20 years and not only were the scripts bad, the audience reaction was extremely poor and she just hasn’t looked comfortable on screen at all. She probably wants to put Zoe behind her in a way that people won’t keep asking her if she’ll ever go back. Johnny is not a surprise, without Linda there’s not much scope for him. I didn’t mind him with Felix but the Callum relationship is atrocious (actually where is Callum in all this police crap?) It is funny though how Johnny is a character that has never worked. He has one notable moment in coming out which was fewer than 10 episodes after his debut. I can’t even remember why they brought him back a couple of years later with a bland actor and no storylines. They brought him back this time for the Six so that Linda could have a lawyer in her corner. If it had been more about emotional support they should have brought Lee back, now there’s a character they didn’t have to axe.

Zoe is supposedly definitely leaving. Maybe it’s a belated funeral for Lynne’s dog?

The fact that Sean and Chelsea have history too 😂

It does feel like they’ve killed off too many characters who would have returned by now-Ronnie, Roxy, Abi, Steven, Lola, etc. and now they’re doing the same with Zoe who still hasn’t come back from her break yet so I’m to assume Tommy will return alone to announce she was eaten by one of Lynne’s puppies. Lynne then being too devastated to attend the funeral and nor can Little Mo or Belinda because it’s their turn to help with Lynne’s dog dramas

Today’s episode was better. Though Nicola is carrying parts of this show at the moment. A brief unannounced return but nothing to phone home about. Rose is definitely a character who could work and Jodie has potential but that Gemma is horrific and she’s giving Bea.

Always good to see Sean back. Stacey really is missing at the moment. I still reckon she could be the pregnant woman in Max’s bed on NYD.

I stick up for this show a lot but that was one of the worst episodes I’ve ever seen. I won’t knock the new family yet because they need to have their obligatory OTT arrival. But the Amy/Craig stuff is bizarre. It’s an icky plot to begin with but it isn’t even playing out in a coherent way and the scenes in today’s episode were poorly written, acted and plotted.

Deeply offended they couldn’t even find a small space for Dido on Big Hits 2003. Queen of Music constantly airbrushed out of existence.

Another good acting talent going but, like the last one, one I’m not sure I’ll miss as a character. This is obviously how they’re getting the new family, with some big names exiting. I’ve seen some speculate this is building to a big name return but who actually is there? And would you trust the show with it after what’s happened with Zoe?

Can’t they just dub over Scott Mills on the chart rundown? It seems ridiculous to lose this many episodes because of it.

Do you think he found the loophole he needed for this investigation during this stalking tactic?

Chelsea telling Gray to die and Priya’s brilliant line about Amy’s brother being her cousin were scraps that we needed. This Craig stuff really is SHIT though. He’s coming across as the creep he is, they’re not even trying.

It’s amazing how they kind of started of with Sheila being more than 2 dimensional and then she just got merged into a cartoon villain we won’t see again and there’ll never be any on screen reflection of her behaviour and decisions.

Omg I was already screaming at Sheila hiding behind her own Range Rover but the scenes in the community centre sent me 😂 Pearl is so tall now. Give that queen more to do. Her ‘Do me a favour’ did actually make me chuckle. The prison scenes do appear to have completely jumped the shark now. How would Gray even be allowed near visitors if he didn’t have one?

Like surely every character should be completely sus on this Craig? I’m tired of Gray too. I’m not sure he really was a character worth revisiting.

It does feel like we’re just drifting until New Years Day. At this point you’d expect to still be guessing but the execution these last 8 months haven’t helped. Pregnant woman in Max’s bed. Not many options and that character will probably be learning of the pregnancy any point now. Can’t really see it being anyone but Priya even if the baby isn’t Max’s. Who is Max marrying? Linda? Doesn’t matter because she won’t stick around. Cindy? Obviously the plot seems to be heading that way. Chelsea? Aside from one scene where she said she fancied Max which aired BEFORE the flashforward, there’s nothing to support it. We already know what Lauren’s been up to. Could be more to it but unlikely. We know Ian won’t serve a full 8 months. We know baby Ethan has to be Penny’s. We know why Jack is sad-his wife has cancer. Obviously there are pieces we don’t know-the criminal activity that Max gets involved with, mystery gun person, what happens to the Vic but it’s all very not that interesting and it feels we need to get all of this out of the way before we can actually go anywhere. Hopefully this is the last time we do any kind of flashforward.

As an actress, Kellie Bright is a huge loss. But is Linda as a character right now? I’m not sure what there is for her to do right now, they’ve thrown so much at her in the last 13 years. She spent half of last year on a cruise and then introduces us to Bea.

I’m not sure I prefer it to the original, but I do like Madonna’s version. It’s nowhere near as bad as people made out at the time. Shalala Lala is a dreadful song and it shows steam was beginning to run out for Vengaboys. It was nowhere near as fun as the previous singles or even the one that came after. What on Earth did Naima from Honeyz have on her head?

Got the 99 extra from HMV this morning. Haven’t listened to all of it yet but I did check that Radio is indeed the Unplugged version which is a relief.

Omg WHY did they just not use Chelsea for like 3 years when she’s one of the best they’ve got?