Torple

LOLZ at the bloke whose had Kylie as his avatar for 37 years claiming Spinning Around for Madonna.

It's going to plain weird not having Brendan in the show full stop. It's weeks like this when it's really apparent just how much of the show rests on the Bradys. I imagine will be pushed as the lead character in his absence. The train moment was OUTSTANDING, but I did laugh at the E4 episode where

Tonight's E4 was SHIT THE BED amazing, even if the ending became obvious 10 minutes in. However all the Brendan stuff was well and truly TRUMPED by the Will/Texas saga news that Liberty has FINALLY been shipped off with an offscreen exit ("oh she's on tour") - her removal from the opening credits suggesting this is a permanent thing. Just in time for her not to destroy the Anna storyline with her atrocious non-acting! Trebles all around!

Texas and Will? Good LORD they really don't know their cast do they.

Good LORD I really was quite obsessed with H&A back in the day. OLD HOLLYOAKS. It really is The Braxton show these days. They're fine enough characters, but I'm not sure I approve of the way the entire show is focused around them and their latest Gangland Enemy Of The Month. How many times are they going to repeat the same "Casey is targeted by someone with a grudge" storyline? On the plus side, it really is BEAUTIFULLY filmed these days. It's one of the best looking TV shows by far.

I'm not surprised in the slightest. Dido hasn't shifted singles in almost a decade, and although the majority of the new record sounds fantastic, No Freedom ISN'T particularly strong, let alone as the comeback single from someone who has been away 5 years. It just doesn't do the best job of making her relevant in today's music climate where ladies can only sell coffee table MOR if they either have a powerhouse voice (see Adele or Emily) or are happy simply performing John-Lewis style covers of various AOR and indie classics.

Calling is a LOVELY song rendered mediocre by Geru's weak and strained vocals. She was never cut out for tracks which required her to sing rather than hide her limitations behind an onstage giant vagina.

Sharon, Melanie Beh, Louis and Cowell would be PERFECT THANKS. Paloma Faith as an OFF HER HEAD host as well. I don't mind the other three, but Barlow and Tulisa's heart clearly aren't in it, and if it's a choice between Sharon and Nicole (because let's fact it Sharon doesn't DO woman who are younger and prettier than her) I'd take Sharon anyday so long as the producers get her SOZZLED before every live show. Some of the suggestions in this thread are MIND-BOGGLING. Louise "The Personality" Redknapp? Really?

I think it's benefitted the character that he's returned without Craig. Throughout his entire first stint, John-Paul was a constant misery-fest, whereas the new single John-Paul is a much warmer, wittier beau. He might just be able to spark some much-needed life back into wet fish Doug as well.

Holly has not got off to a particularly good start to be honest. Right now, they've created a character that has ALL of the attrributes that made Maddie such a lead balloon of a character. Poor acting, inate hatefulness and smugness, and played by somebody 25 years too old for the role. You'd think Hollyoaks would have learnt their mistake on that one. Also much hilarity at the piss-poor Daniella Westbrook, who I'm sure never imagined 15 years ago that she would go on to be typecast as a rough old boot. On a positive note, I'm glad that John-Paul has finally broken that bizarre Hollyoaks tradition whereby every rubbish gai who steps foot in the village seems to inexplicably fall in love with scratty old Ste.

I actually think that out of all the thousands of departures over the past year, this one is by FAR the most upsetting.

She's racked up the most appearances this year so far apparently, and she's also due to play a major role in the . DREADFUL

It was utter shite, and almost offensively so - if I didn't know better I'm sure the writers were having a dig. ANNALISE: "Didn't you notice I've been gone?!" BARNEY & ROB: "...*tumbleweed*..." I suppose in part they suffered for being written out during the same period as Mitzeee and , but still. I really do maintain that the whole Ash/Barney/Annalise/Rob/Scott group has been the biggest missed opportunity of the past year. It wasn't as if any of them were particularly bad actors, and (I know I keep on harping on about this), Hollyoaks needs all the decent cast it get right now if THERESA MCQUEEN is the best it can come up with. The Theresa/Dodger nonsense is almost enough to make me turn off.

Well what did they expect. It's an idiotic idea to publically tweet rejections to the artists directly, especially when the reason is "more important releases at the moment". Are they trying to alienate the industry?

Alas, I am aware that these days my visits are mostly to speak of Hollyoaks of all things, and if that isn't a sign of terminable decline I don't know what is. I blame old age.

So as ever I am two months behind the rest of the world, and only caught up with this tonight. I have never seen the show, so had no pre-knowledge of the plot, characters or songs, or how they compare to the stage. I also HATE musicals at the best of the times, let alone non-humourous ones that last for over three hours solid, so I'm really not the target audience for this. But this wasn't TOO BAD, and I guess that this actually got applause in the cinema at the end confirms that. There were plenty of moments where I nearly nodded off, but there were a few highlights. Anne Hathaway's I Dreamed A Dream really is as astonishing as all the reviews have been raving, probably the only time where I was completely captivated for more than a two-minute block at a time. OSCAR PLEASE. Elsewhere, Hugh Jackman was very good, Russell Crowe utterly out of place (and I must concur with Johnkm on the RIDICULOUSNESS of the opening Jackman/Crowe sing-a-long exchange with the quite unpoetic and clunky lyrics), and bravo to the make-up team for their marvellous work on browning everyone's teeth. I've never found Hugh Jackman less fanciable. Bonham-Carter and Baron-Cohen SAVED the film in the respect that OH LORD does the film need those few 30-second interludes of utter NONSENSE to break up the steady flow of abject misery. Their drunk sing-a-long as they pick-pocketed the alcoholics was rather enjoyable if at total loggerheads with the rest of the production. Amanda Seyfried was a total NON-ENTITY though, barely registering a presence which seemed strange given that her character seems to be the catalyst/motivation for much that happens in the second half. Eddie Redmayne also does nothing for me; lifeless singing and only one facial expression throughout (punchable pouting fish). I actually had to look away during the whole moments where those two supposedly fall in love, because it really was too LUDICROUS and MADDENING watching Redmayne try to blow off a social revolution because he exchanged one brief solitary look with an unremarkable girl a couple of hours before. I wanted his radical leader friend (who was LOVELY) to punch him in the face. Whilst I have no idea how that particular love story translates on stage or in the novel, on film it just DID NOT WORK, not just for the reasons previously stated but also that Samantha Barks' rather fine Éponine was a so much more sympathetic and engaging character, even if the death scene itself was a little underwhelming. Still, I'm sure in truth it's the 10/10 epic that everybody else believes, even if I wish I'd had a fast forward button for much of it.

Further thought on the

Bloody hell, will there be anybody left in Hollyoaks? On top of those already mentioned, I believe rumours are also still abounding over

I quite like Barney, who manages to be a rather sympathetic character despite being a cartoon. Certainly if we're talking ridiculous caricatures who Carmel is required to date, I'd much rather Barney over Jim McGinn. I must say some of the casting changes haven't been filling me with confidence. If Kirkwood's idea of revamping the show is to axe cast members like Lacey, who were promising but simply underutilised, whilst bringing in the likes of Jim McGinn and a 35 year old Holly Cunningham, and trying to promote the Savages as a lead family, I fully expect yet another SLUMP in quality and ratings.

Further departures, airing next week.

This was OKAY, started off slow but definitely became more interesting near the end. Only small gripe is that the characters and plotlines have started off all a little too obvious and one-note. Older experienced motherly one GOOD, bratty teenage princess BAD, dictatorial father BAD. Sweet and innocent blonde in a relationship with long-haired punk (who in the first 2 minutes had been identified as the BAD BOY), but is clearly going to be spending the series exchanging dewy-eyed looks with the SAPPY and WORTHY guitar guy. On the plus side, Jonathan Jackson is LOVELY, despite playing one of the show's designated arseholes and having all of 3 lines.

I think we can quite do without Lisa, the walking advertisment for chronic depression. Izzy was marvellous, although if they'd just use Annalise a bit more, they'd have a more than adequate substitute for that one.

If we must travel back in time to 2006, then I also demand the return of MAD OLD BAT Kathy Barnes, pretend rubbish-gai Craig Dean, and fit fireman Ben Davies. But not Ravi Roy or Katy Fox. EVER. Also Kirkwood will NEVER succeed in ridding the show of the deadwood actors whilst the actually OFFENSIVE Liberty and Theresa remain.

So some faintly LUDICROUS news.

It's true the vampire stuff is ridiculous and needs to be curtailed soon, although I can understand why they felt the need to address it what with half of the Port Charles cast now on General Hospital. The one area that the new writers have vastly improved upon is they seem to really understand and be respectful of show history, and they've brought back near enough every historical "legendary" character in some form or another. All they need to do now is dial down the campness a bit (bye-bye to vampires, and Olivia the town psychic needs to stop screaming at imaginary dogs).