Torple

I think Hollyoaks could easily cope with a smaller cast, and I can't imagine it's easy for a relatively small soap to maintain a cast that size. If a cull is going to happen, I'd be hoping for Jen, Liam, Joel, Liberty, Will, Dirk and Theresa. The latter has been reduced to an utterly irredeemable and hateful wannabe gangster moll, who has STILL to be brought to justice or even show any remorse for cold-blooded murder of her cousin's husband. It's impossible to root for her as a character, and she'd only be viable if the writers cut their losses and made an all-out villain. But when we've got the likes of Browning and Mercedes (and I suspect Sienna before too long) doing all that so well right now, do we really need another? In terms of casting, the most pressing problem Hollyoaks has is that right now it's so heavily reliant on one character, which leaves them in quite a precarious position should they ever leave.

Frankly all the older characters should be in there. The likes of Myra, Jack and Frankie contribute/have contributed far more to the show than most of those shown there. The lack of Lacey and Joel (and also Jen and Liam) is strange - Bryan Kirkwood had given an interview not long after the bus crash which suggested there were going to be more cast departures to come , so either those missing are indeed out, or they're being held back to replace others in the sequence in the near future? I'd be surprised if Lacey in particular is gone, given Hollyoaks has been making much talk over the past year of building families back up, and the Kanes were at the forefront of that.

Torn is the really obvious glaring omission. I'd also speculate that Chasing Pavements isn't really there on it's own merit, and simply because of where Adele is today.

Hollyoaks always excel when it comes to stunts and deaths, and although they don't try to play it as "real" as the other soaps, that in itself means they can put a show on and be a lot more arty as Jark says. This week has just been another example of how when it gets it right, Hollyoaks can easily outshine the Big Three soaps. Their only problem has only ever been consistency; they have these big episodes and huge storyline climaxes, but then often seem to take months to recover from the comedown. I'm hoping that won't happen this time.

Somebody out there has wasted NO time. AMAZING http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdiugfpybo1ra5hfno3_250.gif What an utterly hilarious week. Between Doug's over-acting, Maddie's instant KARMA, Neil being completely forgotten about by all within 5 seconds of snuffing it, and the revelation that Cindy apparently has a daughter who is older than she herself is (BRILLIANT casting there), this week was a HOOT. As far as the axings went, they were all pretty much the right ones and a sign that Kirkwood knows what he's doing. I guess the writing for Maddie could be seen as inconsistent, given only months before we saw her willingly run back into a burning building to save Tilly, but as it provided such great TV I'm sure people will forgive Kirkwood for that. Claire Cooper was definitely the powerhouse this week, genuinely brilliant, but kudos also to Andrew Moss and Stephanie Waring who were at the top of their game. And although it's not the done thing to praise the teens, I also thought Stephanie Davies was pretty convincing in the immediate aftermath, horrid as Sinead usually is as a character.

SPOILERS FOR ANYONE WHO DIDN'T WATCH E4 TONIGHT

YES I KNOW IT'S DREADFUL THAT ALL I TALK ABOUT IS HOLLYOAKS BUT IT'S SHIT HOT THESE DAYS The episodes today (and I include the E4 preview in that) were marvellous, great build-up so far. Much as I like Brendan,

It was truly hysterical, I loved that little twist. Tony playing blind for the next few days is going to be a joy I think. I hope he's allowed to exact his revenge before everything else gets in the way. In other news spoilers show

That one is certainly pretty good if you pretend the original never existed.

I've only been watching on-and-off in recent years, but from what I have seen it's much more balanced than it was during the Susan Bower era when you could go whole episodes without seeing an adult character. For the most part they've got a decent, likeable cast at the moment. Toadie and Sonya seem well placed to become the new Karl/Susan core supercouple, Vanessa is quite beautiful and breathing life back into Lucas, and it'll be a shame to see

So LORD KNOWS if anybody out there is still watching this sh*t, but Neighbours have just announced FOUR returnees, all seemingly unconnected, which is genuinely quite terrific. It sounds like Not clear on whether the other three are permanent stays or temporary visits though.

I think it's difficult to tell

I'm going with Have we seen the new trailer? The one area where Hollyoaks really does genuinely excel over the other soaps is their promos, and this is no exception. XO3VlauXYLA

I'm with you on the two Inbetweeners; Simon Bird, despite being billed as the main draw in the first series, is very much the weak link of the Friday Night Dinner cast. Not that he's bad as such, but simply that if you've watched the Inbetweeners, you know EXACTLY what you're going to get. Joe Thomas in Fresh Meat is likeable enough, but again cast in the luckless-in-love role, and it's getting to the point where I'm no longer rooting for he and Josie to sort themselves out (for it is far too obvious, and Josie is becoming an evil little mare).

Is nobody watching the second series of this? Between this and the return of Friday Night Dinner, C4 comedy is the TITS right now. This has really grown into a wonderful show, utterly ridiculous one minute, and really quite warming the next. Despite their wildly different personas, the core six really have gelled and bounce off each other brilliantly, and Josie aside (Sabine was right on point with her "I think you are not a nice person" takedown), you can actually root for them all despite the questionable things they may do. Vod unleasing her own BP-style oil spill genuinely had me howling.

This sounds AMAZING. Also DEPARTEE NEWS (this may be unrelated to the other spoiler):

My money is on

I'd pretty much go with that list, with the exception of Tilly who I think does still have potential provided she stops stalking Jen, and returns to being the sage old lesbian she was when she first appeared. And yes, Phoebe is marvellous. She, unlike Maddie, isn't a straight-up bitch in the sense that she aims her vitriol for those who deserve it, whilst defending to the death those she considers to be in need (George, Esther). Very much following in Jacqui's footsteps. The Diane/Liam/Ash/Ally thing was completely random and felt very disjointed. I suspect there's still some last minute editing going on and we've been missing some scenes, because I got the impression we're supposed to believe there's something romantic building up between Liam/Diane, despite the lack of onscreen airtime for the pair actually showing this.

The problem with the teens is that very few of them show any growth whatsoever. Characters can only get away with being the greatest girl band in the world if they are either meant to be a deeply psychotic villain, or if they are shown to learn from the mistakes and try and "reform". Few of the teens are showing any signs of that. You would think either one of having his aunt go to prison to cover for him, or almost drowning in the bath, would have convinced Bart it's perhaps time to change his ways, but there's no remorse, guilt or willingness to grow up whatsoever, so why on earth are viewers expected to care about him or his "great romance" with the increasingly nasty bully Sinead? And let's not get started on Maddie, or the hideously two-faced Ruby who seems more concerned with ruining her supposed best friend's life than her surrogate family's dying-baby-crisis. The sole "HELL YEAH" moment last week was George calling Sinead out for being a vile bitch.

Rubbish gais rejoice! Can't say I'm particularly fussed, but I'm sure this will create waves with the DS loons.

Much as I loved the old harridan back in her prime (oh for the days of 2004), Wonderwall is one of the very LAST songs the woman should be allowed near. It does not lend itself well to banshee screaming, repeated cries of "YEAH SING IT GUURRRRLLL HAHA!" and deranged cackling.

That is perhaps the most RIDICULOUS pairing they could ever have dreamt up. Phil Mitchell/Poppy Meadow romance next please!

AILSA STEWART CHIC I very much approve.

It sounds very much like

Tyler is a truly redundant presence, particularly now that he has few family links, a romance that not one viewer gives too hoots for (POOR FATBOY), and the role of useless-but-pretty plank has been snatched away by Joey Branning. Anthony was a disastrous character but at least you knew what that character was (BUMBLING FOOL), whilst I challenge anybody to name a single Tyler Moon personality trait. I am now of the belief that Charlie Jones was the GREATEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO EASTENDERS. I live for the day when he wins the role back from the more accompolished actor a la Daniella Westbrook, and recreates an ESSENTIAL Ben Mitchell Moment by making his return bursting through Phil Mitchell's door in Gaga-esque costume shrieking "Don't be a drag just be a QUEEN".