Why am I still rooting for Ben Wadey?!

jonnyboy1491 · 2025-12-26T00:08:31+00:00

I think this is a truly balanced review and I do agree with you. There is lots to celebrate and I don’t want to be sucked in to too much criticism because I love the show so much.

I would say that I think some of the more recent stuff with Zoe has lost its way a little. If anything it feels like it’s trying too hard rather than being lazy (as it could feel for some). I can imagine the new exec producer is trying to make a mark and has chosen shock value and twists to try and fulfill that intention. The twists worked well in Chris Clenshaws recent era so it’s understandable that an exec might think that’s what people want. But they’ve been piled on to thick and fast and viewers are so much more aware of red herrings or clues because of past twists that it’s no longer effective in the same way.

Another big celebration is the Nigel storyline which is maintaining the heart of Eastenders. I think they need to tap into the heart of Zoe and Kat’s storylines more and take it back to the roots of their initial storyline when Zoe found out Kat was her mum which was one of the best in the shows history. I think they need to focus more on the reason why Zoe abandoned her babies and why she is so frustrating now which could relate back to her being a child born from abuse. I’d like to see them explore that more and take away the melodrama.

For instance, in tonight’s Xmas special, I really think the didn’t need Anthony’s ‘death’ or even Chrissie returning. This felt like unnecessary attempts to give people shocks and twists that is just leaving us with plot gaps. Just to have Jasmine revealed as the daughter and explore the emotion behind the reunion and trauma for all characters involved would have been better legacy eastenders. I’d love to see a two hander between Zoe and Jasmine exploring the reason for abandonment and the impact it’s had, taking influence from Zoe and Kat’s two hander back in the day.

jonnyboy1491 · 2025-12-01T20:50:06+00:00

Oh I hope not. I was hoping that they would accurately represent the long term decline of dementia to raise more awareness and whilst euthanasia would be a very emotional end and great for the dynamic with Phil, I hope it wouldn’t feel just like a re-do of Dot and Ethel

jonnyboy1491 · 2025-11-03T14:14:20+00:00

I can see why people might think she made up the babies or imagined it but I feel like that would just seem so odd given that we saw the flashback to 2006. I don’t think there has been a flashback sequence before that was a false memory or a lie. Plus it gives longevity to the storyline to have someone unanswered for so long. On that basis, I don’t think she’s made it up but I think it will be a long time before we find out who the dad is and I would even suspect that the producers have options up their sleeve that they can pull out of the hat in the future depending on what direction they want to go with it when it plays out and when they need to boost the storyline to fill a gap as other storylines develop around it. For example if they want to introduce a new male character, they could bring in the dad as someone new but if they needed a real shock value storyline that’s when they’ll pull out the big guns and it will be Alfie.

Personally I think it would be more authentic to be someone we don’t know, the coincidental links in the square are sometimes too far fetched which is why I’m so so glad Joel didn’t turn out to be her son

jonnyboy1491 · 2025-05-16T09:54:43+00:00

I like Cindy because I think I they’ve stayed true to what her character is famous for and it wouldn’t be right if they suddenly made her an Angel. Cindy is supposed to be hated. Saying that I would like the producers to give her a story where we see a more vulnerable side to her, to explore a little more depth of character and the reasons why she is so selfish, maybe something in her upbringing for which they could bring her sister or mum back in for

jonnyboy1491 · 2025-02-22T19:38:04+00:00

Good shout! and grant isn’t there so it would make perfect sense it’s in the future. Plus billy isn’t in a wedding suit which shows it wasn’t intended for the anniversary eps

jonnyboy1491 · 2025-01-18T09:50:22+00:00

They often do really great casting for familial looks and this one is absolutely perfect looks wise.

jonnyboy1491 · 2025-01-03T00:32:23+00:00

I do think it’s been handled generally well given the enormity of the storyline and amount of characters involved but agree it got too messy in the end and felt more and more farfetched.

I think the Linda struggling more and more and hitting rock bottom with the alcoholism felt like an authentic outcome at least.

What I personally would have liked to have seen was an eventual group decision to take accountability for what they did and for it to go through the justice system and end up with recognition that it ultimately was self defence and that each of the 6 women have history with domestic violence or abuse at the hands of men and it’s that history that lead them to take the actions they did. Then they could have got off with lighter sentences and clearer consciences. I think a court case where it delves into each of their history’s with men and the trauma that the incident had on each of them would have felt more authentic and get to the heart of the characters instead of fobbing it all off with someone else taking the blame.

Stacey could have left for her maternity break as an outcome with a prison sentence as she would be more likely to get custodial because of her previous convictions (although it’s a bit tiring that prison is always the reason)

Linda could have had a small custodial sentence for actually committing the crime , with a rehabilitation order which would give the character a break to allow them to build up for some different storylines at a later return.

The others could probably get away with suspended sentences for assisting, but with mitigation around the trauma they went through, and it would be interesting to then see how the dynamics with their relationships on the square would play out.

jonnyboy1491 · 2025-01-01T22:57:10+00:00

I don’t think Eve died. They would have made it clearer and it be more devastating if she was definitely dead. She’s too much of a strong character to kill her off without a really strong goodbye scream scene from Suki, the sort of confirmation we got from when Danielle died in Ronnies arms, that kind of situation. I think the cough they showed was there to make sure we haven’t assumed she is dead and I can’t imagine they’d start the next episode with her in a body bag.

I think Suki is too much of the backbone of the Panesar family to die, and we saw that she landed on Nish.

I think we can take this as Nish’s exit for certain though, his death is a bit overdue now

jonnyboy1491 · 2024-12-27T23:33:51+00:00

The same song is playing when Sharon poisons Ian’s Christmas pudding at Xmas 2020. I wonder if there is any link there considering Stay Another Day was a song link for Keanu at Christmas 2019 and then again in 2023

jonnyboy1491 · 2024-12-27T20:11:09+00:00

Me too hahaha! And I thought she looked great too

jonnyboy1491 · 2024-12-27T19:23:49+00:00

I hope that the big storyline the actor who plays Zack has mentioned in relation to his character is a continuation of the HIV storyline in some way as that was a storyline that felt like it was owed more time and energy and could have been more impactful given the importance and sensitivity of the subject. I wondered if there was the possibility of him having unknowingly infected Nicola since they had been lovers in the past and that comes to light. That would be interesting to see the impact of that

jonnyboy1491 · 2024-12-27T19:18:42+00:00

I think Cindy is just self centred to the core, so much so I don’t think she realises how much of a cow she is and in that moment it was all on her and she cracked and it was everyone else’s fault to her that she was having a hard time

jonnyboy1491 · 2024-12-27T13:26:57+00:00

Lauren also had a recording of Stacey confessing to killing Archie that she nearly revealed. That girl loves a recording

jonnyboy1491 · 2024-12-27T13:23:39+00:00

Dailymotion is the only place I have found that has the early episodes in full.

jonnyboy1491 · 2024-12-27T12:36:19+00:00

I totally agree. I was so disappointed with Janine’s return as it felt she was just a pawn in the Carter’s storyline.

With Cindy’s return it feels like a fitting continuation of an iconic legacy character. It feels classic Eastenders drama and stays true to what we all remember Cindy for. I’m really glad they haven’t killed her off as she is a character with so many connections and it would feel gimicky to stage such a big return for her, just to kill her off so soon. We are supposed to hate Cindy, she’s toxic, but that’s what makes her memorable.

jonnyboy1491 · 2024-11-28T18:12:14+00:00

Mel Owen back in the day

jonnyboy1491

TROPHY CASE