So this week wasn’t as big as the one before it but then it
never was going to be, was it? One thing that definitely did have an impact on
the week in Walford was that most of the big names had been involved in the
heist and so were now in hiding. This wasn’t completely awful as it allowed
characters that don’t get as much screen time to make their mark but it did
inevitably mean that, at times, it felt like the were lower. However we did
still have a week full of drama with plot twists, returning faces and even one
exit.
10. Ben has the money!
Okay so I’ll admit that I did not see that twist coming. I
mean in hindsight, it was quite obvious but we’d had absolutely no indication
that Ben had any idea what was going on. It was a good twist but I couldn’t
help but reminded of the old adage ‘don’t tell me, show me.’ If we’d even had a
few hints that Ben was plotting to steal the money, it’d have made for a more
exciting pay off.
 |
| Image:Daily Express |
9. Everyone went racist for no reason.
One thing that didn’t
settle with me this week was that not one but two characters became xenophobic
and small minded for no real reason. Ian Beale went all conspiracy theory when
he saw a white kid go into the home of Masood’s aunt and uncle. This, though
difficult to watch, was at least releant and in keeping with Ian’s character
who has shown himself to be xenophobic in the past. What really bugged me was
the fact that Karen Taylor, out of nowhere, told a stranger who she found in
the laundrette to ‘go back where he came from’.
It made absolutely no sense because Karen has never acted like that
before. And though it was obviously a plot point to introduce conflict between
her and the laundrette owner, it was built on the assumption that the audience
would believe it because of Karen’s tendency to be loud and the fact she is
poor. This is completely unfair and you can do better, ‘Eastenders’.
8. The laundrette is reopening.
Having said that, it did bring good news in that the laundrette
is reopening! I’m hopeful that this will be a really good opportunity for
Karen’s character to integrate herself in the Square as, once she attempted to
apply, it was always inevitable she would get the job. Dot’s coming back to the
Square next week and I think those two could make a very good team. I’m also
hoping that we are going to see far more of Mr. Apostulous who did make a
strong entrance this week.
7. Masood is living in an ice cream van.
So we found out Masood isn’t doing as well as he’d have
liked everyone to believe. His ice cream empire is more an old broken down van
that he sleeps in. Luckily the show decided not to have this as a slow burn
storyline and it was all out in the open by the end of Thursday. This was a
smart move because it gives a convincing reason to move him back into the house
with his extended family and get him involved in the drama of the Square once
more.
6. Ashard and Mariam’s foster child goes missing.
Yeah so it was rather quickly announced that Masood’s aunt
and uncle, Mariam and Ashard, were foster parents and have been doing it for a
very long time. We were introduced to their latest charge, Daisy. She’s found
relatively quickly but it seems that we’re going to get a storyline about
social services looking into their suitability given that a child in their care
went missing. I just hope that a positive outcome is settled quickly and that
we can start to see more of the children that they foster in the coming weeks.
5. Tiffany is back!
So it looked like Whitney might be leaving the square at the
start of the week but this was thrown up in the air by the arrival of her
younger sister, Tiff. It’s pretty clear that neither of them will be leaving
Albert Square anytime soon as the final scene on Friday revealed that Bianca
has apparently attempted suicide. I’m not entirely convinced on this because
that would probably mean that Tiff and Whitney would head to Milton Keynes to
be with her and that doesn’t seem to be on the cards. During the course of the
week, Tiff already faked phone calls and even a pregnancy to stay on the Square
so is it possible that she’s went as low to lie about Bianca’s mental health? I
doubt that she’s lying but she might not be telling the whole truth. I guess
we’ll just have to wait and see!
4. Ciara’s enforcer is Mel Owen.
Another old face returned to Watford and was revealed to be
the enforcer that Ciara called to help get her money back on New Year’s Day.
She makes sure to call around all the faces that she remembered from the old
days but she was really there to find the money. It didn’t take long for her to
realise that Ben had the money and as he planned his escape to France, Mel was
quick on his heels.
3. Scenes on a
ferry!!!
So on Friday’s episode we were treated to some scenes aboard
the ferry from Dover. (Quick aside: the taxi that Ben took from Walford to
Dover would cost about £250 which is mental but hey, he has just stolen loads
of money so I guess it doesn’t matter much.) Now I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t
entirely convinced that all the scenes were completely necessary but it was
still quite nice to have drama away from the square.
2. Masood and Karen went toe to toe for the laundrette job.
After Masood’s lack of an ice cream empire are exposed on
Thursday’s episode, he tries to get the laundrette job. The eventual payoff –
Masood convincing the owner to take a chance on Karen - was worth it but we
were treated to more of Karen’s newly found racism. I’m really hoping that they
cut this out in future because whilst some of the scenes between the two were
funny, one which was essentially just them throwing unfair insults at each
other just fell completely flat. It did so because neither had insults which
fitted to their character, instead they were just generic and felt out of
place. But as I say, all is well that end’s well and at least Karen has
eventually secured the job – for now, at least!
1. Ben leaves the Square.
In the biggest development this week, Harry Reid bowed out
as the sixth incarnation of Ben Mitchell. Whilst his final episode was decent
enough, I did feel slightly short changed that we didn’t have a final iconic
scene between him and Phil. The twist that someone had exchanged the money in
the black bag for copies of the Walford Gazette was pretty good. I imagine that
this will probably save him from the wrath of Ciara who was soon going after
Ben as he arrived in France. The thing is that this final scene just reinforced
that this exit felt very much like it wasn’t an exit at all. He is the latest
in a string of characters that have been given exits which don’t really justify
their run in the soap. Then again, it is almost inevitable that before the year
is out Ben will be back on our screens, albeit played by a new actor!
 |
| Image: Digital Spy |
No comments:
Post a Comment