[Vanessa]

I've been watching classic EastEnders and Dennis Rickman has just come in.
One of my all time favourites. What a great character he was!

[Redway]

He was amazing. 2003 had its dud moments but when it struck gold (which it did 75% of the time) it struck gold. I used to be somewhat biased against it in favour of 2005 but looking back it’s probably one of the most solidly watchable years ever.

[Vanessa]

Ian winning at the poker game and winding up Phil

[Swan]

Been watching this for about 3 years now. I started just when Grant finds out about Phil and Sharon in 1994, watched it ever since.

[Swan]

I think my favourite character so far was Steve Owen and David Wicks.

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Swan

I think my favourite character so far was Steve Owen and David Wicks.

Loved Steve.
It's 2003 now. What a great year that was!

[Swan]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

Loved Steve.
It's 2003 now. What a great year that was!

Yeah i never miss an episode.

Poor Dot. Paul is a good character too. I really don't like Laura though.

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Swan

Yeah i never miss an episode.

Poor Dot. Paul is a good character too. I really don't like Laura though.

Love Dot and Jim. Yes, I liked Paul as well.

[Swan]

I wish they hadn't killed off Roy.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Swan

I wish they hadn't killed off Roy.

I don’t. He was boring and stifled Pat. That’s why Berridge called chops on him. Santer axing Honey and Yolande was much worse than any of Berridge’s axing (except maybe Paul Trueman, but even then I can’t remember if that was her or Hutchinson).

[Vanessa]

Glad Ian is coming back. I've missed the Ian/Phil rivalry.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

Glad Ian is coming back. I've missed the Ian/Phil rivalry.

I hope they nip that in the bud. They’re too old to still be going at it like a pair of teenage boys at war because one stole the other’s crush.

[Swan]

Originally Posted by Redway

I don’t. He was boring and stifled Pat. That’s why Berridge called chops on him. Santer axing Honey and Yolande was much worse than any of Berridge’s axing (except maybe Paul Trueman, but even then I can’t remember if that was her or Hutchinson).

Berridge also said they regretted axing Roy.

Martin should be out of prison soon ish, and Mickey Miller has just turned up.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Swan

Berridge also said they regretted axing Roy.

Martin should be out of prison soon ish, and Mickey Miller has just turned up.

Yeah, well. It is what it is. Berridge gets too much flack for axing (amongst other things) and some people even believe the silly, nonsense rumour that she even tried to axe Pat. No. She axed Roy for Pat.’s benefit more than anything, even if she later regretted it. Personally I’ve never seen Roy and Barry’s exists as big losses for the show and a great storyline came out of the latter. That alone was worth it. Roy was boring and Barry was an utter joke.

[Swan]

Originally Posted by Redway

Yeah, well. It is what it is. Berridge gets too much flack for axing (amongst other things) and some people even believe the silly, nonsense rumour that she even tried to axe Pat. No. She axed Roy for Pat.’s benefit more than anything, even if she later regretted it. Personally I’ve never seen Roy and Barry’s exists as big losses for the show and a great storyline came out of the latter. That alone was worth it. Roy was boring and Barry was an utter joke.

Yeah im not a fan of Barry's character. I thought Roy was decent enough. You need stability, he brought that to the show.

I honestly think Ricky is a pretty useless character

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Swan

Yeah im not a fan of Barry's character. I thought Roy was decent enough. You need stability, he brought that to the show.

I honestly think Ricky is a pretty useless character

I did like Janine at this time. She was a great chance.

[Swan]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

I did like Janine at this time. She was a great chance.

Yeah her character is great, she's such an manipulative cow

[Vanessa]

Always loved Patrick "yeah man" Truman

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Swan

Yeah im not a fan of Barry's character. I thought Roy was decent enough. You need stability, he brought that to the show.

I honestly think Ricky is a pretty useless character

When Ricky came back last autumn/winter he was essentially playing a shadow of a character with effectively no personality and certainly no more chemistry with Medcalf’s Sam. (who’s obviously the superior version) than they had in 2002/2003. I think Berridge/the writers noticed that they had no chemistry and culled it, because it just wasn’t working. I don’t know why they felt the need to revisit it.

Originally Posted by Swan

Yeah her character is great, she's such an manipulative cow

She was a joke in the last stint. I appreciate her essentially (albeit indirectly) getting rid of Mick (hated his character after 2014) but you can’t for all the money in the world convince me that Charlie Brooks wasn’t just in it for the money herself in 2021/’22. Her performances at the Christmas table were just pathetic and all that’s without even mentioning the way she essentially bullied Lola. It took Lexi (who’s horribly acted) screaming about her mum having cancer for Janine to drop it and shut her mouth.

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Redway

When Ricky came back last autumn/winter he was essentially playing a shadow of a character with effectively no personality and certainly no more chemistry with Medcalf’s Sam. (who’s obviously the superior version) than they had in 2002/2003. I think Berridge/the writers noticed that they had no chemistry and culled it, because it just wasn’t working. I don’t know why they felt the need to revisit it.


She was a joke in the last stint. I appreciate her essentially (albeit indirectly) getting rid of Mick (hated his character after 2014) but you can’t for all the money in the world convince me that Charlie Brooks wasn’t just in it for the money herself in 2021/’22. Her performances at the Christmas table were just pathetic and all that’s without even mentioning the way she essentially bullied Lola. It took Lexi (who’s horribly acted) screaming about her mum having cancer for Janine to drop it and shut her mouth.

But she was good in 2003. She was actually one of my favourites. So deliciously evil!

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

But she was good in 2003. She was actually one of my favourites. So deliciously evil!

Yup, I agree. Her 1999 to 2004 stints and 2010 (from the middle of that year anyway) to 2014 stints were brilliant (she wasn’t great in 2009).

[Swan]

This is starting to get really good now.

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Swan

This is starting to get really good now.

Is Dennis there yet? I need to catch up.

[Swan]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

Is Dennis there yet? I need to catch up.

Yeah he's turned up. He's already womanising, punched Phil, he's certainly made an entrance. Also Jack Dalton made his first appearance in today's episode. Phil goes to see him, and the ending is very interesting!

The summer is pretty much just beginning too, and with the new characters i think Redway is right, 2003 really becomes a good year.

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Swan

Yeah he's turned up. He's already womanising, punched Phil, he's certainly made an entrance. Also Jack Dalton made his first appearance in today's episode. Phil goes to see him, and the ending is very interesting!

The summer is pretty much just beginning too, and with the new characters i think Redway is right, 2003 really becomes a good year.

Dennis one of my all time favourite characters.
Gorgeous too and he still is.
So good to have Nigel in Casualty, he still makes me weak at the knees