Ranking of Eastenders’ years (2000 to 2012)

[Redway]

I would’ve done it for this decade alone now 2020’s only a few sleeps away but there’s not been much quality to rank this decade so I thought I’d leave it at Santer/Kirkwood’s era (from best to worst).

[Redway]

2001
2005
2002
2003
2007
2010
2000
2004
2009
2006
2008
2011
2012

That’s my own. Every post-2012 year (2014 aside) is even worse than 2012 so that’s why I chose to leave it at that.

[Jigs]

I couldn't even rank those years in my own life nevermind in a BBC1 soap

[Marsh.]

I think 2018/2019 is head and shoulders above 2012.

[Redway]

I think 2018/2019 is head and shoulders above 2012.

I wouldn’t go that far. 2018 was probably the worst single year.

[Marsh.]

I wouldn’t go that far. 2018 was probably the worst single year.

Nah. It was a slow year but it had a solid cast. 2012 was a mess cast and story wise.

[Redway]

I agree that 2019’s been a good enough year on the whole but it’s long past the point of being relevant culturally and they’re running low on strong family units (Carters aside) so it doesn’t feel like EastEnders anymore in as much as it’s obviously the best year since 2014.

2012 was far from the best year but it had a few things going for it like Janine and Michael’s wedding and Ian’s breakdown. I’d take it over Newman’s era and Magic Marv and samosas any day of the week.

[Marsh.]

Oh I don't think Ian's breakdown was good. :skull: Hates his Worzel Gummidge/Mandy Salter era. Michael annoyed me, I enjoyed some of his story with Jean but apart from that his death storyline was the only thing I hated.

As for Magic Marv, that was only one episode, not really indicative of the year.
I'd actually vote "I smell queer" as 1000% more embarrassing as a scene from EastEnders. :laugh:

And Samosas is no different to any other ropey side plot we get in any era of a soap IMO. The show was full of those back during Masala Masood years.

[Redway]

And how would you rate the other 2000 to 2012 years?

[Redway]

I agree Magic Marv wasn’t representative but it does stand out as one of the worst filler stories of all time. Not that Santer’s era wasn’t full to the brim of them but in his defence he knew how to keep things going with a decent mix of stories every year.

[Marsh.]

And how would you rate the other 2000 to 2012 years?

Probs 2000-2003
2005
2007-2010
2004/2006
2012

Gone for more eras as a lot of individual years don't stand out to me in isolation. :laugh:

[Gstar]

2005 and 2009 are unbeatable
2007 had the best Christmas

Also 2012 > 2018

[Marsh.]

WE LOVE YOU KAT MOON! WE DO !!!!

will forever be the nadir of EE.

[Gstar]

2012 and 2018 seen as the worst years and are the two Christmas’s of Kat and Alfies affairs. A sign?

[Redway]

And their story went round in circles in 2004 (although that year ain’t half as bad as some blind Berridge haters say). And the show’s public perception went down when they returned in 2010.

Alfie’s the problem.

[Marsh.]

I don't think the character's are necessarily the problem. It's always the quality of the production team. When written well Kat especially is a great character.

[Redway]

2005 and 2009 are unbeatable
2007 had the best Christmas

Also 2012 > 2018

I understand those people who say Santer’s late work felt more high-key and blockbuster but 2007’s supposed to be his highlight year and not just for the Christmas episodes.

[Marsh.]

2007 was great as the balance of the big stories, the smaller ones and the whole cast was quite good. In fact I'd say the majority of his tenure was like that, apart from the odd period here and there, balance and pacing was probably that producer's strength.

[Redway]

I enjoyed 2009 pretty much from the minute Lucas raked Trina and the highlights in the period between then and the live episode are technically EastEnders at its finest (in as much as I hated what the Archie story did to Stacey). I think the lines are blurred between that mini-period and the core bulk of 2009 and most of the latter wasn’t good at all (Nick/Dotty/Dot, Phil/Dawn, Heather and George Michael, Ronnie and Jack going round in circles and the lack of the macho presence after Terry Bates and Jase had left).

I get people getting sentimental about some of the moments in the last quarter of the year but 2007 was Santer’s best year from an objective view if nothing else. That clunky block storytelling that defined the late noughties wasn’t there in 2007 and everything happened for a reason plot-wise. His last two years all in all were like a bad hangover and I’d take 2004 over 2008/09 any day.

[Gstar]

2007 was good as a whole, I rewatched the affair storyline and realised how better the script writing used to be

[Redway]

I don't think the character's are necessarily the problem. It's always the quality of the production team. When written well Kat especially is a great character.

I still reckon Kat’s well and truly had her day. I don’t think she was supposed to come back after her original exit.

[Marsh.]

I still reckon Kat’s well and truly had her day. I don’t think she was supposed to come back after her original exit.

Oh definitely not. But I think the reason they're stuck in a rut is because they're hanging onto her original run and not attempting anything new with her.

Even this week, she's not had a story for a while and they give her a pervy man who causes her to open up about her abuse yet again.

A good producer needs to move her on and do something fresh with her. It was the same with her relationship with Alfie and the constant affairs. Now, they've finally split them up properly, they need to stop regurgitating the Harry stuff too.

[Redway]

Oh definitely not. But I think the reason they're stuck in a rut is because they're hanging onto her original run and not attempting anything new with her.

Even this week, she's not had a story for a while and they give her a pervy man who causes her to open up about her abuse yet again.

A good producer needs to move her on and do something fresh with her. It was the same with her relationship with Alfie and the constant affairs. Now, they've finally split them up properly, they need to stop regurgitating the Harry stuff too.

That’s because her original story was told 15/20 years ago. She really should’ve stayed gone after she got her man in the moon.

[Marsh.]

That’s because her original story was told 15/20 years ago. She really should’ve stayed gone after she got her man in the moon.

That's my point. They've not even attempted a new arc.

There's no reason why the character cannot still work. But their insistence on trying to have everything link back to her first major plot is hindering it.

[Redway]

I just think everything that she had to offer was in that 2000 to 2005 arc. She doesn’t work because she wasn’t supposed to come back and I don’t think there’s anything that will work with her even if they tried afresh.

[Marsh.]

It could work, with an actual skilled writer/storyliner.

Extending her original arc - the abuse and the fairytale Alfie stuff was never going to work.

But developing her beyond that was possible. I think she's too much of a mess of characterisation the last few years. The on/off/on/off/on/off thing with Alfie hasn't helped either.

They did the same thing with Mel, no reason why the character shouldn't work, catching up with her 16 years on. But they practically had it that the 16 years offscreen didn't happen and she picked up where 2002 left off. Just stupid writing.

[Redway]

That’s just a symptom of the poor writing quality. Oates and Sen haven’t delivered that much all in all aside from the last week. The continuity’s as bad as it’s been for years.

[Marsh.]

Oh the further we get into their tenure, the more I hate it. :joker: Really not a fan of a lot of it.

[Redway]

Oh the further we get into their tenure, the more I hate it. :joker: Really not a fan of a lot of it.

How are you feeling now?

[Cal.]

2009 and 2010 always stick out in my head as peak EE for me.

2008 is obviously great to be rewatching on iPlayer. I remember 2007 being good too.

Most of the 10s has been rubbish. 2014 and 2019 would probably be highlights? 2020 and 2017 low points.

I’ve heard great things about 2001 and 2005. Would love to experience them one day.

[Marsh.]

How are you feeling now?

Still not a fan.

I enjoy the show well enough but it's largely going through the motions.

Like, I enjoy Suki but she's not especially developed. And the Carter's, no matter what storyline they have, seem to end up in the Mick/Linda marriage crisis each and every time.

It's uninspired.

Although, music montage aside, I did quite enjoy Ian's whodunnit.

[Stu]

2009 and 2010 always stick out in my head as peak EE for me.

2008 is obviously great to be rewatching on iPlayer. I remember 2007 being good too.

Most of the 10s has been rubbish. 2014 and 2019 would probably be highlights? 2020 and 2017 low points.

I’ve heard great things about 2001 and 2005. Would love to experience them one day.
Correct.

Archie's arc to Phil's groovy Woodstock phase ("Billy...wor I need is crack") is the best EastEnders. You even have Jesus Camp Lucas Johnson getting up to no good in that period.

It's been mostly garbage since Danny Dyer and his throng arrived.

[Redway]

Correct.

Archie's arc to Phil's groovy Woodstock phase ("Billy...wor I need is crack") is the best EastEnders. You even have Jesus Camp Lucas Johnson getting up to no good in that period.

It's been mostly garbage since Danny Dyer and his throng arrived.

That.

[Redway]

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the Archie era all in all but there’s no denying that the period circa Stacey bumping him off was a high point for the show.

[Redway]

Still not a fan.

I enjoy the show well enough but it's largely going through the motions.

Like, I enjoy Suki but she's not especially developed. And the Carter's, no matter what storyline they have, seem to end up in the Mick/Linda marriage crisis each and every time.

It's uninspired.

Although, music montage aside, I did quite enjoy Ian's whodunnit.

I reckon it’s only a matter of time before the Beeb pull the plug. The abysmal ratings most be a cause for concern all-round and most of those ex-viewers aren’t going to return. I’ve sat through worse individual years but this time there’s no glimmer of hope.