Eastenders
Eastenders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1986. The many storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End of London. After twenty seven years of gripping drama, Eastenders has become an infinitely popular soap among a diverse variety of target audiences with a seemingly incessant array of awards to verify this world-known fact.
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| Ray Dixon. Yet to establish himself. |
Known to be thrilling and exhilarating, Eastenders storylines sometimes lack a certain sense of reality, leaving the viewer unable to connect with the characters presented in the plot. This can be rather problematic when introducing a new individual into the already populated Square, as the audience can be slightly unnerved by the rapid changes made by the writer and would be more accepting of a person if he or she arrived quite ordinarily. Although, this may transform the detailed character into someone monotonous if there is no hint of a concealed past that will keep the viewer intrigued by this mysterious being. For example, when Michael Moon was established as a prominent main character, his icy yet cocky exterior was a closed window to his veiled secrets which in turn made him interesting to watch. On the other hand, Ray Dixon joined the square with no captivating aspects of personality. It seemed like he was an additional prop device to provide a humorous character, Kim Fox, with a love interest as he hasn’t determined himself as an appealing main protagonist as of yet.
Some families feature a stereotypical East End matriarch. Indeed, the matriarchal role is one that has been seen in various reincarnations since the program’s inception, often depicted as the centre of the family unit. The original matriarch was Lou Beale, though later examples include Pauline Fowler, Mo Butcher, Mo Harris, Pat Evans, Peggy Mitchell, Zainab Khan and Cora Cross. These characters are seen as being strident and intrusive but most importantly, responsible for the well-being of the family and usually stressing the importance of family, reflecting on the past.
Sometimes, though, the viewers often question the unfortunate concurrences that happen frequently in the square. For example, the show features many murderers and gangsters that simply do not exist in modern life grouped together in one place.
Having said that, without these outrageous storylines, would the show be worth watching?
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Janine Butcher. A very interesting character. We all love to
hate her. |
Perhaps not.
Often, Eastenders makes you yearn for at least one minute of happiness for the characters, which demonstrates how much they mean to the viewer. Although the observer may never admit it, scrutinizing other people’s melancholy lives can make you rethink your own and feel grateful for what you have.
The style is captivating and the symbolic props are prominent, with likable characters and gripping storylines, therefore Eastenders receives:
6.9/10
