Now that was more like it!
After last week's shite, EastEnders was seriously back with a bang tonight. I loved this episode. We had the introduction of two characters tonight (yes, two) and they were Paul Coker and Sharon Watts. Let me explain.
Nearly three years after her return, she's finally burst into life. Boy she was good tonight. That was the Sharon that we know and love. Not the passive, drab, silent parody we've seen over the last three years. You can just tell Letitia Dean loved filming these episodes - she knows her character so well and must have been chomping at the bit when she read these scripts. Sharon absolutely crucified Phil tonight. She called him out with some home truths and for once, a guilty look etched its way on Phil Mitchell's face. About fucking time. The line of the night went to Sharon for stunning Phil by telling him that his brother would've dealt with this mess better than him. Didn't like that one, did you Phillip? Probably the worst thing Sharon could've thrown at him, and he deserved it 100%. The episode finished with Phil taking Sharon to see her 'real Dad', who has apparently changed his name from Gavin to Gordon. Yeah, right. Sharon will surely see through that one? As I keep saying, this producer loves twists and coincidences. Sharon's father is called Gavin. The recently resurrected Kathy is married to a man called Gavin. You do the math.
It was also good to see Sharon confront Phil about his ludicrous obsession with saving Ronnie - one of the highlights of the night came when Sharon asked Phil if he'd save her or Ronnie if both were hanging off a cliff. Her pathetic husband couldn't even answer. Much like Bobby has with Ian (more
on that later), Ronnie has got Phil trapped in his own life. Sharon was not at all impressed with Phil signing over her bar to Vincent, to protect the local psychopath's secret, and it was at this moment that Sharon delivered one of the greatest slaps in EastEnders history, which had me stood up and applauding. I've waited three years to see this!!! Ladies and Gentlemen, Sharon Watts is in the building.
This is obviously going to be a big week for Cindy, who is possibly the best and most realistic teenage character the show has ever had. It helps that Mimi Keene is playing her to perfection. And when she's sharing scenes with the likes of Adam Woodyatt, Laurie Brett and Lindsey Coulson (amongst the best in the business), it's no surprise of how good she's getting. And I'm really enjoying the budding friendship between Carol and Cindy. I hope Cindy sticks to her guns and takes Ian and Jane on in this battle - it is her baby and not theirs. Ian and Jane are fantastic characters but not good people. Jane is a sociopath trying to manipulate Cindy into handing over her baby, and it's bordering on emotional abuse at times. And as for Ian, he's gone from been the dynamic maestro of the square, to being trapped in his own life, terrified of being dragged down by the putrid actions of his wife and son. This isn't Ian Beale. This is what Jane and Bobby have made him.
Paul Coker. The latest arrival to Albert Square. This fella has been mentioned many times since the Cokers came onto our screens, and until now, it had been inferred that he was angry with Pam over the death of his Dad, Lawrie. However, that seemed to be nowhere near the truth tonight. He was warm and welcoming upon seeing Pam, but ignorant to Les. I'm betting that he either thinks Les was responsible for Lawrie dying, or he knows about Les's affair with the unbearable Claudette. I don't particularly like Les or Pam, but it's loud and clear that Pam is the better character. Les might be interesting, if he wasn't played by Roger Sloman, probably the worst actor on the cast, and having a long term affair with a woman played by probably the second worst actor on the cast. Tonight we learnt what we were pretty sure of anyway - Paul is gay. Now there's a surprise. It's widely believed that Johnny Carter was intended to be the love interest for Ben, and Paul would be interested in Lola or Abi. Well, Sam Strike put paid to that, and so Paul and Ben are put together instead. I thought that Harry Reid gave one of his strongest performances as Ben tonight. He's caught between a rock and a hard place; he fancies the pants off of Paul, who is also emotionally intelligent enough to recognise Ben as a closet gay, but he also doesn't want to hurt Abi, who he parades around constantly in a bid to be seen as straight. Abi's going to get hurt, and she won't like it. Lorna Fitzgerald is absolutely owning her character at the minute. Since the anniversary lull, Abi has been one of the most watchable things about the show, and I'm loving seeing her slow transition into being a villain. Six months ago I wanted her gone. Now I want her to stay forever. Two things annoyed me about Paul's arrival tonight; and they were both to do with similar things: cliches and coincidences. Firstly, it's an insult to the audience's intelligence if they really think that we will believe that Paul just so happens to turn up on the day that Les and Pam are talking so much about missing him. Waaaaaaaay too coincidental. That one is down to block storylining, I admit. And also, the age old soap cliche of the two future lovers getting off on the wrong foot; see Kat and Alfie, Shabnam and Kush, Sharon and Jack, Peter and Lola et al. It's boring, corny, predictable and old. Give it up, please.
It's no coincidence that that episode was infinitely better than anything that happened last week and that tonight's offering was written by Daran Little. Little is one of the show's strongest writers, and he was on the money tonight.
STAR OF THE SHOW: Letitia Dean
HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Lorna Fitzgerald, Mimi Keene, Lindsey Coulson
SCENE OF THE NIGHT: Sharon delivers some home truths to Phil
LINE OF THE NIGHT: 'Grant would've sorted it.' Sharon Mitchell
RATING: 8/10
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