Eastenders: Crass Storyline?

[vortex]

In view of the recent terrorist attack was this plot in bad taste?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4149624/EastEnders-fans-express-shock-devastating-bus-crash.html

[douglas9401]

Good taste, bad taste, it's all the same to the gitteratti and their limited character dross.

[vortex]

How much mischance can an area suffer so regularly? I wouldn't want to reside in the East end :-(

[vortex]

...sorry, forgot to add, I know it's not real but what happened in France and Germany was all to real.

[murraymints]

thought that !

[vortex]

Minty - if a similar atrocity had happened in the UK just before Christmas, I suspect the scriptwriters would not have run with the idea.

[Cloverjo]

Aren't soaps written and filmed weeks in advance of their airing date?
I can't imagine they would have seen the atrocities in Europe and decided to continue with the storyline, unless they had no time to scrap it and write something else.

[mushroom25]

soaps have something of a history when it comes to crass storylines - remember the emmerdale version of Lockerbie, sensitively timed to co-incide with the real Lockerbie disaster's 5th anniversary?

[andy-hughes]

It's a difficult one.

I would imagine that with the prospect of a mass clear-out of characters, and attendant contract arrangements to be sorted, coupled with the production planning involved in a major scene like this, that this scenario was planned well before the real terrorism incident in Europe.

So do the BBC involve themselves in a massive series or re-writes and new contract negotiations with departing cast members, and ditch the cost of the production already incurred - or do the press ahead and hope for the best.

It seems they have gone for the latter approach, and will ride out the criticism such as it is.

[whiskeryron]

So, so, glad I recently gave up watching ALL major soaps. My life feels so much better for it, go on take the plunge it is so easy.

[ummmm]

Not really. The bus driver appeared to have a heart attack.

[jennyjoan]

I took the plunge Whiskey - well just if nothing else is on - I drive myself insane watching Emmerdale - I just go - what an insult to my intelligence LOL.

You know let's say it - it truly aint the actors/actresses - it is the writers.

[vortex]

Andy Hughes //It seems they have gone for the latter approach, and will ride out the criticism such as it is//

Indeed. It will be interesting to note how many complaints are received by the regulator.

[vortex]

Ummmm //Not really. The bus driver appeared to have a heart attack//

Yes, that appeared to be the case but it is the overall scenario which has ruffled so many feathers not just the cause.

[jackthehat]

The reliance on the 'traditional' big Christmas/New Year event means that the production teams have to seek out more and more extreme disasters to draw in the audiences.
And they try to avoid ones which have happened in previous years and in competing Soaps.


Unfortunately, there are few disasters which the TV companies can conceive that haven't had a real-life counterpart....somewhere.

[whiskeryron]

JJ. I have never known such a deterioration over the years, when I remember how they all started.

[jennyjoan]

My absolute favourite of all of them and it was scrapped - Brookside - loved it.

[murraymints]

oh dear Whitney a goner ??

[netibiza]

Bad things happen everyday, it has no relevance, andmanywaynits filmed months in advance!

[netibiza]

Sorry for typing running together.

[murraymints]

wecanstillseewhatyoumean Neti :o)