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| Peggy's return - what was the point? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: 18 Feb 2015, 02:34 (2,260 Views) | |
| WalfordFanatic | 18 Feb 2015, 02:34 Post #1 |
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Okay - I get it. It's the 30th anniversary - perfect time to bring back one of the soap's legendary characters who spent 16 years as landlady in the Vic in arguably one of the show's biggest families and lovely for nostalgic reasons. But, what was the point of seeing her tonight? Giving Dot a piece of her mind is acceptable after the Ronnie situation and Phil being wrongfully arrested, but a corny and cheesy 'blink and you'll miss it' scene with Mick which I don't think was really needed and a live scene where she basically jumps out of a jeep and makes no eye contact with anyone. My favourite Peggy dialogue tonight was with Phil…."this place misses you" Peggy "and I miss it too" which was lovely but unless there's more to come, I'm not sure why she flew back from Portugal when she could of rang! Haha There HAS to be more to it surely? Otherwise what's the point? Maybe Peggy is somehow involved with what Phil has to tell Ian…? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Oh and I'd love to add, it was LOVELY to see Babs. Edited by WalfordFanatic, 18 Feb 2015, 02:36.
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| The Other Slater Cousin | 18 Feb 2015, 02:46 Post #2 |
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Oh it was shit. I hate to be negative on such an occasion, but it was absolute fan service, and whilst I'm sure the Twitter/Facebook fans loved it, it felt like a spoonfed "Look guys, Babs is back in the Vic with Danny Dyer! What a laugh this is, eh?" I was half expecting her to giggle "Jackpot Joy" straight down the lens. In terms of character, Peggy and Linda would have felt a lot more poignant for me. This wasn't Peggy and Mick. It was Barbara and Danny. It wasn't Peggy and Dot. It was Barbara and June. This wasn't a return for Peggy. It was a long and sloppy kiss to Barbara Windsor. She adds dialogue, she requests who she would like scenes with. It's all rather too self aware for me. Lots of potential for a Peggy return, in a stint, recurring or full time capacity, but if it's going to be more of the same, without a genuine care for characterisation, she should stay in Portugal. Edited by The Other Slater Cousin, 18 Feb 2015, 02:56.
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| "I loved it in the Olden Days because you talked more. There’s more action now. You know, we would do scenes in the Rovers of me, Bet and Doris Speed with a cup of coffee each before we opened the pub, talking about absolute rubbish. But it was something, and it was what people do." - Betty Driver | |
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| Katie | 18 Feb 2015, 02:50 Post #3 |
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I don't think her return was needed, but I didn't mind seeing her again. I liked the scenes with Phil, and it seemed like there was a point to them as it allowed Phil to mention the passport to someone, although that could have easily been done with Billy instead. I liked the idea of Peggy going to confront Dot, as Peggy would definitely be wanting to get Phil out of prison and wouldn't be happy with Dot covering for Nick. I didn't really like the scene though, and I thought it was too short if they wanted to go from "I'm not happy you're covering for Nick" to "Why don't you come and stay with me in Portugal". The scene with Mick was the worst part of the episode for me. They made Peggy upset him just so he could tell her to get out. There must have been a better way to get that line in, with Peggy upsetting him in another way rather than talking about how clean the place was. Maybe she could have started by insulting Shirley? |
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| astrum1989 | 18 Feb 2015, 02:56 Post #4 |
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I don't mind how cheesy it is because I love seeing Barbara back but they could have used her better. It would have made a lot more sense if she had come to visit Ronnie in the hospital. I think the pub scene could have been magical if they hadn't used Danny. He was half smiling when he said to get out of the pub and it felt very much like breaking the fourth wall. I would have liked Linda behind the bar, Peggy taking a look around and some young hoody is pushed into the pub by his friends. Linda looks up and shouts 'get out of my pub!' Peggy smiles knowingly and leaves, the Queen Vic is in good hands. |
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| Mr Branning | 18 Feb 2015, 03:09 Post #5 |
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I get why they did it, but it's odd how the return of a legendary character was the least engaging part of an otherwise brilliant episode. It was almost as if other things were going on, and then they'd cut back to her and I'd think 'Oh yeah, Peggy's back too'. Though, actually, I didn't mind the Vic scene too much, even if the beer pump is seemingly indestructible. It was self-aware, it was cliched and poorly-acted. But then, it was Barbara Windsor. |
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| The Other Slater Cousin | 18 Feb 2015, 03:21 Post #6 |
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It's just upsetting that Peggy, arguably the last iconic living character from that generation, is not Peggy at all, but a poor extension of Barbara. It's all tacky and, despite her improvised attempts at it, the dialogue has no depth. Funny bough, I enjoyed her little moments with Phil tonight. The only times where it felt like Peggy. A character, not a caricature. |
| "I loved it in the Olden Days because you talked more. There’s more action now. You know, we would do scenes in the Rovers of me, Bet and Doris Speed with a cup of coffee each before we opened the pub, talking about absolute rubbish. But it was something, and it was what people do." - Betty Driver | |
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| Mr Branning | 18 Feb 2015, 03:26 Post #7 |
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I did prefer this appearance to both of her previous ones though, just because she did show a little bit of heart - with Dot and with Phil. She wasn't just the screaming banshee she's been on other occasions. I wouldn't really have changed her scenes with Phil/Dot and I'd still have had her gone to the Vic, but she'd have bumped into Sharon there instead. The two women could make peace with each other in the pub which means so much to them. It would have been a bit rushed, given the time constraints, but would have been so much more fitting. |
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| MrJames | 18 Feb 2015, 03:29 Post #8 |
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I'm thinking of it as a 'cameo'. |
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| Shaz1022 | 18 Feb 2015, 08:42 Post #9 |
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I think it's always great to see Peggy back even if she plays it more like herself these days. People get old and aren't the same as they were before , it's going to happen to all of us . I think it's good of her to take the time to do this. Barbara Windsor is one person who loves the show and it's more than just a pay packet to her. |
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| Josh | 18 Feb 2015, 09:04 Post #10 |
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I really enjoyed her return! |
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| MuteBanana | 18 Feb 2015, 09:41 Post #11 |
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That sounds much better. |
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| Jedi Pat | 18 Feb 2015, 11:34 Post #12 |
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Oh well, I just took it for what it was: a nice little nod to Barbara Windsor by giving her an innocent but basically harmless cameo scene in Peggy's beloved Vic. Did it feel contrived? Of course it did, but then so did Boris Johnson visiting the Vic. Did it feel unnecessary? Strictly speaking in terms of story development: yes. But on the other hand, Peggy was such a big part of EastEnders for nearly half of its history that it felt right she be included in the anniversary week, and could you really imagine Peggy visiting the Square without at least popping her head into the Vic? Could it have been better written/executed? Probably... the line about the tap was ridiculous, as the whole bar went up in flames, taps included. But on the other hand, what else could they do in the space of a minute with two characters who hadn't met before? For me the scene was fine the way it was... a nostalgic bit of fluff in an otherwise fairly dramatic episode. |
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| Shamelessness | 18 Feb 2015, 11:59 Post #13 |
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Important news, everyone: If you look carefully, the pump in question survived the fire:
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| Will Slater-Mitchell | 18 Feb 2015, 12:05 Post #14 |
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I'm afraid I must agree. I too hate to be negative as I thought overall the episode was brilliant but Peggys return added nothing. And unfortunately we have had more than one return from Peggy where it hasn't made any impact. I don't think these fleeting visits work. I think it would have been much better to come back for a couple of episodes. Disappointed they gave time to a sketch of Babs and Danny in the Vic, yet nothing with Sharon. I would have liked Peggy to meet Linda, maybe share a war story or two about being landlady, impart advice. Mick didn't even get to know he was talking to Peggy. Plus the bit about the sticky pump. Surely it would have been replaceced after the fire in 2010? |
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| See You Slater | 18 Feb 2015, 12:06 Post #15 |
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It was one for the fans, a nice, fun nod to the past. It wasn't necessary and in any other week it would have been pointless. This is 30th week, however, so it worked. |
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| JimRRR | 18 Feb 2015, 14:03 Post #16 |
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will we watching later today....so sorry to hear that peggy's return was not eventful |
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| John Boy | 18 Feb 2015, 20:12 Post #17 |
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S**t about covers it. No need for her to return. It was really for the fans. I can put up with her if the rest of the week continues to be good. [edit_reason]titivating[/edit_reason]
Edited by John Boy, 18 Feb 2015, 20:14.
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| Eastend boy | 18 Feb 2015, 22:22 Post #18 |
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Great post, this part of the reason I don't like Peggy character so much, I will always compare her with Pauline and Pat because the way I see it they were bigger more essential characters that brought more substance to the show, yes Peggy was a good character that added to the Mitchell unit and the show but she is minimal character in my eyes in contrast to Pat and Pauline who added to characters even beyond their families and were central to their families and part of legendary on screen pairings but the actors and characters were both treated second rate in contrast to Peggy/Barbara who producers refused to kill her off and keep bending over backwards to accommodate Barbara bringing her back for these Benidorm style cameo's even if it damages the credibility and quality of the show. Edited by Eastend boy, 18 Feb 2015, 22:29.
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| JimRRR | 19 Feb 2015, 04:57 Post #19 |
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totally enjoyed peggy's return...great to see her back in the square...Her and Mick....priceless |
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| Mrs Peel | 19 Feb 2015, 12:38 Post #20 |
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There was absolutely no need whatsoever for this scene at all. It was the weakest point of the whole week thus far and will be as such. It was something straight out of CIN, contrived to give the current Vic landlord an opportunity to throw Peggy's signature line right back at her and giving Peggy the opportunity to be mysterious and to reveal her true identity with a remark and observation, word-for-word, taken from Elaine Peacock's remark. DTC was obviously bound and determined to have a scene between Peggy and his own creation, so he contrived this. It sucked. Far better and classier for Peggy to have come in and introduced herself, had a quick look around and left. A scene with Sharon would have been more worthwhile, where Sharon showed her she was covering for Ben's error in giving The Arches away. |
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[edit_reason]titivating[/edit_reason]


3:27 PM Jul 11