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| How to solve a problem like Jay; Jamie deserves screen time | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: 5 Jul 2015, 19:48 (8,989 Views) | |
| Blades' receptionist | 5 Jul 2015, 19:48 Post #1 |
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Jamie Borthwick is so underused, and even though he may have more scenes when Kathy returns, how exactly? As support for Ben? A sounding board for Phil and/or Sharon? Jamie seems very committed to the show and his character screams potential, but is it going to be recognised? |
| "They don't know that we know that they know" | |
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| See You Slater | 5 Jul 2015, 19:51 Post #2 |
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I firmly believe Jamie Borthwick could tackle absolutely anything thrown at him. I wish the writers would finally move him out of the Mitchell shadow. |
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| Mr. Right | 5 Jul 2015, 19:55 Post #3 |
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How to solve a problem like Jay? It's simple and takes only five words to explain. Give him a fucking storyline. |
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| Blades' receptionist | 5 Jul 2015, 20:00 Post #4 |
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I agree. I think he could be given the toughest storyline there is and be amazing. |
| "They don't know that we know that they know" | |
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| Shamelessness | 5 Jul 2015, 20:01 Post #5 |
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Anorexia, male rape, self harm, drug dependency... All things I can imagine Jamie Borthwick excelling at portraying. I really think he's due a Lacey-style "moment" where he gets realised for the asset he is, and after that he won't be second fiddle to Ben ever again. |
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| Blades' receptionist | 5 Jul 2015, 20:02 Post #6 |
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He doesn't deserve just any storyline though, he deserves something to get his teeth into. I don't see how he will have a place in the Ben/Kathy scenario, unless Lola leaving and being the mother of Kathy's granddaughter is going give way to something happening. |
| "They don't know that we know that they know" | |
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| Blades' receptionist | 5 Jul 2015, 20:04 Post #7 |
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I agree. For me, Jamie is the Lacey equivalent just from small scenes over the years. Jay talking to Billy in his bedroom when he's having to keep Heather's death a secret is in my top 3 scenes of Eastenders ever. It's a shame I can't find it on youtube. |
| "They don't know that we know that they know" | |
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| Dave Sullivan | 5 Jul 2015, 20:06 Post #8 |
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The thing is though without the Mitchells, Jay hasn't got a lot going for him at the present time. The show lost Stephen Lord and as a result Jay became a spare part and was settled into the Mitchell clan so they didn't lose Jamie Borthwick more than the character of Jay. |
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| MrJames | 5 Jul 2015, 20:06 Post #9 |
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Precisely what I think. Once he has been given the spotlight, there will be no stopping him. He's the perfect candidate for anorexia. I'd love to see it. Seeing him curled up in a ball in the garage after Heather's death will stay with me for a long time. He was perfection. Edited by MrJames, 5 Jul 2015, 20:07.
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| Jamie Fowler | 5 Jul 2015, 20:15 Post #10 |
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I have such mixed feelings about Jay and the Mitchells. On one hand, I'm very aware that if not for the association with the Mitchells he would likely have been gone years ago but on the other, I'm so sick of him playing second fiddle to Ben. I could shake the production team for having such a talent in their midst and doing nothing with him. I really hope he has something big coming up soon - he's pretty much the only character from DTC's original tenure that has had nothing. |
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| Blades' receptionist | 5 Jul 2015, 20:23 Post #11 |
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Same here, those aftermath scenes, for me, were all about Jay; no one else. |
| "They don't know that we know that they know" | |
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| The Other Slater Cousin | 5 Jul 2015, 20:23 Post #12 |
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I don't think I've ever heard anyone say they disliked Jay, whether it be online or in real life. We've grown with him. We know him. Isn't that the perfect type of character to throw something massive at? It's such a shame he's so underused, as he has been proving his worth since adolescence. He was absolutely perfect in the Heather storyline. He needs that scene. That "Stacey getting sectioned" scene where everyone sits up and thinks "Wow". A friend of mine had testicular cancer a couple of years back, and the idea of a teenage boy getting it was something so shocking to all of us. As a young male, cancer often seems like something that could affect you when you are older, but never in your "prime". Jay could be the perfect character to tackle something like that. A young lad in the prime of his life. Raising awareness for young people who may be watching. The thing as well, with testicular cancer, is the emasculating effect it can have if removal is the only option. That would be interesting to explore, as Jay is very much a Mitchell man. I know we have seen cancer a few times, but it's never been explored in men as much and I also think there should be a storyline that clearly shows the harshness of the chemotherapy on people, because soaps don't explore that enough. Look at how gritty The C-Word got. There's some real heartbreak there, not just for Jay, but for the entire Mitchell family. I don't know, that's my dream story for Jamie to tackle. Edited by The Other Slater Cousin, 5 Jul 2015, 20:24.
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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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| Jedi Pat | 5 Jul 2015, 20:24 Post #13 |
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Maybe Jay could have been given Lee's depression storyline. But that would only shift the problem because Lee is a character that deserves to be fleshed out as well, him being the least developed Carter so far. Problem with Jay is he's been made part of a clan in which he'll always play second fiddle... to Phil and Sharon, to Ben, even to his ex-girlfriend Abi. I'd like to see him move away from that dynamic and get him involved with a different set of characters. It's done Nancy the world of good becoming part of the Masood family, so why not have Jay strike up a friendship with Martin, or Lee, or Tamwar even, and see whether the characters work well together? Also, he's a young adult - why would he keep living with the Mitchells? Let the guy get a place of his own, with one or two flatmates. Bit like Gary and Minty, only younger. |
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| Londongirl89 | 5 Jul 2015, 20:29 Post #14 |
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Jay is going to have a big storyline with Lola. |
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| WalfordCommon | 5 Jul 2015, 20:31 Post #15 |
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It's frustrating because it's so obvious what a natural young talent they have on their hands and I don't think anyone can understand why they're not utilising him more. I'm desperate to see him with something really good. |
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| Blades' receptionist | 5 Jul 2015, 20:32 Post #16 |
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I still don't feel like we know Jay enough. I think Stacey is a rare thing in soap - she doesn't need a family to make an impact, it just happens. I feel like Jay also needs a Stacey-moment to do that. Jamie is like Jake Wood - he could be given the most boring storylines (with Max it's affair after affair) but we still like the character mainly due to the wonderful performances from the actor. Therefore his embedding into the Mitchells was a way to allow him to stay in the show, but I don't think he actually needs them anymore - he just now needs a storyline to propel him to the top of the show and then he can be written in his own right, like Stacey now is being. |
| "They don't know that we know that they know" | |
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| Blades' receptionist | 5 Jul 2015, 20:33 Post #17 |
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Do we know any details?
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| "They don't know that we know that they know" | |
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| The Local Butcher | 5 Jul 2015, 20:37 Post #18 |
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Things will change. Things will change. Things will change. Yeah that's right. Relax. Just keep saying it. I mean if someone had told us 3 years ago that Shabnam and Kim would take centre stage one day we probably would have sectioned them. Seriously the way they treat Jamie is pretty disgraceful. Capable young actors are hard to find never mind ones that are content with doing soap long term. Springboarders like Sam Strike and Ben Hardy come and go getting some great exposure in the brief time they're there whilst poor Jamie remains in the shadow. His loyalty unrewarded and his talents wasted. Edited by The Local Butcher, 5 Jul 2015, 20:37.
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| Warning: Posts made by The Local Butcher may contain sarcasm, frustrated expressions of fatigue in the face of Eastenders' neverending insanity, desperate and ill-conceived attempts to be funny, controversial opinions and nuts. Not necessarily in that order. | |
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| Londongirl89 | 5 Jul 2015, 20:42 Post #19 |
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Not much. Just that it has something to do with Lola's departure. content://com.sec.android.app.sbrowser/savepage/0628151820.mhtml |
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| Blades' receptionist | 5 Jul 2015, 20:45 Post #20 |
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The link doesn't work for me, but if it's to do with Lola's departure, I doubt he and Ben will stay friends then - that's if Ben remembers that he has a daughter! |
| "They don't know that we know that they know" | |
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7:48 PM Jul 11