THAT’S it folks, EastEnders’ 40th anniversary week is over – and the live episode went off without a hitch – apart from killing a beloved character off anyway.
The BBC does like to shock viewers and this week it achieved it – but it wasn’t in the live episode.
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For months and months and months, old faces from Walford’s history have been popping up to celebrate the show and its past to mostly great success.
And with Grant Mitchell and Nigel Bates back in the cast – there was the feeling that this week would have a big return to eclipse all others.
Think Cindy Beale, or Dirty Den – that level of shock comeback.
It’s safe to say they absolutely delivered with Anita Dobson’s brief comeback as Angie Watts.
Pitched perfectly as Sharon lay trapped in the rubble, Angie appearing and giving her the voice to scream for help.
A total surprise, a total joy and a much-needed injection of emotion into an otherwise weirdly flat week.
Reiss getting crushed by a bathtub was a fitting end for EastEnders’ worst ever killer – and that’s including Gray Atkins.
The reveal of Kathy being Cindy’s attacker fell flat.
And then tonight in the live for Martin Fowler to be killed off was probably a very large mistake – especially how it was done.
Are we really expected to believe that Martin and Stacey would stand around for half an hour chatting rather than getting out of the actively collapsing building?
Two devoted parents with about 82 children between them waiting for them to emerge?
I can believe Angie Watts clawed her way back from the dead to save Sharon, I don’t believe Martin and Stacey would’ve stayed in that building.
And that’s the problem. It’s actually quite a big problem for a soap when story overtakes character like this.
You want a big emotional moment, a shocking moment that will have everyone talking – but to kill off the first character born on Albert Square – he deserved better.
It’s not a stretch to say that the idiotic decision to kill off Ronnie and Roxy cost EastEnders millions of fans – look at the ratings.
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But at least you could believe their deaths. Of course Ronnie would try to save Roxy and of course they’d end up dead together.
Martin and Stacey’s demolition chit-chat isn’t believable. But my God Lacey Turner pulled out the performance of a lifetime to make us believe it.
In fact her and Bye deserve all the awards – shared with Anita Dobson and Steve McFadden for his work as Phil Mitchell this week.
We mustn’t forget that it’s only a few weeks since Lacey gave birth and she is still on maternity leave, having filmed the non-live episodes weeks ago.
To pull off that level of performance is nothing short of outstanding.
It made a terrible decision bearable – for now at least. EastEnders may regret killing off its most beloved everyman.