Another month, another round-up of who our forum users are loving and hating in soapland…
The list excludes stalwarts such as Warren and Calvin (Hollyoaks), Michelle (Coronation Street) and Melody (Home and Away), because I’m sick of naming them every month and them still being here. Rest assured, though, they’re still hated round these parts…
Looking for a fatal bunch of daffodils
5. Luke Strong, Coronation Street
Apparently he’s just a plot device, and he’s ‘too perfect’. I’m guessing he’s either not long for The Street, or that perfection will wane pretty quickly. After all, they’ve already got Michelle and two perfect characters in the show wouldn’t work..
4. Danielle Jones, EastEnders
Weeks of non-cliffhangers with her threatening to tell Ronnie she’s her daughter have not only made most of us want to kill her, they’ve achieved the feat of making interesting characters such as Archie, Ronnie and the rest of the Mitchell clan become tedious by association. The real story for the wedding week should have been Archie’s control over Peggy. The Danielle story should have ended months ago. It’s not called tension, EE writers, it’s called torturing your viewers through sheer, utter, boredom.
3. Minty, EastEnders
A character who long ago lost any point, if indeed he had any in the first place. Apparently we are meant to believe he is a) too good for Heather and b) good enough for Josie Lawrence, when in reality, most women would run a mile from the moping, self-obsessed bore. But then EE has always had a strange habit of trying to convince us that utterly vile men (Ian Beale, Max Branning, the Mitchell brothers, Dirty Den) are sex gods.
2. Dan Fitzgerald, Neighbours
Oh, Fitzy. It started so well, but the last few months we have watched you being a complete tosspot towards Sam and being part of the most self-righteous couple in soap. I’m sure the scriptwriters want us to be on your side, but being vaguely fit isn’t enough any more. A horse-related accident (see Drew, Frazer) is what’s needed to restore some humility – or to kill you off, either would do.
1. Ravi Roy, Hollyoaks
The ‘Ravibot’ as forumusers have termed him, has never been a welcome addition to the show, but his non-reactions to anything have been excelled in the tedious bisexual-love-triangle plot. Whilst Gerard McCarthy (Kris) and Jessica Fox (Nancy) have tried their best with turgid, unbelievable material (though they’ve not quite managed to get away without looking a bit embarassed), Stephen Uppal’s Ravi has been the same as ever – dull, wooden and ratherlacking. It’s difficult to pin all the blame on Uppal’s portrayal, as the character has never been developed in any meaningful way by the scriptwriters. If rumours of a cast cull are true, he’d be one of our first choices to go…
Deserving of a strong cliffhanger
5. NuLibby Kennedy, Neighbours
Stepping into Kym Valentine’s shoes to play one of the most annoying characters in Ramsay Street wasn’t an easy task, but during her short stint as Libby, Michaela Banas proved she was a capable actress who even managed to find some warmth and humanity in Libby, which was a little confusing for those of us who usually hate Ms KennedyKirk. It would be great to see her back as another character some time, as she fitted very well into the soap.
4. Nicola Blackstock, Emmerdale
The comedy subplot she’s been involved in lately has divided our forum users, but she is much loved as a character, and a welcome kick up the arse for the village.
3. Rebecca Napier, Neighbours
After a very rubbish entrance into the soap, where it wasn’t clear if she was an abused woman or a hysterical fruitloop, Jane Hall has turned round some initial dodgy scripting to make Rebecca one of the most interesting and likeable characters in the soap. She deserves better storylines than despairing over Declan or having an on-off flirtation with Paul, though.
2. Jane Beale, EastEnders
Also deserving of better storylines is Jane. A strong, likeable character, the kind you feel you’d know in real life and you’d want on your side, she’s been lumbered with dull storylines about Ian trying to control her and comedy. The potential of an affair with Masood is something I can categorically say I Do. Not. Want., particularly as it would be good to see a couple of Walford marriages actually weather the storms for once.
1. Poppy, Coronation Street
One of the best new characters in the soaps, Poppy’s humour, brassiness and all-round fabulousness have put big smiles on people’s faces this month, and she’d be a very welcome permanent addition to the Street.
