With EastEnders over the past few years, we have never fully known what we are going to get from episode to episode – which is exactly how fans like it.
Of course, there are plenty of previews and interviews to whet the appetite of fans – I’d be out of a job if there weren’t!
But what sets the Walford soap away from other soaps and TV shows is the smaller nods that are there to treat the long-term viewers.
I’m not talking about the big, showstopping comebacks of characters who are sticking around – all soaps have successes with them.
But what I am respecting about EastEnders right now is the blink-and-you-may-miss smaller touches.
Who expected Joe Swash’s Mickey Miller to just randomly pop up in the market in the middle of a day-to-day episode?
He wasn’t back for long, but allowed some great continuity, giving us an insight into how his life had changed over the years and also gave us the chance to relive some of his relationships, most notably of all a surprisingly touching reunion with old mate Mo Harris (Laila Morse).
One thing soaps are often called out on is the inexplicable absence of faces. Why isn’t this family member back for the funeral of their own mum? Why wouldn’t such and such visit their beloved relative in hospital? And why wouldn’t X, Y, or Z pop back just for a visit to family or friends?
EastEnders is combating this perfectly and finding a way to inject realism back into the genre, at a time when it has to be more heightened than ever to keep up with streaming services’ mega popular thrillers.
Okay, it’s not always possible – if an actor doesn’t want to return then you can’t very well force them.
But there have certainly been plenty of instances in soap where stars just haven’t been asked, and opportunities for that little touch to be added haven’t been taken.
Cindy Beale returning from the dead was shocking enough, but one of the most-discussed moments from those episodes was the tiniest cameo from Fatboy Chubb (Ricky Norwood) during the flashback.
During the visit from David Wicks (Michael French), EastEnders unashamedly steeped everything in nostalgia, from his chaotic relationship with Bianca through to his chemistry with Cindy.
However, one of the most genius and caring touches was a call from Paul Nicholls’ Joe Wicks, a character we hadn’t seen or heard about in decades.
90s me gave a big thumbs up to that one!
A 30 second visit from Jake Moon added so much to the end of Chrissie’s return from prison, a secret moment to surprise the audience.
Denise Fox (Diane Parish) seeing similarities between herself and jailed Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet) led to a visit in prison and Jane Beale (Laurie Brett) finally showing up as part of one of the Beale family’s many crises was met with critical acclaim.
Some may just think that the effort of contacting actors and their PRs, arranging timings when they can come on set, negotiating fees and such like is just not worth it for a minute on screen.
But this is simply not true for viewers who appreciate these touches more than many of the more high octane storylines.
It helps breed that familiarity that the genre is known for – only soap can tap into their history like this; there are decades and decades of characters and family units and EastEnders is leading the way in making full use of this without crossing the line into gratuitous nostalgia for the sake of it.
Tuning in and still being able to get a nice little surprise will keep everyone engaged, in love with the characters and surprised – and this can only be a good thing for the future of soap.
Like Holly Barton’s recent return to Emmerdale and an upcoming vision of Richard Hillman in Coronation Street, it’s proof that the other soaps can do it too.
But EastEnders is surely at the forefront with the more subtle visits. With so many recently, it proves that actors who found fame in the soaps are more willing than you’d think to pay a visit and reprise the role, even for a tiny bit.
I hope TV continues to see this approach and take a leaf out of EastEnders’ book – it truly is nectar for the fans.
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