REACTING TO THE FIRST EVER EPISODE OF EASTENDERS (1985)

[@josephryan362]

She would have still been on the jon pertwee era of classic Dr who when she uploaded this video

[@derrenlodge6502]

You saw Nick Cotton there, son of Dot. Interesting fact:Dot was mentioned in later episodes,but she was not seen on screen until episode 40!

[@stickytapenrust6869]

Great profile pic!

[@jonbolton3376]

I'm looking forward to seeing your reaction to this. I've seen this episode a few times, not on it's original broadcast though. I got into it a few months later, i was 5, my mum was watching and i got hooked too, i stayed an avid fan until 2004. This show gave me my first crush at aged 5 lol, i used to fancy Sharon (Letitia Dean), not the only Eastenders character i've fancied obviously lol.

[@petersvillage7447]

Such a different show - TV writing was very different in those days. I love the little exchange between Den and Ali where one of them says something like 'and you'd just given up' - no lengthy talk about smoking, just a realistic, throwaway line that feels natural and tells us a little about the character. These days there's too much TV where characters talk like they're characters in a TV programme, if you see what I mean...

[@TheNoiseySpectator]

I don't watch much British TV, but I agree about the power of the more realistic dialogue. I don't think that was a "throw away line. There was _a lot_ of power and meaning in just those five words!

[@petersvillage7447]

@@TheNoiseySpectator I think you're right - it has the feel of being throwaway, but I dare say the real mark of proper writing is that it all serves a purpose. I have a feeling that in the 1980s writers for British TV tended to aspire to the precedent of theatre etc - even episodes of some great British comedies are essentially mini-stage plays - whereas now it's tempting to assume that writers are more influenced by a sort of pastiche of cinematic scripting...

[@TheNoiseySpectator]

@@petersvillage7447 Yes, I see. That is very insightful. : ) East Enders is very much loved by a few devotees here in America, too. I am beginning to see why.

[@petersvillage7447]

@@TheNoiseySpectator When it began Eastenders was perhaps a bit over-earnest, but nonetheless very committed to actually looking at social issues in a way that was actually helpful rather than just sensationalist. It was literally the first time I'd ever seen a gay character depicted as just incredibly ordinary - possibly just a bit boring, actually, and this was at a time when my schoolteachers were legally restricted in how they were able to depict the lives of gay people. Right in the middle of the AIDS epidemic it featured a main character with HIV and all of the family chaos, the fear and prejudice, that came with that... And in particular there was a plotline about a woman who was raped by a colleague - the long-term aftermath of that was depicted with particular care. It's rarely been a 'happy' show, but it was written by people who seemed to be committed to writing something meaningful about the issues they were covering. I'd even claim that seeing it when I was a teenager impacted my social attitudes for the better. I can't say this has been true of the show for a while now, but I'm glad to hear that somebody fresh to the show can hear what I hear in the dialogue style of the 80s...

[@jonbolton3376]

I will say a few uears ago UK Drama was playing the early episodes, and i watched them. Just in my opinion they were the best ones 80s and 90s episodes, maybe just because that's when i was growing up, and they have a lot of sentiment. Also i remembered many of the storylines.

[@user-en3qo5mj5x]

❤❤❤❤ I was born in 1979 i remember the first episode I was 5or 6 years old I watched it when I was at school and college was big fan back in my youth but I gave up watching it due to lack of interest

[@user-cw5qp7ty9t]

The show was never the same without den watts in it. He's the original king of the square

[@andrewbowman4611]

I would have been 9 or 10 when this was first shown. I remember it well! There are a few soaps on Britbox: Coronation Street, Crossroads, Brookside, even Casualty which isn't really a soap. All are worth a look. A few titbits of information for you: Leslie Grantham, who plays Dirty Den, got into acting while he was prison for murder. His mentor was Louise Jameson, who played Leela in Doctor Who. Susan Tully, who plays Michelle, was best known at the time for Grange Hill (which is also worth a look), and Wendy Richard had just finished playing Miss Brahms in Are You Being Served? Anita Dobson, who plays Angie, is now married to Queen guitarist Brian May, and actually released a single in 1986 called Anyone Can Fall in Love, which was the EastEnders theme with lyrics and has to be heard to be believed. There will also be some faces from this that will later appear in Classic Who. I won't say who, for fear of spoilers, but keep an eye out for them.

[@frankshailes3205]

I also remember the vocal version of the Howard's Way theme released as a single! Now that'd be a show Marie-Clare might enjoy. Lots of Who faces :)

[@andrewbowman4611]

@@frankshailes3205 Yes, Always There by Marti Webb, apparently. Of course, both themes were composed by Simon May, which probably isn't a coincidence!

[@peterwilliamskelhorn6675]

​@@andrewbowman4611i was born 6 years(February 1991) after Eastenders started in 1985

[@powerspyin2]

This was a reaction that I wasn't expecting. I've been watching the reruns of the old epidodes on the Drama channel, and it's been great for the most part. There are ways to watch all of Eastenders online btw.

[@user-vf9qc6io9i]

Although Cathy Beale is now 70 the actress who plays her (Gillian Taylforth) is 66. So back then Cathy Beale was around 34.

[@johng5859]

That was a great idea for a reaction. I don’t specifically remember seeing this episode on first broadcast - I was 5 at the time - but I certainly watched EastEnders from very early on, and it is hard to remember now just how ground-breaking it was in the 80s. Great to see all the old favourites again, especially Ethel and her little Willie. If you are up for an early EastEnders marathon, then so am I…

[@rozalinenelhams8307]

Yessss I was born in 1992 as well.

[@momosa6826]

I started watching when I was living in England, then when I moved to the U.S. I kept watching it on Sunday nights & I’m still watching it lol.

[@TheZodiacz]

Julia Smith, who co-created the series was the director of The Smugglers and The Underwater Menace in Dr. Who. Her co-creator, Tony Holland appeared in a small role in The Savages with William Hartnell.

[@hausofenders1027]

PLEASE KEEP WATCHING EASTENDERS!!! This was great!

[@battlegirldeb]

I would love to see you react to this show. I haven't seen this episodes in a long time. EE started coming on in the U.S. in 1987.

[@geoffbrundell4685]

I watch Eastenders from 2003-2005

[@stuartwho]

Pauline Fowler died at Christmas 2006. Actress Wendy Richard died in February 2009. David Scarboro who was the original Mark Fowler was written out and appeared on and off until 1987. Todd Carty took over in 1990 until 2004. Adam Woodyatt played Ian Beale until his final appearance in January this year. The only originals still in the show are Sharon and Kathy though she had a fifteen year break.

[@derrenlodge6502]

This first episode was written by Gerry Huxham and back in those days...only 2 episodes a week!

[@benbastianiartmusic1421]

Love the links between this episode and the 30th anniversary

[@markdavidson9100]

Wow great stuff, thank you 😊

[@awall1701]

I watched this when it was first broadcast and ITV trying to rival Eastenders with a short lived soap Albion Market

[@Problembeing]

I remember it when it was broadcast. I used to love Mary (the goth), think she shows up in episode 2…she’s depressing to watch really. Interesting character though. Always a nice way to start a shiny new soap… dead body.

[@Joey15811]

I got into a Eastenders because had to write and english essay in year 11 back in 2011 watched the first few months but I couldn’t find any after in think august

[@RichSouthend]

Loved this - please carry on and do more EastEnders :)

[@user-vf9qc6io9i]

Would be great if you did react as I reckon you'll have a great following like you already have with classic Who. If I'm to be honest EE was far better and more realistic back in those years when episodes were more on quality than quantity (was only then 2 episodes per week but far more gripping).

[@frankshailes3205]

A bit like the early "The Bill" which my brother and I were rivetted by / addicted to. Amazing overlapping storylines and gritty characters. It all went a bit soapy later.

[@paulbovey3666]

The Drama channel shows two episodes of Classic EastEnders from 1pm each weekday. It's up to 1998 at the moment - not far off from when you started watching it.

[@barriehull7076]

Ian Beale, Eastenders. Ken Barlow, Coronation Street, still in them from then till now? Haven't watched either for years. Corrie was always the lightest to me. Emmerdale Farm with Frazer Hines 1972 and 1994 then, Emmerdale now, only watch infrequently at a friend house.

[@1nelsondj]

If you want a soap to react to I suggest "Dark Shadows" starting with the arrival of Barnabas Collins in Collinsport, Maine. Prior to that it was a gothic type soap, at this point it took on supernatural themes. This was episode 211 in 1967, on DVD it's set #1. It ended 4 years later with ep. 1245 in addition to 2 theatrical films (before the Johnny Depp farce).

[@ListerDavid]

I was a wee 11 month old tot when this was aired, Christ I feel old. Lol

[@frankshailes3205]

!!! I was 16!

[@Loverboy19691]

Ah the 1980's, when Eastenders was good. I left school this year and started a YTS near Caerphilly. Everyone on my section would talk about it, ''Did you watch Eastenders last night'' ? I stopped watching on a regular bases in 2006, Christmas day, it just got too depressing and far removed from those times in the 80's of Den and Angie.

[@sadako24]

I've never been quite sure when the series started going to crap. Seemed like it happened in slow increment toward the end of the 90's. By 2002 it had become just plain noxious with its unpleasant storylines and characters. I noticed also that they kept trying to counteract the depressing moments with downright embarrassing attempts at comedy that felt like it was being written by teenagers. It used to be relatable, but come the 2000s it just became car crash viewing.

[@mark-s]

The first few years of eastenders would be great to react to but around 1988 when most the original cast started to leave it dipped for me perhaps until dirty den leaves would be good to react too

[@wresting9899]

It was more darker back then

[@GreatHealer.]

Far better than today's rubbish

[@wresting9899]

Phil wife kathy was killed off but return back in 2014

[@joshuajoshua2732]

Alittle off topping here. In Australia because I know Neighbours is also popular in the UK Neighbours started the same year and month as EastEnders did coincidence. Neighbours is also what kicked off Kylie Minogue's singing career and acting. I can see similarities between Ian Beale and Paul Robinson both still standing original characters who both their dads die in 1993 they had unlucky marriages and tragedys with their children and some of them serving time in jail. I do some times wonder if it's coindence or stolen plot.

[@andrewgwilliam4831]

I was a kid in the East End when it started. We all watched it! The sets, etc certainly *looked* like the real thing, and the people seemed real. Going to a secondary school that was around 90% non-White at the time, the diversity does seem lacking though.

[@Joey15811]

This reminds me, after you finish classic who, you should watch the children in need dimensions in time

[@cteasdale1979]

I was. 5

[@TheNoiseySpectator]

*East Enders is still Running??!* It has been on for _decades?_

[@deggsymarley]

Mark gets regeneration , Spoiler ,

[@Problembeing]

The original Mark was hot.

[@johng5859]

@@Problembeing A troubled soul as well, sadly. I remember it was a big shock when it was reported that he had taken his own life.

[@paulsmith7886]

Not hard to see why EastEnders caught on - rounded characters saying realistic dialogue in a real world setting. Plus it kicked off with a banger in Reg Cox being found beaten. This was far removed from Corrie (which no longer depicted modern english society by this point) and offered the exact kind of place one could see in and around London at the point in time. When EastEnders kicked off it was 2 episodes per week. A format it would stay with until 94 when it would expand to 3 episodes a week and then again to 4 in 2000. So you'll catch up in no time if you were to watch it up to/around that year.

[@thomasstevens2746]

Love how random this is

[@darynvoss7883]

Blimey

[@CountScarlioni]

Yikes, I can remember watching this when it first broadcast. I was a kid though, found little to hook me in and was bored by it! If I'm honest though, EastEnders never really did much for me even in adult life either. I can see from watching this though why it was such a major success. It's got every ingredient a soap needs and was solidly put together from the get go. It's good that the ever-catchy theme has remained pretty much in tact, save for a few polishings here and there. It basically got it right first time. Although I do recall in the 90s it adopted a really horrible saxophoned up "muzak" version for a few years. That was definitely better left forgotten!

[@thebarkaysfan1100]

where did you watch this? ty

[@davidbull7210]

EastEnders- spreading misery and depression since 1985. I was born in Australia and we got it in 1986, the same year we gave the UK Neighbours. Who got the better deal?

[@TheNoiseySpectator]

I am a third party; The U.S. So, I have a question for you. I have always thought East Enders was so popular because it was a "very British" show, that really showed what British people were like, and what attitudes and actions that they took made them distinct from just people in general. Of course to realize that, someone watching it would have to either be a foreigner, or a big consumer of non-British television. 1. Am right about that? Have you found the characters on "East Enders" are very much like real British people? 2. In your opinion, what are some of the _most_ "British" episodes or storylines? I am not asking for a _comprehensive report_ on the series, or anything, just whatever comes to mind. 😀 BTW, no, that Sociology diploma on my wall doesn't gather much dust. ✔️

[@RobDW24]

Corrie next?

[@frankshailes3205]

Didn't they build the Albert Square outside set on the site of the building site from "Auf Wiedersehen, Pet"? Sacrilege!

[@bananasaregood8655]

Coronation street next?

[@AerodeonThorne]

It’s amazing that it was picked up. It’s awful. Good reaction as always, though.