Eastenders' selling point when it started out in the 1980s was that it was 'true to life'. You couldn't move for people telling you, constantly, how 'true to life' Eastenders was.
I thought it was supposed to be about real issues, which is a bit different. Apart from the awful gangster period a few years ago it doesn't always do a terrible job of representing social attitudes and problems that people have. It does have a bit of a repetitive cycle though - gays, abuse, teenage pregnancy, hiv, adultery, gays, domestic violence. And I admit to enjoying some of the outrageous extra stuff too, even if I do dip in and out a bit.
I'd say the general standard of Eastenders is pretty good, and as an exercise in telly it's interesting that they manage to churn out two hours worth of scripts a week all year.
To contribute a bit more, ITV as a channel should be left to die.
Also Songs of Praise. Pointless.
