"EastEnders" (1985) TV series 1985-????

Directors:

Indra Bhose
Dermot Boyd

Writers:

Colin Brake (writer)
Andrew Collins (writer)

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

19 February 1985 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The everyday lives of the inhabitants of Albert Square in the East-End of London.

Plot Keywords:

East End | Famous Opening Theme | Social Realism | Working Class | Soap Opera

Awards:

115 wins & 136 nominations

Cast

Steve McFadden	...	Phil (1,865 episodes, 1990-2009)
Adam Woodyatt	...	Ian / ... (1,819 episodes, 1985-2009)
Pam St. Clement	...	Pat / ... (1,564 episodes, 1986-2009)
Wendy Richard	...	Pauline / ... (1,406 episodes, 1985-2006)
Barbara Windsor	...	Peggy (1,371 episodes, 1994-2009)
June Brown	...	Dot / ... (1,278 episodes, 1985-2009)
Sid Owen	...	Ricky (994 episodes, 1989-2009)
Todd Carty	...	Mark (986 episodes, 1990-2003)
Ross Kemp	...	Grant (971 episodes, 1990-2006)
Letitia Dean	...	Sharon / ... (928 episodes, 1985-2006)
Natalie Cassidy	...	Sonia (881 episodes, 1993-2007)
Perry Fenwick	...	Billy (874 episodes, 1998-2009)
John Bardon	...	Jim (785 episodes, 1996-2009)

Also Known As:

East 8 (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (1985-1991) | Stereo (1991-)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Canada:PG | USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

In August 2006, the show went through a bad patch averaging only 3.9 million viewers per episode.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Phil and Grant are in the woods with Danny, the camera's shadow is visible several times.

Quotes:

Janine: [about Barry who died in a fall] If only his heart wasn't so full of love! If only he wasn't such a romantic! If only he'd worn slip-on shoes!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Room 101: (#9.2)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Theme

Love, action, drama and a half pint of ale

This engaging British series has been a favorite of mine since I was a girl. The families of this fictitious End London borough become familiar faces and names as the show follows generations of the characters thorough their lives. "EE" is more than a working-class soap opera---it's a genuine episodic drama, which is painfully rare here in the US. The storylines arc over months and years instead of days and weeks like American dramas are scheduled. Unlike many American "soap opera-type" series, the majority of episodes are penned by male scriptwriters. The action can be slow-building, but it is engaging. It takes a few viewings to understand who's who and what's what, but with all the websites devoted to this show, the details and characters can be sorted soon enough. Thanks to the advent of cable TV and the BBC America satellite channel, Americans can watch this cozy drama with only a slight lag behind their British counterparts. Grab your favorite ale and some fish and chips and try this show out.