Episode discussion for week starting 20 February

Last year, when Norman told Jean he'd had five wives, she said, "I'm like that with cardigans. Have to try a lot on before I decide." Jean is probably right, people are like cardigans.

awwww I love Matt Lapinskas! And Tyler and Whit make a really nice couple:')

Derek is a god awful character, unrealistic and just plain cringeworthy to watch. why do the writers pull in every 5 years a gangster type characrter that doesn work, and then pullin a few cronies to back the chacter up when its not working and then they get killed off only to start the cycle again a few years down the line, give it up and put some more real characters in, as the great ones are leaving, has a feel of a singking ship and rats sometimes. a shame as tehre are real glimmers of excellent storylines sometimes.

Jason - I couldn't agree more. I have never written a comment like this before, and please Eastenders production team, don't think It must be a good thing that I have now. I have watched the show for years, and the character of Derek seriously puts me off the show. He's just such a badly realised caricature of a gangster, but in such a sad way. It really feels like lazy development, the Branning brother could have been a more real person, rather than a panto villain, and not even one you can love to have. Read the forums people, people don't like him.

OH well no more eastends for me derek is not a gangster he is a very sick person all you see him doing is threatening women and old people how sad he as took the joy out off eastends. he also makes me feel so sick

Here, Here I couldn't agree more, I always looked forward to watching eastenders on TiVo after a long shift, glass of wine and eastenders, not its beastenders, I hate Derek in eastenders, Jack and Max were better characters without him, Just plain sad now.

I agree with u all Derek needs to go but I doubt the eastenders team would get rid of him so soon his probably signed a 5 years contract or sumfin lol

Derek seriously you got bad man action good character but it freaks me out when he talks! Jean is weird. i'm glad fatboy mends his soul and amira and anthony seriously come on!

I like Derek as a character. He's been in the show for just over 4 months so I think Eastenders can start to develop the character. He has the potential to be a very interesting character, but whether the scriptwriters deliver is a different matter...

i hate derek so much need bring grant back to kill him

i know jean not like her charcter in rea life buut she a brill actress

my other comment got deleted but on the just dance blog about jane and kim i just wanted to say that jane looked like a man

:O why do u guys hate derek??? micheal and him are the only reasons why i watch the show!!! since yusef and rob went :( also please use my storyline where dot and fatboy get together plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Why are producers / publicity department still pushing the rubbish that Derek is loved by viewers. When you read this site and also the Digital Spy site you see how much the character is loathed and viewers are switching off BECAUSE OF HIM. He is just a joke and the comments all seem to back up this opinion. I have switched off now and i hope that producers take the advice of many and get rid before all the love is lost ... If heather is to die ... use it as an opportunity to get rid of Derek by making him the culprit and you get rid without egg on face. Producers can change storylines very quickly when things are not liked by viewers- the baby swap plot is the prime example ... DO SOMETHING before more viewers leave like I have after 20 years ... I am eager to come back but will stick with Emmerdale until its sorted as that is so much stronger at the moment.

@Rachel - yeah I agree! Jean said that men are like cardigans you spend ages choosing one and then you grow out of them!!! Xx

I loathe Derek! Such an awful guy. I hate the way he sets Jake up against Roxy. Eastenders used to be my favourite show of all but now...... A little more love in the show would be a good thing, I think.

loving all the moon boys together even if now anthony and tyler are arguing. Loved Alfie and Michael sorting out the young ones.

Sorry Derek, my days watching Eastenders are numbered.

If there is any program most contributing to the demise of this county, it will eastenders. Character of Derek is not portraying any reflection of the real life in this country but it portrays what does not happen.

Drama that fills my living room 4 nights a week at prime time of TV, should be uplifting, hope raising, encouraging, motivating and heartwarming.

Would it not be better if we portray those who are successful, inteligent, innovative, honest, just, hardworking, charitable and kind in this program. We have them in abundance in our society, why don't we promote the good?

You guys have issues.. Saying all of this stuff about Derek is ridiculous. I think he's a great character, I dont get why hes hated by many, If you wanna switch off because of him, then do so please, you ain't a proper fan.. There are people like Derek out there, what gives you the idea there "Isn't"? *His character is unrealistic* No. You do realise, it's just TV and not reality? It's for entertainment purposes, which I enjoy a lot. You people dont like baddies in Eastenders so you switch off, you ain't a proper fan.. I think you should stick to chick flicks, Eastenders obviously isn't for you.

I feel sorry for Jamie who plays his character, he plays him well and his character is getting hated by many for silly reason.

As I said, if you switch off because of something like that, you aint a proper fan. I'll never switch off Eastenders no matter what.

@ becs, yeah me too!!! Dereck is okay as an actor and a character but hopefully jack and roxy will stop arguing.

Whitney and Tyler look so great together a potty fanboy has a broken heart. I would dread meeting a man like Derek only here and everyone is his enemy jack and roxy need to stop fighting and derek needs to keep his nose out of it an mind his ps and qs I love eastenders and will never turn the channel on it I don't think Amy is stuck in the middle of her parents arguing poor her jean your so funny cardigan a good example

and amaira letting Antony down sad moment hell find someone he truly deserves I a,do agree with hadyn

derek havent got a daughter called christie i read somewhere it might not be true but derek have got a daughter and she very close to home it lauren his "niece" but derek do look so angry all the time his face scare me but not in a bad way

Been watching Eastenders for many, many years, sometimes it's good, sometimes it's okay, sometimes it's excellent. But at the moment EE is spoiled by just one character: Derek Branning.

The sooner this character is lost from the show, the better. I keep watching, because the wonderful June Brown is still there, and many other good characters. But to be honest, when I miss a couple of episode, I don't really care at the moment.

To all the people who say they don't like Derek Branning.... Of course you don't. You are not meant to like him. His character profile is a typical protagonist and villain type, which has been a staple character type in the show since day one. Nick Cotton, Dirty Den, Mad May, Johnny Allen to name a few others. Did people switch off when Little Mo was being beaten up by her boyfriend? No, they voted for Mo to recieve awards and then cheered when she hit him with an iron.

I agree that EE needs more light-hearted moments, and losing Heather is going to be a big mistake, but as for not watching the show because they have introduced a villain.... it's a bit like walking out of a pantomime because the wicked witch just poisoned snow white with an apple.

i think derek branning is a brill character he shows what some family members can be like i would to see him slapped by a women and i would like to see a domestic violence being coursed by a women as in real life women do domestic violence on blokes to not just men please

shirley was brilliant tonight i really liked her scenes with jack & derek :)

Tbh I don't think there is anything wrong with derek . Ok he may be a bit vile sometimes but your not ment to like him he is a villain and he make the show exciting to watch . The story line with him and rozy is very interesting and plays it really well so for all them people sat at home turning off your tv then more fool you cos u have no Idea wht you missing .. He brings the show to a hole different level xxxx

I like derek. He just needs to show what he is actually supposed to be capable of.



On another note..Anthony moon is so sweet :)

Anthony is so sweet but i think tht he should be with someone else ... i think amira is a user and is tryin to make syed jealous

stop moaning about derek, he adds action and excitement to ea tenders .......

For me Dereks character adds no value whatsoever, he could be scary if he was nice sometimes like Michael, but as he is just horrible then there is no way to sympathise with him or like him in any way. East end gangsters treat their family and friends like royalty and are just mean to everyone else Derek is just a vile character. He makes me uncomfortable to watch him and want to switch off.



I also find it hilarious that Zainab gets away with being so awful to everyone all the time she is the most annoying character (bar Derek!)



Gutted that Heather is leaving and love everyone else in Eastenders. Nice to see a black guy in a non stereotypical role in Morgans Dad too.

One more thing also agree it was wicked seeing all the Moon boys together the chemistry with those three is amazing and really believable. Absolutely love Michaels complex character too hes like a male version of Ronnie just seems to be able to be happy now which is much more rewarding as a viewer.

This is so frustrating. Here in South Africa we're several episodes behind & I can't find any other way to get my point across than to "hijack" this thread (sorry!). Please ask the scriptwriters to watch each other's episodes - there's just no continuity. Jay is at the Arches with Ben when the cops arrest Phil. Ben tells Phil "Happy Birthday, dad", when he's shopped him and yet, in the next episode, Jay believes Ben had nothing to do with it! Today Tanya "hates" Jane for abandoning her to go to Cardiff - but in the previous episode, it was Tanya herself who set up Jane's interview for the job. Come on producers/script supervisor - keep it on track. And if we have to see the melodramatic acting of Derek as he glares up at another window again - well ....

I love Eastenders so much and I intend on watching it for a long time. But it really is going down hill! Its almost as if their desperate to get ratings up so their rushing into storylines which have the potential to be great if they are built up to and they are stretched out a bit to make it more dramatic. Also, to many characters are leaving, both small and vital characters. They really need to stop getting rid of the older characters and introducing younger ones. Maybe their trying to make it more appealing for younger viewers, and i dont mind that, but that dosnt mean they have to get rid of all the other characters! There not giving us time to adjust and get used to the new person before they bring another one in! just slow down! Apart from that, I really want phill to come back and I want Amira to fall in love with Anthony! I think it would be so cute if she actually loved him! Anthony deserves that. Otherwise, she should just leave him. Love you Eastenders!

I do think they are adding a lot of teenage characters but EE is still enjoyable!

Get rid of Derek, he's unrealistic, stupid, pays illegal poker (how is he not back inside). He broke Davids phone (again same question)

He beat up David as well (this was a while ago)



I just do nt lik him .

Does anyone know where Janine's striped coat is from on tonight episode please (2nd March) I gotta get my hands on that coat :)

stevie - my take on that was that theyre all family. they were already annoyed at ben stalking phil. phil loves his son. they didnt think ben would stoop so low and they were in denial. they didnt want to believe it. it wasn't till ben said that speech that they chucked him out

wonder when janine will file for divorce from ryan lol