Civvy Street

This episode first aired on 22 December 1988 and was set during the second World War in the period between 1939 to 1945. The episode was written and directed by the creators of EastEnders, Tony Holland and Julia Smith. It looked back at the early life of the residents of Albert Square and featured a young Lou Beale, Ethel Skinner and Reg Cox, who was a minor character found dead in the first ever episode of EastEnders in 1985. Holland was most upset to discover that Dot Cotton had been too young during the war to be featured as a useful character and also complained that the major events of the war occurred in the wrong order for effective drama,Lou and Albert Beale were celebrating their marriage in Walford, and planning their happy life together when war was declared. Albert was conscripted into the army, leaving Lou and her three children, Kenny, Harry and Ronnie, behind. Lou's family rallied around including her mother, sister Flo and she also had a gang of friends including young Ethel, dodgy Reg and pub landlords Ray and Lil to keep her company. Lou worried that Albert would not return from war intact, and the episode saw her propositioned by another man in his absence, but she managed to stay faithful and she and Albert were reunited. Ethel's parents were killed by an enemy bomb while she was sheltering with Lou in Walford East tube station. Ethel was also torn between the amorous advances of a GI and her admirer William Skinner.

I have this on vhs somewhere and I find it really interesting?.

Yes, George.

Bloody hell... seriously?

Try and put stuff like this in General, General Thread as it's so odd and niche.

In fact - it can go here.

https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/4861/8/

Thats Your Opinion L.E

Thanks.

I didn't know about this programme which is on YT. It sounds quite interesting although I'm not a fan of Eastenders. I don't think there can ever be one story. London during WW2 is full of individual stories. For example, many children were evacuated although some stayed. Some streets were bombed but not all.

Due to family background, I like to think that I have an understanding of "cockney" London. EastEnders has always seemed like caricature to me. But then I'm South London. I don't have direct experience of that East End-going-into-Essex side of the city. And in fairness, Tony Holland wasn't born a million miles from there.

To an outsider, the accents of my past family members from inner South London would be no different to those in the soap. I can hear clear distinctions even though it is a stone's throw away geographically. But mainly the difference is about how it all feels. That Kray like gangster thing runs through the East End.

South London is more about spivs - away from its very strong values. Only Fools and Horses was not only accurate. At times, it was uncannily close to what I knew of people from that area. Many had lived through the war. But those born after it also carried a sort of legacy from the war years by being who they were.

Quote: george roper @ 6th November 2013, 1:14 AM GMT

Thats Your Opinion L.E

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Correct about my opinion.

But as a moderator I do like to encourage people to put posts in the correct threads. Please try and do that regarding Eastender's posts.