Do you still watch EastEnders or any soap operas?
Posted by Southern-Tailor-843@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 60 comments
Do you still watch these soaps? If so, what is keeping you watching?
Shoddy_Pie6514@reddit
Must be over 30 years since I last watched a soap.
xxxxxxxxxooxxxxxxxxx@reddit
I loved the “gangster” era of eastenders in the early 2000s but I do feel like soaps are a waste of time.
2 hours a week of mostly mundane storylines indefinitely? I’d rather just watch a movie or an hbo show with that time.
I remember some years back eastenders having a months long sub-plot about the bins not being emptied or rats in the bins or something, and just asking myself “why the hell am I watching this crap?”
pattybutty@reddit
Used to watch neighbours at lunch and Hollyoaks omnibus at uni, but it was always more fun as a together watch.
Gold-Creme-9597@reddit
Yep, partly habit/nostalgia. Personally I find it a better brain switch off than watching fame hungry lunatics on reality TV or endless programs about women who have been murdered that netflix and co seem to churn out.
QueefInMyKisser@reddit
I don’t watch any non-sport telly or streaming
PurpleBee212@reddit
Over the years my mum (now in her 80s) kept up variously with Coronation Street, Emmerdale Farm, Brookside, Take the High Road and The Archers, but she doesn't watch a single one now. She'll occasionally watch "classic" Corrie. They all got too melodramatic for their own good.
kewpiemoon@reddit
Used to watch Eastenders since I was a kid. Stopped watching in 2022 because the same storylines would just drag on and on
LikeEveryoneSheKnows@reddit
Same here, I watched religiously until that dreadful domestic abuse storyline that could have been so impactful, but they ended up making an absolute mockery of it.
hughesyg@reddit
I watch Corrie
Glittering_Box4815@reddit
Nope - I'll only watch the Christmas special of Eastenders, and even then, it's normally on the background.
eggs_and_ham_i_am@reddit
Why do you watch the Christmas one? How do you know what's going on and whose who?
Glittering_Box4815@reddit
I don't know who anyone is, and because it's on between Strictly and Call the Midwife.
Revolutionary-Rub231@reddit
Eastenders never! Emmerdale & Corrie always 😁
BurkesRoad@reddit
I still watch EE, but mainly out of habit, as I hate almost every character and hate the writers too.
GuybrushFunkwood@reddit
I think the last time I watched Eastenders Lofty was building on the courage to ask Michelle out.
eggs_and_ham_i_am@reddit
And did he manage too? I've never seen a soap opra6in my life but I'm invested now.
I may binge watch EastEnders, starting from episode 1, this weekend. How long will that take?
PiskieW@reddit
Lofty? Wasn't that Corrie 🤔
GuybrushFunkwood@reddit
Was it ? …. I could have sworn it was Eastenders the goofy dude with the glasses 🤔 …. Either way … it’s been a while 🤣
PiskieW@reddit
You are correct. I was thinking of the geeky one that married the gorgeous Rachel aka Sarah Lancashire in Corrie
Glad-Animator-1030@reddit
Curly
PiskieW@reddit
Yes! That's the chap
bacon_cake@reddit
Lofty? That's Bob the Builder mate.
XStaticImmaculate@reddit
I was a kid during the 00’s and a teen in the early 10’s when I think soaps were at their peak (Richard Hillman and the canal, Tracy Barlow bludgeoning her boyfriend with a statue, You Ain’t My Muvva). It was ridiculous and addictive - but better things came along and I haven’t genuinely watched in about 15 years but will pop it on if an iconic character is leaving etc.
Whilst I don’t watch the soaps anymore, I do still want them to succeed. Got a bit of a soft spot for them I guess.
intangible-tangerine@reddit
I listen to the Archers
I have watched TV soaps in the past so I'm not against them, but usually just when there was a particular storyline to chat about with people .
anotherwankusername@reddit
I think the cross section of people who watch soap operas daily and use Reddit is very small.
terryjuicelawson@reddit
Yep the only people I know who watch them are older, maybe don't even have a smart phone or internet at home, just have freeview TV - I think they just watch it as they have nothing else to entertain them.
cl0udzer00@reddit
Used to because my mum watches it and I got into it when I was young. But I stopped watching because I’m so behind on seasons and can’t be bothered to catch up haha
clfhw@reddit
I don’t, but my parents do.
I’m not sure if they even enjoy it anymore - I think they just watch it out of habit, and because the television is on with not much else to watch.
bacon_cake@reddit
My wife was the same before we moved in together. I challenged her to stop watching for a week and she completely lost interest.
Derezzed87@reddit
My mum watches Emmerdale and Corrie, and at least twice a week I hear "if they keep up this storyline, I'm going to stop watching!". She's been saying that for about 5 years.
Ashbuck200@reddit
Not anymore due to the high decline in quality
AndrewHinds67@reddit
No. They're utterly ridiculous, in particular Eastenders. Two dimensional characters, a cut and paste script and it's so bloody depressing.
nonoanddefinitelyno@reddit
My missus watches Corrie - I think she's just hate-watching these days because I'm fairly sure she gets no enjoyment from it. Apparently it used to be fun.
Dennyisthepisslord@reddit
I very occasionally see the end of EastEnders when something I wanna watch is on afterwards and I know a handful of the characters that show up on screen but they are like 10/20 years older than I remember. It's like bumping into someone you knew as a kid who was an adult and being shocked they are an old man now. It's a jolt that reminds me of my mortality.
macxjs@reddit
Emmerdale with my partner. Can't be arsed to get up and do something else whilst it's on ...
CocoRufus@reddit
Just Eastender since the first episode. Can still remember the very first line. Never watched the others
Esexboy101101@reddit
Not since Brooke ended.
Funky_monkey2026@reddit
Not soaps, but I regularly watch Still Game (watched the whole lot 3 times over), as well as Roseanne.
MrBoggles123@reddit
My wife watches Emmerdale and Classic Emmerdale.
I listen to the Archers quite a bit.
EnvironmentalCrow266@reddit
Every time I switch on EastEnders every once in 7 years, it's like nothing has changed- David with Carol or David with Cindy.
Geezer-McGeezer@reddit
Soap was the best Soap.
pjwlondon@reddit
I keep in touch with the latest trends in Australian beachwear. That's all I'll say.
mister_meaner7@reddit
No the last time I watched a soap it was when EastEnders did the ronnie and kat baby swap. That was me done I just thought these are just getting stupid. When was that? 20 years ago?
SchnaffSchnaff@reddit
I stopped in my teens in the 90's when I realised I was watching two hours a night of people yelling at each other.
Lemondrizzles@reddit
I have just started a re watch of the original Dynasty from the 1980s
AdPrize5104@reddit
I'm 27 and I watch Emmerdale :)
SimplyFootballNet@reddit
Haven't watched TV since 2006, except for sport.
I hate both not having agency over what I am watching - and the long adverts.
Various-Advice-9768@reddit
I still watch Emmerdale 🤣 unsure as to why but normally save them up so theres 3 or 4. It can’t be long before they all die off though looking at the viewing figures the big three average 3.5 million. 20 years ago that was 12 million. 30 years ago 18-20 million. I wonder what the salaries are like now compared to back in the day ??
Chefdangerous-09@reddit
Hollyoaks used to be ok back In the day
gentletonberry@reddit
My grandparents used to watch Coronation Street but I think by the end it was out of sheer habit. Don’t watch any myself, seems like the era of soaps is long past.
poppyedwardsPE@reddit
My mum still watches Eastenders, I think it's mostly out of habit than love tbf
L-0-T-H-0-S@reddit
Blackmail. Grant Mitchell has dirt on me and now I'm jast his pappet. I hav' to watch. I hav' to.
No-Extension-2378@reddit
I watch Emmerdale and Coronation Street religiously. Even through the worst storylines. I have done since I was a child and don't see myself stopping.
martinbean@reddit
Still watch? Didn’t in the first place, mate.
Flippin_Heckles@reddit
I'll watch the Richard Hillman storyline for background noise now and then...
THIS IS IT! I LOVE YOU! 🌊 🚗
Separate-Frame-7038@reddit
Never did, never will.
TazTazTAZTazTaz_@reddit
I’ve seen you on the Hollyoaks sub tf you on about?
OneDay_OneLife@reddit
I'm in my 30s, and I got laughed at for watching EastEnders.
I started watching when I lived with my mum and dad, I can't say I practically enjoyed it, but I enjoyed the conversation and silly jokes about it with my parents.
Hookton@reddit
I currently have far too much time on my hands and started watching three eras of Coronation Street despite not having watched absoap in about 20 years.
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