I love you, I always will -

Matty is apparently supporting Moira while working for Robert, who is building up a farm empire while Sarah is hanging out more with the Sugdens and there is a whole Yellowstone vibe where Joe is looking down on Robert from up on the hill.

Meanwhile on screen, these people aren't having scenes together and there are no farm wars, only a petty remark from Moira about meat contracts.

But I have read enough to know who is a priority for this show and who isn't, and it definitely isn't Robert Sugden, 40 year old legacy character who's current actor they have never allowed a serious story worthy of his talent.

I don't care who I'm not supposed to blame, I don't care who's "fine" with it. I don't care what the other actors say or who they praise.

This wasn't right, it was a train wreck, and there is no end in sight.

They have lied to themselves to the point they all believe it now. Robert is to blame for everything. Never mind that he was dying in there. I just know how this whole Sadie thing will turn out as well. With Robert as punch line of another "joke".

My love for the show is turning into contempt. The only saving grace is the way Ryan has faithfully portrayed Robert this whole time, well up until recently when they really gave him no choice.

I'm offended, disappointed, and a bit horrified over what seems to be going on bts.

3 murder cover up stories

3 villains that were killed and their victims or adjacent people having to pay instead of them

Several repetitive sagas: the Ray aftermath, Cain’s cancer, Kev’s merry go round,

Stories that can’t seem to continue what they started and keep mutating into something else: the baby story (and all its many iterations), the Joe saga

Atrocious pacing

3 new/returning additions who have been inserted into multiple stories thereby overloading them unnecessarily to the point at least some part of the audience is annoyed with them: Graham, Kev and Serena

Multiple characters leading stories that have been made to be very unlikable: Paddy, Cain, Moira, Caleb (and probably Ruby coming up), Gabby to some degree, Dawn since they keep making her so wishy washy, Marlon, Rhona

Multiple Villains and Antagonists being made into victims: Ray, John, Dr Todd, Kev, Joe

3 new villagers to add to the “I’ve killed someone club”, the fastest growing group in the village: Vic, Bear and Sarah to join Moira, Robert, Belle, Kyle, Kerry, Joe, Charity, Ruby, Dawn, Angelica, kind of Jimmy since he was partially responsible for Paul and Dawn’s deaths, and Aaron and Sam who helped loved ones die.

2 stories being driven by toxic masculinity with Cain and his bullshit and Caleb and trying to get his edge back.

5 new romantic relationships that were rushed, developed off screen, only existed for fodder for other stories: Lewis and Vinny, Belle and Kammy, Kerry and Jai, Billy and Gabby and Ross and Laurel

Multiple stories being written around exit stories because they axed people: Noah leaving, the constant throwing Vinny under the bus in this Kev story for Vinny’s eventual exit, this whole nonsensical Joe and Dawn saga for Dawn’s exit, this last ditch Jimmy and Nicola relationship stuff so they can kill Jimmy off.

Multiple stories/characters having to be written around because the actors are going off to do other things because the show isn’t paying them enough: Aaron’s sporadic schedule so Danny can do the Apprentice, whatever they do with Mack so Lawrence can go do Strictly, Mandy missing half of the Paddy and Bear stuff so Lisa could go do I’m a Celebrity, whatever happens with Lewis so Bradley can go do Panto plus his wedding and book tour absences and apparently Rosie is also doing panto?

4 stories that Robert and Aaron were a part of but apparently they weren’t “their stories” so it was okay that their material has been shallow and plotty: John’s death and Vic’s exit, the IDs plot, the Arson plot and Serena’s arrival and bringing up John.

Several characters that thus far have gotten nothing this year, no real story about them: Chas, Liam, Mary, Matty, Robert, Aaron, Manpreet, Charles and Claudette, Ryan, Noah…other than his two second exit story, same for Tracy.

Characters who technically had stories but they were tiny and should have been more fleshed out: Arthur’s sudden anger, Kammy’s homelessness story

I’m sure there’s more things but…that’s all I have for now.

Robert/Jackie/Sandie edit

HELLO! i have a question for you, my dear - what are your favourite fics by smaller/lesser known authors? preferably ones written this year but any are greatly appreciated

hi anon, you did send this yesterday but i am slowww

not sure who you'd define as lesser known so i'm just going with fics i haven't seen shouted about that much

Robert Sugden is an idiot by ao3 user we_definitely_do_not_have_a_song, published 2023, is one of my favourites, i've read it a bunch of times and reallyyyy love it (they have 92 emmerdale fics so def not lesser known, but i don't hear about them very often so giving a shout out here)

This heart has its beating, this heart has its bruise by storiesthatmakeus is the last one they published back in 2018 and i love it, praying every day for their return

Five Times: Roblivion Family Fics series by miss_whimsy (2016-17) which now looking at it definitely inspired my recent robliv fic so i owe this series a shout out, it's so lovely and sweet, like a nice warm hug

Sky's Still Blue by LoftyLou22 from earlier this year - robert getting support? emmerdale could never

All Miller said (in an admittedly awkward and not very tactful way): Robert and Aaron’s relationship is underpinned by a strong friendship and not solely on sex (which can be a stereotype of queer male relationships).

This is different from couples like Coira whose relationship is largely underpinned by sex and who constantly cheat on each other as a result.

This basis of friendship means they don’t need to be constantly physical with each other to show they are still in love.

Miller was probably just trying to explain the lack of affection so far this year. And while there are real issues with the lack of warmth and general affection between them as of late (and I do think sex underpins far more of their relationship than he suggested) his comments do not suggest or imply that they will never kiss again or that they will high-five at the alter if /when they get married again.

hi anon!!!! thank you for the request, i think it’s exactly what the fandom could do with right now!!! here’s just a tiinnyyy selection of some of my faves this year:

endless grey conundrums (painted black and white) by @mellaithwen

[desperate for revenge, cain takes things too far, but it’s kyle that ends up finding robert tied-up, beaten and bloody in the dilapidated barn behind wishing well. oneshot. 5.5k.]

something blue by @whimsywooo

[aaron is ready to settle down and marry his boyfriend of two years: john sugden. everything is fine until he decides to seek out john's moody estranged brother to come to the wedding. romance and insanity ensues. multi-chapter. wip.]

you are cordially invited to by @aaronsugdens

[if aaron never goes to another wedding in his life, it will be too soon. with all the peripheral dingles coming out of the woodwork, he’s at a wedding almost every other weekend at this stage.

when he was younger, there was a period of time where he had been so incredibly alone, no relationship with his mum, no way in hell he was going back to his dad, no friends or family to speak of. that version of him would look at him now in wonder and awe, and aaron’s sure current him feels that way too, somewhere. underneath the exhaustion and weariness and irritation at being asked by yet another distant relative if he’s up next, he’s definitely appreciative of how his life has turned around. well, definitely is a bit strong.

he’ll probably feel better about the whole thing once he’s completely pissed at the afters. oneshot. 19k.]

and i start to forget all the reasons i cried at your hands by @capseycartwright

[starts taking anti-depressants for the first time in his life. It’s not much of a birthday present - not what he’d imagined he might gift himself for turning forty, robert of old dreaming of fancy holidays, and flash cars - but it’s the best gift he can come up with.

the anti-depressants come with a long list of side effects, and it's just robert's luck he seems to experience them all. oneshot. 5.5k.]

i believe my soul’s on fire by @sugdenkatie

[the fact that they haven’t had sex in a while must be getting to aaron’s head, because while this view of robert would undoubtedly turn him on at any time, he’s driven to near insanity by the desire that wells up inside him. he has to have robert now, or he’s going to lose his mind. oneshot. 2.6k.]

i’m too young to believe until the end by @capseycartwright

[aaron knows this is a bad idea. he’s known it from the first moment he set eyes on victoria sugden’s gorgeous older brother, and decided that he was going to shag him, regardless of what he had to do to make it happen. robert sugden was - well, he was fucking gorgeous, was the thing. he was gorgeous, and smart - and he didn't know aaron existed. oneshot. 13k.]

in your arms (where all my journeys end) by @sugdendeeznuts

[there had been countless sleepless nights over those six years where he’d imagined what it would be like to share a bed with robert again. to feel robert’s cold feet against his leg, to smell the warm skin on the back of his neck, to drift off to sleep to the sound of him snoring on their first night at the farm aaron reflects on sleeping with robert. oneshot. 2.8k.]

always, forever (running back to you) by @enchantedsugden

[aaron tracks robert’s face, lingering on the bruise there left by his own fist. it’s only here, in the low light of their bedroom, that aaron sees it properly, sees how it covers most of robert’s cheek, how it has bloomed into a more purplish mark. oneshot. 1.9k.]

i couldn’t keep the pain away from this house by @aelric

[aaron wanted to visit, but between the farm and keeping his mother’s nerves in check, he wasn’t able to. he rang the hospital, but the staff simply told him that robert didn’t want to take any calls. that sent him into free fall, plagued by memories of denied visits and divorce papers. he was being cut off. robert was leaving him all over again. but then, two weeks later, he got a text. 'they’re discharging me tomorrow. can you come and get me?' or; robert falls apart. oneshot. 3.5k.]

to see the sun paint the sky by @livflahertydingle