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Tuesday 18th August 2020

Good evening everyone! We're back with a new week and a new iconic EastEnders episode! This week's episode has one of the most memorable scenes in it, which I'm sure you'll all know and recognise. Everything comes to blow when Peggy becomes aware of Pat and Frank's affair! This episode was originally aired 2nd November 2000! Incredible to believe that this episode is almost 20 years old!

I had no idea that this episode was 60 minutes long! This must've been a hour long special episode for Bonfire Night!  I don't recall much of this episode to begin with, being born in the 90s, I must've been around 9-10 years of age when this episode aired! Still can't believe I've come to the realisation that I've been watching EastEnders for nearly 20 years! Crazy! Anyway, the episode seems to start with Frank and Peggy already in the Vic, upstairs and Peggy seems to think that Frank is up to something, he's looked very dodgy as if he's trying to hide something! I believe that there is meant to be some kind of letter he has supposed to have written to her? Has that already been written and he has lost it? I'm sure as the episode goes all it'll all be revealed! Frank is looking ever so shifty as Peggy reveals to him that she's had a wasted journey, it looks as if he's terrified that she might know something! 

Ahhh so as far as I can make out, Frank is on the edge of ending things with Peggy. It's devastating to know that she literally has no idea at that moment in time! Frank makes his way downstairs and asks Mel whether she had been upstairs and moved something, I am certain that it's the letter to Peggy that Frank has written, because all of sudden something he his wanting seems to be missing! While Frank is being teased by the locals in the pub and sweating because he can't find his letter, it looks as if Pat is waiting at home to hear news from Frank. Barry goes under the stairs and pulls out a suitcase ... are Pat and Frank planning on running away together? Poor gullible Barry seems to think that it's his Dad, Roy and Pat who appear to be going away - even on the plastic bag it says "Second Honeymoon!" even Pat goes along with the story to hide the fact that it's actually Frank she's going away with. 

Back at the pub Frank has a word with Little Mo, seeing as she's the cleaner of the Vic, she may know the whereabouts of his letter. She confesses she was cleaning the kitchen and did see an envelope with Peggy's name on it, she might've put it in the bin but she can't be sure, even though Frank is eager to get his hands on the letter, he tells her not to worry. Can I just say how amazing it is seeing all these characters again - Roy, Barry, Frank, Little Mo, Lynne, Janine - the main thing I've enjoyed while watching these classic iconic episodes is seeing the old members of the cast, many who I would love to see return one day! Back at the house, Roy and Barry are persuading Pat to join them for the evening and she agrees - even though she is reluctant to do so!

Back in the Vic upstairs, Frank is rummaging through the bin , desperately trying to find the note - ahhh and Janine comes in! (We know Janine is a bitch, but to tell the truth, I've always loved her character!) She plays all coy with her father, playing her little games again not saying directly whether she had seen or read the letter left for Peggy. She informs him that Phil might have possibly seen it as he was looking for Peggy earlier! I don't recall seeing Phil in this episode, but will he be the one to actually show his Mum the letter?! All the locals are gathering downstairs to celebrate the holiday, Pat and Frank clock eyes on each other from across the bar and they both make an excuse the leave the Vic. Pat states she wants to be with the kids, and Frank dashes after her, claiming to Peggy that he's left his car lights on! I don't know about you lot, but I can already feel the tension in this episode, it's slowly building and building! Frank dashes to Phil's house, but - as far as I can make out - Phil has no idea what Frank is on about or what he's after, he asks why he lied about Janine moving to Manchester and whether he'd been up to something he shouldn't have, obviously Frank starts to squirm as he believes Phil knows!

Meanwhile, Peggy is serving her customers and the Vic is packed full of happy and lively locals. Pat is seen standing beside the bar when Little Mo approaches Peggy and reveals that she actually found Frank's note to her in her cleaning apron. Now Peggy is left in the dark about what the letter is about and who it's from, all she knows is that a letter addressed to her has been found. Pat eyes and ear prick up! She know's that the one which reveals everything! As Peggy is too busy serving her customers, she puts the letter to one side and carries on. Back at Phil's house, it looks as if Frank is almost begging to Phil to give him the letter back, which as us viewers already know, he hasn't got it! But it does also seem to appear that Phil knows about what Frank and Pat have been up to! Frank tries to appeal to Phil saying that he understands considering what he's been through with Sharon, and yet Phil makes the brilliant point that Frank is actually Peggy's husband and Pat is her best friend, which makes the whole situation a lot more worse! 

I just love that through-out this episode both Roy and Peggy have no idea what's about to happen and what's actually going on around them. In the Vic, Pat's eyes are firmly on the letter behind the bar, something is telling me that she's needing to go and fetch it before Peggy reads it. She takes it upon herself to make a move and says to Peggy she'll help her behind the bar, but Peggy insists that she stays the other side of the bar and asks her to hand out the sandwiches, much to Pat's disappointment. On the other side of the Square in Phil's gaff, Frank is still pleading to Phil to give him the letter, only after all this discussion, Phil has been toying with him ... he tells him he hasn't got it, Frank's eyes widen with worry, desperation and shock! Poor Peggy back at the Vic is still busy on her feet ... Pat eventually manages to worm her way behind the bar but unfortunately Peggy grabs the letter before she can get to it and claims that she's going upstairs to change, and she takes the letter with her. I'm sure back when this soap was originally aired, the viewers must've been on the edge of their seats. I know I am currently watching it and everything is building and building!! This is truly EastEnders at it's best!!!

Ooooohhhhh and there's the moment everyone has taken a gasp of breath!!! The phone rings while Frank is at Phil's - it's Peggy and she has a piece of paper in her hand, she pleads her son to come and see her straight away! She's left on her own in the kitchen and she tears fall from her face and she collapses in a wail of tears! She's read the letter!!! Phil walks into the Vic ready to console his poor mother, followed by Frank who once again clocks eyes with Pat behind the bar. They both have that silent knowledge and understanding between them that Peggy is about to find out everything and their cover is about to be blown! Upstairs, Phil and Peggy are sat together and Phil gets to see the note for the first time, Phil reveals to his Mum that Frank told him that both he and Pat bottled their plans to run away together. It is then that Phil says a terrific line to his Mum, which I believe kinda stayed with the legendary Peggy until he sad passing: "It's time for make-your-mind-up time, are you a Butcher or a Mitchell?!" ... As long as I can remember, Peggy was always proud of having the Mitchell name and she was always proud of the Mitchell family! It is THAT moment when Phil asks her, that she actually looks and thinks and you can see the look in her face change ... She is Peggy Mitchell!! 

Of course both Pat and Frank are frantic downstairs as they both come to the realisation that Peggy has the letter. Frank then pleads to Pat to change her mind about leaving together, it's the only way they'll be able to escape the situation. If they leave, neither of them would have to face Peggy. Pat doesn't know what say, she has her grandchildren and all of her family around her, would she really be able to leave it all behind? I don't know whether it's a way of him getting her to change her mind, but he says to Pat that he can't stay and face the music, he's going whether she decides to join him or not, but he makes it very well known to her that he has always loved her, absolutely tugging at her heart strings. Just as he goes to leave the bar, Peggy makes her appearance all glammed up.

We as viewers know full well that she's toying with Frank, saying how very cross she is with him ... Frank is visibly shaking in his boots ... This is the moment that this episode will always be remembered for ... Peggy rings the bell to make her announcement, both Frank and Pat stood beside her, looking nervous and uncertain to what she's about to do. I absolutely LOVE Barbara Windsor in this scene! Taking centre stage, behind the bar as Peggy Mitchell ... her speech starts very cheerfully to her fellow punters who have taken part in The Best Guy Competition, complementing each one and then making the point that one of them was actually meant to be her husband, Frank. I just LOVE how she's being so professional about her job role, making sure the children enjoy themselves, giving out prizes - while all the time Phil, Frank and Pat are watching her, watching and waiting for her to either finish her speech or see what she does next. As Peggy continues with her speech, she suddenly changes her tone and says there's an extra award to present - to both Pat and Frank, a lifetime achievement award for deceit and wickedness ... (this is when her locals are all looking confused and shocked!) She then brings out the letter to which both Frank and Pat look in dismay and disbelief as she starts to read the letter out aloud to everyone in the pub! The pub falls silent as she reads the words from the small piece of paper, the iconic moment as she says the words "I've never quite been able to stop myself loving Pat!" and how much hatred and power she puts into those words! It's so fantastic and what quite frankly makes the episode so memorable! I feel like this was the moment everyone's jaw dropped to the floor, both Pat and Frank stood beside her cowering in their corners, while the look on poor Roy's face is despair and shock! As she finishes the letter, everyone is in shock and as Peggy says she has the last prizes to hand out - she turns to Frank and whacks him across the face, you can hear his grown on how hard the slap was, she then turns to Pat and whacks her across the face, so hard that her earring falls out and in true Peggy style she leaves them to deal with the revelation on their own! 

The Queen Vic empties and Pat and Frank are left behind the bar on their own, as Roy is stood there with Phil watching the two of them. Roy is stood in silence, his eyes fixed on Pat. Frank attempts to explain to Roy that the reason they never left is because Pat decided to choose Roy over him, which I believe is far from the truth, Pat was just scared. She collapses in hysterical crying, so much she's gasping for breath, Roy is badgering her, asking questions such a where and how long! She clearly cant take the pressure anymore and she blares at him that there have been hundreds of times!! Meanwhile, upstairs Phil is consoling his mother, she's made her decision - she's a Mitchell and she's shown them that she is not to be messed with! Frank makes his way into the kitchen and Phil follows, demanding him that he leaves, even then Frank tries to turn it around and blame Phil for stopping him coming over to the Vic to find the letter before Peggy got hold of it ... but of course Phil wasn't to know, so of course he's just looking for excuses and for someone else to take the rap for him, but it is not going to work! 

Back downstairs Pat and Roy and talking things through, she's explaining herself to him, but to be honest, she isn't using her words quite cleverly. From what Roy and, the viewers can make out, she's explaining that Frank always makes her feel like she's young and 16 and enjoying life and yet with Roy, she feels as if her life is just passing her by and how with Roy, she'll just be 57! It's a horrible way to describe it to someone I think, I think it's very blunt and quite heartbreaking. I do feel for Roy, as he seems like such a gentleman who has just had his heart ripped out. While Roy and Pat are talking, upstairs, Frank tries to approach Peggy but she doesn't want to hear any of his explanations or excuses. He tries his best to explain himself but she has none of it and calls Phil to get him to leave! 

It's sad that even Roy reveals to Pat that he knew he was always second best to her, feeling that everything around him smelt of Frank or had a Frank-vibe to it. He even asks Pat if it was to do with the sex but I don't think her convincing is any good, she can barely look at him in the eye. But she does say that that is something that she doesn't care about anymore, but is she telling the truth? Next minute Janine comes out from behind the bar, wondering what has happened, Pat explains to her that her Dad is upstairs with Peggy and that he'll explain everything to her. As Roy and Pat leave the Vic, Mo, Charlie, Lynne and Little Mo are all talking about Pat, Mo making the statement that Pat used to be a prostitute in her younger days, little did they know that both Pat and Roy could hear every word she was saying, the both ignore the gossip and walk slowly home. 

Back at their home, Barry is sat waiting for his Dad. He's shocked to discover that he has come home with Pat in tow. Roy asks him politely to leave them to talk as Pat makes her way into the living room. I feel this was another moment when the jaws dropped for the viewers. Pat appeals to Roy and says that she simply doesn't deserve him, she gives him a hug but he doesn't reciprocate. He demands that if they're going to be happy they need to be honest with each other, she agrees and he starts be making the big and bold statement of never liking her iconic earrings. Now EVERYONE knows that Pat's iconic looks was always with her big earrings, and for someone to declare that they don't like them, is basically a bit punch in the gut for her. She looks at him in shock as he describes them as cheap and vulgar, as she is doing everything in her power to keep her marriage together, she simply removes her earrings in silence. At the Vic Frank is telling his daughter, Janine that he can't stay any longer. He needs and leave and once Janine is accusing him of being a bad father. He tries to worm his way into her good backs by explaining that she's a strong woman and she'll be able to cope, but she really isn't happy. Janine has always been Daddy's Little Girl, although she'd never admit it, she always loved her Dad deeply. But when he's saying he's leaving and that he's never realised how much he actually loves his daughter, it gives her the feeling that he's abandoning her again. She leaves as they're both in tears, Frank begs her not to leave on such sad terms but she can't bring herself to stay. Back at home Pat is trying to make amends to her husband but as Roy tries to explain to his son that they're going to make changes and try and sort things out, its then when Barry informs Roy about Pat's suitcase, Barry explains to him that she made up a story that she was going to take Roy away, when in fact it's the case she was going to use to run away with Frank. Barry informs his Dad that if he decides to look inside, he wont be happy with what he finds. Without a word, Roy unzips the suitcase and inside finds the bag which says "Second Honeymoon!" 

Pat walks in only to deny it all and say it was spur of the moment. Roy pulls out the items in the bag which reveal lingerie and massage oils. It hurts him deeply that she had lied to him when she claimed it wasn't about sex, but all this evidence made it perfectly clear. Pat begs her husband to believe her that it wasn't her idea, but Roy has none of it throws her out! Pat is left in pouring torrential rain, in floods of tears on her knees, her clothes all soaked on the pavement. Frank eventually gathers his things and walks towards his car in the pouring rain ... I remember watching this as a child 9/10 years old ... I know it sounds silly but it kinda frightened me, and i'll explain why ... as the camera follows Frank to his car, Pat is seen sat on Arthur's bench, still drenched in her big coat and crying her eyes out. Frank finds Pat's gloves in his can and quickly decides to take them back to Pat, only to be given another smack in the mouth by Roy! I know a lot of people were happy he did that, he should've done it a lot earlier! 

This is the moment that scared me a child, the way I see it now, it's a bit silly, but hopefully you guys will understand. So Frank is walking towards his car, he's looking low, beaten and drenched ... he's shouting out Pat's name ... calling for her, of course he has no idea where she is, it's as if he's calling desperately wanting her to maker herself known! Pat can only hear her soulmates voice calling her name and it breaks her, she covers her face and cries hysterically. He shouts at the top of his lungs "I'm sorry!" and then for the whole Square to hear "I LOVE YOU!" .... it's as if they've both come to the realisation that they can't have each other after everything that has happened. They are both lost souls! Pat calls out his name but it's too late as he already drives away in his car, he's unable to see her in the teaming rain and she watches in pure heartache as his car drives away. For a 9/10 year old, watching two people pretty much lose everything in the worst possible way, was pretty horrific. The last thing Frank sees as he drives out of Walford is his dummy set alight! 

Tuesday 21st July 2020

Hello again folks! As promised, I am back again today following up on last night's iconic episodes. This episode is all about two of main iconic, legendary characters in the soap! Pat Evans and Peggy Mitchell! What an iconic pair these two made, every time they were on screen together their would be an epic toing and froing of insults to one another. I'd like to think deep down, as much as they sometimes came across as hating each other's guts, there would be deep friendship between them also. I never realised it, but this episode would be a two-hander between the two vixens. This iconic episode was first aired on 27th October 1998!

As I was born in the early 90s, I don't recall watching this episode when it first aired and I only have a small idea as to what was going on between these legendary women. As far as I know, Pat and Frank had been lovers many many years ago, in their younger days, I believe they still held a light for each other. But over time they had gone their separate ways. Now Peggy was married to Frank and Pat was married to Roy, although now Pat has been accused by Peggy of having an affair with Frank. 

Wow, okay! So the episodes start with a car flying towards Pat, Peggy and Frank. Luckily they all leap out of the way before it hits any of them. Behind the wheel is Roy, it seems that he has become aware of some form of rumours or evidence that Pat and Frank have been having an affair. Pat is desperate to get to Roy and talk things through, but Frank forces Peggy to take her home and stay with her while Frank goes after Roy. Pat admits that the night before she was with Frank, but it was innocent. She explains that she and Frank were talking about Peggy about how Frank was going to ask Peggy to marry him and how Pat hoped that she would say "Yes!" and how happy Frank was. 

It looks as if Peggy can't understand the need Pat has to keep running back to Frank whenever something goes wrong. It's true Pat and Frank have always loved each other, I think that was always known between everyone involved. I feel sorry for them both in a way, Peggy finding out her friend and husband betrayed her, and yet Pat and Frank are desperately in love and yet can't bring themselves to leave each other alone while married to other people. The dynamic between Pat and Peggy has always been epic, and it always come back down to this story-line. Frank is the man that they both have in common, they both loved him and they both married him. 

I loved the scene where they are both talking at the kitchen table, Pat comes to the realisation that Roy is wanting to leave her and Peggy is there to persuade her that it's all words and that he doesn't mean it. When Pat reveals that she and Roy don't have sex, it comes as a surprise to Peggy. I feel in that moment she genuinely does feel sorry for the woman, and she can understand how upset she feels about not being wanted. Pat truly believed that she had everything in Roy, it was horrible hearing her talk herself down, telling herself and Peggy that every time she finds a man she brings them down. I feel perhaps this is the moment they realise they're both not that different from each other, which what makes their friendship so brilliant and iconic! 

Oooo the phone has rung and no one appears to be on the other end of the line. Pat makes a sarcastic remark claiming Roy might be waiting outside to run her over a second time. Then suddenly, the doorbell rings and the police emerge. They reveal to Pat that they have found Roy's car left abandoned in a car park with the key still in the ignition. It looks as if the car has been in some form of incident and the driver has been taken away or left on his own accord. Could it be that Frank has caught up with him and taken him somewhere privately to talk? Peggy reveals to the police that Frank did go after him after he drove out of the square, the police then tell Peggy privately that there had been some blood found on the driver's seat too. Had Frank caught up with Roy and had they had a fight and left the scene? 

Another scene I love where they are sat together in the living room drinking a bottle of wine together, waiting to hear news from the police. Pat is reminiscing about when she met Roy, she's worried sick that her husband has been injured and or left for dead somewhere. Peggy is there, sat by her side, trying to persuade her that that is not the case and both Roy and Frank will be found. I love how, even while believing her friend has had an affair with her fiance, Peggy is still being the strongest woman and being there to support her friend ... it's only when Pat makes a slip of the tongue that Roy reminded her how much she loved Frank, Peggy then starts to say that that doesn't matter, it's all in the past and now Frank was hers. As Peggy describes how Frank makes her feel, you can see Pat look incredibly uncomfortable, or perhaps jealous? It looks as if Peggy is enjoying making a slight dig at her friend, saying how she and Frank are made for each other. 

It's amazing how the whole scene has done a whole twist of compassion and then envy and jealousy and both of them trying to score points. Now this is where it all heats up! Comparing each other's weddings to the same bloke. I think it's brilliant writing, This the moment you realise how each of them are strong and powerful in their own way. They throw dig and after dig to each other, claiming that they are both jealous of each other. Peggy making a comment on her brilliant her sex life is compared Pat's. Pat then states that Peggy will never have what she and Frank had, she believes Frank came back for her, only to find that she had remarried. Was Peggy just a rebound? I love how they really are like two school children fighting over the same bloke, but then again, it's incredible how epic it really is. The writers have managed to make it so brilliant that everyone knows that this was the moment they began an utter hatred for each other, due to the fact that they both loved the same bloke! AHHHHHHH and there is the iconic moment, throwing wine glasses at each other, "I'll flaming well kill ya!" .... throwing the table across the room, "You bitch!" , "You cow!" those epic, memorable slaps across the face! 

How many years did this go on for? Many as I recall! It was always something that was revisited between the two characters. One of them would always mention it to the other or make a dig in the street and they would always use the same insults over the years, "You bitch!" , "You cow!". Even that moment in the Vic where Peggy confronted both Pat and Frank and slapped them both behind the bar! ... I want to applaud both Barbara Windsor and Pam St. Clement for creating such iconic characters on this soap. It devastates me that they are both no longer on the square, each of their character's death was such a tear-jerker. It's true that they had some brilliant moments together, getting drunk in an ice cream van together, and then confronting another man, Harvey, together, who was taking them both for mugs, while on a London tour bus. One moment i'll always remember is Peggy's death, when Peggy feels it's time to end her life, the ghost of Pat appears to her. She's talks to her about ending her life and how terrified she is, Pat's ghost is there to see her through to the other side. They both give each other that last epic insult, softly "You bitch!" , "You cow!" and then Peggy make her decision. I remember the words they both spoke to each other, so heart-wrenching:-

Peggy:- "Oh my friend, my dear friend. You won't ever leave me will you?

"Pat:- "No sweetheart! Not for one single second!" 

And Peggy takes it upon herself to end her life, as Pat's ghost watches over her.  I remember watching that moment and feeling slightly emotional. It's as if they both leave Walford together. I'd do anything for them to return, but they both left their mark on the Square, they will both be remembered as such iconic, legendary vixens of Walford! I'm thrilled that they have been chosen as one of EastEnders iconic moments, you don't get any more iconic than those two! I believe that possibly next week we will be revisiting the death of Lucy and the reveal of who was her killer! That was another brilliant episode, am I right in thinking is was another live episode? Or was it one for an anniversary? Either way, it was a moment that millions of people were waiting for! I'm looking forward to reliving that moment!