By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)
IN A few months time, it will be the time of year again for the British Soap Awards. This is when the stars of the nation’s biggest shows gather to see who the cream of the crop was in the last twelve months. One of the most anticipated awards this year will be for ‘Spectacular Scene of the Year’ with each of the big four soaps having a big contender for the award. I will now analyse all four of them in closer detail. All that I will say is that one word keeps popping up in them.
EastEnders – The Queen Vic Burns
Date: 9 September 2010
The Build-Up
Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) is always someone never to mess with, as are any of the Mitchell’s. He was left seething when mother Peggy (Barbara Windsor) gave away his daughter and swore revenge on her. Before he did, he started drinking more heavily before succumbing to an addiction of crack cocaine.
The Disaster
Peggy soon took matters into her own hands, barricading Phil inside a locked room in the Queen Vic for him to go cold turkey. He soon broke out and a furious confrontation with Peggy led to Phil striking a match. Peggy called his bluff, believing he wouldn’t be able to do it, so Phil dropped a match and in a few ghastly seconds, the packed pub erupted into a blazing inferno. Miraculously, everyone escaped before a huge explosion destroyed what was very little of it left.
The Aftermath
The Vic was reduced to shell; everything had been completely wiped out. Depressed, Peggy left Albert Square, refusing to tell anyone where she was going and determined never to come back again. Kat and Alfie Moon (Jessie Wallace & Shane Ritchie) soon returned to the Square and purchased the pub. Within weeks, it was back to normal.
The Verdict
The scenes were literally breathtaking but it was a bitter disappointment to many that nobody perished in the explosion as rumours were hype that the fire would ultimately claim Peggy’s life.
Hollyoaks – The Il Gnosh Disaster
Date: 8 – 12 November 2010
The Build-Up
Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard) may be ambitious in his Il Gnosh restaurant but over recent months, it had been facing financial ruin. This was not helped by his ex, Mandy (Sarah Jayne-Dunn) returning with the help of Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas) to destroy him. Warren even gets Tony’s brother Dom (John Pickard) onto his side by offering him cash to burn the eatery down.
The Disaster
On bonfire night, a mysterious figure set light to the store room of the restaurant and it quickly spread to the flat upstairs. Mercedes (Jennifer Metcalfe) and Malachy (Glen Wilson) are thrown to the ground by the resulting explosion. Gilly (Anthony Quinlan) and Steph (Carley Stenson) run to the scene and Steph runs in to save Amy Barnes (Ashley Slainia-Davies) and her children Leah and Lucas. Knowing that she is dying of cancer, Steph remains in the building as it burns whilst Malachy later dies in hospital.
The Aftermath
Amy left to receive treatment in Manchester on her injuries. Mercedes soon got over Malachy’s death by getting into a love triangle whilst Kris (Gerard McCarthy) returned to mourn the loss of his brother. Ravi Roy (Stephen Uppal) is found in Middlesbrough, having been suspected as a fatality in the fire and leaves to be with his parents, as his aneurysm has returned. Eventually, Dom confessed to Tony that he set the fire off to destroy a laptop which Bart McQueen (Jonny Clarke) had told him had pictures of Amber (Lydia Lloyd-Henry). Tony had previously accused Dom of getting Amber pregnant. Despite Dom’s pleas to allow him to leave the village, Tony phones the police and watches on as his brother is led away for a long stint in jail.
The Verdict
This was no doubt a ploy by the soap to give it attention by falling ratings. Nevertheless it was spectacular as they could have made it.
Coronation Street – The Tram Crash
Date: 6 December 2010
The Build-Up
This incident really came out of the blue but several situations were ongoing at the time. Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) and Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) were making preparations to marry, against the wishes of her ex Nick Tilsley (Ben Price). Molly Dobbs (Vicky Binns) was preparing to leave the Street and before leaving, dropped a bombshell on husband Tyrone (Alan Henshaw) that he wasn’t baby Jack’s dad and John Stape (Graeme Hawley) was determined not to have his murderous secret ousted.
The Disaster
Set on the night of Peter & Leanne’s stag and hen nights, Nick had the intention of revealing his and Leanne’s sordid affair in The Joinery bar. Whilst Leanne and Ken Barlow (William Roache) were making their way over to the bar to try and stop him, a sudden explosion ripped through the building. As shocked residents raced over to help the wounded, a tram suddenly derailed thanks to the viaduct being damaged in the blast and crashed onto the cobbles, wrecking the Corner Shop. One of its carriages then smashed into The Kabin and sent the Peacock’s house up in flames. Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold) and Molly were killed in the devastating events whilst Peter married Leanne in hospital before undergoing life-saving surgery.
The Aftermath
It may have been three months ago now but its effects are still being felt today. Following Ashley’s death, his wife Claire (Julia Hallam) and her kids left the Street to start afresh abroad. Meanwhile before she died, Molly confessed to Sally Webster (Sally Dynevor) about her and Kevin’s affair which was subsequently came out in public at Molly’s funeral. Sally threw Kevin (Michael Le Vell) out of the Webster house. Kevin soon became public enemy number one with everyone in Weatherfield. Finally, Leanne’s affair with Nick was also exposed with the aid of the returning Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) who told all to Peter and leading to Peter embarrassing the pair at a second wedding ceremony on Valentine’s Day.
The Verdict
This was quite simply some of the best scenes ever to grace soap. I reckon it will still be talked about for years and even decades to come.
Emmerdale – The Arson Attack
Date: 13 January 2011
The Build-Up
The new police inspector Nick Henshall (Michael McKell) seemed to be charming and innocent but unknown to anyone, he had a criminal past. The only person who was suspicious of him was Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher). Then again, it was because Henshall was dating his ex, Katie (Sammy Winward).
The Disaster
Sure enough Andy was right as Henshall, dressed in black, committed the worst possible crime by setting fire to a rubbish bin outside Katie’s house and it soon spread out of control. Andy and Carl King (Tom Lister) braved the flames to save Katie along with her housemates Gennie Walker (Sian Reese-Williams) and Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter). The flames soon rushed along the row of neighbouring houses before eventually resting at Viv Hope’s flat. Terry Woods (Billy Hartman) dived in to try and save Viv (Deena Payne) but fears arose when he took longer than expected. When the downstairs Post Office Shop exploded in a fireball, Terry and Viv had no chance and their bodies were soon dragged out.
The Aftermath
Given his criminal past, it was no surprise that Andy was among the accused for starting the fire. A successful frame from Henshall himself had him charged with the crime. Later, Katie discovered documents surrounding Henshall’s ex-wife dying in similar circumstances. Henshall came clean and confessed but not before taking her hostage for several hours before ending it all by shooting himself dead.
The Verdict
Emmerdale just loves a good disaster and this is no exception. While it certainly wasn’t among the ranks of EastEnders or Corrie, it was still pretty impressive.
These are four spectacular scenes that have graced the screens of soap over recent months but the question is what the best was?
That will of course be decided by a panel of soap experts come the awards itself in May.
