EastEnders October 6th- October 12th 2012

After little Lexi was removed from Lola’s care, we have seen a new side to Lola. Gone is the gobby chav who would get into a fight if you looked at her in the ‘wrong way’. Instead, we have seen a new, mature Lola who has found her true vocation in motherhood. Since her daughter has been taken by social services Lola has been left utterly bereft and inconsolable.

This week saw her struggling to function and not wanting to carry on without her beloved daughter. Thankfully she was spurred to fight for her daughter by Cora who gave her some words of wisdom and said that she couldn’t believe Lola was giving up so easily. Cora implored her not to give up and said little Lexi needed her mother more than ever. This reverse psychology from Cora did the trick and Lola found her motivation that had been lacking.

 

 Lola was granted a three hour visit with her daughter but still found it hard to hand her back to her social worker at the end of this period. Don’t get me started on social services or how they have been portrayed by EastEnders. Trish, who as Lola’s social worker should be supporting her, is cold and not very encouraging. It is no wonder that Lola feels uncomfortable about the whole situation! I don’t think Lexi should have been taken away in the first place.

Lexi’s removal has set up a new storyline which saw Lola tell Phil that Ben is her father. Phil was so shocked and couldn’t get his head around his gay son being a father but offered Lola help in getting Lexi back. Billy told Phil to get lost and that they didn’t need his assistance. It was obvious that Billy was being set up for a fall and by the end of the week he was begging Phil for help. Phil agreed to help, but on one condition: Lola and Lexi would move in with him. Billy was devastated but knew that he had no other option if Lola was to get her daughter back. EastEnders are kind of repeating history here as whoever Billy gets close to always ends up leaving him for Phil: Jay and now Lola. This storyline is just beginning and I’m sure we will see many more twists and turns as the week’s progress.

 

Alice Branning has always been quite plain but this week saw Tanya give her a makeover. Derek was furious at her interference as he branded the makeover ‘tarty’. Frankly, Alice looked lovely and very attractive. Her usual dowdiness masks her true beauty. Unfortunately Alice was mugged and Derek took this opportunity to blame Tanya and her makeover for the mugging.

 

 Alice correctly pointed out that she was mugged for her expensive mobile phone which Derek had himself given her only hours earlier. Derek also mouthed off about Dennis Rickman being stabbed in front of little Denny. Sharon was furious at him for revealing the awful truth in this way: she had told Denny that his dad died in a helicopter crash and that he was a war hero. Obviously she would have to tell him the truth one day but she would have done this in her own way and Derek took this opportunity away from her. Thankfully Alice made him apologise to Sharon and Tanya but this apology wasn’t enough for Sharon to stay away from the pills. Jack discovered her ‘addiction’ and encouraged her to pour the drugs away (which she did). So Sharon ended the week clean from her addiction and living with Jack. But can she really keep away from the pills that have been masking her pain?