I'll tell them put me back in it

laura, side blog (follows from @sharonccrter) for all my soapy thoughts, but primarily robron and emmerdale.

[petebarton]

( Laura, gmt ) Side blog to @sharonccrter for all things soap and robron related. As long as you treat me respectfully, I'll treat you the same. I store all my soapy related thoughts, and gifs here not to overwhelm my multi fandom blog.

Housekeeping: I tag all my reactions #earlyepisoderelease so please be aware to save yourself from getting spoiled. Here's my Emmerdale Bingo 2026 predictions.

Links: Live reactions | Edits | Emmerdale | Eastenders | Coronation Street | Asks

[petebarton]

No, because where does this leave Jacob and Sarah. Who are arguably also victims?

Where does this leave Jacob, who has already been groomed once; and now been bullied to the point of having breakdowns?

Where does this leave Sarah; who fair enough was annoying as hell at certain points, but doesn't deserve what's about to happen - her life is about to be blown up?

Both are about to find out out they don't actually have a child.

Likewise, Jacob is about to find out Charity initially helped Dr Todd manipulate him to cover up her secret.

Do either of them get to actually get to be mad and heartbroken?

[petebarton]

I genuinely don’t know how much longer I can keep going with this show. It’s getting worse and worse every passing week now. My love for Robron might not even be enough anymore (they’re not exactly exciting or fun to watch anymore either). This Dr Todd storyline might just push me over the edge. This was sold as a workplace bullying story which had potential in its own right but once again they’ve twisted it into something completely different and this time something pretty gross. How did we get from the baby storyline to this mess.

I've kinda tapped out. I check in, and I watch in batches, but I'm not watching daily at the moment, most days. The writing is just bad.

[petebarton]

Any one who's pro Kev (ily my mutuals), don't take this the wrong way, but how are you gonna play Kev and Robert's relationship for basically laughs (when some of it was abuse) and bring him back.... and then say you way to explore same sex "violence" with Charity and Dr Todd in a serious storyline. Idk, I'm not really keen on sitting through and watching any of this. And I don't believe their gonna do right by Charity either.

[petebarton]

The whole Dr Todd situation is just vile; I also just don't understand why the storyline couldn't have just stayed focused on her tormenting Jacob. Because it started as a workplace storyline, that I assumed was meant to showcase bullying in the workplace. Instead it's devolved into... what it has now.

It's just another case of Emmerdale taking a storyline that could have worked; and instead has thrown the kitchen sink at it, and imo will just end up with a hodgepodge of a storyline that does none of the core themes of what their talking about justice.

I also question Emmerdale doing two female villains right after each other; one of them being lesbian (during pride month) and the other a woman of colour. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with having women being villains. But we've just had a plethora of exit of female characters; with three female characters killed in a single episode.

And their bringing back male character after male character (that serve nothing to the plot, soz it had to be said). Every single storyline they've done has not landed. Even serious storylines that they work with charities for end up devolving into messes. So, I have no hope they will handle Charity's SA well.

[versegm]

Figured I'd make my own ship bingo for my specific ship opinions. (Feel free to steal!)

[petebarton]

Your favourite LGBT characters from Emmerdale or any soap in general?

Ohhhhh! Happy pride month by the way!

Christian Clark

Syed Masood

Sophie Webster

Maddie Heath

John Paul MCQueen

Juliet Nightingale

Robert Sugden

Debbie Dingle

Two from each!

[petebarton]

I really wish they’d spent less time on Linda and Grant and more time on Grand and Mark - okay, they’re on good terms now… but that’s how you resolve a sl of more than a decade? I need Ross to come back soon.

[petebarton]

I know this is an unpopular thing to say, even more so given who I'm sending it to lol, but I've never found Robert that compelling.

He was great for a few years, but Aaron was always more interesting to me. I feel the writers are more invested in him.

Whereas it feels like they gave Robert stuff because he's popular and they felt they had to, but I get the sense they struggle with it. Like they were forcing something that doesn't come naturally to them.

It's just become a lot more obvious to me nowadays.

Fair enough! You like what you like! I still find Robert compelling but not to the extent I found him under Karl or when Ryan first took the role. Idk I think it's more because they just haven't given him that much good and the prison storyline was a let down.

[petebarton]

Even the farm isn't really about the Sugden's or Robert, it's so Moira and Cain had someone other than Joe to be angry at.

I'd say it's about Laura Shaw's obsession with Yellowstone or whatever she seems to think Yellowstone is. What happened to Kim and Joe's plans for development and access roads? At this point I really hope Joe bulldozes the farm and goes ahead with the development plans so Robert will finally be back in the village where he should be, instead of cut off from everyone in that dreadful farm.

Yeah sometimes Emmerdale feels like a half written thought. Kim wanting it for a development made total sense. Wtf they want it for know really doesn't. Like yes they own more land, but the lengths they went to, to get it. Including framing Moira, makes no sense if their just keeping it a farm and not doing a development. My biggest fear is their gonna take the farm away from Robert at some point in the future, I just can't see this sticking once the producers get bored of this sl.

[dinglesugden-af]

Moira is praising Cain over the Kammy situation when he literally had nothing to do with it or did I miss an episode, it was Aaron, Belle and Vinny dealing with it and Belle who offered him somewhere Cain never came into it 💀😂

[petebarton]

My biggest frustration continues to be how isolated Robert is.

Tbh same but I knew they'd do this because this is what happened to Moira. We barely ever saw her out of that kitchen at the farm or in one of the barns/fields. All of Robert storylines now will be about the farm. Moira has well and truly passed on the curse.

People just think I can't accept the "new" Robert; but my issues is them not letting Robert put down proper roots beyond Aaron. And I love robron so this isn't a slight to them. But I want Robert to have storylines about himself, but also to be able to have friends and really put down roots in the village beyond Aaron and even Vic. Everyone else gets to have connections and friends, why can't Robert? Even the farm isn't really about the Sugden's or Robert, it's so Moira and Cain had someone other than Joe to be angry at.

[petebarton]

I don't think the writers remember who Robert was before he went to prison. I think that's just gone and I don't envision it coming back.

Yeah but think about the Robert who came back during the John era; that’s the Robert I want. I want some of his bite back. I honestly just don’t feel like the current plot is to serve Robert at all. His just a plot device in everyone else’s plot lines right now.

[petebarton]

Honestly, I think restricting Robert to the Butler's set will severely limit his interactions with the wider village and any real potential for friendships. I don't think Vic will move in with them when she comes back, and I wouldn't mind her staying at Keepers with Harry and starting a new relationship. She can still be the family member who supports her brother, attends his wedding etc. but she needs her own life too. Aaron will continue to have links with the wider village as long as he keeps the scrapyard and/or his job at the garage. The only possibility of friendship I'm seeing for Robert is with new farmhands, other than Matty and Mack. Laura Shaw seems to have got it into her head that the farm wars should continue indefinitely so it looks like we're in for another boring year or two of the same feuds. I'm just not seeing what new, fresh material they can keep pulling from these feuds.

Honestly, unpopular opinion but I hate Robert on that farm and I find it dull. Oh well. Honestly I’m not convinced any of this is for Robert’s benefit and his being used as a plot device for others characters rathe than his own development.

[petebarton]

People keep saying Ruby would be a good friend for Robert but tbh I don't really see it. I think she's a great friend for Aaron and I loved seeing them bond over what happened with Anthony and John but I don't see what other people are seeing when it comes to Robert.

Maybe back in the day Ruby and Robert would have been best of friends but I think the person Robert is today just doesn't really suit Ruby's vibe.

Maybe it’s because I’m still yearning for pre prison Robert. But also it’s because they still treat him like the spawn of satan. I’m also just not convinced with what they’re doing with Robert post prison.

[petebarton]

they have options in Ross, Mack, Caleb or Claudette

i'm so desperate to see a Robert-Caleb team-up it's not even remotely funny. if it wasn't for Cain and Caleb being relatively close, it would be absolutely iconic with the state of things rn for Robert's closest friend in the village to be Cain Dingles brother

like do they realise what there missing out on here???? (also him and Ruby would be golden we already know)

Literally!!! There are so many options. I can’t understand why they refuse to let him have friends.

[petebarton]

My biggest frustration continues to be how isolated Robert is. The show refuses to allow him to have connections outside of Aaron. The only one that he has is Vic, and she won’t be back till later this year. Why they refuse to allow him to form his own friendships is beyond me. And imo it’s worse than it was last time.

I don't really think that's going to change. They haven't made much effort and it's been a year now. They have options in Ross, Mack, Caleb, Claudette, perhaps even Charles, Jai, and Kerry. For some reason I could see Robert and Manpreet getting on well. Liam too, maybe.

There's just no interest.

Manpreet, Vanessa or Ruby! There are options. But I’m not hopefully either.