It’s been a long time coming but Emmerdale is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Long considered the underdog of the soap world behind the titans that are EastEnders and Coronation Street, Emmerdale has always been a high quality TV programme with fantastic writing and incredible performances.
It has netted its first ever National Television Awards Best Serial Drama gong and it is long overdue. But there are many reasons why this year has seen Emmerdale completely own it at awards ceremonies.
Here are 15 reasons why Emmerdale is in such a strong place and why it completely deserves its current glory:
Superb writing
Emmerdale has put out some absolutely outstanding episodes over the year from Ashley’s special dementia episode through to the Robron centric beginning of Super Soap week and the writers are always at the top of their game.
It’s not just in the big, dramatic scenes that the scripts shine either – the subtleties in dialogue, the relationships between characters and the humour all blend together to ensure that the quieter episodes are just as worth watching as the huge crashes and big reveals.
Ashley’s dementia
Arguably the most powerful soap storyline of all time, Emmerdale has been taking its time with this one and the care with which it is being handled is exemplary. Ashley’s storyline is THE example to use when putting forward the argument that TV soaps should be taken just as seriously as 9pm dramas – it’s sensitive, it’s honest, it’s heartbreaking and it also blends in the joy of a love story between two people and the care of a wider family.
Emmerdale does human stories so incredibly well and this one not only provides beautiful and harrowing drama, but it raises awareness of a condition that is becoming more and more prevalent and affects so many lives.
And the performances from John Middleton in particular but also Charlotte Bellamy, Rosie Bentham and Alfie Clarke continue to be outstanding.
Relationships we care about
Emmerdale fans get seriously passionate about many of the relationships – and that’s because the writing and the acting has made us care. Pairings such as Robron and Coira have absolutely huge followings and people are also massively behind other pairings such as Marlon and Carly, Adam and Victoria, Ashley and Laurel and so many others.
While the soap puts us through the wringer and makes us suffer for our shipping (can we just not even mention the Zak and Lisa split please?), the sheer fact that we rejoice so much at the good times and agonise so much at the bad is testament to how much we care about the characters and their relationships.
That’s the sign of strong soap.
Big twists
We love a spoiler and a teaser as much as anyone else but all fans love that big surprise that is held back and there is a big difference between being teased over what’s to come and knowing the ending. Emmerdale has had some big successes in holding back the outcomes of certain storylines – the most notable of them all being the sudden and harrowing death of Holly Barton.
It keeps fans excited and on their toes to know that not everything is always as it seems and we can guarantee that Emmerdale have some more big surprises ahead.
Aaron’s abuse
The start of last year saw a dark and devastating storyline for Aaron which gave us further reminders of how talented Danny Miller, Ryan Hawley, Lucy Pargeter and Isobel Steel are. These are characters everyone has grown to deeply care for and the moments which saw Aaron open up about what happened to him to Robert and then Chas left a nation distraught and moved.
The storyline was a brave move and again, allowed the show to raise important awareness as well as provide memorable drama. Gary Mavers took on the difficult role of Aaron’s abusive dad Gordon and played it realistically and the saga also allowed us to see more of Robert’s warmer side as he was there for the man he loves every step of the way.
It was an emotional journey for fans but one that Emmerdale got just right.
Engaging villains
In order for the characters we love to triumph, they need to face strong challenges from adversaries and villains are incredibly important in the world of soap. While Louise Marwood nails it as the queen bee superbitch Chrissie (we were all hoarse from shouting at our screens when Andy was framed), the more sinister baddies are also pitching it well.
Jonathan Wrather kept us guessing for months over the intentions of the unsettling Pierce and as his controlling nature has subtly stepped up several gears, the fact that it wasn’t always obvious that he was sinister is important considering the type of complex character Pierce is.
And then there’s Emma Barton, the catalyst for that huge crash. The Misery-style episode and the scheming which followed were gripping and we adore Emma when she is at her bonkers best. The fact that she can trigger such huge anger among fans shows that Gillian Kearney is nailing it. Long live Emma, we say!
Humour
Emmerdale really can make us laugh too and it knows when to break up the more hard hitting stuff with some good humour. Ross Barton continues to have cracking one liners – and his impression of Moira Dingle was just genius.
The bromance between Paddy and Marlon never fails to amuse and it is as endearing as it is funny and the recent capers of Charity when she dressed up as Chrissie and shot herself with a tranquiliser proves that the laughs are going to keep coming.
Emmerdale have a wide variety of characters who can play comedy really well from Laura Norton through to Nicola Wheeler and it always makes best use of this talent.
The Emmerdale FANmily
Emmerdale is more than just a brand or the name of a TV show. Over the last year, the show has continued to embrace social media as a tool to bring the Emmerdale experience to its fans all year round – and it’s clearly paying off.
Fans have more access than ever before, being treated to backstage videos, Q and A sessions and even a bit of banter from the accounts themselves and cast, writers, directors and even the producer Iain MacLeod are constantly on hand to engage with them online. It allows Emmerdale to prove that the fans (lovingly called the FANmily by the show’s social media accounts) are really the most important thing in making the show a success.
When you feel appreciated as a fan, you cherish your favourite soap even more.
The young actors nail it
The child and teenage actors at Emmerdale have been challenged with some pretty big stuff over the past year. Newcomer Isobel Steele has won legions of fans for her performances which have combined mischief and vulnerability while, as already mentioned, Rosie Bentham and Alfie Clarke have been utterly outstanding as part of Ashley’s dementia storyline. Meanwhile, Joe-Warren Plant continues to impress as Jacob, particularly in the wake of David’s diagnosis while young Amelia Flanagan is as adorably cheeky as ever as April.
Holly’s death
It’s an episode that Emmerdale fans won’t ever forget. What started out as a normal day of village life turned into a huge tragedy that destroyed Moira’s whole world. The moments that Moira found Holly dead in her bed and later was forced to see her driven away from the farm were devastating to watch and the surprise element of fans not knowing it was coming added to the huge impact.
What made it perfect though was the amazing talent of Natalie J Robb who not only gave her best performances of all time (no easy feat) but also gave some of the best we have seen on TV in a long time.
Storylines shared out
Emmerdale have a large and versatile cast and they all share the limelight. Characters like Kerry, Nicola and David, who are so often played for laughs, have been given their own meaty storylines over the year and alongside long running arcs such as Moira’s tragedies, Emma’s schemes and Ashley’s dementias, there are many other shorter stories going on to mix everything up and keep everyone watching interested.
We don’t all like the same things – but there is always something for everyone in the Dales.
THAT big week
Emmerdale set a new bar for soap ambition in a week that was explosive, exciting and gripping – and, while the special effects were some of the best we have ever seen in a soap, it was about so much more than the crash.
The storylines and building tensions that led up to that moment of carnage were what made the pay off so heart-stopping – and seeing characters we cared about and characters we feared all thrown into the mix set the stage for episodes that we couldn’t tear our eyes from.
From start to finish, it was a week of perfect soap.
It’s not afraid to experiment
Emmerdale stays true to what it is but it is never afraid to push the boundaries a little and try something new. Ashley’s dementia episode was the perfect example of this – the storyline was the right one to have this approach to and it gave viewers that extra heartbreaking insight into Ashley’s bewildered world.
Similarly, the show had a different feel in the week of the crash with incidental music, different camera work and flash forward scenes all combining to create something special that was still Emmerdale at the heart but just a bit different.
No longer the underdog
Emmerdale has effortlessly shed its already unfair reputation as an underdog – and it has largely been without us noticing. It has always been a strong soap, worthy of sharing the limelight with EastEnders and Corrie, and it’s never been a better time to be a fan.
More excitement to come
The Dales never rest and there is always something new to look forward to. There is a Robron wedding ahead, the storyline of Debbie Dingle is just kicking off, Moira and Cain have something massive in the pipeline and a violent fight up at Home Farm. And that’s just what we can tell you about!
Let’s just say that there are more big surprises to come and lots of storylines ahead that will make this coming year just as exciting for us all as the year just gone by.
Culled from Metro.co.uk
