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List of EastEnders two-hander episodes
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List of EastEnders two-hander episodes
EastEnders two-hander episodes are singular episodes of the BBC soap opera EastEnders that feature only two members of the cast for the duration. Scripted like mini-plays, two-hander episodes have become a tradition in EastEnders over the years, dating back to a groundbreaking episode in 1986, which featured publicans Den Watts and Angie Watts. Devoting an entire half an hour of drama to just two characters had previously been unheard of in a bi-weekly serial before this episode aired, but it set a precedent for the programme and it has featured two-handers ever since.
Typically, the episodes feature revelations and major character changes to an important relationship, and intense interactions between two prominent characters. Structuring the episode in this way allows for in-depth focus on a specific character or storyline that would be impossible to achieve in the fast-moving and rapidly cut regular episodes.
Practically, these episodes were originally created for speedy filming purposes, as while the two actors were filming the two-hander, the remaining cast could be filming another episode.[citation needed]
The first two-hander features Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) and Angie Watts (Anita Dobson) and is structured like a tennis match, with a non-speaking window cleaner forever strolling innocently into the action. The episode was written by Jane Hollowood and directed by Antonia Bird. This episode was watched by 14.0 million viewers in its original broadcast. Writers chose to give Den and Angie a two-hander episode due to their popularity.
Den and Angie's marriage has broken down, and before the episode, Den finally decides to end the marriage and leave Angie for his mistress, Jan Hammond (Jane How). The episode begins with Den trying to talk to Angie to tell her that he wants to leave her and get a divorce but not before Angie tries to continue with a "normal" life in vain; within the opening moments of the episode Angie switches on the washing machine and throughout the back and forth between Angie and Den the audience hears the cycle progress, almost as a soundtrack. The thundering spin cycle often plays alongside Angie or Den screaming and shouting and the gentle wash action plays alongside the more tender moments. Angie stalls but Den persists and explains to her that he wants a clean break from her, their pub, The Queen Victoria, Albert Square and Walford. Den tells Angie that he shall get another pub through a deal with James Willmott-Brown (William Boyde) and Jan would be doing the books. Angie is shocked and feels defeated, but she then reveals that she is terminally ill with only six months to live. Den does not believe her, but Angie explains her story to Den; Angie's hysterical performance eventually convinces him. Den crumbles and promises to stay with her, adding that he will kill Angie if she is lying. Consumed by guilt, Den asks Angie for her forgiveness. As Den leaves Angie alone and takes their dog Roly for a walk, she gives a deranged smile, revealing that she has been lying to Den. Although this is always referred to as a "two hander", in fact another actor also appears in the episode. The window cleaner, who contributes to the dramatic tension by causing the warring couple to move from room to room, was played by Kevin Walsh who, because of qualms about billing at the end of the episode, was only credited onscreen at the end of the omnibus edition broadcast on the Sunday.
The second two-hander features old friends Dot Cotton (June Brown) and Ethel Skinner (Gretchen Franklin) babysitting Vicki Fowler (Emma Herry) one rainy afternoon. This episode centres around nostalgia and growing old and was scripted to show the sadness behind the often comical characters of Dot and Ethel. The episode was written by Charlie Humphreys and directed by Mike Gibbon, a future producer of the show.
While baby Vicki sleeps, Dot and Ethel reminisce about their lives during World War II and share secrets from their girlhoods. During the war Ethel was 17 and remained in London where she witnessed the death of her family, who were killed by a German doodlebug. Dot was evacuated to Wales when she was three years old and stayed with a couple she called Auntie Gwen and Uncle Will, who wanted to adopt her. Dot later confesses that she had an abortion soon after she married Charlie Cotton (Christopher Hancock) because he told her he would leave her if she kept the baby. This causes a furious Dr. Harold Legg (Leonard Fenton) to punch Charlie on the nose in The Queen Victoria public house. Towards the end of the episode Dot goes out to the shop for a loaf bread and some fig rolls. When she returns Ethel is asleep and Dot thinks she has died and begins weeping and reciting the Lord's Prayer. When Ethel rouses, Dot panics and Ethel has to slap her out of it. Ethel then tearfully reminisces about her dead husband William and the past. As the episode ends, Dot and Ethel tend to Vicki while singing.
The third two-hander features the best friends Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully). In the aftermath of Sharon's adoptive father, Den Watts' (Leslie Grantham) apparent death, the two friends start an evening at home with a bottle of wine and their memories. This episode was written by Tony McHale and directed by Mike Gibbon.
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List of EastEnders two-hander episodes
EastEnders two-hander episodes are singular episodes of the BBC soap opera EastEnders that feature only two members of the cast for the duration. Scripted like mini-plays, two-hander episodes have become a tradition in EastEnders over the years, dating back to a groundbreaking episode in 1986, which featured publicans Den Watts and Angie Watts. Devoting an entire half an hour of drama to just two characters had previously been unheard of in a bi-weekly serial before this episode aired, but it set a precedent for the programme and it has featured two-handers ever since.
Typically, the episodes feature revelations and major character changes to an important relationship, and intense interactions between two prominent characters. Structuring the episode in this way allows for in-depth focus on a specific character or storyline that would be impossible to achieve in the fast-moving and rapidly cut regular episodes.
Practically, these episodes were originally created for speedy filming purposes, as while the two actors were filming the two-hander, the remaining cast could be filming another episode.[citation needed]
The first two-hander features Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) and Angie Watts (Anita Dobson) and is structured like a tennis match, with a non-speaking window cleaner forever strolling innocently into the action. The episode was written by Jane Hollowood and directed by Antonia Bird. This episode was watched by 14.0 million viewers in its original broadcast. Writers chose to give Den and Angie a two-hander episode due to their popularity.
Den and Angie's marriage has broken down, and before the episode, Den finally decides to end the marriage and leave Angie for his mistress, Jan Hammond (Jane How). The episode begins with Den trying to talk to Angie to tell her that he wants to leave her and get a divorce but not before Angie tries to continue with a "normal" life in vain; within the opening moments of the episode Angie switches on the washing machine and throughout the back and forth between Angie and Den the audience hears the cycle progress, almost as a soundtrack. The thundering spin cycle often plays alongside Angie or Den screaming and shouting and the gentle wash action plays alongside the more tender moments. Angie stalls but Den persists and explains to her that he wants a clean break from her, their pub, The Queen Victoria, Albert Square and Walford. Den tells Angie that he shall get another pub through a deal with James Willmott-Brown (William Boyde) and Jan would be doing the books. Angie is shocked and feels defeated, but she then reveals that she is terminally ill with only six months to live. Den does not believe her, but Angie explains her story to Den; Angie's hysterical performance eventually convinces him. Den crumbles and promises to stay with her, adding that he will kill Angie if she is lying. Consumed by guilt, Den asks Angie for her forgiveness. As Den leaves Angie alone and takes their dog Roly for a walk, she gives a deranged smile, revealing that she has been lying to Den. Although this is always referred to as a "two hander", in fact another actor also appears in the episode. The window cleaner, who contributes to the dramatic tension by causing the warring couple to move from room to room, was played by Kevin Walsh who, because of qualms about billing at the end of the episode, was only credited onscreen at the end of the omnibus edition broadcast on the Sunday.
The second two-hander features old friends Dot Cotton (June Brown) and Ethel Skinner (Gretchen Franklin) babysitting Vicki Fowler (Emma Herry) one rainy afternoon. This episode centres around nostalgia and growing old and was scripted to show the sadness behind the often comical characters of Dot and Ethel. The episode was written by Charlie Humphreys and directed by Mike Gibbon, a future producer of the show.
While baby Vicki sleeps, Dot and Ethel reminisce about their lives during World War II and share secrets from their girlhoods. During the war Ethel was 17 and remained in London where she witnessed the death of her family, who were killed by a German doodlebug. Dot was evacuated to Wales when she was three years old and stayed with a couple she called Auntie Gwen and Uncle Will, who wanted to adopt her. Dot later confesses that she had an abortion soon after she married Charlie Cotton (Christopher Hancock) because he told her he would leave her if she kept the baby. This causes a furious Dr. Harold Legg (Leonard Fenton) to punch Charlie on the nose in The Queen Victoria public house. Towards the end of the episode Dot goes out to the shop for a loaf bread and some fig rolls. When she returns Ethel is asleep and Dot thinks she has died and begins weeping and reciting the Lord's Prayer. When Ethel rouses, Dot panics and Ethel has to slap her out of it. Ethel then tearfully reminisces about her dead husband William and the past. As the episode ends, Dot and Ethel tend to Vicki while singing.
The third two-hander features the best friends Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully). In the aftermath of Sharon's adoptive father, Den Watts' (Leslie Grantham) apparent death, the two friends start an evening at home with a bottle of wine and their memories. This episode was written by Tony McHale and directed by Mike Gibbon.