EASTENDERS: Lucy, Lucy, what would you do?

It feels like an age since the EastEnders live episode - and it kind of has been since it was all the way back in February...

Now, five months later, and the police still haven't charged anyone with her murder. Probably because they're not looking for an 11-year-old boy, who creeps around on staircases!
Anyhow, last week, as innocent Ben was arrested (and Marsden returned...) the Old Bill were pleased that they thought they had their man. I say innocent, because in this case, he really is.
I wondered, when the whispers of a secret arrest were, well, whispering, if it would be Ben. What a moral dilemma that would leave Ian in. His brother, getting arrested for killing his daughter, when he actually knew that it was his young son who did it, and his wife covered it up. It's like an episode of EastEnders... Oh, wait...

Anyhow, last night's episode gave me more than I expected it would. It was humorous in places. I loved Ben's sarky comments to Marsden, especially. And Phil's little quips to the 'filth'. Marsden was also unprofessional on many levels, but she wants a Mitchell. She always has. Phil, to be precise, but as he always seems to fall free from her handcuffed clutches, his son must be the next best thing for her.
The police did a deal with an immigrant cab-driver witness, and as he spoke to Keeble, he then noticed Max Branning, who was dropping Abi off to see how Ben was getting on. Another one I had already wondered on being in the frame...
Keeble took this info to Marsden, who only seemed interested in Ben.  But with someone due to be charged with Lucy's murder in next Tuesday episode - and more twists promised - will Max be the one to take the brunt?
Jake Wood is taking a sabbatical from the soap for a while, and it would most definitely be easier on the Beale's to allow Max to go down, instead of one of their own... Lauren is also due to return this year, I think, so this could also aid her return.

Another way last night's episode made me think differently was Bobby. The real killer.
Jane has always protested that she covered up for Bobby as she didn't want him to know that he killed his sister, or wanted him to be punished for a crime that was an accident.
But it wasn't... Bobby said it himself. 'She made people unhappy...'
When Bobs whacked Lucy with her jewelry box, he wanted to hurt her and wanted her to stop making people he loved sad. A jury would argue that, even though he was a child, he calculated it, even if it was in a split second. Since the reveal, we've seen Bobby give longing glances and listen in on his favourite hideaway - the stairs - to all and sundry that's happening in the Beale living room.
Last night, he also overheard Jane and Cindy in the kitchen, he clocked Lucy's purse and phone that Jane had kept hidden (and wanted to plant to frame Ben, until she back-tracked on herself), he keeps asking questions...
Bobby seems to be a bright kid. He's already asked whether he killed Lucy, so it's still in his mind.

Tonight, Bobby turns on Phil, in a nasty rage. When Phil realises that Jane has been hiding the purse and phone, instead of ridding it, he wonders why and confronts her. That's when Bobby overhears and goes to defend Jane, warning Phil to leave his mum alone.

Bobby has a fit of rage... again!

What will Phil make of Bobby's behaviour? And if Jane manages to control her son, before it's too late, what will she and Ian make of it, too?

They know that he's already killed Lucy, and must have been angry with her to hit her, without provoking...

If you ask me, little Bobster knows more about what he's doing than he lets on. Remember the moment Jane turned round and Bobby said 'Whatever she says, it was her fault...'? 

He did NOT sound remorseful, or frightened, as you  would imagine an innocent child, who had simply lashed out, would feel. This give EastEnders a mountain of storylines to go down, if not now, then definitely in the future... 

Will Bobby kill again, when he's older - will he reveal that he knew he had killed his sister all along - and allowed his parents to cover for him, will he one day admit all, and take Jane (and the rest of the Beale's) down with him?

As I said in the title... What would Lucy do?

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EASTENDERS - A surprise face, a runaway - and even more secrets?

What does Rainie know?

So - what does returnee Rainie Cross want with Ian? Or is that, what does Ian want with Rainie?

Seeing her surprise return last night quietened some of the whispers that the secret 'R' on Ian's phone was indeed Ronnie Mitchell. Those speculators were wrong...

Now it could be that Rainie (who we know has a history of problems with drugs) was the one supplying Lucy with cocaine before her murder.

Some fans are even wondering whether Ian is now on the white stuff himself - but I'm thinking that, maybe, the grieving father and Rainie have history from when Ian was living on the streets?

Either way - it could be one or more of these - actress Tanya Franks who plays Rainie has said on the EastEnders Official Website:

"Let's just say it has something to do with the murder. I'm not saying that I am part of the murder and I am not saying that I am not part of the murder. Rainie does have some involvement with Ian Beale. I'm just going to say that, but keep watching."

Rainie's return may also have consequences for other Walford residents...

How will Cora react if she catches a glimpse of her prodigal daughter?

'Enders fans may also remember that it was Rainie's fling with Phil Mitchell that left him hooked on heroin a few years back...

Will Phil resist Rainie, should she make a play for him once again?

I bet Shirley will be thrilled to see her too, especially as Shirl' will be admitting her true feelings to Phil herself, while Sharon is laid up in hospital!

Talking of Sharon, last night, we saw her get attacked in The Albert, while Johnny Carter hid upstairs, too frightened to help.

This, and the added pressures from his mum, Linda, causes the youngest Carter boy to play runaway next week.

Linda is fussing non-stop around Johnny, and when she interferes with his University tutor after learning that he's failed some of his exams, Johnny goes for revenge.

Johnny's off!

Knowing what a terrible singer his mum is - Johnny sets her up at The Vic's karaoke night - resulting in a blazing row between mother and son.

Johnny has finally had enough - and packs his bags.

Will he return?

I can't help but see all of this merge into one - and with it, spill out yet more secrets revolving around the Lucy Beale murder.

Did the same culprit hurt Sharon? Does Johnny know more than he's saying?

As much as all evidence points towards the sacked doormen, maybe they were a red herring?

How much does Rainie know about the night of Good Friday? As tonight she blackmails Ian, as she's the only one to know his real whereabouts while his daughter was being murdered.

So many questions, with so much speculation!

Remember, this is still only the beginning...

Trust no-one EastEnders fans - absolutely no-one!

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EASTENDERS - New twists in the Lucy Beale murder investigation

             

The end of last night's EastEnders left us with a question thanks to Phil and Sharon's flit to visit current suspect Jake Stone in prison, where they were surprised by his genuine admission that it was not him who 'did it.' 

But of course we all know it wasn't Jake, as that would be far too easy. 

And, anyhow, it's not yet February 2015. 

But, if Jake didn't kill Lucy, then who did? 

Enter Lauren Branning, unclassified detective... Who manages, with Lucy's brother Peter's help, to track down the taxi driver who dropped Lucy (and Jake, possibly collaborating his story?) off the night she was killed. 

Lauren, as you would, and in a way only an EastEnder could, fires questions at the (probably by this point, headached) taxi driver - but rumour has it that she's left surprised by what he has to say. 

Enter new suspect, Abi Branning, maybe?

Keeping focus on the colourful Branning family, Max, who we know was having a fling with Lucy in the lead up to her murder, also has news which he's been hiding about the fateful night. 

We know that Max and Lucy had a few words before she stormed off in to the EastEnd darkness, but does Max have brand new information for us, as viewers, too? And will he tell the police? 

Well, he certainly says something, especially to Beale family liaison officer Detective Emma Summerhayes, as she, as have many other Walford women, ends up in Max's (still-warm-from-Lucy-being-there) bed! 

Jake Wood, who plays Max, has already stated that this could be the beginning of a relationship that lasts the distance. (I still mourn for Max and Tanya!) 

And 'Enders boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins said at the beginning of the story that even the officers in charge of the case will become characters in their own right. With some being taken off the hunt, for various reasons. 

I think sleeping with a suspect is a pretty good reason for Summerhayes to be kicked off the case in hand. 

But what will Max reveal. And will Emma cover up any evidence to protect her new man?

So, it seems we'll have more twists and turns over in Walford, and I've said many times that 

I'm not going to seriously speculate Who Killed Lucy Beale until, maybe the end of the year. 

At the minute though, I definitely think the youngest Branning girl definitely has something to hide. 

It's always the quiet ones, so they say. And Abi was friend's with once quiet and sweet killer Ben Mitchell. 

Where is Ben, by the way? We know he's out of prison, and Jay knows his whereabouts.  

Was he snooping around Walford the night his niece, Lucy, (yes, I had to work that out) died? 

Hmm...

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