Christmas in the East End

First published on Studenty.me on 27 Dec 2011

With higher ratings than Downton Abbey's Christmas Special, Eastenders has succeeded in being the most watched show on Christmas day. Clearly, people enjoy the mayhem and misery of Walford, as 9.9 million viewers tuned in to watch the episode.

The marriage of Zainab and Yusef proved to be more interesting then the long- and anxiously-awaited engagement of Lady Mary and Matthew. This marriage was a long time coming, but we all knew something was wrong the day Yusef knocked Zainab to the floor when she was having second thoughts about marrying him. Later, she had second thoughts about moving to Pakistan and taking everything from Masood.

And it turns out she feels more than pity towards her ex-husband. On Saturday, the two were caught kissing at the front door of Zainab's house, by Masood's girlfriend, Jane. Eastenders wouldn't be right without a bit of drama, however, and Jane provides this by getting drunk and spilling the beans to Yusef.

Yusef's anger at this information has the audience on the edge of their seats, expecting him to run inside and beat Zainab, leaving her body more bruised and battered than before, while she weeps in fear.

image: google

There is a very interesting turn of events, however, when Zainab hears that Masood has rescued Kamil. Knowing her baby is safe gives Zainab a new lease of life and she hits Yusef before he can hit her, and continues to do so until he is curled up against his car, crying like a baby.

The story is far from concluded however, as despite everything, Zainab still accepts tea from Yusef when they get back inside - Yusef who has been drugging her since long before they were married. Yusef who kidnapped her baby and brought him far away so she couldn't find him. Yusef who beat her and humiliated her, scared her and manipulated her.

Passed out from drugs, it looks like Zainab is going to be dragged to Pakistan - concsious or not. Afia, however, has reluctantly told Tamwar the whole story, so the rest of the family - Syed and Amira included - burst through the door to catch Yusef. Afia, with conflicting loyalties, lets her father out the back door rather than see him arrested.

This brings us to Monday's episode. After a long conversation with Masood in Kim's B&B, Yusef knocks Masood out, and sets fire to the room. I find the fact that Masood had such a long conversation with the man who should have been arrested hours earlier quite bizarre to say the least, but anything goes in Eastenders! Soon, however, disaster strikes - the type of disaster that can only be expected in a soap such as Eastenders - a fire!

After knocking Masood out, Yusef sets the room alight, resulting in a major panic. When the fire is put out, however, one cannot help but laugh at the reaction. There are people still in the house - Masood, Denise, Phil - yet everyone heads over to the Queen Vic, including Zainab, who was screaming with panic only minutes before, and can't even wait for the love of her life to get out of the house.

There's some divilment going on throughout the night, however, as Patrick and Anthony are dealing with fireworks, conveniently left in the house, and ready to explode at any moment. As it is Eastenders, that's exactly what happens, trapping Masood, Denise and Phil inside. Well, they should have gotten out, and waited for the firemen to declare the house safe to go into!

pic: google images

Funnily enough, after Yusef gloats to Zainab, and she so cruelly tells him Afia is in there, both he and Tamwar are able to get inside the house, even though nobody is able to get out. There is a touching moment where Masood does his best to rescue Yusef from the fire, despite him screaming like a madman and puting his own life in danger for his daughter.

Here's where the drama gets even thicker. Masood, Phil and Denise get out safely, though Phil takes a heart attack once he saves himself and Denise from the flames. Tamwar, eventually gets out, though not so safely as it seems he is very badly burnt. Yusef, after hearing Afia screaming to him from outside, realises that she is safe. The floor colapses beneath him, and it looks as though he's done for.

So the time draws near. We'll soon find out whether he lives or dies. Will he die and free Zainab from their marriage so she can be reunited witht he man she truly loves? Will he live and torture her again, ruining her life and manipulating her? Perhaps his body won't be found. Maybe he'll have freed himself and disappeared for a while, only to return in a month's time and cause more trouble. This would certainly provide some interesting drama in Walford.

Then there's the fact that whatever happens to him, and Tamwar, is on Zainab's conscience. She's the one who lied and said Afia was in the fire. If Tamwar dies, how will she live with herself? How will her family forgive her? How will Afia react? And if Yusef does come back, will his daughter's loyalties lie with him, or her husband's family, whether Tam is alive or not? I personally can't wait to see what happens.

27 Dec 2011

by Jessica Thompson