Hollyoaks spoilers follow Wednesday’s E4 first preview episode (October 21), which some readers might prefer to avoid
Your eyes weren’t fooling you – a huge Hollyoaks birthday episode just passed with no explosions, carnage, or cast of the cast
E4 viewers watched the soap opera’s 25th anniversary special Wednesday night (October 21), but fans were treated to the warmth and nostalgia rather than the on-screen shows that typically accompany such occasions
Let’s face it – the bosses of the Hollyoaks didn’t have much of a choice With all the soaps currently following strict COVID-19 guidelines on the set, big-budget stunts and disasters are out of the picture. table for the foreseeable future
In July 2019, the series confidently kicked off the 25th anniversary hype early by teasing a massive stunt, which naturally didn’t materialize in the end.
It’s Hollyoak’s tradition for a jaw-dropping disaster every October, after the successful Enjoy The Ride wedding crash storyline in 2012 that paved the way for other high-stakes storylines like the Hollyoaks explosion, McQueens train crash and school explosion
Last year the series even went meta by asking Grace Black to refer to the annual on-screen carnage: « Yes, that’s it This time next year I’m booking a vacation Something always seems to start here in October! «
But with an actual pandemic that threw Grace’s prediction into disarray, the bosses of Hollyoak clearly had to return to the drawing board.The end result was a truly moving episode that felt like a warm hug for them. old and new fans
In this episode, there was something for everyone: the original character Kurt Benson returning from the dead to surprise Tony, « Little Tom » coming of age by becoming engaged, the McQueens in turmoil and the return of the most famous of the serial killer village
While Kurt’s return and Silas’ fourth chapter are sure to make headlines, the most effective scenes were those centered around Yazz’s proposal to Tom in an effort to convince Tom that they belonged together, Yazz recruited the whole village to record a love letter she wrote for her boyfriend
This created an on-screen video footage featuring all of the adult characters from the show, as they took turns reading Yazz’s moving words
If the speech resonated with you beyond the story of the couple’s fictional romance, it was absolutely intentional.The onscreen love letter was written to subtly represent the relationship between Hollyoaks and her fans over the years:
« Being with you is like coming home We’ve known each other for so long, but you can always surprise me We’ve been through our sunny days and dark nights
« We’ve said our fair share of hello and way too many goodbyes And the only thing I know – the only thing I’m sure – is that when I need you most, you are right by my side «
With heartfelt performances by Ellis Hollins and Haiesha Mistry – and a screenplay written by Richard Burke, one of Hollyoaks’ best writers – the scenes will have brought a smile to any fan. And let’s face it, we could all do it with a few smiles now
The anniversary special wasn’t just about making us feel warm and fuzzy – there were plenty of exciting new possibilities for the future as well.
The return of serial killer Silas Blissett, in particular, is sure to be a hit with viewers.His returns never quite matched the brilliance of its original 2011 screenplay, but there was a first threatening air in his new scenes which hopefully bodes well for the upcoming drama
Additionally, we couldn’t help but notice an intriguing new mystery as the devious Silas appears to be working with someone with whom he has forged an alliance this time? Hopefully, for them, they don’t end up like the next Lindsey Butterfield
We’re also interested to see if Tom and Yazz’s engagement will now place them at the center of New Years wedding history, after ten months of speculation about the flashforward episode
All eyes are sure to be on Kurt too as he tries to right his past mistakes and settles back into the village
The explanation for the charmer’s return wasn’t too interesting (and everyone figured it out pretty quickly) but we think the return of his best mate is exactly what Tony needs right now.
COVID may have knocked out the annual stunt, but just like Corrie’s 10,000th episode at the start of the year, it was refreshing to see a landmark edit that felt like a true character-based celebration
Plus, for those who really want a smaller-scale on-screen disaster, there will always be a car crash next week…
Hollyoaks is currently airing new episodes Monday through Thursday at 6:30 a.m. on Channel 4, with premieres at 7 p.m. on E4 Classic Episodes, titled Hollyoaks Favorites, airing Fridays at 7 p.m. on E4
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World news – UK – Hollyoaks broke with tradition in nostalgic episode 25th anniversary
