Emmerdale - Earliest Shocking Storyline You Remember?

[bhvictory]

As I became a regular viewer in 1985 I would say when Jackie Merrick was knocked off his motorbike by Alan Turner's landrover and spent 6 months in hospital with broken bones. This and Harry Mowlem's murder were the two that spring to mind when I think back to this era.

Which is the earliest you remember??

[Emmerdalefan]

I first heard of Emmerdale Farm in about 1985 or 1986ish when I was 3 or 4 and can remember the glowy orange effect scenic theme titles and the music but the earliest dramatic storyline I remember was the plane crash in Dec 1993 when I was 11. Before the storyline aired I saw the promo for the upcoming episodes and wondered what the hell it was as the narrator said "Beckindale will never be the same again" while showing clips of the upcoming episodes, the clips being the fires and explosions across the village and Kim's stables and wondering what the hell it was that would strike the village. Rioters, gas explosion(s), nuclear attack etc?? Then a few days later I knew it was a plane crash.

[Emmerdalefan]

Bhvictory I know you said on Facebook to me that you had a wonder that the the plane that crashed could have been the one Leonard and Annie were going to board for Spain but I then jogged your memory about the fact it was a Russian airliner flying over Britain from somewhere in the Ukraine or south West Russia area on its way to Canada.

This was confirmed in 2 Jan 1994 episodes. When the paramedics were freeing Annie from the car we could hear a radio in the background saying "a tragedy rocked the Yorkshire village of Beckindale when a passenger jet on way to Canada from Eastern Europe crashed from a height of 30'000 feet. All 250 passengers and crew are believed to have been killed". And Angrahad McAllister said the plane was flying over Britain towards Canada a few eps later.

[bhvictory]

I'll make a point of watching the episodes again at some point. Been a while now since I last saw them, and the memory can play tricks with you, particularly as a lot of other stuff has happened since the plane crash, and not all of it bad either.

[Emmerdalefan]

Main Street was splattered but luckily the rows of houses flanking Main Street and the shop and Dale Head and the barn and Farrers were just splattered. The Woolpack was damaged quite a bit even though a fireball had just hit the front area and the wine bar extension at the back. Most cars in Main Street were torched by plane fuel as was what is now the B&B and most cottages in Main Street suffered smashed windows at least if not major damage. And the house near the smithy was destroyed. Much of the other damage was to the bridge, much of Demdyke Row, the Arncliffe end, Kim's stables and several farms.

[bhvictory]

Main Street was splattered but luckily the rows of houses flanking Main Street and the shop and Dale Head and the barn and Farrers were just splattered. The Woolpack was damaged quite a bit even though a fireball had just hit the front area and the wine bar extension at the back. Most cars in Main Street were torched by plane fuel as was what is now the B&B and most cottages in Main Street suffered smashed windows at least if not major damage. And the house near the smithy was destroyed. Much of the other damage was to the bridge, much of Demdyke Row, the Arncliffe end, Kim's stables and several farms.

...and to think they filmed all of this in a real village. Amazing peace of television. Emmerdale is, as you say, the most realistic soap on the box. If you were to witness a plane crash first hand, Emmerdale's is exactly how it would look.

And it wasn't in bad taste either as Yorkshire TV had consulted groups concerned with the real life disaster Lockerbie, including Friends of Flight 103 and they talked to a lot of real life plane crash survivors too about their experiences.

[Emmerdalefan]

It was done to perfection was the plane crash. Well crafted and well researched. Esholt looked like a plane had really hit it.

[Maria - Noele Gordon Fan]

My earliest shocking memory is of Matt losing Peggy, closely followed by his twins. Awful, heartbreaking stuff to watch at the time.

[Emmerdalefan]

In truth the producers dont have to mark Amos's death as they have more important things to worry about than a soppy old duffer who was last seen in 1995. But i think it will be good to get closure on him.