Of the three prime time soaps on terrestrial TV - for those of us not posh enough to have Sky or Virgin - which do you think is better: Coronation Street, Emmerdale (nee Emmerdale Farm), Eastenders? I think I like Coronation Street best because I don't feel like slitting my wrists after watching it (like Eastenders) - although I'm a bit concerned that the death rate is many times above the national average (but I suppose that applies to all the soaps). Can't say I like Emmerdale because for a little village in the Yorkshire Dales there's an awful lot a high octane action, more akin to McGuiver or Magnum PI (OMG! Dawning realisation alert: Tom Selleck should have been the rich businessman in Pretty Woman). Any road, we haven't had a poll in a while, so I've included one. (up)

um...Hollyoaks? only cos it seems to never, ever be cold there, even though it's set in Chester land. Judging by the short skirts and Darrens ever-present and ever-awful string vest anyway...maybe they don't feel the cold, and for that it should definitely be included!

Also, Tom Selleck as rich bunisess man in Pretty Woman...yes please! Something's just not right about Richard Gere or (especially?) Robert Redford... *shudder*

Sorry, Algaequeen, I did consider Hollyoaks but I had to rule it out on demographic grounds. The vast majority of the population on the soap are below the age of 20, making the soap even more unrealistic than the others. To me, it's like a weird version of Lost where a chinook helicopter carrying a small population of catalogue models and wannabe Big Brother contestants to a Fashion World convention has crash landed in Chester, resulting in them populating a small part of it. They fight, date, drink, there's occasional gun fire and a police heist and then they suddenly turn 25 and just disappear.

Algae, you are a Tom Selleck fan! One of my best friends waxes lyrical about his amazingly manly moustache, but I just don't get it.

I love Robert Redford: The Way We Were..... aaaahhhhhhh, now there's a movie.

Coronation Street - whatever the disaster or whatever else there is always humour. I gave up Eastenders about 15 years ago - did flirt with neighbours when I was on maternity leave (having given it up after I graduated)

Hmmm I don't watch any of them anymore but I always hated the UK soaps - sooooo depressing. I did have a terrible addiction to Neighbours and Home and Away a long time back - but then its the soap version of pure escapism rather than pure self harming inducing lol. I don't think they'd come under your criteria for the poll though - shame......

Tom Selleck???? ooohh nooooooo (sprout) I just don't get the appeal for him, I tell you who should have been the rich businessman though - Clooney!!!!! *swoons*:-x I'd have been on the streets quicker than Belle de Jour if I thought there was a chance i'd bag him ;-)

My mum was once in a lift with Tom Selleck when he was filming Three Men and a Baby and apparently he is even more gorgeous in real life.

The best soap ever is Sunset Beach, they should definitely bring it back.

Sorry Wally, soaps are ruled out for me. I used to watch Eastenders until I realised that everyone will eventually be run over by their neighbour or come back from the dead. I feel sorry to say it but until the British TV comes up with a good TV series that outdoes BBC's Pride and Prejudice, I'm sticking to American shows.

P.S. I don't even have terrestrial TV! I just wait till it's available online :)

Oh yes!!! Mr Darcy!!!!!!!!!!!! *swoons again* - I don't think I'll ever fully recover from 'that' scene ;-) P&P was and still is utterly wonderful - I have it on DVD so I can swoon anytime I choose

I think I've referred to Mr Darcy a couple of times on this forum....I need to stop :-x

I voted for Eastenders as occasionally watch it and hate the other two, but really the only soap I watch is Hollyoaks. I may be nearly 30 but I love it! It is ridiculous but I reakon that's what makes it good - it doesn't take itself seriously.

I can't believe that Eastenders is winning Coronation Street. And if they bring back any soap, it should be either El Dorado or Animal Hospital. I'm classing Animal Hospital as a soap because it had all the drama of one, with tales of little animals being brought in for emergency surgery one week and then you having to wait an entire week, on tenterhooks, to find out if little Clive the Chameleon or Bugs the rabbit had pulled through. It was always sad when they didn't but Rolph Harris had such a way of breaking it to me gently: 'Well, sadly, Pereguin [the Rottweiller] didn't make it...[sigh]'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3US5J8gDFQ The look on that vet's face at after being given what for by a diabetic cat 0.52. Mind you, he did stick a thermometer up it's bum.

If only there was a hollyoaks option is all i can say. I appreciate your comments re everyone is overly young etc, but at the end of the day none of the soaps are fantastically realistic, so what's the problem? although it has to be said some of the acting lately has been plain c**p