Yahoo News EastEnders: Was Kat Moon's return worth the wait?
It's been a long few years without her, but EastEnders favourite Kat Moon was finally back where she belonged tonight (Walford – not Ireland!). And we'd be lying if we said it wasn't great to see her.
After months of anticipation, Thursday's double bill saw Kat strut back into the Square; ready to face her mourners – and deal with her scheming grandmother Big Mo. For reasons that were later explained, Big Mo has been telling some rather expedient lies regarding Kat – claiming that she'd been killed in a tragic boat accident abroad. But as we knew already, Kat is very much alive, and as it happens, pretty well too.
Kat was last seen on the main show in early 2016, in a brief stint that paved the way for EastEnders spin-off show Redwater a year later. However, fans who tuned into Redwater, hoping to see the loud-mouthed character in all her glory, had a shock in store – as the Kat of old was nowhere to be seen.
Kat underwent a rather drastic image – and personality – change for Redwater, inexplicably swapping her trademark leopard-print wardrobe for a completely different one. But thankfully, it seems like her grisly sea accident has kicked her back into action (and no, not the one Mo mentioned!) because she was back to her brilliant best tonight. Hallelujah!
Armed with her beloved lippy, her luggage, and some rather priceless dialogue ("Most people help their nan by getting a bit of shopping, not hiding in a coffin pretending to be dead"), quintessential Kat was back in force; full of fire, full of feistiness, and not a cardigan in sight. It looks like Redwater has been well and truly brushed under the rug – and her reprisal couldn't come at a better time.
Kat's comeback dominated the vast majority of tonight's second episode, with one of the show's most acclaimed scriptwriters Tony Jordan penning the story. As the Slaters unpicked the disaster that Big Mo's deplorable money scheme had created, we were treated to some long-awaited laughs, some warming family moments, and a sense of nostalgia from the Slaters' early days.
Supported by some absolutely cracking one-liners from a confused, concerned, and slightly tipsy Jean: ("She's not dead you know, she's in the cupboard"), a much-more-likeable Stacey, and Kat's unmissable first experience with Karen Taylor – tonight's episode was exciting, fresh, and really, really funny. Whether the time away has done Kat the world of good, or she just works better without Alfie (they are on a break, FYI), we're not sure. But Kat felt revitalised – and so did the show as a whole.
Could Kat's return have been the boost that EastEnders needed? It's possible. With ITV's flagship soaps – Emmerdale and Corrie – dominating both the ratings and the award ceremonies, the last year has often felt like a frustrating time to be an EastEnders fan.
But Kat's comeback feels positive and packed with potential – especially if this material is anything to go by. Of course, there is always the chance that returning characters can fall by the wayside after a big comeback, if they have no proper story arc afterwards. However, with rumours swirling that Alfie's return might not be far off, it doesn't look like we have too much to worry about on this front.
So, was Kat's return worth the wait? Based on these scenes, it most certainly was. And if the writers can keep up the momentum in the aftermath, we're excited. Very excited. Welcome back, Kat: we've missed you.
EastEnders continues on Monday, March 26 at 8pm on BBC One.
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