Now I am in full swing, lets try to get others on board.
This is not exhaustive and I have not included some good ones like the 'I Love Lucy Show', or the well and truly wonderful 'Soap' I think South Park would be pushing it (well maybe not) and Family Guy would be good, but probably not enough characters.

Well in the first few hours, a most exciting contest with Eldorado, Crossroads, Neighbours and Prisoner all at equal first. Clearly the good denizens of SE London have a closer connection with an Australian women's jail, an ex-pats paradise and my own fave, good old Kings Oak (obviously taken from Selly Oak and the birthplace of BD, Kings Norton). Not sure if there are any signs of tactical voting yet, and I hope that the Web master has controls to stop multiple voting.

Disappointly many of you who have already checked one of the most thrilling contests in years (forget the American primaries I say) have yet to cast their votes, maybe you are hedging your bets to see which way the land lies. And from the early signs, it is a good days listening to on Radio 4, perhaps later in the week when there are some obscure or drab programmes we may see a late run from Ambridge.

Over to you co-commentator....

Oh wait - a technicality is being raised in my ear piece as I type - are we talking old school Crossroads here of the short lived revamp? Hmm, didn't properly think that one through. And how will the change of sides starting tomorrow for Ramsey Street affect things? More to be revealed shortly no doubt.

old style or new style Emmerdale? or does the 'farm' addition make that clear?

You've forgotten Hollyoaks, the epitome of teenage lust and passion...

Hardly Forest Hill though, is it Roz? or am I missing out on something???

Hollyoaks was considered, but as Ginger nuts stated it was a bit difficult to get this one in, as were others in the soap/drama model. Plenty of minor Aussie Soaps I could have included, but again that seemed to be pushing it a little. Perhaps I should have gone for the Truman Show - that is some people's image of SE23, another great would have been Stepford Wives (the original version) but I fear we would have got side tracked on a theme of potential mysogeny. I am surprised the increasingly more diverse East Enders is not attracting greater interest. One very topical show would be Grange Hill, soon to leave our screens. Now surely we can all identify with that.

BD - probably the world's favourite poster

I fear we would have got side tracked on a theme of potential mysogeny...

Instead we've have been side tracked by a theme of potential mysspelling. Its misogyny. But none of that on this site.

Which Crossroads black & white or colour?

Gems
Compact
Sons & Daughters
Take The High Road
Mrs. Dale's Diary

American English Roz, sorry my word spell cheque is in oversees English. Never watched Emmerdale, but recall in my preteens when ITV made drama a new set of afternoon soaps/dramas including the then Emmerdale Farm (is that the same as Emmerdale?), Crown Court and General Hospital. It was pretty groundbreaking stuff then. Just remembered the 'Cedar Tree'. Surely other readers are into memory Lane, Not hurd of some of Forest Gumps suggestions, please enliten me. And it doesn't matter whether it Crossroads was in colour or black and white, as in the 70s none of us could afford colour TVs.

Well now a pretty healthy range of votes, with Eldorado (a seriously underated series, that broke new ground) just pipping the early leader Prisoner Cell Block H (with probably the most haunting of theme tunes ever). Still no interest in Emmerdale, which surprises me as I equate the YOHO with the Woolpack (they both no doubt serve 'Black Sheep'). Perhaps the Jamies may wish to comment.

Thought there was quite healthy interest in this thread, until I saw the one on trains had ten times the number of viewings. Now train overcrowding has never featured in East Enders, because as a true sign of London culture every one works locally. Out of a job? Just go down the local cafe, launderette, market or pub and you will pick one up just like that. Perhaps other readers may wish to share their experience of getting local jobs, or having a long lost relative suddenly appear unannounced in the pub and then move in next door, after buying the local car lot.

Crossroads original Meg Richardson / Amy Turtle
Crossroads The Re-mix Jill Richardson / Virginia Raven

Gems was set in a clothes factory in the East End.

Compact was set in a glossy womens magazine office. Written by Hazel Adair who went on to write Crossroads.

Emmerdale is Take The High Road without the Scottish accents.

Sons & Daughters was an Australian soap, this has to be the soap for Forest hill?

Or a family from UDB and one from Catford North?

Now there was a soap opera on ITV based close to this area, but it got a bit strange and pervy.

Eldorado - promised so much, never quite delivered.

Only Fools and Houses
The South East London classic, now updated for the influx of property investors.

'Tropic of Ruislip' by Leslie Thomas was always my comparison.
The community was divided by the railway line. A very funny book!