Oh Corrie, How I Love Thee

Let me count the ways.

I was recently talking with a friend about Coronation Street, funnily enough. She asked me why I loved the show so much. I didn't know how to answer that question, besides from declaring: "Because it's the BEST!" Then, I thought about it later. Reasons why I love Corrie:

The Character Development

It always astounds me how Corrie writers can manage to get you to know these characters so well to the point where you feel you can predict their next move. Then, to throw it all up in the air and have that character do something completely OUT of character. Sometimes it's bizarre (Molvin), sometimes it's confusing (Fiz & John), but mostly it's realistic. I like how Corrie characters simulate multi-dimensional human beings.

The Character Archetypes

For anyone who's been watching Corrie for quite some time, you'll know that a lot of the success of this show relies heavily on key character archetypes, and the timely recycling of those. More typically, are The Battle-axe (Ivy Tilsley, and more recently, Sally Webster), The Tart-with-a-Heart (Leanne Battersby), The Femme Fatale (Carla Gordon), Moral Voice (Ted). The list goes on.

The Strong Female Characters

You love 'em, you hate 'em, or maybe you love to hate them, or hate to love them. Still with me? Undoubtedly, part of my strong attraction to the show is how the female characters are at the forefront before the male characters. Although, we've got some great male characters also. Female fictional characters are usually in the background, and mostly play second-fiddle to their male counterparts. Not on Corrie!

The Weddings

I love, love, love a good Corrie wedding. Heck, even a bad one. I love how we always know that things won't go as planned. I love the costumes, the drama, the special-ness of it all. I also enjoy the slight un-realism of how the entire wedding party and guests are almost exclusively made up of folks from the street. As though the characters had no life before arriving on Coronation Street. Love it.

The Comic Relief

Everyone knows that I'm a major fan of our Blanche. She is very much a character with the sole purpose of providing comic relief, especially to the ever dramatic Barlows. However, comedy is not only reserved for her or characters alike. I enjoy how any character can get the last laugh.

The Style

Whether it's good style (Maria Connor), downright terrible style (the tetchy looks of Cilla Battersby-Brown and Becky Granger), simply classic (Emily Bishop, Audrey Roberts), or even a little over-the-top (Kelly Crabtree, or even our Rita to some extremes), it's always very colourful to watch.

The Little Things

The small, familiar aspects, such as the trumpet and the clink of glasses in the opening sequence. How the facades and interiors of buildings change slightly over the years, but are always familiar.

This is only a start, but these are the main things that stand out in my mind. Regardless of the reasons I've come up with, I love Corrie because it feels a little like home. It's like an old friend who keeps you on your toes, or a husband who always keeps your guessing. Familiar, yet exciting at the same time. Plus, what could be better than having a long hard day, then coming home to watch a show about other people who always seem to have it far worse? No lifestyles of the rich and famous here!

What are some reasons that you love Corrie? I know I've left a lot out, so any help?