It's been made very clear that he doesn't have the funds to buy the Rover's, and surprise surprise I read in this week's soaps preview that Big Jim McDonald, in his desperation, is set to rob a bank, so he is.
I'm not much of a Big Jim fan to be honest, so I won't mind too much if he's sent to the "Big Hoose" for a long stretch (again). However, I was under the impression that Jim and 'Lizbeth' were supposed to be heading off into the sunset together, as part of Beverley Callard's grand finale, but if he gets done for armed robbery, how will that work out? I must say I'm not looking forward to this at all. Bank robberies. Kidnappings. Mass murder. The buying of children. Fake weddings. Tram crashes. The list of eye-popping sensationalist storylines goes on - and on - and on - and I have very little interest in any of them. I'm very much with those of you who want more kitchen sink drama from Coronation Street. I don't mind the odd murder or robbery now and again - you expect that from a soap - but at the moment the show seems to be lurching from one highly unlikely scenario to the next and it's far too much. I wish the writers would think carefully about what a particular character would do in a given situation - and not about what they, the writers, can MAKE them do.
I've got to find something positive to say here. On the plus side - I might be clutching at straws but I'm liking Kevin Webster at the moment!
28 comments:
Do the honourable thing, Collinson...
I love Jim and don't think that robbing a bank is in character for him. I can't think of one reasonable plot going on right now. I'll not stop watching but it's really not the Coronation Street I love at the moment.
How absolutely ridiculous is this? If Big Jim, gets caught, as he surely will, with his record, he will go down for more or less life. All for the fair Elizabeth and a tatty loss making back street boozer - yeah right. Jim's reappearance seems stilted and laboured. I too am fed up with the constant sensationalist stories one after another that we are just yawning at instead of being gripped. They need to concentrate on improving the writing. I have said it before and will say it again Mr Phil Arrogant Collinson is ruining our favourite soap.
Not even wearing a mask I see - er - Jim - CCTV? Drrrrrrrr.
I love Jim too - why oh why are they making him act so out of character like this? He's a former soldier for God's sake, he's much better than this crap storyline.
PLEASE please please writers, don't do this to him. Let him & Liz go off happily together. Your plans for him are just so WRONG!!!!
That's right Blackie Bird, no mask, not even one of Elizabeth's stockings, he'll get nicked, so he will. Unless this is Kylie in a Jim mask????
I think this is out of character for Jim too, so it is. I agree that there's far too many sensationalist type stories!
I agree with Peg. About the only normal right now is morning toast & squabbles with the Barlows. Don't get me wrong, I love toast & squabbles. That's where the best writing is. Right now, all we would need is Tony Gordon to come back from the dead and fancier outfits and we could be watching Days of our Lives: Manchester. (If you're not familiar with that American soap, count yourself blessed.)
Soaps are character driven. Wit must triumph over plot. Roy's mom can't get here soon enough. Gary blew his best chance in the Army; will he make good with Owen's loan? I hope Fay(e) likes toast. Go small stories!!
Frosty, I couldn't agree more. Every time I see Phil Collinson with his smug smile he makes me so mad. His 5oth week was outstanding but he can't live on that forever, he's ruining the street, it's getting ridiculous. Maybe Jim will get away with it when Dr Who's tardis will swing by at the last minute - after all isn't that's where Mr Collinson came from?
Absolutely correct, Seapenguin. Its not as if these storylines, tram crash aside, are done well, as they contain more holes than Eddie Windass' string vest.
You are so correct that the writers should think what the characters would do, not what they can make them do. I can't stand Jim McDonald, but I would not know how to begin in robbing a bank and neither would he. It's ridiculous.
The whole thing just revolves around sensationalist stories that can be leaked to newspapers and magazines to generate "interest". Unfortunately, the long term success of the show will be based on the quality of its characters and writing, not daft plotlines.
Garbage story along with the rest nowdays..bin them all.
I really want to see Gail back to her old character...no way would she take lip from a slut like Kylie..she'd be out the door minus a few handfulls of hair.
Where are the writers and what are they smokin???
Agree with all comments. It's becoming more and more like dreary Eastenders. Where's the wit, humour and good writing? Plots are rubbish.
And where's Martin? Isn't he David's dad, couldn't he ring now and again? How did Cheryl and Lloyd afford to buy a house? What is Gail living on? Who looks after Max when Becky's in the bar or out and about? What's up with Maria? Why has Audrey lost her senses and why can't Rula Lenska get a better story? Just where did Nick's new bar come from and why is Gail letting Kylie boss her around in her own house?
Add another one who agrees with the rest of you......guess those prison years didn't teach Jim anything..... like wearing a disguise when robbing a bank....sheesh! I like Jim and if this is the 'real' storyline for his and Liz' exit then the writers should be carted off to work for free at EastEnders.
K
Looks like Jim is carrying a sawn off shotgun, so he is. Apparently, its easy to get one of those in Weatherfield, but not a motorcycle helmet or balaclava.
How I long for the days when Alan Bradley assaulting Rita was a huge story. Now no-one would bat an eyelid in a street full of thieves, embezzlers, attempted rapists, murderers, burgulars, kidnappers and immigration fraudsters. What next? Emily Bishop opens a brothel at No3 in order to boost the Church Roof fund?
Get a grip Collinson or go.
Jim deserves so much better than this. I know he'd do anything for Liz but this is just ridiculous -- no way would he risk going back inside. He's not a criminal. Why can't he and Liz just ride off into the sunset together?
Well surprise surprise, I agree with everything posted above. Jim was always a bit of a Marmite character for me - sometimes great, sometimes dreadful. Charlie Lawson must be horrified to be going out on such a bizarre note. Lots of inconsistency at the moment too. Oh dear!
agree with everyones comments on this
storylines are jsut getting too ridiculous and this is the last straw-he wants money to buy a pub so he attempts to rob a bank
er ok then-i mean they couldnt think of anything else simple- how aboutliz saying come and live with me in spain jim or something normal like that
its bad enough with buying kids and sham weddings these days
i think phil collinson needs to take a long hard look at whathes doing
One of the Anonymous people: Emily opening up a brothel to support the Church roof fund would be more entertaining than this dumb abysmal 'Jim robbing a bank' story.......hahaha
Same sentiment echoes here. Do they have a bunch of new writers who have never seen the show?
Characters who are out of character, so many loose ends you could trip, a complete lack of reality in this little unreal world of The Street it makes no sense.
It is a ratings thing, a reverse psychology? Write so much outlandish rubbish that it causes a stir amongst loyal watchers?
The loyal followers then vent their irritation and anger and it ends up bringing more attention to the show?
Sheesh, give me a break, better yet give me some people who actually know the characters, their intentions and who know how to write about the daily, mundane little things that crop up around these characters!
The bland events and exchanges; the mini dramas in the minds of these characters; the exchanges of ideas and bits of nonsense is what keep people coming back.
How can they not get this?
(thanks for my two cents!)
Hayli
^^^ Yes you are right. And more realistic too.
I was always an Eastenders fan (as this was all that was on offer in Australia at the time) but about 4 years ago I converted to being a Corrie fan. I did this because I thought the character development was much better in Corrie - you got to know and love/hate the characters in their everyday life settings. I too am disappointed with the sensationalist storylines which bore me to tears. I will keep watching and hoping for a return to the old.
Yes, sadly I'm in agreement with all that's been said above. I've always liked Big Jim and think he and 'Lizabeth have great chemistry together, but first rumours of this plotline filled me with dread. It's not in character. Thomas Hardy said "Character is Fate" - what HAPPENS is determined largely by personality and how it reacts to external events. For this reason, Dallas was always more credible than the fantastical Dynasty (give or take the odd dream sequence) because the former was character-orientated, the later, plot-driven. The writers - or at least, the storyliners - need to be sacked. Sacked and replaced by people who understand story mechanics BUT who are also long-term fans of the show who know and understand who the characters are. It really sbhouldn;t be that difficult to find people who fulfill that criterion. There's one here!
Sadly this is what the public wants these days. But once they stop caring about these storylines the show will be over as it can't get more far-fetched without losing its grounding in reality.
I don't think it is what the public wants. Coronation Street pulled far more viewers in the days when it was about ordinary people leading (mostly) ordinary lives. The whole point of soaps is to have recognisable characters to follow. Not to spend the whole 30 mins thinking: X would never do that, why is Y chummy with Z when they hated each other 3 months ago.
I do agree that the sensational stories are what the media wants and ultimately all this is going to lead to the death of the show. I am sure it will celebrate it's diamond jubilee, but I am thinking of placing a bet that it won't reach 75 years.
A fitting end to Jim is to be blown away by the cops.
I agree with whoever said that Corrie is starting to look like an American soap. All we need now: an amnesia story, people who were dead to suddenly return (like Tony actually escaped from the factory, has had surgery to make himself look like an elderly black man, and starts getting revenge again), and more who's-the-daddy pregnancies.
(You may laugh, but The Young and the Restless actually had a storyline where a villainess from the past had plastic surgery to make herself look exactly like a beloved character, and set about causing havoc. After being caught, she escaped and DID IT AGAIN)
(How I hate myself for knowing that)
I agree that committing Armed Robbery is SO OUT OF CHARACTER for Jim.
A member of my family who works in a bank has been robbed twice the first time she had a gun in her face!
When this show airs in Canada I think I'll give it a pass.
I am not looking forward the upcoming shows and I've been a very loyal fan for 35 years!
Oh how I agree with many of the views expressed here! Stories are so ridiculous and acting so poor that I feel that the show I have enjoyed for all of its existence is being strangled slowly but surely to death and the treasures of the past are being buried beneath a pile of something very unpleasant!
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