There's been a huge "storm" of criticism about Coronation Street lately. We've featured a few blog posts about it, the media is having a circus over it, and there's even been defence right from the creators of the show. But this fan is enjoying it.
Oh sure, there's characters, actors and storylines I don't like but then, there always is. That's just part of the whole package. I did find that the Immigration storyline was dragging down my interest but that's over and done and for me, things are looking up again. I've written a long post about it over here, defending what I am liking about the show (and yes, a bit of dislike). Overall, Corrie still gets top marks from me!
I'm tending towards agreement with you. BUT can you or anyone say whether we are supposed to take Mark/Marcia & Aud seriously or should we be amused? Last night I laughed me sen daft at the bar scene. But are the producers trying to seriously educate us about transvestite life or make us laugh, do they know themselves?! It is a bit daft to have all these people from minority fringes from society yet not to have any folk from the core going about their ordinary life in the way most of us do. Unless it's that bloke whose just walked past Marcia's window!
ReplyDeleteThings I think that are really right, right now:
ReplyDelete- Deirdre's pottery. How many times in the past month have they turned up and raised eyebrows? A nice replacement for Eddie's cakes.
- Leanne and Peter: I don't care if they're cuddling or fighting, everything they do together is fantastic and real. Weren't you happy crying along with them on the couch last night? Leanne does need a friend, though. Anna?
- Domestic tensions: James & the Barlows, Kevin & Sally, Gary's control of Izzy, Kylie vs Gail, there's something brewing behind every door except Emily's. Even the boring Alahans got an Amber shaped wake up last night.
- Toned down crime/disaster: what James did, so wrong, but not out of proportion to the Street, a la tram crash (anyone heard train rumbles lately?) Except for Kevin, no one was out a life changing amount, it amounted to a bunch of petty thefts, and that fits in. I do wish James would buckle under Ken pressure and turn in Rob & Janet; the Barlows don't deserve any more shame.
- No more Steve & Becky. They came together out of the blue, it never rang true, they finally split. Becky was great as Roy & Hayley's daughter, but that's about it.
- Owen's loving dad side.
- Rosie's ditzy comedy. Hurry home, dear.
Female lady in bar to Aud "..it helps that we're the same size.." Er..yesi t does, now is Mark after Aud for her dresses ?!
ReplyDeleteRE: TRAMS, I'm glad they fixed that pumping rail-joint they ahd for a few weeks has background noise. Does the M62 run the otherside of the viaduct? Some nights it sounds like it in Chez's flat!
Wouldn't you think Mark, of all people, would have net curtains up at his window? ;)
ReplyDeleteLOL Cobblestone!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the pottery! Loving those little shards and comments!
I think the Marc Audrey storyline makes me smile because Audrey is actualeh a great one for that to happen to. She's always been a bit of a free spirit and even now she's older, it still pops up every now and then so she would be likely to get her head around it and accept Marc as a friend or more. ... and i can't WAIT for Gail to find out! Hahahaha!
Loved David's line to his Gran the other night, when quizzing her about Marc:
ReplyDelete"I know there's much choice left at your age, but you don't have to jump on the first bus that comes along."
*NOT much choice left at your age.
ReplyDeleteOoops. Sorry
I agree that there must be some good bits about the show and people must still at least see potential in it because they keep watching and commenting here. However, I really couldn't be bothered which direction they take things so long as they have really great actors and plots/scripts that show the humanity of everyday life; that's what this show about everyday folk is supposed to be about.
ReplyDeleteSome of the problems that I can see is that the producers are trying to appeal to a younger audience, one of the reason we get all the "trendy" gay characters to show how right on and down in the 21st century they are. But Corrie isnt really watched by young folk, all the young people I work with watch Hollyoaks or EE and laugh at old fashioned Corrie. Its mostly middle aged and older folk that have been avid lifelong fans but then older characters that they would relate to are just being sidelined - Diedre, Dennis, Emily etc. Plus Phil Collinson has brought far too much nastiness. Here we have Sunita sniping spitefully at Amber when they used to always get on well. Stape and Fiz could have been a regular couple but he had to be turned into a multi murderer. Leanne and Peter could be a happy family but of course she has to suffer a miscarraige. We need a feel good factor in some of the stories but Phil Collinson has turned it into Unpleasant Street.
ReplyDeleteDennis Tanner's return!!!! and the stronger OAP's group on the street if only they would use them more. I vote for a good old fashioned corrie bank holiday day out.... Norris, Rita, Dennis, Emily, Sylvia, Mary. Could be quite hilarious!
ReplyDeleteGM thar's reet! Fiz & Stape could have been a great young couple with family, big-hearted Fiz clever John loving and sharing with others on the street. A good ordinary, and I dare say in PC's eyes, an old fashioned couple - like a lot of folk have living next door. No, ordinary life too difficult for PC, had to be a mad murderer, no matter how unlikely or daft it became. Stape & Graham were gems the regular viewer would tune in too to see their latest daft antics, but cast aside for sensationalism. Bad call, too interested in forcing on viewers their gay education agenda to see the basic continuity the regular Corrie viewer wants?
ReplyDeleteOne of the good things has been the portrayal of the gay characters. It's great that James is gay and evil. If Corrie were being PC then he would have to be a "positive role model" and be some kind of latter day saint, really helping the homeless rather than himself to the charity donations.
ReplyDeleteCorrie has also mainly stayed away from tired "gay" storylines. When Sophie was revealed to be a lesbian, it was pretty much accepted with a little bit of comment and heartsearching, but no big deal.
Contrast this with EastEnders where Syed's struggle with his sexuality went on for months and lead to him being ostracised. Then the gay couple wanted a baby, (boring and cliched) and then the couple were shown in bed naked together, so the BBC could exploit the characters by generating publicity for the show from the homophobes' reactions.
Gay people want to be represented as they actually are: good, evil or a bit of both, who struggle with paying bills not their sexuality and whose whole lives are not dominated by what they do in bed. There is no "gay education agenda" and it is not "trendy to be gay". Both of those comments are moronic.
ITV (and C4) are streets ahead of the BBC in their portrayal of gays.
I flamin' love you Adam Rekitt! I'll never forget that night when we drew handlebar moustaches on all the pictures of Colin Firth in me Bella - wishful thinking you called it!
ReplyDeleteDidn't like the Graeme'n'Xin'n'Tina thing; and Becky - whoa! too much, man! Fiz in jail - Corrie, you've been there, done that, sold the t-shirts in lots of different designs.
ReplyDeleteBut likes:
Deidre and the pottery - so glad they keep that up with the comments just dropped into conversation.
Gail and Kylie - keep Gail doing the humour, it's what she does best! Plus the scenes with her and Sally nosying over the fence at Kylie and David's Barbie was Proper Corrie.
Marcus Dent - he lights up the screen whenever he comes on - oh why does he have to be gay?! (deffo not a homophobic comment there!)
Sylvia - settling in nicely and looking forward to more of her. A class act.
Dennis - oh please let him stay! Nice interaction with Sylvia et al.
Kevin the Kaveman - you just know he is a gob in gear, brain in reverse bloke but ALWAYS true to type (and he loves his daughters too!).
Looking forward to an improving summer! Agree with most of what's said here - plus a nice 'normal' family could be the perfect foil to a lot of Corrie's plot tangles too!
I love Corrie but I think the writers need to give us more of a 'heads-up' before just throwing another character into the mix - ex. Xin-bessy mates with Tina even though nobody has heard of her before or Stella (who I like actually) as Leanne's mum. I was really pissed that they got rid of the Peacock family...sure they were dull as dishwater, but you can't have drama and horror all the time..you have to have a balance and it's totally one sided now...except for the Platt's. Hoping they don't change anything there except David's hair..OMG..pathetic!!
ReplyDeleteLloyd, Tyrone, Steve, Dev, Chesney, Jason, Kirk. Aren't they positive heterosexual male characters? Characters like Kevin, Ken and Gary may be flawed but on the whole are decent guys. And why not Roy Cropper? Because marrying a transvestite negates the fact that he is intelligent, kind and brave? The street does not need to be "balanced out" and if you think it does, you urgently need to get a sense of proportion.
ReplyDeleteI love you too, Brenda me darlin'. I remember that night well and you were so right to stop me drawing full leather biker gear on Colin. It isn't very 18th Century as you pointed out.
ReplyDeleteI keep telling that Dr Carter to put on his white coat and go for a dip in the Red Rec Pond. He just gives me a funny look and says next patient please. Spoilsport!!!
The great Tony Warren once said "it's a reflection of peoples lives"
ReplyDeleteIn my street I don't know any transexuals, transvestites, murderers and the like!
The fact Phil Collinson was making a dire attempt at currying favour via BBC breakfast, ITV's this morning and Granda reports in the last two days reflects this programme is in trouble under his leadership and he's clearly been directed to respond. Even Keiran Roberts was on radio five live defending the programme, now if your exec producer feels the need or has to defend the programme in that manner then someone somewhere is getting it wrong! If I was John Whiston or Keiran Roberts i'd be concerned, looking at his performance on the said programmes it's surely a case of when not if! He did nothing to engratiate himself to the viewer was totally defensive and at times made it about him, rather than eat humble and show understanding of the other point and get the viewer back on side,in fact on Granada reports in my opinion he looked clearly manic totally unmoving and away with the fairies! which is coincidentally where he's took the programme.
Phil Collinson in my view is trying hard to do the right things instead of getting it right! Tick tock tick tock .........
^^Tony Warren is gay, you idiot.
ReplyDeleteWhat's gay got to do woith anything!! idiot!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen Corrie started Tony Warren knew people, his sexuality didn't come into it much, except perhaps giving him his brilliant empathy with great female characters.
ReplyDeletePC hasn't a clue about anything outside his gay world and it shows ! His characters are flat and unbelievable and if you suspend your disbelief you just end uplaughing at the absurdity of the plots. And forget continutity, where is Max, has David forgotten all about him!?
I like your style, tv savy that post is!
ReplyDeletepARPPPPP.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Beth (13 July 2011 08:39), and I think it would make a great story to see all the original cast (ONLY the original cast, if possible) go on a trip bus outing to Blackpool or semewhere (while maybe using two buses that keep conking out, where different funny things happen on the way there and back). Things could seriously get out of hand when Norris is moaning as usual, and something could even happen to him such as - his wallet get's stolen and he accuses everyone, and afterwards it has been reported to the police, the police eventually return it to him, only to find it was 'Charlie Fingers' whose always in the nick for pinching peoples wallets. This would make dear Norris so embarassed, and not know what to say to people. While on the trip - bus, everyone could pressurise him into wanting an appology otherwise they jump on him or something in that way. Eeee.... I might try and become the next Corrie writer and cheer the show up!
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