Well, the Blog has discussed and, seemingly, come to the conclusion that the sooner the Gray family depart Weatherfield, the better. Viewers now have to stagger through the final scenes of these dreariest of characters in the same way that you would peer at the death throws of a particularly unloved pet. Indeed, the direction for poor old Will Thorpe (Chris Gray) on Friday almost seemed to be a weary "oh for God's sake just take your shirt off".
Is it a case of poor characterisation or bad characterisation though? True, viewers have not warmed to the Grays in any way whatsoever. Their time on the cobbles will be forgotten. Rooting around the Corrie history books, we see many others of the same ilk - characters who are not fondly remembered basically because we cannot remember them.
Take for example Sam Kingston. Who? Well, he was the stripper-cum-mechanic who blandly went about his business for a couple of years before disappearing to Ibiza. How about Debs Brownlow? Having survived her bizarre "eeh-bah-gum" accent, viewers were left with some dull-as-ditchwater hairdresser who moped around in number 6 prior to being dispatched to glamorous Southampton. Take if you will (and please do) the non-entity that was Danny Hargreaves. He ran the hardware shop with Sally. Go on - you remember him! Blonde? Lacking in any personality? Oh I give up!
Let's celebrate the likes of Molly Hardcastle, Tony Horrocks and Bev Unwin. Three cheers for Connie Clayton, Joanne Jackson and Harry Flagg! Drink a toast to Joyce Smedley, Adam Barlow and Nathan Harding. They represent a flowering dullness, a boredom in rowdy bloom.
Do the Grays deserve to join them?
17 comments:
Oh yes, and Bernard Morton, Gwen Loveday and Vinny Sorrel or how about Bobbi Lewis - her of the baked beans over the head of Harvey Reuben - over whose head you say? Exactly!
A great list David, and I agree with most of the non-entities you have nominated. The only ones I would speak in defence of are Tony Horrocks (who I thought always had a spark about him) and Bev Unwin (who was always getting herself into embarassing situations which I found very entertaining). I have a few more suggestions of 'lost souls' who failed to click - Paula Maxwell, Lily Dempsey, Lorraine Brownlow, Wilf Morton. Possibly also Charlie Ramsden, whose character never seemed to gel.
Who remembers miserable but funny Edna Miller, cleaner at the Rovers and Machinist at Underworld.... I wish they hadn't of killed her off !!
another one to add to the list.... Eve Sykes, (Linda Baldwin's mum who married Fred Elliot)
and what about Doreen Heavey (Maxine's mum) now I thought she was dreadful !!
Another 'forgettable' I had forgotten about...Tom Kerrigan, brought in to replace his cousin Liam Connor as the local hunky heart-throb...nice try...
I actually thought Adam Barlow was OK, but surrounded by such powerhouses as Danny, Frankie and Mike Baldwin came off as forgettable. He was out of his depth in trying to set up a scheme and was trampled all over. Still prefer him there to Tracey.
Bev Unwin - she must have been OK for me to remember not being able to stand her.
As for the Gray's, I think there has been no rhyme or reason to most of what has happened. The writers/producers have made u-turns and forgotten key character information and really muddled along with them.
There are a few still on the show who are in danger of becoming forgettable or even worse, "fast-forwardable".
James (Ken's son) who was in on the charity scam anyone?
I thought Paul canner had potential- but the actor himself didn't want to be typecast,so asked to leave (and was killed off) - where is he now?
sorry - i meant to say Paul Conner!
Also, fat brenda is a major star without being seen - is anyone else in this category (michelle's first husband dean was talked about - but already dead before we met michelle - what a lot of death's for the conner family!)
How about most of the Morton family? Apart from Jerry - none of the kids are remembered. I think present time nonentity is also Eva
Jamie Baldwin's brother who went out with Candice, Dev's Uncle Something, Audrey's cross-dresser. Agree the current batch of forgettables will include Eva, but also Faye, Stella.
There must be a joke in here somewhere. If you can remember their names off the top of your head, they're not forgettable! Just not missed.
What is Michelle's real son's name? They did a whole ridiculous switched at birth scenario and it carried on for about 3 months or so. Then...he's gone and never mentioned again.
What about those two black "twins" that worked in the factory, one got sent back for being an illegal immigrant.
Michelle's birth son was called "Alex" wasn't it?
I'm disappointed too in the Stella character.
Ignoring all the silliness about her accent not being 'right' and about her always being "Cindy Beale" but I have to admit, I'm not interested in her behind the bar at all, she just doesn't have 'IT' for such a prominent placement!
Harry Flagg was brilliant - and a great favourite of the wonderful and sadly missed Visual Updates site.
I too wish the 'GRAY'S to be gone rather sooner than later.
Give Chesney and girlfriend some happiness (the Street can do with it)
Let Fiz free, she should be home by now. A celebration is sorely needed, cheer up after all the gloom.
The interesting story plot has ran it's course. Any longer and I, for one, lose interest.
Dutchy
I thought that Tony Horrocks was quite an interesting character. After he left for a time he returned as rather a changed character. The excellent actor who played him - Lee Warburton appeared in quite a few series after Corrie including Hope and Glory, Casualty, Hollyoaks in the City, etc although sadly he hasn't been on TV for a couple of years.
Then there's 2007, when Hayley tracked down her long-lost son, Christian Gatley, who ran a record shop. (played by Andrew Turner) He attacked her when she told him she was his "father", not his current day aunt. Becky later went to the shop and told him off and what a great person Hayley is. He later left Manchester. I don't think this story was ever intended to be long-term though, like the Grays were (and shouldn't have been).
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