I wasn't sure about the casting or the character when it was first announced, because I all-too-vividly remember Michelle Collins as the shrieking harpy that was Cindy Beale, one of about a zillion women who have for some unfathomable reason married Ian Beale. She cheated on him, obviously, and ended up dying in childbirth, which is appropriate, as I mostly remember Cindy shrieking while heavily pregnant. Anyway! This blog is not about the sarf, but the north, so to Coronation Street we must go.
I do think it was a good move to bring in more family for Leanne, as with Janice gone she's a little bit out on a limb with only Peter's family for company - and obviously since that might go belly up because of Peter and Carla, that would have left Leanne with no ties to Weatherfield. She might have even had to go to That London to see Are Toyah. Bringing her estranged mother in made complete sense, as did that mother having another child and a partner.
They're a good family unit I think, and I like Karl a lot, and the chemistry he and Stella have. Karl seems like a typical Corrie fella - a bit feckless, a bit reckless, and a bit soft for his woman. Eva I could do without, because she's one-dimensional, but I do love the actress and I think they will redeem the character somehow. I like her and Nick together because they're both dreadful people - it will end in tears in a vein similar to Steve and Karen!
I was convinced that Michelle Collins was not the right choice to play Stella, and she did (rightly) get a lot of flack for her accent. But it's obvious that she's worked on it a lot, and there are only a few niggles that remain for me - mostly the way she says her 'U's - they're not flat enough and can have traces of a Southern 'uh' instead of a Northern 'u'. It could be explained away I think, by saying that Stella had lived in the south for a while, perhaps. She's grown on me, has Michelle, and I'm hoping that Stella stays a while.
I've seen criticisms, on here and elsewhere, that Stella has been crowbarred into every storyline going. I don't see it that way. With Leanne, of course she's going to be protective, she hasn't seen the girl in about 30 years. I'm loving all these people who are suspicious about Peter and Carla, and can't wait to see where it goes. It's natural for her to be interested in the people (the Barlows) who have been her daughter's family for a long while.
As for the other storylines that she's got into - she's the landlady in the Rovers. Every good landlady knows every movement up and down her little street. It's partly why they did need a woman there since Becky left. The frightening alternative is Tracy, and no one would want that, would they? Landladies are always involved, because everyone tells them everything, and everything happens in their pub. It's natural.
Definitely, for me, Stella and Michelle are positives for Corrie. The only remaining question is - what the heck did Stella ever see in Les Battersby?!
14 comments:
That's why Stella doesn't work for me. She's not the landlady ie. the licensee. She the manager, working for the son of the licensee. She acts as though she's the boss, but she's a paid employee with ideas above her station. People like that get on my wick - and not in a good way.
Cannot stand the character,insipid, uninteresting, no depth.wooden and unbelievable
I thought that they showed them putting up a sign with her name on it as the licensee shortly after she started.
Wouldn't someone other than ex-con Steve have to be the licensee?
It's a sad reflection on the lack of strong, likeable characters in the Street that outsiders were brought in to run the Rovers. It was predictable that it wouldn't work.
Stella suddenly turning up to reveal herself as Leanne's mother was a ridiculous story with more holes than a string vest. Better no relatives than ones that are just not believable. Plus Stella is the worst ever landlady by far. Even Annie Walker did not go around shaking hands with the customers like a Royal on walkabout.
I'm with you Rebecca, I like Stella too!
A plastic character forced on the viewers by her best mate the boss.
I can't be doing with her at all. Nothing against the actress - but the character has pushed in our faces too much, too quickly. I have no time for Stella and her accent hasn't improved much either.
I've switched off because of her. I couldn't take that insipid woman dominating the show anymore.
I like Stella and have always liked her. I find her to be a sympathetic character. There are many other characters on the street that bother me and I find to be really not very nice people. It is refreshing to have someone who is likeable. It is nice to know that there are at least a couple of others out there who also like her. I read the blog a lot and it seems like the prevailing opinion is very negative towards her, so I have never wanted to post an opposing opinion. Thanks for representing a different viewpoint!
buttercup well i have been reading the posts on stella ilike her so what her accent is diffrent most of them are i can hardly understand sophie and char when they talk and audrey is very diffrent they all sound diffrent to me .its her acting that counts and she is a good actress .ialso saw them put her name up above the door .i think she is really going to help lee ann when the news about peter and carla come out .i hate to see that happen she ruined maria and leams life now peter and lee ann give that skank a man to hang on to .
Anyone know where Stella got her coat for steve's wedding
Finally, a nice post about Stella. Good on you, Rebecca! :)
I thought I was the only Stella fan! First off, I'm a Corrie loving Yank, and I've seen Michelle Collins only on Corrie. So I had no preconceived ideas about the actress or what characters she portrayed prior to CS. I like Stella Price. She's not perfect, but she does mean well. I think the writers are putting her into so many scenes so we accept her for the kind soul she(usually)is. I like Karl very much, too. As to the daughter, the character is annoying, but I don't dislike her to the point of wanting her gone; at least not yet. And since I'm no expert on English accents, she sounds fine to me. :)
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