Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson is leaving Corrie as Emmerdale producer Stuart Blackburn takes over the reins on the Street in January next year.
But what will Phil Collinson's lasting Coronation Street legacy be? What will you remember him most fondly for - and what do you hate that he did to our favourite soap?
In a nutshell, here's just some of the things I can remember that he brought into Corrie - for better or for worse? You decide.
This is my opinion - what's yours?
FOR BETTER
(Some of the) tram crash story for Corrie's 50th anniversary.
Bringing Dennis Tanner back and marrying Rita
Bringing in Cherylee Houston as Izzy, Mikey North as Gary
Roy and Hayley's wedding, 2nd time around
Getting rid of Molly Dobbs
FOR WORSE
Bringing in his mate Michelle Collins as St Ella of the Back Room.
Carla Connor's rape. Never a good idea for sexual violence to be used to hike ratings. Phil got that very wrong indeed.
Rewriting Coronation Street history at Betty Williams' funeral.
Forgetting the name of Carla's brother was Darran, not Rob.
Marc and Marcia story
His threat to blow up the Rovers Return when he leaves
Killing off Ashley Peacock in the tram crash
Getting rid of Eddie Windass
Getting rid of Graeme Proctor
The Graeme and Xin storyline
Surrogacy storyline
Bringing back Tracy Barlow when we all saw her go down for 15 years for manslaughter
Speaking live on TV to protest against his critics
Follow the Coronation Street Blog on Twitter and Facebook
21 comments:
Add to the Worse List:-
The Graeme/Xin storyline and the ultimate loss of Graeme from the Street.
Tracy - the character, the actress, and her repetitive storyline.
~JB in Canada
hi, I'd just added those to my list and updated the blog post when your comment came through. My FOR WORSE list just keeps on growing.... oh dear.
LOL! Great minds!! :-)
~JB in Canada
Blimey, when you weigh up the good against the bad, bad certainly wins. For me the Tram Crash was Phil's finest hour, and it's been mainly downhill ever since.
All I wish from the new producer is a return to character driven plots, and an end to unbelievable storylines and to ones which necessitate a complete change of a character's personality to achieve. Oh, and the rapid departure of St.Ella and her mother and husband. Eva on the other hand should be kept, as she has developed into a great Corrie bitch.
And eventually, surely some incoming producer will finally rid us of Dev. Pretty please?
WORSE
Does Jim MacDonald and the bank robbery fall within the time frame?
Never mind the Alzheimer's storyline, loathe Paul's character.
BETTER
Introducing Beth
Introducing Brian (but worse for making him a buffoon)
What I've read on Emmerdale boards is that Stuart Blackburn made Emmerdale rather boring with nothing much happening. Could be a good thing on Corrie where the writers will have the chance to develop proper storylines and characters.
For worse: Allowing storylines to become plot driven rather than character driven.
For better. Glorious Gloria and her one liners about Rita's busy tops!
Another bad one was the Sian & Sophie storyline.
I'll be glad to see Phil leave!! I will remember him as the producer for Corrie's 50th. After that it was all downhill and I've been waiting for the day to see him replaced.
On the upside, he's given Rita much needed screen time but Emily rarely appears.
Sooo pleased he's going . But what will the new guy do with all the babies and kids ? There's got yo be more than there's ever been. St Ella should Definetly go . I like Michelle Collins - just not in Cortie. Karl should go too. Eva is ace and should stay. Natasha should come back with Nicks baby and upset Leanne. I'd also like to see the back of Michelle and Ryan especially as he's not her son anyway and as he's 25 & she's 37 shed have to be 12 when she had him and it shows!! Good luck to the new producer . Noone can b as bad as Phil Collinson - good riddance !
Definitely hoping for a return to character driven storylines. I will remember Collinson as changing Corrie into something people tune in to only to see how crazy things have gotten this week or if there's an off chance something has improved. It will be very interesting to see which direction the Street goes now and who meets an untimely death or sudden exit. At least there we have something to look forward to.
I thought Graeme chose to leave rather than TPTB deciding not to renew his contract?
I agree that sexual violence shouldn't be used to hike ratings and that they got some of the legal stuff wrong, but it was so brilliantly acted by Carla, Peter and Frank that it ended up being a very powerful storyline.
Collinson will point to the ratings and say he has done a superb job, but I agree with kickingrabbit people continually tuned in praying that he had come to his senses and given us a decent Corrie.
Unfortunately he wasn't that talented and we had to suffer through his mismanagement of an institution.
He should have been shown the door ages ago, I'd be happy to see him go tomorrow if not today.
I was very disappointed with Betty's funeral story and the rewrite of history , great to have Bill Kenwright return as Gordon Clegg, but a sense of corrie's history lost as there was no mention of Bet ,Hilda or Maggie Clegg during those funeral/tribute episodes.
Getting rid of Eddie, the return of Tracy and the Marc/Marcia story were the low points for me. The slutification of Sunita isn't far behind. Highs included Beth, Gloria, Brian/Julie and Roy's relationship with Sylvia.
A very good list, and I agree with all the Better and Worse points - except for one inaccuracy. As Rachel already stated, Craig Gazey declined to renew his contract - he wasn't axed - according to all the interviews given at the time.
Dennis Tanner's return is the best thing Phil Collinson has done, (although we don't see enough of him). And yes, please let's have Eddie back - even if he and Anna don't get back together. And Natasha returning could be a master stroke - there was a lot more mileage in her character I thought.
Agree that if it was during his tenure, the Jim McD bank robbery was the most idiotic storyline right up there with the vile Mark/Marcia episodes. Worst also is the creepy Paul and Aiden characters. Best is bringing Dennis back though why he isn't used more is a complete mystery and very odd. Hope the new guy doesn't turn out to be worse than old Phil!
Perhaps the new producer could give Teenar some happy storylines, lovely girl and not a bad actress she is constantly portrayed as a belligerent misery guts old before her time.
Low points for Frosty were bringing back posh luvvie Nigel Havers who should be stayed in the one off story as Lewis. The Xin nonsense, the appalling Mark and Marcia business which was unintentionally hilarious and getting rid of Eddie Windass for whatever reason, oh and the stupid surrogate storyline and renewing Kate Am Dram Ford's and Kym Marsh's contracts again and again.
Most of Phil Collinson's low points have been mentioned, but I'd like to add...
Trying to turn our Street into (God forbid) EE!!!
Too many people in and out of jail under PC's watch. Where you just knew that it was just a matter of course that that person would be free in a matter of weeks/ months. Miscarriages of justice.
Too many babies born out of marriage - it would be nice to see a 2.4 family on the street. There isn't one!
Selling babies (Max). Not good. A low point even in all the sensationalism.
Becky also running rampant round the Street and smashing everything and everybody in site. We had months of this. And everybody screaming at each other. It was very tiring! I stopped watching for a while as it was exhausting.
Sian and Sophie - story didn't bother me but the acting was atrocious.
Lack of following through with storylines as though they couldn't be bothered once they started....
Or proper historical accuracy and continuity on all issues.
I have liked:
Roy and Hayley's second marriage, the tram crash, having the bistro on the street. Dennis Tanner's return (but GIVE HIM A BIGGER PART!), Tyrone's abuse.
For Better: Kylie! And the maturing of David as a family man.
Giving Gail more comedy
Even though Molvin was one of the worst storylines ever, the aftermath, with Molly dying and Tyrone finding out Kevin is Jack's father, then Sally finding out, it's had huge repercussions and a great ongoing storyline.
Lots of people didn't like it but i thoroughly enjoyed the John Stape saga which was mostly through PC's tenure, especially the most bizarre bits.
For worse:
Karl and Sunita!
Did PC bring back Sunita or maybe that was before his tenure. Though I like her, I think it was a mistake to put her and Dev back together.
Bringing back Amber just to waste her on Sophie and Sian's breakup.
The baby selling was a real point and practically anything involving children has been terrible. The list of the good things is short and even the tram crash was an anti-climax and failed to live up to Collinson's own hype. If the street really was never the same again, it was only because Collinson had no respect for its history or its unique strength of character based stories laced with humour.
For worse - his tenure has broken my love affair with a programme that I have watched since 1981. The tram crash was pretty bad and completely over the top but almost everything about the show has been unremittingly dismal ever since. The return of Ryan finished me off and I cannot see anyone getting me back now.
Post a Comment