This could be another controversial blog post, I'm not sure. I have been pondering this for a while and I'm seriously wondering whether it is time for Ken Barlow to retire from our favourite cobbled street. Yes, I know the character is often regarded as legendary, but the question I ask is why so? Apart from the fact Ken has been present since the very first episode of Coronation Street back in December 1960, is his character that remarkable? I know he has had countless affairs, with children scattered across the British Isles, but does he still have much to offer in the 21st Century?
I just can't help but think the other mature characters are more integrated into the Coronation Street community and are therefore more capable of still surprising us viewers. Ken seems to be trapped in a cycle of affairs, arguments with Deirdre and mild disapproval of his family and their increasingly depraved antics. While I would miss either Rita or Emily deeply should the time come, I'm not sure I would feel the same about our Kenneth.
Although surrounded by an ever growing and constantly evolving family he never seems that bothered with any of them. This was the man who sent his twins to Glasgow rather than attempt life as a single parent after Val went up with the maisonettes. And when was the last time he mentioned his son Daniel, from his relationship with Denise Osborne? When Peter was close to death following the tram crash everyone else was in bits while Ken looked like he was suffering from trapped wind. I did however enjoy the scenes with mother in law Blanche - she was great at bringing him down a peg or two! Remember his attempts to write a novel?So should he leave, and eventually he'll have to, how would we like it to happen? I have two suggestions: either he snaps and murders Tracy, leading him to be sent down for his crimes. Or perhaps and old flame could return and release him from his endless Weatherfield misery? My favourite for such a storyline would be the ever lovely Joanna Lumley, returning as Elaine Perkins. That would be terrific!
So is it time Ken left? Or do you see him turning into the 21st Century Albert Tatlock? And if Ken did leave, what would happen to Deirdre?
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21 comments:
They are positioning Peter to replace Ken so I think his departure is imminent. I say let him finish his great literary novel, based on his life in Weatherfield where he chronicles all the scandals. The book is an instant hit, turned into a TV series that runs for 52 years.
I'm pretty certain that any long-standing soap actor of advanced years will have possible exit stories agreed with the management. Perhaps Bill Roache has indicated how he would like his character to exit in the event of death, illness or just a desire to take things easy. Let's face it, could Bill take major storylines after the age of 85? That's only five years away. I doubt whether tptb would risk public outrage if they got rid of Bill before his time. I guess Bill/Ken would like to go out in a blaze of glory, leaving Weatherfield to fulful his dreams before he's too old. Could be a trip to one of the places he's read about. If he dies,it will be an act of heroism, such as dragging Amy from a burning house while Tracy cavorts elsewhere.
Characters like Ken Barlow and Emily Bishop are unremarkable. They have become iconic figures purely as a result of their longevity. The true legends of the Street such as Elsie Tanner or Hilda Ogden have comparatively short life-spans on the programme as the actors tend to retire from the roles when the quality scripts for them cease and the characters have nowhere else to go.
As for Ken, I have enjoyed him immensely over the last year. The laying to rest of his affair with Wendy Crozier felt like a turning point and an end to his and Deirdre's merry-go-round affairs. I have no objection to them settling into a happier marriage in their twilight years, their dramatic role in the programme ending and Ken Barlow becoming 'Street Furniture' like Alf Roberts or Betty Williams.
I think that's a very fair point anonymous! I think part of my problem is that I've never managed to feel the same about the Barlow's since we lost Maggie Jones. Blanche lifted them at every opportunity.
Bill Podmore once stated that Ken has avoided more assassinations than J. R. Ewing!
Why get rid of him now after these years? I wish they'd have stories for him that don't just involve Deirdre, Tracy or Peter. Bill Roache is in extremely good health and they should take advantage of this while they can.
Roache has always been a wooden actor, but I think he has an iron contract so they can't axe him or Eileen Derbyshire I don't think.
haha I love it! I agree, they seem to have characters hemmed in to certain groups these days - it would be good for him to interact more outside the family.
Do we know why they have fixed contracts?? Is it just because they are originals?
With Blance I LOVED the Barlow's, the AA scene was hilarious. But Dierdre and Ken together are depressing and I don't really like either of them besides a few humorous scenes occasionally (but that's Dierdre).
For the most part Ken reminds you of Alfred Hitchcock just passing through the scenes as a bit of a surprise but adding nothing of great value.
Ken has really just been a cycle of affairs, reconciliations and indifference to what is happening around him.
If they want to do something interesting with his character given his life long interest in politics let him run for Parliament win a seat and let him go off into the sunset in the required black taxi never to be seen or heard from again.
Maybe he could even take Deirdre with him which would leave Tracy with no where to live so she could go as well and leave Amy with Steve, then at least I for one would be happier with the Street.
Most probably yes. I don't know if Barbara Knox has one too and if Betty Driver had one. It is a huge feat to have three cast members who were in it 50 years ago.
Seriously...IMO Ken would not be missed. As it is, his on time screen is minimal and his lines are always the same. I mean, if all they can do when there's a storyline for Ken is something involving his loins, it's time to pack it in.
The thought of Ken's 85 year old loins is putting me off my stuffed marrows.
I'm with you Deirdre!!
In my opinion, Ken IS Coronation Street, I can't imagine the street without him. When he goes, I shall debate whether I will watch the show anymore. Too many of the legends have gone, once Ken has gone, it really will be the end of an era for Corrie. He has a huge fan base who I'm sure will question whether or not they will continue to watch. I do think that the older, long-standing cast members such as Rita, Emily, Deidre, Audrey etc are legends but think the Croppers and Simon Gregson as Steve MacDonald is also gaining legendary status. He is a classic Corrie character and I am sure will follow in the footsteps of but never replace the likes of Ken Barlow.
I say, LONG LIVE KING KEN!!!!!!!
Even though Ken only seems to appears here and there, the Street needs him...sort of like that old Teddy Bear you had as a child....up on the shelf, never played with but comforting all the same when seen. I'd like to see Ken tutor Craig...could be some funny scenes there...or at least have him step out of that same scenario, round the table with Diedre, Tracy or Peter. They need to put the older characters together at a community centre or club....Dennis, Rita, Ken, Diedre, Emily, Lewis, Audrey, Sylvia....could be a laugh or two!
He'll be there for as long as William Roache wishes to continue playing him, and rightly so - there is so much Street history tied up with him. I do agree though that it is time for the affair stories to stop, and for the writers to come up with more imaginative storylines which involve Ken and the rest of the Street's senior citizens. By the way Graeme, Ken did mention Daniel fairly recently - when he was running through the last 20 years of his life with Wendy Crozier. He told Wendy that he sees Daniel 'when he can' or words to that effect. And there was another occasion when he was offscreen and said to be 'visiting Daniel'. No doubt Daniel will turn up on the Barlows' doorstep one day and want to move in with them - when he is old enough for the producers to cast him as a handsome heart throb with an eye for the ladies:)
Interesting that you should mention Ken's youngest son Daniel Osbourne. I see that the character turns 18 in three days time. Surely he should be in the programme in the near future?
I'd love to see 2013 bring the end of Ken Barlow. Preferrably dead in a bloody mess at the hands of Tracy, who ends up behind bars for good! That would open Deirdre up to exploring life without Ken (after her prerequisite self pity party). The added feature here is that Deirdre would have to reconsider her blind faith in Tracy and that would make for some interesting drama. Sure Ken is an original and an icon. However, I've stopped caring about the pointless direction of his presence on the screen. Better to go out in a blaze of glory than fizzle out when it's time to retire.
Ken/Bill has been with the Street since the very first ep so I doubt whether he would go unless it was under his own volition, and why should he? Just because certain viewers "dont like him"? Tough. His acting may be slightly clonky these days but if you catch one of the episodes of the early days when Ken was an angry young man (and the split of his real life son) you would see there was fire in his belly. He can stay forever as far as Frosty is concerned.
Frosty I dont think it is simply a case of not liking him - i think they just need to do more with the character if he is to stay.
I think it is unfair to single out Ken. Emily is in it far less and has absolutely no ties to the rest of the Street, except for an imagined friendship with Rita. (The phrase chalk and cheese come to mind).
Ken might not be acted brilliantly, but a character with pretensions to be an intellectual on Coronation Street still has mileage. He just needs someone to prick his pompousity as Blanche did.
The problem as ever, is with the writing. Yes Ken's not setting the Street on fire, but Emily's not had a decent storyline for years and all Dennis has done is marry Rita and make everyone wonder why he apparently has no pension. You could attack most characters on the same grounds. What do Peter and Leanne ever do apart from argue about Simon and shuttle between partners? What does Gail do, apart from stick her beak into other family members' business? Most characters on the Street are ill served and you can't make something of nothing.
I like Ken because, like Maria and Emily, he is soooo normal. Get to a certain age and most of us have more failures and regrets than excitement and success. Sad, but not untrue. I can identify with him better than most of his OTT cartoonish neighbors. Yeah, sending the twins to Scotland is harsh by today's measures, but not that unusual for the 60s when there weren't as many options or social services.
Ken is well integrated into the social webs of the street, with many relations and friends. I would like him to have some sort of intellectual success, whether in his writing or as a teacher/tutor. Even once, late in life, would be a sweet, hard earned treat.
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