Tuesday, 19 February 2013

Coronation Street: Up the workers!

From what a lot of regular commentators on this fine blog say the cast of Coronation Street is currently bulging at the seams with unnecessary and often unloved characters. Oh yes, I mean the dead wood of Weatherfield.

From what I've seen the same names appear on this roll call of shame. Tracy Barlow. Rob Donovan. Ryan Connor. St Ella of The Back Room. Eileen's Fireman, who increasingly I believe I would appreciate more if he'd actually left La Grimshaw's head stuck in those railings. No matter who we would cull if we had the power, I think we can all agree that Corrie currently has far too big a cast. 

My mother, after watching the Street religiously (not in an Ivy Tilsley way) for most of her adult life, gave up tuning in for around six months. I recently encouraged her to join me for an episode and I spent much of that time explaining who everybody was and how they could possibly all fit in those tiny little houses. Enough is enough! I think it is time for a wee experiment.

Most Corrie fans are aware of the actors' Equity Strike that caused havoc for Granada back in the early 1960s. For several months only the core cast of the Street was allowed to feature. This meant Corrie relied on the talents of just fourteen regular characters to keep viewers entertained. As these characters included Elsie Tanner, Annie Walker and Ena Sharples, it was probably still a heavenly experience. However, imagine if that situation happened in 2013!

What a test that would be for today's cast! So here's my question for you. If a strike was announced today, and only fourteen characters could continue to appear, which would you choose? 

 I have given this a bit of thought and here is my selection:

 Gail, David, Kylie, Nick, Leanne, Audrey, Rita, Dennis, Sylvia, Roy, Steve, Sally, Lloyd, Marcus. 

So have a go yourself. Share your choices with me and then sit back, relax, and imagine a world without Tracy, Rob and Ryan. 
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18 comments:

  1. Humpty Dumpty19 February 2013 at 09:50

    Nearly 100% agree with you, Graeme, but I'd swap Marcus for Peter. With the right script, Peter's a brilliant, well-rounded character and Chris Gascoyne is the business.

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  2. Ginger Beer19 February 2013 at 10:02

    Can't have Roy without Hayley, so dump Lloyd for Hayley. Also, could happily do without Marcus so remove him and insert Emily (Rita's got to have someone to chat with)

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  3. Anonymous19 February 2013 at 10:24

    Ken, Deidre, Rita, Dennis, Gail, Audrey, Kylie, David, Roy, Sylvia, Peter, Carla, Steve, Tracy.

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  4. David19 February 2013 at 10:44

    Great topic. If the knuckle down to simplistic storylines, I think David, Kylie, Gail, Audrey, Peter, Carla, Ken, Deirdre, Sally, Steve, Lloyd, Sylvia, Tina and Norris could keep the show going for a few months (I think you have to have enough double acts who can carry long scenes).

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  5. Anonymous19 February 2013 at 11:14

    I would want Ken, Deidre, Rita, Emily, Norris, Roy, Steve, Lloyd, Tina, Dennis, Sylvia, Fiz,Tyrone and Mary.

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  6. Sharon Hughes19 February 2013 at 12:08

    I would choose Ken, Deirdre, Peter, Carla, Roy, Hayley, Sylvia, Norris, Mary, Steve, Tyrone, Fiz, David and Kylie.

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  7. Beth19 February 2013 at 12:09

    Great question:
    Roy, Hayley, Sylvia, Rita, Emily, Steve, Lloyd, Audrey, Gail, David, Kylie, Tyrone, Fiz, Beth

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  8. Anonymous19 February 2013 at 12:28

    I've always wondered why Tracy's character is still on the street. This sends such a bad message...you can plan and kill your boyfriend, cry battered woman,get out on a technicality and waltz around your old neighbourhood as if nothing happened other than you swatted a fly. Really. Time for her to go...the case is re-opened (happens all the time) because further evidence has come forth or some such...
    Jenna..she can move to somewhere else, then Sophie will follow. I can't see the Websters continuing on anyway. The Stella show...so not worth the time to even change the channel. Chesney,Fiz et all along with the Windass clan..storylines are ridiculous.
    The orange being called Tina can take a powder right along with them ... might as well take Tommy too as all he has become is a bar prop.
    Ok...I'll shut up now.

    Tks!!

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  9. Anonymous19 February 2013 at 13:18

    Would have to include Ken in the list - the programme would seem wrong without him being one of the regulars.

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  10. Barrie.T19 February 2013 at 15:16

    Ken, deirdre, rita, noris, peter, steve, gail, leanne, tyrone, Gloria (sorry i like her & someone has to run the bar), roy, eileen, sally, julie.

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  11. Anonymous19 February 2013 at 15:42

    Audrey, Gail, David, Kylie, Sally, Roy, Hayley, Rita, Emily, Norris, Eileen, Deirdre. Blimey! 2 short of 14 and I can't think of anyone else to add.

    For once I don't agree. The cast may have been smaller years ago, but there were only two episodes a week. The problem is not with the size of the cast, it's with the characters in it.

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  12. ChiaGwen19 February 2013 at 16:04

    I would want Audrey, Ken, Roy, Hayley, Lloyd, Steve, Kirk, Beth, Craig, Marcus, Dennis, Julie, Peter, and David.

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  13. Llifon19 February 2013 at 16:21

    Rita, Dennis, Norris, Emily, Audrey, Ken, Deirdre, Roy, Gail, Sally, David, Kylie, Beth, Peter

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  14. Glenda Young19 February 2013 at 17:26

    Brilliant.

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  15. Rebecca19 February 2013 at 20:35

    1. Nick
    2. Gail
    3. Kylie
    4. Audrey
    5. David I spose
    6. Izzy
    7. Gary
    8. Roy
    9. Hayley
    10. Steve
    11. Lloyd
    12. Jenna
    13. Chesney
    14. Fiz

    ReplyDelete
  16. Chatty Kathy20 February 2013 at 03:26

    I like the Maria/Marcus storyline, so I have to include them. So here's my 14:

    1. Maria
    2. Marcus
    3. Ken
    4. Roy
    5. Lloyd
    6. Steve
    7. Michelle
    8. Kylie
    9. David (only because he's part of the Kylie baby story)
    10.Audrey
    11.Sean
    12.Peter
    13.Leanne
    14.Nick

    If I could add one more, it would be Carla.

    Those I'd love to see the back of:

    Gloria
    Karl
    Rob
    Tracy
    Michelle's son ( I think I mentally blocked his name)
    Mandy
    Sophie
    Sally
    Faye


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  17. Shan21 February 2013 at 01:54

    This is a hard one. I guess I could tough it with Ken, Rita, Roy, Hayley, Kylie, David, Peter, Leanne, Nick, Steve, Lloyd, Fiz, Tina, and Tyrone.

    Given the way story lines have been lately I'd be glad to get rid of Gail for a while. As well as Tracy, Rob, and Julie. And Sally for a bit. And Karl. And Sunita's going so that's good. Mandy doesn't really serve a purpose. I could probably pick more to definitely go than stay.

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  18. Anonymous22 February 2013 at 15:44

    1. Ken
    2. Deidre
    3. Gail
    4. Nick
    5. Kylie
    6. David
    7. Audrey
    8. Norris
    9. Rita
    10. Steve
    11. Lloyd
    12. Marcus
    13. Sally
    14. Carla

    Good riddance to Tracey, Leanne, Eva, Stella, Beth, Julie, Kirkeh, Dev, Karl, Sophie. Peter would be my number 15 but I like Carla in the factory.

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