My thoughts on the Rovers fire

So last night we sat and watched while the Rovers Return burned. Goodness me, all this in the name of entertainment! Obviously, I couldn't wait to get my thoughts down on the blog, as this storyline has been much heralded for many weeks now. 

However rather than write at great length I'm just going to keep it simple and do a list of things I liked and things I definitely did not. 

So here we go. Let's start off on a positive note:

- The special effects and the fire itself were spectacular and very realistic. You could see where the money had gone on screen.

- The build up to the fire itself was nicely paced, even if it did feel like the strip show took an age at times!

- The fire will thankfully mark the end of the awful wallpaper/curtains/sofa combo in the Rovers back room.

- I liked that it was Emily and Norris who raised the alarm, even though the Barlows were almost all absent.

- John Michie is proving to be a very effective villain in his role as Karl.

- Tracy Barlow finally has a saving grace - she rescued Eccles from No. 1!


And now we come to my negative thoughts I'm afraid:

- Echos of the tram crash Mr Collinson - lots of residents rushing down the cobbles towards a flaming building, only this time we had the refreshing change of it being in the opposite direction.

- The strip show was just ludicrous! I actually found it embarrassing to watch, even if Rita was planted right in the front row.

- It was yet another story centred on St Ella of the Back Room. I found it disturbing to watch her soaking in the bath with Barry White crooning in the background. Urgh.

- This big event will obviously lead to lots of plots by numbers in the coming weeks: we'll have the beside vigils, the blame game, the guilt, the yucky Karl & St Ella reconciliation and the eventual unmasking of Karl by a suspicious St Ella. Yawn!

- I would have preferred a happier ending for the once lovely Sunita.

- The fact that this is Phil Collinson's idea of a big exit for himself. Get over yourself I say: I'd rather have had a better quality of stories and scripts throughout his reign rather than a big bang to say goodbye.

- The overall feeling of deja vu. Despite a more modern approach, it just feels like we've been here before.

- The promo picture of St Ella, Karl and Sunita surrounded by flames is one of the worst I have ever seen!

- I was most disappointed that St Ella didn't pay homage to Bet Lynch by crawling though her own vomit a la 1986. 

Despite my reservations I will of course be tuning in on Wednesday to find out what happens next. So what are your thoughts so far?


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