Ah Sophie Webster, what has become of you? Unfortunately young Sophie is now neck and neck with Michelle for the award of character most likely to get on my nerves. It wasn't always this way. Once upon a time Sophie was bright and cheeky and a great foil for her sister Rosie. We felt sorry for her as Sally lavished all her attentions on Rosie and her ambitions at Oakhill. However since Rosie departed for the bright lights of wherever it was she went, Sophie has taken centre stage chez Webster and sadly not in a good way.
I think it was a great decision to have a regular lesbian character in Coronation Street, I just wish it had been someone likeable. Instead we have pouty, shouty, narky Sophie being disrespectful to her mother and boringly self-righteous whenever the mood takes her. Her religious leanings are only mentioned these days when the writers remember.I applauded her Christmas time charity work but unfortunately that has been dropped, only being a segue for yet another tortuous romance.
I didn't particularly enjoy the Sophie/Sian pairing as they were a tad on the screechy side for me. Sophie and Jenna was just wrong from the start. Ms Webster ruined Jenna's career and most probably the characters future storyline potential.
Now we come to Maddie. I am trying to like her but it's all just causing me too much effort. The pair of them sleeping rough should have been thought provoking, instead I found it tedious and I struggled not to fast forward. I just hate the way the pair sneer at Sally and anyone else who disagrees with them. It feels like both characters would be better suited to EastEnders or Hollyoaks. Sophie, like several other characters, has lost her way. We've had her current incarnation for ten years now and while it is great that young actors stay in Corrie that length of time, I just wish they could focus efforts on taking them in interesting directions. Why can't Sophie better herself, get back to college and move on? She seems stuck in a neverending loop of working in Dev's, chasing Maddie around the place and being nasty to her mother. Enough already!
So do you agree, is it time Sophie Webster grew up?
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39 comments:
Fabulous post, Graeme. I couldn't agree more. I used to like her .. ahe made me laugh -- I called Ena without a hairnet. But now she is tedious and thoroughly unpleasant.
Yes. Agreed. And Norris too :)
Agreed! Her so-called "christian values" are sorely lacking. Her disrespect for her mother is atrocious! If she were mine - she'd have been out on her ear long ago.
~JB in Canada
Another great post Graeme, and I also could not agree more.
You should be a story line consultant.
Sophie was a tolerable character as a child and you could sympathize with her.
I liked that the actress not only resembled Kevin, but you could see they were in sync with one another as characters.
Sophie now seems to be taking her revenge on Sally for all the years of taking a back seat to Rosie, and I've found her character to be redundant for a long time.
I truly wish the character would move on and away as I think her story lines have been tedious for too long a time now.
Since the bloggers and commenters on this site, not to mention the contributors to Corriepedia, have a much better grasp of the character, temperament and personality of each of the characters on this soap, perhaps they could be prevailed upon to assemble a "history" book for each of said characters, which could then be presented to the ITV staff of storyliners and writers. I can only assume that the pressure of cranking out 5 episodes every week leaves them no time to do such research themselves, and whoever used to be the keeper of the archives, has possibly retired and not been replaced. When one of the great attributes of the world's longest running soap is the history, and when ITV has spent a fortune in materials, (not to mention Hype!) moving to better quarters, and painstakingly recreating the sets, so as to keep the "feel" and historic accuracy of the show, then so cavalierly wastes all that time, effort and money by making many of the characters' personalities unrecognizable, with complete temperament changes, it can only be seen as a failure of management oversight. Is it Stuart Blackburn's fault, or someone higher up? Whoever it is, in other businesses, they'd be fired. If another company spent such a fortune to make sure they retained the appearance of the product's "brand", then carelessly changed the product itself, for the worse, you can bet heads would roll!
Just sayin'!
I so agree Graeme, I hate what they've done/ are doing with Sophie. They're writing her like a 12year old, she had so much more potential. I much preferred the young Sophie to Rosie, (another character that was ruined) The story lines now are short and dramatic involving so many more characters than ever before that there is no thought of the history or future of the programme.
I was thinking something along the same lines myself Just sayin'.
At least as far as recognizing that churning out so many episodes a week has got to lead to all kinds of errors; from continuity of character to a lack of continuity with the past.
I do think that the show is bound and determined to keep up with it's soap rivals, even if that means being out there with no brakes on troubling, violent, outlandish or inconsistent story lines.
Humour, although still glimmering like rare gold occasionally, certainly isn't what one would watch the show for now.
If the recent survey on how many episodes per week viewers would prefer is correct, then that's what the people want; quantity over quality.
Totally agree with everyone's posts. Sophie is extremely immature what is she now 20? She acts like a 12 year old. I hate the way she speaks to her mother. I'm watching in Canada am not looking forward to Maddie(who I also cannot stand) and Sophie's big runaway! Would Sophie not have any money from her job? High time Sophie grows up or hopefully off the street!
Thank you Anonymous! I'd love to be a storyline consultant but I can't see them giving me a job! :/
I've heard about other programs where the actors are considered the guardians of their character, and are consulted by the writing staff about potential behaviour. An actor can say "My character wouldn't do that, or say that", and it is taken into consideration by the writers. That doesn't seem to be the case here. I wonder why.
Agree with Graeme and everyone else. There was a flicker of hope the other night when Tim asked Kirk about his role in Craig's upbringing. Wouldn't it be great if Tim suggested that all this 'saving' people is Sophie being bored and frustrated? Let Tim suggest to her parents that Sophie becomes a social worker. Either at a college far away or nearby and becomes an interesting character.
I suppose we are over a certain age on this site but Sophie (and, personally speaking, the actor) is simply dreadful. Can she really be popular with young fans on other sites?
Agree Humpty Dumpty. I haven't seen this episode yet, but yes, it would be good if the writers gave Sophie a chance to grow up properly, either start by having her interact, even a quarter as much as Kal the newcomer is with others on the street, or else I really wouldn't mind if she was far away at school, as long as she didn't return as a "Todd" or a "Ryan".
Sophie seems to be perpetually in a state of arrested development, and I can't see the appeal of her character or her acting.
Well Graeme, that's a pity as I think you'd make an excellent consultant.
You have your finger on the pulse of the show and you write so well too!
Thorough agree with your post. Sophie has become a dislikeable character not particularly well acted and I personally think she should be written out for a time, to come back as another actress.
Had to laugh last night when she screeched 'I hate you!' at her mother like a 12 year old. What crap! Time she grew up.
ER in Canada
Sometimes I think the writers have literally forgotten how old she's supposed to be.
You'd think Brooke Vincent would comment to those who write her lines how immature she comes across, wouldn't you?
Or, maybe like the majority of the viewers, she doesn't really care?
I wonder too, how much input pertaining to their characters a veteran actor is allowed.
Sometimes I think there must be something not quite right about Sophie.
How old is Sophie so to be?
I think the actress needs to take speech therapy, not to change her accent, but to learn how to communicate speech that people can understand. She tends to slur her words and mumble. To me Sophie started going off base when she joined that church. That was forgotten and they decided to make her a lesbian. It has always been my opinion that an actor can only do what the writers give them and if the actor is not that happy about the way his or her character is changing then it would be hard to do a good job with the character. I could be wrong. I like the suggestions that she study to become a social worker but even though I do not like the current Sophie I do not wish to see her go. She has been a part of the street for many years and the writers need to give her a decent role to work with.
May I take this opportunity to say that there are far to many characters on the street and so many of them, like Sophie, are not being developed into believable likable people. Recently I watched an episode when Beth was in the pub bragging about her saving the bingo player from a thug and the whole scene was delightful - in other words a group of people having a conversation and enjoying themselves. We need more scenes like that.
Graeme it would be wonderful if you could be a consultant as you are very good at writing and seem to have an excellent knowledge of the street.
May I 2nd (or 3rd or 4th) the idea that Graeme should write for the Street?
I do not believe that Sophie should leave the Street. Having watched her since she was little, I believe there is room for character development. She used to be bright as a button - - let's use that, and give her a real purpose.
I DO, however, agree that the actress could use some speech therapy for the same reasons as the previous poster.
Bev
I could not agree more that Graeme should be writing for this show.
And like most people, I am sick to death of whiny ungrateful Sophie. I can honestly say, that at this point I absolutely despise her character as well as Maddie. They are poison on screen and I really can't imagine who finds them appealing.
The whole storyline has been handled so badly. We were initially to be believe that Sophie was trying to help this poor girl in need. What we really got was Sophie lusting after this greasy waste of space and treating everyone in their path, particularly Sally, so horribly, that it has been unwatchable. The only thing I am interested in seeing either of them do, is leaving the street. I am done with this stinking storyline and Sophie altogether. She has LONG outlasted her stay.
Sophie is just not an interesting character so the writers just do the same thing with her over and over, and no doubt, she'll still be pouting, screeching, whining and disrespecting her mother when she's 40 years old. Time for her to either grow up or move on. She's past her time on this show IMO.
The way she pronounces Maddy's name Mad-eh!!!with the emphasis on the last syllable and her voice getting so high, it just sets my teeth on edge every time she screeches it!!!!!!
Graeme, I really think you would make an excellent story consultant, not only because of you knowledge of the program and its history, but, judging from the reaction to your posts here, you also seem to be very much in tune with what most Corrie fans like and dislike.
With regard to Sophie, the recent episode in which she borrowed pocket money from her father and shouted "I hate you" at her mother before flouncing upstairs, has convinced me that the writers have forgotten that she is an adult with a job.
I think the writers are stymied by the actor's limited range. Sophie will be another Tracy, a perpetual adolescent with the same two expressions and predictable storylines.
I'm not convinced Sophie's the only one that needs to 'mature up' on that street.
David Platt, Tracey Barlow, Lloyd and Steve all act like ten-year old's on a regular basis...
Brilliant post, Graeme!
Time for Sophie & Maddy to go, neither can act for toffee.
Yes, the problem with Sophie is she is exactly the same as the actress that plays her, who also speak in that same mumble, and sounds far younger than her years.
Maddie is deeply unpleasant and if the idea was for viewers to eventually sympathise with her character, then the writers have completely failed.
I hope the two of them have a long and happy life to together... as far away from the street as possible.
If they want to have a lesbian affair, then please let Jenna have one instead.
Anonymous @ 00.29 - yes that moment jarred with me too - I hated it, the actions of a spoiled, ungrateful brat and she showed no remorse for it afterwards.
Thank you Flaming Nora ;)
I agree with your John McE, I think Jenna is crying out for a proper storyline.
I am 25 years old, so not much older than Sophie as I believe she is meant to be 20, but I also can't stand to watch her character's somewhat new found personality. She does come across as very immature & whiny. I think the previous comment about her studying to become a social worker would work well or even becoming a missionary & going to another country to help others w/ a church or Christian youth group. I have been watching Coronation Street for as long as I can remember, so twenty or more years, but I an still considered a young viewer, but I enjoy the "older" characters a lot more than the younger ones at the moment.
Thanks for letting me share, this is my first time commenting on the blog although I have been reading all the posts & comments for over a year now. :)
Welcome J Houston :) thanks for commenting!
Another ditto, Graeme. I've been saying this for a while, but not as articulately. The current rendition of Sophie isn't sustainable. (Maddie can fall off the face of the earth with no effect. She's dead weight that can only sink Sophie.) She's about 20, has had a steady entry level job for years and no responsibility, but while the other kids go clubbing, she's having tantrums. Seriously?
It would be great to see one kid who grew up on the street succeed in life. Jason, Fiz & Ty all came as teens, so they don't count. Sara and Nick succeeded, but away from the street. Not sure I'd call Chesney a success, given what a bright student he was before he left for the market (what a shame he had no role model).
If you're an adult, you pay rent or do something in kind. If you're homeless, you don't live with mom or dad. Sophie isn't beyond redemption but she needs some direction. I nominate that becomes Ken Barlow's project when he gets back. Let it start with computer help and go from there. If she stays on her current path, then it's time to go.
Hi J.Houston, it's great to hear what younger viewers are thinking of the show, especially as you're also a veteran viewer of 20 years!
I find it interesting, and gratifying, that you are enjoying the older characters more at the moment. It seems that many of us feel like that too, so it sometimes makes you wonder who the writers are trying to impress.
Sophie, I think it's nearly unanimous, needs to go get herself a life. It's really tiresome to watch her doing the same things year after year and behaving so immature as well.
abbyk, you summarized Sophie's lack of direction very well, only I can't see her changing anytime soon.
Must have been that fall off the church roof. No ambition, rude, self-involved, whiney, lack of respect for others, bossy and the list goes on. Either give her a strong storyline perhaps involving getting pregnant (by what means I'm not sure),having to deal with that and the struggle whether or not to keep the baby or put it up for adoption - could help mature Sophie and change her character for the better. If she continues on in the current mode - then get rid of the character - she is beyond tedius.
I agree with you ChiaGwen. Whatever she does I hope she does it on an extended trip to see Rosie!
Personally I think everything was better when Sian was there, they had their problems, but they loved each other. Sophie now lives surrounded by unresolved problems. I think Sophie still living with the shadow of Sian, she said she forgot her, but I don't belive her. I really hope Sian returns some day, it would be Shopie's salvation. When Sian left Sophie it was shocking, since that moment Sophie is a full mess, when Sian was there Sophie was happy, now I don't see that in her eyes. I don't see a future between Sophie and Maddie, I don't see a future between Sophie and nobody else than Sian. I hope someone thinks like me.
Sorry for my english, I'm learning.
I agree and disagree with these comments, I do like sophie and she was a funny cheaky thing as a kid and now has grown up and become wise in some things and they the 'I hate you' was strange if that was me I would have followed her. so I don't understand that the writers arnt writing the story as a love thing, if I was wanting or at the start of a relationship we would be in each others pockets this is not happening here. I understand that Amy had to be written out of the story for all of feb as she was doing her exams(good on her). I also agree that sophie got all a's in her exams so you would think that she would have a go at progressing again. she was offered the writing for the magazine where has that gone to. so I do think they work and its fun watching them and Amy and Brooke are good actresses and should stay but. make it more real to life( I know there is the water shed thing) kids and love means more contact than what we see and this is a reason its not as convincing.
rant over
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