Cosy crimes and gritty sagas by Corrie Blog editor Glenda, published by Headline. Click pic below!

Wednesday 13 August 2014

I don't buy it, Corrie

Reposted with permission from State of the Street

Even though I love my Coronation Street, and I am able to suspend disbelieve most of the time because, you know, it's only a TV show and you have to make allowances, there are some things that "clunk" for me. Things that don't make sense.

I find it so weird that Ken Barlow would fancy a camping trip in a caravan. Martha's canal boat really must have given him a taste for roughing it! At his age, nearly 80, and never having had the urge to camp in his life (shurrup, you lot at the back!), it really seems out of character. I also find it weird that he's decided to be a vegetarian. Nothing against the concept, but it seems like if he was going to take up that cause he'd have done it years ago.

I also find it very odd that he didn't know anything about Tina, Peter's drinking, Tracy's engagement, and all the other stuff that went on while he was away. It's as if the only person he spoke to in 18 months was Deirdre and that doesn't make sense. Surely Tracy would have had contact and gloated about her new shop and fella, and we know that Amy used Skype to talk to her grandad. He's been back a week, now, and we haven't seen him make the effort to express his condolences to his good friend Roy on the passing of Hayley, either.

How does Mary survive? She puts in the occasional shift at the Kabin or the cafe to help out yet she maintains that huge RV. She must have some sort of income from years of living at home and saving. I bet we're going to find out some day that she's rich from an inheritance and her mother's a Countess or some such. Mary isn't the type to put on airs and call herself Lady Mary, after all. I don't know if it's legal to park that behemoth on the street constantly and what does she do for power in it? Surely the battery for the vehicle can't support lights and other electrical amenities. Dev's flat is empty, why doesn't she rent that?

Michelle is going to be Tracy's wedding planner? Seriously? Nobody can stand Tracy and Tracy's given Michelle more reason than many to detest her. Michelle can't be that despearate to launch an event company that she'd take on Tracy's demands even if she's an old friend of Rob's.

I wonder if the writers have remembered that the lofts along the old side of the Street are all one, barring the interruption of Number 7 which was rebuilt after collapsing in the 60s. (Remember Les Battersby's tricks playing ghost in Number 1 and 3 and Ken's crash through the ceiling of number 5 onto Leanne and Nick in bed?) So if Jason's building a loft conversion over Number 9, is he also going to build walls to block it off from the rest of the houses (Numbers 9 through 13) or are the kids going to have a huge playroom!? And is Jason going to put in a window? I should think that's required for fire regs.  Inquiring minds are guessing that The Powers That Be have forgotten that little detail. You see a brick wall in this photo but that could be Number 7.

I also don't buy that Gary knows that  the material is not up to par and allowed Todd to threaten his job if he asked Jason about it. Gary would know that using inferior materials can be dangerous even if Todd doesn't realise just how much.

I never bought that Leanne went back to Nick. Well I did, but not because she realised she always loved him like he did her. She rebounded from Peter to Nick. She had an affair with Danny Baldwin and when fiance Jame found out and turfed her, she moved in with Danny. Not because she loved him but because what else was she going to do?

Now she's rebounding with Kal who's not really very exciting and is going to bore her to tears after awhile. I'm not worried about the disapproving family. She faced Gail off as a mother-in-law twice, after all and Gail had become far more Ivy Tilsley the second time around. Yasmin Nazir is an amateur compared to that. It's kind of sad that Leanne doesn't seem to be able to exist without a man in her life, though and as tough and independent as she seems to be, she obviously isn't.

Simon is 12. You can hear his voice dropping and it will probably change in a year or two. Yet he's still crayoning get well and birthday cards and needing babysitters? He still needs to be walked to school? Admittedly, with everything that's happened to him in his young life, it's not surprising he's not a gibbering heap in the corner, but can't they grow him up a little bit? I suppose when they finally do, he'll be a raging drug addict full of anger and resentment and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised. Addiction often runs in families.

And whatever happened to his friendship with Aadi Alahan? Is he just too soppy for Aadi to hang out with? Faye is the same age as he and Amy, but they don't seem to act like they really have anything in common. Maybe that's because of that bullying incident with Grace last year. Surely they still all go to Bessie Street school, instead of having all the parents take them to school, why don't they all walk there together? The school is only a few blocks away and there are crossing guards (Lollipop men and women).

I think I've got too much time on my hands!


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19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree with all of the above and would add I don't get how Eileen can accommodate all those roomers/boarders in a two bedroom house.

Anonymous (Canada)

Anonymous said...

I can understand where you are coming from. I disagree about Ken being vegetarian - it can happen at any time. Perhaps with Adam, he realised that he has few more years left in life and want to live to the fullest - by doing that - explore the nature. It is believable. Especially if it does not last long.

I don't talk with my grandparents often - so it does make sense that Deirdre is the only person who talk with Ken - others would pass on info through her and vice versa.

Why must Mary live in Dev's flat? Why can't she just live in RV? People do live in that lifestyle - as it is much cheaper.

Michelle and Tracey - I agree - given how Steve and Tracey's history.

Loft - who cares? It's not a big thing?

Gary issue - it is all part of drama.

I do buy that Leanne went back to Nick - a place of familiarity and 'good old times'.

Yes, I agree about Simon and all other children - they are not well written.

Anonymous said...

Not at all, Tvor! You've got most of this bang on. Particularly with the kids, it's very difficult to realize they are so close in age; Amy still looks like a seven year old and behaves like a princess. Simon is definitely looking older, but he looks about nine or ten years old and, although he's a sweet guy, he does behave a bit babyish. And Faye looks sixteen going on twenty-five! And she behaves exactly like that.

I wonder sometimes if the people actually running the show get so caught up in just gaining numbers of viewers that they just don't appreciate that regular viewers are more in tune with ongoing stories and characters, and just make up stuff along the way to keep up with five shows a week and advertisers.

Anonymous said...

Spot on. Corrie has lost its way. It has lost its gritty Northern comic roots. The storylines are either boring; annoying; unbelievable or downright nasty. Some of the recent acting is very amateurish. It has started to grate in a way it never did before. It's now less of a joy and more of a bad habit.

Glenda Young said...

Very well sad, Tvor. Lots of things niggle with me at the moment too, not least Ken not paying his respects to Roy, or even mentioning Hayley's death.

Frosty the Snowman said...

It did make Frosty smile when Leanne told Ken yesterday "he deserved a break" - he has just come back from a year in Canada!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I also find it strange that Ken would never contact Carla and Peter in 18 months. What, Carla and Peter don't have Skype? Not a mention of Hayley either.weird. You're spot on about the kids too Simon doesn't need walking to achool at 12 or babysitting like he is 5. Time they let him grow up. Great post. -Smelloid

John McE said...

Tvor, you've said what most of have been thinking for years.

In virtually every episode things happen that are quite impossible to believe, and in almost every case it's due to poor writing. Improbable events happen because the writer is just too lazy, or inexperienced to work out a believable way to achieve a desired outcome.

Any so often this could be avoided, with just a little thought. For instance, why point out that Jim was on a different wing to Peter, when they can stroll into each other's cell whenever they feel like it?

Yes, I am rather afraid you are going to be right about Simon, who is still written as if he is five. Doubtless he'll move to Canada to be with Adam for a year, and come back with a new head and a bad attitude... and Ken will wonder, yet again, where he went wrong.

Tvor said...

There's lots of things I do enjoy and that's for another post sometime. The little things don't take away from my enjoyment overall but they do niggle at me from time to time

Anonymous said...

Simon's 11, isn't he, rather than 12, and Amy is 10 - both in junior school still, although Simon should be going up in September. Faye is a bit older, already in high school. And Aadi is quite a bit younger.

Tvor said...

Simon might be 11 yes, and Faye is only 12 but the difference between them is vast and Faye's had a pretty rough life before Windass adoption, too. Aadi and Asha will be 9 in January. Simon's just turned 11 and Amy will be 11 in January. FAye will be 13 in March. Craig was born in 1998, so he's 16 or nearly so. Thanks to Corriepedia for the dates.

Humpty Dumpty said...

I agree, Tvor. They could have explained Ken's situation by having him struck down with pneumonia, for example. The family didn't want to worry him about Peter, and that's why he couldn't fly home for months. But the personalities stretch your belief, as well. Last night, Kirk made a mistake with the recipe, adding 12 tsp of spice instead of one half to the dish. What, he didn't taste the food before he served? And I really can't believe Eileen would stand there openly smirking when Gail was knocked down. More likely, she would have commiserated and then laughed her head off behind closed doors.

The writers have no idea at all how to write children. Perhaps they never have done, but previously the kids didn't get the big storylines like they do today. Simon is the biggest wasted character because the actor is capable of much more.

Gary was so concerned about the inferior wood that he would have spoken to Owen about it. Owen would then have had a word with Jason. And there's another last minute change to a storyline. I'm sure Tony was supposed to be part of the scam but the writers decided to make him more cuddly. Unfortunately, the actor looks too sly and menacing to be anything other than a villain.

Anonymous said...

The vegetarian thing I suspect is a sop to William Roache who is I believe a vegetarian.

Anonymous said...

I have another observation...the stupidity of the proposal that Kirk is trying to make....so boring, it is going through stupid clowning and interruptions. It all makes it so false - Corrie is meant to be normal people acting normally.For goodness sake get better writers.

ChiaGwen said...

Well I'm glad you do have time on your hands TVOR - great write-up and spot on...:) !! Yes, very strange that Ken has not spoken with Roy about Hayley's death...or maybe he doesn't know and they have forgotten to tell him, just like all the other information Diedre left out during their trans-atlantic phone calls. Is the character of Simon supposed to be 11 or much younger because it seems the writers are writing him as someone around 8. Amy looks like she is 7 or 8 as well. Cannot believe that Gary would be intimidated by Todd - he knows Jason owns the business and is the boss! I think Gary would know that particular board was inferior for what it was intended for - he's had enough experience with Owen.

Anonymous said...

Well said TVOR. The devil is in the details, and there seems to be no respect or payoff for invested viewers these days. Spending decades watching the same show religiously should be rewarded with decent writing and continuity. It's just plain insulting to us viewers. I'm with you all the way on this one. There are more too, but..
Cdn. bacon sarnie

Anonymous said...

Bill R is not vegetarian.

Anonymous said...

With regards to Ken no getting in contact with his children,he isn't exactly close to either Peter or Tracy who were getting the news about their father via Deirdre.I was bothered though on what Deidre did and did not tell Ken,that Peter was drinking again but not the reason why and played the martyr when Ken was angry at her for not telling him about Peter being arrested for Tina's murder.I also hope when they return from camping that Ken takes the time to pay his respects to Roy for Hayley's death.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the person that said that Corrie has become somewhat of a bad habit instead of a pleasure.
It seems that the Corrie audience is much more in tune with the street than the writers have become, and it saddens me.

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