Carla's 40, nearly 41. Aidan, the older of the two Connor siblings must be about 30 and Kate is 26 I think, or thereabouts. She was 4 when their mother died 22 years ago, I seem to recall. Aidan wasn't much older, still a child so though I don't think it's been said, I'm going to put his age at 30 as stated. If he was 8 when he lost his mum, he'd definitely have memories of her.
Therefore, a solid 10 years between Carla and Aidan. We know that Johnny and Carla's mother had a one night stand, producing Carla 9 months later. Therefore, nearly 42 years ago, 20 years before Mrs. Connor (Lou) died and probably about 12 years before she had Aidan. We don't know how old Lou and Johnny were when they got married and there's been no comment that they waited a long time to have children, either by choice or by nature taking its time. It seems like Lou must have been into her thirties when she had her children unless there were miscarraiges before that, more information we don't know.
It's all conceivably fathomable (yes, I know, terrible pun) but it feels a bit patched in and contrived which is almost par for the course for Stuart Blackburn's reign on Corrie. It would have made a lot more sense to have Johnny unmarried at the time of the fling, perhaps being a good friend to Carla's dad (though, yes, we've also had that before with Lloyd and Mandy and her husband, Lloyd's good friend). Or perhaps he could have been a teenager, unmarried, part of a group of mates from the housing estate that included Carla's mother and her future husband, and living an 'on the edge' lifestyle of drugs and booze which he was able to kick, something Carla's mother never did.
It's bad enough that a long lost parent is one of the soap cliches and almost always feels less of a shocking surprise than a "Here we go again" storyline. At least they could use a bit more imagination and credibility with the back story. I'm not even going to bother discussing Aidan and Kate's predictable reactions and what will probably happen. You can all guess without too much trouble.
Tvor, at twitter @tvordlj
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Yes, I totally agree, it's a very contrived set-up. We're talking about a young Johnny playing away early on in his marriage. Actually, were Johnny and Lou married at the time or courting? Shocking as it must be, really what could Johnny have done other than become a benevolent uncle to Carla whilst keeping quiet? Anyway, none of it really ties up in this storyline. Twenty years after the event, Carla's mother tells Lou who, of course, immediately believes her. Strange that she didn't also drunkenly tell Carla: 'That's not your real dad. Johnny is.' And Johnny doesn't do the obvious thing and inform the prison authorities that an inmate is trying to blackmail him, nor does he bother consulting a solicitor. You get the impression that if he had the money, he would have paid up.
ReplyDeleteAgree...poor, over the top, predictable storylines during Blackburn's reign. Cliché after cliché. Characters that viewers don't warm too. Lets hope the new producer makes a clean sweep across the board!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, I totally agree, it's a very contrived set-up. We're talking about a young Johnny playing away early on in his marriage. Actually, were Johnny and Lou married at the time or courting? Shocking as it must be, really what could Johnny have done other than become a benevolent uncle to Carla whilst keeping quiet? Anyway, none of it really ties up in this storyline. Twenty years after the event, Carla's mother tells Lou who, of course, immediately believes her. Strange that she didn't also drunkenly tell Carla: 'That's not your real dad. Johnny is.' And Johnny doesn't do the obvious thing and inform the prison authorities that an inmate is trying to blackmail him, nor does he bother consulting a solicitor. You get the impression that if he had the money, he would have paid up.
ReplyDeleteI think the production staff must have a deal with the truckers' union to ensure there are always holes big enough for them to drive through. Cel phones in prison, teens not going to school, 3 ridiculous bribery schemes where no one called the cops, come and go brain damage, contraception NEVER working, 2 distressed business owner neighbors spending themselves into debt in the same year, getting fired because your voice is irritating, keeping a man in a burning building to say you'll marry him, no therapy for Simon, no social worker for Faye, Jacksons parents running off to Canada with Miley, three absolutely bonkers spinsters in a row (Tracy, Mary and Nessa), that we all cheered when Liz actually called a lawyer because there were so many times one should have been called but wasn't. And this just in the last 12 months. It's getting to be Preposterous Street.
ReplyDeleteDidn't his wife commit suicide after finding out he'd had a fling with Carla's mum? Anyway, another family parachuted in but it will flop just as soon as Sophie and Kate start carrying on once Kate's fiancé is killed in Cyprus. And, never mind lawyers..the never ever call the cops no matter what!
ReplyDeleteKate ' s fiancée killed in Cyprus?! Thanks very much for the spoiler, or are you just speculating because we all know Kate was only brought in as another love interest for Sophie? By the way, "fiancé" with one "e" is a man. 😊
ReplyDeleteNo, it didn't sound like the wife committed suicide, it was a drunk driver that knocked her over.
ReplyDeleteThe storylines are written with no regard for history or future only a quick sensation drive. Do they think we watch only with our eyes and sit there brain dead? Most of us have been watching for a very long time and I for one am insulted by some of the rubbish they try to pass off.
ReplyDeleteI thought exactly thing about the age gap between Carla and Aiden. Lately continuity seems to be an frequent issue, hmmm...
ReplyDeleteLet's bring in a new character - who could they be related to? Who doesn't have a mum or dad or brother? Well, hang on we have referred to that character's mum/dad in the past by another name/age/the fact that they died ... Who cares? The viewers? Who cares?
ReplyDeleteThe problem with the current reign at Corrie is that storylines are being recycled for 12 year olds, exactly the sort of people who shout and make a noise for them on twitter.
ReplyDeleteWhat's truly frustrating is that it would be SO easy for the writers to make this preposterous scenario slightly more plausible without any trouble to the story line unfolding in the present. As the post says, make Johnnie have the fling with Carla's mother when he was still single-a rough, wild teen or twenty something. That's much more believable and it would still have interesting repercussions for Carla, Aidan, Kate. Carla would still feel abandoned and bitter when she compares (how could she not?) her childhood with the doting indulgence showered on Princess Kate. Aidan and Kate would still see their dad in an entirely new and unflattering light. But, no, the writers have to ramp up the drama and hysteria by piling up one plot hyperbole after another. Unfortunately, these cheap tricks--designed to wring as much emotion out of the audience as possible--ultimately backfire and undermine some fine, nuanced performances--eg. Aidan sharing his pain and bewilderment with Eva at the childhood loss of his mother, Carla's look of blank anguish when Rob taunts her to imagine how different her life might have been if Johnnie had acknowledged her...But, no the writers have to torque it up ten turns till it all becomes ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% with all the comments. The other part that doesn't sit well with me is why did both Connor dads with all their children live on the same estate as Carla, Rob and their drug addicted mother. Obviously it seems that both sides of the Connor family were not that destitute: Michelle's brothers owned Underworld and I believe Jonny was also in the rag trade. So why the estate when the kids were young?? And why does Michelle's dad have a very broad Irish accent, but nobody else does?
ReplyDeleteI've wondered this countless times too--Barry, Liam, Michelle, Carla's first husband all seem to have come from a very privileged background. Ditto for doting dad Johnnie, Aidan, and spoiled princess Kate. I almost choked on my tea, the first time Michelle folded her arms, rolled her eyes, and launched into an exposition on the trials and tribulations she suffered on the estate with best mate Carla! I don't think there is any doubt that the writers first presented the family as affluent. Somewhere along the line, though, the Connors were transported to the estate and Michelle suddenly became a childhood friend of Carla.
ReplyDeleteHang on a minute! Connor was Carla's married name, wasn't it? She was married to Paul Connor? Was it just (contrivingly) conincidentally her birth name too?
ReplyDeleteCarla's maiden name was Donovan. It seems like Aidan, Kate and Johnny hang around Carla a lot (pre-revelation) but Michelle is their relative; why wouldn't they hang around her more?
ReplyDelete@anonymous 14:46: Because she's Michelle?
ReplyDelete@anonymous 13:50: Completely agree. They would have had more than enough material to work with without trying to tie in guilt for the death of Lou. It was a bridge too far in an already shaky story.
Michelle did not like Carla early on when the Connors came to the Street. This contrived sisterhood came about because of both of the brothers dying and they were the only two left.
ReplyDeleteJohnny's wife was so upset that she went out into the street and did not notice the drunk driver come up on the sidewalk to kill her...she did not commit suicide...just too upset to be alert to the danger.
I know moms are irreplaceable but Aiden is a grown man and it has been 22 years for goodness sake! They act like it was 2 or 3 years ago. And why has Johnny never remarried?
Also...what has confused me is the support of marrying off the daughter to someone whom she has only known for about a year but only been with for three weeks! Gee what an obliging family. It does seem a little too early and with someone she really hardly knows. It is just too much! But you say she gets killed in Cyprus...so it is a moot point. lol