He's on his own now at No. 3, for the very first time. I actually felt a little bit sorry for him at the end of last night's episode, when the camera panned onto his sad little face as he ate his dinner for one. Lonely and alone can't be the future for Norris, can it?
I have no idea what will happen to Norris and so this is purely speculation, as always.
What I would like to see happen is for him and Mary to live together. He can take her in as a lodger, perhaps. Brendan is clearly no good for Mary and will obviously never leave his wife so this could leave open the door for Mary and Norris to become a couple, at last.
Unless there's a reason for him not to be, Norris is a nasty piece of work, and so is Mary. It's the default setting for them both. I know there's a lot of love out there for Mary but I have to admit she makes me quite scared. I enjoy the dialogue that's given to her, she's given some of the funniest lines in the show. But she's also quite horrid, nasty, picky and petty and as Norris is too, they'd do well to get together at last.
Mind you, I think Norris remains secretly in love with Rita, as his password of R1taKab1n last week seemed to show. He did once propose to the queen of the cobbles, back in 2007 but she knocked him right back.
Or maybe it's finally time for him to come out of the closet?
With Emily away, what would you like to see happen in Norris' life next?
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Mary's forty something, Norris in his 70's--please don't put them together! I find these scenarios a sexist throwback--where the only way an "unattractive" oddball woman can grab herself a man is one 25 or 35 years older than herself! Brendan is bad enough, Norris even worse.
ReplyDeleteThe storyline I'd like to see for Mary is not Mary with a man but Mary discovering herself and her full potential--she's an exceptionally intelligent woman, attractive, and a fantastic cook. Why shouldn't a woman with all these gifts get a challenging job or launch a business? With her intellect, personality and quick-wittedness she'd be a lot more convincing as a successful entrepreneur than the vacuous, posturing Sophie or the over-groomed glittering Botox shell that is Erica. But, unfortunately, Coronation Street always casts the really intelligent characters (Roy, Mary, Norris) as eccentric oddballs--as though high intellect is some sort of disease, not the asset it is in the real world. But I guess that's part of its blue collar perspective--the intelligent people are either side show freaks or leave the street, while the remaining dolts stay to endlessly in-breed or sleep with everyone on the street.
Excellent! It has seemed for quite a long time that anyone with a brain, particularly men, is either an oddball eg Roy, or a psycho, like Richard Hillman or Frank.
DeleteI'm sorry but I'd kill him off. I used to like the character but he's become a nasty piece of work.
ReplyDeleteAnon. 16:35, you have expressed what I oft have thought, but ne'er so well expressed. Many thanks.
ReplyDeletePerhaps he could use Emily's new experience as inspiration to do something new and charitable. I wish the script writers would consider the thousands of things that real people do with their lives and incorporate some of them into the story.
ReplyDeleteRemembering how he grieved for Maddie after her death,I would like to see Norris become a mentor of sorts to some of the younger residents like Craig or dare I say it Bethany who desperately needs a father figure who's not afraid to tell her a few home truths!
ReplyDeleteI agree with above comments that Mary shouldn't be matched with Norris - she's young enough to be his daughter and, as she herself has said, mainly hangs around with the oldies because her peers aren't interested in her. She has her own storyline somewhere but her situation hasn't suddenly changed like Norris.
ReplyDeleteHe seems ripe for an unlikely friendship (platonic) and I've often thought Norris and Roy might find they share an interest in trains/chess/whatever. With Roy leaving, I don't know who might now fit the bill. Debts and loneliness will eventually push Norris to take in lodgers. I see him as a prissy, nosey landlord who might develop into a sort of Rigsby (Rising Damp) character but without the seedy bits. Could be a lot of comedy there.
I agree with Anon 16:35. It has been way too long for Norris to start acting like a decent human being with a heart - I don't think he cares fiddlesticks except for anyone else but himself. Look at the terrible mess he made of the relationship with his brother. I can't fathom that anyone, of any age, would be interested in renting a room from him. The only people that can change his outlook on life are the writers and I don't see them changing their old habits anytime soon. That would be way too drastic. Best keep to form and keep trudging out the same old plotlines, blah, blah, blah.
ReplyDeleteNorris is clearly an unhappy man. His bitterness and nastiness, which I have long found frustrating and irritating, have their origins in something. Perhaps we could explore what that might be, rectify it via a new storyline for him, and see him blossom into the good person we know he can be from the glimmers of concern, empathy and kindness we have witnessed on rare occasions in the past. It's time Mary went through a similar transformation; in truth, I think it's already underway. I think they should remain friends. Imagine what an entertaining duo the pair would be if they were happy.
ReplyDeleteWrite him out, the rotten, miserable old man!
ReplyDeleteHe should rekindle his romantic interest in Rita, and this time he could consider the reasons she is not interested in him and perhaps work on becoming a better and more attractive person.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see Nick throw Sarah and Bethany into the street and they could end up as lodgers with Norris. They could perhaps try to make each other better people through their awkward yet necessary interaction.
I would also like to see Roy befriend Norris and, as eccentric and awkward as Roy can be, give Norris some home truths about his social inadequacies and rudeness! I could see Mary serving the same purpose. Perhaps they need some sort of social club that the three of them could belong to - some interaction with others outside the Street.
I tolerated that nasty, little old gnome Norris because his friendships with Emily and Rita made him tolerable... just barely. He's still got Rita who always sets him straight, but I wouldn't be too bothered if one day we see him at the dining table, alone... biting into a tongue sandwich and then choking on it.
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe that's a little too harsh. I do love to hate this character. The actor portraying him is brilliant. So if there are no more interesting storylines then let's get rid.
I think Nessa will make a play for Norris, once Ken kicks her to the curb. She is one of those women who can't stand to be without a man. Norris is single, owns his own home and business -- and that's good enough for her. It will be Phyllis and Percy all over again.
ReplyDeleteI would like Norris to have a nice lady friend enter his life (not Mary....)to change Norris's personality into a friendly and compassionate gent and into a lovely "Corrie couple" with that special someone! I think he does have a softer side under his crusty exterior and needs a special gal to bring that out in him!
ReplyDeleteI think they Mary and Norris would be hilarious together..the 'Odd Couple of Weatherfield'
ReplyDeleteNorris wasn't always such a prig. I'd like to see soften up a bit but not in a romance with Nessa. Maybe if Billy could get him to fill in for Emily at the church, he could get involved with someone who touches his (tiny cold) heart.
ReplyDeleteIn real life the actress who plays Mary is 39 years old! I have no clue why the writers put her with these old grampas. Why not give her a piece of hunka hunka burning love? Just a suggestion. No more old men for Mary, give her someone her own age!
ReplyDelete- Pod
I'd like someone totally surprising to go and lodge with him so it's a kind of 'odd couple' scenario. He'd 'soften' his ways slightly. As it's mentioned above, he and Maddie were an unusual and unlikely friendship, that kind of thing would be interesting where he would become protective of his lodger in his grumpy Norris way.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Emily was a nicer person than Norris to start it gave her a new lease of life when Spider moved in with her. Norris could do with something similar.
I just had a crazy idea - why not let Luke rent a room from Norris?? Obviously space is tight with him staying at Fizz & Tyrone's - Maria has been gone too long and hasn't been missed - so don't bring her back (there was no chemistry between the two anyway) and let Luke soften up Norris. Luke has the right amount of laid back charm and he could possibly turn Norris into a likeable fellow for once. Worth a try anyway.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Sean could use some new lodgings, in addition to Luke - the oddity of the three contrasting characters under the same roof could actually be amusing!!
ReplyDeleteIf we took every character off Coronation St. who was nasty, crabby, of low morale character and so on and so on...we would lose the very essence of Coronation St. which is simply a reflection of our lives...generally speaking..
ReplyDeleteWe have nasty, crabby, horrible people in the world...who commit all manner of sins so why should they not be present on the street? Do we really want Corrie St. to become all hearts and flowers? I think not...we love to hate some of these characters as much as we love to love them.