Rob has already written for us on the subjcts o:
- The Coronation street cop shop
- Sunliners and why it should be brought back
- Steve McDonald
- and he wrote a poem about Zeedan Nazir.
"Audrey Roberts had a son we never knew about. So did Les Battersby. Leanne Tilsley had a sister she'd never heard of. Betty Turpin's son, Gordon, thought that his mum was his Aunty for many years.
Ken Barlow had a son and grandson that he didn't know existed (Lawrence and James Cunningham, anyone?) - and seems to have since forgotten about. Although, Ken was well aware of Daniel, but this didn't prevent him from completely ignoring that fact for many years until the writers decided to flood the cobbles with Barlow boys.
But why do so many of our favourite characters end up with long-lost family members? Well, the obvious answer is because it makes a good story. Most of the time.
Emily Bishop spent 40 years on the cobbles without writing to, visiting, phoning or even mentioning Geoffrey "Spider" Nugent. Let alone any of the family that came in between such as his mother or father. But, to be fair to Emily, Spider was probably born around 1975, so we can forgive her not having mentioned someone who hadn't been born between 1961 and 1975.
So, why do never-before-heard-of relatives keep appearing? Because it's fun, and it gives a brand new character immediate roots within the show is my guess.
We have all come to love Eva and, after a relatively short time, none of us question the fact that she and Leanne are sisters. It just feels completely natural. In fact, more so than the relationship between Leanne and Toyah, who supposedly grew up together.
Eileen and Julie found out that they had some unexplained familial connection to Street Siren Elsie Tanner. I'm still not quite sure how that one works.
So all I'm waiting for now is for some young hunk to show up at the bar in the Rovers claiming to be some distant relative of Ena Sharples.
Milk Stouts all round. Cheers!
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14 comments:
Thanks Rob. It's both a big and a small world so I don't mind seeing new relatives appear.
What I do find annoying is when characters don't acknowledge that the relationship needs work and simply jump into the thick of things. For example, when Ken was nagging Daniel for supposedly putting a girl ahead of his education, it was completely ridiculous. Reminding a son you haven't seen in years though he lives nearby, of his responsibilities would get you, rightfully, told off.
Kenhas to be the worst father ever. Susan had a son and raised him for 12 or 13 years and even Ken was not aware. thus, he must have not seen his daughter for that long. Peter apparently knew, mind you, as her brother and only support. At least Audrey talks about Steven and has even visited him from time to time.
You'd think with all the drama that Leanne has at the moment there would be a passing reference to Janice. Do we assume Toyah isn't in touch with her mother either? This referencing is like the small talk that makes Corrie real. It would be very realistic for residents to have the odd phone conversation with a parent or sibling.
There is Debbie Webster, Kevin's sister, who I have never met but seems to have made an impression on long term fans. Davids dad Martin never visits; David rarely mentions him and has only been to see him once or twice since he moved away. Liverpool must be somewhere in the amazon rainforest it's so hard to get to.
One thing I do like is how there are photos of the missing scattered about. Ken has pictures of Deirdre, Blanche and Uncle Albert, and Eileen has one of Julie. One thing I don't is how Emily hasn't come up in conversation in a long time.
"In 2011, it was revealed that Elsie Tanner and her son Dennis were related to Eileen Grimshaw and Julie Carp, as Elsie's cousin, Arnley Grimshaw, was their grandfather." [Wikipedia]
Missing family members - what about Michelle's biological son who was switched at birth? Last we saw of him, they had reconciled and were on good terms - and he then vanished, never to be mentioned again. I know it was a dreadful storyline but having committed to it, there is an obligation to acknowledge him or at least come up with a reason why he's no longer around
Humpty, I think that during the party at the Bistro Gail asked if Leanne had been talking to Janice and Stella. I think she was told yes.
I had been watching for that too! lol
But in the meantime....with all that Michelle has been through - no mention of her mom....and I believe she would have been on the first plane there to box Steve's ears. Maybe it is because the actress has a part on the show Father Brown Mysteries...but all the same...she could be mentioned.
My biggest beef is not family members who suddenly appear, but those who disappear. A case in point is Michelle's son Ryan. She went through all the song and dance about having a still-born child, but she never mentions the son she DOES have. So totally unrealistic. We should hear fairly often the news of Janice, Emily, etc.
I must say, though, that I am loving the introduction of Daniel. What a wonderful actor and breath of fresh air that young man is!
Would that be Ryan? Sophie Webster's ex, Sian's ex? Who somehow managed to get Sophie knocked down by a car?
I haven't heard mention of him on the street in ages and ages and ages, it's like Michelle completely forgot she had another son. Which is a shame because it would've been nice to hear "Ryan and Ruairi" in the same sentence, seeing as they were brothers.
The Ryan thing really irks me too; I wish there had been some mention of him during the time she was pregnant, just totally unrealistic.
Michelle mentioned Ryan before Ruairi's funeral. She asked Steve if he didn't mind that she put the blue teddy in the casket, as it was sent from Ryan.
Not much, but a small mention to appease us viewers no doubt.
Speaking of.....Ryan...whatever happened to the son who Michelle actually gave birth to but was switched in the hospital? Never mentions him at all...and he resembled his father...the man who was her first love...until they came up with that other first boyfriend recently. Ugh
Not Ryan. He got a brief mention for having sent over a teddy or something for the new babbie. So he's st least been mentioned once this blue moon. No, the one I was referring to was the baby who got swapped with Ryan at birth. The one who was Michelle's natural son, even though Ryan remained her "nurtur-al" one. I can't remember his name.
It was bugging me, so I had to look it up:
Alex Neeson
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by Dario Coates
Duration 2007–2008
First appearance 17 December 2007
Last appearance 18 April 2008
Profile
Occupation Student
Home Oakhill
Father Dean
Mother Michelle Connor
Adoptive father Nick Neeson
Adoptive mother Wendy Neeson
Brothers Ryan Connor(adoptive)
Half-brothers Ruairi McDonald
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