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We all love to hate soap villiains. But there are some bad characters who are so downright despicable, that you love them. For me, it's Corrie's Tracy Barlow, played by the brilliant Kate Ford, and here's why I love her so much.
Tracy loves her late mum, Deirdre
Her one liners
To Liz: "You are a nagging, sponging, life sapping old tart.!" Nuff said!
She tells Ken when he's being boring
She's Deidre's daughter, alright and she takes Ken on, when he is so boring that paint watches him dry.
How low can she go?
Who can forget when she pretended to sleep with confused Roy Cropper? Even though we all love Roy, you gotta laugh!
Kate Ford
When the writers are on the money, Ford excels. She relishes killer lines and fires them at innocent characters like bullets. As long as this gifted actress sticks with Corrie, we have more priceless scenes to come.
So, I'm hoping that one of soaps super villians sticks around. 'Tracy luv' rocks and I don't love to hate her, I heart Ms Barlow!
By Glenn Meads who is on Twitter and LinkedIn
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10 comments:
Have we all forgotten that Tracy is an unrepentant murderer?? Granted, Charlie Stubbs was no prince, but that's besides the point. She has never once to my recollection said, OK, I did something morally reprehensible and I'm truly aware and sorry that I took someone's life, please don't do what I did, etc. Never once. Therefore while Kate Ford is doing a great job working in some nuances to Tracy's character, in the end it doesn't work for me because I don't feel Tracy has grown much. She loves Amy, that's true, and admirable. But she's a 40 year old woman who still thinks the rules of society don't apply to her. I wish she'd grow a little in that area. I had a great laugh at the scene with she and Rob cuddled together after their romantic encounter at the abandoned gym, with Tracy waxing nostalgic about memories of spending snow days tucked in at home with Deirdre and how it made her feel safe, etc., and that being with Rob made her feel the same way. Two loved-up murders lying there, neither of them stating the obvious (you know, "hey, both of us are murderers, LOL, aren't we a pair??"). Gaahh!
Thanks Glenn,this is an excellent presentation of the reasons to love Tracy. Though I usually prefer characters who are good people, I can't help but like Tracy. Now that she's recently proven she was willing to leave everything behind to prevent her daughter's arrest, that's even more true.
So, OK, Kate Ford delivers lines well when she has decent ones to deliver. However, when we talk about the fictional character, Tracy, I've commented in an earlier blog that currently she's not that interesting. She was fun for some viewers as Ms Nasty but very one dimensional. She may yet be redeemed by the writers. Perhaps she'll become her father's carer. So shoot me, but I found that scene between Ken and Tracy icky.
Kate Ford has come a long way. When she started, she was really not that good but she's really grown as an actor and, I suppose, has really grown into her character as well. Tracy isn't a likeable person and yes, she's morally bankrupt. I think she's one of the "love to hate" characters these days. I do like that they have softened her just enough that she's tolerable. Even when Amy was young, she wasn't much of a mother but she's come into her own there even if she's not the ideal mum. She does usually put her child first these days. Well, sometimes! In the old days, I think she would have gleefully abandoned Amy but now she insisted on bringing her.
I absolutely enjoyed this write up. I have been on the Tracy train all along...choo choo. I have enjoyed Tracy for years...the good and the bad. I see her vulnerabilities and know where she is coming from. I see her confusion when some get away with things and she does not. I felt for her when she thought she found a soul mate in Charlie Stubbs but he betrayed her. I remember when Deirdre left Ken years ago and she said to a bereft Ken, I'm here, you still have me. Does anyone remember the face when he yelled I don't want you I want Deirdre.
Also, she shows that when she is called to task on things she stands her ground. When she was shunned in the Rovers on one occasion by everyone there..did she run and hide...no she slunk over to a side table and had her drink there. So much more...but I will shut up now. lol
Sorry for the rambling....but it is a rare thing for me to see such a nice write up on Tracy Barlow. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. :-)
I didn't have a 'laugh' when Tracy drugged Roy and led him to believe he was Amy's father,Roy almost committed suicide and Tracy didn't care less just as she didn't care that her vendetta against Carla cost Kal and Maddie their lives.
Granted she may be more of a mother to Amy now but is it too little too late as Amy seems to be following in her mother's scheming footsteps.
I'm with Newfy Pearl. Tracy, with all her flaws, narcissism and moral ambiguity, has always been a favourite of mine.
I get the whole injustice over her subsequent acquittal for Charlie Stubbs' murder. Like Rob v Tina (what if she'd just fallen off the balcony and there was no lead piping?), I wish that the story had been a bit less black and white.
We know Charlie was a baddie. So, instead of having Tracy lie that she was being physically abused by him, and present it like revenge for his cheating on her with Maria, why couldn't we, the audience, have seen her suffering similar mental abuse to Shelley but reacting in a fight, rather than flight way?
As for Tracy and Rob, I have enjoyed every moment of their reunion. Even the cheesy scene at the Court - I was cheering for Rob to come to the rescue and he didn't let me down! I'm an eternal optimist so am hoping that this little cameo was intended to rehabilitate Rob with the longer aim of bringing him back permanently.
Great post, especially the part about her one liners. My favorite is the one about watching Titanic and "rooting for the iceberg"! Kate Ford really does do a good job, proven by the fact that so many people love to hate Tracy! I'm just hopeful they won't send Amy down the exact same path, she has Tracy's wit, but has been brought up under completely different circumstances.
During the time she was obsessed with revenge against Carla I was getting bored with the character, but now that she's toned down a bit and is becoming more nuanced, developing friendships with Beth, Todd, Mary, etc., I enjoy watching her. I really miss her scenes with Deirdre, they really did complement each other well.
This is my type of "baddie" to watch, not Phelan. And she's definitely a battleaxe in the making - just give her a few more decades!
I think under the new Producer Tracy's character has changed direction. Yes she can still be a bitch at times, but she's grown. Maybe it's due to the Barlow siblings and her needing to hold her own in that pack. Whatever the case is, I'm loving it. Her relationship with Mary is great and I love their scenes together. Her new direction makes her funnier but in a sometimes vindictive way which is OK. She seems to be more supportive to people too now (Steve?)
Not like Phelan that seems to be the Energizer bunny and keeps going.....going....going...yawn
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