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Tuesday 20 June 2017

5 reasons we love Mary in Coronation Street


Guest blog post by Glenn Meads who is on Twitter and LinkedIn
You can read all of Glenn's guest blog posts here.
Fancy writing a guest blog post for us? All details here!   


Last might, as Mary tried in vain to help Bethany, Twitter was ablaze with love for the one time camper van dweller.


She arrived on the street as a slightly loopy and unhinged character (remember the Annie Wilkes moment from Misery, when she lost it with Norris, in the middle.of nowhere?) and has since emerged as one of the most beloved and fascinating characters we have seen on the Street in ages.

So, now we have established that there's something about Mary. What it is that draws us into her wacky, yet endearing and fascinating world?


1) She is from another time and place

She talks about the past, as if it is yesterday. Yet, she is existing in a world dominated by tablets and Snapchat. She is refreshingly different and it's hard to place where she has come from. She drifted onto the street like snow.


2) She is one of a kind

Soaps.often have stock characters, that we expect to see. Mary is hard to pin down, as a stereotype. Thanks to some.marvellous writing, she has changed constantly. But the essence of Mary remains.


3) She is a double act queen

Roy and Mary, Norris and Mary, Tracy and Mary. Each one of these pairings has worked. Why? Like a great buddy movie, it is the idea of opposites. This week Tracy took Mary out for her lunch, as her 'employee of the month', meanwhile.Norris has become Mary's confidante and she looked out for Roy when Hayley died. Like a great student, you could pair her up with anyone.


4) Patti Clare

Yes the writing has always been quite something for our Mary. But Patti Clare can have you laughing one minute and crying the next. Whether she is humming The Smiths, recalling a tale involving 'mother', or talking about loneliness, Patti brings her to life, so she becomes fully rounded and totally believable.


5) Her Values

Seemingly old fashioned and quite rigid on the outside, Mary Taylor has a heart of gold. So, she will give folk a second chance. She will always look out for an underdog, and offers help before she asks for it herself. Mary has a heart the size of Manchester.

At one point not so long ago, it looked as if Mary Taylor was off to pastures new. But, thankfully she stayed.

Thank heavens, because there is something so warm about this character that the Weatherfield would be a sad place without her. Do I hear wedding bells? I hope so! 

By Glenn Meads
You can read all of Glenn's guest blog posts here.
Fancy writing a guest blog post for us? All details here!   





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4 comments:

Humpty Dumpty said...

Affectionate look at this character though she was quite unlikeable for a while. If there is such a stereotype in a soap, Mary and Brian are both aliens. These characters are more often seen in different tv shows but somehow got imported into a grown-up soap. Brian should be the buffoon teacher in a children's show while Mary really could be an alien. She would be the female version of Mork; perhaps the witch who lands in the 21st century and gets a job as a nanny. I love her weirdness. Surely the photos of Mary and Norris apparently in wedding outfits are a tease. Might it be her son getting married? I'd be very disappointed if Mary and Norris got hitched. What would be the point? I'd much rather she married a slightly geeky but incredibly gorgeous younger bloke.

Where's Emily? said...

Yeah, I am questioning whether Mary is going to marry Norris. It would appear from the spoiler pictures that Mary is dressed like a bride, and Norris is her best friend, but marriage? Didn't they once broach that subject before? Then again, at what wedding would Tracy be invited to? She has no friends save Beth and Mary, and she was def in the pictures too. I agree with humpty dumpty-Mary is a romantic at heart and Norris is anything but romantic.Young, geeky,fit. How old is Mary anyway?

Anonymous said...

The fact that she is a double-act queen is a tribute to Patti Clare's acting ability. She seems to be able to make it work with anyone - even Bethany.

Jeevn said...

I love her character. It is well acted and different.

GRITTY SAGAS BY CORRIE BLOG EDITOR GLENDA YOUNG, PUBLISHED BY HEADLINE. CLICK PIC BELOW!

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