Guest blog post by Matthew Reid
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My mum always told me ‘Your tastes will change as you get older’. I used to think she was talking rubbish, just like those people that said ‘Your school years will be the best of your life’. Surely I’d always want to drink nothing but fizzy pop and eat nothing but sweets and ice cream. Turns out she was right. I much prefer a nice savoury snack to confectionery nowadays.
The same goes for Coronation Street. As a kid I used to love the Duckworths. They were a warm, loving couple who had funny arguments. I couldn’t stand Percy Sugden. What a rude old busybody! However now, watching the wonderful itv3 episodes from the late 80s, my opinions couldn’t be more different.
I cannot stand Vera. She shouts aggressively in everybody’s face (hasn’t she heard of personal space?) while practically poking their eye out with her finger. Jack was quite happy having some afternoon Delight with Dulcie Froggatt in the car with the back seats flat, without a second thought for his Swampduck.
Percy, on the other hand, I absolutely adore. He is a wonderful character, who is so entertaining to watch. And scarily, I actually find my self agreeing with him on occasion! He can poke his nose where it isn’t wanted, he can say things people don’t want to hear - but there is no malice in him at all. So he manages to shake things up while still being a thoroughly likeable character.
So my mum was right, my tastes have changed as I’ve got older. Have yours? In watching the itv3 repeats have you changed your perception of any characters or stories?
Guest blog post by Matthew Reid
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7 comments:
Just the the other day I was thinking how horrible Vera was, so I agree there. I can't stand Percy though, I fast forward through all his scenes. Brian is nicer than I remember.
Vera mellows down as time goes on, the writers have tried to do something similar with Miss Hell but she lacks the versility that the Duckworths have.
God I hate Percy, apart from being a reactionary little Englander, he's also a pedantic pain in the bum who does nothing but poke his nose in to other people's business.
My opinion of Alec Gilroy has changed in that I am loving watching the scenes he is in. Must admit I also fast forward scenes with Percy.
To my own surprise, I've grown quite fond of Alec Gilroy. Underneath that gruff exterior beats a heart of gold, and his fondness of Bet is a joy to behold.
And I also (partly) agree about Vera Duckworth - can't stand the woman most of the time. But every now and then she goes and does or says something kind, and I'm inclined to forgive her... for a while.
But what surprises me most, is that it's taking Alan Bradley so long to "turn evil". From what I'd read about the character before, I thought he would be portrayed as rotten to the core right from the start. We're almost 2.5 years into his stint now, and at most he's been mildly aggressive on occasion, slightly annoying now and then, obnoxious at regular intervals, and a touch manipulative - but apart from that, he still seems a quite normal bloke.
Love Alec too.
I agree with your view of Vera, she was quite obnoxious and her and Jack's relationship was a far cry from the loving couple we get nostalgic about.
I also appreciate Alec much more now than I did then. His lines are full of brilliant dry humour and he and Bet were so good together.
I've also become quite fond of Ivy! She was the mother in law from hell but Lynne Perrie played her so well. Makes me feel sad to think what happened to her in the end.
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