Here he is then, the new Coronation Street producer. Iain MacLeod is currently producer at Emmerdale and he'll be taking up the reins at Corrie in June after it was announced today that Kate Oates has quit. You can read more on that here.
So, what words of advice would you give to Mr MacLeod before he takes up the producer's chair at Corrie?
Mine would be this...
Please remember that Corrie is not about you. Don't do TV interviews. Don't put your face out there all over the papers. Don't make it about you. It's not. It's about the fans - forget about us at your peril.
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17 comments:
He looks a cheerful soul doesn't he!
Get some new writers who can do comedy well. Lately the only 'comedy' we get are inane scenes of Cathy and Brian mugging, or everyone putting on fancy dress for some feeble reason. This inane sort of writing doesn't raise a smile, and doesn't even begin to counter-balance the overwhelming gloom and doom 'explosive' plots so loved by Ms Oates...
Create a new power couple - my choice would be reintroducing Jim McDonald and Denise Osbourne with a time-twisting storyline that sees them having been married for ten years!
Рlease no more shocking storylines! No maniacal killers, grooming,raрe etc. This may be the modern world - but it's not our Corrie!
Look to the show's past to create a new future.
The key to a great Corrie era is that of characters. These are far more important than any story-line.
There are a LOT of characters in the show at present, like Maria, who are just dead-wood, wishy washy nothing-ness-nesses! Let's take the ice-skating tangle-teaser for example as she has been in the show for a long time, but I still don't really know who she is or what drives her. Having characters like that to write for does not help the writers at all, hence the reason why (most of) Mary's stuff works for example as there is a definite character voice there to be heard.
I don't watch Emmerdale so I have no idea whether it is good or bad at the moment, but it does seem to be the preferred training ground for would-be Corrie producers.
But after the lousy tenures of the past two Dales-to-Weatherfield producers we perhaps need to ask if it is the actually the best source.
Anyway, Good luck Mr. McLeod, as Ms. Coats has left a dirty big mess behind for you to clean-up before you can even make your mark. We are all looking to you to bring our favourite telly tipple back to being a recognisable, nearly 60 year old version of Tony Warren's original vision. No pressure ;)
Good luck Mr mcLeod, you need it at the moment !
Firstly and most important for us anyway is that the programme needs to Lighten U-p ! far too many horrific storylines at the present, and not enough comedic touches. There are some good characters there and they need to be used. Mary particularly, Gemma is getting there too.
Less women with long dark hair who all look the same, and men with dark beards who all look the same. And, GET RID OF THE SIGHING ! In our house we have started calling it Sighing street.
Bring back the gentleness please . Best of luck.
That's even more far fetched than ms Oates could contrive. Also I really don't see the fascination in bringing Jim back. There's really nothing new he can bring to the table
CS has always been 'kitchen sink' drama, that's what they need to get back to. Everyday stories, everyday problems, everyday laughs.
A huge cast cull is needed. There are characters we barely see any longer. Give them a decent storyline or get rid. Stop focusing so much on boring characters like Kevin, Michelle, Robert, Jude, Angie, Alya. Recast Todd or better yet bring back Bruno Langley and have Billy and Todd parent Summer properly. I would also like to see Phelan and Josh get the punishment they deserve. Peter and Toyah do not work as a couple or as landlords of the Rovers. Give poor Sean a proper storyline, let him find a new partner and find some happiness for once.
Don't listen to everybody on the internet. They've got no idea how the job works. The show is for the audience, not the "fans" who all have varying opinions anyway.
Instead of bringing in more 'meet-up' venues like Costas, use the most obvious one on the Street: the community centre. There are potentially lots of storylines that could arise eg: Yasmeen gets the job of centre manager; Billy gives up the church and becomes a community worker; new post of handyperson/caretaker; university of the third age meetings as opposed to the over-60's; etc etc. Certain characters are well past their sell-by dates eg: Maria, Fiz, Tyrone. If you can't get rid of them, stick them in the background where they belong. The new producer will inherit a brand new police station along with Officer Craig but please cut down on the kind of stories that end up with police interviews and hospital emergencies. Split Peter and Toyah up; they should never have lasted beyond a few months on the Street. The vast baby bump that nobody's noticed has made everyone lose interest in the characters. Do something sensible with the Corrie kids. Atm, they are demonic with Simon's recent behaviour and Liam starting to look like a petty thief. At the other end of the scale, we have young saintly Summer who has 'already been through so much at her age'. If I hear that again, I will scream.
The last producer, Kate Oates, said she would do away with explosive storylines and go back to the traditional ethos of the Street. Neither happened but maybe not her fault. So, Mr New Producer, don't make promises you can't keep. Finally, please remember that the Corrie which only happen to fit a new storyline. No matter how many cast interviews the PR department arranges for the actors. Fewer interviews all round and definitely hold fire with the full-scale leaks.
Welcome. This loyal fan would like to see more of the everyday dramas life presents. While riding a rollercoaster of misery for the past few years, we’ve missed out on what’s going on in the real world.
- Leanne waited and hoped for years to have a baby of her own. Now she has one and all we see is her occasionally passing him over to Steve. Where’s the joy? Where’s the guilt when she’s at work?
- Gail isn’t ready to retire but hasn’t had a job in years. Being an unemployed older worker is challenging. What’s going on with her besides being the back and call babysitter? Is she even looking for a job? Retraining? With two grocery stores, she could at least be a cashiers. She has cafe experience, why isn’t she at Roy’s or Costa?
- Izzy is in a wheelchair. Her son is about 5. We haven’t seen her unable to keep up with his active body - surely she must find that frustrating. For some reason he needs speech therapy; we haven’t seen the issue, the problem it caused or the success/challenge he’s had. Only that Gary is paying for it.
There’s so much more but enough. My advice to you and your writing team is to really get to know older (50s and Senior) people. Learn what’s important once the friends start dying and tired bodies remind you you’re no longer in your 20s. How do they speak to each other? To and about young’uns? Has technology left them behind or is what they know more valuable than than a messaging tool? Get them right: Gail is not a doormat, Peter should know how to parent Simon, Mary is better as a slightly eccentric friend than when she’s full on manic,... Then do the same for the 30s/40s so we aren’t embarrassed by Carla acting like a teenager.
Re: my last paragraph:- ... Please remember that the Corrie audience isn't fooled by personality transplants which only happen to fit a new storyline ...
Wowser, big news!
I did look around and found some nice photos of Iain MacLeod looking quite smiley, so I don't see the problem with a resting human un-smile. We all do it. He looks quite elfish and playful. Also interesting to see that Emmerdale will have 3 women sharing the producer job after he leaves for Corrie in June.
As for my wish list for Iain for Corrie, hmm. I like Flaming Nora's advice about not giving so many interviews and making it about the show, not himself. I'd add that I hope he stays away from Twitter. I know some think it's absolutely necessary to live on it 24/7 in order to be successful. Well, it's also destroying a lot of what makes us humane and real. Some pretty high profile people are leaving it and FB too.
I like what abbyk says here about older people and what our lives are like. I said in the other blog-post, about Kate Oates leaving, that it's frustrating to see so many of the same type of mistakes we've made over the years being repeated among those younger than us. And that we're not fuddy-duddy's and Luddites. I hope Iain continues to shine a light on hidden social issues, but not so fast and furious and all in the same families.
And please, let's have schools not guns on Corrie! Where have the spirit of Spider and Emily's social activism gone in the show?
I do watch Emmerdale, but I'm about 9 months behind. It does seem to have continued to some extent in the vein of misery and sensationalism that Kate Oates left it in. But not as dark and unrelenting. It is rather repetitive in terms of stories though.
I want to know why Ken and Rita are so hidden now. And why Emily and Norris have run for the hills. Age inclusiveness means making us elders feel welcome and understood. not brought out like a rare species on special occasions. I know many cast members stood up for Oates and I'm sure she's a nice person. Of course they'll praise the good stuff while on payroll. The only proof of quality is from the viewers.
I'd hope that Iain encourages stories with more genuine interaction among young and older characters, and better stories about us elders. If anyone has wild and interesting stories to tell, it's us! I love the young upcoming crowd too, but often feel left out. Can we please co-exist in creative ways?
Oh, and more of the tradition of strong Northern women!
Good luck to Iain!
Along with storylines of day to day drama,I would like to see more of the other residents in storylines instead of one or two families dominating the episodes.
I speak of the Platts and Connors in particular as every member of these family are in a storyline at same time !
Thus denying viewers a chance to see other characters who are then axed due to lack of storyline.
I long for the days where the characters didn't literally look like they have just walked out of an OK photo shoot. This is a northern back street where, yes people make an effort but, they don't have the money to look glam all the time. Less time in the Bistro please sipping vino and more time in the rovers supping ale! I am only 40 but am fed up with seeing so many young characters and not enough actual families. Above all I want the warmth and comedy back in the street please!!!!- Micky
I miss the Corrie scenes where a family would interact around the house or neighbours would meet up at The Rover's. Nothing explosive would happen, but there would be normal conversations and humour among the residents. That kind of writing takes a certain amount of skill to pull off, but I think some of the current writers can handle it!
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