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One of the major strengths of Coronation Street has always been its ability to combine light with shade, dark with humour,. However, this week has been unremittingly grim. Only once, in a tiny moment when Gail returned from Thailand with a Platt plait in her hair, did it break. Yes, this was the week when Sinead passed away. We were with her in that bed as she died, it was claustrophobic, too close. The cast acted their socks off. Tears flowed on screen and on sofas up and down the country. But my word, it was a difficult watch. Not just because of the raw emotion on show but because it never let up for a moment. Not once. Anyway, Sinead’s dead now. The fallout will continue for some time as Daniel goes into meltdown and tries to cope with baby Bertie on his own.
As Sinead died over the course of this week, we were subject to artsy camera work, odd angles and a strange feel to the filming that had me wondering if there was something wrong with our telly. It all felt wrong, somehow, as if Corrie were trying too hard. By the time it got to Friday night’s Corrie, Sinead was still lying in her bed with her surprised eyebrow. An hour later, she went. The only point at which I actually felt anything close to being upset was right at the end. There was a tiny scene when Kirk and Craig had to hold up and help a broken Beth walk along the street. I felt it then, the beginnings of a lump in my throat, for Beth and for those left behind.
Elsewhere this week, the mood remained dark with a riot in the prison and Josh the rapist getting stabbed. I did warn you this week was unremittingly bleak. David’s suspect number one over the stabbing but did he do it?
And to be frank, that was just about all for this week. I promised you a moment of lightness this week and it was there, albeit briefly. Far too briefly. Gail returned from Thailand this week. She stepped out of a taxi to the cobbles and she’s all peace and zen, offering clichés about finding yourself and wearing beaded bangles. She even had a little plait in her Platt hair, which was a wonderful touch.
And that’s just about that for this week.
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This week’s writers were Joe Turner and Owen Lloyd-Fox (Monday); Jayne Hollinson and Debbie Oates (Wednesday), Jonathan Harvey (Thursday), Ellen Taylor (Friday). Find out all about the Coronation Street writing team at Coronation Street Blog: Exclusive: All Current Corrie writers online
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Glenda Young
Glenda Young
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The restrained bickering over the dying woman was believable. The drifting in and out of consciousness was well-done and I agree that the shot of Beth at the end was moving. But I didn't much go for the Barlow clan discussing deaths; that felt awkward and contrived. Like Hayley, whose character was largely forgotten in the months before her exit story, Sinead's character was only given some depth as she was about to leave. Why does a character only become interesting when the actor is leaving? You could see the same might happen with Sean, Cathy, Brian. All of them boring now but they'd burst into life in their exit story. Last word - let's hope Gail doesn't return as the comedy guru.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree, Corrie is trying too hard and for me, it didn't work. Both the prison and Sinead scenes went on for too long and dragged the viewer down.
ReplyDeleteOh dear! I thought the death scenes were well done and they did bring out the best in people. Which likely won't, last. However I infinitely preferred them to the brutality of the prison riot where there were few saving graces. Just revenge, anger and sadism. Now that is uncomfortable viewing because people choose to behave in that way. Death happens and if we are honest, we hate looking it in the face.
ReplyDeleteI agree Humpty about the Barlow’s sitting around talking about death. Were they just sitting round waiting for Sinead to die? I think I would have wanted to busy getting on with other things. Same as the scene in the pub, why were they all sitting round a big table? I’m fed up of Claudia always being there, she’s not really part of the family and why was Izzy there? I didn’t think she was especially pally with Sinead.
ReplyDeleteAnd another thing, why was Sally gobbing off at Bethany in the middle of the street? it had nothing to do with her.
ReplyDeleteI do hope we are not going to be treated to weeks of everybody publicly shouting at Bethany and Beth being nasty to Daniel even though Sinead had forgiven him.
I agree with you totally, Sue.
DeleteSue,The reason Sally went after Bethany was because she knows how it feels to have your husband betray you while you're ill as Kevin did cheat on Sally with Molly and fathered her son Jack while Sally was recovering from breast cancer.
ReplyDeleteBethany is not an innocent victim as she in a sense 'preyed' on Daniel when he was most vulnerable instead of getting her mother's boyfriend Adam to take him home robbing Sinead of precious moments with her husband.
@Sue Sally was gobbing off at Bethany because she had breast cancer and Kevin cheated on her with Molly Dobbs, so understandably she feels upset.
ReplyDeleteI don’t excuse what Bethany did but just because Sally went through a similar thing doesn’t give her the right to bawl somebody out in the street. It was just pure nastiness, why couldn’t she just show some dignity and keep her thoughts to herself ? ( same goes for Tracy). Far too many times we see characters shouting at and accusing others in public.
ReplyDeleteWhen they behave their own chequered histories. I just do not see a kiss in the same category as sex with a resulting pregnancy and birth. On the street judgements as rife. Daniel was vulnerable and Bethany was vulnerable. It was wrong but understandable. These things happen especially when grieving. We can do and say things completely out of character. I am not overly sure there is anyone on the street who can justifiably stand in judgement of anyone. Especially Tracey.
DeleteI think the scene in the Barlow's dining room was fairly realistic. Sinead had just asked everyone except Daniel to leave, as she knew it was her time. Word passed around on the street and it was like there was a respectful waiting in the air.
ReplyDeleteI have been in family groupings during and right after a death, and family and friends do gather together for comfort. We all felt totally removed from the "real" world, so few of us went about our regular life. Talking about other loved ones who they lost in that scene felt like something that could easily happen.
I wish they hadn't conflated the prison story while Sinead was dying. I thought it was a bad match. Like someone above said, grief and loss are part of life. Well, so is crime (and I don't think all criminals choose their lot in life) but it wasn't full of scenes of mutual support and love. The chaos and violence were horrible to behold at this particular time.
But I don't agree that the death storyline was all sadness and grim. There were a few times when Sinead joked around with her family and then Daniel even in her last minutes. Kirk provided a lot of sweetness. I liked Billy's comments about how in the past death was not so hidden away, often in hospitals, maybe making it more a part of life and not quite as distressing. I liked that whole conversation he and Sinead had. And that Billy didn't get all saccharine and act like he had answers. The movie theatre idea was a nice touch from Sinead.
I do agree though that Sinead has never been given any storylines of substance, and so many lesser characters also get big send-offs. But then, as I wrote that I also think most of us are ordinary people. Death brings out big emotions in all our families, no matter how ordinary we are.
I meant " I do not believe anyone on the street should stand in judgement when they have their own chequered historys".
ReplyDelete