Thursday, 6 August 2020

Preach! How Wednesday’s Corrie Got Political.

“I mean if you go back a few years they said we didn’t need experts.” 

“Mmm they said we didn’t need immigrants either. Or ‘unskilled’ workers.” 

“You know the question I keep asking myself is now is, do I really need this? And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a pair of shoes or half a pound of butter I’m just…re-evaluating what is essential”. 

“Same. Do you like this body cotton? I don’t know whether to get it in black or grey.” 

“Do you know what really matters Faye…is love. Love and family and common decency.” 


A brief interaction between Sally and Faye from Wednesday night’s Corrie. Brief but powerful. A few lines of dialogue that separate generations but shine a light on our common interests. Love, security, understanding and acceptance. Very deep for half-past-seven on a Wednesday night but it was the PERFECT opening to an episode of Coronation Street. 

Scene framed with hand sanitiser and cleaning cloths, the rather political exchange covers Brexit, immigration, the pandemic and consumerism all in thirty seconds. Those topics aren’t mentioned once, but it’s all in there. And while Corrie writers tread carefully when it comes to politics, these are thoughts and conversations we are all having at the moment either with ourselves or out loud with others. 

Will we be different after the pandemic? Do we have too much “stuff”? Do we need less immigration or should we embrace and celebrate it? 

I have my own feelings on all those topics but this isn’t the place to go into it. I just love that Corrie chose those two characters at a time like this to ponder along with the rest of us. Sally and Faye don't come down on one side of an argument or another in the scene, they just put the discussion out there, but we know what they are thinking. Very clever. The episode was written by Simon Crowther and while Sally’s main concern in the episode is the situation between Yasmeen and Geoff, the wider anxiety of 2020 life is clear to see in that opening scene. 

Some might think such discussions are too political for a soap. Preachy even. I say if we’re doing it Corrie should be doing it. So preach away Sally. And listen up world. 

@StevieDawson

WASH THOSE HANDS





All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

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

You might also like...

Coronation Street Books for Fans

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