It's been a while, but fired by this week's X echo chamber of #Corrie negativity I felt compelled to look at the quality of this week's #Corrie and write about it. I don't like negativity, and I wondered, what with this week's X online storm, am I missing something?
Watching this week's episodes, I decided to list some of my favourite bits here:
1. Plenty of Mary Taylor - Tracy's departure (I'll talk about that below) led to much screen time for one of my absolute Corrie favourites this week. Although a rather unbelievable pairing Mary and Tracy's flower shop friendship worked. Mary is entertaining, wonderfully written, and eccentric. Love her!
2. The Rovers takes centre stage - the closure hit hard, but I love the refurb. This week our favourite watering hole was centre stage of Corrie's drama and back to its former glory. With glamorous Glenda and gorgeous Jenny, Daisy adds a devilish air of beauty and an equally acidic tone to this latest barmaid line-up. Daisy's bitchy diatribes with Bethany hark back to the glory days of Ena and Elsie or Gail and Eileen. Mary's mad harping over the last-orders bell was also comedy gold -even Tracy's sudden departure managed a Rovers Return celebration. The dinner party raised online questions about the new kitchen, but I love anything like that. It's a fictional TV show!!! It's like when people complain about Doctor Who regenerating! Carla learning about her pub ownership can only be a good thing. I'll drink to that! Ps - more Karaoke, speed dating and weekly quizzes, please!
3. Audrey's Salon is back - I can't say I'm a fan of Maria's parental paranoia (although I understand it) but, at least we got the hairdresser's back. I'd guess Trim Up North was a pandemic victim, Corrie's bosses realising that one hairdresser's shop is more than enough? I've missed the days of random extras getting a trim whilst earwigging the latest gossip. Great stuff!
4. Tracy's departure - I *think* this is a red herring. She'll return in a few months - a) heartbroken, b) pregnant, or c) with an insufferable "issue". I hope she returns, at the very least, as Kate Ford (as Tracy Barlow) is an absolute Corrie legend. When she does return, Steve will be coupled up and Tracy's return will put a cat amongst the pigeons.
I don't usually, but if I had to mention some negatives, I'd write them here:
1. Cropper's Crime Caper- No, no, no & no again. Roy's weird worldly wiseness, innocence and eccentricities mark him as a classic Corrie character and one I would align closely with the show's values & history. This is what the X mob may have been annoyed by! Unneeded. I hope that when this story concludes, it's justifiable, and Roy will be exonerated.
...
Am I missing something - is Corrie on its last legs? No, I don't think it is, it may just be there's a lot of darkness on the show at present and more comedy is needed, That's it.
It's been a while since I've written about Coronation Street, but this week's schedule change gave me the time to write about it! I enjoyed that!
Maybe I'll do a weekly review next week? Let me know what you think.
There was one episode this week (maybe Tuesday’s?) that I enjoyed. There was no threat or violence and no mention of Lauren.
ReplyDeleteDespite me not agreeing with you about Mary I enjoyed your review Ryan and would like you to do more.
I thought Wednesday's episode with Carla finding out and talking control of the pub was excellent. I think we often view Classic Corrie thorough rose coloured glasses. We forget it was awful a lot of the time too
ReplyDeleteWe're feeling the sweeping breeze of the new producer's broom. She began this month but discussions were probably being held prior to her starting. Not in culling characters but in tying up storylines at break-neck speed eg: the lost and quickly found lap top with the owner's details still on it(!), Daisy's sudden desire to renew her entire wardrobe and Bethany immediately discovering the source of her wealth. Tracy's exit story was a clearly stated six-month trip to Spain. It's been widely reported that the actress is suffering from a debilitating medical condition and I am guessing (nothing's been confirmed) that she is on extended sick leave. As for the negativity, I admit to equal amounts of disbelief and apathy. You need to care about characters in a soap. Unless Roy is leaving in a dramatic exit, I imagine he will be exonerated fairly soon so not much excitement there. It will be interesting to see what the new producer comes up with.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this piece immensely, and would love it if you did a weekly review.
ReplyDeleteGreat write up! I hope Tracy does return, but with the good looking footballer.
ReplyDeleteI hope Lauren's disappearence is solves sooner rather than late as it is a terrible storyline that was not needed to be written.
ReplyDeleteThe main problem for me is that Lauren is a fringe character at best with no ties to anyone on the Street and for poor Roy to be the main suspect in her 'murder'is preposterous as there is no body no evidence at all!
Unfortunately it's another storyline of a well loved character being falsely accused of a crime they did not commit on the strength of a baseless accusation from another,in this case Bobby who I believe may know more about Lauren's dissapearence than he would admitt.
Coronation Street used to provide plenty of laughs which are in short supply. Who can forget Eddie and Stan? Lloyd and Steve? Rita and Mavis? Tracy and Mary?
ReplyDeleteThe drama is a bit much....we KNOW that the world's become a cesspool, we know that there is evil, illness etc...we want an escape to forget about it
Sigh
Just to add to my last comment....which characters have actually been in jail? On my own street at home there may be one.. Coronation Street is a haven for crims. yuk yuk
ReplyDeleteGreat review.
ReplyDeleteAs I'm not on twitter, I haven't seen the negativity around Corrie and also haven't read about Katie ford's illness, so I'm none the wiser. but I think both Tracy and Peter Barlow Barlow will return.
I agree about Roy. The plot is to demonstrate how 'odd' people like Roy can be victimised but I don't feel that the real police would be that stupid.
There's hardly any forensic evidence to charge Roy.
I feel invested in the Daniel and Daisy storyline, because the are a coupe who are with the wrong partners and only stick with them for the sake of convenience.
I loved the dinner party scenes. Although I think Ryan has ditched Daisy now, so...
Steve mooches about like a lost lamb and Ryan is another drifter.
Allyah doesn't do much, apart from fetch takeaway coffee and chime in with Dee dee and Adam.
These 3 are in danger of becoming the supporting cast - characters like Rita, Mary, Shona, Brian, Gail, Izzy and Kirk, who rarely have major story lines.
Apparently, according to the papers, there's big backstory coming up that involves Toyah from 2001.
Like the Eliza and Stu plot, this all took place off screen - so the viewers won't be able to become involved with it.
No spoilers but it seems pretty far fetched, from what I've read.
It also looks like they've taken if from an old Waterloo Road plot.