Coronation Street’s Great at Recycling (Stories)

In 2015 Coronation Street was recognized as tv’s greenest show at a fancy awards ceremony, acknowledging efforts to consider and reduce the environmental impact of filming the nation’s favourite soap. But it’s not just the show’s carbon footprint where Corrie considers its resources. Writers also have a reputation for recycling stories.

Digital Spy recently listed seven storylines that Corrie can’t help repeating, which include Lewis Archer’s cunning cons and the knicker factory being in financial trouble. And they make a good point with this list. Can’t Corrie come up with any new ideas?

JAILBIRDS

Don’t put Sal in a Cell 

One major story unfolding at the moment is Sally’s arrest for fraud, something we all know she is innocent of. To make matters worse, Tim appears to have been taken in by Duncan’s lies and suspects Sally may have been having some kind of fling with the villain.

We’ve been here before. Not so long ago Anna was wrongly accused of chucking Seb off a ladder, and accuser Phelan also made untrue accusations regarding their sexual encounter. Anna’s nearest and dearest were taken in, and Anna ending up in prison sparking a public campaign to get her out, and a rather naff campaign by Corrie’s Daniel to the same end.

Back in 1998 Corrie embarked on one of its most iconic and popular storylines when Deirdre was imprisoned after being set up by con man Jon Linsday. The story gripped the nation and was even discussed at Prime Minister’s Questions in parliament, and national campaign “Free the Weatherfield One” is still talked about to this day.

"FREE THE WEATHERFIELD ONE, OR WE'LL BE VERY CROSS"

So if Sally is about to tread the same path as Deirdre and Anna, why should we keep watching? We’ve seen it all before, right? I’m of the opinion that as long as it’s written well it shouldn’t matter. At the moment any scene that Sally is in is tv gold. Actress Sally Dynevor is lucky in that writers give her both heart-rending and hilarious scenes and she carries out both brilliantly. Sally is one of Corrie’s iconic characters and viewers have a great deal of affection for her, particularly so in recent years as her chemistry with Tim has made their scenes together a real treat. I remember posting a Tweet of disapproval when she and Tim first kissed, as in my opinion those lips were only intended for Kevin (and Tim’s for me). I couldn’t have been more wrong. 

A TYPICAL SCENE IN MANCHESTER'S RUSH HOUR

Time Travel

Many other storylines and events have been repeated over the years. To celebrate the show’s 50^th anniversary in 2010, an explosion at the Joinery Bar led to a tram leaping off the viaduct onto Molly Dobbs’s head. The same thing happened back in 1967, trapping Ena Sharples under the rubble. A moment’s peace for the Street perhaps. A tram could come off the viaduct once a month for me, help get rid of some of those characters who are doing nothing more than treading water on the Street.

Carla and Peter had a snog in one of last week’s episodes. That’s novel. They do actually look good together, but surely it will all end in tears again?

 

LIZ GOES THROUGH THE CONJUGAL VISITS RULES WITH JIM 

And once again it’s the return of the Mac. Jim McDonald is about to burst back onto the cobbles. I can picture Liz McDonald now. One minute a look of stress and exhaustion plastered across her face as her ex-husband brings chaos to her life once more.  Quickly replaced with a look of complete surrender as her carnal urges toward her ex-husband take over as they always do. She can’t resist Jim and this time will be no different I’m sure.

Simon Barlow looks set to bring more trouble to the cobbles as he continues down a destructive path egged on by older boys in the neighbourhood. The words “thick” and “ear” come to mind. I sound like my mother.

Nick Tilsley’s on his way back. That character has made so many dramatic departures I doubt anyone will notice when he returns for the four hundredth time. I think he just does it for attention.

And Steve McDonald is set to remarry Tracy Barlow. The idiot.

Coronation Street is going through a really good period for me at the moment. I’m enjoying each episode and there’s loads of comedy which makes me a happy fan. Whether that has anything to do with the change of producer who knows, but whatever storylines we are to expect over the coming weeks and months, let’s give writers the benefit of the doubt when it comes to repetitive or unbelievable plots – watch first then criticize. And in some cases, suspend your disbelief and just go with it. 

Oh and I claim the hashatag #DontPutSalInACell 

@StevieDawson

---

Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

He's back, so he is, Jim McDonald returns

What a joy to interview Charlie Lawson and how fantastic that he will soon be back on our screens, albeit in jail.  His first appearance is scheduled for August 8th.

I met with ‘Jim’ so I did, at a press event earlier this month at Media City in Salford.  My impression of actor Charlie Lawson was of an easy-going man, who didn’t allow the vagaries of life to trouble him too much and who was very much enjoying himself. He also looked remarkably well and a good bit younger than his 54 years.  As he spoke, I caught myself wondering whether there was a more easily identifiable accent in the whole of UK soap opera than the Northern Irish of Jim. I would welcome your thoughts.  There was no doubt that Charlie was very willing to talk about his return to our favourite soap and was delighted to be doing so.

He did express a little nostalgia for times gone by – Jim joined in 1989 - when there were only 2 episodes a week  -on a Monday and a Friday. (How did we bear it?)   Back then, Charlie told us, there was time to socialise, because the pace of filming was much slower. There was even a Coronation Street cricket team. As with life, so with soaps – the pace has increased dramatically and now that there are five episodes a week, with some of the cast filming as many as 16 scenes a week, the social side of Coronation Street has dwindled as the episode production has increased involving intensive work, so that people now do their work, then go home. Nothing stays the same. Charlie referred to himself as ‘an old dinosaur’ as he much enjoyed what once was.

Charlie has close friends on the cast, past and present. He mentioned the extremely talented Sarah Lancashire, who once played Raquel and Simon Gregson, Steve, to whom he is very close.

Since leaving Coronation Street Charlie has been involved in theatre. One part he particularly enjoyed was the part of Frank, the university lecturer, which was played by Michael Caine in the film of Educating Rita. He was also in a run of Rain Man with Neil Morrissey, probably best known for Men Behaving Badly.  He’s also been to Canada, filming a BBC documentary about The Titanic.  

Charlie also runs a farm shop in Prestbury, Cheshire, with his wife, Debbie, but doesn’t serve customers as he cannot work the till, he volunteered to tell us. He does engage with customers though, doing front of house and talking about his produce. Asked if he feels tempted to give up acting and just work in the shop, he simply replied, ‘Once an actor, always an actor.’ Good news for us then. Jim will be on screen until September and will play about thirty episodes.

Charlie very much enjoys playing the role of Jim. Initially the writers had no idea exactly who they were writing for, so when Jim got the part he added in his Northern Irish dialect, at times telling the writers that Jim wouldn’t say various Mancunian phrases. Charlie told the writers what he would say hence the phrases we know so well from Jim’s repertoire, including ‘Catch yourself on, so you are, so it is, and what about you.’

As we all know, Jim is in prison for his attempt to rob a bank. He is though making the best of his time there and is known as The Landlord - the Mr. Big of the prison. From Jim, prisoners can get virtually anything as no one seems incorruptible. He is well-respected by both prisoners and prison officers, as an ex-soldier.  Peter of course is in prison and is seeking alcohol. Inevitably Peter meets Jim. These two characters have never previously done a scene together.  

It is a mutually beneficial encounter, as through Peter, Jim can have Peter ask Deirdre to ask Liz to visit him. In return Peter can have whatever he wants. Jim is feeling very cut off from his family. Liz promised him she would wait for him, but that promise seems as if it was more for appeasement purposes than anything else.

In fact as the story develops, it is Jim who saves Peter’s life. Peter has found out where the ‘drop zone’ is for all manner of illicit goods and as miserable as it is possible to be, Peter knocks back a huge amount of alcohol. Jim comes to his rescue and Peter is saved. Redemption for Jim? Maybe…

Follow Ruth on twitter @ruth1722

Download our App | Follow on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog | Like on Facebook



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