Tommy O Scores With Tracy M : A Classic Corrie Affair Begins?

It’s been a while, I must admit. With work exams and Corrie's schedule changes, I've been using the weekend to get my Weatherfield fix via the ITV hub. I'm old enough to remember the Sunday morning omnibus, and in this digital age, I guess I'm retreating to old formats as I get a little older. That aside, I’ve been so busy that I don't see Corrie during the week, or on live TV, so my Wednesday episode reviews have stalled. In recent weeks, I've been loving the show, and unlike some online criticisms, I struggle to see any real issues with the drama/comedy/ storytelling balance. Resurrecting a few old characters and sweeping dead wood away is a classic soap trope, (it may be long overdue in some Corrie quarters, I agree that) but resurrecting a character or reintroducing one into the show is also a good start.

With Stephen Reid’s recent return and murderous demise, I think I may be a little offside in assuming the same thing will happen with Weatherfield County striker Tommy O, but it is a soap, so who knows?

Reappearing on Christmas day for a scene with Tracy McDonald, I was already aware of the footballer's return (from a 2023 press event), and that he was due to have an affair with a Weatherfield woman. Still, I had no idea who until I saw that scene. I've already seen some online whinging about another ‘affair’ but without character copulation, subterfuge, scandal, and stolen kisses - you've got no drama, and without the drama, you won't have a show - it's that simple. I would also refer the echo-chamber moaners to the classic corrie affairs of old - such as Mike and Deirdre, Peter and Carla, Kevin and Molly, and the recent Tyrone, Fiz, and Phill affair that prove these scenarios also provide the writers with some dramatic content to work with. 

Wednesday's snog between Tommy and Tracy is only the beginning (I'd guess). And as Steve returns from Paris this week, he'll surely be too blinded by his adoration for the Weathy County star striker status to realise his hero is also scoring with his wife! But for how long?

Can we envisage a classic Mike and Ken battle between Steve and Tommy, for Tracy’s affections, or will this be more comedic (like Tyrone and Phill), as is usually the tone with Steve Mcdonald of late, and what about Amy? Will she side with her mother (who also slept with Adi’s Dad, Dev) or her father? Will Steve react like Fiz (when she found out about Tyrone’s infidelity) and shack up with someone else? I think Steve would be great with Glenda! Will Steve and Tracy reunite after Tommy transfers to another Weatherfield woman? (Toyah, perhaps)? 

Either way, I'm happy to see Tracy get a meaty storyline again ( I adore Kate Ford) and I'd be interested to see how this affair pans out. We may have seen this kind of thing before, but like I say it creates storylines, which we need for the show. As the Corrie (terrestrial TV) schedule changes again this week (football, rugby, or summat), that's worth remembering. Speaking of which, I've got more revision to do.

Ta-ra for now!

I am @rybazoxo Cobbles Connoisseur & Corrie superfan  

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Corrie Comicals week ending 13 September 2019

After a couple of missing weeks Kev the Crank's Rantz and Bantz returns with Abi using her phone to record Kev making some comments - this time on World Book Day where he points out that most boys do little more than read football magazines and Batman comics; bit sexist as there is no mention of Jackie magazine for the girls!  Before the evening is out Kevin has not only found out about the website but has sacked Abi from the garage again!  I wonder how she will return this time as she is too good a mechanic not to work there.

The wedding celebrations were enlivened by Cathy stealing drinks - even though it was a free bar - and the appearance of Arlene Tinker (Alison Burrows above) and Nancy Tinker (Kate Fitzgerald), Sinead's mother and grandmother respectively.  Arlene has recently become a vegetarian and above is seeking guidance on whether or not she can still eat a burger and a sausage!  Later she decides she can only eat cake - but then finds this is banned as it contains egg.  Now I thought vegetarians could eat eggs but vegans could not.  Somehow I am not sure Arlene will manage to maintain her new way of living her life!

Wednesday was in the hands of two very experienced writers and the second episode which was almost entirely a two hander between Sinead and Daniel is inevitably lacking the qualifications to be recognised in this little corner of the interwebby world.  In the first part my interest was sparked to life by the overnight bag which Ali is waving around to pass to Maria.  It is quite obviously empty - and yet even to go away overnight Maria would have a change of clothes, several pairs of shoes and the inevitable toiletries etc.  I am going away for two night this week and will have a decent bag full of "stuff"!  Quite often the handbags and so on are obviously not weighed down with the items normally transported by people these days!

However just before the sky fell in there was an opportunity for Ken and (a much underused - someone give him a story) Peter to recall Deirdre and that she would have been first after the happy couple on the dance floor and the last to leave it - but as Peter observes with a bin bag helping with the clear up!

In case you see mention on social media here is Dr Gaddas and her hairdo.  And for those with wonky memories it was November last year that she caught Dr Ali raiding her benzos - well she didn't but he did!  I could not remember it as it was so long ago!

Sophie those are very large shopping bags, just what size bump are you hiding back there?

And to round off this week the biggest bare faced lie of all time.  Bernie above assuring the security guard that never ever in her whole life has she ever stolen anything.  Even those of us who have seen her in action in recent weeks know that is untrue and I reckon Paul could tell us an awful lot more about Bernie's antics.

Extras at Work

Having been missing in action for a few weeks Monday evening delivered an appearance from Dirk seen here dancing the night away with a friend at Sinead and Daniel's wedding as the newly married couple are whispering sweet nothings.

Slightly unusually since the move to six episodes a week there was a single director for the entire week.  And it was some week so hats doffed to Mickey Jones.

Writers: David Isaac & Ellen Taylor (Monday), Carmel Morgan & Jan McVerry (Wednesday), Sam Holdsworth (Friday)
Directors: Mickey Jones (Monday & Wednesday & Friday)

Kosmo
@Kosmo100

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Corrie Comicals week ending 19 July 2019

Good evening.  You know how some women like to carry out a detailed assessment of other women (particularly) by looking them all the way down and then all the way up.  Well tonight Evelyn did just that to Paula.  I have said before that this column is almost defined by Maureen Lipman and Alexandra Mardell and so this scene with them both appearing was almost too much - but this sly piece of assessment cannot go unremarked.

Nice to know that alongside Betty's hotpot and the secret ingredient the team have not forgotten Dreary and her marrow surprise (the surprise was that it was actually edible).  I thought that since Ken went vegetarian when he came back from exile, sorry Canada, he might have managed to improve the recipe to something people actually wanted to eat!

Eileen does not have much luck with men (and we already know that the latest hunk is not exactly being generous with the truth) but when Moira puts her hands on Jan, Eileen (who has just told Moira that they are going slowly) rushes from the booth to put herself between her man and the man eater.  She had to admit to Moira that there might be more to it than she admitted!  Ellen Taylor wrote both Wednesday episodes and she developed a couple of characters from nothing to me wanting to see them return in minutes.

First up was Ben who was on a first date with Maria.  His mother, Trish, phoned to check progress (and just how common Maria might be) and then arrived in the Rovers to vet Maria personally to save inviting her for tea.  She explains to Maria (above) that Ben does everything his mother tells him to do.  Maria decides that two for the price of one is unacceptable and departs.  However Moira has already spotted that there is talent available and moves in on son and mother to discuss musical theatre - which Trish enjoys greatly and tells Ben that this one is definitely worth coming to tea.  Ben departs repeating the line Maria had used earlier to leave the date!  Superbly put together in two episodes.  Ellen Taylor is the daughter of a Street director so the force obviously runs strong in the bloodline!

Roy is a few months younger than my good self.  I agree with Roy - a strongly worded letter of complaint is the fall back of our generation.  However I have also had some notable success (not with electricians I admit) with Twitter which if rightly worded and carefully addressed has had some significant success in getting piles of rubbish cleared from Guildford station amongst other well won battles!

Maria spotted her second date's studded collar and assumed he was into a little bit of punk.  Mobile phone photos we are not allowed to see have been a recurrent theme in this story line and we soon gather that he does not dress as a punk- more like a puppy!  This soon brings this encounter to an end!  Better luck next time around Maria.


Extras at Work

Watching this scene in the Community Centre as Sarah announces that bonuses are not on - they can have some bacon butties but she is spending the cash on the factory repairs - my wife asked who that was in between Kirk and Sean and I could proudly respond Dirk - and that he has been at the factory for some time - she obviously forgot his appearance in the Rovers where he was handing out drinks entirely silently as usual!  I wonder if Beth thought about offering her shares to him and what his response was?

I will not be here for the next couple of weeks as I am going to be cruising the Rhine and the Moselle and seeing various parts of Europe. 


Writers: Ella Greenhill & Mark Burt (Monday); Ellen Taylor (Wednesday); Cameron McAllister & Steven Fay (Friday)
Directors: Ian Bevitt (Monday & Wednesday); Tim Finn (Friday)

Kosmo
@Kosmo100

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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

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