Coronation Street Episode Review; Weds 29th July 7.30 pm

Regular readers of this weekly Weatherfield write up will be familiar with my storyline predictions. Sometimes it's just for a laugh, sometimes quite serious, but they are Always! spectacularly wrong. So, it's with a humble brag that I predicted last week ( and with zero spoiler knowledge) that Elaine is Tim's Mum! Hurray for me, it's rare so let me revel in it! Less revelling in it, however, is Elaine’s rather reluctant but soft promise to Alya that she’ll testify against Geoff. I was almost convinced until she introduced herself to her son, Tim, and of course, being his Dad’s defender, it was never going to go well, was it?

Is Geoff going to get away with it, after all?

Corrie's corona-based cacophony of drama has also had me wondering. Do you think they shifted any plots or storylines around? I think they've done well, and conveniently Aggie and Ed’s wedding anniversary has fallen just as the nurse is preoccupied with this perilous pandemic. Her sudden change in the occupation is a gift to the writers in this art mirroring real-life story arc.

As the expression goes 'time waits for no man' and it looks like villainous gangster Gary is vastly running out of it. Using an engraved timepiece to move this Rick murder plot forward, has certainly been an enjoyable watch. Will this lead to Gary doing time? Hotly on his case, Supersleuth Sarah has suddenly realised his murderous act. With suggestive tension still simmering between Adam and Laura, and with Rick's watch racking up old feelings between Gary and Sarah, could all this turn into a double passionate affair?

I also think we are going to get a body dug up but probably not for some time. I'm going to say Christmas for that. Let's see if I can throw another humble brag in around December time! But before that, our villain just has time to play the hero in some sort of plot paradox.

A corrie corona hit and run, or a hit and miss? Being a big fan of Gary, it's a hit from me!

I am @rybazoxo your {self-styled} cobbles connoisseur

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More drama, less fireworks on Corrie, please

Last week's fireball stunt was spectacular. It really did have me on the edge of my seat but mostly what I enjoyed was the drama leading up to it. David Platt came to pieces over the past few weeks in storyline that was launched with the death of his beloved Kylie in a violent attack. Ken Barlow had a stroke after rowing with his newly arrived son, Peter. Both men are going to have to rebuild their lives in very different way.

But all of these stunts, the fires, car crashes, accidents and disasters are starting to become routine and lose their impact. The Powers that Be hope the hype will bring in the punters and they really hope some of those punters will continue to watch and become regular viewers but you know what? It doesn't happen. And yet they continue.

Some people enjoy the climactic weeks, the stunts and the storylines breaking out into new directions or having closure, or both. Some really don't like it or don't like aspects of it and fair enough, to each his own. I think if the big spectacles were pared down to something every few years even, that mightgive them a lot more impact.

I wrote a long blog post about it here on State of the Street.  Have a read and tell me what you think. 

Tvor, @tvordlj on Twitter


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Debbie Rush on fire

There's a really good interview and feature in the Manchester Evening News today with Debbie Rush who plays Anna Windass talking about the stunt last week where Anna's clothing caught fire after the accident.

Debbie was determined to do the stunt herself though there was a stunt double on hand if she decided to back out. She wore protective clothing and cooling gel against her skin, of course and others in the scene were also similarly protected but she said “I had that much gel on I was freezing. I didn’t feel a thing, the adrenalin rush was amazing.”

She did have a bout of nerves a couple of times, especially after watching the stunt woman rehearse. It led to a couple of sleepless nights but seeing the stunt rehearsed and everything turning out all right gave her confidence again.

It has to be a very tough thing to put yourself throught. Full marks to Debbie  who remarks:

“When we came to do it my heart was pounding in my chest and I didn’t speak. I just focused on the fact that I was about to be set on fire and thinking I must be crazy.

“I just zoned everyone out. I had put my trust in everyone and I knew I would be safe so I just got in the zone."

It certainly was an undexpected twist to the story and I hope they're going to be as realistic as possible showing Anna's long and painful recovery. I know it may be sped up a little for tv's accelerated timeline but I'm sure they're going to do this properly.

I thought the whole week was great and the stunt with the car flipping over and ending with the explosion and Anna's injury was breathtaking. Well done to all!



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Coronation Street set on fire - for storyline stunt

Photography by Stephen Ryder for Manchester Evening News

The Coronation Street set was on fire last night. Three fire-engines were called to the set after members of the public rang 999 to report that they'd seen explosions and flames on the set at Trafford Wharf.

The Coronation Street set IS NOT on fire! People have reported hearing an explosion and seeing flames but it was part of special effects.
— Manchester Fire (@manchesterfire) April 14, 2015

However, it wasn't real. The Manchester Evening News reports that a fire service spokeswoman confirmed that when the fire engines arrived, they were informed the fire was part of special effects being filmed for the show.

A Corrie spokeswoman said they had informed the fire service that the mock blaze was scheduled to happen and that they had experts on set.

Stephen Ryder, 40, whose flat at MediaCityUK overlooks the set, told the M.E.N.: “I thought it was a real explosion at first. It was a really loud bang and I got up and could see the flames and smoke. It certainly looked real.And then a few fire engines turned up. It all calmed down pretty quickly. It was obviously part of the script.I’ve lived here four and a half years and it’s normally really quiet down there though.I’ve definitely never seen anything like this before.”

Glenda Young
Flaming Nora Blog / Twitter  

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Corrie spoilers: Less is more?

I can never resist reading ahead to find out what is going to happen in Corrie. My partner constantly despairs that I seem to know everything that is going on with my favourite characters rather than waiting for the odd surprise. However, when thinking about this I realised that we don't often get surprises from Coronation Street these days.

I've been to several ITV press events as part of my role as a blogger for this site and they are always terrific. It's a great privilege and a pleasure to get sneak peeks behind the scenes and meet some of those involved. It is something that Coronation Street and ITV do very well indeed. I'm wondering though whether we, the viewers, are exposed to too much in advance in the hope of securing high viewing figures?

Take the mini bus crash. From the clips I've seen it looks brilliantly executed and yes, very dramatic (that much overused word). The trouble is that most Corrie fans and the viewing public at large have been keenly aware for months that this is coming. It has featured in many publications, newspapers, on television and the internet. Every member of the cast involved has been interviewed about their role in the big stunt and possible consequences for their characters. My worry is that this strips the storyline clean and leaves us with little that is unknown and surprising to look forward to. We will all still tune in tonight to watch the trauma unfold but will it, I wonder, have lost a bit of its edge?

Every so often the Corrie producer will appear on television or in the press to discuss upcoming storylines. Always an interesting interview which sparks many comments both here and elsewhere. But do we need to know it all? I hate to bring EastEnders into this, and I don't watch it at all, however I am aware of a new tactic that has been deployed in Albert Square. Every so often the producers will hit the viewers with a complete surprise. They have apparently very successfully brought back characters from the past for brief, but unexpected stints. This could be said to give the programme greater continuity and believability while also hooking viewers in who are waiting for the next unexpected twist. Is this something Coronation Street should explore?

We all love to gossip about Corrie and attempt to predict what will happen in the weeks and months ahead, but is it better left at that? Do we need all of Corrie's storylines to be discussed and previewed repeatedly leaving nothing left to the imagination? You can understand the need to stoke the publicity furnace on an ongoing basis but are we now at saturation point? I'll probably never stop reading ahead and pouncing on the latest bit of news, but what do you think?

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Will the Corrie crash leave us shocked and stunned?

The press and social media have both been full of the next big stunt to hit Weatherfield, early in the new year. Oh yes, the Underworld minibus crash horror is a-coming.

Are we all suitably agog with excitement?

Coronation Street has a long history of big, headline grabbing events, whether it's the tram crash of 2010, either of the Rovers fires, the lorry crashing into said pub back in 1979, the tram coming off the viaduct in 1967 or the coach trip crash of 1969. All have a certain degree of ratings grabbing gimmick about them although each in turn has still managed to be entertaining.

The problem these days is how to do you top the mighty tram crash? From Ashley's last squeak beneath the rubble and Molly Dobbs breathing her last with Sally at her side to Rita's immortal "what is it wi' me an' trams?" it had it all. It was quite breathtaking in parts although some viewers did wonder whether all the disaster, mayhem and death was striking the right note of celebration.

In contrast, Carla's knicker stitchers coming a-cropper on a slip road on the M62 kind of pales into insignificance. We understand that the crash will bring Steve McDonald's depression storyline to a head. This certainly could make it interesting, especially as both Michelle (boo! hiss!) and Tracy (Sigh) are going to be coming along for the ride. 

We've been promised long term consequences as a result of this plot. Hopefully this means those involved will not be sporting bandages around their heads on the Friday only for them to have vanished come the following Monday. Will someone die? Of those on board I have drawn up a long list of potentials I'd happily see the back of. In order for this to really shock us loyal, weary fans this stunt must deliver on drama and have us on the edge of our sofas. I'm thinking the only way to guarantee this is to bump someone off unexpectedly, and that someone would have to be popular.

So who, dare I ask, among the gobby knicker stitchers from Underworld would you want to get rid of and why? And are you looking forward to this new storyline? It's just the cheery start to 2015 I was hoping for.

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A crashing bore on the cobbles?

I think it's happened. I've reached that stage in my life where every thought has to be preceded with the phrase "Well, back in my day . . . " followed by some utterly dull reminiscence about how wonderful it all was way back when. Sadly this was my official mind set for Monday evening's dalliance with death, as the Brothers Grim trundled towards oblivion on a Manchester back street.

Of course, it was always so much better back in the day. Who of us failed to be riveted as Renee Roberts, resplendent in a nasty twin set, met her maker courtesy of a runaway truck?

How many of us joined in with Alma Baldwin's anguished "noooooooooooooo" as Don Brennan took her on a special fishing trip?

This week we found ourselves in the company of grimacing Nick and a sniffling David as they faced up to the indiscretions of Christmas past. Well, this was certainly one gift that kept on giving. We've endured over half a year of furtive conversations and family cover-ups.

Again, back in the day, the car crash was a plot device used sparingly. Renee's death was a shocker as was poor old Judy Mallet's delayed reaction to her ride in a dodgy motor. Nowadays, characters dice with death on a weekly basis, get trundled around that tiny hospital, endure the usual gallery of worried relatives gathered around the bed and then go back to work the following week. The NHS in Weathefield should be commended.

Credit where credit's due though. The actual crash stunt itself was a good one, with the other vehicle ploughing into the Bistro Mystery Machine with gusto.

Do we care if Nick and David survive? Not really to be honest. Anyway, we know they do anyway and the only real pay-off from this saga is the prospect of Nasty Nick striding across t'cobbles. Vengeance will be his and if that means changing the bar snacks then so be it.

Weatherfield - you have been warned!


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ITV release explosive pictures of tram crash filming

ITV have released pictures of the filming of the  Coronation Street tram crash. They have confirmed that an explosion takes place seconds before the tram arrives. The snaps are brilliant to say the least, Corrie are really going all out with this stunt.

Picture credit: alias alias from the Digital Spy forums.

Behind-the-scenes video of Molly and Tyrone's car crash

Take a behind the scenes look at Coronation Street's latest stunt to see how Molly and Tyrone's car crash action was filmed.

The cast and crew fill fans in on all the tricks of the trade over at the official ITV Corrie site.

Watch the video here.