A new year is always a welcome new start, and as I write this, I'm starting the new year and still catching up on Corrie. At one point last November, I was 19 episodes behind. I haven't written for this blog for months, so I am writing to update you on where I am in the Corrie fandom and my thoughts on the latest storylines.
In October 2024, I was in the middle of some work exams alongside an unexpected work award nomination. Being autistic, I can seldom concentrate on anything, never mind more than one thing at once, so Corrie took a backseat whilst revision came to the fore. Rather like a studious Sam Blakeman or Roy Cropper (more likely, a character with abundant autism traits), I became bookish, gave up on X, and took a black cab out of Weatherfield for a bit. Once exams were over (distinction!!!) I won the award!!! (ceremony in Bristol - a beautiful city), I got back onto ITV X to realise I was weeks, and one point, over a month behind, on my favourite TV show with some serious catching up to do. With nearly three hours of Corrie a week, it left me with a ginormous task. Like I said, I'm autistic, and Corrie is my 'special interest', so I had to catch up. But, as November began and I got into a few episodes, I noticed a definite shift in storylines, character arcs, and a clear criminal motif.
What Am I Watching - What's Going On? ''Crimenation Street'' could be the new name for the show, and alongside a good drop of Hollyoaks, the youngster issues-based storylines tinged with oodles of Kit crime capers (it's a tall order, the long arm of the law - the jokes write themselves) have gone into orbit. Admittedly, I am a fan of police procedurals, and ITV do some brilliant true crime dramas, but it's not what I watch Corrie for!
So, Where Do We Begin? Joel's strung-out murder, the whodunnit, Bethany's botched lipo, Daisy's joyride, David's money laundering, Betsy's factory heist, Mason's dodgy brother's - and that's just from the top of my head. Tracy's part-time return is more criminal than that, as is Toyah stealing Nick from Leanne and Les Battersby's death. Why weren't more legacy characters at the 'wake'? A guest appearance from Curly Watts would have gone down a treat. Don't even get me started on (spoiler alert) Debbie Webster's upcoming Dementia battle. I'm old enough to remember Mike Baldwin's Alzheimer's, and it's a grim subject. During Paul's MND demise, I used the fast-forward button, which was a first for me. I haven't forgotten Gail's departure either; however, going off previous years of her non-storylines, that was a foregone conclusion (same said for Eileen). With online gossip about cost cuts, diminishing viewing figures, and Corrie fans' dismay at the recent output, is this new producer about to enact a Brian Park-style cast cull in Weatherfield?
What's Next For Me? I still love Corrie, and regardless of the crime shenanigans, blackmail, car theft, criminal damage, child illnesses, stabbings and murder, the writing and acting remain top-drawer. Like Roy Cropper's love of trains, Bats, or classical music, my Corrie fandom is unwavering and will never leave Weatherfield for good. That said, with the new producer promising 'shock exits', I'm just hoping Roy Cropper won't be one of them—now THAT would be criminal!!
New Year is always a welcome new start, and with a new producer at the helm, I'm hoping some positive changes are afoot, ones that take "Crimenation Street" back to the Coronation Street we all know and love. What worries me is that Debbie's death ( the epitome of a classic legacy character) is a harbinger of what's to come. I hope not.
Let me know your thoughts @rybazoxo on X
Happy New Year Coronation Blog, Corrie Cast & Crew, and all who follow the show!
