Soap Cliches

I've been watching soaps a long time, most of my life in fact. I like to make predictions based on all those years of experience because let's face it, there are only so many stories to be told and retold. They mostly all have the same basic plot rules but perhaps unfold in different ways. Coronation Street is no different and pretty much always follows the standard.

There's the Soap Opera Phrase of Doom. You know the one. A couple, seemingly having it all, exclaiming "Oh I'm so happy, and we'll be together forever" or "We're perfect for each other" or "What could possibly happen?"... something like that. WHAP! You know for certain that some vile disaster is going to hit them and it won't take long.

And, of course, soaps have certain rules and Standard Soap Opera Plots (SSOP). Murderers never get away with it (Tracy Barlow. There was never a doubt no matter how many endings they filmed!). The initial suspect of a murder is never the person that did it, especially if they've been overheard threatening to kill the victim at some point or has a cirumstantially good motive (Which is why, though apparently Gail will be a suspect for Joe's murder, she'll be exonerated). There will always be love triangles and quadrangles. Two people that start out hating each other will invariably fall for each other (Tina and nuNick?). There's always one person that's a perennial loser in love (Curly Watts!) but usually they will hit the jackpot in the end. Even the villain (or layabout, ignoramus or similar) has a good side, usually love for his/her children or spouse. (Eddie does love his wife and son even if he is a waster and a tosser!) There's always one couple on a soap that genuinely has a happy marraige/relationship, these are usually the "Matriarch/patriarch" figures (Roy and Hayley). Women are the stronger characters because historically, women make up the majority of viewers.

And in American soaps, at least, nobody ever dies. Even if you see the body, don't bet on it, especially if it's a villain or a hero/ine! Also in American soaps, children grow up in leaps and bounds, usually after being sent to a Swiss boarding school. I'm glad Corrie doesn't do that (Oh yes, I know they have, but they've never aged a child beyond a couple of years, not really noticeable like sending a child to school at 8 and bringing them back a year later aged 16 and full of hormonal resentment.)

What are the Corrie cliches which come to mind? Gail will always forgive her children, no matter what they've done and usually doesn't think what they've done is all that bad anyway! Hayley will always find something good in the worst of people. Roy will always tell you some unknown trivial fact about nearly anything! When really annoyed with someone, a drink will be tossed over that someone's head in the pub in front of everyone! There will always be argy bargys in the middle of the street between two warring women. What are some Corrie cliches you've noticed over the years?

Silver Lining: Thu Jan 21, 2010 Corrie Episode Review

Written by Debbie Oates, directed by David Kester

Tyrone's a mess since Molly leaving him. He can't for the life of him figure how everything's gone pear-shaped. Sophie seems concerned about Molly and Tyrone, but Kev plays dumb. He's getting so good at that now. Tyrone tells Jack how Molly's left him, but Jack tries to calm him down assuring him that Molly will be back. He even tries to talk to Molly about it, but doesn't get anywhere.

Molly tells Dev that she's quitting her job since her and Tyrone are over. Dev kindly offers the shop flat for her to stay, free of charge while she's working herself out and Molly accepts. Wait a minute, how does this help her issue with seeing Kevin 'cross the road everyday?

Tyrone's convinced that Molly's got another fella. When he sees Molly putting her bags into Dev's shop flat he automatically assumes that Dev is the "other man" and shows Dev a mean right hook dropping him to the ground. Tyrone's still fixed on there being another man, but Kevin quickly points out that if there was, Molly'd be off with him, and not up the street alone. Jack tells Kev that if it was Dev and Molly, he'd knock the lights out of Dev. Kev sheepishly nods in agreement.

It just gets worse and Tyrone forces Kev to talk to Molly for him. Molly is still clinging to a shred of hope that Kev still has feelings for her, but he refuses her again. She gives Kev her wedding ring to give back to Tyrone and insists she doesn't love him. I almost felt sorry for Molly after she cried when Kev left after shooting her down. Molly was stupid, but maybe Pam was right when she said that Kev was taking advantage of Golly Ms. Molly. He's clearly gone hot-cold with her.

Neither Sophie nor Ryan have heard from Sian since she'd gone home to talk to her dad. I wonder what's happened to her? It appears she hasn't been in school either. Is she gone for good, perhaps?

Sophie also notices that Rosie has mail from a clinic, so she researches it online after Rosie tells her to keep out. She finds out that Rosie is planning to get a breast augmentation and can't believe it after all their mum is going through. Rosie cares for Rosie, as per usual.

Steve is still cruising for a boozing, and a bruising if he goes on like this. Lloyd tells Theresa that they can't encourage Steve's bachelor behaviour, and tells Steve he needs to work things out with Becky.

Joe's busy trying to wedge himself into any kind of work he can. Well, at least he is trying to make money. His desperation just kills me though. Gail's calling the estate agent for any news on the house sale, but she gets nothing, not even with a lowered price. Jason and Tina come bearing news: Bill has work for Joe on a new project. Well, it's a silver-lining. What exactly is being lined in silver here?

HIGHLIGHTS:

- Jack standing by his Tyrone, and threatening to wallop Dev (or whomever Molly was off with) if that was the case.

- Theresa and Lloyd agreeing that they'll never get serious at all, and shaking on it. Haha. Lowered expectations, gotta love it.

- The factory girls wondering why on earth Molly would leave Tyrone for her aging boss up the street after witnessing the altercation between Dev and Tyrone. Plus, Sean wondering why she took a taxi, presumably, three doors down.

- Betty poking into the jug to see how much Hayley had donated, thus defeating it's purpose.

LOWLIGHTS:

- Kelly asking around about Sally and trying to put a collection mug together for her. Did she wake up on the right side of the bed all the sudden? She sure has turned cheek.

- Why is Rosie sitting in her car, with it on, and not going anywhere? I never understood why she got that car.

- Kevin pretending to play stupid to the whole Molly-Tyrone disaster. How caddish must he feel? Very much, I hope.

- The look on poor Tyrone's face as Kev handed him Molly's wedding ring with an apology. Both sad, and ironic.

Looking forward to:

NuNick coming back to the street to stir things up again!

NOT looking forward to:

More Molvin/Tyrone drama. It's just boring, annoying and heartbreaking at the same time. Unless she comes out with a pregnancy. At least it'd be a twist.

Fab Photo Friday - January 22, 2010

In honour of Sunita and Dev becoming closer again on Coronation Street and the return of Shobna Gulati to our screens, our Fab Photo Friday today pays homage to Mr and Mrs Alahan. Let's hope they get it on again soon and, as Dev would say, par-tay. So this is Dev and Sunita, above, when they were happy together. Happy before Mad Maya, Tracy Barlow, Deirdre Barlow... the list goes on.

Check out more Corrie Fab Photos from the archive here.

Corrie Puzzle: Can you guess the Corrie props?

Here's a fun competition - which for some of you will be really easy. There's no prizes for right answers, so don't ring in. Can you guess which rooms in Coronation Street these three pictures are from... just by looking at the props?

Room 1
Room 2
Room 3

Have a look at more Corrie puzzles here.