I DON'T LIKE CHANGE

The arrival of a new producer always rings in a period of change on Coronation Street. In some cases the whole feel and mood of the show changes, as we saw with Kate Oates’ time in charge. An influx of returning characters alongside a “culling” of current ones can often be the only major differences, allowing us to dig up old storylines and return to the comfort of familiarity. However a producer puts their own stamp on Corrie, there are always periods of highs and lows, where it looks like some characters aren’t being used to their full potential, or others simply don’t fit at that particular time. A new character that looks good on paper can fail to translate on screen. But a new producer has a limited time to experiment with their own ideas, and as they only usually get one shot at it, their legacy can be sealed in those early decisions.

"Murderer!"

Change has definitely arrived on the cobbles now that Iain MacLeod has got his feet under the table. And it’s been a great period so far, as far as I‘m concerned. Iain has chosen to embrace comedy in a major way, and this has meant the laughs have dominated for a couple of months now, despite major storylines like the roof collapse threatening to kill the mood. As is often the case with big budget, dramatic events on Coronation Street, some of us are left asking whether it was really worth it, and aren’t they dragging out the aftermath a bit?

Going hard on the comedy has not been universally popular. Mary’s scenes post-Jude have brought back the old character we know and love – emotional, slightly unhinged, completely unique and in my opinion bloody hilarious. Not to mention the double act of her a Tracy Barlow which is always written and acted brilliantly. But some fans have commented that Mary’s outbursts are unrealistic and a bit too crazy for Coronation Street. Others have mentioned the ramped-up innuendo that we are seeing and hearing more of, some of which I have had to rewind back to check I heard correctly. Again I’m all for it, but it's not everyone’s cup of tea. Lines like “I won’t see a woman fingered for a crime she didn’t commit”; Kirk belting out “our souls at night” at a christening or even a flat out offer of “sex in the bogs” are right up my alley. I can see why people think it’s a bit much on a Monday evening while you’re eating your Quorn sausages though. 

(I'm actually re-watching last night's second episode to jog my mind whilst writing this Blog. I've just googled "French tickler" and am crying with laughter).

"What's a French Tickler?"

OUT WITH THE OLD

Pretty soon we’ll see the arrival of a new family on Coronation Street, which looks set to coincide with the long-term departure of Norris who returned to the cobbles last night in the middle of one of Mary’s meltdowns. The fact that there were more questions than answers over Norris’ whereabouts, who was in the urn, how Emily is and why he was selling the house made me a little uneasy. And why does Freda keep doing sign language to people who aren’t deaf? Some were answered last night, but one thing’s for certain, Number 3 will soon change forever. 

The Baileys’ arrival will see the terraced house get a full makeover, as you would expect, but it will be the end of a Coronation Street era. Iain MacLeod described the Number 3 set as a "museum piece" and had to think long and hard about changing it. Norris lived there from 2000 and of course it was Emily and Ernest’s marital home in the 1970s. 

A number of other much loved characters also resided there for a time – Percy Sugden, Curly, even Deirdre for a while. The likes of Sean and Spider also came and went. Once the new family move in, a little piece of history will be gone, and perhaps Norris and Emily with it. Iain MacLeod has reassured viewers in the past Eileen Derbyshire hasn’t ruled out a return. And we aren’t yet sure what will happen with Norris, but that could be it for the dysfunctional but much loved family of friends we know and love at Number 3.

Much missed Emily Bishop

Along the rest of the ‘common’ side of the street, as Sally would put it, there are lots of links to Corrie’s past. Ken at number 1, he’s part of the furniture. Chesney at number 5 - although a younger member of the neighbourhood, Ches is now a Corrie veteran. Dev’s at number 7 and Tyrone is in Jack and Vera’s ‘Old Rectory’ at number 9. The new family, as far as we know, have few links to the neighbourhood, so it really will be the start of something new.

Change always makes me nervous. As Corrie superfans we are always very protective over our favourite characters and even the bricks and mortar that make up the Street. When Kate Oates gave Rita a brain tumour I was worried her time on the Street was coming to an end. It wasn’t, but the storyline was another example of those ‘what the hell was that!?’ moments. That said I love any storyline Rita is in, so I’m glad Iain has chosen to focus on some of the older characters, even if they aren’t the centre of the drama, they are always around to offer advice or a telling off. At the same time though, the balance between old and young seems to be pretty spot on at the moment. The writers have tapped into the likeability of Gemma and Emma, as well as their comedy value. David’s always lurking in the background of some storyline or another, if not slap bang in the centre of it. Other peripheral characters like Maria, Toyah, Yasmeen and Sophie seem to hover about and not do very much. Which is fine because all soaps need people to fill the gaps in between the comedy and drama of the other characters. I do think it’s about time Maria got something juicy though.

A NIP AND A TUCK

In the past couple of weeks we’ve seen a spate of Corrie resignations. This is healthy I think, even if in the press it looks like an exodus and more dramatic than it actually is. I speculated that we were witnessing a bit of a cull, and this is probably the case, but Iain hasn’t touched Rita, Audrey, Roy or Liz so I’m happy. The cobbles, the Rovers and my favourite characters live to survive another producer - for now. Change is happening but it seems to be more in the spirit of trying to embrace what’s already good about Corrie, rather than add something new or headline-grabbing or dangerous. A few months in to the job Iain MacLeod has had enough time to show us what he’s all about. And of course he needs good writers to make his version of Corrie a reality. He certainly has them. So Corrie remains intact and healthy as ever for me.

And I'm still tittering at "French Tickler"...

I'm on Twitter: @StevieDawson 

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Coronation Street Episode Review; Weds 01 May 7.30pm

Welcome to Wednesday night's part one, wrapped up in handy blog review.  

Nasty Nick's new persona is certainly starting to rattle a rather dubious Leanne. What with subtle phrases such as 'the report', 'sabotage' and 'insurance fraud'  being banded around their flat for the past few weeks, Leanne is also starting to square up to sister Toyah, whilst simultaneously questioning her fella's motives.

Mary has had an odd dream about sausage roll men offering her a bite of their heads (hardly Freudian) before ravishing a male manifestation of a scotch egg (I love Mary monologues!). Deciding that the lucid dream is a sign to get back on the dating scene, Tracy soon arranges Mary a date with Polish builder, Jan.

At the kebab shop, the obvious animosity between Chez and Gemma reaches breaking point, and she decides to quit.

Nick tells Leanne he is innocent of any wrongdoing, then thanks her for the support whilst offering her lunch at the Bistro. That is until he's arrested for theft of the factory report. Needing a lawyer, Sally suggests Leanne calls Paula.

Toyah, meanwhile, plays devil's advocate and tries to persuade Imran that Nick may have some subtle motives for the subterfuge.

At the cab office, Tim's struggling to keep up with Sally's bonkers health regime and Eileen is in agreement. Steve seizes the opportunity and subtly invites Eileen around to Sally's for a healthy dinner (kale cookies anyone?).

Brian quizzes Abi on her literary endeavours, as she struggles to conjure up a short story for their English tutorials.

At The Rovers, an upset Gemma seeks comfort in Ryan in the back room, which doesn't go unnoticed by an eagle-eyed Emma.

Questioned by the police, Nick's hardened disposition shows no signs of cracking. As the detectives try to trick Nick, the police also question his financial motives.

Over at Sally's the guests start to arrive for dinner. Spotting Tim's secret snack stash - Sally is not amused.

Leanne thinks that Nick is being stitched up until Shona confesses that she overheard recent admission that 'We've all done things we aren't proud of'.

Is Nick really guilty of reducing the factory to rubble?.

I'll be back soon with a review of the 8.30pm episode.

Speak in a bit!.

You can follow me @rybazoxo over on Twitter, your self-styled 'Cobbles Connoisseur'.

TA-RA!

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Coronation Street Episode Review Friday 26 April

Evening Corrie fans, it’s Kelly here with your Friday night review.

As Ken takes Eccles for a walk (hopefully well-armed with poop bags), the police arrive to tell him they have news of Carla. Her bank card has been used near the squat where Peter was searching for her. Peter races down there with Johnny in tow and proceeds to kick in the door and rough up the ne'er-do-well squatter inside. While I've no wish to advocate violence towards the underprivileged, I’m afraid I did have a bit of a flutter when Peter got all heated for the love of Carla. But then I am reading Ivanhoe at the moment. Anyway, as brave Sir Barlow battles the ruffian for the love of the Lady Carla (sorry, sorry), Johnny pulls him away and they leave with Peter telling him that he fears Carla is dead. As Johnny comforts Peter we see a familiar dark head peer out of the squat window. Ms Connor is far from dead, but she has outstayed her welcome at the squat. Where will she go next?

Out on the street, a cycling Jan crashes into Mary as she is loading up the flower van and injures her arm. She is helped into the medical centre by Moira who seems far more interested in the contents of Jan’s trousers than Mary’s arm. Personally I can’t see the attraction. But then the last time I dated a man with long hair Hanson were number one. Anyway, Jan is getting close to Eileen so he’s bound to turn out evil. She’s already had Paul the racist and Pat the psychopath. If she doesn’t date Jan the scriptwriters are going to fix her up with either the ghost or General Pinochet or a nest of angry wasps.

Also in the medical centre is Gemma, who has been feeling dizzy. She still hasn’t told Chesney that she’s pregnant, but he has at least conceded that she might be afflicted with more than a hangover. She admits to Dr Gaddas that the baby was unplanned and she feels scared, but the doctor is reassuring and tells her she’ll be a great mum as long as she brings the kid up not to attack paramedics (basics there). When she returns to Rita’s, Gemma has decided she’s keeping her baby.

Meanwhile Nick is having a really bad day. He’s also really starting to resemble a smarmy villain from an 80’s teen movie…possibly played by James Spader. Anyway I digress. He has a meeting with Jo, the Underworld client with the totally indistinguishable accent, who is unimpressed with the community centre set up. Nick begs her for more work to keep them afloat, but she is quite literally not buying it. Then he meets with the loss adjuster, who tells him that there will be no insurance pay out until the police investigation is complete. This is overheard by Toyah who goes to the Rovers to tell Johnny that the roof was sabotaged for the insurance. 

In other news, Seb calls in the nail bar to see Alina again. She gives him a manicure and agrees to meet him on her break, but when she catches him taking his HIV medicine, she is suspicious. Inviting her back to No. 11 Seb reluctantly explains that he is HIV-positive, but Alina is understanding. She kisses him and asks for his phone number on a piece of paper because she doesn’t have a phone (hmm?) Then when his back is turned, she stuffs a handful of biscuits in her bag. What is her story?

Back at No 1 in utter despair Peter reaches for the bottle of Scotch. Nice of Ken to just leave it out there on the side in full view of his recovering alcoholic son! He knocks back three drinks in a row then stumbles into the Rovers where, after Johnny and Jenny refuse to serve him, he takes a bottle from behind the bar. A horrified Ken finds him in the ginnel, well into his second bottle. Reminding him he’s been sober for four years and seven months, Ken takes him inside and tells him he needs to sober up before Simon sees him. But it’s too late, Simon is in the living room. Peter refuses to relinquish the bottle but when all seems lost it looks like Si could be the one to pull him back from the brink. Simon takes the whisky bottle from his dad and pours himself a drink. He tells Peter that if he is drinking then he will too. The bluff works. A weeping Peter can’t stand to see his son going down the same path as him, and puts the bottle down.

And on that dramatic note, that’s it for this week. I hope Carla returns soon. If Peter is going to go all Richard Burton again he’s going to need his Liz Taylor.

I'll be back next Friday as Kosmo is on his hols. See you then, or you can catch me on twitter @mskelstar.

Laters
Kelly

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