Coronation Street

I agree about the writing for modern Corrie. I find the show is good for a few months then takes a dip again. Its been mostly good for the last year IMO but did take a dip between the 6th episode being introduced until about Christmas. I think the main difference back then was there were so many classic characters that viewers cared about, less episodes and better quality of writing. Fortunately Kate Oates has introduced quite a few interesting new characters like Imran, Josh, Shona, Nicola and Angie. Don't like Jude though. What a waste of time! Daniel and Adam returning has been a success too. Also the older characters like Audrey and Rita have been given more to do.

I think there are times it completely loses its Northern voice which makes it so unique from most other soaps. Emmerdale (perhaps because of its rural location) rarely seems to stray from its roots and does very well as a result.

I don’t think it’s lead in was particularly strong in 1988. I believe there was a programme about Save The Children with Michael Crawford shown the hour before Corrie, where as before that was The Empire Strikes Back.

Worth noting for a good chunk of this period of Corrie’s history, Neighbours was just as if not more popular.

That was of course because Christmas Day was on a Sunday, so the God Slot was still enforced.

Nice Royal Wedding scenes with Kev and Ty, and then with Rita, Gemma and Liz, including a brief history lesson from Rita.

Gemma even name checked the BBC’s Tina Daheley (or Tina whatshername as she said)

I was hoping Rita was going to say they renamed it from "Florizel Street" in 1902.

Coronation Street (the show, not the street ) has ironically never seen a coronation itself because Lizzy's been on the throne so long.

It's not that suprising people don't remember Charlie Bracewell seeing as he was only ever in 6 episodes :p

Today's second episode (January 18th 1989) had a Granada frontcap (which ITV3 have let slip through a through times on 1988 episodes), which shows they were still on the master tapes this late at least.

It's not there on the Feb 15th episode on the Network DVD (or any of the others on the 1989 disc), so it must have been dropped from the master tapes by then.

I think the original name for the street was Albert Street.