Coronation Street

This is true, and this is being recognised, the fact that Sir Ian McKellen will be appearing shows this, and I also believe that it is loved by a few other big names, though just who, escapes me right this moment.

Didn't the Queen confess that she was a fan?

I think you might be right, although that's not necessarily a seal of quality, as one of her favourite programmes is reported to be Sky One's Kirsty's Home Videos (according to that Mirror reporter who got a job in Buck House).

BTW, wasn't last night's Corrie damned good? The second episode especially was brilliant - in particular the Ray Langton / Barlows storyline. I love the way they've managed to return to a storyline after over twenty years, and still make it compelling. In so many other soaps anything which happened over two weeks ago is never mentioned again. It's yet another example of why Corrie is head and shoulders above the others.

I agree wholly about last night's.

I'm loving the new camera angles on Corrie at the moment. Am I the only one who's noticing them? Either they're experimenting with variations or I'm going mad!

Recent examples include the high shot of the garage, the camera following characters in and out of the OUTDOOR sets (unsure how they're doing this tbh), and yesterday Gail looking into a hand mirror. Plus of course the stuff in the interview room with shots of the CCTV in the corner.

I'd also noticed some imaginative camera work lately. There was a rather nice shot of Deirdre and Ray last night with the camera peeping through a crack in the yard door. As mentioned before in this thread, some of the shots with Angela and Katie in the dark were also clearly well thought out with them illuminated by the orange glow of the streetlights, which added to the eerie atmosphere.

It's really making Corrie interesting at the moment IMO.

The programme's quality seems to have soared in the past few months, higher than it's previous standard. The acting, writing and directing just seems spot on.

One thing though, I like how Emmerdale uses atmospheric music for special episodes. Corrie should do it more often, the last time I think was Richard Hillman and 'You & Me'. They did it on Xmas Day but rather than music it was Fred talking about love and family over the residents in the Street going about their Christmas Day's. Its little things which can make a soap episode.

I love when soaps play music at the end of the programe, usually when someone has died or sometime sad as happened, I really like the way they use a soppy song to develop the storyline.. Its nice to see

Music being used in soaps is an american/australian thing and has only just occasionaly been used in our soaps, like Emmerdale.

I've noticed the different camera shots too - and they are using more than the standard 3 walls of each set - the walls we don't normally see. In the past week or so we've seen fireplaces at the Barlow and Webster houses, and the "other" wall in Gails and the Harris', and Emily's front room. The lighting also seems to have improved, its often unrealistically bright on Corrie.

Are they using new, smaller cameras or something? Whatever it is, it's making it all look more realistic and modern I think.

As for "dramatic music" I hope this never comes to Corrie, apart from the odd time where it is naturally on in the background. Neighbours etc. use music too much, I think it is very, very cheesy most of the time.

Neighbours without incidental music would be like The Weakest Link without Anne Robinson.

Wouldn't work for british soaps - ie Corrie. I'm fed up with the theme music as it is! So depressing.

I wonder if they will follow-up the storyline re. Craig and Rosie's end of the world prediction in tonights programme.
Remember it's meant to end tomorrow March the 17th!

The aftermath of the murder should have been on March 17th. It should have coincided with Sally being rumbled, and then both Craig and Rosie's world's would end, so to speak.