Coronation Street

I see what you're driving at with your ideas laid out above.

I expect that someone applied the logic that if you are going to pull an extra large audience (some of whom don't or rarely watch) then it makes sense to introduce them to other characters and storylines. If they'd focussed purely on the Tracey story then it could have been viewed as a capsule episode and wouldn't offer them the chance to extend their reach as a continuing programme.

There was sufficient meat to the other stories to potentially have new viewers coming back.

Sinbad's car and Leanne's hooker tendancies maybe wouldn't set the world alight, but it may be enough for the new audience to look in again.

All in all I really enjoyed last night - despite the best efforts of some trolls who wanted to spoil it.

As far as watching soaps go, I only really watch Coro-- do other soaps use post-production techniques like that? Personally I wouldn't want to see that sort thing, better suited to dramas rather than soaps I feel-- takes "realism" away for me.

I suppose you can't blame Coro execs for not daring to experiment, especially when they producing the nation's top-rating programme; an element of "if it ain't broke...", I suppose.

I do agree that Traceyluv's trial was anti-climax; Mobile that followed, was a good example on how to do plot twists and dramatic climaxes.

Don't know if this has already been posted, but you can watch the alternative ending on itv.com

I thought Bill Roache's wife Sara seemed to fit the role of judge quite well for the trial scenes.

Incidentally, does anyone else remember a documentary which showed them at home together? She was showing off her collection of Faberge-style eggs which she proudly announced she'd bought from the Joan Rivers Collection on QVC. I think I nearly wet myself laughing at the time.

I think they might the right decision sending her down but in the soap world anything's possible, you see kids that are one week 8 and the next week they are 13. Basically Corrie could do what Emmerdale did to Billy (Andy's dad) take him out the equation for a few years but what's going to happen to Amy?

Any suggestions?

Corrie has experimented with a bit of post-production before. I can't remember exactly how many times, but the time which really sticks out in my mind is when Sarah Platt was in a paedophiles house, and as they were trying to get her out i think they did a lot of extra things like music, fast cutting and all.

Yeah I seem to remember Teardrop by Massive Attack playing as Gail came to rescue her.

I think I remember that - although barely. That was during a period when I really was going off the show. Wasn't that when that awful Jane McNaught was producer?

I think post-production is good but when you have a show that's going out five times a week there's probably very little time to do anything like that - but it would be nice to see them make an effort for the bigger episodes. When was the last time we saw any sort of effects used? Was it bonfire night when Tracy threw Charlie that evil look? I thought that was done really well.

They could be more imaginative with the camera movements as well. It's all very bog standard really . Although once again it would probably take longer to direct it would look great on screen. They've once again done this in the past but not that much. I remember one occasion when they had a scene in one back yard and then the camera sort of rose and over the walls into another scene in another back yard. Now I'm sure I didn't dream that but I thought it was a nice touch.

And if she does, it'll be because our child employment laws prevent soap children having a more active role in the shows they appear in (hence why Tracey spent most of her early years upstairs playing tapes!)

The educational needs of child actors must always come first, but unlike in Australia our child actor laws don't allow young performers to be more involved in their respective programmes. And you don't see Aussie soap children having the obligatory head transplant at 13.

I tuned in just in time to hear the verdict.

I think it's a good thing that Tracy was found guilty for many reasons but one reason is, if she was found NOT GUILTY would that have opened the floodgates for wives to think it's OK to murder their husbands if they get violent?

head transplant?

I thought soap children regenerated at puberty

You right about Aussie soap children staying in longer. Toddy in Neighbour's had been played by the same actor since the character was in school