PO
Perfect article in tonight's Manchester Evening News - completely sums up my feelings toward Corrie at the moment. And I like the bit about "not reporting for duty" on Sunday!
Has Corrie lost the plot?
Ian Wylie
19/ 3/2008
THE beer was flat in the Rovers today after Coronation Street found itself overlooked in the nominations for the Bafta TV Awards. Cast members will be missing from next month's glittering ceremony at the London Palladium for the first time in a decade.
There are plenty of other TV award ceremonies - Coronation Street is up for yet another prize at tonight's Royal Television Society Awards.
But the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' event is seen by many as the most prestigious of the whole year.
You might think that someone named Tim Corrie would be a Street fan. As deputy chair of the Bafta TV committee, he says: "Coronation Street is still the school for writing."
And he maintained Weatherfield would be back in the nominations - "if not next year, then the year after".
So why did Bafta leave the cobbles out in the cold, with EastEnders, The Bill, Holby City and last year's winners Emmerdale sitting in the posh seats?
For all the joy that Coronation Street brings us, many fans - me included - believe ITV is guilty of exploiting the Rovers regulars.
Less is more
Five episodes a week is one too many, and last year there were even more than that. A grand total of 262 episodes, to be precise.
Viewers want quality, not quantity, while TV bosses in London - some of whom don't even watch the show - appear fixated with squeezing as much ad revenue as possible out of the goose that lays their golden eggs.
Trying to keep up with Corrie can sometimes feel like being on a treadmill. It is, quite frankly, a relief to suddenly remember that Sunday is now a Street-free evening when you don't have to report for screen duty.
Even so, that still leaves two episodes on both Mondays and Fridays plus one on Wednesdays to view, enough to tax anyone who also has a life to lead.
Coronation Street is a show we love. It shouldn't become a chore. But that's exactly how it seems sometimes, especially when it comes to long-running storylines padded out to help fill acres of airtime.
The recent saga of barmaid Michelle Connor (Kym Ryder) and her sons swapped at birth is just one example. No fault of the actors involved, who have to work with the scripts they are given.
But time and time again in recent years, similar scenes are replayed over and over to elongate storylines which should have finished weeks before. I've even found myself shouting: "get on with it" at the screen.
That's not to be confused with a classic Corrie trademark - the slow-burning storyline which can take years to evolve, as with the development of wild child David Platt, played by Jack P. Shepherd.
ITV Network executives don't appear to care either way, running on screen trailers for upcoming programmes or website content at the most insensitive of moments, defacing the work of cast, crew and writers.
It shows a lack of respect for them and us, the watching millions.
Bafta snubs
Having said that, I think Bafta has made a mistake in snubbing their friends in the north. The 2008 TV awards apply to programme content screened in 2007. And the Weatherfield year began with a bang as bad boy builder Charlie Stubbs (Bill Ward) met his end at the hands of toxic Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) She hit him with a heavy metal statue, not of the Bafta variety.
That led to the guilty verdict in April at Tracy's trial, watched by over 13m viewers, bringing to a close one of Corrie's biggest storylines.
2007 also saw the dramatic death of factory boss Paul Connor (Sean Gallagher) in a car crash, the wedding of Sarah Platt (Tina O'Brien) and Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas), with young David choosing the moment to drive his car into a canal.
Then there was teen temptress Rosie Webster's (Helen Flanagan) affair with her teacher John (Graeme Hawley), breaking the heart of his partner Fiz (Jennie McAlpine).
Not everything worked. Some viewers struggled with the introduction of the seven-strong Morton family. Currently only three of the characters are regularly seen on screen. The new father and son bookmakers are also taking time to settle in.
And a planned child abduction storyline involving Ashley and Claire fell foul of a clash with real life events, causing re-writes and a change in direction.
Finger on the pulse
Tim Corrie says there are times when some soaps "have their finger on the pulse of what fascinates people". Bafta, obviously, believe that Coronation Street did not qualify last year.
With Corrie heading for its 50th birthday in 2010, there's no doubt that the Rovers regulars will bounce back. But ITV should take heed of the fate of that original golden goose.
Quote:
Has Corrie lost the plot?
Ian Wylie
19/ 3/2008
THE beer was flat in the Rovers today after Coronation Street found itself overlooked in the nominations for the Bafta TV Awards. Cast members will be missing from next month's glittering ceremony at the London Palladium for the first time in a decade.
There are plenty of other TV award ceremonies - Coronation Street is up for yet another prize at tonight's Royal Television Society Awards.
But the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' event is seen by many as the most prestigious of the whole year.
You might think that someone named Tim Corrie would be a Street fan. As deputy chair of the Bafta TV committee, he says: "Coronation Street is still the school for writing."
And he maintained Weatherfield would be back in the nominations - "if not next year, then the year after".
So why did Bafta leave the cobbles out in the cold, with EastEnders, The Bill, Holby City and last year's winners Emmerdale sitting in the posh seats?
For all the joy that Coronation Street brings us, many fans - me included - believe ITV is guilty of exploiting the Rovers regulars.
Less is more
Five episodes a week is one too many, and last year there were even more than that. A grand total of 262 episodes, to be precise.
Viewers want quality, not quantity, while TV bosses in London - some of whom don't even watch the show - appear fixated with squeezing as much ad revenue as possible out of the goose that lays their golden eggs.
Trying to keep up with Corrie can sometimes feel like being on a treadmill. It is, quite frankly, a relief to suddenly remember that Sunday is now a Street-free evening when you don't have to report for screen duty.
Even so, that still leaves two episodes on both Mondays and Fridays plus one on Wednesdays to view, enough to tax anyone who also has a life to lead.
Coronation Street is a show we love. It shouldn't become a chore. But that's exactly how it seems sometimes, especially when it comes to long-running storylines padded out to help fill acres of airtime.
The recent saga of barmaid Michelle Connor (Kym Ryder) and her sons swapped at birth is just one example. No fault of the actors involved, who have to work with the scripts they are given.
But time and time again in recent years, similar scenes are replayed over and over to elongate storylines which should have finished weeks before. I've even found myself shouting: "get on with it" at the screen.
That's not to be confused with a classic Corrie trademark - the slow-burning storyline which can take years to evolve, as with the development of wild child David Platt, played by Jack P. Shepherd.
ITV Network executives don't appear to care either way, running on screen trailers for upcoming programmes or website content at the most insensitive of moments, defacing the work of cast, crew and writers.
It shows a lack of respect for them and us, the watching millions.
Bafta snubs
Having said that, I think Bafta has made a mistake in snubbing their friends in the north. The 2008 TV awards apply to programme content screened in 2007. And the Weatherfield year began with a bang as bad boy builder Charlie Stubbs (Bill Ward) met his end at the hands of toxic Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) She hit him with a heavy metal statue, not of the Bafta variety.
That led to the guilty verdict in April at Tracy's trial, watched by over 13m viewers, bringing to a close one of Corrie's biggest storylines.
2007 also saw the dramatic death of factory boss Paul Connor (Sean Gallagher) in a car crash, the wedding of Sarah Platt (Tina O'Brien) and Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas), with young David choosing the moment to drive his car into a canal.
Then there was teen temptress Rosie Webster's (Helen Flanagan) affair with her teacher John (Graeme Hawley), breaking the heart of his partner Fiz (Jennie McAlpine).
Not everything worked. Some viewers struggled with the introduction of the seven-strong Morton family. Currently only three of the characters are regularly seen on screen. The new father and son bookmakers are also taking time to settle in.
And a planned child abduction storyline involving Ashley and Claire fell foul of a clash with real life events, causing re-writes and a change in direction.
Finger on the pulse
Tim Corrie says there are times when some soaps "have their finger on the pulse of what fascinates people". Bafta, obviously, believe that Coronation Street did not qualify last year.
With Corrie heading for its 50th birthday in 2010, there's no doubt that the Rovers regulars will bounce back. But ITV should take heed of the fate of that original golden goose.
ST
You will.
And you'll notice how she enters through a door thats oriented the wrong way to the street set.
how did you guess
they've been going for 48 years and they still haven't noticed the sun never shines though the rover's south facing windows
Gavin Scott posted:
stevek posted:
and bethany will have regenerated into a fat ginger child who's a foot taller, two years older and with a complely different accent
and nobody will notice
and nobody will notice
You will.
And you'll notice how she enters through a door thats oriented the wrong way to the street set.
how did you guess
they've been going for 48 years and they still haven't noticed the sun never shines though the rover's south facing windows
JE
I do agree with a lot said in that article - especially the bit about 5 episodes a week being one too many. These double episodes are OK when they have a decent storyline, like the stuff with Gail and David, so the last few weeks of "doubles" have been OK. But generally I wish they would revert to Sun, Mon, Wed and Fri, with one episode each time.
Also I agree about 2007 not being all bad and some storylines like Tracy turning killer and Paul Connor's death were, IMO, excellent. However if they think Corrie doesnt deserve to be nominated for a BAFTA then thats fair enough - I just think they did at least deserve to be nominated. Im not expecting Corrie to win many awards at the soap awards either - they seem to sweep the board every other year - 2003, 2005, 2007, so it must be someone else's turn this time. I hope Liam win's though
Jez
Founding member
Quote:
Perfect article in tonight's Manchester Evening News - completely sums up my feelings toward Corrie at the moment. And I like the bit about "not reporting for duty" on Sunday!
I do agree with a lot said in that article - especially the bit about 5 episodes a week being one too many. These double episodes are OK when they have a decent storyline, like the stuff with Gail and David, so the last few weeks of "doubles" have been OK. But generally I wish they would revert to Sun, Mon, Wed and Fri, with one episode each time.
Also I agree about 2007 not being all bad and some storylines like Tracy turning killer and Paul Connor's death were, IMO, excellent. However if they think Corrie doesnt deserve to be nominated for a BAFTA then thats fair enough - I just think they did at least deserve to be nominated. Im not expecting Corrie to win many awards at the soap awards either - they seem to sweep the board every other year - 2003, 2005, 2007, so it must be someone else's turn this time. I hope Liam win's though
RM
Now Where The Heart Is has been discontinued, what are they to do? Well there's Waterloo Road now isn't there
Shame Coro has been snubbed; but on recent form, perhaps not surprising
I do hope The Bill wins something, I believe that's very under-rated. I think that under Jonathan Young's guidance, the show has turned right round and is now excellent. Always action-packed, gripping, but gritty. The recent storyline about the gang-shootings was very realistic.
Did Jonathan Harvey write tonight's Coro epi-- missed the credits. Seemed to be a lot of droll humour in it tonight, usually his style?
Brekkie posted:
Must be no vacancies at The Bill then.
Now Where The Heart Is has been discontinued, what are they to do? Well there's Waterloo Road now isn't there
Shame Coro has been snubbed; but on recent form, perhaps not surprising
I do hope The Bill wins something, I believe that's very under-rated. I think that under Jonathan Young's guidance, the show has turned right round and is now excellent. Always action-packed, gripping, but gritty. The recent storyline about the gang-shootings was very realistic.
Did Jonathan Harvey write tonight's Coro epi-- missed the credits. Seemed to be a lot of droll humour in it tonight, usually his style?
JE
Now Where The Heart Is has been discontinued, what are they to do? Well there's Waterloo Road now isn't there
Shame Coro has been snubbed; but on recent form, perhaps not surprising
I do hope The Bill wins something, I believe that's very under-rated. I think that under Jonathan Young's guidance, the show has turned right round and is now excellent. Always action-packed, gripping, but gritty. The recent storyline about the gang-shootings was very realistic.
Did Jonathan Harvey write tonight's Coro epi-- missed the credits. Seemed to be a lot of droll humour in it tonight, usually his style?
Quite a few ex Corrie cast have turned up in Waterloo Road yes.
Simon Crowther wrote tonights Corrie.
Jez
Founding member
Roger Mellie posted:
Brekkie posted:
Must be no vacancies at The Bill then.
Now Where The Heart Is has been discontinued, what are they to do? Well there's Waterloo Road now isn't there
Shame Coro has been snubbed; but on recent form, perhaps not surprising
I do hope The Bill wins something, I believe that's very under-rated. I think that under Jonathan Young's guidance, the show has turned right round and is now excellent. Always action-packed, gripping, but gritty. The recent storyline about the gang-shootings was very realistic.
Did Jonathan Harvey write tonight's Coro epi-- missed the credits. Seemed to be a lot of droll humour in it tonight, usually his style?
Quite a few ex Corrie cast have turned up in Waterloo Road yes.
Simon Crowther wrote tonights Corrie.