DRW50

I think that's one of the things which still stands out when you watch the show now, they had a lot of strong black characters and a strong black couple. You don't see that on most shows. At the time it was a little more commonplace but already just about done by the time ADW was winding down. These days, good luck finding that anywhere on network TV.

I don't think it was about ratings losses so much as The Simpsons airing against what had been a big show and managing to eke out some success of its own, and being seen as fresh compared to the stale Cosby Show. Bill Cosby chose to the end show, didn't he? That may have played some part. I wonder if the ratings went down because people knew it was the last season. A lot of people got tired of Murphy Brown, Mad About You, and Roseanne some years before they went off, but their ratings didn't crash until their last seasons, when people knew the show was ending.

I don't think that The Simpsons was a huge threat to the Cosby Show, but it did dent their ratings and probably helped hasten the show's demise, as it had been on autopilot for years, and this was the first time that was put in the spotlight.

No, there was no explanation. Yes but wasn't the Cosby Show clashing with the Simpsons by that time? It still provided a good lead-in.

She was great. I loved the episodes where she mixed it up with Diahann Carroll

The lack of Cosby Show leadin probably was the death knell. I liked Charmaine, although I thought she worked better on the Cosby Show. The guys...the cool, calm guy who was supposed to be with Lena was OK, although I felt like his political comments were a bit forced. The other guy, the one who always wore stupid hats, I don't remember a lot about him, he got better over time. Lena was always a little too one-note for me. When she smiled or showed some warmth she worked better. That was the Jada Pinkett character, right? I guess the last season was a little too strident, but I thought that worked better than the "very special" approach which the show had veered in the season or two before that. Some of the episodes, like the one honoring Lena Horne, were pretty good.

I wish the In Living Color parody was on Youtube. The show did become so heavy into social issues and the sendup was hilarious. My favorite part was "sister, my sister" Whitley introduced her friend, a nun, who was, of course, a Sister

I liked the show a lot. I didn't watch the whole run the first time around, just episodes here and there, but I did watch it on TBS in morning reruns. The show went through so many changes. I liked the Denise season more than most people seemed to but I can see where she probably needed to go (I do wish they'd brought her back to tie up the loose ends of her character). My favorite times were the first few seasons, and then the last season, because they did a lot to finally make Freddie a more tolerable character, and I loved Freddie/Ron. I also liked that they tried to make Whitley and Dwayne grow up a bit. I did miss Jaleesa. My favorite character was Kim, she had a lot of strength, dignity, and self-respect. She seemed very "real". Yet when she had the chance she could be fun. Remember that hilarious episode where she started singing at a local club and became this horrific diva? My favorite scene ever on the show was when Freddie's extremely annoying "activist" boyfriend tried to humiliate Kim because she was dating a white man, and Kim basically told him that for someone who was so outraged over interracial relationships, he sure looked mighty white. That was my favorite, although it was by Aretha Franklin. I liked the credits that went along with it.

I liked Claire more before they made her a mini-Sally. Ashley, I think he's such an important part of the fabric of Weatherfield and I always enjoy his comedy moments with Graeme and his friendship with Peter. He's also a very underrated dramatic actor. This is on a show where a number of "stars" cannot act at all. There are some people who some say stay around because they're popular backstage or know someone, like Jennie McAlpine and Antony Cotton. And others who are seen as some sort of big deal, like Kym Marsh. The problem is that there's such a wall of bad actors or pointless characters, or both. And they never seem to go away. It's something which the show needs to address. Instead they got rid of two harmless characters played by good actors. As you mentioned, I do think Sue Cleaver may be going soon too

It looks like Claire and Ashley may have been fired. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/showbiz/s/1224078_corrie_stars_fuming_as_new_boss_axes_them_in_dramatic_showdown If this is true I'm really disappointed, I think they are an important part of the show's community, especially Ashley, who has been around since 1995 and has friendships and relationships with many characters. They're both very good actors, especially the guy who plays Ashley. What bothers me even more is that the show has SO MUCH dead weight. These two are not even anywhere near the top of the list. Yet they're going, while the likes of Michelle and Sean stay? If this is the show's priority, then 2011 is not going to be a good year.

That party was odd, wasn't it. I had no idea that Darren, Libby, and Adam had become so close. They're all generally so dull together that I think people would yawn if they announced they had entered a polygamous relationship. Nitin and Nina were just unbelievable in those scenes with Syed. I especially loved those scenes where Syed tried to let Masood know that Zainab had been lying for months, and she just casually brushed it aside by making Masood think Syed was calling him the hypocrite. Syed has done the weepy eyes and gonna cry faces so many times that I actually laughed when he did them again after he burst into the kitchen. He was his usual pampered, poor me self when Masood was trying to talk sense to him. Then that hilarious line to Christian, that Christian could be his "special private person." I'm glad Amira knows but I'm sorry she had to become a moron these last few days. The "teens", I just skipped everything they were involved in. It makes the episodes much shorter.

I'm waiting on Netflix. I hope they don't go the way of Peyton Place (to "Unavailable" land). I saw the first episode on TV Land a long time ago but can't remember a lot of it. I just remember Angela with a very tight, unflattering perm, and being disappointed that Susan Sullivan didn't turn around in the opening credits.

Danny was phenomenal. He does so much with his face, yet he's never OTT about it. I've rarely seen a soap actor play internalized pain the way he does. I've seen shows that glorify suicide, or suicide attempts, like B&B with Storm or GL with Olivia. I'm glad they showed just how ugly it is, especially those scenes where Aaron woke up in the middle of his suicide attempt, then the later scenes where you saw his eyes fluttering. The CPR was bad but the acting in the scenes was so good I didn't really notice. Chastity's mememememe attitude got on my nerves but her pain over Aaron after she saw his near-lifeless body was hard to watch. And poor Paddy, completely stunned. The show has found such a good thing with these strong and complicated relationships and friendships. They're using Paddy/Marlon very effectively, instead of just comedy, and Aaron/Adam, Aaron/Paddy, they really make you care. I haven't paid as much attention to some of the other stories but I didn't really notice just how gorgeous Nikhil is until recently. Perhaps he's so obviously pretty I initially ignored him. I wonder if he's ever going to get a love interest. Those scenes where Carl was so reluctant to let his kids go that he, perhaps unintentionally, guilted them into staying with him were very good, they seemed very real.

Yeah, I loved that scene. I like all Zainab comedy scenes, or most of them. And Masood comedy scenes are good, although his dramatic work this week has blown me away. I think they're probably the show's two best actors at playing both comedy and drama. It seems effortless for both of them. I will have to watch that Masood/Christian scene again; Masood's part of it was brilliant. He would say very benign words to Christian, yet the intonation was pure venom.

Thanks for all that, I got the characters mixed up. Your info about FA is a real resource. Tonight's EE episode seemed as aimless as ever. Even when they're trying to tell dramatic stories the tone is increasingly off. The Amira/Chelsea scenes were bizarre. Like someone was trying to write this forced breeziness, like they were in Audrey's hair salon on Corrie. The meaning of the scenes was lost under all the fake flippancy. Not to mention Chelsea somehow deciding that the identical pregnancy tests she mixed up were now any kind of accurate read. I did like the part where Amira asked if Jack wanted a kid of every color, and the part where Amira had to admit just how rarely she and Syed have sex. Jack/Ronnie seem to be the same as usual. I thought Jack being shot might change how they act towards each other but instead his shooting and five minute paralysis were window dressing for some rushed fling between Ronnie and the doctor, leading to Jack huffing and puffing and an even more rushed reunion. Hard to believe that only a week ago, Jack could barely even speak. The proposal scene was well-acted but felt short, as a scene was cut out. The scenes with Ben's attempts to talk slang made me cringe. I would say that was the point, but I don't think they meant them to be quite that ridiculous. They seem unsure of how to treat Ben's problems. It's still much too easy for fans to laugh at him and see him in the same way that the girls who bullied him did. This is the problem with the show's cardboard writing -- every time they try to do a story where someone is supposed to be sympathetic or bullied, the show heavily leans toward seeing the person being mistreated as some kind of a joke. Heather, Ben, among others. Zsa Zsa and the E20 losers stuck out like a sore thumb. Putting them in the middle of the darts match was strange because a) they have spent their time sneering at the older and more established, conservative characters, they're supposed to be hip and edgy and b ) if you are going to cast people who are so much older than their roles, putting them around people who look the same age as they do yet are playing characters in their 30s and 40s, not a good idea. Christian and Syed -- that last scene with wimpering Syed putting his head on Christian's shoulder said it all for me. At one time I felt a little more sympathy for Christian but these past days of the overwrought whispering and the crying have taken me out of that. The more the show sells them as victims the more I dislike them. Was I really supposed to feel sorry for Christian in that scene where he wept as Masood tried to bribe him into leaving town? Masood and Zainab are the only ones keeping this story going.

That was Chloe. She had split up Carl and Chas with the poison pen letters she wrote under the name of Carl's ex wife Colleen. Then she claimed she was pregnant. Carl stayed with her for the baby but he was splitting up with her. She got desperate and started taking pregnancy tests, and Chas found one. Then she dunked her. It was great stuff. Cain is different this time around, mostly in wardrobe, and he's a bit milder in personality. He isn't quite the same as he was, he was a more interesting, dark character initially, but he still has some life in him, if they ever figure out what stories to give him. I'm glad when he came back he cut his hair and started wearing less layers. He wears jeans well. I think Cain is going to give Aaron a lot of needling when he finds out, but hopefully it won't be too nasty.

You don't think redheaded guys are hot? I tend to like guys with red hair, you know, unless they're Carrot Top. I still have fond memories of Turlough from Doctor Who and his nicely packed Speedo and great legs. Gary is a bit mangy but has very strong charisma. Norris is on vacation with Mary, or about to go on vacation with her. Emily isn't on much lately but she appeared a few weeks ago, when Rita and Audrey were arguing. Emily tried to stop them and Audrey said she was probably loving this and told her to shut up.

That Guardian article is odd. Let's fire Peter? Really? Of all the characters on the show? Who cares about Peter? And let's fire Dotty...who is no longer on the show? Is that the same person who wrote that bizarre article claiming Roxy was one of the best EE characters of all time? Ben, thanks for the detailed information. I was wondering if you remembered the story where the one gay guy, who was later stabbed to death, where his cop boyfriend had sex with his best friend while he was away on tour. What did you think of that story? Did they claim that he was bisexual, the boyfriend, or was he not interested in women until that point? Was that just a fling between the woman and the cop or a longer relationship?

Was the Family Affairs story better? This whole story has been something which seems to be based only on plot points, nothing underneath. It was probably done for shock value and not much else. It's odd because I love good stories on soaps with gay characters yet in this story the gay characters are the ones I'm least interested in.

The car crash with Tyrone and Molly was much better than I had expected. I am sick of Molly but the drama was gripping, especially when Kevin raced to get there. I feel so sorry for Sophie. The story has been rushed but Brooke Vincent is doing a good job. I love seeing Rosie as the supportive big sis. The Gary AWOL story has potential too.

I read that he shaved his head for charity (Scott Maslen I mean). It's odd they didn't work that in better. Tony Jordan interview. http://www.walfordweb.co.uk/item.php?id=2335

I like the Jack/Max scenes and how Max genuinely cares about Jack but also doesn't put up with his crap. And the doctor is hilarious. The punch scene, I loved it. Too bad it had to turn into the usual Jack/Ronnie stuff. Jack seems to have gotten over his slurring very quickly. Christian's overly whispery voice is starting to get on my last nerve so I enjoyed Masood shutting him down. That whole scene where he bragged about his quickie to try to throw Masood off the track was odd -- Phil would never have just joked along with that, he is not exactly a progressive guy, and he's very upset about the thought of his son being gay. But Masood's scenes at the mosque were fantastic. Doesn't it seem like we have seen much more tension and anxiety over Syed's sexuality from Masood than we have EVER seen from Syed? For some time I wished that they had done the affair between Masood/Christian, not Syed/Christian, because Nitin is a much better actor than Marc and because I think Masood and Christian have better chemistry. I do love Zainab and Masood, but I still think that relationship would have had more impact. The ice cream stuff was poor. I can't look at the troll doll Zsa Zsa or 50 miles of bad road on his face Leon. Fatboy looks like a runway model compared to them. Shirley deserves so much better than Phil. They should put her with the Polish guy and bring in his family.

Of those who are staying I'm blanking on a lot of them. Is Rhys still in school? There's India. Is Nancy still a student or is she now fully a teacher?

It sounds like he will be interacting with the students. I hope Alex Carter is ready for fun moments with India... I liked Danni too. The actress is still available -- she was on Corrie last month as a lawyer. I'm so glad that the Osbornes aren't getting the pub back. I'm glad they're giving that to the new family. It's a good way to help make the place interesting again, and introduce new people.

There's a poster on Digital Spy (one of my favorite posters, probably, as they are not a fanboy type and are very incisive) who is convinced that Santer just didn't want to bring Sharon back because she would have shown Ronnie and Roxy up. And she would have. I think they consider all this half-baked melodrama some sort of great stuff, because they think people won't focus on the actual stories, just on the constant misery Ronnie goes through. They think people only want to see Ronnie unhappy. I don't think they get the type of very damaging long-term affect this has on a character. If someone is miserable for the sake of being miserable, if the strings are showing, then viewers lose faith. They also claim to love Roxy, and her writing has been almost as terrible. Of all the characters that Santer claimed to love or think highly of, the only one I think has actually had decent writing over the past few years is Ian. It's not perfect or even close but I have always had a soft spot for Ian and damn that character has had some terrible, pathetic writing unworthy of such a longstanding character. Kicking dogs, head in a toilet, the endless rivalry with Phil that Phil always won...