DRW50

But does Sharon do karaoke?

I just think that instead of the arc being about Peggy, it'll be about Phil's alcoholism, Grant returning, Ben's woes, or Louise trying to scam someone. I feel like Peggy is gonna be used as a plot to get sympathy for Phil in future months ahead. We won't get the after affects of Peggy's death like we should. I just don't trust DTC with something like this. I can see why. I have a feeling Barbara will have a lot of input, so it may work out. No way of knowing. At least we can be fairly sure her death episode won't end up being about the hilarity of Aunt Babe shaking her ass while Mick wears comedy glasses and Linda cowers.

So I went to Digital Spy to see what type of reactions there were to the "twist," as I was wondering what collective opinion was. I got about what I expected - someone who said they quit after 2 minutes because of "Robron" and because they thought it ruined Dr. Bailey (I'm not sure you can ruin a plot device, but OK); collective outrage at miserable Aaron being even more miserable because of Gordon's upcoming trial and outrage at the idea of being asked to feel sorry for a sexual abuse victim, complete with someone saying they hope Aaron is the one who goes to prison (for...being raped for years, I guess?); a few people who thought it was Kate Oates, which I probably would have too, and someone saying Matthew Wolfenden can't act. So about the usual for that place. I went to another board and people said it was cruel and bad writing. I was wondering what you thought. I didn't really think it was cruel, I mostly thought it was just overegging (I get the idea of it, especially the drama of David thinking he was clear only to learn he wasn't), but I can see why people would feel that way, obviously - this is a serious subject. With that said, as it's only one episode I didn't mind it that much, and I'll admit the scenes did move me (especially the last scene). If the rest of the story is treated respectfully (so far I think it has been...we'll see about the rest).

For me Peggy's exit really can't be that good, as she's become Barbara Windsor over the years, and the Mitchells are desolate (and only one or two people in the family can really even act at this point). But I thought the episode where she told Phil she was dying was very good, so I think it may work out.

I think they felt like it was a contrast between tears and laughter, or whatever. I think they were also so giddy about having their precious Johnny back that they assumed everyone else would be too. I think DTC will do right by Peggy and Barbara Windsor, as he's very invested in her, but we'll see.

I also can't help wondering if the toilet scene (a bad ripoff of Phil/Ian scenes I never liked the first time around, complete with Harry Reid apparently trying out for Steve McFadden Impression School) is another reason why they cast an actress who looks 25 to play Louise. If a girl who actually looked 14 or even a bit older than 14 had been put in that situation, OFCOM would have have their lines blown up. As it was, the most you could say is if briefly wiped off one of her two facial expressions ("corrupted robot" - the other one is "robot out of batteries").

Why in the hell was a highly dramatic scene literally pushed into the background so that we could see Linda shrieking "JOHNNY!" Why was Johnny sporting a plastic grin as if he was from another planet, completely oblivious to a man berating and verbally abusing a woman over her vicious lies, and the entire crowd being stunned? Not to mention that the man in question was Ben, someone he'd been worried about before he left Walford. I'm not trying to take away from the other criticisms of this scene - the lack of reaction in defending Abi (although I tend to assume most people were just stunned), the ugliness of it all - but I actually thought the scene itself was one of the most searing of this type they've done in ages. It felt disgusting and real, rather than campy and "soapy." Lorna and Harry got it right, the actors watching it unfold got it right (even Scott Maslen, someone I'm iffy on, got it right in that moment), the direction was crisp and atmospheric... How in the HELL was this completely and totally upstaged because it's time to pull our collective puds over DTC's avatar returning home? If there was ever one scene that epitomized why he had to go, this was it.

That's a shame. I wonder if he was ever interviewed about his time on ATWT. Is he the Tom in the 1966 or 1967 clips that are on Youtube?

Fans hate Victoria? Why? I think she's one of the bright spots on the show. A lot of them claim she can't act or hate her for defending Robert. There was a lot of outrage from these types of fans when she dared to be upset that Robert was shot and when she blamed the Whites, then Aaron. These fans can go gaga over a serial rapist but have no time for her.

Adele's not that bad - she just hasn't really done any real acting in about ten years. Brian Capron really was typecast as Hillman...but he was probably lucky to get the role.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x42zsu5_coronation-street-september-23-2002-episode-1-1-2_fun http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x439nqs_coronation-street-september-23-2002-episode-1-2-2_fun http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x43dodw_coronation-street-september-23-2002-episode-2-1-2_fun http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x43e3fo_coronation-street-september-23-2002-episode-2-2-2_fun These episodes have some terrific scenes where Richard breaks into Audrey's house to further his gaslighting plan and ends up cowering in her pantry as Gail and Audrey arrive back early. The last scene as he leaves is a bit panto for me, but otherwise it's genuinely fascinating to see him slowly come unspooled in there as they go on and on and on...and then when he overhears Audrey sneering about him over the phone. There are some good scenes with Todd as well, as he's insecure about where his life is going and is upset about Sarah dating Aidan (Ade), whom he sees as a bully and a thug. There's an especially good scene where Toyah stops by to give him a book for uni and they talk about the struggles of being the "perfect" younger child. The guy who played Ade was on Emmerdale last year as the bartender in the episode where Laurel got plastered (David Barlow was also in that episode, giving her bus money). He's still hot. Ade was an interesting character - he'd bring a lot of material for Todd and Sarah (maybe he could be a magical bisexual like Robert Sugden and have a bit of something with them both) and Ken too. I wish they'd bring him back.

I've been putting some of the episodes that Youtube blocks onto Dailymotion. Here's the Zak/Lisa wedding one (how sad...). http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x43g4n6_emmerdale-january-28-1998-zak-and-lisa-dingle-wedding_fun These are on Youtube (for now, anyway) and are worth a watch if you haven't seen them before. Paul and Diane return to his old Newcastle haunt and he finally tells her about his truly horrible childhood, being neglected by his mother and beaten by the father who was never a father to him in any way. It's probably Mathew Bose's best work as Paul. It also sets up his sister Sharon's arrival a year and a half later - that's good writing. Lots of really good scenes in here too with Viv and Donna tracking down Marlon and Bob before the cooking competition. Marlon acts like a twat, as is his wont, but he and Donna reconcile, with some genuinely nice scenes about Tricia and moving on. After rampant insecurities and a hair-flying scrap, Bob's new girlfriend (now Cathy on Corrie) sees the light and they break up so he can reconcile with Viv. Serving as the backdrop is the one and only Tony Christie, playing himself (and he's also an old flame of Diane's - these two episodes will really show you what a wonderful character Diane was and sometimes still is). The second one is a beautiful episode for Viv/Bob and Viv in general, getting the balance just right with her and showing what a special couple they were at their best. One of the things I think Emmerdale and Corrie have lost in recent years has been their Northern identity, their bread and butter. And that identity really shines through here.

I think they tried to do that in the scene with Robert and Victoria later on (for all the hate Victoria gets from the many disgusting fans this show has, she is one of the few sources of humanity left), but it was all half-hearted.

Madchen Amick?

Stephen Schnetzer voiceover.

Gregg Marx...going a bit sassy gay friend at the end.

Spot the AW cast member.

The whole thing was stupid. A classic example of why soaps should not worry about being so damn self-aware. I really think Kate Oates never wanted Robert to be anything but a mustache-twirler and this was her way of cementing it before she goes.

I would have cast her as a Zsa Zsa recast.