Coronation Street: Discussion Thread

[victoria foxton]

So true.

Over the yrs i tried binge watching Emmerdale. The only period i like was late 90's. Kim Tate kept me entertained. But that was it. The inbreed Dingleberries hillbillies are awful. The 80's episodes made me sleepy. I found the plane crash depressing and boring.

Edited July 11, 2021 by victoria foxton

[Liberty City]

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[KMan101]

 

They do seem to be. It's really refreshing. Coronation Street is treated like an institution. I mean, when The Queen visits your set ...

 

I think I struggle at times with the UK soaps because they can get a little too real, and too dark and depressing. But I also appreciate that realism. LOL. And even though they soap them up a bit, I appreciate the painstaking attention to detail in telling a true to life story. They do seem to insist they take them seriously. 

 

I've watched some clips of the deaths and stunts and I have to lol. The show just comes off as desperate. And the latest murder is already being panned. I've tried watching some of the current reruns which were 1999/2000 I believe. It's OK. I like the idea of it and the set is interesting. Just feels like a poor mans Corrie/EastEnders with Hollyoaks stunts thrown in for good measure. Would love to see the show when it was considered good.

 

I know we have some fans here though (not of the current material mind you). But I guess that's better saved for the Emmerdale thread. @DRW50 Carl, any suggestions on Emmerdale years?

Edited July 12, 2021 by KMan101

[MichaelGL]

Honestly I believe the early 2000s is where you may find more entertainment if you're looking to binge some Emmerdale material. Specifically 2003-2008, Sadie King, Zoe Tate's exit, Victoria/Aaron/Daz(Christmas Day 2008).

[DRW50]

Emmerdale is a difficult show to recommend years for because it's difficult to find most of the '70s or '80s on Youtube - huge chunks are missing from public access, and some that are available are blocked on Youtube. 

I would recommend watching what you can find of the '70s and '80s, but I know many would say that is boring. So I will say to try to start with November 1989 and then see what you like - there are many strong patches up to the end of 1998. After that it becomes much more hit and miss, although 2004-2006 are also strong years, overall. From then on I'd say just pop in and out and try to find what you can - I know many would have sold a kidney for their beloved Kate Oates, or "Queen Kate" as they called her, of 2013-2015.. I liked a lot of 2008, even though many did not. Many others love 2009 and 2010. It's a crapshoot. 

I saw your other question - I didn't mean to ignore it. I think current Corrie is...fine? I don't really watch a great deal of any current soaps. I would say it's better than most of the last ten years. 

Edited July 12, 2021 by DRW50

[DRW50]

I will say a lot of 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 can be a slog, although they have their moments. 

[Forever8]

Curious what are some of your favorite characters of Emmerdale from the 2000's era? 

[Liberty City]

I think that's why I like British soaps so much; they are REAL. They don't relay on re-telling the same tired-ass, recycled soap tropes, like baby-swapping, back-from-the-dead and the never-ending love triangles that have been done and done again.
If you kill a character, they're DEAD! It's a decision that is made, regardless of how it'll be received by your audience, and you tell the story. American soaps? "Oh sorry, we'll undo it immediately, because we have no backbone!"

[KMan101]

 

lol exactly! It's both refreshing and infuriating at times how real they are, if that makes sense lol.

 

I do love the option of "well, we can always bring them back" but I agree the constant coming back from the dead really cheapens the entire idea of killing someone off and it's beyond a joke at this point. Though sometimes the UK soaps can be a little kill happy ... and they make some short-sighted decisions. But they stick by them.

 

I'm so tired of the tropes we get over and over and over and over again. It's so lazy. I think it's why I appreciated the Brook/Maxie baby 'switch' on GH. It's a different take.

 

I do think the UK soaps can be repetitive at times too though, they like their psychos and murderers. But I'd also argue it's probably more true to life.

 

Thanks Carl! No worries. I figured you weren't a regular watcher currently. It feels ... Fine .. is a good way to put it lol./ It's definitely better than the last 10 years (depending on what you like from a soap I suppose).

 

Thanks for the Emmerdale suggestions. Shame a lot of the early stuff isn't available. I've been so spoiled with Coronation Street

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 (thank you!)

 

Ugh. Kate Oates. The Phelps of the UK. I know there's fans of that kind of soap ... I'll check her period out though. I can't say I like what she's done elsewhere ...

 

Emmerdale seems ... lost

Edited July 13, 2021 by KMan101

[allmc2008]

I too find that

it is

refreshing to watch

the

British soaps

as

they are more

realistic.

The US soaps could learn

so much from

them.

[Liberty City]

It does make sense. The one British soap I do watch religiously is Hollyoaks, so I am definitely more inclined to their pacing and storytelling, which is why I probably find it difficult to get into Coronation Street.

The baby-swap on General Hospital is definitely original, and I am enjoying how it is taking shape, and the rippling effect it's going to have for many characters.

[KMan101]

 

I love Hollyoaks. It can feel like whiplash at times so I've been in and out over the years. I like that it's different from Corrie and EastEnders. It has it's own vibe and is a bit more plot driven and campy but at the same time, they still make you understand the character and their motivations (as bizarre as they may be sometimes! lol) and take great attention to detail telling a true to life story (look at Hollyoaks IRL on YouTube).

 

I can see why Corrie may not be your cup of tea so to speak after Hollyoaks. What's your take on EastEnders? It's kind of, to me, 'in between' Corrie and Hollyoaks in terms of pacing and tone. I've really enjoyed a lot of it. 1994 seemed like peak EastEnders.

Edited July 13, 2021 by KMan101

[KMan101]

LOL at both EastEnders and Corrie having a hit and run story. Both are different of course but still LOL.

 

I kinda feel like they didn't know what to do with Shona, David and Todd (and Abi) so here we are. Abi had the Seb stuff but Shona and David have been on the backburner since I've started regularly watching in May. 

 

It's odd, since May, I've barely seen George and Eileen, now they're on frequently and their relationship is ending. If you just jumped in and had no idea ... the balance is a bit odd on the UK soaps.

 

Same thing for Ryan and Alya. I think they appeared like once in May and now here they are on frequently in the midst of their Daisy drama.

 

Is it more of a recent COVID protocol thing? I know they often focus on certain storylines but there's usually more going on in the background. I don't know. The flow isn't great but it's not the worst. I can see they're doing a better job having more extras now in the background and using more of the cast together again. 

Edited August 11, 2021 by KMan101

[Dion]

Block storytelling.  It's been a feature for decades but I think in the past they've done a better job of having characters pop up in the Rovers etc when they are in-between their blocks. No doubt COVID protocols are playing a part but I seem to recall people were noticing issues with it pre-COVID. I think a bigger cause would be to do with the size of the cast, number of eps per week and how they're aired in the UK (usually two episodes on the same night).

[KMan101]

 

Yeah, I'm kinda used to the block storytelling, I get it (don't always love it), but they did seem to do a much better job in the past. It's gotten better in the last week or so actually LOL. It's just a silly complaint I guess, but it was SO noticeable. 

 

I figured it was more for the protocols and everything, keeping certain cast together in bubbles and not mixing them too much. But I think I'm starting to see what was the growing complaint pre-covid. We'll see. The balance just feels ... odd. I don't notice it quite as bad on Hollyoaks (which is guilty of storylines going missing for weeks on end) or EastEnders.

 

But like you said, Corrie has a very large cast, which I love, but I just miss the 'feeling' of the show I guess. It's a bit lost and feels kinda empty in the Street.

Edited August 13, 2021 by KMan101