Corrie At Christmas 1972 style

As we are well on the way to Christmas now I thought I would take a look at Christmas in Corrie back in the day. One particular Christmas episode always sticks in my memory (and not because I was around to watch it when it was shown!) The 1972 festive episode is a cracker.

Back in the days before regular murder and mayhem, Coronation Street took a more traditional, community-minded approach to the festive season. The '72 episode is a perfect example and although there are touches of drama in the background, the main event is a talent show in the Rovers Select. 

We can deal with the drama first. The main thread going through part one is Alan Howard's descent in alcoholism. Elsie is obviously concerned, so much so that all she has managed to cook for Christmas dinner is a pan of boiling water. Thankfully Betty's sister Maggie Clegg is on hand to share advice from her own troubled marriage. The scenes between Elsie and Maggie are well written and honestly played. 

The other serious storyline focuses on the arrival of a rather strange Irish woman at the community centre who appears to have had a hand in the previous abduction of Ena's grandson Jason. The young woman is played by a very young Frances Tomelty who went on to have a very successful acting career. The main thing I noticed about all these scenes is the pace, it's so much slower than the Corrie produced today. 

Anyway, back to the main event. Billy Walker is master of ceremonies and many of the Rovers regulars are putting on turns for a bunch of rather dodgy looking extras and one Stanley Ogden (I have no idea where Hilda had disappeared to). The Select always looked to be a massive barn of a place, which was completely disproportionate with the size of the pub from the outside. I think they call that artistic licence...

While most of the acts cover old music hall turns most modern viewers have long since forgotten (or never knew in the first place), the great joy of these scenes is seeing so many classic characters doing something a bit different. It also allows many of the actors to demonstrate their versatility and use skills developed in local theatre and variety, often many years before Granada came calling. Ernest Bishop (the late Stephen Hancock) is at the piano as he often was while the likes of Ray Langton, Alf Roberts and Jerry Booth perform. 

There are two highlights for me. The first is the joyous threesome of Betty, Bet and Norma Ford (anyone remember her and her strange obsession with Ken Barlow?) The ladies perform as the Andrews Sisters and it's great to see Betty Driver actually sing in the show. They are obviously having a whale of a time and Julie Goodyear hams it up as only she could! 

We also get a young Barbara Knox, or Rio Rita as she was known in those days, doing her Marlene Dietrich act complete with trench coat, beret and cigarette holder! It doesn't get any camper than that! Fair play to her though for having a go! 

Sadly we don't get to see Emily's Carmen Miranda routine as she has a mishap with her bananas...Perhaps Eileen Derbyshire can give that a go before she departs on New Year's Day?

Anyway, if you fancy a bit of seventies Corrie nostalgia, some lovely person has uploaded this episode in two parts.

You can check out part one here and part two is available here 

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Please sponsor me and help The Silver Line

Please excuse the non-Corrie related blog post! This January I will be giving up the booze to raise money for The Silver Line, a charity very close to my heart.

I volunteer for the Silver Line, a telephone befriending service for older people who live alone. The charity provides vital support for thousands of people across the country. I have gained so much from my experience as a volunteer and The Silver Line need as many charitable donations as possible to keep this important service going.

The statistics about older people and loneliness are frightening. More than half of all 75 year olds in the UK live alone and one in ten suffers “intense” loneliness but is reluctant to ask for help. In a poll conducted to mark the national launch of The Silver Line on 25 November 2013, 9 out of 10 older people told researchers that “a chat on the phone” is the most helpful solution when they feel lonely but 1 in 4 older people say they never or seldom have someone to chat to on the phone. 

The Silver Line is the confidential, free helpline for older people across the UK* open every day and night of the year. Our specially trained helpline staff:

- Offer information, friendship and advice

- Link callers to local groups and services

- Offer regular befriending calls

- Protect and support those who are suffering abuse and neglect

The Silver Line is free to callers so we rely on charitable donations from organisations and individuals who care about the welfare and safety of older people to fund this vital new service.

So this January I'll be going alcohol free for a very special cause. All donations gratefully received!

Thank you.

You can donate via my Just Giving Page 

You can find out more about The Silver Line by visiting their website 

You can follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82 

 

Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.

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Emily Bishop: Born with a Tidy Mind

With the imminent departure of the wonderful Eileen Derbyshire, I wanted to write a blog about the great lady and her longstanding Coronation Street character, Emily Bishop. However temporary this departure is (and I really hope she does come back next year) it does mark the end of an era as yet another long serving cast member says goodbye. Earlier this year I posted this blog singing the praises of both Emily and Eileen. It seems a fitting tribute to them both again now. 

Emily Bishop has had some cracking little scenes in Coronation Street recently. Having done one of her numerous disappearing acts these days, she has bounced back with aplomb.

I make no secret of the fact it has taken me a while to appreciate the quietly plodding Emily. However Eileen Derbyshire is such a subtle, skilled actress that this, together with her lack of interest in any publicity whatsoever, can often mean her contribution to Corrie is overlooked. 

Some people criticise Miss Derbyshire for keeping herself to herself or find it weird in these social media days however I think it's quite refreshing for someone in the public eye to decide not to share the contents of their breakfast with all and sundry. 

I remember the fabulous Kathy Burke praising Eileen Derbyshire in an interview some years ago, saying she was an underrated actor who never received the plaudits she was due. After all, she has been with Coronation Street since January 1961 which is quite an achievement. Many see her as surplus to requirements these days, a relic of a bygone era perhaps? I disagree. 

Last year Eileen Derbyshire appeared in only 39 episodes compared to Alison King's 163 and Kym Marsh's 152 but it doesn't really matter. We collectively shout "Emily!" whenever she suddenly appears. I can understand that it is only right Eileen may opt for a reduced workload these days given the pressures of filming, but I still think the character of Emily has much to contribute.

Emily is often classed as dull and uneventful. She once said:

"I've always wanted to be stormy, passionate and tempestuous. But you can't be. Not when you're born with a tidy mind."

A beautiful line. However it's not always been sweet sherries and charity work. She narrowly escaped marrying Leonard Swindley in the 60s; saw her beloved husband Ernest killed by armed robbers in the 70s; married a deranged bigamist in the 80s and coped with Percy Sugden for far too many years. She protested up a tree in the 90s and took in a rather familiar looking Mel Hutchwright and his Hard Grindings in the 2000s. 

Every long running serial needs its constant, steady Eddie characters and in this regard Emily is invaluable. She is a vital link to the established narrative of Coronation Street and despite first appearances I really do see her as a classic strong Corrie woman. She bounced back remarkably from Richard Hillman's attempt to kill her and to this day stands up for what she believes in. Eileen Derbyshire is capable of a broad range, from light comedy when disapproving of Norris or a raised eyebrow at Rita's chequered past to powerful, moving scenes when she confronted Ernie's killer many years on.

Only this week she stole scenes from everyone around her during Sean Tully's daft rant at her in the Rovers. As Sean jumped to conclusions Emily was quiet and calm in her defence while still leaving everyone in no uncertain terms as to who had won the argument. It was a delight to watch. 

I am so glad Eileen Derbyshire still pops up in Corrie from time to time and I for one will always look forward to her scene stealing cameos. 

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Coronation Street double episode review, Friday 11 December 2015

There’s another visit to Rob on the cards for Tracy, but in the meantime, Johnny attends for his. It transpires that Rob has seen a photo of him in the paper connecting him with Underworld, and this, combined with a memory of his drunken mother telling him about a one night stand she had with Johnny in his Vauxhall Cavalier, is enough for Rob to presume Carla is his daughter. Johnny’s reaction is all that remains to convince him that it’s true. Johnny’s weak deflections are not enough to dissuade Rob, and £10,000 is the price to keep him quiet. While Johnny seemed ruffled, his departure was somewhat triumphant, revealing that Tracy is shacked up with someone else, and announcing that he’s off for a pint.

To me, this feels like a storyline that’s been wedged in, with explanations peppered about to justify it. Why haven't we seen so much as a glimmer of this possibility in any scenes between Johnny and Carla? Why did Rob never tell Carla about his mother's confession? Apparently because he never believed her. Why would Rob, who was so traumatised at the prospect of going to jail again and whose sole motivation for keeping his murder of Tina a secret was keeping out of prison, risk adding time to his sentence by engaging in further illegal activity? Who knows. What we do know, is that his deviousness arises from boredom. The insertion of a Bill Clinton-esque line from Rob, “Did or did you not have sexual relations with that woman?” seemed rather odd as he was referring to his own mother, and didn’t appear to be making a joke. I did enjoy what were strong scenes between Johnny and Rob, however, and it’s great to see the return of Marc Baylis.

Johnny later attends Nick and Carla's engagement party at the Bistro. After telling a concerned Carla that Rob merely wanted to know how things were going at Underworld, he looks wistfully on as she asks Roy to give her away. I found this to be a rather awkward scene. Roy saying it would be an honour was lovely, but Carla made some rather strange expressions in response. Considering their friendship, and Carla’s ever confident demeanour, I didn’t think her response to a question she had posed would cause her to feel so uncomfortable.

Elsewhere at the party we had ill-wishing Gail swilling the sauvignon, Sally discussing Tim’s toenails, and a frankly bizarre set of scenes involving Aidan’s missing silk seal-pup-like socks in which emergency phone calls to Spain, thievery and flirtatious sock related one-liners all played a part. In fact, I can’t decide which was the stranger; the socks, or Johnny buying a green shirt on the basis that he heard Liz liked Errol Flynn’s Robin Hood. In any event, she likes the shirt, and almost hears a confession from tipsy Johnny, but Carla interrupts and her parentage remains a secret for another day.

Ever the good friend, Roy is disappointed that Ken doesn’t make it to the ball. After Audrey deliberately gives Nessa the updo from hell, and Amy has a good laugh at her expense, Ken's lady friend swaps her party frock for Tracy’s dressing gown and a takeaway. He can’t say or do anything right, and judging by the disgruntled looks on his face throughout, he appears to be wondering if all this is worth the hassle. He still agrees to her staying a second night, which leaves me wondering, who’s looking after Alex?

Sadie Shimmin is doing a great job at portraying this playful, nosy, coy, yet strangely insecure character. Nessa has a presence about her, and I can see a role for her on the street, but not with Ken. At least the Renshaw twins thought her hair was "chic", and I would pay good money to see David Platt cutting their hair simultaneously.

Sarah Platt seems to be under an unwarranted amount of surveillance with Kylie now getting in on the act by reading her phone and searching her bag. I’m not sure what Kylie ran out of the pub for on finding an address for an abortion clinic in Sarah’s purse, as she didn’t urgently impart the news to anyone, and the next we saw of her she was calmly doing her make-up at the kitchen table. In any event, she squeezes an admission from Sarah and sympathises with her at the news that she has booked in for an abortion.

It’s a bit of a contradiction to find Rita joining in with Norris and mocking Mary and her “crackpot convention” while at the same time showing concern when she realises Brendan is married. While she is coming across as interfering, she seems to have Mary's best interests at heart, and one of my favourite scenes of the two episodes was when she revealed the news to Mary only to learn she is already fully aware.

Mary proceeds with their day out together, and as they talk of their mutual enjoyment of the convention, the pair kiss. There was a point some time back when Mary’s character took an unwelcome turn, but in these scenes, and over the past few weeks, she has been one of the highlights of every episode. From confessing that her favourite part of the convention was the moment when Brendan put his hand on her knee, to bashfully telling him “I’ll be thinking of you”, she was a joy throughout. I never would have had Mary down as a mistress and can see her character being vehemently against infidelity, but I feel the manner in which this has played out justifies a change of heart on this score. She is focussed on what she wants it to be rather than what it is. As Mary continues to reside in the afterglow of her magical day, Rita persists with home truths telling her Brendan doesn’t love her, and won’t leave his wife. “I can’t stand back and say nothing” she tells Mary who replies, “You can and you should" and accuses her of being sanctimonious and bitter. 

While I'm no fan of infidelity, you can't but feel sorry for her, as I do fear things will turn out as Rita predicts. Here's hoping the outcome is that it won't be long before Mary meets someone who deserves her, as being loved and in love certainly becomes her.

By Emma Hynes

www.emmahynes.wordpress.com

Twitter: @ELHynes

Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.

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A Fond Farewell to the Cobbles of Old

The 2nd of December was far from an average Wednesday. It began with a flight from Dublin to Manchester to meet with my Coronation Street Blog friends, to tour the old set one final time, and enjoy a welcome catch-up over dinner at Annies restaurant, owned by the lovely Jennie McAlpine.

I was very excited at the prospect of seeing my fellow bloggers again, retracing my steps on the Corrie Tour for the last time, and sharing what was sure to be an enjoyable evening together. With such welcome prospects ahead, it’s difficult to contemplate how there could be an inkling of melancholy, and yet there was.

Before Coronation Street The Tour opened in April 2014, I was lucky enough to attend an exclusive preview on behalf of the blog, and the frenzied excitement of getting the whole thing up and running in advance of the first tranche of visitors was palpable. This was my first visit to the cobbles as well as my first Coronation Street Blog mission, and so it has a special place in my heart. I was also there in November 2014, again on behalf of the blog, this time, to preview Christmas on the Cobbles. On that occasion, everyone was working hard to infuse the old set with Christmas cheer. The roof of the Rovers was still in the process of being sprinkled with snow while carolers practiced and lights fresh from the working Media City set were being restrung. 

With now just under 4 weeks left of the tour, I found it rather sad and yet fitting, having witnessed the start of it all, to be there for the very end. And so we gathered in the dark at rush hour on a wet, sodden Manchester evening to say our goodbyes to the old set as rain lashed the greasy pavements and made headlamp and taillight puddles shimmer as cars hissed by.

Martin from the Corrie Tour lit up the entrance with the warmest of welcomes, and it wasn’t long before we found ourselves gathered in the ‘actors only’ room where Corrie stalwarts, past and present, passed their spare time. Not just haunted by their pigeon hole names on this occasion, a number had since autographed the wall.

We were joined by the wonderful Jonny Grimshaw, Coronation Street extra and tour guide extraordinaire, and having him accompany us around the set for such a special visit was the icing on our Corrie cake. He was ably assisted by fellow guide David Owen who was also very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and they made for an entertaining duo.

As we were on a VIP tour, we had full access to the indoor sets, and didn't let the opportunity go to waste. Lolling on Carla's sofa, climbing the Platt's stairs to nowhere, stroking Jack's stuffed pigeon and leafing through copies of Hiya magazine were just some of the advantages, and taking photos for posterity was another bonus.

One of the highlights was having a glass of prosecco and raising a toast in the Rovers as well as gliding through the beads from the back of The Kabin to take up residence behind the counter. This latter set was a welcome surprise as it wasn’t there the last time I visited, and as there wasn’t a tour coming directly behind us, we had plenty of time to take it all in, and that included the street.

As the doors opened, and we beheld this view for the last time, it really was quite something. On my previous visits, it had been day time, but it was pitch dark now and the slick cobbles spotted with puddles sparkled with the reflection of fairylights and cosy windows from the homes we know so well. It had miraculously stopped raining, and all was still and quiet with the exception of Christmas music which wafted through the night like steam from hot mince pies.

As I stopped outside what was the Duckworth’s, Bing Crosby's voice filled the air with the words “I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams” and I found I had a lump in my throat for all it signified.

One of my fellow bloggers remarked that it was as if everyone was home for the evening, tucked up inside as we walked the street, and it very much felt like this. These quiet moments when we had the cobbles to ourselves were magical, and I’ll always treasure that memory; indeed, the street never felt more real. 

As we tiptoed down the ginnel, bathed with the gold of the streetlights, we heard past scenes and voices ring out all around us. Our blogger Stevie Dawson captured my husband and I in this moment in a photo I'll now always treasure. Having strolled the length and breadth of the street, a number of us paused at the railings of what was the Medical Centre to take it all in and talk about how truly remarkable a thing it was and how hard it is to believe that soon, it will be no more.

When the time came to leave, we walked the length of the street together, turning in front of the bistro to look back at it for one final time, pausing to take it all in, soaking up every detail and immortalising it, and everything associated with it, in our minds.

It’s funny how the end of something, while instilled with a heavy finality, can at the same time feel as if it is never more alive than at that moment before it disappears forever. While each visit had magical memories for different reasons, the street never looked more beautiful to me than on that night, and I’ll never forget it.

We spent the rest of our evening chatting, laughing and sharing stories in the Old Grapes, a pub once owned by Liz Dawn, followed by our much anticipated meal in Annies. Jennie McAlpine was on hand to welcome us to her restaurant and proved to be an excellent host.

While we may have been there to say farewell to an important piece of history which holds such a special place in our hearts, the relationships we have forged because of this brilliant blog should assure writers and readers alike that the past will not be forgotten. It is for this reason, and many more, that I'm both proud and privileged to be a part of it.

By Emma Hynes

www.emmahynes.wordpress.com

Twitter: @ELHynes

Coronation Street The Tour ends on 31 December 2015 to make way for redevelopment of the site. Find out about ticket availability here.

Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.

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Zeedan to burst soap bubble?

It was interesting, but not surprising, to hear Zeedan express a wish to move on from the gym on Friday’s Corrie, when we promptly saw the managerial mantle pass to Gary.

Zeedan has fast become one of my favourite characters on the street at the moment. His development from a sullen, almost disdainful young man, into an intelligent, considerate, capable, respectful and responsible individual provides us with a great role model and an interesting character who is infinitely watchable thanks to the talents of Qasim Akhtar.

Like all of us, Zeedan is not perfect, and his momentary lapses ensure his complexity. Look no further than his attempt to vandalise Barlow's Buys on finding out Tracy started the fire which killed his father, and his altercation with Jason when the news broke that he had slept with Alya. The important thing about both instances was that he could be reasoned with and talked out of doing any damage.

The finest example of his positive traits, which far outweigh any negative ones, can be found in the support he continues to offer Leanne and his investment in Simon. In addition, his desire to honour his father’s memory by doing sterling work at the gym, and the manner in which he didn’t allow his initial anger at and disappointment in Alya to prevent him from comforting her, offering his support, and reassessing his initial perceptions of what she had done, showed great strength of character.

The question now is, where does Zeedan go from here?

My personal hope is that he honours his potential while remaining on the street. This would involve him breaking the mould and working or studying elsewhere, but returning home in the evenings and/or weekends. 

To be honest, I can’t understand why this isn’t the case for more characters. I know the various businesses need people behind their counters, but we did have a rare instance where Deirdre worked for the Council, and to my recollection, we never saw any scenes filmed there. Nor was the drama the poorer for it; we barely noticed. If anything, talk of somewhere ‘untelevised’ enhanced the realism; how many of us have any personal knowledge of the workplaces our friends and loved ones speak of, aside from their descriptions of them?

I like the fact that filming restricts itself to the street and its environs, with on-location shoots in the vast minority, but there's no reason why its characters can't temporarily inhabit other places.

The most fitting tribute to a character of Zeedan’s quality would be to see him spend his days elsewhere fulfilling his potential while at the same time enriching the street while he’s home with news of beyond its parameters, and his interactions with neighbours, friends and family. This is not to say he would be deprived of a storyline of his own; in our own lives, we find ourselves negotiating plenty of situations outside of work or university.

I think it would be a great loss to the programme if Zeedan’s desire for more meant he had to leave the street, like so many before him. In the wake of The Guardian asking why there aren’t more graduates on Corrie, and Scott’s excellent 2013 post on how young cobble-based folk attempting to better themselves do so at their peril, let Zeedan be the one who bursts this soap bubble.

By Emma Hynes
www.emmahynes.wordpress.com
Twitter: @ELHynes




Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.

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Coronation Street double episode review, Friday 27 November 2015

Debts appear to be mounting for Tyrone, with Fiz none the wiser. Considering the manner in which she often treats him, I’m not surprised he’d try to deal with it privately, even though that probably isn’t the best idea. As the battle mounts between what he can afford, and what he wants to be able to, he buys an inflatable Santa for the front of the house, and makes Fiz believe it’s a gift.

The suggestion of help from Roy to inflate it is met with disdain from Tyrone and is followed by some deplorable treatment when they arrive home from the hospital to find it deflated. Sure, the money worries have him stressed, and he wants to give Hope a perfect Christmas, but none of this warranted his behaviour towards someone who has been consistently good to him and, as street residents go, is one of the very best. Nor was it typical of Tyrone, even in the worst of circumstances, to behave in such a fashion.

Cathy continues to be Roy’s champion, and not in the aggressive way some are on t’cobbles when it comes to defending their other halves. She is delicate and subtle, yet solid. Nor does she dismiss the offender, encouraging an awkward Tyrone to stay and chat with Roy over a brew. Her reaction is similar to Roy’s in that he forgives, and remains concerned about Tyrone despite his poor behaviour. Roy feels there might be more to the aggression than meets the eye, however, and guesses it might be money. Calling to their house, Roy tactfully and sensitively offers Tyrone financial assistance, but his pride won’t allow him to take it, and after Roy leaves hoping he hasn’t embarrassed him, Tyrone dials a loan company.

If you put his refusal to take help down to anything, it must be the manner in which he’s regularly emasculated by those around him, including his own partner. It follows that his inability to stand up to those he should sees him assert himself with one he shouldn’t. I feel the real Tyrone, finding himself in the circumstances he’s in, would swallow his pride, and take Roy's assistance; after all, the consequences for his family of not doing so are too great.

Things go from bad to worse for Steph as she begins receiving messages from friends who have seen the pictures Jamie disseminated online, and her parents find out. As she cries in the Bistro kitchen, Leanne shares her own stories of humiliation, offering words of encouragement about how she can deal with it.

Meanwhile Luke and Andy are roughing Jamie up at his local and revealing his true colours in front of a potential next victim who tips a pint over his head before storming out. As they leave, Steph, Leanne and the police conveniently converge, and Jamie is arrested.

While this was an interesting and important subject to tackle, I’ve not really enjoyed this storyline, namely because of the manner in which it has played out. From the start it has struck me as an issue seeking a plot.

In any event, I found it questionable that, following Jamie’s arrest and Andy’s suggestion of a weekend away, Steph would joke about going somewhere without internet access. I half expected to hear canned laughter followed by some comedy exit music and the credits rolling over a freeze frame. It would have been far better, and more realistic, to see Steph escorted away in tears as she prepares for a period ahead of coping and coming to terms with it all, but thankfully surrounded by those prepared to support her through it. Instead, I fear we will see her back to normal by Monday, breezing around the Bistro in the refreshing way she normally does. I do, however, look forward to many more stories involving the brilliant Steph.

I love how Jonathan Harvey writes for Mary, and she looked positively glowing as she enjoyed a drink with Brendan in the Rovers. She’s overjoyed to be asked to accompany him to a convention; that is until he rather slyly drops the bombshell that he’s married. Patti Clare’s performance was second to none as Mary’s heart broke in her eyes, and she fled to the bathroom. Her dignity in the face of being so cruelly deceived spoke volumes as to her character and showed Mary at her best.

It’s a shame that Norris and Rita have incessantly sneered at her new found joy, and in the aftermath of Brendan’s revelation, Dev proves himself to be a better friend than either of them. There was thankfully nothing patronising about the scene in which he respectfully offered her kindness and a shoulder to cry on if needed without embarrassing her by putting words on it.

I think I was as disappointed as Mary to learn Brendan was married; not so much because I thought they were well paired, but because I feel it high time that Mary had some joy and a storyline that brings out the best in her. I hope she’s whisked off her feet by someone better deserving as she picks herself up from this inexplicable disappointment.

Meanwhile Simon has been to counselling but Leanne tells Robert and Eva that he remained silent throughout. I do love Eva, but it’s as if her funny laugh and often inappropriately timed gags have become 'a thing' now, and I’d find it regrettable if she was to slide into the 'comedy Gail' category. She’s better than that; and so is Gail.

Over at the gym, Sharif still has reservations about Gary, but Zeedan encourages his grandfather to give him a chance, reminding him that it was Alya, not Gary, that compromised their relationship, and telling him that he no longer wants to work there himself. While Sharif accepts his grandson’s desire to move on, what really seems to resonate is Zeedan’s talk of Gary's connection to Kal through the army.

Bolstered by Gary’s discovery and eviction of a gym goer on steroids, and without taking any time to think about the situation, Sharif promptly offers him the job of manager, and Zeedan tosses his badge in his direction. Failing to think has Sharif in a situation where he has offered an irrevocable contract to someone he has doubts about, and so I thought he might at least sleep on this latest decision. In any event, I look forward to seeing what lies ahead for Zeedan as he departs the gym. I have high hopes for one that has fast become one of my favourite characters to watch.

By Emma Hynes

www.emmahynes.wordpress.com

Twitter: @ELHynes

Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.

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Why I'm a big fan of Zeedan

I freely admit it, one member of the Nazir family has grown on me more than all the rest. I have developed a massive soft spot for Zeedan. Before I go on any further, I do admit that this is in part down to the fact he's a fine looking, strapping young man but it goes far beyond that.

At first I really disliked the character. He was sullen, difficult and annoying. Of course that was what the writers were going for and both they and Qasim Akhtar succeeded. He was the last member of the Nazirs to arrive on screen and Corrie has a history of family units arriving en masse and not fitting in. Although the Nazir family have a long way to go before they become part of the Corrie furniture, I hope they do stay around for the foreseeable.

Zeedan was obviously a troubled young man, mainly due to his father's choice of career in the army and the death of his mother. This caused most of the conflict with Kal's new girlfriend Leanne, who's shady past really didn't help matters. I admit I became a bit bored of all the hate flying around in this storyline as sadly we never had the time to drill down into the dynamics of the father son relationship. I did wonder about the longterm future of Zeedan if that was how he was going to be however things have fortunately changed for the better.

I know soap characters frequently have personality transplants and the whole thing is completely unbelievable but in Zeedan's case I think it has been a gradual, sympathetic process that has worked well. The death of his father has obviously affected him profoundly and this has made him a much more palatable character. I've started to really enjoy his appearances and hope we see a lot more of him. He has taken on his father's job at the gym out of respect and is obviously really loyal to his family.

What I really like though, is the thawing of the relationship with Leanne. He has promised to look out for her and the scenes with both Leanne and Simon have been very natural and well played. We knew Zeedan would be the first to discover Leanne's abuse at the hands of Simon and the scenes in Friday's episodes were terrific. I hope Zeedan and Leanne continue to bond, but please writers do not put them together romantically! Let's have a platonic friendship between a man and a woman for a change. It does happen!

Qasim Akhtar is proving himself to be a great addition to the Coronation Street cast. He is doing an excellent job as Zeedan and I hope we see him in many more storylines in the months and years ahead. 

You can follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82 


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The Corrie Roller-Coaster

The Coronation Street juggernaut powers on. This year we've had fires, destruction, deaths galore. The usual secrets and lies, extra episodes dropped in without so much as a warning, precious little Rita, far too much Platt and the campest villain known to man. 

Watching Corrie these days is a roller-coaster in quality control. Most of the time one scene featuring Eileen Derbyshire being majestic in The Kabin or the Community Centre is enough to wipe out the glaring holes created during the Jenny Bradley kidnap drama. I don't know why, but it's just very up and down these days. It's been a joy to see Beverley Callard take centre stage as Liz, the best Rovers Landlady we've had in eons. It's been much less pleasurable to see forty odd years of Helen Worth's hard work dribble away as Gail becomes a permanent twittery waste of space.

Alison King can do no wrong as Carla, but her recent storyline seeing Mrs Connor's descent into self pity and gambling addiction just hasn't worked. Neither has her newfound lust for Gail's oldest off-spring and the fruit of Brian's loins, the whimpering Nicholas T. These two briefly worked together when the Nick with this face joined five or so years ago. At the time people wondered if they'd stick them together and thankfully they didn't. So why now? Have the storyliners run out of options? As the only two residents of the posh flats, can they only mix with fellow characters with balcony and fancy window shutters? 

Also added to the mix is the arrival of yet another Connor nobody has ever mentioned before but everyone knows so well it's as if they only saw him last week. I was prepared to hate Aidan on sight. This was partly down to the casting, following as it did hot on the heels of Sarah Harding's brief stint. More importantly it just felt like the latest in a long line of flashy businessmen in nasty suits, driving shiny motors and ramming their male selves into the back office at Underworld. We've had Paul Connor, Liam Connor, Luke Strong, Tony Gordon...blah, blah, blah. Nobody has come close to equal the sublime Baldwin years as far as I'm concerned.

Anyway, despite my worries, I've actually taken to Aidan Connor. I know it's early days but I rather like the character, I like his dynamic with Carla and I'm quite impressed with Shayne Ward's acting. It also helps that he's fairly easy on the eye. I guess time will tell but it's showing promise.

Sadly, I'm still struggling with another newcomer to the cobbles. I know our wonderful editor Flaming Nora is loving the Roy and Cathy story but it's just not clicking for me. I don't even think it's anything to do with Hayley or the memory of Roy and Hayley together. I just don't think the characters work. Melanie Hill is an excellent actress with a strong career but somehow Cathy Matthews is just leaving me cold. I don't care enough.

Unfortunately the Platt family are going to dominate the September live episode. Well, it makes sense given that they've dominated the entire year. I don't mind the individual members of the Platt family, it's just when they move as a pack I get concerned. We've had so many family meetings, threats from Callum and dewey moments when Gail has said the worst is over. You'd think the woman would learn by now. It's become so tedious I just wish Callum, Gemma and Max would be spirited away somewhere t'other side of the Pennines.

I loathe Callum. He's a laughable character, played in a bizarre fashion. All the stuff with Sarah was dire. I also loathe Gemma although I know she has her fans. I sincerely hope whatever happens to Callum happens to her too as I don't want her as a long-term Rovers regular. Weirdly, Bethany has grown on me. Putting the stroppy eye-rolling aside, the character has come on of late and is actually the best of the Platt bunch at the moment. I may live to eat my words...

I've also found myself sighing a lot whenever Fiz and Tyrone appear on screen together. Ok, they will never be as beige as Sinead and Chesney (a traditional old before their time Corrie couple), but since they settled into domestic bliss they've become irritating and smug. Tyrone I'll always love but Fiz has morphed into a character I love to hate. She's become domineering, self-righteous and over-bearing. Vera Duckworth could be all of these things but we always forgave her. I struggle with the forgiveness when it comes to Fiz. 

I live in hope that Audrey and Rita may emerge from the Corrie Cupboard soon, all Deansgate frocks and scarves, freshly coiffed and ready to camp. Whatever the writers do, please DO NOT put Aud with Kenneth Barlow. The return of the glorious Jenny Bradley must surely mean more screen time for Barbara Knox as Rita. She's been noticeably absent this year and there is so much they could do with these two wonderful Weatherfield women.

Apart from that I hope Lloyd leaves Andrea-free, Craig's lovely girlfriend pays him a visit, Anna takes Faye on a long trip...somewhere else, Kevin shaves off his scraggly beard, Gary finds someone better than that Alya (me), Steph and Luke get a proper storyline as siblings and Zeedan finds himself in an episode where all his shirts are in the wash (hint).

You can follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82 


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Coronation Street double episode review, Friday 28 August 2015

Aidan: “It’ll take some getting used to working with a load of women. The banter’s different.”

Michelle: “Hm. It’s called intelligent conversation that babes.”

Steve: “Yeah, I often have chats about renaissance art with Beth Tinker.”

And so begins Friday’s double Corrie. Written by Chris Fewtrell, they continue in this vein, and are a treat for anyone who appreciates the joy of well woven storytelling and beautifully crafted dialogue.

“You are a prisoner of other people’s aesthetic prejudices” Mary informs Eileen, whose only experience of painting has involved a skirting board. Her pushy recruitment tactics nevertheless see the community centre filled with budding artists in anticipation of Cathy’s class. It’s always welcome to have a character representing the viewer, and Cathy’s reaction to both Mary and Yasmeen’s overbearing theatricality endears her even  more.

Tim’s playfulness, Craig’s artistic integrity and Roy’s assertion that “This is the land of Lowry” are small but wonderful details that add to the rich palette of the episode. All this provides the backdrop for Cathy regaining her lost confidence and faith in her abilities and crediting Roy with being the catalyst. In what is a touching scene between the pair, he tells her, “The worst has already happened to you and me, nothing that comes now will ever compare, so in a peculiar sort of way, that’s liberating.”

The class subject, a bunch of flowers, sees varied interpretations. Mary’s painting of the grim reaper “proferring a bunch of nettles” is glorious as she explains to a bewildered Cathy, “for me, cut flowers are synonymous with death and also betrayal. They’re a time honoured pathetic male gesture made in the wake of some act of infidelity, negligence or cruelty. The nettles therefore represent the hidden sting that lurks beneath every bouquet.” Magnificent.

As they depart, and Tim is reminded he was supposed to cut the grass for Sally, he asks Cathy’s permission to take the flowers with him; a marvellous validation of both Mary’s assertions and the intricacies of Chris Fewtrell’s fine storytelling. I was just as happy as Yasmeen to hear Cathy will be giving more classes.

Aidan is far from happy with Carla’s attitude towards the business. First, she refuses to attend another important meeting with him, and then he realises she’s lost another £500 to online gambling. They make up, but not without a firm telling off and a request that she allow those who care for her to help her. An increasingly burdened Tracy agrees, albeit reluctantly, to lend her support to Maddie’s charity night at the Bistro, and you'd wonder if her wish for Carla to move on from what was an accident speaks to her own desire to eradicate it from memory. Carla overhears and admits that she does blame herself for the deaths of Maddie and Kal, and always will.

Liz has spent the night with Lloyd, and her shifty behaviour leads Michelle to suspect that she’s hiding someone upstairs. Thinking it’s Tony, Steve calls Lloyd for back up only to hear his phone ringing as he sneaks down the stairs. The following scenes are comedy gold, and result in Steve giving the couple his reluctant, and comically unnecessary, blessing.

Unwilling Lloyd is cajoled by Steve into bringing her on a date, and despite confessing to Dev that he doesn’t want a relationship with Liz, both jaws hit the floor when she arrives out from behind the bar dressed to impress. However, as they are about to leave for the Bistro, Andrea arrives with a full on apology and the record she stole and sold. She begs him for another chance, but it’s too late for Lloyd who can’t trust her again. After he admits he slept with Liz, Andrea ends up crying in Eileen’s face on Maxine’s bench with zero regard for what she’s going through. Lovely.

Once Tony learns from Jason that Callum was responsible for his beating, he turns full alpha-male and returns the favour in the ginnel behind the Rovers. David Platt’s cheeky grin complete with protruding lollipop is hilarious. After a protracted tête-à-tête in which bloodied Callum wheezes and Tony exerts brute force, Liz interrupts, and convinces Tony that this isn’t the way. After Callum scuttles away shouting that Tony has made a big mistake, Liz counsels him. “You can still be a good father to him, but not like this” she says, but Tony is concerned that this is the only way he knows how and it’s all he can do for his son.

Todd is shocked to hear that Jason might need a kidney transplant and goes to the hospital to offer his. He cries tears of relief for his brother on learning that it won’t be needed, and he’ll make a full recovery. Eileen overhears, and asks him to stay, acknowledging that what he did took guts.

Todd is humble throughout, telling her “Some people don’t know me as well as they think they do, and some know me too well. I’m sorry about what I did. I know it makes no odds, I know you won’t believe me, but I am”. Eileen suggests that they try again and this reduces him to tears of gratitude. She hopes he doesn’t expect forgiveness, but he is nevertheless happy to be given this chance. For me, this absolutely has to constitute Todd’s final and complete redemption. If not, then we are left with a pantomime villain who does a disservice to the character’s potential. There is a role for him on the street as a good person who, at the very least, can enrich episodes with his wry slant on proceedings and witty asides.

Chris Fewtrell's double episode was a work of art in its own right and, as ever, I look forward to his next installment.

By Emma Hynes
www.emmahynes.wordpress.com
Twitter: @ELHynes

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Coronation Street double episode review, Friday 21 August 2015

Norris Cole is more likely to keep his nose out of a juicy indiscretion than I am to arrive at Saturday not having seen any episodes of Coronation Street in a given week. Nevertheless, today was one of those rarest of occasions where I watched all episodes (in this case six) in one go. So, without further ado, as I pack up my tent, and find myself reeling from Jason’s attack, I give you my review of Friday’s Corrie.

With Jason hospital ridden and in a coma, and both doctors and family fearing the worst, it is heartening, while rather sad, to see Eileen and Tony unite over their son in such dreadful circumstances. As if it wasn’t hard enough to learn of your brother’s assault from the police rather than your own mother, Todd arrives at the hospital in time to hear Eileen tell Tony that he used to be her favourite, and how she was blind to the fact that it was Jason who had been the better son all along. Bruno Langley’s tears in those moments are really effecting, and together with those of Sue Cleaver and Terence Maynard, proved the hallmark of the consistently quality performances we have come to expect from all three.

While Eileen reacts with relief and gratitude at the news that the swelling on Jason’s brain is going down, meaning he doesn’t require another operation, Tony is angry and frustrated that he can’t be woken up to reveal who attacked him. He shoulders guilt for not being there for his son as a child, and failing to protect him now. Hell bent on revenge, but with no means of exacting it, he broods over a whiskey at the Rovers; and nobody broods quite like Tony, do they.

Meanwhile Max is out of sorts having seen Jason's beating, but unwilling reveal why. He takes to throwing out everything Callum has given him, including the toy he sleeps with and his baseball cap. Kylie and David notice this and are further perplexed when Max sees him in the street and begs them to keep him away from him. Callum is as stunned as David and Kylie as to why this might be.

There is a lovely scene where, following a football game in the garden, David and Kylie try to get him to talk, even if it’s to no avail. Finally, on hearing about the seriousness of Jason’s injuries, Max asks Kylie if he’s going to die before confessing to seeing Callum kicking him. What a little actor Harry McDermott is. His scenes are performed with professionalism and imbued with experience beyond his years, and I really enjoy David, Kylie and Max as a unit.

The Grimshaw’s weren’t the only family to take a trip to hospital as Beth’s rash is of enough concern for hardened mountainy-man Dougie to suggest a visit. While there, Hope is also given a once over at the recommendation of the worried receptionist. Diagnosed with anaemia, Fiz and Tyrone are to take her to the GP when they get home.

This departure from camp allows Craig and Caitlin to bond further over their love of art. She reveals how her Dad wishes for her to go on to study something practical instead, and Craig insists she follow her heart. They enjoy a kiss, but it’s not long before Dougie catches them. His initial fury dissipates when his daughter reveals that he hasn’t been as fun to be around of late and he becomes regretful over the revelation. It was merely a little vignette, but added a nice dimension to the comedy driven ‘man’s man’ character executed with aplomb by Paddy McGuinness.

Love is in the air elsewhere at Victoria Court. There’s not a Christmas morning that could compare for Nick as he finally wakes up with Carla. He’s rather deflated, however, to learn that she still fully intends going away and sees himself and Erica continuing as they are despite the fact that he won’t have come home that night which surely won’t go down well. The second problem is promptly sorted when Erica breaks up with him, and Roy puts paid to the first problem by encouraging Carla to stick around.

There is of course the smalls matter of the sale of Underworld (typo entirely deliberate, apologies etc.) To Sally's and Alya’s offer is added a third courtesy of old friend Aidan Connor. Contacted by Michelle with Nick’s assistance, he arrives into the factory expressing an interest in buying a share. Gathering all three prospective owners in the Bistro, Carla announces her change of heart to varying reactions. Alya storms out, Aidan grins, and Sally admirably displays a rather hearty stoicism as she accepts both her fate, and her old job back. There could still be a deal in it for Aidan once he sees three years worth of books, and Nick is quickly forgiven for his well meaning meddling.

It proved a strong debut for Shayne Ward. As I’ve said before, I consider him well suited as a member of the Connor clan, and it looks as if we might now safely tick the final box on the strength of his promising performance tonight.

By Emma Hynes
Twitter: @ELHynes
www.emmahynes.wordpress.com

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