Save our Street... The ironic decline of Coronation Street
AuntieSoap
Posts: 2,074 Forum Member
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Haven't posted in ages, but really feel the need to post now.
The last few years I have been very vocal in my criticism of the decline of EastEnders. No one can deny that the show hit the floor and became a wreck of it's former self. Finally the BBC took action and the show has rebounded in an extraordinary way with strong writing and dynamic new characters at the forefront. It's not perfect but the show is on the up brimming with ideas and fascinating characterisation.
In the autumn of 2012 it became clear that all was not well over on Coronation Street. The 50th Anniversary episodes were a high point for fans but they merely papered over the cracks that have since become gapingly obvious.
The slide has not been as quick and pernicious as on EastEnders, but The Street is now in it's weakest position since the early 1970s and is in real danger of going into a long, slow decline that will ultimately be terminal. Coronation Street has lost it's way. The irony that the show is now being filmed on a brand new high-tech set cannot be ignored. Just as it should be brimming with new energy, instead it is caught in a bubble that is stifling it from within. A mix of nostalgia and a lack of ideas.
Just 10 years ago the show was full with energy, strong storylines, gentle character comedy and a great mix of new and classic characters. Legendary characters such as Jack and Vera Duckworth, Mike Baldwin, Blanche Hunt, Ken and Deirdre Barlow, Rita Sullivan, Fred Elliot and Audrey Roberts gave the show gravitas and continuity alongside more recent and popular characters including Roy and Haley Cropper, Les and Janice Battersby, Danny and Frankie Baldwin, Eileen Grimshaw, Karen McDonald, Shelly Unwin and many more. Some more popular and significant than others, but all had a significance and a place on the show. Coronation Street, on the back of the phenomenally successful Richard Hillman saga was thriving and dynamic.
Ten years down the line the show has lost most of those classic characters, most having being killed off, meanwhile many of the newer characters in 2004 have moved on and hardly any of the classic or newer characters have been well replaced. The women of the Street have always been it's backbone, but of the three really memorable ladies introduced between 2000 and 2010 only one remains; Karen McDonald and Becky McDonald have been and gone while only Carla Barlow remains. In fact, in my opinion, since the introduction of Becky in 2006 the show has failed to throw up a single classic character. That is by far the longest time in it's history that there have been no all-time favourite characters added. Given that during this time many of the show stalwarts left the show, or died, we are now left with a Street packed with dull characters, a few with unexplored with potential but far too many caught on a treadmill of affairs and murder. Bolshy women screaming at weak and feckless men with no dynamism or panache. The portrayal of the rekindled relationship between Steve and Michelle has been painful and is a perfect example of producers completely out of step with the viewers. Steve is a firm favourite, Michelle never will be.
The most recent Coronation Street 'event' week has laid bare the complete lack of creativity in the show. In disposing of Tina, a character who never matched viewer popularity with the press interest in the actress, we have been given yet another affair and yet another murderer. In fact since the original boogeyman of the 2000s Richard Hillman's reign of terror we have had Tony Gordon, John Stape, Karl Munro and now Rob Donovan embarking on dark murderous reigns. It's formulaic right down to the death/ justice that will inevitably follow a 'shocking' reveal. We've been here too often. It's crass now. it's repetitive and damn boring.
But much worse that the complete lack of originality with their "big story-lines" is the complete lack of any memorable new characters. Phil Collinson was rightly praised for his handling of the 50th Anniversary, but his castings have been a disaster especially the highly trumped Stella, Karl and Gloria who were planted in the Rovers with the most callous coarseness imaginable. Michelle Collins was cast in a terrible move and viewers were literally instructed to love her. That's not how Coronation Street icons work. They never have and the character flopped only to be disposed of by the following producer. Her time at the Rovers relegated to a mere footnote. Worse still Liz McDonald, a character with mileage still left was brought back to replace her but she has no purpose. Will the impending return of Jim McDonald change that? I'm not confident that it will!
The casting of Sue Johnston and Stephanie Cole were equally fraught. Fantastic actresses in their own right and with established careers they were never going to stay long term. While Cole did create a memorable character her departure was abrupt and disappointing, while Sue Johnston's character was a let-down from day one. Poorly written and with something wrong in the characterisation she sealed Stella's fate. First Price and clan were banished to the Bistro before being dumped completely in a quiet and pitifully cynical manner.
More worryingly the fabric of the show has changed. The beauty of Coronation Street used to be that it deftly rendered the public and private personas of it's characters in both public and private spaces. With the introduction of the Bistro in addition to the Rovers, Roys Rolls, the corner shop, the factory, the salon and lately the awful gym we are getting few scenes of characters in their natural home environment, instead they are interacting mostly in these public spaces. Scenes that do occur in private are generally exposition and used as set up for confrontations in the public spaces. The show is literally crammed with bolshy and gobby characters that only interact in conflict. These domestic character scenes were always vital to the show. Annie, Bet and Betty in the back-room of the Rovers... Elsie Tanner in her living-room, Jack and Vera arguing over minced meat and mash. The current couple living in no 9, Tyrone and Fiz have no dynamic as a couple. We were merely told they were a couple and the plots have been ramped up since. They have never been defined as a unit. We've never seen them at home except when plot requires it. It doesn't work. I have no investment in them or sense of them as a couple.
There is some light in Weatherfield, Eva, Sinead and Steph are characters with great possibilities, but nothing has transpired on screen yet that could make them all-time greats. But the basics are there.
Coronation Street has not yet suffered the embarrassing collapse EastEnders did, but at least that made the BBC take action. Suddenly they have created an interesting and dynamic new family at the heart of the show, have a committed producer and are returning to their roots. The Carters have been expertly introduced and lots of plots are gently simmering as they bed down the characters as well as weaving them into the fabric of the established show. They did everything Coronation Street failed to do with Stella Price and co.
I don't want to start lists of who should be axed, there are so many of those already, but how about looking at positive ways the production, casting and writing could rejuvenate the Street.
I'd start by saying they should permanently bring back Helen Fraser as Doris Babbage. Make her the new owner of Nick's bistro and create plenty of tension between her and Liz McDonald at the Rovers. I'd bring back Sue Devaney as Debbie Webster and set her up with a family at No. 13. Put her and Sally at loggerheads with Kevin in the middle. I would bring back Kirsty Soames, the most convincing Corrie baddy since Alan Bradley, and give her a very long, slow burning character arc that could finally create the sense of unity between Fiz and Tyrone, but rather than turning her into a cardboard baddie I would develop the causes of her problems and propel the characters towards and unavoidable tragedy. I would introduce Beth's parents and focus on redefining all the characters and their domesticity.
Immediately I would put a 5 year ban on affairs and a 10 year ban on murderous characters.
Ironically Coronation Street is on its most technically advanced set ever, of which we've barely seen a glimpse of the possibility, but in all the planning the producers have forgotten to bring the heart of the programme with them. They need to discover it again and mind it. It's precious and if it really dies it will be gone forever. Coronation Street may be in permanent decline.
The last few years I have been very vocal in my criticism of the decline of EastEnders. No one can deny that the show hit the floor and became a wreck of it's former self. Finally the BBC took action and the show has rebounded in an extraordinary way with strong writing and dynamic new characters at the forefront. It's not perfect but the show is on the up brimming with ideas and fascinating characterisation.
In the autumn of 2012 it became clear that all was not well over on Coronation Street. The 50th Anniversary episodes were a high point for fans but they merely papered over the cracks that have since become gapingly obvious.
The slide has not been as quick and pernicious as on EastEnders, but The Street is now in it's weakest position since the early 1970s and is in real danger of going into a long, slow decline that will ultimately be terminal. Coronation Street has lost it's way. The irony that the show is now being filmed on a brand new high-tech set cannot be ignored. Just as it should be brimming with new energy, instead it is caught in a bubble that is stifling it from within. A mix of nostalgia and a lack of ideas.
Just 10 years ago the show was full with energy, strong storylines, gentle character comedy and a great mix of new and classic characters. Legendary characters such as Jack and Vera Duckworth, Mike Baldwin, Blanche Hunt, Ken and Deirdre Barlow, Rita Sullivan, Fred Elliot and Audrey Roberts gave the show gravitas and continuity alongside more recent and popular characters including Roy and Haley Cropper, Les and Janice Battersby, Danny and Frankie Baldwin, Eileen Grimshaw, Karen McDonald, Shelly Unwin and many more. Some more popular and significant than others, but all had a significance and a place on the show. Coronation Street, on the back of the phenomenally successful Richard Hillman saga was thriving and dynamic.
Ten years down the line the show has lost most of those classic characters, most having being killed off, meanwhile many of the newer characters in 2004 have moved on and hardly any of the classic or newer characters have been well replaced. The women of the Street have always been it's backbone, but of the three really memorable ladies introduced between 2000 and 2010 only one remains; Karen McDonald and Becky McDonald have been and gone while only Carla Barlow remains. In fact, in my opinion, since the introduction of Becky in 2006 the show has failed to throw up a single classic character. That is by far the longest time in it's history that there have been no all-time favourite characters added. Given that during this time many of the show stalwarts left the show, or died, we are now left with a Street packed with dull characters, a few with unexplored with potential but far too many caught on a treadmill of affairs and murder. Bolshy women screaming at weak and feckless men with no dynamism or panache. The portrayal of the rekindled relationship between Steve and Michelle has been painful and is a perfect example of producers completely out of step with the viewers. Steve is a firm favourite, Michelle never will be.
The most recent Coronation Street 'event' week has laid bare the complete lack of creativity in the show. In disposing of Tina, a character who never matched viewer popularity with the press interest in the actress, we have been given yet another affair and yet another murderer. In fact since the original boogeyman of the 2000s Richard Hillman's reign of terror we have had Tony Gordon, John Stape, Karl Munro and now Rob Donovan embarking on dark murderous reigns. It's formulaic right down to the death/ justice that will inevitably follow a 'shocking' reveal. We've been here too often. It's crass now. it's repetitive and damn boring.
But much worse that the complete lack of originality with their "big story-lines" is the complete lack of any memorable new characters. Phil Collinson was rightly praised for his handling of the 50th Anniversary, but his castings have been a disaster especially the highly trumped Stella, Karl and Gloria who were planted in the Rovers with the most callous coarseness imaginable. Michelle Collins was cast in a terrible move and viewers were literally instructed to love her. That's not how Coronation Street icons work. They never have and the character flopped only to be disposed of by the following producer. Her time at the Rovers relegated to a mere footnote. Worse still Liz McDonald, a character with mileage still left was brought back to replace her but she has no purpose. Will the impending return of Jim McDonald change that? I'm not confident that it will!
The casting of Sue Johnston and Stephanie Cole were equally fraught. Fantastic actresses in their own right and with established careers they were never going to stay long term. While Cole did create a memorable character her departure was abrupt and disappointing, while Sue Johnston's character was a let-down from day one. Poorly written and with something wrong in the characterisation she sealed Stella's fate. First Price and clan were banished to the Bistro before being dumped completely in a quiet and pitifully cynical manner.
More worryingly the fabric of the show has changed. The beauty of Coronation Street used to be that it deftly rendered the public and private personas of it's characters in both public and private spaces. With the introduction of the Bistro in addition to the Rovers, Roys Rolls, the corner shop, the factory, the salon and lately the awful gym we are getting few scenes of characters in their natural home environment, instead they are interacting mostly in these public spaces. Scenes that do occur in private are generally exposition and used as set up for confrontations in the public spaces. The show is literally crammed with bolshy and gobby characters that only interact in conflict. These domestic character scenes were always vital to the show. Annie, Bet and Betty in the back-room of the Rovers... Elsie Tanner in her living-room, Jack and Vera arguing over minced meat and mash. The current couple living in no 9, Tyrone and Fiz have no dynamic as a couple. We were merely told they were a couple and the plots have been ramped up since. They have never been defined as a unit. We've never seen them at home except when plot requires it. It doesn't work. I have no investment in them or sense of them as a couple.
There is some light in Weatherfield, Eva, Sinead and Steph are characters with great possibilities, but nothing has transpired on screen yet that could make them all-time greats. But the basics are there.
Coronation Street has not yet suffered the embarrassing collapse EastEnders did, but at least that made the BBC take action. Suddenly they have created an interesting and dynamic new family at the heart of the show, have a committed producer and are returning to their roots. The Carters have been expertly introduced and lots of plots are gently simmering as they bed down the characters as well as weaving them into the fabric of the established show. They did everything Coronation Street failed to do with Stella Price and co.
I don't want to start lists of who should be axed, there are so many of those already, but how about looking at positive ways the production, casting and writing could rejuvenate the Street.
I'd start by saying they should permanently bring back Helen Fraser as Doris Babbage. Make her the new owner of Nick's bistro and create plenty of tension between her and Liz McDonald at the Rovers. I'd bring back Sue Devaney as Debbie Webster and set her up with a family at No. 13. Put her and Sally at loggerheads with Kevin in the middle. I would bring back Kirsty Soames, the most convincing Corrie baddy since Alan Bradley, and give her a very long, slow burning character arc that could finally create the sense of unity between Fiz and Tyrone, but rather than turning her into a cardboard baddie I would develop the causes of her problems and propel the characters towards and unavoidable tragedy. I would introduce Beth's parents and focus on redefining all the characters and their domesticity.
Immediately I would put a 5 year ban on affairs and a 10 year ban on murderous characters.
Ironically Coronation Street is on its most technically advanced set ever, of which we've barely seen a glimpse of the possibility, but in all the planning the producers have forgotten to bring the heart of the programme with them. They need to discover it again and mind it. It's precious and if it really dies it will be gone forever. Coronation Street may be in permanent decline.
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Comments
I adore The Street and it's in dire need of an overhaul and a back to basics approach.
Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks.
For me, the signs really started to hit in the Summer last year. The race row story completely misjudged the viewer's interest and ended with every single character involved in the story looking and acting like a bit of a prat. Then we had the two of the biggest stories of 2013 'revealed' in an embarrassing and pathetic manner within one month of each other. By then, the decline was obvious.
Hayley's death and Tina's death have provided smoke screens for the general public to jupe them into thinking that Coronation Street is top-notch at the moment, when it's not. David Neilson and Julie Hesmondhalgh gave masterclasses on acting performances day-in-day-out - but so much of that story was ill-judged. Killing herself for the sake of a quick thrill? Unconvincing plot point after unconvincing plot point. Her death was suitably traumatic, but what then? Fiz feeling entitled and practically stalking Roy whilst he was in the pits of grief?
And then Tina's death. Most of this last week and a half has been fantastic. Last night's episodes were some of the best in a very long time. So because we got a good pay-off, we're supposed to forgive the insulting destroying of Tina's character? We're supposed to forgive the endless months of Tina and Peter's utterly unbelievable affair? We're supposed to forgive that they turned YET another male character into a killer? The similarities between Rob and Karl are already laughable. There is one shining star out of this whole sorry mess and that is Carla Barlow played by the electric Alison King. If one thing has been achieved, it is that she has easily placed herself on the list of all-time Corrie greats.
EastEnders has become my favourite soap, I won't deny it. Don't get me wrong, I've never seen a soap hit the depths of despair that EastEnders did in 2013, but it has since emerged victorious and then strength of the show are more glimmering than ever. Corrie is my old favourite, my childhood favourite, my family favourite, so for that reason I ALWAYS wish it will. I want it to be the best, I want it to give the other soaps competition - but at the moment it seems to be going from bad to bizarre to insulting to worse.
That was a great period! Chock full of classic characters and all the things you say the street is now lacking.
I don't think 1970 to 1973 can be called a great era. In fact the show's future was unsure, it wasn't until Bill Podmore took over that the show entered a classic era in the 1970s. That has been corroborated in many books on The Street
With EE the major problem last year, was the lack of plots. With Corrie it's kind of the opposite, the plots are controlling the show. The lack of every day, friendships and warmth which made Corrie special, is having a major effect on my enjoyment of the program. The best moment so far this week as Roy and Carla and his attempts to comfort her. It was so powerful and it was just two characters talking on the sofa. Not someone getting thrown of a balcony or the reveal of some dull affair.
New dynamic characters and the problems with the loss of legends are another effect. Beth has major potential, but we barely see her and Kirk at home. Sinead has potential, but is being drained by bland Ches. Steph is fun. And her brother has potential. Anna and Owen are developing into decent characters at last. Deadwood, characters lacking in depth and just plain dull characters drown the cast also, and most of them are pushed centre stage. I'd like Janice back, she had potential to be a star but was underused.
I hadn't noticed the lack of home scenes, but it's an important point. Also the lack of impact of certain work teams is evident, the mess of the Rovers crew is horrific. The factory should just close. Dev and Sophie run the shop alone? All those hours?
Friendships is my main gripe, they are either forgotten, one dimensional or lacking. Corrie has always prided itself on strong women, real life drama, comedy and friendships. And we lack all of those.
And as much as I love Carla, and Alison King, it'd be nice just to see Carla doing some normal things for awhile instead of lurching from one death drama to the next.
I don't want 70s style Coronation Street, I've never suggested that. The fact that the programme makers think that competing involves endless out of character affairs and murders proves my point. The spike in ratings last week will not last and is not large enough to justify the change in direction. 10 years ago the show mixed classic Coronation Street characters with compelling drama. It doesn't have to be one or the other.
That's a really empty headed and dismissive comment. I haven't suggested that it should dispense with narrative. Was there ever a block of six episodes on burned hotpot?
They've changed the formula which is ludicrous after 50 years!
The show will only rebound when it refocuses on it's origins and moves away from being set entirely in collective spaces and pushing characters around like pawns.
I disagree but not enough to compose a self indulgent essay.
Beth and Sinead have great potential. Id love to see them introduce more family members, give them a real home, feature Craig more and perhaps in Beth they have a truly great character.
Of course it's my opinion. I never suggested otherwise. It's posted under my username, it's opinion is implicit.
Self indulgent? You indulged your desire to leave a snide remark. Thanks
Rita has to retire from the newsagency and move in with Emily. Scenes of Rita and Emily gossiping over dinner / tea become the norm like in the old days. Spider returns to live with Emily, but soon Spider's wife who is a hippy turns up and surprises him with the news that shes having his baby in 2 months but has only 6 months to live herself. Furthermore, the commune on which Spider's girlfriend lived a large part of her life is coming to hunt down the baby as it is the chosen one.
The Rovers is sold and Norris is deeply shocked when his nephew and family are the new owners. The eldest son causes a lot of trouble in the street as he comes to terms with his diagnosis of huntington's disease and his bisexuality. The other 3 children are unique in their own way, with one being a goth who is also secretly pregnant, a cheeky chappy whos always in trouble at school, and a young Hannah Martin from Neighbours type.
Mavis returns to help out Norris in the Newsagents for a while
A big twist is revealed whe the nephew reveals to Norris hes his son
Sally is diagnosed with a tumour on her spine, she can be saved but might never walk again.
Some returnees crop up for surprise guest appearances. Sarah Lou, Martin Platt, Bet Lynch, Garry Mallet, Reg Holdsworth.
Dev is shocked when Reg Holdsworth buys up Better Buy chain and revamps the supermarket with cheap deals he finds it a struggle to compete with. The Better Buy supermarket is more prominent and characters get jobs there, customers are fun to interact with, and Reg and Dev end up wrestling in the fruit section to the amusement of other customers.
Dev and Dedrie re ignite their flames of passion in time for Ken's return. But which of Dev's ex wifes is having a breakdown and begins stalking Deadrie?
Gail wins some money on the lottery but unfortunately gets diagnosed with MS shortly afterwards. Some days she finds it hard to walk, and she loses her eyesight. David takes advantage of blind Gail by slowly making her think she is losing the plot.
A lorry crash wipes out 4 long term characters
I agree with you.
I don't think the show needs an overhaul/revamp at all. There are still many classic characters left and long serving cast. Corrie does very well keeping hold of so many.
That's not what he wrote. He wrote that the show is currently in its worst patch since the early 1970s, which also had a bad patch.
Or he can come onto a forum to discuss his opinions about a show he obviously loves.
He's posted an opinion on a forum and created a thread to spark a discussion.
That is what we are here for, to discuss.
If you can't do so and are somehow offended by the OP's comments you do not have to click into the thread, much less reply.
Posters don't need to point out everything is "their opinion" that much is blindingly obvious to anyone: We all post our opinions and discuss them.
And that's that the show is existing in a bubble that is restricting it. The EE boss said the show felt like it was stuck in the 1990s.
Corrie is the same, part of it feels as though they're still in the 1980s. The attitude they have with the smaller things, like the refusal to actually update the Rovers, remove the cladding, decorate the Duckworth's house, do something realistic with the factory shows that the show is very unwilling to move forward and reflect fully modern life.
That goes against what it originally set out to do when it started which was reflect a working class community in Manchester 1960.
It doesn't feel like a working class street in Manchester 2014. They need to stop being so sentimental (a little is fine) and bring the show kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
Never mind the "new Jack and Vera", do something new.
There are some great longstanding characters from every decade of the show, but that doesnt diminish that it's running into the ground at the moment. Are they really using any of those classic characters to their full potential right now?
I strongly disagree. I've never heard anything about the show's future being uncertain then - can you quote a source? Ratings were level from about 1966 all the way to 1980, so it wasn't in danger of the axe. I would agree that Bill Podmore's era was superior, but then his era casts a a long shadow, and he had the benefit of being in charge for a long time. In fact, the only criticism of this period I can think of is from Podmore himself, who is quite dismissive of it in his Corrie memoirs - but that's not uncommon among soap producers.
I completely agree with that. For example I think the Corner shop should be a Spar or Tesco Express.
The Rovers lack of change doesnt bother me as much as it serves the same function as it always did.
However the lack of change in the houses, particularly in No 9 is a huge mistake. They changed No 13 completely in 1987 after Hilda departed the same should be done with No 9. Tyrone and Fizz may not have much money but they would have modern functional furniture and painted walls. At the very least the exterior should be painted if not removing the cladding.
The show's gym set and Bistro set are straight out of the 90s and dont represent the sort of establishments they display well at all.
From Corriepedia
104 new episodes were broadcast in 1971. Episode 1050, on 8th February, was the highest rated episode of the year, and was seen in 8,650,000 homes. Ratings overall were slightly down on the previous year.
105 new episodes were broadcast on ITV in 1980. The ratings reached a peak with 19 million viewers with Episode 2053 on 3rd December
That's not level ratings.
I will find the exact quotes at the weekend but books by Tim Randall, Darran Little and Sean Egan all alluded to issues in Granada and with producers specifically Susi Hush, Brian Armstrong, June Howson. Bill Podmore's brief was to revitalise the show which he did in many ways leading to a golden era.
I really like some of your ideas here. They signify moving forward. I would say though that they are all plots and that is not the only issue, but I do think some of that audacious willingness to move forward is much needed
Completely unfair.
Of course it's AuntieSoap's opinion. Every single post on this entire forum is an opinion. There's nothing 'mere' about it.
And the self-indulgent dig is simply not true.
Very unfair.