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The Sun: ITV concerned about Corrie
The Sun reports ITV bosses are concerned at the drop in Corrie figures since Phil Collinson left last year. Quoting 1.5 million less viewers this summer.
Allegedly Stuart Blackburn is now coming up with ideas to bring back viewers, with another huge stunt like Tram Crash/Rovers Fire not necessarily being ruled out.
To fill shoes of departing Tina, Peter, Rob, Katy - and those on maternity leave (including Fiz, Kylie, etc) - it's rumoured Spider and Curly may return.
An 'insider' told the Sun: “There has been much scratching of heads in recent weeks with the viewing figures. There have been meetings to discuss the situation as they can’t fall any lower."
ITV, however, apparently said: “We’re still the biggest soap. Corrie’s audience is 16 per cent larger than EastEnders.”
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Blackburn has already said there will be a stunt in the New Year. Whether it's Tram Crash-epic or Rovers Fire-whimper remains to be seen. Bringing back ex-characters isn't a bad shout, Spider would revitalise Emily Bishop on the show; but where/how would Curly slot back in?
Problem is, the show just feels flat. Blackburn doesn't do drama very well (apart from Tina's murder week, but even that could have been more dramatic at points!) And comedy feels forced sometimes especially when there's not a lot going on.
[highlight]Crucially though Blackburn should just leave
[/highlight]
Allegedly Stuart Blackburn is now coming up with ideas to bring back viewers, with another huge stunt like Tram Crash/Rovers Fire not necessarily being ruled out.
To fill shoes of departing Tina, Peter, Rob, Katy - and those on maternity leave (including Fiz, Kylie, etc) - it's rumoured Spider and Curly may return.
An 'insider' told the Sun: “There has been much scratching of heads in recent weeks with the viewing figures. There have been meetings to discuss the situation as they can’t fall any lower."
ITV, however, apparently said: “We’re still the biggest soap. Corrie’s audience is 16 per cent larger than EastEnders.”
—
Blackburn has already said there will be a stunt in the New Year. Whether it's Tram Crash-epic or Rovers Fire-whimper remains to be seen. Bringing back ex-characters isn't a bad shout, Spider would revitalise Emily Bishop on the show; but where/how would Curly slot back in?
Problem is, the show just feels flat. Blackburn doesn't do drama very well (apart from Tina's murder week, but even that could have been more dramatic at points!) And comedy feels forced sometimes especially when there's not a lot going on.
[highlight]Crucially though Blackburn should just leave
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Comments
If Sept-Jan is weak for Corrie there will be a big problem - it needs to claw back momentum again with:
* Rob and Tracy's "lavish and dramatic" wedding
* Peter's trial and "emotional" exit
* The Killer Rob reveal and "high-octane" exit
* The January stunt
I can't think of a lot more to look forward to.
I also think Tina's murder was overrated, only a incompetent producer would not bother with a confrontation scene between Carla and Tina
Agree with the lack of Carla/Tina scenes being a joke.
Disagree with there not having been a Corrie crisis story in a while - Phil Collinson had a LOT of flack when he first joined with Graeme/Xin etc and other stories plus the "gay backlash." There was a lot of talk about it being in crisis.
I only watch out of habit. i gave up for a couple of months last year but Roy and Haley S/L drew me back in. I'm now thinking I might be better knocking it on the head and just reading the threads on here.
The Roy/Hayley story was a triumph and possibly Blackburn's only standout work. You could argue the actors and writers were the stars though and carried it. I haven't ever been so moved and upset by a soap as I was through that story, particularly the diagnosis, right-to-die element (which I felt was very human and not sensational), the emotional Christmas with the snow-couple and of course the beautiful Blackpool episode which was incredible. The death episodes were also a tour-de-force and it deserved every single award it got.
Look at EastEnders - it was not using its cast properly for ages then now it's suddenly turned it round without introducing too many new characters. It has revitalised characters who were given up on by previous producers.
I agree but i'm annoyed ITV are concerned about Corrie but happy to let ED rot under KO
BIB Oh, that's ok then. As long as Corrie is ahead of EE. Is that all they are bothered about?
Corrie's problems:
They don't bother to plan SLs and broadcast any old shite as long as it suits their plot.
Their characters are crap/unliked but we are meant to like them: Michelle Connor/Sean Tully/Fiz Stape/Sophie Webster/Yasmeen Nazir/Andrea Beckett......
Their couples are crap: Michelle and Steve/Andrea and LLoyd/Fiz and Tyrone/Sinead and Chesney/Kal and Leanne.....
Their comedy is forced and totally ludicrous - the camper van shag/the picnic in the Rovers **** hut/the lamp in the skip....
Character changes - Michelle Connor is a big shot business woman/Todd is now evil/Max suddenly develops ADHD.....
Poor actors: Fiz Stape/Sophie Webster/Michelle Connor/Sean Tully/Andrea Beckett/Faye Windass/Max Turner.....
Upcoming on EastEnders we have a Friday episode starting Phil and Sharon's wedding which carries on over the same wedding day the following Mon, Tue, Thu.
Why can't Corrie do this more for big stories? Sometimes it's good to spread an eventful day/night on the cobbles over more than 1 night of episodes. It can be absorbing and eventful and allow for deeper storytelling.
I loved it when the Tram Crash ran Monday to Friday set on the same night, that was amazing! There's nowhere near enough 'events' with the show anymore.
Hopefully Rob's reveal/exit will cover one day/night in the street but air over a whole week's worth of episodes.
Yes, the ratings are still higher than EastEnders and Emmerdale but the gap is closing between them and EE.
Corrie are very reliant on their loyal older audience, EastEnders seems to struggle to get viewers back as it is generally has a younger viewership.
I do enjoy Corrie and I am a fan of the show but the past few months have been dreadful.
I have to say that both programmes have been spoiled and this has been happening for quite some time now.
I started a thread about the 4 new guys that will be in Corrie before too long (one already in there). I do hope that this line of things is not going to be the norm. there has been too much tampering around.
Please restore our Corrie to what it used to be.
Exactly, that's the arrogance of corrie for you.
One of Corrie's failings is that they can't do long term planning. EE is brilliant at this. They always have a fair few SLs bbubbling away. In contrast, Corrie is fairly pedestian and amateurish from the production side to the acting.
And they persist in keeping unpopular characters. It's time to bring in some new blood, make it work and then dump all the dead wood.
Not much ever changes in Corrie. The SL ends and then they all lived happily ever after.
Corrie do seem to be making small changes, Blackburn has recruited two new writers this year - soap veteran Perrie Balthazar has written a few scripts now, and newcomer Cardy O'Donnell made their debut Wednesday, but it's baby steps. The people in the top seats have remained unchanged, their vision for the show likely the same. The damage is not irreversible, the show is still watchable but for Corrie fans not altogether as enjoyable as it could be. The stories aren't cutting it, they seem formulaic and repetitive in the main (someone dies, someone else gets the blame, blah blah bleurgh same story every year since 2007).
The Corrie production team needs an overhaul, we need new producers, new storyliners, trim a few tired writers and introduce fresh talent mixed with tried and tested writers who've proven their worth with the show in the past.
Myself included!
Agree with ewoodie's posts, too.
I agree when EE is on form one of their strengths is long term planning, planting little seeds which grow into something big later on. Last night you had people, including myself, wondering if they were going to do an alcoholism story with Denise because of her taking wine from the Minute Mart, disposing of a bag full of what was obviously wine bottles in recent episodes and in last night's drinking in the middle of the day. There's also speculation that they might do an eating disorder story with Shabnam as she's made a few implicit references to food.
Earlier this year we had Aleks accusing Tosh and Tina of stealing his beer, a few months later we found out it was Billy stealing food from their flat.
The Moon story has also been built up for months rather than coming out of nowhere as well. With Corrie it feels very plot driven as plots often come out of nowhere.