|
||||||||
Cop out on terminal illnesses |
![]() |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|
#1 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Cannock, Staffordshire
Posts: 3,006
|
Cop out on terminal illnesses
Will we ever see a soap play out a terminal illness storyline in it's entirety ever again?
All for the sake of needless sensationalism and a bit of drama, producers are continually ruining stories that are otherwise very important and every day subject matters which sadly don't have a happy outcome and should be tackled in the appropriate way. Such topics have always been covered by soaps with the onus being on the viewer getting a clear and true representation of the subject with an honest and true interpretation of the issue being tackled. Terminal illnesses end in death and without deluging a soap in misery should be reflected in that way. If you're not prepared to run a story in it's entirety with a true beginning, middle and end the don't run it at all. We've had Steph in Hollyoaks, Hayley in Corrie and now Donna in Emmerdale. All of these stories and characters should have reached a natural end as the writers were spot on but instead were all ruined in cop-out sensationalist storyline twists which render them quite pointless. |
|
|
|
|
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
|
|
|
#2 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 17,148
|
Steph choosing to burn to death in a fire is one of the silliest exits ever in a soap.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#3 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Cannock, Staffordshire
Posts: 3,006
|
Quote:
Steph choosing to burn to death in a fire is one of the silliest exits ever in a soap.
People die naturally as a result of illness, terminal or otherwise and they should show that instead of cooking up some hair-brained story to avoid tackling the subject head on. From experience, Corrie was spot on with Hayley's plight and it was dealt with brilliantly up until the silly ending. Soaps are sending out the wrong message entirely to individuals and are almost encouraging victims to commit suicide instead rather than the face reality as difficult and traumatic as it is. |
|
|
|
|
|
#4 |
|
Inactive Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: North East
Posts: 1,302
|
While it's true a terminal illness is rarely played out in its entirety this isn't something that personally bothers me. The sad truth is a lot of us will have to watch this play out in our own lives, a lot of people can find it saddening, do we really want to see it on screen? I don't necessarily believe its a cop out either, especially when soaps are criticised for being depressing. Script writers are challenged to create twists and turns in story lines and there is an appetite for a faster pace in television these days which doesn't lend itself to a cancer battle that can (in some of my family members cases) unfortunately last for decades let alone years.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#5 |
|
Inactive Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: North East
Posts: 1,302
|
And also as a side note Donna's story line wasn't just about the cancer. It was about the desperation of a young mother to ensure her daughter had a financially secure future, something she didn't think she could provide without turning to crime. It was against her character to lie to her family, break the law and fall in love with the local bad boy and that's what made the storyline so interesting for me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#6 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: London
Posts: 16,810
|
I'm sure we will at some stage
|
|
|
|
|
|
#7 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 550
|
EE Pat
|
|
|
|
|
|
#8 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hither & Yon
Posts: 10,967
|
Im glad she went this way, last weeks and days with marlon whimpering at your side, with laurel doing the pity stare, Mona Rhona giging in on the act pretending to care, while paddy loafs in the corner with that furrowed brow, brenda and bob clucking around. no thanks and looks like Donna did'nt want it either.
|
|
|
|
|
#9 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,170
|
Quote:
EE Pat
|
|
|
|
|
|
#10 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: The Dog In The Pond
Posts: 2,001
|
Quote:
Steph choosing to burn to death in a fire is one of the silliest exits ever in a soap.
I thought she was very brave. |
|
|
|
|
|
#11 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 17,148
|
Quote:
I saw her reasons behind it. She wasn't scared of death but she was scared of dying, so wanted to some way be in control of it. I want to say more but it's a sensitive topic and I don't want to upset anyone by going in to detail.
I thought she was very brave. It was just too stupid for words. Awful writing and a cheesy final scene. |
|
|
|
|
|
#12 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 451
|
Quote:
She was diagnosed one week and dead the next. I know it can happen quickly but it was hardly a fully played out storyline like the others mentioned
|
|
|
|
|
|
#13 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,170
|
Quote:
She wasn't though. The back story showed that she had been diagnosed a very long time ago and had dealt with it alone. It wasn't until she knew that she didn't have long left that she came back for April's sake. It wasn't a cancer storyline but a story of a young mother dying of cancer and the torment of leaving her beautiful daughter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#14 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,800
|
If you look back at the Pat Storyline.
You could see she was having difficultes. |
|
|
|
|
|
#15 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,150
|
Ste's mum in HO was terminally ill as well and he helped her commit suicide, although she wasn't a main character.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#16 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 56,123
|
Quote:
Im glad she went this way, last weeks and days with marlon whimpering at your side, with laurel doing the pity stare, Mona Rhona giging in on the act pretending to care, while paddy loafs in the corner with that furrowed brow, brenda and bob clucking around. no thanks and looks like Donna did'nt want it either.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#17 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,687
|
I don't want Emmerdale but I read about this storyline and from what I can gather I thought it made sense her doing what she did.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#18 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 170
|
Alma in Coronation Street played it up to the end. Beautifully.
Last edited by Lois_Green : 15-08-2014 at 10:39. Reason: typo |
|
|
|
|
|
#19 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 31,228
|
Quote:
Alma in Coronation Street played it up to the end. Beautifully.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#20 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Defending the lovely Moira
Posts: 12,352
|
It was obvious that Donna was never going to actually die from her terminal illness - she looked far too healthy to be at deaths door.
I thought her demise last night was very well done and, as other posters have said, I'm glad she went out like that rather than having a death bed scene with Marlon sobbing all over her. |
|
|
|
|
|
#21 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 31,228
|
Quote:
It was obvious that Donna was never going to actually die from her terminal illness - she looked far too healthy to be at deaths door.
I thought her demise last night was very well done and, as other posters have said, I'm glad she went out like that rather than having a death bed scene with Marlon sobbing all over her. |
|
|
|
|
|
#22 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 7,927
|
Quote:
Will we ever see a soap play out a terminal illness storyline in it's entirety ever again?
All for the sake of needless sensationalism and a bit of drama, producers are continually ruining stories that are otherwise very important and every day subject matters which sadly don't have a happy outcome and should be tackled in the appropriate way. Such topics have always been covered by soaps with the onus being on the viewer getting a clear and true representation of the subject with an honest and true interpretation of the issue being tackled. Terminal illnesses end in death and without deluging a soap in misery should be reflected in that way. If you're not prepared to run a story in it's entirety with a true beginning, middle and end the don't run it at all. We've had Steph in Hollyoaks, Hayley in Corrie and now Donna in Emmerdale. All of these stories and characters should have reached a natural end as the writers were spot on but instead were all ruined in cop-out sensationalist storyline twists which render them quite pointless. |
|
|
|
|
|
#23 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: London
Posts: 4,617
|
Alma Baldwin was the last I can remember, acted beautifully and hard to watch!
|
|
|
|
|
|
#24 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 23,466
|
Quote:
If you look back at the Pat Storyline.
You could see she was having difficultes. I think the reason though is that it is just too close to home for many viewers and they are scared to reflect the reality of a slow decline and death. |
|
|
|
|
|
#25 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 30,221
|
The soaps seem to be backing the right to die issue and rightly so.
|
|
|
|
![]() |
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 13:37.



