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Did you like the Battersbys when they arrived? (Early clip)


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Old 27-10-2015, 12:12
starry_rune
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watch until 7.40 mins (starts 3 mins in)
https://youtu.be/kaa5lZ3Yujs?t=3m19s

and here until 5.13 mins (starts 4 mins in)
https://youtu.be/T4DYOYcYrPg?t=4m

Has Leann and Toyah progressed? Did they shake up the street?
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Old 27-10-2015, 13:17
NELLIENASH
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No - I remember this well.

Everyone found them obnoxious and wanted rid of them as they were so common and rough scrubber people.

I even read one article that blamed Mrs Thatcher for creating such people.
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Old 27-10-2015, 13:50
Aurora13
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No but that was the point. Viewers felt like the residents of Coronation Street.
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Old 27-10-2015, 14:04
SecretLifeoBees
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I liked Leanne from the start and eventually warmed to Toyah. Took me longer to warm to Les and Janice. Les I always found hit and miss. Leanne and Toyah are two of my favourites though.
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Old 27-10-2015, 14:05
actual_soap
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The country was up in arms. People switched off, cast members quit (allegedly) and ex cast members slated them.

They turned out to be the best thing to happen to Corrie in that era. Brought them into the 90's after being dated and old fashioned up until then
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Old 27-10-2015, 14:16
Mark_Washingto1
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The country was up in arms. People switched off, cast members quit (allegedly) and ex cast members slated them.

They turned out to be the best thing to happen to Corrie in that era. Brought them into the 90's after being dated and old fashioned up until then
Wow I can't believe people got that upset. Do you think eventually people could warm to the Nazirs in the same way or is it a wrap for them?
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Old 27-10-2015, 14:25
Noxy
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Wow I can't believe people got that upset. Do you think eventually people could warm to the Nazirs in the same way or is it a wrap for them?
In the nicest possible way, there is no comparison between the Battersbys and Nazirs.

As you may be aware, Corrie was absolutely huge until the 2000s. It gets around 7 million viewers nowadays, but it was more like 18 million back in 1997. I remember all those shock horror newspaper headlines and actually thought Corrie would buckle and axe them. The Battersbys were your loud, obnoxious, antisocial yobs everyone dreaded having as their neighbours in the 90s, but that's what made them so brilliant. They developed really well as a family over the years, although Les not so much.

The Nazirs are ghastly and it has been rumoured that Kate Oates has the axe ready for several cast when she takes over. However, she wasn't quick to boot people out when she joined Emmerdale (apart from Thomas King), so it's anybody's guess. My guess is Alya might be safe and the others will be toast, but I personally think they should all go.
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Old 27-10-2015, 14:35
Mark_Washingto1
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In the nicest possible way, there is no comparison between the Battersbys and Nazirs.

As you may be aware, Corrie was absolutely huge until the 2000s. It gets around 7 million viewers nowadays, but it was more like 18 million back in 1997. I remember all those shock horror newspaper headlines and actually thought Corrie would buckle and axe them. The Battersbys were your loud, obnoxious, antisocial yobs everyone dreaded having as their neighbours in the 90s, but that's what made them so brilliant. They developed really well as a family over the years, although Les not so much.

The Nazirs are ghastly and it has been rumoured that Kate Oates has the axe ready for several cast when she takes over. However, she wasn't quick to boot people out when she joined Emmerdale (apart from Thomas King), so it's anybody's guess. My guess is Alya might be safe and the others will be toast, but I personally think they should all go.
I agree with you, I find the Nazirs to be unbearable, especially Alya. How long did it take for people to warm to the Battersbys?
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Old 27-10-2015, 14:41
ohglobbits
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I agree with you, I find the Nazirs to be unbearable, especially Alya. How long did it take for people to warm to the Battersbys?
Probably when they were at war with the self righteous Platts.
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Old 27-10-2015, 14:45
Mark_Washingto1
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Probably when they were at war with the self righteous Platts.
So maybe the right story could make the Nazirs likable then?
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Old 27-10-2015, 14:53
starry_rune
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Toyah's rape probably was the turning point?
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Old 27-10-2015, 14:56
kitkat1971
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As mentioned, the Battersbys and Nazirs are very different in concept.

The Battersbys were meant to be dreadful. Not dreadful in terms of not being interesting, but dreadful in terms of being nightmare neighbours, the kind of people the viewers (as well as encumbant characters) dreaded having move to their area and as such, were going to be a kick up the backside t bring the show out of its cosiness as we approached the 21st century.

The Nazirs are meant to be nice and likeable - except perhaps for Yasmeen but even her heart is meant to be in the right place. The most controversial (and frankly it shouldn't be in this day and age) is that they are Muslim. Their worst crime is being somewhat dull.

They are just the latest in a long line of fairly normal families that have been introduced and just not become very popular like the Clayton, Websters, Mortons to name just a few.

I don't think it actually took that long for viewers to get used to the Battersbys. As usual with these things, i think the Press exagerrated it a lont - they kind of became the figurehead for all the changes Brian Park was making which included axing some characters like Derek Wilton. Certainly, i was okay with Leanne and Toyah pretty much from the start and Leanne probably got lucky by being quickly integrated with older, established characters via her romance and then marriage to Nick Tilsley.

I think Les remained a marmite character his whole time in the show - people either loved him and found him very funny or wanted to switch off every time he appeared on the screen. The only time i ever found him interesting of sympathetic was during Toyah's rape storyline.
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Old 27-10-2015, 15:01
Mark_Washingto1
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As mentioned, the Battersbys and Nazirs are very different in concept.

The Battersbys were meant to be dreadful. Not dreadful in terms of not being interesting, but dreadful in terms of being nightmare neighbours, the kind of people the viewers (as well as encumbant characters) dreaded having move to their area and as such, were going to be a kick up the backside t bring the show out of its cosiness as we approached the 21st century.

The Nazirs are meant to be nice and likeable - except perhaps for Yasmeen but even her heart is meant to be in the right place. The most controversial (and frankly it shouldn't be in this day and age) is that they are Muslim. Their worst crime is being somewhat dull.

They are just the latest in a long line of fairly normal families that have been introduced and just not become very popular like the Clayton, Websters, Mortons to name just a few.

I don't think it actually took that long for viewers to get used to the Battersbys. As usual with these things, i think the Press exagerrated it a lont - they kind of became the figurehead for all the changes Brian Park was making which included axing some characters like Derek Wilton. Certainly, i was okay with Leanne and Toyah pretty much from the start and Leanne probably got lucky by being quickly integrated with older, established characters via her romance and then marriage to Nick Tilsley.

I think Les remained a marmite character his whole time in the show - people either loved him and found him very funny or wanted to switch off every time he appeared on the screen. The only time i ever found him interesting of sympathetic was during Toyah's rape storyline.
Ok I see where you're coming from with the Battersbys vs Nazirs. One thing though you include the Websters as a failed family?
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Old 27-10-2015, 15:08
kitkat1971
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Ok I see where you're coming from with the Battersbys vs Nazirs. One thing though you include the Websters as a failed family?
Oh right yes, that was confusing of me.

I don't mean the Webstersin their current form, ie Kevin, sally, rosie and Sophie plus add ons like Tim, Maddie. I meant the Websters in their first incarnation which was Kevin, his younger Sister and their parents which wasn't very successfull. The Mum and Sister were written out all together and Bill became recurring pretty quickly (about 18 months I think) and Kevin actually knocked about as a stand alone character for a couple of years (a little like Luke now) just as a friend of Terry Duckworth and Curly watts until they introduced Sally and over a period of a few years, had the kids born and then several more years of them doing very little when the girls were young. Other than his affair with Natalie in the 90s (another thing Brian Park did I think) the Websters were considered very boring and a bit of a waste of space until About 10 years ago when Rosie became a goth, Sally became a snob and they evolved into the unit we know now.
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Old 27-10-2015, 15:23
Hank1234
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Yes it was the start of much more exciting era for the show
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Old 27-10-2015, 15:26
Mark_Washingto1
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Oh right yes, that was confusing of me.

I don't mean the Webstersin their current form, ie Kevin, sally, rosie and Sophie plus add ons like Tim, Maddie. I meant the Websters in their first incarnation which was Kevin, his younger Sister and their parents which wasn't very successfull. The Mum and Sister were written out all together and Bill became recurring pretty quickly (about 18 months I think) and Kevin actually knocked about as a stand alone character for a couple of years (a little like Luke now) just as a friend of Terry Duckworth and Curly watts until they introduced Sally and over a period of a few years, had the kids born and then several more years of them doing very little when the girls were young. Other than his affair with Natalie in the 90s (another thing Brian Park did I think) the Websters were considered very boring and a bit of a waste of space until About 10 years ago when Rosie became a goth, Sally became a snob and they evolved into the unit we know now.
Ok, i didnt' realize that about the Websters. Also I've read that Brian Park was very unpopular but it seems he did a lot to move the show forward. Do you think years from now people will look back at the Blackburn era and realize he did a lot of good for the show?
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Old 27-10-2015, 15:37
KornerKabin
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Oh right yes, that was confusing of me.

I don't mean the Webstersin their current form, ie Kevin, sally, rosie and Sophie plus add ons like Tim, Maddie. I meant the Websters in their first incarnation which was Kevin, his younger Sister and their parents which wasn't very successfull. The Mum and Sister were written out all together and Bill became recurring pretty quickly (about 18 months I think) and Kevin actually knocked about as a stand alone character for a couple of years (a little like Luke now) just as a friend of Terry Duckworth and Curly watts until they introduced Sally and over a period of a few years, had the kids born and then several more years of them doing very little when the girls were young. Other than his affair with Natalie in the 90s (another thing Brian Park did I think) the Websters were considered very boring and a bit of a waste of space until About 10 years ago when Rosie became a goth, Sally became a snob and they evolved into the unit we know now.
It was a shame that the Websters flopped first time round. The concept of the family was good, but the execution never worked. Kevin had already appeared in 1983 and with Pay Phoenix's decision to leave in late 1983 it was decided to build a family around Kevin. Linda Cheveski (Elsie's daughter) reappeared to settle Elsie's affairs and sell the house. They were looking for a Len Fairclough type anti-hero character in Bill, but it just never happened. Bill was a widower bringing up two teenage children and soon set his sights on Linda. Nothing happened and that was that. Then the Websters just became repetitive and dull. Bill was always spatting with Debbie about her going out with 'boys' and Kevin just moped around. He never attained that alpha male status. Bill was paired up with Percy Sugden's niece, married her and left the Street for Southampton and later Germany.

Ironically, the best character to come out of that family was Debbie who hasn't been seen or heard of since. She was a smasher of a character and Sue Devaney was fabulous in the role. I would love to see Debbie make a reappearance, either as a regular or a character who comes and goes.

Annoyingly, there seemed to be a 10-year cycle of bringing Bill back to the show to end up doing nothing and then disappearing. He returned for a couple of years between 1995 and 1997 and then again between 2006 and 2011. Each time the character was written out so the producers never seemed to learn from past mistakes!

Interestingly, Bill and had a child soon after moving to Germany, giving Kevin a half-brother, Carl. He was born in 1986 so will be approaching 30. He has barely been mentioned since.

I think that killing off Bill would be a good way to bring back Debbie and introduce Carl. It could also be an opportunity to reintroduce a recast Rosie.
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Old 27-10-2015, 15:38
actual_soap
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Ok, i didnt' realize that about the Websters. Also I've read that Brian Park was very unpopular but it seems he did a lot to move the show forward. Do you think years from now people will look back at the Blackburn era and realize he did a lot of good for the show?
He ultimately saved Coronation Street.
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Old 27-10-2015, 15:43
Belligerence
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I didn't like them at first. Too brash and obnoxious.

Toyah's rape probably was the turning point?
For the family as a whole, perhaps.

I warmed to Leanne and Toyah much quicker than Les and Janice. In fact I liked it when Leanne worked at the Rovers, and that whole cocaine storyline with Jez Quigley.
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Old 27-10-2015, 15:45
KornerKabin
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Ok, i didnt' realize that about the Websters. Also I've read that Brian Park was very unpopular but it seems he did a lot to move the show forward. Do you think years from now people will look back at the Blackburn era and realize he did a lot of good for the show?
No way!

Brian Park really did save Corrie and brought it hurtling into the 21st century.

Some of his stories seemed a bit much at the time (a religious cult, introducing a trans character) but others are some of Corrie's most memorable, such as Deirdre getting sent to prison. His characters were also memorable, particularly the Battersbys, Spider Nugent and Hayley Cropper.

I'm not saying that he was perfect, there were definitely some flops.

He gave Coronation Street the kick that it needed. There was no sentimentality, he was focused on bringing the show up to date and he did. He only worked on Corrie for just over a year, but his impact was staggering.

Coronation Street needs another Brian Park.
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Old 27-10-2015, 15:50
Mark_Washingto1
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No way!

Brian Park really did save Corrie and brought it hurtling into the 21st century.

Some of his stories seemed a bit much at the time (a religious cult, introducing a trans character) but others are some of Corrie's most memorable, such as Deirdre getting sent to prison. His characters were also memorable, particularly the Battersbys, Spider Nugent and Hayley Cropper.

I'm not saying that he was perfect, there were definitely some flops.

He gave Coronation Street the kick that it needed. There was no sentimentality, he was focused on bringing the show up to date and he did. He only worked on Corrie for just over a year, but his impact was staggering.

Coronation Street needs another Brian Park.
I think for that to happen you're gonna need Kerion Roberts to leave his role as EP, I think those that expect Kate Oates to come in and make sweeping changes will be very disappointed.
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Old 27-10-2015, 15:53
KornerKabin
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I think for that to happen you're gonna need Kerion Roberts to leave his role as EP, I think those that expect Kate Oates to come in and make sweeping changes will be very disappointed.
Oh absolutely. I've said this a thousand times but Kieran Roberts really needs to go.
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Old 27-10-2015, 15:55
Mark_Washingto1
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Oh absolutely. I've said this a thousand times but Kieran Roberts really needs to go.
Now the SP seems to get replaced every 3 years or so, how often do they switch EPs?
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Old 27-10-2015, 16:10
Noxy
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Now the SP seems to get replaced every 3 years or so, how often do they switch EPs?
As far as I know, only Emmerdale uses the term 'Series Producer', whereas all the others are called 'Executive Producers', but it's the same job as far as I know. They tend to stay around three years unless they go down very badly (Emmerdale's Anita Turner only lasted a year for example). Mervyn Watson was in charge of Emmerdale for four years in the mid-90s - I don't think any British soap has topped that record since.
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Old 27-10-2015, 16:18
KornerKabin
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Now the SP seems to get replaced every 3 years or so, how often do they switch EPs?
The EP role is a funny position for Coronation Street as it's had quite a varied history. Over the years the distinction between 'EP' and 'P' has changed massively. There have been times when there was an appointed EP, other times when there wasn't one at all as well as long periods where one or two quite powerful individuals (H.V. Kershaw and Bill Podmore) slipped between roles as producer, executive producer as well as director, writer, editor ... the list goes on.

After Podmore left in the late 80s, David Liddiment became EP but functioned as what we would consider a Producer today by being very hands-on and public-facing, even though Mervyn Watson was actually the Producer. After this, the roles began to switch, with the Producer becoming the seemingly more powerful and visible person in charge, while the EP took more of a back seat.

So, the point I'm trying to make is that there is no set pattern of EPs.

I actually think that Roberts has some silly title like 'Creative Directior of Northern Drama Output'. I'll have to Google it to check
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