All eyes really will be on Corrie next week as we have Peter Barlow's much anticipated return and David's plot to avenge Kylie by embarking on a murder suicide mission to kill Clayton. Being honest, the show really does need a dramatic kickstart as we've not really not really had any truly standout moments from Oates's reign so far. Intriguingly, we know next to nothing about how David's revenge will unfold. Here's hoping it's not a damp squib.

One of Kate's interviews from the press day mentioned that super soap week is when we will first get to see the start of Kate's storylines.

That's quite interesting to hear and actually fills me with some hope. Whilst I continue to be impressed with how well she's using the show's extensive (probably too much so) cast, I have been underwhelmed with how ordinary and run-of-the-mill everything has felt over the past two months. The Steve and Leanne baby storyline has probably been one of the biggest disappointments so far and the latest twist with the myotonic dystrophy smacks of plot device, rather than exploring a real a life issue in appropriate depth. For me it's Todd, Phelan and the Platts who have been the highlights in the past number of weeks.

What kate oates needs to do is poach some of emmerdales production and writing staff and the awards will start pouring in.

The whole show feels completely different already and I'm sad to see certain posters allowing their dislike of KO to overshadow her work at CS. She could transform the show overnight and boost the ratings by 10million and some people would still beat her down with vitriol.

Give the woman a chance FGS we all want the show in the best state it can be after all!

For me, Sarah is transformed and I love her scenes. I like Phelan this time around and I'm loving a rejuvinated Todd. I like Leanne and Nick together and I hope to GOD they don't stick her back with Peter when he inevitably returns.

Jenny Bradley is wonderful, use her more!

I agree with you except about Leanne and Nick, they need to end them once and for all. I do think Kate is doing a good job so far people are being ridiculous if they expected some dramatic change. She slowly made influences to the show instead of making drastic changes that can turn off the audience.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

I dip in and out but what I've seen was as bad as anything Blackburn served up.

Well that's good to hear. So, the episodes have been where she's been trying to tie up Blackburn's tripe.

On one hand you have the Todd/Phelan/Vinnie/"Eileen in the canal" storyline where there is genuine menace. No one knows how Phelan/Vinnie and going to jump - this is the first story where people can get killed in

On the other hand

We have the Miss Hell/Leanne/Steve Gurner pregnancy storyline which drags it down. Now with a hereditary disease. So we've got months of Leanne moaning or worse still Miss Hell griping

So good marks on the Phelan business, but a big minus for the Steve storyline

I hate the Steve/Michelle/Leanne baby drama and the recent storylines involving Cathy, the Nazir's and Craig & Beth.

However the Platt's are always good value and I'm loving the Phelan flat scam and I'm genuinely intrigued to see how it ends. I'm also really looking forward to Peter's return.
And I love that Todd is getting more screen time - one of the best characters on the show played by one of the most charismatic and underrated actors.

There is much to look forward to right now IMO: Peter, Adam and Daniel's returns, next week's stunt, the climax of the flat scam plot, the Aidan and Maria reveal, Bethany's self esteem issues being explored in more depth, Toyah's return, Rosie's return etc.

Crap so far

I absolutely agree!!

How many times in the Blackburn era could you say you were really looking forward to anything to do with Corrie!!
I freely admit I watched out of habit & hope most of the time, nothing else!!

There is still a long way to go but I am at least enjoying the show again atm by & large!!

If the show is still stale why compliment? It is basically the same shite. If Blackburn's name was on the credits you wouldn't hold back.

There are a couple of good points (like always) but mostly rubbish.

Nothing worse than people trying to hype themselves up and act like something will be great, especially when we have been through this many times before.

No one is saying you should complement where it’s not due, but there are certain posters who continually bash the woman with no substance behind their comments.

Clearly opinion is subjective because I genuinely feel that the show has turned a corner. If were still shite IMO, I’d say it were still shite!! My loyalty is to the show not to KO. She’s far from perfect but anyone who thinks the show is exactly the same now (or worse) than it was under Blackburn is a loon IMO.

The show is FAR from great but there are hints of improvement and I’m willing to give KO a chance. It’s just disappointing (and frankly boring) when the same posters continually throw insults at the woman without any justification for it whatsoever.

I stopped watching for periods of time during Blackburn's reign, with Kate's reign so far, I've been watching it like I used to, before Blackburn made the show super predictable. It speaks volumes when there is a stunt next week and we still only know the basic outline of what has happened.

Who has insulted Oates?

Next week should be decent with two of the show's strongest families taking centre stage. It was great seeing Ken and Tracy back together on screen again and I enjoyed their scenes together last night and Peter's return is sure to cause fireworks. I loved his one-off return last year for Deirdre's funeral and to me it was without doubt the best Corrie episode we had in 2015, albeit without much competition!

Watching Oates being interviewed by DS was interesting. She has a clear focus and is keen to base her storytelling around strong themes.

I'm not impressed by Kate Oates dragging out the Leanne/Nick/Peter love triangle, that wore thin in 2012 (almost 5 years ago), one thing that Blackburn did right was put an end to that merry-go-round. I like Leanne with Nick as her heart seems to be in it this time around, after all they were each others first loves. And there's not a cat's chance in hell Leanne would get back with Peter now after all this time and everything thats happened (Kal's death, Peter's affair with Tina etc). Besides all that Leanne is up the duff with Steve MacDonald's baby.

And why can't she axe some characters?! Dev, for example is barely in it these days other than the odd comedy plot (take the god awful skip storyline with Norris).

Also I really don't want to see yet another stunt next week..Although I am enjoying all the Platt's being united and I have liked Sarah for the first time in years and Bethany's storyline is really good, Lucy Fallon is quite a talented actor. And it will be interesting to see how Sarah reacts and copes with Bethany's low self esteem.

And we really need to see more of the wonderful Andy and Steph.

Shes getting there

Maybe I was being harsh earlier. Although not fussed about the stunt, I do think Jack P Shepherd is doing a great job.

Hi boggie woogie Do you have a link to the Kate Oates interview? Thanks in advance

I feel the show turned a corner many many months ago and long before the change of producers.

However, I am really enjoying Corrie at the mo, I did say earlier in the thread that I felt it was too early to judge cos I think it takes a fair few months for her work to be fully shown rather than just bits starting and the tying off of the previous producers storylines.

I think next week will be a good point of comparison though. ED and Corrie both have big weeks and new producers at the helm

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/coro...-peter-return/

I tuned in last night and was impressed with both episodes, very enjoyable. I hadn't bothered with Corrie for a long time but it's easy to keep up with what is happening through various spoilers.

I think Jack P Shepherd is fantastic and I'm loving this new story for David. It is extremely believable and I'm hoping that it isn't just stunt, then that's the end of the story and the focus shifts. Kate Oates made an interesting comment about one of the first story documents she picked up upon arriving at Corrie, featured little to no exploration of David after Kylie's death. So straight away she hit upon a major weakness with Corrie that was apparent under Stuart Blackburn, no follow up on big events.

It feels like this is the start of a new era for Corrie and so far, I like her ideas and enthusiasm. The returning characters of Peter Barlow, Toyah Battersby and Rhursie Webster will be interesting too.

She has a big job on her hands turning Corrie around.
At the moment it's looking good because the show is so focused on the Platts and the Barlows, but eventually the focus will have to shift elsewhere as it feels like the Platts in particular, have been carrying Corrie for a while now in terms of story.