Bring back traditional Coronation Street (Coronation Street)

Member Name: kellylouj

Product:	Coronation Street
Date:	02/03/09 (218 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Realistic storylines, fills the time up

Disadvantages: Annoying characters, poor acting, unrealistic storylines.

As I begin to write this review I am trying to recall the first ever episode I remember watching of Coronation Street, being 27 years old that is a good few years of watching the soap and I really can't remember I do remember some classic episodes with Terry Duckworth and his partner Lisa, Rita in the Kabin and Mavis and Derek oh how there have been some characters over the years and what we have now is not a patch on what Corrie used to be like!

*~*Where it all began*~*

Coronation Street first hit our television screens on the 9th December in 1960, sadly I was not even a glint in my parent's eyes at that time so now in 2009 its safe to say this is one of the longest running soaps in history if not the longest running soap. It is produced by Manchester based Granada who now fall under the ITV branch and repeats on ITV2 at lunchtime during the week.

*~*Episodes*~*

As with many soaps on the TV they tend to dominate most people's lives and it reguarly competes at the National Soap Awards against Eastenders their main Southern Rival, Hollyoaks and Emmerdale.

Coronation Street now runs twice on a Monday and a Friday, the first episode being at 7.30pm and the second at 8.30pm and the midweek episode on a Wednesday at 7.30pm.

*~*Popular Characters and Storylines*~*

As a child of the 80's unfortunately I will be unable to comment on some of the most talked about characters of the older generation such as Ena Sharples, Elsie Tanner and Annie Walker characters I remember my grandparents talking about.
Ivy Brennan, Gail Platt and Rita Fairclough were some of the original characters I remember when I started watching it as a young girl and of course Ken Barlow who is the only remaining original cast member.

Bet Lynch is one of the best loved favourites and is remembered for her leopard print outfits and for pulling the pints behind the Rovers Return the local for all the residents. Do you remember when Jack Duckworth was the cellarman and of course Betty Turpin who still to this day pulls pints behind the bar.

The nineties is the era I really started to take notice of Coronation Street and with the introduction of Steph and Des Barnes they were introduced as the more modern couple to the Street. Raquel Wolstenhulme also become a new fresh face on the street along with the McDonalds. Liz and her fiery tempered husband Jim and their twin boys Steve and Andy the family had a good few storylines including Steve marrying rich girl Vicky who was the daughter of pub landlord Alec Gilroy and when it all went sour it was Steve McDonald that turned out to be the juciest character of the family. One of the most touching storylines was between Liz and Jim McDonald when their daughter Katie was still born even at such a young age the storyline was heartwrenching and played so well.

Ken Barlow began an illicit affair with Wendy Crozier and when it all got discovered it was over between Ken and Deirdre and Ken decided to continue

Some of the most memorable storylines in the 90's revolved around Deirdre Barlow/Rachid when she fell in love for someone half her age from Morocco called Samir, a holiday romance that developed into marriage it split mother and daughter when Tracy was not best impressed with her mother's behaviour and almost didn't attend the wedding. When Tracy was diagnosed with a kidney condition it was Samir that turned out to be a match and when Samir agreed to donate a kidney to Tracy it looked like this storyline was unlikely to develop further until Samir was killed by thugs when returning home from work one evening and although he saved Tracy's life in still being able to provide a kidney to her from his deathbed.
The most memorable storyline in my opinion, had to be the whole Jon Lindsay storyline who led a false life as an airline pilot and wowed Deirdre that she soon was swooning and falling for the extravagent lifestyle but it was not to be and she soon found herself caught up in fraud and when Jon implicated Deirdre it was in fact her that found herself in prison and in more recent storylines it could be like mother like daughter, as her daughter Tracy showed us a few years ago when her partner Charlie was attacked with a figurine to the head which resulted in his murder and despite trying to cover her tracks Tracy is currently in prison for this crime.

Gail Platt has also had her fair share of storylines her husband Brian Tilsely was murdered, her daughter Sarah had a baby at just 13 years of age and she also had a toy boy by the name of Martin Platt which resulted in the birth of child from hell David Platt who is a well know character on the street for his reckless behaviour who has driven his father away and also his step sister Sarah.
Gail, since her relationship ended with Martin has struggled to find Mr Right and when she met Richard Hillman she really couldn't believe her luck but that was not to be and he lost the plot and drove the whole platt family (less eldest son Nicky) into the Canal in a plot to kill them all, unfortunately for us they all escaped and Richard was never to return to our screens again.

One of the most upsetting scenes I have watched on Coronation Street has to have been when Mike Baldwin did his exit scenes they really were touching and I was in tears as it really was an end of an era and when I think back to how it used to be, it really does not suprise me why I couldn't care less if I caught the latest episode or not as it just isn't what it was.

Coronation Street has offered many storylines some realistic storylines hitting on everyday issues and some over the top storylines that just seem too unbelievable.

I also feel that some of the characters on the street now are not doing justice to all of the old traditional characters that actually played good roles and made the soap what it was but with the introduction of the Windasses it really shows how Britain has changed the years with yobs that set out in getting pleasure in ruining so many people's lives and I genuinely hate watching them on the soap and find myself turning over when they get some lines.

Yes soaps are supposed to portray modern day Britain but I also feel that soaps also influence other people's behaviour and with thugs being introduced to the street I wonder how many people will pick up on their behaviour and think it is ok to treat people in a similar manner.

Cheating, lying and stealing all seem to be regular incidences on the Street and yes the older characters may be boring and lifeless but maybe that's what we should want from life!

Summary: A soap that has certainly lost its appeal as well as its scent.