• A little forum update...We're planning an upgrade.

    Find out more about what's planned and how you can help support the forum

    Click here for the details

Coronation Street Rewatching 1977.

emm1978

Telly Talk Active Member
Having been rewatching 1977 episodes of Coronation Street, I can categorically say that it contains some great drama and compelling storylines, not unlike today.

The October/November episodes in particular were very hard-hitting drama as Deirdre was molested under the viaduct and subsequently contemplated suicide on a motorway bridge - The sort of storylines viewers generally frown upon these days.

Nowadays, most viewers are so obsessed with Phelan and trying to pick fault, etc... that they are missing half the show.

 

ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989

Telly Talk TV Fanatic
It's not that people are nit picking, and yes 1977 was no less hard hitting than now, but there is a stark difference between the two eras:

1: In 1977 Corrie was on twice, maybe three times a week, now its increased to 6 episodes a week, which is overkill and it doesn't necessarily mean quality either, but six days a week of the Phelan plot or back to back rape storylines people are going to get fed up

2: There were far more light hearted moments in 1977, and anything pre 2008 in general really, there was a healthy balance of comedic, dramatic and sadder storylines

3: The characters were all original, there was no new characters from 1977 being written like an older character from 1962, Gail wasn't the new Elsie Tanner and Deidre wasn't the new Valerie and so on

So yes I agree that 1977 probably had as many dramatic moments and storylines as 2018 does, difference being 1977 did it better.
 

Ome

Admin Emeritus
- The sort of storylines viewers generally frown upon these days.
No!

You're missing the point and you do this over and over.

The difference between Corrie back then, is while one character was molested, the rest of the characters were plodding along with their lives.

Today we have a serial killer on the loose living in a street, where at the same time we're getting.

Michelle losing a baby, finding out her husband had fathered another baby to someone in the street. Then getting stalked, kidnapped by Will, two minutes later getting her head bashed in while trying to rob the Bistro and now her biological son has turned up to cause her more grief, while her fake son is on his way to start a war with the biological son. All this is happening while her boyfriend Robert deals with testicular cancer.

Peter finds out Billy is responsible for his sister's death and as he tries to deal with this, he almost kills Billy, but no fear, Susan's son is on hand to get Billy addicted to drugs (in payment for killing his mother) which ultimately leads Billy on to heroin.

Zeedan finds out the love of his life has been having an affair with another woman on the street, this leads to Zeedan turning to drink and making deals with his wife's family and don't think it's all sweet and rosy now for Rana, she's about to experience more hell.

Chesney is stabbed at the Bistro and then suffers from mental health, too scared to go to work, all the while his girlfriend is cheating on him, which leads Chesney to (kinda) stalk Daniel - Daniel who has just recovered from a mental breakdown after throwing his grandfather down the stairs.

David falls for a woman who turns out to be the father of the guy who killed his wife, however, they gave that a happy ending (for now) but don't fear, David is soon to be sexually assaulted by his new found friend Josh.

Fiz returns home and Tyrone is about to sleep with Gemma.

Carla returns, but it's not as simple as we thought, she is dying and desperately needs a kidney.

Sally's sister returns and is diagnosed with Bi-Polar

Rita has just come through brain surgery after spending months thinking she's going to die.

Izzy finds out her sister has been killed and with so much drama happening, they don't focus on that anymore.

Sophie is left devastated because her girlfriend has dumped her.

Toyah has been trying to move heaven and earth to have a baby but no luck, however, another secret opportunity arises when she finds out Eva is pregnant with Aiden's baby and he doesn't know.

Maria's big story was having to spend time in jail for a murder she didn't commit, hell there was never a body found.

Anna is in prison having been framed by Phelan, who kills Andy without anyone knowing and then kills Luke without anyone knowing.

Seb has to deal with being HIV positive.

Ali is struggling with life after finding out her boyfriend was murdered.

Craig is suffering from OCD after trying so hard to protect Bethany who has been caught up in a violent sex-ring.

Mary is accused of child abuse with her grandson









The sort of storylines viewers generally frown upon these days.


That's entirely true is it?

Viewers are airing their grievances with the show because those 'storylines' you refer to are happening with nearly all the characters at the same time.
 

emm1978

Telly Talk Active Member
These things happen to people, and soaps show them happening... And people have been diagnosed with bi-polar and do have kidney failure.

Would you rather the scriptwriters ignored the fact that they have and just go through life pretending otherwise.

People need to wake up and stop thinking soap characters live in La La Land, where everyone loves everyone and bad things don't happen!
 

emm1978

Telly Talk Active Member
And watch what you're saying... I've suffered OCD myself, and it's not a nice thing to go through. Craig's storyline is excellently acted and well-researched!!!

So there!!!
 

Ome

Admin Emeritus
These things happen to people,
All at the same time all in the same street?

Is this what happened in Corrie 1977, because it's what you implied when you created this thread?

Would you rather the scriptwriters ignored the fact that they have and just go through life pretending otherwise.
I want to watch an entertaining drama with the right balance.

People need to wake up
Who are you referring to ?



watch what you're saying
What what I'm saying?



If you can't read a post correctly, there's not a lot I can do other than point out again you are missing the point.


I've suffered OCD myself, and it's not a nice thing to go through

Not sure why you need to bring this up.
 

ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989

Telly Talk TV Fanatic
These things happen to people, and soaps show them happening... And people have been diagnosed with bi-polar and do have kidney failure.

Would you rather the scriptwriters ignored the fact that they have and just go through life pretending otherwise.

People need to wake up and stop thinking soap characters live in La La Land, where everyone loves everyone and bad things don't happen!

No one is expecting that from a soap at all, but how is realistic to live on such a small street and have multiple characters being raped, a serial killer who's about as subtle as Ronald McDonald at a funeral parlour, gangsters kidnapping people and being rescued by the woman who destroyed your marriage and your soon to be ex husband? That's no more realistic than people living In la la land.

Soaps are not public information films, they're really on television for LIGHT entertainment and partly escapism, no is suggesting the axing of real life issue storylines, but there's too many to follow, I'm still not sure if Steve's depression storyline was ever properly resolved and that was years ago, the storyline could've raised awareness but it was most likely over shadowed by the many disaster storylines that are occurring these days.
 
Last edited:

ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989

Telly Talk TV Fanatic
Its not just Corrie that's going through this weird phase, Emmerdale and EastEnders are too.

Its like there are two extremes at the moment, storylines are either dull or too.much bad stuff is happening all the time another problem is that storylines drag on too long sometimes

And watch what you're saying... I've suffered OCD myself, and it's not a nice thing to go through. Craig's storyline is excellently acted and well-researched!!!

So there!!!

I don't think anyone was disputing how thought out the storyline is, nor was anyone making fun of OCD.
 

emm1978

Telly Talk Active Member
Well they better not do, otherwise all I can say is I hope they don't have to face a similar real life situation and expect sympathy.

Most of the storylines mentioned above are months apart too. And a lot of things did happen in 1977. Like you, I'll get my notepad out and make a note of every argument, people's moods, everytime someone has an accident, trips up, stalks someone's husband, etc....
 

ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989

Telly Talk TV Fanatic
Well they better not do, otherwise all I can say is I hope they don't have to face a similar real life situation and expect sympathy.

Most of the storylines mentioned above are months apart too. And a lot of things did happen in 1977. Like you, I'll get my notepad out and make a note of every argument, people's moods, everytime someone has an accident, trips up, stalks someone's husband, etc....

So if someone watches a soap and wants escapism, from a hard day at work or something and they don't like a 'realistic, violent storyline' a few weeks pass and something terrible that has befallen a soap character the same thing happens to a real life person you wouldn't sympathise?

You mentioned you had previously suffered from OCD and accused a poster on here of mocking the condition why should i give you sympathy?

None of the storylines of late have been months apart, they've all occurred concurrently.

Not everyone wants to watch someone get burned by acid or raped, or beaten up or becoming addicted to drugs, that's one's provocative and preference, doesn't mean they're any less deserving of sympathy when something terrible happens to them
 

Ome

Admin Emeritus
Well they better not do,
Again, what are you referring to?

Most of the storylines mentioned above are months apart too.

They were off the top of my head, I never mentioned the long drawn affair of Aiden & Maria, that led to the long drawn revenge from Eva, that led to Aiden losing his home, losing the factory and causing the factory staff to lose their jobs and then try to scam people out of money by pretending their daughter had cancer.

Nor did I mention the death of Gary Windass followed by a resurrection.

Nor did I mention the revenge from Bethany by setting up Gary and then working in a lap-dancing where she physically glassed someone in the face and walked free.

Nor did I mention a curb crawler trying to abduct Summer or the earlier story where Summer was in the hospital after smoking dope at the age of 13.

Nor did mention Peter almost turning to drink at Christmas

Nor did I mention Rosie Webster returning with bags of drugs hidden in her luggage

Nor did I mention Sally getting death threats when she was a councillor

Nor did I mention the revelation that Seb's mother is a drug addict

Nor did I mention Johnny's struggle with MS

Nor did I mention Moira getting caught for stealing blood and then found innocent.

Nor did I mention that every time Phelan is almost caught there's always a way out for him no matter how bloody ridiculous the story gets.
 

ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989

Telly Talk TV Fanatic
Well they better not do, otherwise all I can say is I hope they don't have to face a similar real life situation and expect sympathy.

Most of the storylines mentioned above are months apart too. And a lot of things did happen in 1977. Like you, I'll get my notepad out and make a note of every argument, people's moods, everytime someone has an accident, trips up, stalks someone's husband, etc....

What are you talking about??? Who's taking notes on every little thing?? It is just an observation, if I didn't refer to specific points I would sound like I knew of nothing I was talking about.

This is what this forum is for, to discuss the good, bad, ugly and uglier side of television and at the moment but the soaps are going through a depressing and violent phase, Brookside was cancelled for the same thing 15 years ago more or less.
 

emm1978

Telly Talk Active Member
Already started my detailed review of 1977, with other years to follow. Studying the show from back then I, I was pleasantly surprised how much domestic disagreements and arguments, and moments of high drama there was.

Currently up to February and will do a few more months research over the weekend. You will be surprised.
 

James from London

International Treasure
I don't think it's what happens that's changed over the years so much as the way it happens. For instance, if I recall correctly, the word rape isn't even mentioned in relation to Deirdre's experience under the viaduct. The whole incident is handled very discreetly, whereas nowadays it would probably be a big old twisty-turny whodunnit with revenge plots and helplines coming out of the whazoo. I'm not saying one is automatically "better" than another, just that they are very different approaches to the same subject.

What struck me when watching '70s episodes of Coronation Street and Emmerdale Farm is how important the structure of the working day is. Earning a living (or skiving, if you're Stan Ogden) takes precedence for the characters over whatever they might be experiencing in their personal lives. There's none of this "Mind me stall, will ya Shrimpy, - I just need to go and have a dramatic confrontation in the Vic. I'll only be about half an episode." It's more imperative that the sheep be dipped or that the tins in the corner shop be rearranged or whatever. So the dramatic fireworks are arranged around the minutiae of everyday life rather than the other way round.
 

ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989

Telly Talk TV Fanatic
Yes you actually saw people going to work,
The only people I see working in soaps today are those in the pub, but today for instances, the school kids seem to have endless inset days, I'm a teacher and believe me schools barely get any inset days!
 
Top