Taxi for Tracy

(This post was originally posted by Graeme N on the Coronation Street Blog in January 2013.)

Now I'm feeling rather fed up today. I'm stuck in the Scottish wilderness with my leg in plaster and nothing but a Miss Marple marathon for company. As much as I do love Joan Hickson, it's not enough to sustain me. So I thought I would take my frustrations out on that nasty trollop, Tracy Barlow.
God, how I loathe her.

Coronation Street was founded on characters that were real. They were neither all good nor all bad. In short, we, the average viewer could identify with them. They were like us, capable of running the full gamut of emotions and demanding sympathy or criticism as required. What made Corrie was how believable the characters were compared to the Hollywood film stars of the day. I shudder to think that anyone out there can identify with Tracy-luv.

That is why I have such a problem with Tracy Lynnette Barlow. She simply has no redeemable qualities whatsoever and for that reason alone she must go. I'm sick of seeing her on my television screen. Yes, I know I could stop watching but I still enjoy Coronation Street so why should Tracy's presence stop me? Actually the main reason I have been enjoying Corrie more recently is probably because we haven't seen much of Tracy at all. As she is set to have a gut churning liaison with Rob thanks to her continued obsession with Steve and Michelle, that is sadly about to change. 

The main problem with Tracy is that Coronation Street normally makes sure characters of her ilk receive their comeuppance. I know Tracy is frequently humiliated and rarely gets what she wants for long. However she has been unpleasant and downright vile to nearly everyone in Coronation Street at some time or another and has never learned from her mistakes. Life in Weatherfield has simply never been this way before.

And I know she has been sent to prison - but she was released in a highly unbelievable fashion. Her entire character is now completely without compassion, or indeed any positive features whatsoever. She happily drops her daughter on whoever she can find at the drop of a hat and has transformed Deirdre from a sympathetic, likeable woman into a stupid, blinkered character, constantly defending her daughter, regardless of the crime.

So please, Coronation Street, get rid of Tracy!! She should never have been brought back in her current incarnation. I much preferred her when she spent months at a time upstairs listening to her tapes. As this is unlikely in the present day, can someone at Streetcars please call her a cab to whisk her out of Weatherfield as quickly as possible.

Where's Fat Brenda when you need her??