Is Corrie really in the doldrums?

(This post was originally posted by Clinkers (David) on the Coronation Street Blog January 2013, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Well, it has been quite a week for our favourite continuing drama. Richly deserved awards for Alan Halsall and the programme itself. A real shame that Natalie Gumede was not awarded an NTA too, especially given her chilling performances in the past few episodes.

It feels like a week of bouquets and brickbats though. Judging from a few comments lodged here, as a community (do we qualify as a community? Can we have our own flag and maybe an anthem?) we are experiencing a few less than quality moments.

Personally, I wondered if this was more to do with the changing of the guard, producer-wise. The current batch of episodes would have been filmed at a time when Phil Collinson was working his notice. It could be that he did not want to saddle his successor with a bunch of storylines that may not come to fruition until later in the year. Instead we get a few 'holding' stories - the Faktry farce involving Rob and Carla, tedious old Fay(e) (please don't get rid of Joe Duttine as Fay(e)'s real dad too quickly - he's a great actor and would be a welcome regular), Gail's loony plotline and the ruination of Sunita. These things will pass.

This has possibly been one of those periods where the acting has lifted one or two mundane plots. We have Nigel Havers (the Street's best ever pantomime baddie), Natalie Gumede, Alan Halsall and Jennie McAlpine (a storyline for Fiz - a nation celebrates) to thank for that.

In a couple of months we will see how things are settling down under Stuart Blackburn. Will he be able to revive the likes of Deirdre, Eileen and Julie who have all gone a wee bit sour of late? How will he handle the departure of Hayley and possibly a couple of others? Can he reverse the fortunes of the Young Fogies (Tina and Tommy - 21 but going on 50)?

Corrie often has peaks and troughs. It happens. We carry on regardless. Try to remember that no matter how grim things seem to be, they will never be as bad as the 1997 Brian Park episodes. Think Cult of Nirab. But try not to weep . . .



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