(This post was originally posted by Graeme N on the Coronation Street Blog in February 2013.)Are sympathetic characters out of fashion in Weatherfield? When the powers that be first announced the casting of Sue Johnston I was thrilled. I have always admired Sue's performances on screen and had great hopes for an enjoyable stint in Coronation Street. However, the honest truth is, I haven't enjoyed one bit of it and I thoroughly dislike her character.
What a waste of good talent! I'm not about apportioning blame, but something has gone wrong somewhere along the line. I am not criticising Sue Johnston's acting talents at all, but the character of Gloria Price has just not taken off in my eyes. All she does is cause trouble for her family, pick fights and deceive people. I had hoped her return last night would see a change in direction, but no: within two episodes she had upset her entire family and picked fights with Carla and Peter. It wasn't enjoyable to watch, it wasn't dramatic, it wasn't even funny.
Don't get me wrong. I wasn't expecting a rehash of Barbara Royle or Sheila Grant, I hoped we would get something different. Just not this. Corrie has successfully introduced well known actresses in the past. I would love Rula Lenska to return as Claudia Colby one day, and Stephanie Cole continues to be superb as Roy's mum Sylvia.
Part of the problem is that Gloria has failed to interact with other characters in the Street. Practically all her scenes are with St Ella, Eva or Leanne. There was a brief glimmer of hope when Gail helped her out months ago, but nothing really came of that, apart from the dreadful scam over Lewis.
I'm not saying it's too late to salvage something from the wreckage. I keep waiting for the writers to explore Gloria's past and explain why she is the damaged, unpleasant woman she appears to be. If we are to take Gloria Price to our hearts, this better happen soon.
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3 comments:
Really, an opportunity missed by the writers. Three generations of women, each with their own strong personalities, and instead of exploring those layers, we get screaming and scheming. Shame. Could be three strong female characters.
I didn't like Gloria the first time around and hoped they would mellow the character out on her return. But I think she is even worse than before and pretty much impossible to watch. I hope she doesn't stick around for long if this is what she is going to be like.
I agree totally. The character could still have a sharp side, but this constant nastiness is anything but entertaining. I have to say I like Stella, and I'm even starting to sort of warm to Eva (though it won't take much to make me cringe again every time she's on screen).
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