All I Want is You (Corrie's musical montage)

For those who missed it! The fantastic montage to finish off Coronation Street's saddest week ever. Found on YouTube. All copyright remains with ITV.

What's Next for Coronation Street?

(This post was originally posted by Matt, totally tongue in cheek, on the Coronation Street Blog September, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)
After the tram crash and explosion, Corrie’s residents will be unsure of what will happen next. Here are some possibilities:

After being blamed for the explosion, Ciaran drops Nick in it by telling the police he already told Nick about the explosion. Nick leaves in disgrace

Graeme takes over the butchers and employs Kirk as his assistant, but it proves a disaster and the place shuts within a couple of months

Recent events give Norris a personality transplant and he starts being nice to everyone

After Nick escapes jail over the explosion, Gail falls in love with his lawyer and marries him

Gail’s new marriage falls apart when her husband cheats on her with Sean

John confesses his crimes after being haunted by Charlotte’s ghost

Fiz finally leaves John and gets together with Dr Carter

Sian decides to cheer Sophie up after Kevin’s affair is revealed by trying on the corset Rosie bought Sophie for her 16th

After seeing Sian in the corset, Sophie vow only lasts for a few more minutes

Ken and Diedrie push each other away after what happened to Peter, leading them to both have another affair

Character Study: Ashley Sibilius Peacock

 Our Ashley was buried last night. We didn't see the funeral, only Claire's fury at Nick before and after when she found out via Nosy Norris that he should have reported the gas stove problem straight away. Nick didn't realize he was legally obligated to do so but you'd think it would be a no brainer where that type of thing is concerned. No matter.

In honour of Ashley, we're pleased to offer you a character study and essay about Ashley Peacock.

Hope and Devastation

(This post was originally posted by Chewy on the Coronation Street Blog and The State of the Street in December, 2010.)

"It's Coronation Street as you have never seen it before" said Phil Collinson, and you know what, it really was. What a brilliant week of television, the week began with a street so divided that you could cut the tension with a knife.

By the end, the street were all sleeping quietly together in the Rovers, with Steve stood at the doorway, thinking over what had happened over the last three hours. Roy and Hayley soldiered on through the night, providing warmth and a smile to all who needed it. Josh and Freddie lay fast asleep, unaware that they had lost their daddy.

Two themes were very present in the final minute, hope and devastation.

Coronation Street: Recovery

Have you recovered from the best Corrie ever? Are you reliving it? Rewatching it?

Or have you put it behind you, donned your flak jackets and headed out for back to school shopping?

It's the day after the week that was and I'm still coming down to earth slowly. It's still be mostly all Corrie all day as I catch up on the specials and slowly catch my breath. My musings on the subject are here on my other blog as I wonder what's coming up this week on the show.

Coronation Street tram crash : Day 5 review

The week is finally at an end. Dawn will be breaking soon. Truths were revealed, hearts were broken, several types of relationships were blown apart,  and at least one person is taking a huge sigh of relief, thinking his problems are solved. Don't bet on that, mate. My final thoughts on Day 5 of anniversary week to be found here.

Tram Crash week awards

Hero of the week: Gold Star: Ashley, R.I.P.
Silver Star: (tie) Ciaran and Jason.
Bronze Star: everyone else that helped get someone out from under the rubble.

Chump of the week: Gold Star: John Stape for hammering Charlotte and putting her *into* the rubble!

Beat me with a guilty stick award: Gold Star: Carla, who was the one that sent Nick back to tell Peter about the affair.

Forget men, stick with women award: Gold Star: Carla again. She's lost her brother-in-law, Dean, her first husband, Paul, her lover, Liam, all to sudden violent accidents and her second husband Tony blew himself up. Now the one she is in love with is still not out of the woods after an accident as well and she's lost the one friend she's got.

Private Hell award: Gary and his Afghanistan flashbacks.

That solves that problem award: Gold Star: Molly did say she was leaving Tyrone and she wouldn't be back. She was right.
Silver Star: Charlotte's brain-dead and her parents ask "Colin" if they should take her off life support. Doh.

Awkward award: Gold Star: Peter had to explain "bigamist" to Simon. Oops!
Silver Star: Charlotte introduced Colin John as her fiance!

Hitting the wall award: Tie: Tyrone and Molly's marriage is over.
Nick asked Leanne to marry him.

The Witch is Back award: Gold star: Carla was in one miserable mood! She left no stitcher unscathed. Mind you, don't blame her for giving them hell after they started to rib her about the drink driving charge.

Instigator award: Gold Star: Carla sending Ken to the bar to discover Nick and Leanne
Silver Star: Jim certainly enjoys winding up Owen and look where it got him! But Owen seems to have got the hump too. (But no Liz in town for the 50th week???)

Fashion award of the week: Sean's knitted hat!

Fashion Don't of the week: Fiz is now the proud owner of the unrealistic fake baby bump.


Rock and a hard place award: Stony Star: Ken... should he tell Peter and risk him drinking? or keep the secret? Really, now that Leanne knows he knows, it's none of his business. Let Leanne deal with it.

Love the hairdo! I really liked Leanne's hair this week.

He's not just a pub owner award: Sloshed star: Owen needs to drive Steve to the hospital? Doesn't Steve own a cab firm?

There's no way to award any stars in particular for performance of the week. They were all astounding, even the ones that I don't normally find all that good.

Lines of the week:

Ashley: "It's a stag night, what's going to happen?" (Oh Ashley!)
John: "Anyone can hit a nail with a hammer" (and a bigger target is even easier)
Dr. Carter: "What's the worst that could happen?" Tina: "Well you might not get out of here alive"
Nick: "That's the last time I have a stag do in here!"
Simon: "It's a bit smoky up there!"
Norris: "The vision of Hell itself"
John to Fiz "After tonight, Colin will be out of our lives forever" (Sez you?)
Sally about Carla "She's like a demented lion tamer!"
Molly to Kevin "You've made your position clear. You don't want us and we don't want your guilt money!"
Sally "You!? Volunteering to take *me* shopping? There's definitely something wrong with yer dad!" (Guilt money?)
Charlotte "Why should i be stuck here along with ugly, bitter thoughts?" (because you're an ugly, bitter woman!)
Ken "I think I know when two people are having an affair" Deidre "Well you should do, you've had enough experience!"
Deirdre to Ken "Who hasn't asked for a second chance?" (point!)
Owen to Jim "The trick is knowing which pubs you're not welcome in" (and Jim's not stupid, so he isn't!)
John "Who said size isn't everything!?" Katy "I don't know but I bet it were a bloke!"
Peter "It's going to take more than Nick Tilsley to steal you away from me!"
Molly to Sally: "He chose you because you are beautiful inside and out"
Carla: "You didn't choose Peter. You married him for his expiry date" (Ouch)
Sally: "Did you bother running or was that just fancy dress?" and "Nothing like a tumour in your wife's breast to shake you out of a midlife crisis!"

There were Phrases of Doom all over the place, weren't there? Carla saying a lot can happen in a week and Peter saying how happy he is etc. I shudder.

Carla, Nick, Leanne and Peter...What's next for them?

(This post was originally posted by me on the Coronation Street Blog and The State of the Street in December, 2010.)

Everyone is wondering about the aftermath of the tram crash and secrets revealed. Well, with Leanne choosing Peter over Nick and Carla in bits because she's lost Peter, either to the angels or to Leanne, we don't know yet, I got thinking about what's next for these four people. Check out my predictions over here. 

I've been thinking a lot about Coronation Street this week. I'm sure I've even dreamed about it! What happened, what's next, what will happen when various truths spread like the swine flu.

Gosh, I love this show!

Corrie-Geek, and proud of it!

Coronation Street tram crash : Day 4 review

I'm busy blogging Anniversary Week, I've just finished Day 4's observations after another emotional ride. One wedding tonight with the groom's life hanging in the balance. Molly is dead and Becky has done the unthinkable. One last rescue and a major confrontation about to happen. Charlotte's life is in John's hands as we head into tomorrow's finale. Check out day 4 on my State of the Street blog. I'll post Day 5 that will cover the second half of tonight along with tomorrow's.

What have you thought of the live episode? I thought they all nailed it and I didn't spot any mistakes that were obvious at least. Absolutely cracking stuff!

Sunday Canadian Corrie Comments, September 18

I've written these notes using the Corrie.net updates. It's better than nothing, seeing as I'm on my holidays and this week is the biggest week of the year! There are blog posts on Bluenose Corrie Blog during the "tram crash" episodes that are probably the best place to go rather than me repeating it all here. I'll link to them so you can check them out. There's lots of other anniversary blog posts there too.

Leanne is on again and off again with Nick who's utterly repugnantly arrogant. He knows her mind better than she does? ??? Pleeeeze! The smack line for that gob must be 3 miles long! but she can't seem to keep away until Ken catches them snogging and she's horrified. It's definitely over now! I don't know why Carla was so ticked that Leanne was going to break it off with Nick. It shouldn't stop her from chasing after Peter, after all, and Michelle is ever more suspicious, having seen Peter at Carla's flat. At least Carla was able to admit to the driving and drink thing to ward off Michelle's suspicions. Her drink driving secret doesn't stay secret for long, though because the case was listed in the newspaper and the factory bees have got wind of it.

Carla hasn't given up though, and she's the one that sent Ken to the bistro hoping he'd catch Leanne which he did. Panic stations everyone, will Ken tell Peter? You know Ken, "do the right thing" is his middle name. Meanwhile, Peter is loved up and Simon wants to call Leanne Mum, how much more guilty can she be made to feel? How much harder will that fall be when she hits the ground if the secret gets out?

Gary is clearly suffering stress. He nearly tore apart the fruit machine and the night of the crash he was most definitely reliving a firefight in Afghanistan, poor lad. Katy and Chesney might have the green light to live at Number 5 but attempting to take "nooner" breaks is still taking the risk of getting caught, which they did! Never mind. They're 16. It's pretty much a 24/7 event anyway.

Charlotte has completely lost the plot now. I hope she's got a text message package because at the rate she's sending them to John she'll be broke by New Year. She's also introduced him to her parents as Colin, her fiance!!! Quite clearly John had to do something but bashing her on the head? It was an impulse, not premeditated but she's dead all the same. Isn't she?

Owen got in the second, more violent strike and had Jimbo assaulted. Owen is staking his claim like a stag on the mountain. Jim's pretty fierce himself but you don't expect a surprise attack. That's probably the only way to get one up on him, mind you. Pretty low, though. And throughout it all, we haven't actually seen Liz! (BTW the actress had gone off again, not sick leave, as far as we know but she got married and wanted to spend some time with her hubby. Or something. Liz is off to Spain and she's not going to be on our screens for some time so that kind of makes Jim's return a bit of a damp squib without any proper arguing over Owen between Liz and Jim!) At least Liz's departure put Owen in his place. She didn't even tell him she was going!

As expected, David's case was dropped due to his medical condition. Cue Tina whinging and mouthing off some more. In some internet circles her nickname is Tina McInTiresome and i'm inclined to agree. She's now going to be the new barmaid which means we will get to see her even more often scowling across the bar.

Molly and Kevin are in the running for most likely to be crowned Grinch for Christmas. But Kevin isn't giving in to Molly's demands and pleading, he knows he wants Sally and the girls, in spite of his need to know who his son is. Sally goes around completely and blissfully unaware that there's anything wrong in spite of Kevin's distractions and vile moods and invites the Dobbs for Christmas dinner. That would be a meal similar to the grand Platt tradition of disaster if you ask me. Just as well Molly called it off. She's about to call off her marraige too, now that Tyrone's found her birth control pills. She finally admitted she was leaving and looky what happened, she got chased throught he shop by a tram! Talk about karma! No, i'm sorry she's badly hurt, really I am, but you just can't break sweet Tyrone's heart, you just can't! It's like kicking a puppy!

The week built up really well, to the eve of the hen party and stag do. Loads of tension, loads of pointed looks across bars, the Dobbs marriage in tatters, Nick in a bad mood because he can't talk Leanne around and Leanne's increasing guilt over her fall from grace. Max has all of a sudden decided to take up wandering so there's a precedent for him going missing after the crash.

Here's links to more detailed comments on the crash, i wrote them last year seeing them from the UK timeline:

Tram Crash Day 1 and 2, Day 3.


Day 4 comments will be included in next week's review along with Day 5 of anniversary week/Tram crash.

Best actor, Day one. Alan Halsall (Tyrone)
Best actor, Day two. Mikey North (Gary)
Best actor, Day three. Stephen Arnold (Ashley)

What's next for Weatherfield, blogger David's take on it

(This post was originally posted by David on the Coronation Street Blog December, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

As we speak there is but one episode left of what has been an unforgettable Golden Anniversary week on Coronation Street. We are all still wondering about whether or not Peter will survive his cardiac arrest and if anyone will discover Rita under a mountain of Toblerone.

The next tantalising question though is - what happens next? Phil Collinson and co have the ability to lead the remaining characters in any number of directions. In the coming months, Tyrone could be one to watch. He's a man bereft, having lost everything that was precious to him, within a matter of hours. Will he become a tougher, meaner person as a result? Will he crumble and, if so, who will be there to support him? Rumour has it that such support may come from a surprising quarter.

For Claire and her boys plus Janice Battersby, it's the end of the road. No doubt Claire will begin a new life in France with her mother but what's the motivation for Janice upping sticks?

There's going to be no Corner Shop or Kabin for the forseeable future. Where does that leave Dev, Norris and, if she lives, Rita?

John Stape's web of deceit looks like spinning totally out of control should worrying harridan Charlotte survive (nice one for keeping her alive, scriptwriters!)

One possible stoyline that could emerge is the future of the Joinery site. Could there be a clash between the owner, Nick Tilsley and other residents who may wish for it to remain undeveloped?  Maybe there could be some form of memorial garden in its place but will sentiment override commercial interests?

Whatever happens, we can all take comfort from having viewed a week of gripping, emotional drama. With the dust beginning to settle on the cobbles, we now have the intrigue of where 2011 will take the survivors and the bereaved.

Where do you think the characters are heading in the up and coming months?

The best Corrie week of our lives

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora and Seapenguin on the Coronation Street Blog December, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Flaming Nora said:

Last night's live Coronation Street episode has left me reeling. 

Is Peter dead? Is Charlotte alive? Will Sally have Kevin's nuts strung up for Christmas decorations? 

So many highlights, so much to say, I don't know where to start. The acting was fantastic, the drama tight, the comedy light, the dialogue sparkling (thanks to Corrie writer Jan McVerry). 

Best of all, for this Corrie fan, is that the storyline every night so far has been surprising, shocking even. Now you know me, I'm a fan of a tabloid spoiler and I love to know what's going to happen ahead in my favourite soap. But without any spoilers, the story has been one surprise after another. And as we head to tonight's two episodes, I'm just hoping against hope that Rita will get out alive or I'll be in mourning for a month wearing a black armband and a big red wig.

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Seapenguin said:

They're taking us on a real bumpy ride this week on Coronation Street. There's been so much excitement that it's had my nerves stretched to the limit. I've been feeling like Lloyd Bridges in Airplane! Reckon I picked the wrong week to stop smoking/drinking/sniffing glue.

And there's still more drama to come this evening.

The main anxieties for me are, will Peter Barlow pull through (he must! he must!), and will they rescue Rita from under that mountain of confectionery.

The highlights for me last night were Molly's gruelling deathbed confession to Sally, and Peter and Leanne's even more gruelling wedding. I thought Sally Dynevor was particularly good.

Highlight of the week so far has been Ashley's death. A great exit for Steven Arnold.

"Oh no" moment of the night for me, was Charlotte having a pulse. My mind boggles at the thought of yet more being squeezed out of Stapewick. Obviously, there's yet another twist in the tail and perhaps it will be resolved this evening. At any rate, it's all wonderfully enjoyable stuff. A massive thanks to all concerned.

King Ken of Coronation Street

(This post was originally posted by Merseytart on the Coronation Street Blog and The State of the Street in December, 2010.)

On the fiftieth anniversary, I thought it was about time we turned our attention to the King of Coronation Street, the Titan of the Cobbles - Mr Kenneth Barlow.

What can you say about Ken?  Well, firstly you have to say he's NOT BORING, or he'll sue.  Beyond that, how can you sum up fifty years of Ken without a large brandy?  The man has been there, done that, got the t-shirt, married the t-shirt, slept around behind the t-shirt's back, then watched the t-shirt fall under a bus.

He was first introduced to us as an intellectual student, sneering at his father's use of brown sauce.  Like many a young student, he was an insufferable prig, and if he'd carried on like that for fifty years the Street would have risen up and thrown him under the tram themselves.  Fortunately, two incidents mellowed him.  Firstly, his mum, Ida Barlow, got hit by a bus and died.  This would be the start of Ken's love-hate relationship with transportation: it's no wonder he's never ventured further than Crimea Terrace.  Vehicular disasters would later claim his brother, his nephew and his daughter, and even as I write, Peter Barlow is being dragged out from underneath a Metrolink.

The second mellowing influence on Ken was Valerie Tatlock, who became the first Mrs Barlow.  Valerie gave Ken twins; in return he slept with an exotic dancer and a newspaper reporter, got locked up for seven days, and accused her of having an affair with Ray Langton.  For some reason, Valerie forgave him all of this, and agreed to go to Jamaica with him.  The mind-boggling prospect of Ken Barlow with dreadlocks smoking ganja was sadly destroyed when Val electrocuted herself with a hairdryer and set fire to the maisonettes.  Ken's reaction was to pull a slightly pained face and pack the twins off to Glasgow.

You see, Ken has always been what you could term a "hands off" father, in the sense that he'd prefer it if someone else did the parenting for him.  Peter and Susan vanished to Scotland and were barely seen until they were old enough to drive.  Little Daniel, the product of his affair with hairdresser Denise, got a couple of weeks with his Dad in 2007 and hasn't been mentioned since.  (Mind you he lives in Macclesfield, and we all know what a horrific trek that is from Manchester).  Ken recently discovered he had another son, Lawrence, the product of his roving student loins; they were getting on famously until Ken realised he was played by famous actor Linus Roache, and so he couldn't be in the show more than two weeks.  Lawrence therefore departed and was never mentioned again.  In fairness to Ken, the one child he did lavish time and attention on was Tracy Barlow, and she turned out to be an amoral psychopath, so perhaps it's for the best that he doesn't bother.

Most people bring back shortbread and a stuffed teddy in a kilt as a souvenir from Scotland; Ken came back with a wife, Janet.  She'd already worked her way through most of the men on the Street before becoming the second Mrs Barlow, so the signs weren't good.  Eventually she left Ken for being unambitious (NOT BORING) and went off with another man.  Ken reacted with a slightly pained expression, sent the kids back up to Scotland, and started living the life of a 1970s playboy - well, he shacked up with a married woman for a while, anyway.  Janet finally returned and begged Ken to take her back; for the first time in his life, he turned down a woman, and the humiliation was so bad that Janet topped herself.

How did Ken get over this tragedy?  By marrying another woman - Sexy Specs herself, Deirdre Langton.  Ken and Deirdre rapidly became the Burton and Taylor of the Street, their torrid love affair tearing up the cobbles.  Well, perhaps not torrid.  What can we say about Ken and Deirdre that hasn't been said already?  The two of them were incredibly well matched, in the sense that they both had the sex appeal of a wet afternoon in Llangollen and yet they seemed to spend their days fighting off suitors.  Deirdre slept with Cockney wide boy Mike Baldwin, while Ken hooked up with carp-faced secretary Wendy Crozier.  The affair didn't last long, and after Deirdre found happiness with Samir, Ken hit rock bottom and tried to top himself.  Only the intervention of Bet Lynch - and Bill Roache's realisation that he wouldn't be able to pay the mortgage if he ever left - stopped him.

Ken rebuilt his life slowly, becoming a trolley boy at Freshco, knocking up Denise, and finally giving in and getting back together with Deirdre.  He forgave her Christmas indiscretion with Dev (which is more than the viewers have) and they tied the knot again.  It was a happy occasion, marred only slightly by the death of her first husband at the reception.  Unexpected deaths are bread and butter to Ken though, and he only became riled when Ray slumped into the vol au vents.

It's Ken's calm, intelligent side which is the real boon to the Street: who else listens to Radio 3?  Who else reads the Guardian?  Who else sucks on the arm of their glasses in extreme moments?  This intellectual side (which is definitely NOT BORING) does mean that he has a tendency to caution, resulting in frustration for Deirdre.  There are times when she'd like a wildly exciting lover, not a man who thinks that wearing a silk housecoat is positively daring.

What makes things worse is that when Ken does decide to be exciting and dangerous and daring, he tends to do it behind Deirdre's back, as his escapades with Sable Colby on a barge recently showed.  Stephanie Beacham offered to take Ken away to the high life of That London; when he realised that this would involve a trip South of the Watford Gap, he jumped back onto land sharpish and begged for Deirdre's forgiveness.  She granted it on condition that she could make snippy remarks to him for the rest of their life.

So who is Ken Barlow in 2010?  He's a man who's seen things no man should ever see - the death of a child, the despair of divorce, the pain of financial ruin, Blanche getting out of the bath.  Despite these agonies he's managed to cling on to a full head of lustrous hair - surely a Pantene endorsement deal can't be far away?  He's an icon, a legend, a God.  He's also not a very good actor, but it seems churlish to mention it.  One certainty about the tram crash was that Ken would survive, because he will; he's the core of Corrie, and he'll probably be around for the 100th anniversary, even if he's just a head in jar by that point.  Cheers Ken: I raise my half of Newton and Ridley in your honour.

Fat Brenda's Belting Bulletin - Tram Horn

Loveys, I am flamin' exhausted. How long is this night gonna last? I've been trying to eat this packed lunch for the past three hours but everytime I unwrap the clingfilm summat else happens!

I'm reporting from outside The Kabin where me heat detecting disposable lighter is picking up traces of an OAP trapped inside. I knew Rita was there anyway, I can smell that Yardely Lace perfume she wears from twenty paces.

We've witnessed some very distressing scenes over the past hour with Claire hearing the message Ashley left for her. What folk didn't hear was the message he left for me when he was trapped inside The Joinery about me sausages being ready to collect. I've mentioned it to Claire but she won't open up the shop for me to get them - the witch - she's never going to keep that business going with that attitude!

Loveys, there was a ray of Hope last night in all the horror, a Hope for a better world, a Hope of new life...you know what I'm talking about don't you loveys? That's right, Ashley's sausage recipe hasn't died, it lives in Graeme's head... oh and Fiz has had a baby an' all!

I like a good wedding me loveys but I'm old fashioned, I always like a groom to be conscious when he's delivering his vows. It was a cracking ceremony though, apart from his heart stopping at the end obviously, that always ruins the day dunnit. At least he's made an honest woman of Leanne so there's a first time for everything!

Is it just me lovey or was it difficult to tell what was David's 'beard' and what was just a bit of muck on his face? I swear if he wiped that goatee with a bit of spit on a hankie it'd come clean off - like his fake tan.

I was picking up some essentials from the rubble of the shop and who did I see in there? Becky flamin' McDonald! Stealing! Honestly, you can't trust anyone nowadays loveys... I did manage to grab meself a few Ginsters and ciggies from the wreckage for nowt though.

I know what yer thinking, 'she's not mentioned Eddie yet' but I do have to say that even after an explosion and tram crash he still manages to walk that fine line between rugged and handsome. If this was an action film he'd be Bruce flamin' Willis - in man made fibres - and I'd be the love interest and he'd rescue me and then he'd leave Anna and then Gary would accept me as his new mum and then we'd run the Rovers and then he'd bake me cakes and... sorry, I don't now what happened then loveys...it must be the stress...I'd better go now.

If you want to tweeter me then do it 'cos I love to chat and that.

This is the news with Brenda on the cobbles for the Coronation Street Blog.

Coronation Street writer reveals tram crash details

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog December, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Joe Turner is the Coronation Street writer who penned one of last night's tram crash episodes. And in an interview on the BBC website, he says he did not see it until he watched it with his family when it was broadcast.

"I was in the odd position of not having seen it before," he said. "Normally we get DVDs in advance but because they were trying to keep as much secrecy as possible about it, I actually had the thrill of sitting with my family last night with a very nice bottle of wine and enjoying it as it went out!"

Read the full article at the BBC.