After greater than six a long time on our screens, the world’s longest-running TV cleaning soap Coronation Road has grow to be one thing of a nationwide establishment. Because it first aired in 1960, the present has constructed up a fiercely loyal fanbase not solely in Britain however world wide, proving significantly widespread amongst audiences in Canada and New Zealand. However lately some followers have grow to be more and more disillusioned. From an over reliance on issues-based plots to its heat familiarity, readers inform us what they give thought to Coronation Road in 2024.
‘I’m not satisfied it deserves the tirade it’s at the moment getting’
I’ve watched Corrie since I can recall. It has all the time had memorable characters, who had been distinct in most qualities. The remaining characters – longstanding ones – are one of many causes I take pleasure in it. I’m fairly devoted to Corrie. The standard of the scripts is variable and infrequently may be actually didactic – which is insulting at occasions. The manufacturing workforce have freshened up a number of of the units and it’s wanting actually sensible.
I discover the unpredictable scheduling an actual ache as you by no means know from week to week which nights it’s on. I’m not saying Corrie is ideal, however I’m not satisfied that it deserves the tirade it’s at the moment getting. John Cotgrave, 51, secondary college instructor, Huddersfield
‘It’s faraway from regular, working-class, Mancunian life’
I’ve been watching Coronation Road all my life with my mom and grandmother. It’s the closest factor my household has to faith.
It’s not very trendy to be a person my age and watch soaps, however I used to be all the time drawn to the larger-than-life characters and sharp, witty dialogue. It’s misplaced concentrate on what’s essential – characters that the viewer cares about, having relatable experiences.
Characters are rewritten to suit the plot, relatively than tales rising organically from interactions within the Rovers or the cafe. Corrie has grow to be too far faraway from regular, working-class, Mancunian life, as an alternative it’s mimicking a post-watershed drama with limitless weapons, gangsters, and distress.
The forged numbers must be lower, the episode rely needs to be decreased, and the writers ought to get again to specializing in writing heat, entertaining characters that really feel genuine. Give us extra Fred Elliotts and Hilda Ogdens, and fewer Harvey Gaskells and Damon Hays. Charles Burns, 30, programs administrator, Bristol
‘A superb steadiness of humour alongside severe subjects’
I nonetheless love watching it as a result of they’ve related story strains to each day life – coping with totally different disabilities and the toll this takes on households and communities. There are various storylines that are dealt with rather well, incorporating some lighthearted moments inside severe subjects. It offers a extremely good steadiness of elevating points and their difficulties however with a contact of humour. Alison Bower, 55, full-time carer, West Yorkshire
‘There are simply too many characters within the present’
My earliest recollections of Corrie are from the early 00s, and I’ve been an avid viewer ever since. Whereas I consider 2024 is off to a stronger begin than 2023 was, I do assume the present has misplaced its manner a bit.
It’s lacking a few of that traditional Corrie humour, and relying too closely on darkish storylines. The forged can be extremely overstuffed, and whereas I admire a forged cull could be unfair on actors, there are too many characters at current.
I nonetheless watch with out fail, however I’m discovering it more durable and more durable to defend the present. Corrie wants to return to the fundamentals – concentrate on traditional cleaning soap drama and keep in mind that it’s a present about neighborhood. I additionally consider the fixed storylines of this kind imply the aftermath falls flat. Amy barely obtained any aftermath to her rape, and I’ve been extremely disillusioned that Daisy ended up with a trauma bond as an alternative of truly coping with her trauma. There are glimpses of hope in current episodes, and I’m hopeful it will possibly discover its manner once more. Vicky French, Middlesbrough
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‘Legacy characters have been sidelined and became jokes’
Whereas Corrie hasn’t been anyplace close to its finest in recent times it stays a agency fixture in my TV information. Regardless of its faults it nonetheless has its good factors. For one factor, there are numerous longstanding characters on the present who’re well-established family names, even to those that have switched off during the last decade.
A primary instance could be Gail performed by Helen Value, who is among the finest actors the present has ever had in my view, and has been sidelined for a really very long time. She solely each will get seen when there’s drama throughout the household and even then she is handled like a joke. This may be stated for a lot of different characters who’ve became caricatures of themselves.
One thing I’d love the cleaning soap to do extra of is location filming. Take the characters out on journeys, let’s see them have enjoyable and we are going to take pleasure in them extra. Let’s see one thing good occur for a change earlier than the credit roll. Rhys Jones, Stoke-on-Trent
‘I really feel sorry for the forged having to movie these scenes’
I’m a lifelong Coronation Road watcher. It was once so humorous and it had coronary heart. However in recent times it’s typically misplaced its humour and is generally doom and gloom.
The upcoming storyline involving Toyah [spoiler alert: she buried a stillborn baby in a park 20 years ago after her rape ordeal] is especially darkish, and is unnecessary as she was on display screen within the early 2000s. It’s the writers attempting to be sensationalist. I truly really feel sorry for the forged and crew having to movie these scenes, I think they haven’t any alternative however to associate with it. Natasha Rose, 28, Kent
‘I nonetheless like it’
I’ve a robust emotional connection to Coronation Road – and really fond childhood recollections of being allowed to remain up late to observe with my mam on her evening off (my mother and father ran a pub). I nonetheless like it now. It has advanced with the occasions and the actors are nonetheless nice. Roy Cropper is an angel on Earth. Social points are handled in depth and with sensitivity (not sensationalised in the best way that EastEnders tends to). I miss the black humour from the Archie Shuttleworth and Blanche Hunt period, however it nonetheless has nice comedic moments. There’s a heat familiarity that I’ve felt since I used to be a child that is still to this present day. I couldn’t think about ever not watching it. My Saturday morning ritual is the Corrie omnibus – it’s a consolation blanket to me. Mandy Rowson, image editor, London
