Breaking News: British Isles Show Canceled

Every year in Toronto, thousands gather to celebrate all things British (and Irish) at the annual British Isles Show. The show features vendors selling British TV, movies, food, and the big draw: an annual appearance by one of the cast of Coronation Street.

That is, except this year. It’s been canceled.

It’s a disappointment for sure, but to be honest, the quality had declined in recent years. You had vendors with little to do with show (like travel agents) showing up and Johnny LaRue-esque announcers making racist jokes over a too loud PA system. And next month we’ll have William Roache, as well as the actors who played Claire and Ashley Peacock, and Andy and Jim Macdonald doing appearances independently of the show and for a lot of people, they were the only reason to go. And from what I’ve seen, the venues the actors are using are probably better than a loud, crowded convention centre.

We’ll have to see if it comes back next year.

Coronation Street Weekly Updates on Amazon

For years, Glenda Young, one of the original UK-based Corrie bloggers has been writing weekly summaries of Coronation Street since 1995. If you’re a Kindle user, those summaries are now available for your device by clicking here.

I love the Corrie updates as they’ve always provided some great back-story to the current storylines. As I’ve only been watching the show for ten years, sometimes I need that extra historical context.

I’m also currently trying to get my three year old son into the show with little luck. However he does insist I read him entry on Schmeichel in this book, which my wife got for Christmas. So you know, baby steps.

Update for the Week Ending February 17

Corrie Catch-Up: We are now four months and two weeks behind the current episodes.

This week saw the aftermath of Carla’s ordeal at the hands of Frank Foster, Frank’s arrest, and Carla’s decision to seek counselling for her trauma. No fancy wedding reception at the bistro, then.Frank played the jilted lover to all involved and even managed to goad Peter into giving him a good smack into his consistently expressionless face with his gross "I gave ‘er what she wanted" comment. Peter’s reaction to Carla’s ordeal has Leanne wondering if Carla’s love isn’t so unrequited at all. It is, but Peter is walking a thin line here between being caring friend and being something more. After being arrested in the Rovers, where all break-ups, proposals, wedding receptions, baby deliveries, deaths, and arrests occur, everyone knows what Frank is charged with and he is later denied bail.

Kevin and Sally got back together for one night but when Kevin started celebrating a bit too soon, Sally threw him back on his ear. Rosie’s back with a new, short n’ spikey haircut. Ever since Annie Lennox in the Eurythmics back in the day, I’ve had a fondness for the short n’ spikey look on gals so I approve. Rosie had a modeling appearance that went awry on the Lorraine Kelly Show (The UK equivalent to Marilyn Denis, I think). The video of the dust-up went viral in Corrieworld but I think that, and some other Rosie-related stuff, is happening off-screen so it’s hard for us in Canada to find out what that was about. Bill and Auntie Pam are engaged. Hearing of Kevin’s good fortune (seriously, this man does not experience consequences), Pam gives him a piece of her mind. Now, I do sympathize with her as Molly was like a daughter to her and seeing Kevin, living back at the house, with their son, and 200K richer, must sting. Still, she rows with him so loudly that poor Bill has a heart attack.No more fry-ups for you, then!

Tyrone’s new gal Kirsty is a super jealous, quick tempered piece of work. And she’s a cop. "Faaaanntastic!" thinks Tina.

After soaking themselves trying to fix Anna’s pipes, Anna and Owen head upstairs for a bit of plumbing of their own. The next day Anna freaks out and avoids Owen, explaining later that Eddie was her first and only partner. For his part, Owen explains that he doesn’t do dating very well either but they agree to keep seeing each other. I also have a theory that back in the day, Eddie Windass had some appeal but started to let himself go in bad way as soon as he was married. Anna stuck around to make sure her son didn’t end up in jail and to mitigate Uncle Len’s influence and because Eddie made awesome cakes. It’s the only thing that makes sense.

A few notes for a Sunday

Corrie Cast Members in Canada

Don’t forget that William Roache is coming to Canada next month. He’ll be doing appearances in Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Vancouver, and Victoria. Here is the info on the Ottawa show. Be sure to follow @strollpro on Twitter for all the details.

In another, unrelated Canadian Corrie appearance, Hamilton will be getting Julia Haworth and Steve Arnold (Claire and Ashley Peacock), Nick Cochrane (Andy MacDonald), and Charles Lawson (Jim MacDonald) who is replacing Ken Morely (Reg Holdsworth), so he is. They’ll be appearing at Redeemer University College on March 29 with stops in London and Grand Bend. Click here for tickets for their other appearances. 

The Carla Storyline

On Friday, Coronation Street’s episodes featured the rape of Carla Connor by Frank Foster. It was a difficult scene to watch and when it aired last September in the UK, it did not do so without controversy. The national helpline for rape survivors, Rape Crisis, reported an 800% increase in calls after the episode aired (warning – the story does not contain spoilers but the related links do so exercise appropriate caution).

There are a few reasons for the controversy. In Britain, television has what they call a “watershed” hour. Anything airing before 9:00pm must be considered family friendly and after 9:00pm you get, well, The Tudors. Corrie airs before the watershed and therefore they always walk a fine line when it comes this type of subject matter. But there is also an argument that this sort of thing is needlessly sensationalist. I’m not sure how I feel about the issue to be honest but it’s important to consider many sides to the argument. While I personally prefer a “less crime, more kitchen sink” approach to my Corrie, there is a case to be made for the fact that this is something that affects thousands of women every day. So it’s a tricky issue and I’ll just leave it there.

On a Lighter Note

I’m somewhat obsessed with animated gifs from various TV shows like this Tumblr blog of Downton Abbey gifs. I’ve always wanted to make them but it requires Photoshop or Gimp and a lot of expertise. In the meantime, I did find a site that will make them for you so I finally cooked up one as a test:

If I get ambitious, I’ll do some more.

Update for the Week Up to Thursday, February 9, 2012. A D-I-V-O-R-CE Themed Update

The most recent episode aired on September 16, 2011. This means we are now four months and twenty-six days behind the current airings. It’ll be Christmas in Weatherfield before we know it!

The big news this week is that Tracy is back in Weatherfield with Amy and something new: a pregnancy. Yes, as Lloyd sagely points out, they are are now 2 for 2 after two drunken one night stands. Steve and Tracy are officially Weatherfield’s most fertile couple. Does D & S Alahan’s still stock condoms? Because he should totally look into that.

Steve (again) wants nothing to do with the baby and Tracy makes plans to abort. Thanks to some interfering from Deirdre, who wants Tracy to keep the baby, Steve drives her to the clinic and misses a mediation meeting with Becky. But in the end, Tracy decides to keep the baby. She and Steve agree that they will share parenting duties but they will not be a couple, which in Tracy’s mind, means they are on the way to becoming a couple.

But there is the matter of living arrangements to sort out so he agrees to let her live in Lloyd’s old mouse-infested flat above the cab office (which he also happens to own, because he’s cheap). Becky also wants the flat. So it’s stand-off when Tracy threatens to let the cat out of the bag by looking down at her belly and then back to him (and damn if that wasn’t actually funny). I still don’t approve of Tracy as a permanent character but I’ll be damned if Kate Ford isn’t good at comedy.

Steve gives it to Tracy but later Becky intimidates her out of the flat and announces to Steve that she’s going to bleed him dry.

Oh, and the baby news is out (which of course Becky made all about her) thanks to Julie overhearing Tracy in the Rovers.

Frank finally got an offer approved on that house he wanted to buy for him and Carla. Carla, meanwhile, is seeing her solicitor about her options should she end the relationship (both business and romantic-wise).

Stella’s back and Karl still blames Frank for the accident and thinks he isn’t as contrite as he could be.

Dylan has left Weatherfield to go live his mum, Violet, who has now recovered from her accident. Marcus misses him so much he asks Sean to consider adopting with him. Sean isn’t that into it and shows up at the first meeting drunk (it was his birthday) and is even surprised at the suggestion that a family of three would not continue to lodge at Eileen’s. Eventually Sean tells him he doesn’t want to adopt and Marcus wonders if this will change their relationship.

Tyrone finally went out for his date with Kirsty, who shares a name and giant head of curly hair with my sister-in-law, after the misunderstanding concerning Tommy giving her a few bob to talk to Tyrone at the bar is sorted out. They get along like a house on fire and make plans to see each other again. But when she sees her car has been boxed in by Tina, who was taking her MOT, she gets a little … intense. Still, Tyrone thinks her name is classy.

What will Friday bring?

The Steve McDonald Fertility Method

Couples! Are you trying to conceive a child but are so far unsuccessful? Your days of complicated babymaking methods are over!

It’s time to consider the Steve McDonald Fertility Method.

Only Steve McDonald’s potent formula of alcohol, rebounding, regret, one-night stands, and bad judgement contain the alchemy needed to create a child in a single night, sometimes in as little time as two minutes, and sometimes you get. twins.

To get your free information kit, just call the Rovers. If Stella answers, hang up. She’s always getting the good gossip.

My Two Dads (And Mum)

The thing about watching Corrie in Canada is that we’re removed from all the show-biz gossip that would surround the show if we watched in the UK. For that reason, I don’t always take note of the actors’ personal lives. I didn’t know that until recently, Samia Ghadie (formerly Smith), who plays Maria recently left her husband and is now dating the guy who plays Chris. Who knew? Not me, obviously.

I read the Guardian on a regular basis but I’ve only just recently come across this column. It’s written by Charlie Condou, who plays Marcus on Corrie, and is currently helping Sean take care of Dylan, albeit temporarily. The column chronicles his own real life experiences as a gay dad sharing parenting duties with his partner and the female friend who carried their two children. He comes off as a pretty down to earth guy who deals with the same issues as any parent.

There’s nothing like bringing real authenticity to a role.

The Holy Crap We’re 5 Months Behind Update

Last night’s episode aired on September 2nd, 2011 so we’ve now closed the gap to five months behind the UK. Remember that we started out 10 months behind so we’re in the home stretch. I’ll be relieved when we’re back to 1 episode a night. As great as it is to close the gap, 5 hours of Corrie a week is a real slog.

The big news this week is that Fizz, having grassed on the prison drug dealer (played by Rebecca Callard, daughter of Beverly Callard, aka Liz Macdonald), now facing violence for herself and baby Hope. Tyrone, having heard this, decides to go found the drug dealer’s boyfriend, take photos of him dealing, and use those to blackmail him into getting girlfriend to lay off Fizz. It does not go according to plan and eventually the dealer, Leon who even scared Uncle Len (nice callback) is tied up in the freezer at the old butcher shop while Tyrone, Kirk, and Tommy figure out what to do next.

Becky got a job managing a posh pub using a speech that never got anybody a job anywhere:

"If you want somebody running your bar shouting gobspeak that nobody understands, then go hire a Dalek. But if you want flesh and blood, somebody who’ll make the people feel really special and get them spending all their dosh in a place with a fantastic buzz then you won’t find anybody better than me. And if you want to stick that in your CSR audit and see what it prints out, be my guest." Although I do see her point – trendy business terms like "stakeholder" make my eye twitch.

Then she went and lied about managing Roy’s Rolls and asked Roy to lie to her new employers to be a reference and, well, you might as well ask Mr. Spock to do that for all the good it will do.

Kylie is taking baby steps toward adulthood. After blackmailing Audrey with a video of her and Marcia, Audrey’s relationship with him ended. I was looking on YouTube for the ending of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode where Dr. Crusher breaks it off with her new Trill lover when his symbiote is placed in a female host. She basically gives him the same speech Audrey gives Marc.

Anyhow, Audrey also tells Kylie that their childhoods were not that different and asks her to take a look at her like. This strikes a chord with Kylie and she cleans up her act enough to try to impress Max’s social worker. She also plans a mobile nail salon for busy women on the go. Carla, basically.

Anna and Owen have a date but Faye, sensing that yet another mother is about to abandon her, send Anna a text from Owen’s phone breaking it off. The misunderstanding is cleared up when Gary finds Owen’s phone in Faye’s bag.

I also noticed the show mentioned Macdonald’s and Coca-Cola. And Marcus’s laptop plays the telltale Windows XP start-up sound. I read somewhere that the rules regarding product placement have been relaxed in the UK and I’m just wondering if that’s related. Previously, the show has existed in a kind of bubble where nobody seems to use major brands. I hope Carlsberg doesn’t buy out Newton and Ridley.

Republic of Coronation Street

Hey all. Just a quick note that I noticed a funny Corrie reference on Republic of Doyle this week.  I PVR it on Tuesdays and usually watch it right before Downton. It’s a fun show.

In a subplot involving a character who went to the UK, Des refers to the time difference:

“You know, like how there’s a six month delay for us to get new episodes of Coronation Street.” It was slightly more awesome than Russell Crowe showing up for a guest spot.

Except now, it’s more like 5 and a half.

 

 

Unlucky Number 13, Coronation Street

Off all of the houses on Coronation Street, Number 13, true to its name, offers some pretty bad luck for its residents.

On New Year’s Eve, 1960 May Hardman died of a brain tumour on the stairs of her house, her cries having gone unheard. Christine, May’s daughter, suffered a bout of mental illness and almost threw herself off the roof of the factory.

Then for more than 20 years it was home to the unlucky Stan and Hilda Ogden, who eventually sold the house to the Websters, despite Sally initially having trouble getting a mortgage due to an old debt. In the late 90′s, the Websters would break up briefly over an affair of Kevin’s. A few other affairs later, they remarried and eventually sold the house to the Peacocks, who were having financial troubles.

Ashley Peacock would die in the tram crash of 2010 and the house would be refurnished and purchased by Lloyd Mullaney and Cheryl.

Cheryl’s ex-husband Chris is currently dealing with a brain tumour.  Will he also expire on the same stairs as May Hardman? Eh, probably not but if I were looking to buy on that street I’d go for one of the flats at Victoria Court and not a place with so much history.