Soap Characters 70-90s

[zabadak]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

Quick Corrie trivia question - anyone remember Deirdre Barlow's maiden name?

[staffslad]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

I was a bit late coming to Eastenders, viewing it around the time that Dirty Den got Michelle pregnant. I watched it for a while to see what all the fuss was about, but it never grew on me the way Coronation Street had done from the early 70s. A previous poster mentioned its lack of humour, and I agree that it was decidedly humourless when compared to Coronation Street. Also, I found I really didn't care for many of the characters and what happened to them. I don't think I have seen an episode in 20+ years.

Two lunchtime serials that were shown on ITV in the 70s/80s were Take the High Road--set in a Scottish village--and The Cedar Tree.

[George 1978]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

I used to think that Hollyoaks was a parody of Happy Days when it started in 1995. Remember Jeremy Edwards as Kurt? I could have sworn that he was based on a cross between Fonz out of Happy Days and Cliff Richard when he first started out in 1958.

[Richard1978]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

[QUOTE=George 1978;222945 I am also surprised that Hollyoaks is still going as I thought that it would have only lasted to around 2000.[/QUOTE]

Hollyoaks is aimed at a younger audience which must help things.

I remember Channel 5 tried for the same demographic with Family Affairs but never really succeeded.

[George 1978]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

I've never been able to get into Eastenders. I don't know why really, maybe a lack of humour?

Don't worry - you are quite normal to have that reaction to such a programme.

[George 1978]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

I have always thought that the mid 1980s was an awful time to launch a London-based soap opera such as EastEnders - the East End of London seemed to be a lousy choice to be a location of a soap opera back in the mid 1980s. If I had came from Notting Hill rather than Nottingham, I would probably have different opinions. It just feels "local London" in the same way that River City is to Scotland, a Pobol Y Cwm is to Wales, in other words, it feels to me that it is made with Londoners in mind rather than a national audience.


Also, it's a bit like how Granada launched Albion Market at around the same time - they already had Coronation Street which at that point was coming up to its 25th anniversary. Despite the departures of many iconic characters, it was still being prominent in ITV schedules - it still is, but in a different way. EastEnders feels like an example of what Albion Market would have been like if it was still going today. I am also surprised that Hollyoaks is still going as I thought that it would have only lasted to around 2000.

[beccabear67]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

I've never been able to get into Eastenders. I don't know why really, maybe a lack of humour? I'm (barely) still watching Corrie now (aka The Pat Phelan Show), but gave up on Emmerdale a few years ago. Actually I've quit watching Corrie for most of entire years in the past, but partially due to travel.

I saw a soap called Market In Honey Lane that I thought was really excellent. I've wondered what another early one centered on a magazine, Compact, was like but have never seen one, just read of it and seen a few still frames.

[Richard1978]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

Until the mid 1980s Coronation Street was in a near untouchable position, with Crossroads in slow decline, Albion Market never catching on, Emmerdale Farm still being a lunchtime soap in many parts of the country, along with the Australian imports, the American soaps appealing to a different demographic & Brookside being a bit niche still there wasn't much to trouble it until Eastenders came along.

The BBC knew Eastenders had to win an audience quickly so made a lot of effort to grab the public's attention away from Coronation Street, who had to change in turn to fight back.

[George 1978]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

I blame the EastEnders-ism for soaps dumbing down since the mid 1980s.

[staffslad]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

It was the plane crash in Emmerdale--I suppose it had dropped 'Farm' by then--that pushed me over the edge and I didn't bother much with it after that.

I think I was still watching Coronation Street into the mid 90s but with less and less enthusiasm. I don't think there was a point at which I suddenly stopped watching; it sort of gradually petered out.

[George 1978]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

Emmerdale (Farm) lost its bearings circa 1993 when it became a sub-Prisoner: Cell Block H soap with plane crashes and Post Office robberies. And Kim Tate doing something on a horse. When it was like The Archers on the television, and t'Woolpack was a parody of sub-Last of the Summer Wine Yorkshire stereotypes, it was better.

One thing about the ITV3 episodes of Coronation Street is the autumn 1989 episodes that we will see later on this year - a lot of changes happen such as Baldwin's factory goes and becomes a Maurice Jones enterprise of new housing; Alan Bradley is the Phelan of the late 1980s, and Ken plays around for a bit of extra time. Can't stand Tina Fowler who replaces Gloria - I don't like the fact that Rovers barmaids (Betty excepted of course) were always, shall we say, stereotypes of women who also play around as well.

[staffslad]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

I would guess that I watched Coronation Street from the late 60s/early 70s. imo the 70s were its golden period with strong characters played by really good actors.

Emmerdale...actually it was Emmerdale Farm back then...I watched from the early 70s. That was problematic as it was shown weekdays early afternoon when I was at school--no repeats back then, so viewing was confined to illness and holidays. I lost interest in both in the 90s as they changed their character from what they were.

[beccabear67]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

The only WWII related Coronation Street I remember seeing was about an old unexploded doodlebug bomb under someone's back yard/patio. Uncle Albert was involved some, but I remember one of the houses falling down and they thought Lucille Hewitt was inside. I probably wasn't even born yet when they were originally shown.

I started watching Corrie regularly around 1988-89 but saw it for years and years before then. Got into Emmerdale around 1992 or so as they started showing it right after Coronation Street and had a special introductory episode of flashbacks hosted by 'Kathy' all about the Tates and Sugdens etc. Now I've been getting the sets from Finland of the show from a few years before that, before any Dingles, but they cost a bit to have mailed to me. Now I've seen Amos Brierley turning over The Woolpack to Alan Turner. I'm thinking a lot of these actors are gone now. :cry:

The first soap I got hooked on though was the first year or so of Home & Away (Bobbie, Frank and Pippa etc.). It's because of that I started giving Corrie a real try. It was very hard to get into a show if it was in the middle of things with all these characters with long histories. If you saw it from the first episode you had a better chance (or the special intro one Emmerdale made for us).

[staffslad]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

I can't remember any German characters in Coronation Street to be honest - I can remember one or two French and Spanish ones.

He may well have been in it for just a single episode, but it is now so hazy in my memory.

[George 1978]

Re: Soap Characters 70-90s

No, he was definitely German, but may have only appeared in one or two episodes...thanks for the suggestions.

I can't remember any German characters in Coronation Street to be honest - I can remember one or two French and Spanish ones.