Mr & Mrs Barlow's front room Bet Lynch Annie Walker Bettie Turpin
Bar maids at The Rovers Return
Stan and Hilda Ogden
WORLD'S LONGEST RUNNING SOAP
It dominated my life. I longed for the next hit. I was emotionally attached to it. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm were crucial times to be home. I just had to. I couldn't miss it.
Obviously I am talking about Coronation Street. The world's longest running, and best, soap opera, it will be 50 years old in December this year. James Roach has never had another job. He has spent his working life being Ken Barlow.
HUMAN CONDITION
I was totally loyal to The Street. Nothing else would do. I tried Eastenders and Emmerdale but they didn't have the same comedic lines. They take themselves far too seriously while The Street has a tongue in cheek attitude with some light relief thrown in to make us realise that the whole cast and writers are in on a perfectly formed and long running joke about the human condition and the flaws we all have. Once you get it you can be hooked.
I was addicted.
IRONIC DUCKS
I loved Stan and Hilda Ogdan's house with three pot ducks on their murial. Hilda's curlers and Stan's back were consistent and essential props for many years which made Hilda's hilarious misunderstandings even funnier. Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear) was the ultimate caricature of a bar maid and an iconic landlady. Those animal prints and gigantic beehive were synonymous to the character because even though she was a hard faced woman we were given little hints of the real, vulnerable, Bet. That's why we love her.
EMOTIONAL INVOLVEMENT
Of course there was Jack and Vera Duckworth almost on the same iconic level as Bet. The ratings went through the roof when Vera died. We all cried. Ken and Deidre, who are still a couple after many twists and turns in their relationships, Rita Fairclough, Ena Sharples, Annie Walker, Kevin and Sally...oh lord the list goes on.
I have even been to Granada Studios in Manachester to visit the set. I was moved to tears. I sometimes use the Newton and Ridley coasters, but only on special occassions.
KICKED THE HABIT
But you see, gentle reader I kicked the habit. I weened myself off it. I broke away and convinced myself that life was better without it. It was hard at first, painful sometimes, but I did it. I hardly ever think about it these days (But I still own a Hilda Ogden t-shirt and have a framed photograph of Bet Lynch). As an expat life, was difficult obtaining recordings but I had sources I could trust. I would have Coronation Street binges involving hours and hours of back to back recordings on VHS to keep me up to date. When that dried up I would read story lines on-line, that was before You Tube.
IT DOMINATED MY LIFE
My state of mind changed. I was ready to leave it behind and stop it dominating my life. I still know the name of Ena Sharples' cat and can give you the previous husbands of Deidre and Rita but I just keep all that information locked away, quietly suppressed because, as I say, I have kicked the habit.
$28 MONTH IS NOTHING
But now. Look what's happened? Granada TV has arrived in Hong Kong as an option on NOW TV. For a mere $28 a month I could watch Coronation Street again. I could, if I wanted to, I could. I have seen the adverts in the local press. I have even pressed the yellow button for a free preview.
RESIST
So far I have resisted tempation. I consider myself strong enough to keep away from it but it might be just a matter of time before I fall off the wagon. What to do?
I remember it in black and white from New Zealand prior to 1968.
Do not watch much now days.
Just done a quick search. A what ever happended to would be an interesting catch up.
I always enjoyed Elsie Tanner, what happened to Dennis? Was it Jim boy who lived with one of three ladies from the snug? Where did he go?
Posted by: Greg Peters | October 03, 2010 at 08:08 PM