Bushell on the Box

[faceless]

GOT NO STREET CRED
Garry Bushell

MANY things confuse me about Coronation Street. Why do Liz McDonald's eyes get bigger as her skirts get shorter? How can Les build a loft extension when he's got nothing upstairs? And why have the idiot producers let brilliant, charismatic Danny leave and hung on to wet blanket Jamie? They've kept the wrong Baldwin.

Most baffling of the lot, why does Charlie Stubbs have to die? Is he really that evil? OK, he told Shelley to lose some weight. Don't tell me she didn't need to. And he saw off boring Keith, the tightwad, like a trainee Van Hoogstraten. But that aside, his shameless approach to adultery is rather refreshing. Not for Charlie the anguish and agonising of we more moral men. Like those other great lovers, Casanova, Rasputin and Prescott, he sees what he wants and goes for it. And when that includes magnificent Maria, even Russell Brand would have to say well done my son. Stubbs, played with relish by Bill Ward, is one of the great Street bad boys, a potential JR and far better than some of the storylines he's been saddled with. Charlie's mind games with Shelley dragged on longer than a Pamela Anderson marriage.

And would a bloke like him really put up with Toxic Tracy's play-acting? There's more chance of Nigella counting calories. She'd be straight out. It's just a shame Tracy will stub out Stubbs before he gets his hands on Michelle, Carla and Sarah-Lou - the Iron Man challenge of carnal conquests. Face it, she's done a lot worse. Tracy seduced her mum's boyfriend, cheated on her first husband, blackmailed the Croppers, tried to frame Steve, nearly ripped off Penny, tricked Charlie into thinking she was pregnant... She's the devious yin to Charlie's lecherous yang - a woman so poisonous, it's a wonder the KGB haven't tried to hire her. If there's any justice, she'll die too. I love Corrie, but I worry about it. Like all soaps, it's on too often, and lately its big plot lines have seemed half-baked.

Jamie and Frankie is a year too late. Losing two alpha males, Danny and Charlie, is a huge blow. They've still got the laughs but where's the passion? Bill and Audrey barely count. Jason and Sarah-Lou are a bit dŽj^-screw. So there's a whole lot riding on the Connors (Alison King and Kym Ryder are terrific signings).

Is it too soon to say: Bring back Danny? And Karen... Archie Shuttleworth...and producer Tony Wood?

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[pirtybirdy]

Very good article and I'd say everything written was spot on. I do think the Connors are a great add on. I think if they develop those characters properly, they will be able to create some great storylines. It is too bad Danny is leaving. I think his sense of humor is great. His interaction with his staff is quite hilarious. "fuzz", "lippy"....lol I love hating Charlie, he's such a great bad boy! lol!!

[faceless]

Yeah, I thought Danny was a good character too - and the same with Charlie. They'll need to do well to fill the gaps when they've both left. Norris certainly isn't going to come up to scratch!

[Griffo]

Shame Charlie is going. Upon watching the show, he is the only decent actor in there.

[Twirley]