This Is Coronation Street

Rating:
Summary: A rare treat for sociologists and soap opera lovers.
Review: I think I once caught about 10 seconds of a "Coronation Street" episode on BBC America, and had I known it was the longest running TV serial in history, I would have paid closer attention. Look at the statistics. It was scheduled to run for 13 episodes in 1960 and is still going strong! In all, there have been (according to a bonus feature on my DVD copy) over 4,000 episodes, 35,000 characters, 55 marriages, 25 births, 82 deaths, 51 weddings, and 32 barmaids, all of which have been watched by 17,000,000 UK viewers. And one of the actors, William Roache, has been with the series since it began.

So what is the incredible draw this show seems to exert? As one viewer said during an interview, we love to watch people who are doing the same thing we are doing in homes just like ours. (Remember how popular "The Honeymooners" was?) Now that Acorn Media (bless 'em) has released a two-DVD set called "This Is Coronation Street" (AMP-6196), I had the chance to watch the first 5 black and white episodes and a 75 minute documentary about the history of this remarkable show.

When the fifth episode ended with the police at the door and looking for one of the younger characters, I have to admit I was angry that I could not see the sixth one and after that the seventh, right up to wherever they are now. The only actress I recognized was a daughter who just left her Polish husband and announces she is pregnant, which reunites them. (Her name is Anne Cunningham and I remembered her from an old "Avengers" episode and one from "Are You Being Served?"). The rest were unknown to me, and I found this a great advantage since I was able to see them as real people and not as actors whom I recognized from other roles.

First of all, I would recommend this as a Must to all sociology and British history majors since it accurately portrays life in northern England as it was in 1960 and as it changed down through the years. Obviously film and drama majors must watch to see how a writer can "get them where they live." Psychology majors will love to see the public's reaction to the jailing of one of the main characters. (If any of you has seen the bonus material on the 1967 "Forsyte Saga" tapes I so highly recommended a while ago, you will recall how the Brits reacted to the Rape Scene. Funny what people consider to be worth arguing about.)

As for the rest of us, lovers of good soap operas will adore not only the first five episodes but also the history of this show. In short, there are very few who will not love this Acorn Media set. Perhaps they will now issue a companion set about "East Enders."

Rating:
Summary: A rare treat for sociologists and soap opera lovers.
Review: I think I once caught about 10 seconds of a "Coronation Street" episode on BBC America, and had I known it was the longest running TV serial in history, I would have paid closer attention. Look at the statistics. It was scheduled to run for 13 episodes in 1960 and is still going strong! In all, there have been (according to a bonus feature on my DVD copy) over 4,000 episodes, 35,000 characters, 55 marriages, 25 births, 82 deaths, 51 weddings, and 32 barmaids, all of which have been watched by 17,000,000 UK viewers. And one of the actors, William Roache, has been with the series since it began.

So what is the incredible draw this show seems to exert? As one viewer said during an interview, we love to watch people who are doing the same thing we are doing in homes just like ours. (Remember how popular "The Honeymooners" was?) Now that Acorn Media (bless 'em) has released a two-DVD set called "This Is Coronation Street" (AMP-6196), I had the chance to watch the first 5 black and white episodes and a 75 minute documentary about the history of this remarkable show.

When the fifth episode ended with the police at the door and looking for one of the younger characters, I have to admit I was angry that I could not see the sixth one and after that the seventh, right up to wherever they are now. The only actress I recognized was a daughter who just left her Polish husband and announces she is pregnant, which reunites them. (Her name is Anne Cunningham and I remembered her from an old "Avengers" episode and one from "Are You Being Served?"). The rest were unknown to me, and I found this a great advantage since I was able to see them as real people and not as actors whom I recognized from other roles.

First of all, I would recommend this as a Must to all sociology and British history majors since it accurately portrays life in northern England as it was in 1960 and as it changed down through the years. Obviously film and drama majors must watch to see how a writer can "get them where they live." Psychology majors will love to see the public's reaction to the jailing of one of the main characters. (If any of you has seen the bonus material on the 1967 "Forsyte Saga" tapes I so highly recommended a while ago, you will recall how the Brits reacted to the Rape Scene. Funny what people consider to be worth arguing about.)

As for the rest of us, lovers of good soap operas will adore not only the first five episodes but also the history of this show. In short, there are very few who will not love this Acorn Media set. Perhaps they will now issue a companion set about "East Enders."