Parallel stories in soaps

I've noticed parallel stories before and wondered why.

Now I only watch Corrie and saw Carl get his comeuppance on Friday. Somehow those two actors didn't quite manage the superb sense of drama which is sometimes achieved in Corrie. Maybe that's because Stella is such a dithery character, refusing to face reality at all costs. Now I gather we have to suffer seeing her hit the bottle!

Carl couldn't really be classified as a serial killer could he?

Oh and Jason was a pain in the arse throughout that episode. And so was Dev come to think of it, turning his back so Carl could hit him on the head.

I wonder why I keep on watching!

Two or more murders or attempts will profile someone as a serial killer now - it used to be five. As Dev has killed Sinita and Toni in the fire, and attempted to kill Dev, he fits the profile. There are several cases of single killers who the police have profiled as likely serial killers because of the nature and pattern of ther offending as it has escalated - they just happen to have been caught in time before they killed again.

Sorry, not Dev who killed - Carl.

Spare a thought for the Corrie script writers who work to very tight deadlines anyway and have been faced with writing out both Ken and Kevin overnight. Must have been a nightmare for them and would have resulted in a total rejigging of their long term story-lines.

Some reports have said that 'Kevin' will be back with a £250,000 contract. We will have to wait until Bill Roach's trial is finished before we can hazard a guess at his likely future.
The actor playing Dev has always been wooden but he certainly didn't make much of the wonderful potential of the part.
It must be such a pain to script writers and producers when their stars are accused of misbehaving on this scale.

There seems to be no humour in any of the soaps at the moment all very dark and dismal story lines.

Yes, it is a shame that the wonderful Norris/Mary repartee is being neglected in favour of terminal illness, murder and marital breakdown on Corrie- just an everyday story of Salford Folk! (I am allowed to say that as I am a Salfordian by birth).

I only watch Corrie. My DH always says 'how can you watch such tripe, they recycle the same stories over and over'. Whatever can he mean? Not sure how he knows that if he doesn't have a crafty look now and again.

I wish they would give Mary more stuff on Corrie. I sense a pressure cooker of pent up passion waiting to go off !

But not with Norris!
John Betjeman likened the programme to Pickwick Papers and it has had many famous fans.
I thought the storyline of Emily giving the house to Norris was a classic!
So far, nobody has posted just to say they don't watch it - good!

I wonder if Mary and Roy will get together? It'd have to be so sensitively managed though, as Hayley and Roy's relationship has been such a classic corrie joy. Real corrie comedy and pathos. The way they supported outsiders/people in difficulty, like Becky and Fizz, just fabulous. I love Corrie at it's pantomime best, but I can get into the dramatic story lines with very little difficulty. as well. I agree, Dev has always been wooden. His best scene in this storyline was (for me) when he pushed open the door of the registry office, and stood like an avenger, looking threatening. It all ended when he had to speak of course.
I remember with affection Minnie Caldwell, Martha Longhurst and Ena Shaprles, sitting in the snug,with half a mile in their mits. Ena's one liners, fabulous. In my family, we still use 'well think on' and 'I'll go to the foot of our stairs' 'common as muck' and 'no better than she ought to be'

I confess Im also enjoying the merekats sponsorship of Corrie, especially the northern accents they're developing. I'm off to put't'kettle on

I agree, those meerkat ads are wonderful - so funny!

Mary and Roy! I hadn't thought of that, it would be great. All those great characters from way back. Ena and Elsie having slanging matches in the street. The meerkats are great with their northern accents (ish).

Carl only killed Sunita. Toni died when she entered the burning building so Carl was only indirectly responsible. I don't think he intended to kill Dev, only disable him.

You can see I take my Corrie very seriously.

Good point - a bit like the previous serial killer, John Snape. People just seemed to die around him, even when he didn't set out to kill them.....

Midsomer Murders and Lewis are quite good at racking up the corpse count too!