This Is Weatherfield ’90

Image photoshopped by Gary Wadsworth, a fantastic artist who draws beautifully at instagram.com/garyleeillustration 

Yesterday, ITV3 showed the last Coronation Street episode of 1990 - quite a year for Weatherfield and England as a whole.

Margaret Thatcher has just left Downing Street, John Major is Prime Minister and the country will soon be deep in recession.

Things are certainly bleak in Weatherfield. As noted by Alf Roberts, “nobody’s got any money” and Ken ends the year with a suicide attempt. This is Weatherfield ’90 and it makes a Shane Meadows miniseries look like Jackanory.

Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. The new houses have been completed on Coronation Street and Steph and Des Barnes are the new yuppies on the block, all young and flash. Oh, and Kev has lost his ’tache.

Manchester is a pretty cool place to be in 1990. Rave culture is in full swing and the local music scene has gone global. Manchester Vibes are In The Area.

It has been a joy to re-watch the Corrie of 1990. I turned eight that summer and I remember it fondly, mainly for the World Cup. I can remember certain storylines now and I have loved all the pop culture references and the Manchester zeitgeist.

Take the hallway of 7 Coronation Street, for example. At this point, Rita owns the house but Jenny Bradley has turned it into student digs. In 1990, a poster of one of my favourite Manchester bands, The Stone Roses, hangs next to the coat hooks.

The Roses were so hot in 1990 that a teenage Steve McDonald used them to woo Joanne Khan downtown: “there’s a brilliant record shop in town that sells records… you know”. Great chat, Steve: you’ve always had a way with the ladies!

The spirit of Madchester is captured magnificently in this scene in Jim’s Cafe, as a trio of ravers gather around the jukebox to listen to ‘Step On’ by Happy Mondays:

They’d probably just stumbled out of the Haçienda and they’re putting Percy Sugden off his cup of tea and toasted teacake. They’re twisting his melon, man!

To round it all off, this is wonderful. The McDonald lads are playing the fruity in the cafe and Steve’s wearing Joe Bloggs... a now defunct Manchester fashion label that was synonymous with the Madchester and acid house scenes. Playing in the background is ‘World in Motion’ by New Order, the official England song for Italia ’90:

It’s just a shame that this episode was broadcast on 6 July 1990; two days after England were beaten in the semi-final on penalties by West Germany.

Oh well, that was England in 1990 and that was Weatherfield in 1990. There were euphoric highs followed by crashing lows. To quote the current female Prime Minister in the middle of a leadership crisis, NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

By Martin Leay

Twitter @mpleay

Corrie Blogs @ bit.ly/corriemartin

---

---

All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Coronation Street Episode Review; Weds 21st of Nov 8.30pm

As promised, here is my part two review of this Wednesday's Coronation Street.

Tim and Sally's marriage woes are continuing to be played out in Court.
Dodgy Duncan's dastardly lies are causing doubt for her husband but Paula's evidence may turn the case around. If Sally can prove where she was on her Birthday, they may have evidence to blow Duncan's defence  apart and free the (second) Weatherfield one!.


Gemma remains unconvinced that Chesney didn't call the police and still pours a pint over his head, before heading to meet Spike at the Cop Shop. Although released without charge, Gemma still thinks Chesney tipped them off.

Bottling his feelings for Gemma maybe, Emma decides to give Chesney a bottle too; of spray tan! (cue hilarious jibes from Jenny Bradley).

However, it seems Spike isn't as green as he is cabbage looking, when he informs Gemma that Chesney obviously didn't grass him up. No, he did that himself, and he tells the barmaid it's blatantly obvious that Chesney fancies her, like really fancies her!. Spike exits via the beer garden - and the couple split up. Gemma apologises but Chesney remains unforgiving and departs with Emma. The course of true love.. and all that?.


Ryan and Bethany are also at The Rovers and decide to start their first date again. Skint and downhearted, Bethany decides she needs a second job, and in true Corrie style, Ryan knows of a job going; at The Bistro!. Will Bethany stall the 'Brothers Grimm's constant bickering?.

Brian also treats The Rovers to his theatrical Nativity plans, however, Phil remains unimpressed with the Tolkien mash-up (not the only one to be honest).

Round at Kevin's, young Jack realises that Sally visited him in the hospital on her Birthday. This should contradict Duncan's story of flowers and hotels BUT it may take time to retrieve the Hospital CCTV, as evidence. Unlikely that another adjournment can take place, it would need Sally to fall ill, or something like that, to hold off the court case for a few days. So Sophie calls Sally and decides on a plan. Will Sally also play dirty, or will the plan backfire?.

Roll on Friday - I cant wait to find out.

Anyway, that's me for another week.

I hope you've enjoyed this Wednesday's episode?.

You can find me on twitter @rybazoxo  - your self-styled 'Cobbles Connoisseur'.

Join me next time, for more Wednesday Weatherfield Wisdom!.

TARA!

---

---

All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Coronation Street Episode Review; Weds 21st of Nov 7.30pm

Welcome to Wednesday's edition of the Coronation Street Blog and the first of last nights two episode reviews.

Tim's ties to Gina continue to rock his relationship with wife Sally. As her trial against Duncan heads to the courtroom, Tim is nowhere to be seen.

Arrested again (and for drink driving no less), being Gina's saviour means Tim absence is duly noted, but luckily, he is freed by Weatherfield cops & just in the nick of time. Sophie also apologises to the pompous QC she offended, who unluckily, is in charge of Sally's trial.

Arriving later than planned, Gina and Tim crash into the court, just as Duncan takes to the stand.

Over on Coronation Street, Emma takes Chesney for a run around the Red Rec whilst Gemma fawns over the newly blossoming relationship. No fawning for Chesney though, as the local Pizza shop is broken into, and he suspects Gemma's dodgy partner Spike. Suddenly offering the barmaid a Blackpool break with a wad of cash, it appears Chesney may be correct. At The Rovers, the police arrest Spike and Gemma suspects that Chesney has called them.

Back in court, Dodgy Duncan denies all criminality and sticks to his nefarious lie of Sally seducing him  for fraudulent gains.

Taking the stand, Paula offers a counter-argument (the truth), yet a confident Duncan quivers not once. As Sally's husband subtly observes the fraudsters opening defence statement, Duncan attacks Tim's character (spouting Sally's supposed verbatim) which causes the fraught cabbie to weight up the caustic comments.

Sally breaks under the pressure of the lies and shouts out in anger, causing an early adjournment of court.

In the holding cell, Tim visits Sally and sheepishly informs her of his arrest. Fuming Sally is enraged and Tim breaks under the strain of the afternoons opening drama.

Its seems Tim's rescue of Gina, may be the beginning of the end, for this once promising marriage?.

In other news; Brian gets asked to produce the school nativity and Maria takes charge again at Audrey's Salon.

Keep your eyes peeled for my 8.30pm review, coming to the blog later today.

I am @rybazoxo your self-styled 'Cobbles Connoisseur'.

TARA!

---

---

All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License