h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Oh so the sex change woman is still in it. How's a marriage to Roy going?

Curly Watts. I remember when he came out in real life about his alcoholism. And after that in the Rovers, he always drank his 'beer' out of a bottle rather than a glass. I never quite understood that

I thought Stan Ogden just went to sleep in his chair and didn't wake up.

As for deaths - Alan Bradly and the Blackpool tram is my favourite.

No - the actor Bernard Youens had had died, so they had Stan have stroke and thereafter he was always upstairs and Hilda would call upstairs to him. Then one day she came down and said he was dead.

iirc.

Interesting that an Enders actor recently had a bad RL stroke and came back in a more limited role with his character having had a stroke in soap (Dots husband).

The death toll of 91 over the years seems low to me. Especially considering that there has been at least one murder in every house on the new side of the street (including at least 2 in the factory) and every one but 2 on the old side.

There has been a fire in almost every house as well (and several in the factory). The apartment over the bookies has gone up twice in recent years with a different father/son combo rescued by heroic neighbors each time.

Car crashes are always popular. Poor Michelle has lost a husband and
two brothers in three separate accidents. But my all time favourite was when taxi driver Don Brennan stole the MG Midget and did a flaming suicide smash into the aquaduct wall.


~jwf~

91 is not strictly accurate though. I just looked it up, and that includes 2 budgies and a turkey. First budgie was called Harriet who died in 1990, following the shock of a move from the Rosamund Street Kabin to No4 Coronation Street. The second, Harry, died in 1995, of old age.

The turkey called Theresa, was run over by Len Battersby in 1997.

So that's 88 people and 3 birds, in 50 years. Stupendous record really, especially given all the fires, car crashes and murderers around.

But yes jwf, that flaming suicide smash into an aquaduct wall sounds more like the half crazed, intoxicated death that one might normally associate with a rock and roll legend; and in an MG midget. Neat touch. Never would have guessed that quiet, unassuming, middle aged taxi driver, Don Brennan, would have gone out in such style.

And an aquaduct to boot. Sounds almost Roman.

Mighta been Roman. Parts of Manchester are quite old.
But now there seems to be some sorta short commuter trains running on it from time to time.

~jwf~

The aquaduct will be the Manchester Ship Canal, surely? Or one of its tributaries that you now see carrying trams at the begining.

I like the existence of Rosamund Street and Inkerman Street - refered to but never seen. I get the impression that the former is considered slightly posher than the latter.

The Battle of Inkerman was in the Crimean War. 'Round were I grew up (Waterloo, suburb of Liverpool), it was all generals: Wellington, Picton, Blucher, Murat.

btw - many years ago, in a previous job, I was briefly involved in designing the Manchester trams. Also the Docklands Light Railway.

...the diametric opposite of anarchy then

I just watched Corrie earlier, for the first time in years. So many of the old faves are still in it...and not looking too bad. Gail actually looked slightly younger. And fantabulosa, there was a dramatic drowning. When did that lake appear? Scene finished off with poignant ringing of an iPhone in the boat...iPhones? Ena Sharples would be turning in her grave.

And I was astounded to see top actor, Anthony Valentine in it. Haven't seen him in years...and yes he *has* aged. He used to be a big heart throb of my mum's. And I quite liked him myself. That was a lovely surprise to see him again.

Great stuff.

I had to google him, but now I vaguely recall him from Colditz.

The lake? Why, it's in The Lakes, where whatsisname took Gail for a holiday (intending to disappear). That's the second husband she's had drown on her.

One of favourite characters is her psycho son, David. Strangely, there's a definite resemblence between him and his gay grandad, Ted. Something about their facial gestures.

There's plot line rumour of a lesbo affair involving teenage Christian Sophie Webster.

Thanks for the SPOILER warnings

You guys don't even know that she becomes a Christian yet.

All this talk of Corrie - and there was me think you guys were 'intellectual'

Not seen it for years - don't watch much telly (unless you count the kids cartoons) I prefer my console games.

Well there you are...I've never played a console game and have no intention of doing so, no matter what some perfectly intelligent people (eg Charlie Brooker) tell me about their artistic and intellectual content.

My point is, though, that Corrie *does* include intellectual content...if not quite as much as 'The Sopranos'. (best TV show *ever*...although I didn't get around to 'The Wire').

I'm not suggesting there is intelligent content in console games. You should see some of the dross I've played in over 30 years I'm picking up me Bioshock 2 tomorrow - Rapture here I come.

Corrie on the other hand does have some intelligent scripting and stories (from what I've heard ) the point of my last post was that in the most of places I've worked when soaps are mentioned, it's always the 'red top' mentality of the affairs and such like that seem to form the majority of the conversation. It wasn't a slight. It's just not my - there are no aliens in it for a start

np. i didn't feel the least bit slighted.

Oh God - really sorry kea, I just didn't think. I don't blame you for being narked.

If I mention it again, I will defo make big SPOILER signs.

Thanks

Probably by the time we get to it here I'll have forgotten again