Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

[Bored Of Education]

Steve McDonald off of Corrie has an amazing attraction for ver ladies. When he first joined, he was young, good-looking, floppy of hair and with that bad boy thing that the chicks seem to like. As such, he got a pretty girlfriend, Vivky, who, of course with this being Corrie, he eloped with and married.



Then, while still youthful in looks and full in head of hair, he went out with the lively Fiona.



After that, look at Steve's partners compared to his physical prowess





I think the pictures speak for themselves.

Not only Steve look at Peter Barlow. He is married to Carla. Fine, they are of a similar age and he is a good looking guy with, again, that bad boy thing going on.



However, now they have got Tina, 20 years younger then him at least and besotted with him.



Lastly, there is Tyrone. Honest, loyal and, with Fiz, in a lovely couple. It has to be said that he isn't the best looker.

Now, however, they have Samia falling for him again.



What's going on? None of the women characters on there get to punch above their weight so much. I can only imagine that the Corrie writers are men of a certain age, hairline and waistband.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

That's Maria - her real name is Samia.

I can't watch Corrie - it's like crack cocaine to me.

[Bored Of Education]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

I apologise. The level of research needed to do that post addled my brain.

May I hasten to add the classic husband's qualification that I only watch it because my wife does.

I am not sure whether any other soap is the same. The only other ones I see on a regular basis are are Hollyoaks and Neighbours where every couple seems well matched. Actually, Paul Robinson always seems to be punching above his weight and below his age but he is the king of bad boy attraction and charm. There is an ill-matched couple in Hollyoaks but I can't be bothered researching that and, anyway, it may be part of a storyline.

Actually, when I used to watch it, Ian Beale seemed constantly out of his league but I haven't watched it for decades. I will have to trust this summing-up

[dalliance]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

I have no idea what point you're trying to make here. What about the succession of younger and / or better looking men Gail Platt and Deirdrie Barlow have had for a start?

And Coronation Street has always been the most matriarchal programme on television. Strong women have been at the heart of the show since Ena Sharples ruled the roost. The role of men has historically been little more than feckless, shifty sidekicks - see the role of Steve McDonald today.

[Bored Of Education]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

Feckless shifty sidekicks punching above their weight (and, often, half their age), yes. That is the point I am making. Don't get me wrong, Steve, especially, has been the partner of a lot of strong women who haven't definitely been the boos and always found him out whatever he is doing. That only enforces what I am saying. Why are these women perceived to be drawn to him. It's a bit like the Bill Hicks skit about Ted Bundy being "heavy on the old sense of humour thing" as he was always getting marriage proposals on Death Row.

What about the succession of younger and / or better looking men Gail Platt and Deirdrie Barlow have had for a start?

Oh, that's a good point. I don't really remember Gail having younger better looking men but Deirdre certainly did, didn't she. Well, there was Samir but was that because he needed a green card or am I conflating two characters/storylines?

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

It's not even what they look like, it's their characters. I mean Tyrone, bless him, is meant to be as thick as pigshit and works in a garage. And Peter Barlow is a recovering alcoholic who runs a bookie's on a cobbled backstreet in a suburb of Manchester. And they both have middle-class career women (who do look like models) fighting over them.

[Crystal Staples]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

Neighbours had Toadie & Dee, also Lou & Annalise although she was his midlife crisis plaything rather than a proper couple. (EDIT: No, Wikipedia says they were engaged)

[Bored Of Education]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

Hold on. Lou? Annalise? This Lou and Annalise?



I mean, back then, he had a bit more of a George Peppard thing going on but, even so….

Toadie and Dee? What do you mean?



Yes, that is a bit more obvious in retrospect.

However, Karl, of course, is the one. He is happily married to the lovely Susan and then he plays away with, firstly, Sarah



and, then Izzie.



Mind you, considering the amount of Erinsborough teachers who cop off with their students, it must be something in the water there.

[MsD]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

Deirdre got to shag Dev at his peak, Audrey had Nigel Havers, and the passable John Stape married Fiz.

It's fairly even, but it irritates me that so many storyline are about affairs and no-one can be a happy single for five minutes. They match Tina up with everyone, like she's up for breeding ... Oh, she was.

Personally, I think Chris Gasgoine (Peter Barlow) is sex on legs despite the cheesy lines.

[dalliance]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

Just last year the now departed Stella was having a fling with Jason who is 20 years younger. Elsie Tanner knocked about with younger man back in the days which caused many a net curtain to twitch.

Deirdrie had Samir and John Lindsay; Gail had Martin Platt, Richard Hillman and Joe McIntyre. All those men were typical Corrie men being either crooked, homicidal or just plain pathetic, but all of them were bloody good catches for the women in question.

The Tina and Peter tryst has been an unusually risible plot by Corrie's high standards, albeit one hastily concocted around the actress who plays Tina deciding to leave.

[Billy Casper]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

Steve MacDonald also owns the Rovers and a taxi firm (Street Cars?), which would perhaps make up for his receding hair with one or two of his love interests. Well, Becky Slater anyway.

[Billy Casper]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

... I meant Becky Grainger. How The Wonder Years came into my brain I have no idea.

[Boris Carpark]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

RE Bored's first post, specifically the pictures & the way they are posed just remind me how brilliantly observed the Viz photo stories were.

Put me firmly into the I'm only aware of Corrie's existance cos Mrs Carpark watches it category.
Oh & one colleague recently opined that the best looking bloke is the one who is Carla's brother & who vaguely resembles another colleague. Said colleague of the resemblance was chuffed.

Granada are starting up the Studios tour again aren't they?

As you were

[WOM]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

I have a thing for redheads, but in my nightmare Reverend Sun Myung Moon mass wedding scenario, Fiz is who I get paired up with.

[Jah Womble]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

May I hasten to add the classic husband's qualification that I only watch it because my wife does.

Okay, that explains your knowledge of the show. But what, I wonder, explains the motivation behind this thread...

I ain't innocent here - I've watched Corrie almost religiously since Ernest Bishop's assassination in 1978, sad ghet that I am.

At the risk of harking back to that (very entertaining) thread we had about soap/drama cliches, it'll always be the case that street residents will only ever cop off with other street residents: even Andrea had to become installed as a regular at the Rovers before becoming love interest for Lloyd. (Same with most soaps, though: EastEnders takes it even farther, and I'd be surprised if there's a solitary character left on the square who isn't now related to someone else living there.)

The Corrie love interest I totally don't get is that between 'Sopheh' and 'Maddeh'. Despite having robbed off Sophie's mom (twice) and her dad, Maddie has tried to extort money from her, lied to her about her age and her circumstances, is generally rude, obnoxious and ungrateful and walks around with a face like a slapped arse all day long. Yet young Sophe defends her every move. I mean, you just wouldn't, would you? (And that last phrase can be taken any which way you choose...)

What I've had enough of*, however, is the repetitive nature of recent Corrie plotlines: everyone works for/moves in with everybody else; all young-ish characters are obsessed with parenting, and at any cost; any vaguely dodgy individual turns out to be a psychopathic killer.

(*Though not enough to stop watching, clearly.)

[dalliance]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

I have a thing for redheads, but in my nightmare Reverend Sun Myung Moon mass wedding scenario, Fiz is who I get paired up with

I think Rita is the one you want in that fantasy scenario. Poor Fiz; pleasant enough girl but by Christ can that girl who plays her not act.

[Bored Of Education]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

Jah Womble wrote:

May I hasten to add the classic husband's qualification that I only watch it because my wife does.

Okay, that explains your knowledge of the show. But what, I wonder, explains the motivation behind this thread...

I am not sure I like the implication there. I am not sure what the implication is but I am pretty sure it's not good.

Genuinely, I tried to start this thread twice but couldn't be bothered doing all the picture linking but it ate away at me. Ate away, it did.

Andrea had to become installed as a regular at the Rovers before becoming love interest for Lloyd.

Yes, that's another thing, she is supposed to, at least, half-fancy Steve as well.

The Corrie love interest I totally don't get is that between 'Sopheh' and 'Maddeh'. Despite having robbed off Sophie's mom (twice) and her dad, Maddie has tried to extort money from her, lied to her about her age and her circumstances, is generally rude, obnoxious and ungrateful and walks around with a face like a slapped arse all day long. Yet young Sophe defends her every move. I mean, you just wouldn't, would you? (And that last phrase can be taken any which way you choose...)

Well, the thought that you (nor, indeed, I) don't understand teenage lesbian relationships especially with a hobo as one part is highly surprising. I have no sympathy for Sally. She has turned into harridan. It is astonishing to think that she was the original - well, one of - "girl out of his league" when she arrived.

[Bored Of Education]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

Boris Carpark wrote: one colleague recently opined that the best looking bloke is the one who is Carla's brother

That is Peter Barlow. Keep up. He is definitely one of the best looking now that he has a beard and that, I mean, apparently.

[Bored Of Education]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

dalliance wrote: Elsie Tanner knocked about with younger man back in the days which caused many a net curtain to twitch.

I went to school with the daughter of the actress that played Linda Cheveski (Else's daughter). Lovely, she was (and still is). The daughter, I mean. Not Elsie's, Linda's. Well, the actress that played Linda's. Oh bugger it.

[WOM]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

[quote=dalliance post=902436]

Poor Fiz; pleasant enough girl but by Christ can that girl who plays her not act.

Well, she can act just like Fiz. Which is to say, annoying and visually....challenging.

[Bored Of Education]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

[quote]WOM wrote:

Poor Fiz; pleasant enough girl but by Christ can that girl who plays her not act.

Well, she can act just like Fiz. Which is to say, annoying and visually....challenging.

Hold on, hold on, you watch Coronation Street?

[Jah Womble]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

May I hasten to add the classic husband's qualification that I only watch it because my wife does.

Okay, that explains your knowledge of the show. But what, I wonder, explains the motivation behind this thread...

I am not sure I like the implication there. I am not sure what the implication is but I am pretty sure it's not good.

Oh, it's nothing - I just thought that, having gone to the trouble of starting a thread and posting all those delightful photographs, it seemed a bit fatuous to try and disclaim watching the show of your own volition. (Well, not 'fatuous', but you know what I mean...)

Anyway, I'm likely more guilty. Just not brave enough to start a thread...

Well, the thought that you (nor, indeed, I) don't understand teenage lesbian relationships especially with a hobo as one part is highly surprising. I have no sympathy for Sally. She has turned into harridan. It is astonishing to think that she was the original - well, one of - "girl out of his league" when she arrived.

I'm guessing you meant 'hardly' there as opposed to 'highly'? It's not down to their tender years or choice of partner, I just don't really believe that anyone - regardless of age or sexual persuasion - would still be interested in somebody having previously been crossed so often. Well, I wouldn't, anyway. At least I don't think I would...

[WOM]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

[quote]Bored of Education wrote:

Poor Fiz; pleasant enough girl but by Christ can that girl who plays her not act.

Well, she can act just like Fiz. Which is to say, annoying and visually....challenging.

Hold on, hold on, you watch Coronation Street?

I reject the tone of your question.

[WOM]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

Full truth, I watched it religiously for about ten years and then just quit cold turkey. It was right around that period when they killed off Fred Elliot and a lot of the old-timers.

[Bored Of Education]

Sexism and Corrie's ill-matched couples

Jah Womble wrote:

May I hasten to add the classic husband's qualification that I only watch it because my wife does.

Okay, that explains your knowledge of the show. But what, I wonder, explains the motivation behind this thread...

I am not sure I like the implication there. I am not sure what the implication is but I am pretty sure it's not good.

Oh, it's nothing - I just thought that, having gone to the trouble of starting a thread and posting all those delightful photographs, it seemed a bit fatuous to try and disclaim watching the show of your own volition. (Well, not 'fatuous', but you know what I mean...)

Anyway, I'm likely more guilty. Just not brave enough to start a thread...

Hey, hey, no-one's in swimwear. I just happen to pick these things up. Also, I have been picking up bits and pieces form Coronation Street since I was a kid. That's why I fancied Suzie Burchill.



Oh bugger, that isn't swimwear, is it?

Well, the thought that you (nor, indeed, I) don't understand teenage lesbian relationships especially with a hobo as one part is highly surprising. I have no sympathy for Sally. She has turned into harridan. It is astonishing to think that she was the original - well, one of - "girl out of his league" when she arrived.

I'm guessing you meant 'hardly' there as opposed to 'highly'? It's not down to their tender years or choice of partner, I just don't really believe that anyone - regardless of age or sexual persuasion - would still be interested in somebody having previously been crossed so often. Well, I wouldn't, anyway. At least I don't think I would...[/quote]
You know what these teenage lesbians are like though - always going for the troublesome types.