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Post by Ceeb on Jan 19, 2008 12:11:55 GMT
I thought the point of the Pigeon bit was that it was the spirit of Vera.
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Post by jetsetwilly on Jan 19, 2008 12:24:01 GMT
I thought the point of the Pigeon bit was that it was the spirit of Vera. I hope Jack brings it inside the house, puts a little permed wig on it and starts talking to it. Paul has no top lip at all, does he?
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Post by lowculture.co.uk on Jan 19, 2008 14:28:33 GMT
I thought the point of the Pigeon bit was that it was the spirit of Vera. I thought he was giving the pigeon a message to carry off to Vera, saying he loved her?
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Post by Nicholas on Jan 19, 2008 14:44:37 GMT
Last night, I thought that the first episode was a bit too understated, but the second one much better. I've just watched it again and think it was, actually, flawless. Death is often prosaic, and I think the writers deserve a huge amount of credit for letting Vera die in her sleep, alone, when soaps are so often tempted by sensational deaths (which also have their place). As her curious little family returned, the love that they felt for Vera was played out immaculately, even down to the slightly uncomfortable (but perhaps realistic) behaviour of wanting to keep the world at bay for a few minutes more.
I really felt that the other stories didn't intrude, despite making progress in their own plotlines (Carla and Liam - I do find them a bit tedious at the moment, but there were significant steps in their storyline which didn't detract from Vera's plot).
Betty, Emily and Rita were fantastic. Rita's lines at the Duckworth's door were positively poetic, and still quite comic "I need a brandy". Betty was exactly right - "There's not much to say, is there?"
Brilliant.
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Post by Adrian on Jan 19, 2008 17:24:44 GMT
I thought the point of the Pigeon bit was that it was the spirit of Vera. I thought he was giving the pigeon a message to carry off to Vera, saying he loved her? And I thought he was saying he loved her in respsonse to her asking that earlier in the episode when he only mumbled his reply.
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Post by David on Jan 19, 2008 17:42:40 GMT
I thought he was giving the pigeon a message to carry off to Vera, saying he loved her? And I thought he was saying he loved her in respsonse to her asking that earlier in the episode when he only mumbled his reply. And that is the beauty of Coronation Street's scripting - simple constructs that can be read on different levels.
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Post by joshjones on Jan 19, 2008 22:19:34 GMT
I agree with you, David. I really hope that this will reinforce for the people who run Corrie that what they do best is the quieter, simpler moments. These days, simple has become a dirty word. Not everyone has to be killed off in the car explosion or gangland shooting of the month.
The only negative I can say is that Vera's passing reminded me of how inadequate and unlikeable some of the younger, ever-present characters like Michelle and Carla are (and I can't stand looking at Michelle's hair...or Steve's for that matter).
I wasn't sure how I would be affected by her passing, because my viewing has been sporadic and I missed some of her big stories, but I thought Corrie got some of the moments so perfectly. Tyrone consoling a sobbing Paul. Most of all, Jack. I began to tear up with him because he reminded me so much of my grandfather when my gran passed.
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Post by Nurse Dunkley on Jan 20, 2008 10:28:04 GMT
I think I was quite disappointed with it. I thought the manner of her death was fine, although it may have been nice seeing her go to sleep for one last time, but the way it was lumped in with so may other storylines was terrible. I know that in real life lots of other stuff happens whilst death goes on, but this isn't real life and it's Vera Duckworth's death. It's quite a momentous deal for the street and they have millions of episodes a week to carry out the really rubbish Connor baby-swap storyline.
However, the fact that in the first episode Jack and Vera went off to Blackpool and actually weren't on the street for most of it does make me wonder whether Liz Dawn was unable to do anymore, in which case I will give Corrie the benefit of the doubt.
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Post by FeelsLikeKellyCrabtree on Jan 20, 2008 10:36:26 GMT
I read somewhere that the producers and Liz Dawn both agreed that the death should be treated as simply as possible, much like death in real life. I suppose that is why it wasn't given an episode to itself as, like in real life, life goes on regardless. I imagine the next few episodes we will see a more fitting tribute to Vera with the characters talking about her and reminiscing. It'd be a nice touch though, if the funeral was given and episode of its own.
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Post by mcqueen on Jan 20, 2008 11:05:29 GMT
I think Nurse Dunkley hit the nail on the head- Liz Dawn is quite ill and couldnt really do much more storyline- it worked beautifully for me. I loved it.
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Greg
Jane Asher
Chattin' Shit
Posts: 221
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Post by Greg on Jan 20, 2008 15:22:35 GMT
My heart is usually hidden under several layers of ice but watching Vera's death I was bawling like an absolute baby. I just thought Jack's singing, and the brushing of the hair, was so touching. His not wanting to call an ambulance, to just adore his wife a little while longer was brilliant. I think I was also considerably underwhelmed by the way in which a soap death was treated so delicately and so subtlely, rather than being tragic, sensational, comic, the actor's big last stand etc.
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Post by coxy1979 on Jan 21, 2008 13:47:31 GMT
I can't believe no-one's used "End of a (V)era" yet. Unless I've glossed over it....
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Post by Nurse Dunkley on Jan 21, 2008 16:58:20 GMT
www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a86413/corrie-chiefs-look-for-jacks-new-flame.htmlI think it's probably a load of The People/ DigiSpy flange, but if it really is true and they can't ship a new oldie in then more screentime for Doreen would be a very good thing indeed. She should just be friends with Jack though, since nobody could replace Vera. They could get a motorbike and side car. I can't believe no-one's used "End of a (V)era" yet... GET OUT
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Post by Steven on Jan 21, 2008 17:29:07 GMT
I can't believe no-one's used "End of a (V)era" yet. Unless I've glossed over it.... I'm fairly certain it was a headline in Inside Soap a few weeks ago, but I could be wrong...
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Post by coxy1979 on Jan 21, 2008 17:48:54 GMT
It seemed so obvious to me - I'm sure it has...
Anyway, a new flame for Jack. DO. NOT. WANT.
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KentDan
Jane Asher
Now showing in Peckham
Posts: 196
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Post by KentDan on Jan 21, 2008 19:27:17 GMT
I tried to explain this to my friends yesterday but I think it just came across as a bit weird...
BUT I think this affected me in a really unique way that I suppose no other show would simply because Jack and Vera have been around so long. I was born in '82 and they were in the show 8 years before that so for my whole life, Jack and Vera have always been there and apart from briefly living at the pub, they've been in the same house. Even though I didn't watch the show religiously it was something that was safe and never changed and in that respect I find Vera's death really odd. I know I'm probably sounding like one of those soap nutters that thinks the characters are real but I just find it interesting as there's no other programme in history I'd imagine where the characters literally live a large part of their life in front of you.
Ok, I officially can't write that without sounding weird but I'm hoping someone gets what Im saying!
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reneem
Junior Member
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Post by reneem on Jan 22, 2008 1:21:00 GMT
undisclosed death - either by poor sitting posture or stealth pigeon attack. Although Vera was more Rubbish Tippi than she was Tippi Hedren, I was also secretly hoping for death by pigeon attack, a la Hitchcock's 'Birds'.
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Post by mcqueen on Jan 22, 2008 20:41:57 GMT
I tried to explain this to my friends yesterday but I think it just came across as a bit weird... BUT I think this affected me in a really unique way that I suppose no other show would simply because Jack and Vera have been around so long. I was born in '82 and they were in the show 8 years before that so for my whole life, Jack and Vera have always been there and apart from briefly living at the pub, they've been in the same house. Even though I didn't watch the show religiously it was something that was safe and never changed and in that respect I find Vera's death really odd. I know I'm probably sounding like one of those soap nutters that thinks the characters are real but I just find it interesting as there's no other programme in history I'd imagine where the characters literally live a large part of their life in front of you. Ok, I officially can't write that without sounding weird but I'm hoping someone gets what Im saying! Not weird in the slightest- i totally agree- i may not watch Corrie for months at a time but you tune in and you see Vera and Jack the same as ever and you just think of them as people you know- its a shock when you realise they are mortal and it gets me thinking about real life (less interesting) people and its pretty sobering.
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jem
Su Pollard
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Post by jem on Jan 23, 2008 1:16:28 GMT
So sorry I missed this, although was almost in tears reading the description in the Guardian. I think it's casue events like this always make you look at your own family, grandparents specifically.
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Post by jetsetwilly on Jan 23, 2008 9:53:56 GMT
Can I just add a quick hurrah to Molly, Paul and Tyrone, all of whom have acted their little socks off but have been overshadowed for kudos by Bill Tarmey? Molly especially looked like she had spent the whole day crying, constantly. And Paul & Tyrone starting to bond and forgive their old hatreds in the face of Vera's death is touching and believable.
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Post by David Hunter on Feb 4, 2008 20:11:28 GMT
Tarmey break down on the 'Farewell Vera' special? Bless.
I thoroughly enjoyed this, although the ITV insistence of 'Coming up after the break...' instead of giving us another few minutes of content, does my head in. Favourite line was Vera from the olden days factory, coming in late for work again: 'I was half way up the street before I realised I had our Jack's teeth in!'
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