WTF has happened to Coronation Street? The Christmas Day episode(s)
didn't even make the top ten in the official BARB ratings. Doctor Who
got twice as many viewers. (How things have changed there!) But it
was nice to see Millie Gibson hit the ground running as Ruby Sunday...

Why the decline of Corrie though? Is it the characters, the writing,
changing viewing habits... or is Peter Barlow just so annoying that
people would rather watch paint dry?

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67821839

Hilda and Stan will be turning in their grave.

On 27/12/2023 15:29, Blueshirt wrote:
> WTF has happened to Coronation Street? The Christmas Day episode(s)
> didn't even make the top ten in the official BARB ratings. Doctor Who
> got twice as many viewers. (How things have changed there!) But it
> was nice to see Millie Gibson hit the ground running as Ruby Sunday...
>
> Why the decline of Corrie though? Is it the characters, the writing,
> changing viewing habits... or is Peter Barlow just so annoying that
> people would rather watch paint dry?
>
> https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67821839
>
> Hilda and Stan will be turning in their grave.
>
>

For some reason they put on a short half hour episode with no great predictions
of murder and mayhem, I don't suppose that helped a lot. It seems to be a slow
burn week instead.

There again the numbers for those who are in the top 10 are rmarkably low
cmpared with the past. Habits have changed and I have only watched tv shows from
Christmas day, recorded, or repeats, or catch ups, for years. The only shows in
that top 10 I have actually seen are the 1% Club and The Wheel. Corrie is the
only other thing from the day I have seen at all.
--
kat
>^..^<

On Thu, 28 Dec 2023 10:06:41 +0000, kat <littlelionne@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>On 27/12/2023 15:29, Blueshirt wrote:
>> WTF has happened to Coronation Street? The Christmas Day episode(s)
>> didn't even make the top ten in the official BARB ratings. Doctor Who
>> got twice as many viewers. (How things have changed there!) But it
>> was nice to see Millie Gibson hit the ground running as Ruby Sunday...
>>
>> Why the decline of Corrie though? Is it the characters, the writing,
>> changing viewing habits... or is Peter Barlow just so annoying that
>> people would rather watch paint dry?
>>
>> https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67821839
>>
>> Hilda and Stan will be turning in their grave.
>>
>>
>
>For some reason they put on a short half hour episode with no great predictions
>of murder and mayhem, I don't suppose that helped a lot. It seems to be a slow
>burn week instead.
>
>There again the numbers for those who are in the top 10 are rmarkably low
>cmpared with the past. Habits have changed and I have only watched tv shows from
>Christmas day, recorded, or repeats, or catch ups, for years. The only shows in
>that top 10 I have actually seen are the 1% Club and The Wheel. Corrie is the
>only other thing from the day I have seen at all.

I think you're correct about habits changing affecting Corrie and
other programmes. I can't stand ads so choose to watch the episodes
in arrears when it suits me, without the ads. Time was if you missed
an episode, you missed it.

kat wrote:

> On 27/12/2023 15:29, Blueshirt wrote:
> >
> > Why the decline of Corrie though? Is it the characters, the
> > writing, changing viewing habits... or is Peter Barlow just so
> > annoying that people would rather watch paint dry?
> >
> > Hilda and Stan will be turning in their grave.
>
> For some reason they put on a short half hour episode with no great
> predictions of murder and mayhem, I don't suppose that helped a
> lot. It seems to be a slow burn week instead.

In all fairness, people must get tired of murder and mayhem in the
soaps at Christmas... it used to be fun... but maybe with it all
going on in the real world it loses its appeal?
> There again the numbers for those who are in the top 10 are
> rmarkably low cmpared with the past. Habits have changed and I have
> only watched tv shows from Christmas day, recorded, or repeats, or
> catch ups, for years.

Yes, streaming and time-shifted viewing has played a big part in the
overall ratings decline. You'd still expect a big hitter like
Coronation Street to make the top ten though.

I was being facetious yesterday but I seriously think the really good
characters are not there like they were in the days of Barlow and
Baldwin (not forgetting Deirdre of course), Walker and Turpin, Stan
and Eddie, Kevin and Sally, Gail and... plenty of other men. I think
today's residents of the Street pale in comparison...

On 28/12/2023 12:40, lucretia@florence.it wrote:
> On Thu, 28 Dec 2023 10:06:41 +0000, kat <littlelionne@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> On 27/12/2023 15:29, Blueshirt wrote:
>>> WTF has happened to Coronation Street? The Christmas Day episode(s)
>>> didn't even make the top ten in the official BARB ratings. Doctor Who
>>> got twice as many viewers. (How things have changed there!) But it
>>> was nice to see Millie Gibson hit the ground running as Ruby Sunday...
>>>
>>> Why the decline of Corrie though? Is it the characters, the writing,
>>> changing viewing habits... or is Peter Barlow just so annoying that
>>> people would rather watch paint dry?
>>>
>>> https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67821839
>>>
>>> Hilda and Stan will be turning in their grave.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> For some reason they put on a short half hour episode with no great predictions
>> of murder and mayhem, I don't suppose that helped a lot. It seems to be a slow
>> burn week instead.
>>
>> There again the numbers for those who are in the top 10 are rmarkably low
>> cmpared with the past. Habits have changed and I have only watched tv shows from
>> Christmas day, recorded, or repeats, or catch ups, for years. The only shows in
>> that top 10 I have actually seen are the 1% Club and The Wheel. Corrie is the
>> only other thing from the day I have seen at all.
>
> I think you're correct about habits changing affecting Corrie and
> other programmes. I can't stand ads so choose to watch the episodes
> in arrears when it suits me, without the ads. Time was if you missed
> an episode, you missed it.

I do that with just about every thing I watch these days, even the shows without
ads I record and watch when it suits me. The series link thing helps when they
moe stuff about so it really is simpler!

--
kat
>^..^<

On 28/12/2023 13:32, Blueshirt wrote:
> kat wrote:
>
>> On 27/12/2023 15:29, Blueshirt wrote:
>>>
>>> Why the decline of Corrie though? Is it the characters, the
>>> writing, changing viewing habits... or is Peter Barlow just so
>>> annoying that people would rather watch paint dry?
>>>
>>> Hilda and Stan will be turning in their grave.
>>
>> For some reason they put on a short half hour episode with no great
>> predictions of murder and mayhem, I don't suppose that helped a
>> lot. It seems to be a slow burn week instead.
>
> In all fairness, people must get tired of murder and mayhem in the
> soaps at Christmas... it used to be fun... but maybe with it all
> going on in the real world it loses its appeal?

I think they really would have tired of any more murder this year, Corrie has
had enough.

>
>> There again the numbers for those who are in the top 10 are
>> rmarkably low cmpared with the past. Habits have changed and I have
>> only watched tv shows from Christmas day, recorded, or repeats, or
>> catch ups, for years.
>
> Yes, streaming and time-shifted viewing has played a big part in the
> overall ratings decline. You'd still expect a big hitter like
> Coronation Street to make the top ten though.

I agree, but it really was low key that day. I think we all knew the drama that
we were/are to get was coming later.
>
> I was being facetious yesterday but I seriously think the really good
> characters are not there like they were in the days of Barlow and
> Baldwin (not forgetting Deirdre of course), Walker and Turpin, Stan
> and Eddie, Kevin and Sally, Gail and... plenty of other men. I think
> today's residents of the Street pale in comparison...

Some of them are still there! But some of the writing for them leaves something
to be desired. On the other hand I do like Sally with Tim and while I think
newer characters always take a bit of getting used to, some could have
potential. Trouble is the world has changed and people act diferently in real
life too.

>

--
kat
>^..^<

On Sun, 31 Dec 2023 13:12:06 +0000, kat <littlelionne@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>On 28/12/2023 13:32, Blueshirt wrote:
>> kat wrote:
>>
>>> On 27/12/2023 15:29, Blueshirt wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Why the decline of Corrie though? Is it the characters, the
>>>> writing, changing viewing habits... or is Peter Barlow just so
>>>> annoying that people would rather watch paint dry?
>>>>
>>>> Hilda and Stan will be turning in their grave.
>>>
>>> For some reason they put on a short half hour episode with no great
>>> predictions of murder and mayhem, I don't suppose that helped a
>>> lot. It seems to be a slow burn week instead.
>>
>> In all fairness, people must get tired of murder and mayhem in the
>> soaps at Christmas... it used to be fun... but maybe with it all
>> going on in the real world it loses its appeal?
>
>I think they really would have tired of any more murder this year, Corrie has
>had enough.
>
>>
>>> There again the numbers for those who are in the top 10 are
>>> rmarkably low cmpared with the past. Habits have changed and I have
>>> only watched tv shows from Christmas day, recorded, or repeats, or
>>> catch ups, for years.
>>
>> Yes, streaming and time-shifted viewing has played a big part in the
>> overall ratings decline. You'd still expect a big hitter like
>> Coronation Street to make the top ten though.
>
>I agree, but it really was low key that day. I think we all knew the drama that
>we were/are to get was coming later.
>>
>> I was being facetious yesterday but I seriously think the really good
>> characters are not there like they were in the days of Barlow and
>> Baldwin (not forgetting Deirdre of course), Walker and Turpin, Stan
>> and Eddie, Kevin and Sally, Gail and... plenty of other men. I think
>> today's residents of the Street pale in comparison...
>
>Some of them are still there! But some of the writing for them leaves something
>to be desired. On the other hand I do like Sally with Tim and while I think
>newer characters always take a bit of getting used to, some could have
>potential. Trouble is the world has changed and people act diferently in real
>life too.
>
>
>>
Agreed

kat (littlelionne@hotmail.com) said...
>On 28/12/2023 12:40, lucretia@florence.it wrote:
>>
>> I think you're correct about habits changing affecting Corrie and
>> other programmes. I can't stand ads so choose to watch the episodes
>> in arrears when it suits me, without the ads. Time was if you missed
>> an episode, you missed it.
>
>I do that with just about every thing I watch these days, even the shows
>without ads I record and watch when it suits me. The series link thing
>helps when they moe stuff about so it really is simpler!

We do that so much now that when we actually watch something that
is being broadcast at the time, we keep reaching for the 'skip'
button on the remote when the ads come on. ;-)

If I don't reach for the remote, my wife asks why I'm not skipping
the ads!

The nice thing is that if something interrupts what we are watching
(phone call, someone at the door, etc.), we can pause the live feed
and resume it when the interruption is done. Then, we can skip ads
while watching the rest of the programme - at least until we have
caught up with the broadcast. ;-)

--
Calvin Henry-Cotnam
"Unusual or extreme reactions to events caused by negligence
are imaginable, but not reasonably foreseeable"
- Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, May 2008

On Tue, 09 Jan 2024 08:50:46 -0500, Calvin Henry-Cotnam
<calvin@remove.daxack.ca> wrote:

>kat (littlelionne@hotmail.com) said...
>>On 28/12/2023 12:40, lucretia@florence.it wrote:
>>>
>>> I think you're correct about habits changing affecting Corrie and
>>> other programmes. I can't stand ads so choose to watch the episodes
>>> in arrears when it suits me, without the ads. Time was if you missed
>>> an episode, you missed it.
>>
>>I do that with just about every thing I watch these days, even the shows
>>without ads I record and watch when it suits me. The series link thing
>>helps when they moe stuff about so it really is simpler!
>
>We do that so much now that when we actually watch something that
>is being broadcast at the time, we keep reaching for the 'skip'
>button on the remote when the ads come on. ;-)
>
>If I don't reach for the remote, my wife asks why I'm not skipping
>the ads!
>
>The nice thing is that if something interrupts what we are watching
>(phone call, someone at the door, etc.), we can pause the live feed
>and resume it when the interruption is done. Then, we can skip ads
>while watching the rest of the programme - at least until we have
>caught up with the broadcast. ;-)

I meet so many people who seem to feel I am too hyper about ads?? I
really hate them, especially what some of them say.

On 09/01/2024 13:50, Calvin Henry-Cotnam wrote:
> kat (littlelionne@hotmail.com) said...
>> On 28/12/2023 12:40, lucretia@florence.it wrote:
>>>
>>> I think you're correct about habits changing affecting Corrie and
>>> other programmes. I can't stand ads so choose to watch the episodes
>>> in arrears when it suits me, without the ads. Time was if you missed
>>> an episode, you missed it.
>>
>> I do that with just about every thing I watch these days, even the shows
>> without ads I record and watch when it suits me. The series link thing
>> helps when they moe stuff about so it really is simpler!
>
> We do that so much now that when we actually watch something that
> is being broadcast at the time, we keep reaching for the 'skip'
> button on the remote when the ads come on. ;-)
>
> If I don't reach for the remote, my wife asks why I'm not skipping
> the ads!
>
> The nice thing is that if something interrupts what we are watching
> (phone call, someone at the door, etc.), we can pause the live feed
> and resume it when the interruption is done. Then, we can skip ads
> while watching the rest of the programme - at least until we have
> caught up with the broadcast. ;-)
>

Sometimes I set a show to record and we can start a bit late, and then catch up
by the end. The pause function also comes in handy for interruptions though. I
don't have an actual "skip" button, we fast forward through them.
--
kat
>^..^<

On 09/01/2024 19:33, lucretia@florence.it wrote:
> On Tue, 09 Jan 2024 08:50:46 -0500, Calvin Henry-Cotnam
> <calvin@remove.daxack.ca> wrote:
>
>> kat (littlelionne@hotmail.com) said...
>>> On 28/12/2023 12:40, lucretia@florence.it wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I think you're correct about habits changing affecting Corrie and
>>>> other programmes. I can't stand ads so choose to watch the episodes
>>>> in arrears when it suits me, without the ads. Time was if you missed
>>>> an episode, you missed it.
>>>
>>> I do that with just about every thing I watch these days, even the shows
>>> without ads I record and watch when it suits me. The series link thing
>>> helps when they moe stuff about so it really is simpler!
>>
>> We do that so much now that when we actually watch something that
>> is being broadcast at the time, we keep reaching for the 'skip'
>> button on the remote when the ads come on. ;-)
>>
>> If I don't reach for the remote, my wife asks why I'm not skipping
>> the ads!
>>
>> The nice thing is that if something interrupts what we are watching
>> (phone call, someone at the door, etc.), we can pause the live feed
>> and resume it when the interruption is done. Then, we can skip ads
>> while watching the rest of the programme - at least until we have
>> caught up with the broadcast. ;-)
>
> I meet so many people who seem to feel I am too hyper about ads?? I
> really hate them, especially what some of them say.

I find many of them incredibly boring these days as well. Back in the day they
had humour and catchy songs and phrases that I still recall, we had an entire
serial over several years about a jar of coffee.

Christmas started when Woolworths filled a whole ad break. We still get some
good ones at Christmas but John lewis with the Venus Flytrap this year was
weird. I can only thank Aldi for Kevin the Carrot. We wait every year now to
see what he has been up to and which book or movie he is spoofing.:-)

--
kat
>^..^<

kat (littlelionne@hotmail.com) said...
>Sometimes I set a show to record and we can start a bit late, and then
>catch up by the end. The pause function also comes in handy for
>interruptions though. I don't have an actual "skip" button, we fast
>forward through them.

Funny - most systems have had "skip ahead" and "skip back" buttons for
quite some time now - they usually have circular arrows on them:
clockwise for ahead and anti-clockwise for back. They don't skip the
commercial break, but a set number of seconds. Ours had the forward
set or 30 seconds and the back 10 seconds. We can change the time for
each, but find those settings work best for commercial skipping since
commercials are usually 30 seconds long.

--
Calvin Henry-Cotnam
"Unusual or extreme reactions to events caused by negligence
are imaginable, but not reasonably foreseeable"
- Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, May 2008

On 13/02/2024 04:17, Calvin Henry-Cotnam wrote:
> kat (littlelionne@hotmail.com) said...
>> Sometimes I set a show to record and we can start a bit late, and then
>> catch up by the end. The pause function also comes in handy for
>> interruptions though. I don't have an actual "skip" button, we fast
>> forward through them.
>
> Funny - most systems have had "skip ahead" and "skip back" buttons for
> quite some time now - they usually have circular arrows on them:
> clockwise for ahead and anti-clockwise for back. They don't skip the
> commercial break, but a set number of seconds. Ours had the forward
> set or 30 seconds and the back 10 seconds. We can change the time for
> each, but find those settings work best for commercial skipping since
> commercials are usually 30 seconds long.
>
>

Mine has a Fast Forward ( or back) with several different rates of speed, so I
"watch" the ads at +30. And that applies to our Sky box and our Virgin box. We
actually use Sky, but have Virgin cable for broadband and it came with a basic
tv box. Neither has a button to skip a number of seconds.
--
kat
>^..^<