I've been reading through couple of discussions/comment sections in different papers on Facebook, and generally viewers are really disappointed on this Deirdre-storyline, and the funeral.
I'm not surprised at all...
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I've been reading through couple of discussions/comment sections in different papers on Facebook, and generally viewers are really disappointed on this Deirdre-storyline, and the funeral.
I'm not surprised at all...
I was sceptical to say the least about Peter's missing the funeral, but I actually really enjoyed the funeral episodes. The only parts I didn't like were Billy (could they not have got an actor back who played a vicar who knew her?); Ken and Tracy. His cold attitude in the house was understandable I felt, but he took it a bit far in the church. Plus Carla's non-attendance. Her gambling addiction isn't that bad yet surely; Sophie and the Nazirs weren't there that I noticed (Sophie definitely wasn't.)
I think the pacing has let it down - she hasn't been dead a week and she's already been buried! It's been pretty full on through the episodes since then, so although it's better than poor Jim Branning who hardly got any focus, it could have been better. I think also they shouldn't have released so many details so early. It seems ages ago that we heard about the returns of Bev and Robert. Perhaps having been anticipating something for so long, some degree of disappointment was inevitable.
Edit: And the clapping. It's a funeral, not a speech about the works of Charles Dickens! Oh, and we had three Maddie mentions, but not a direct mention of Kal.
I wish they had focused more on the funeral though and wish they had kept Bethany´s shenanigans for another episode. I also found the clapping at the end of Ken´s eulogy a bit strange, I guess maybe they were applauding Deirdre rather than Ken´s speech?
I have heard applause after euologies at funerals. And you're right, Perdy, it is really for the deceased.
I guess the idea of Peter missing the funeral is going to play some significant part in upcoming episodes. It has already had an effect on Simon and maybe there will be something about who caused Ken and Deirdre more grief, Tracy or Peter? I can't think it was just because Chris was unavailable for the episode, if it was he would probably have been left out altogether.
Tracy was out of order. Cannot believe what she was planning when her mum iwas not even cold in her grave
From what I've been reading elsewhere, what most people are unhappy about is the intercutting of Deirdre's death episodes with the Callum/Sarah/Bethany story. I think we're all agreed that was intrusive and ruined the atmosphere at certain moments.
Corrie never solely focus on one story as Eastenders does, and I think that's fine. Unfortunately, the silly Callum storyline just felt completely out of place running alongside Deirdre's funeral. Personally, I found cutting from Deirdre's photo (when the congregation was singing), to Bethany downing shots in the Dog and Gun particularly jarring.
Sophie was mentioned several times as being unable to face the funeral so soon after Maddie's. The same probably goes for Carla - we we saw her walk away quickly as if she couldn't cope. No doubt she went gambling to try and soothe her anxiety.
As far as Billy goes, surely it's normal for the vicar in residence to hold the funerals?
We don't actually know how many days later the funeral was held. Soaps often obfuscate their timelimes by not teling viewers how much time has passed. I assume it was done that way because the Corrie team wanted a week or so of consecutive episodes that concentrated on Deirdre.
I don't think there's any way they would have left Peter out if Chris was willing to do a few days' filming, even if he couldn't make the funeral scenes. I'm sure they'd find a way to write around his schedule if at all possible. Whether that's what's happened is impossible to say though.
Was Robert's return only planned after Anne died so Deirdre was too?
I found his return and get together with Tracy were rushed and tasteless