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Block Storytelling; And do only big storylines interest the producers?
Topic Started: 21 Aug 2015, 00:49 (1,770 Views)
BigApe
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As much as I'm not fond of the Stacey character, I do agree with this opinion that it would have been so much more interesting to see the Martin and Stacey romance all along the way rather than it being picked up and dropped when the plot requires it. No scenes of their two kids interacting (especially considering they are both loosely related to Whitney and share scenes with her).

Also is Lee's depression storyline which I actually forgot was going on.

The effects of Linda's rape.

And many more I've forgotten because, to be quite blunt, why should I remember them if the production team themselves don't? An easy way around this would be to have Stacey, Martin, Lee, Linda still appear but in background-ish form. A couple of scenes of Martin and Stacey interacting as a couple. Lee showing visible signs of depression.

And it all makes me wonder if the producers have decided that since those storylines have been milked for all they're worth (for now at least) that they're not worth even appearing.

Coronation Street does block story telling too. But in a different way. The biggest example is the Tracey character still appearing yet only showing guilt over a recent fire she caused in certain episodes. I was surprised she even knew she did it. To me having a character appear on screen quite a lot yet only show them involved in a storyline so big half the time is a pathetic way of storytelling. EastEnders' idea of having characters vanish completely is slightly more preferable but not ideal at all.

Soaps have always had storylines just vanish for a while but often in a more realistic and smooth way. Alfie Moon not referencing a cousin who was last seen being escorted away 4 years earlier by unknown men is odd but understandable as there was a change in producer since then. But all this block storytelling has happened under DTC's reign. It has the feel of a man and his team juggling a lot of balls. Unfortunately the only ones they seem to not drop are the nice big shiny ones.
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*Betty*
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I think the issue is, their is just too much going on.

Look at the Carters for example we have Mick/Shirley, Linda/Dean, Buster, Jade, Nancy/Tamwar, Nancy's epilepsie, now Lee's depression, Tina/Sonia, not that long ago we had Stan's passing, the baby being born and we are due to pick up Babes secret again too. I think they just need to slow down a bit and tell the stories they have before starting new ones.

I think that's why the Lucy and Kathy stories are working so well because they are flowing at a decent pace. Yes they've had rest periods and are long running stories but it feels like these stories having their air time, being allowed to breathe and the audience can understand the motives of characters but the stories are still exciting and surprising.

I think the issue with this year is too many big ideas but not resolving the ones from last year. Keeping Dean on has really became one of the biggest issues, same with Ronnie. Trying to establish Claudette and Vincent is also causing an issue as the other new characters introduced like the Cokers, Martin and Kush are all still trying to find their feet.

Big ideas, just not enough time I think is more the issue, which has caused the block story telling.
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BigApe
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*Betty*
21 Aug 2015, 01:20
I think the issue is, their is just too much going on.

Look at the Carters for example we have Mick/Shirley, Linda/Dean, Buster, Jade, Nancy/Tamwar, Nancy's epilepsie, now Lee's depression, Tina/Sonia, not that long ago we had Stan's passing, the baby being born and we are due to pick up Babes secret again too. I think they just need to slow down a bit and tell the stories they have before starting new ones.

I think that's why the Lucy and Kathy stories are working so well because they are flowing at a decent pace. Yes they've had rest periods and are long running stories but it feels like these stories having their air time, being allowed to breathe and the audience can understand the motives of characters but the stories are still exciting and surprising.

I think the issue with this year is too many big ideas but not resolving the ones from last year. Keeping Dean on has really became one of the biggest issues, same with Ronnie. Trying to establish Claudette and Vincent is also causing an issue as the other new characters introduced like the Cokers, Martin and Kush are all still trying to find their feet.

Big ideas, just not enough time I think is more the issue, which has caused the block story telling.
It all does seem rather chaotic. And its hard to believe that the Carters are predominantly a new family. If I described all their trials and tribulations to someone that never watched the show they would imagine the Carters have been in it for decades. Funny thing is their absence has proven to me that they could easily be axed en masse and not do any long term damage to the show. Not that I'd want them to. Most of them do work well and are established its just they need toning down when they eventually do reappear.

And I also want to add that I think the Lucy and Kathy storylines are more popular because they involve characters that have been around for a majority of the show's 30 year run.
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Mrs Peel
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A storyline should have a beginning, a recognisable progression and a definite end. Having a storyline ongoing for more than a year is OK as long as it's paced correctly and alternating storylines are as strong in order to provide support. Sharongate continued for two years, and only came to a head when Letitia Dean decided to leave. Saskia's killing lasted a year.

Even though TPTB are attempting to have long storylines simmer along, today's writing isn't as strong, and rather than actually progress a storyline, we get circular motions - the same scene played out again and again on a different day, until some clever clogs decides to insert a new twist in the tale, which sometimes works, but more than often doesn't, in the name of variety. The only thing the latter does is veer a storyline out of control.

This is what has happened to the rape storyline, and if DTC isn't careful, it's what will happen to Lucy's murder storyline, especially if it gets mixed up and enmeshed with Kathy's return.

The rape storyline has ceased to be about Linda and has now become 50 Ways in Which We Can Make a Rapist Sympathetic.

We all know that people get away with crimes in real life, but the genre of soap is an extension of the old Mediaeval Morality play, and people like to see people pay for their crimes. It's why so many people took umbrage with Stacey flying off out of Walford to a new life, without ever having acknowledged her guilt in killing Archie Mitchell, no matter how much Saint John Bleeding Yorke may have said she'd suffered enough - she took a life.

If none of the Beales are made to do penance via imprisonment for Lucy's killing, the whole ethos of the genre has collapsed. The entire concept of murder on the programme at the moment has become nothing short of a joke.
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Mr Branning
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I don't think stories should necessarily have a definite end as that's when stories overtake characters. Life isn't partitioned into storylines - it's just one ongoing story so the characters' lives should progress naturally rather than having a story, finishing it, then picking up another one. The Lucy story is working well because it's popped up again just when nobody expected it which means the characters can't just move on. That's how the storytelling should be.

The main problem we have is that we're only seeing characters when their story needs to move on. That's why Stacey and Martin aren't working. What about Lee's depression? And what the hell happened to Shirley and Masood being determined to get hold of Jade? Stories aren't forming naturally, they're just jolting from one plot development to the next.
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Mrs Peel
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The show used to flow naturally from one emphasis to the next. Who remembers when recurrent characters like Nigel and Tiffany Raymond became regulars, indeed when Tiffany became the principal female character whose death was the major New Year's storyline. Saskia's storyline was resolved and lead into "Who Shot Phil?"

Now, there are several ongoing storylines, which - thanks to block storylining and the temptation to interweave plethoras of twists, turns and new secrets - are in danger of veering out of control.

You mentioned Lee's depression. This is something that affects thousands of Afghan and Iraqui war veterans and the storyline would highlight their plight, yet - as yet - instead of having Lee seek professional guidance with the support of his family, we've seen Whitney proclaim that she's going to move into the Vic and live with him and what then? Then we have the long, drawn-out snorefest of the Cokers.

I remember when block storylining and a large cast hurt the show before - from 1995-1997. That resulted in the block storylining being scrapped for awhile and a big axe being wielded.
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Ross
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I'm in the kitchen eating a biscuit
If you want to see how a soap utilises all stories and characters and is not guilty of block storytelling... see Emmerdale. Characters and storylines are not picked up and dropped every other week, they each get equal coverage and move along at a near-perfect pace. Emmerdale is by far the most superior soap, simply because it breaks the mould. It doesn't follow the clichéd soap rules of squeezing every last drop of potential out of stories. Instead, Emmerdale cleverly uses a suitable amount of potential (not to much nor little) and utilises it and builds on it. It feels natural, but it's all very twisty when you think about. Complex storytelling at it's best.
Edited by Ross, 21 Aug 2015, 15:34.
Massive thanks to NickM for this wonderful signature! :)

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Mrs Peel
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Gavross
21 Aug 2015, 15:33
If you want to see how a soap utilises all stories and characters and is not guilty of block storytelling... see Emmerdale. Characters and storylines are not picked up and dropped every other week, they each get equal coverage and move along at a near-perfect pace. Emmerdale is by far the most superior soap, simply because it breaks the mould. It doesn't follow the clichéd soap rules of squeezing every last drop of potential out of stories. Instead, Emmerdale cleverly uses a suitable amount of potential (not to much nor little) and utilises it and builds on it. It feels natural, but it's all very twisty when you think about. Complex storytelling at it's best.
Plus, Emmerdale has a very strong cast - probably, the strongest of the three major soaps.
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Mr Carter
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I feel that sometimes EE is (or thinks it is) too big for it's boots sometimes. It needs to be reigned in from time to time.
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Ross
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I'm in the kitchen eating a biscuit
Yes, I do agree! Even Emmerdale's weakest characters are played by versatile performers.
Massive thanks to NickM for this wonderful signature! :)

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