Brookside Brookside

[McKenzie]

Early Barry is great, and your comment has made me think to see if I've spotted a significant turning point by the 1988 episodes I'm currently watching. Without getting into Eighties spoilers, I'd say there have been several.

I'm absolutely fine with spoilers if you have some theories, I'm keen to hear. Like I say I've watched various youtube clips/episodes and read books over the years from before I started watching properly so Its not like you are going to spoil anything for me.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I'm absolutely fine with spoilers if you have some theories, I'm keen to hear.

Thinking about it, calling them significant turning points might have been a bit strong of me. It's probably fairer to say that there are certain patterns in Barry's story from the beginning that give some kind of credence to who he became. There's his run-in with Demon Duane near the start of the series, and his black market dealings which could be seen in the opening episode with the replacement loo he supplied to the Collinses. Certainly by the point I've reached there's also a significant history of him having very dodgy underworld acquaintances.

The key difference between early and late Barry is that we don't see him with his family, which would explain why he's unleashed a bit more, but also why later Barry is far less nuanced and interesting. Whatever else he does in the Eighties episodes, he loves his "mam" and looks out for his siblings. And his troubled relationship with Bobby arguably also informs some of his interactions with older figures like Tommy McArdle (even though it's not his primary reason for interacting with them).

Even watching the 1988 episodes, though, it's difficult to reconcile the Barry onscreen with the cold-blooded person he'd become.

 

[McKenzie]

Thinking about it, calling them significant turning points might have been a bit strong of me. It's probably fairer to say that there are certain patterns in Barry's story from the beginning that give some kind of credence to who he became. There's his run-in with Demon Duane near the start of the series, and his black market dealings which could be seen in the opening episode with the replacement loo he supplied to the Collinses. Certainly by the point I've reached there's also a significant history of him having very dodgy underworld acquaintances.

The key difference between early and late Barry is that we don't see him with his family, which would explain why he's unleashed a bit more, but also why later Barry is far less nuanced and interesting. Whatever else he does in the Eighties episodes, he loves his "mam" and looks out for his siblings. And his troubled relationship with Bobby arguably also informs some of his interactions with older figures like Tommy McArdle (even though it's not his primary reason for interacting with them).

Even watching the 1988 episodes, though, it's difficult to reconcile the Barry onscreen with the cold-blooded person he'd become.

Ah okay yeah thats interesting. I seem to recall from watching some of the old repeats that UK Living used to show years ago that

Spoiler

He ended up running lols of illegal raves - not sure if you have reached that point yet on STV. I think I still did think at the time that it was a stretch to acquire so many properties but I'm sure its explained in some way! Good point about having his family there/not there.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

not sure if you have reached that point yet on STV.

I think that was early Nineties, so there's still a little way to go before that storyline drops on STV.

I think I still did think at the time that it was a stretch to acquire so many properties but I'm sure its explained in some way!

I forget the ins and outs of that story specifically, but the thing about Barry beyond a certain point is that there's always a dodgy wealthy associate... invariably with strings attached to any loan.

 

[McKenzie]

I think that was early Nineties, so there's still a little way to go before that storyline drops on STV.






I forget the ins and outs of that story specifically, but the thing about Barry beyond a certain point is that there's always a dodgy wealthy associate... invariably with strings attached to any loan.

Yes that does make sense. And I do appreciate looking for logic in a soap opera from 30 years ago is somewhat pointless but I do find it interesting!

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I do appreciate looking for logic in a soap opera from 30 years ago is somewhat pointless but I do find it interesting!

Whew. I'm glad you added those last half a dozen words, because if you look around the site, you'll find that an awful lot of discussions hereabouts are about looking for logic in 30+ year old soaps.

 

[McKenzie]

Whew. I'm glad you added those last half a dozen words, because if you look around the site, you'll find that an awful lot of discussions hereabouts are about looking for logic in 30+ year old soaps.

Oh absolutely. I've read all this thread so I can see that. Its nice to see some like-minded people. I've tried to get my wife into watching it from the start and its fair to say she has zero interest!

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I've read all this thread so I can see that.

Wow - that's dedication. You can stay.

Its nice to see some like-minded people. I've tried to get my wife into watching it from the start and its fair to say she has zero interest!

Oh, shame you couldn't sell your wife on the idea, but at least now you can share the viewing experience with us. Like you, I really appreciate this place because everyone just gets it and I don't have to apologise for being geeky or obsessive or whatever. It's always lovely to see newer members coming along and giving a fresh view on things as well.

 

[McKenzie]

Wow - that's dedication. You can stay.





Oh, shame you couldn't sell your wife on the idea, but at least now you can share the viewing experience with us. Like you, I really appreciate this place because everyone just gets it and I don't have to apologise for being geeky or obsessive or whatever. It's always lovely to see newer members coming along and giving a fresh view on things as well.

Thanks!
I'm only up to episode 31 now so it will be a while before I can comment in 'real time' but like I say I dont mind spoilers anyway

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I'm only up to episode 31 now so it will be a while before I can comment in 'real time' but like I say I dont mind spoilers anyway

Oh, no problem. As you'll have seen from reading through the thread, we've all been at different stages at different times, and even now there are often months' worth of episode drops between us.

For me, I really enjoy reminders of things that happened some years earlier in the series. A lot of it is still fresh in my mind but those details can quickly be forgotten, and sometimes there can be a kind of synchronicity between a characters' journey then and now.

 

[McKenzie]

Oh, no problem. As you'll have seen from reading through the thread, we've all been at different stages at different times, and even now there are often months' worth of episode drops between us.

For me, I really enjoy reminders of things that happened some years earlier in the series. A lot of it is still fresh in my mind but those details can quickly be forgotten, and sometimes there can be a kind of synchronicity between a characters' journey then and now.

I'm still getting used to the endings of the episodes being just calm endings and not some type of cliffhanger. The last episode I just saw Shelia said to Karen that for dessert they have chocolate mouse. And then it ended! Obviously that will change at some point but its quite refreshing.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I'm still getting used to the endings of the episodes being just calm endings and not some type of cliffhanger.

Earlier in the thread I posted a video of young people reacting to the first episode of Brookie, and there was great disapproval that it was a soap that didn't end on a big dramatic cliffhanger.

Some years ago I remember visiting someone in hospital and the person in the next bed had the TV on. I watched as their visitors spoke all the way through EastEnders and then, in unison, all of them stopped talking and stared at the screen with about a minute to go. Onscreen, voices were raised and the doof-doofs came and the visitors immediately turned back and carried on with their conversation as though it hadn't been interrupted. I found it fascinating - and a little disheartening - that they were so conditioned to care about the cliffhanger and only the cliffhanger that the other 27 minutes of the episode didn't seem to even matter.

Like you, I find the structure of Brookie and often the lack of a cliffhanger refreshing. I love that the big scene or the important part doesn't have to be tacked on in the last minutes of the episode. Context is everything and it's all about the full picture.

The last episode I just saw Shelia said to Karen that for dessert they have chocolate mouse.

Ha ha. I can't remember this one, but I just know that Sue Johnston made it compelling.

 

[McKenzie]

Earlier in the thread I posted a video of young people reacting to the first episode of Brookie, and there was great disapproval that it was a soap that didn't end on a big dramatic cliffhanger.

Some years ago I remember visiting someone in hospital and the person in the next bed had the TV on. I watched as their visitors spoke all the way through EastEnders and then, in unison, all of them stopped talking and stared at the screen with about a minute to go. Onscreen, voices were raised and the doof-doofs came and the visitors immediately turned back and carried on with their conversation as though it hadn't been interrupted. I found it fascinating - and a little disheartening - that they were so conditioned to care about the cliffhanger and only the cliffhanger that the other 27 minutes of the episode didn't seem to even matter.

Like you, I find the structure of Brookie and often the lack of a cliffhanger refreshing. I love that the big scene or the important part doesn't have to be tacked on in the last minutes of the episode. Context is everything and it's all about the full picture.

Ha ha. I can't remember this one, but I just know that Sue Johnston made it compelling.

Yeah I can imagine that completely. Brookside was the same by the time I was originally watching in the early 90s I'm sure. And it definitely was the same by the end of the 90s 100%.

Barry just slapping that older woman in the pub was very much 'of its time' too. Whilst dressed in a suit. Probably preferable to some of the horrendous early 90s outfits he had. Its like watching a time capsule