This is something that i've never quite understood the logic of and the clueless modern day 21st century producers at times with Coronation Street AND EastEnders - What if Jim McDonald had stayed around from 2000+ instead of Phil Mitchell?
I always felt Jim McDonald had more potential as a character in Coronation Street than either of The Mitchell Brothers put together in EastEnders. Jim would've made a good grandfather too and be similar to Bill Webster/Peter Armitage, the way Jim supported Gary Mallett with the twins after Judy's death proves it, and Jim's round of applause during Jack Duckworth's funeral in the early 2010s, it's even small gestures of gratitude like that that show very deep down Jim is a good man.
Jim McDonald had a better relationship with his neighbours and other characters on the Street than what The Mitchell Brothers did on Albert Square.
What does everyone else think? Personally I think both Coronation Street and EastEnders really got it wrong in 2000 when they chosen to retain either one of The Mitchell Brothers instead of Jim McDonald. Even more so, I think Jim McDonald's departure from Coronation Street initially in 2000 led to a lot of the undoing of the programme (his reunion with Bet Lynch in 2003 or 2004 was short and sweet though and thumping Vernon Tomlin in 2007/2008 for marrying Liz and changing her surname from McDonald), and how even Steve McDonald/Simon Gregson character got more silly and foolish after the Jez Quigley storyline in 2000, such as Steve marrying Karen for a bet around 2001, before Steve married Karen properly eventually, but still, Steve became more and more silly to even now recent times, both Jim and Steve are as silly as each other now really, a lot of it, the trend or whatever was set at that very moment around Jim's first departure in 2000 for Coronation Street to turn silly with all the other new characters who were introduced, the only way to move Jim forward back into his old self would be for his other son Andy to return (Nicholas Cochrane) or Jim becoming a grandfather to Amy similar to how Neighbours' Harold Bishop was towards Skye. I'd have also been interested to see how Jim McDonald would've dealt with Alan Bradley, Richard Hillman and Pat Phelan. Finally, all Jim needed to do then was regrow his moustache, commit as a full-time regular character and wearing his brown leather jacket again.
I always felt Jim McDonald had more potential as a character in Coronation Street than either of The Mitchell Brothers put together in EastEnders. Jim would've made a good grandfather too and be similar to Bill Webster/Peter Armitage, the way Jim supported Gary Mallett with the twins after Judy's death proves it, and Jim's round of applause during Jack Duckworth's funeral in the early 2010s, it's even small gestures of gratitude like that that show very deep down Jim is a good man.
Jim McDonald had a better relationship with his neighbours and other characters on the Street than what The Mitchell Brothers did on Albert Square.
What does everyone else think? Personally I think both Coronation Street and EastEnders really got it wrong in 2000 when they chosen to retain either one of The Mitchell Brothers instead of Jim McDonald. Even more so, I think Jim McDonald's departure from Coronation Street initially in 2000 led to a lot of the undoing of the programme (his reunion with Bet Lynch in 2003 or 2004 was short and sweet though and thumping Vernon Tomlin in 2007/2008 for marrying Liz and changing her surname from McDonald), and how even Steve McDonald/Simon Gregson character got more silly and foolish after the Jez Quigley storyline in 2000, such as Steve marrying Karen for a bet around 2001, before Steve married Karen properly eventually, but still, Steve became more and more silly to even now recent times, both Jim and Steve are as silly as each other now really, a lot of it, the trend or whatever was set at that very moment around Jim's first departure in 2000 for Coronation Street to turn silly with all the other new characters who were introduced, the only way to move Jim forward back into his old self would be for his other son Andy to return (Nicholas Cochrane) or Jim becoming a grandfather to Amy similar to how Neighbours' Harold Bishop was towards Skye. I'd have also been interested to see how Jim McDonald would've dealt with Alan Bradley, Richard Hillman and Pat Phelan. Finally, all Jim needed to do then was regrow his moustache, commit as a full-time regular character and wearing his brown leather jacket again.
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