Can you influence soap storylines?

becominganobsessivesaver

Bit random, but a few months back Tyrone on Corrie fixed Fiz's boiler. We feel quite strongly about making sure gas work is performed by a competent person (ie someone Gas Safe) so sent a complaint to the producers saying we hoped this was part of a longer term plot to highlight the dangers, and they should not encourage illegal gas work. Their reply was that it was part of the Tyrone/Kirsty plot and they felt it was fine.

Anyway I was just browsing online and noticed the following spoiler.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/coronation-street-fiz-brown-left-1338979

Coincidence???

peachyprice

Or the storyline had already been discussed and written as ending badly?

Tropez

Perhaps you did influence it. I wouldn't think it was beyond the realms of possibility for them to read your complaint and think to themselves "Hmm, you know? This could be a good rating's grabber!"

becominganobsessivesaver

Just found the reply we received in July! I think maybe someone did take the suggestion on board!

Thank you for your e-mail regarding Coronation Street concerning your comments regarding the scene where Tyrone is seen to mend Fizz's gas boiler. Within the realms of dramatic license we feel that it is valid and believable for someone as skilled as Tyrone would attempt to mend a gas boiler, especially as he had encountered the same problem with his own. However, we are keen not to encourage this dangerous practice and unless there is a storyline associated with it we will leave future gas engineering to the experts. Notwithstanding we have taken your comments onboard and hope that this issue does not spoil you future enjoyment of our production and I have ensured that your concerns have reached both our Producer and Script-Editor.

tea_lover

I think it was already planned. Tyrone only fixed the boiler a few weeks back and it must be filmed a good few weeks in advance. The storylines will have been planned months before that.

Cat501

I think it was already planned too, and I also wouldn't be surprised if quite a number of viewers voiced the same concerns at the time

Justicia

becominganobsessivesaver wrote: »

Coincidence???

Yep.

But kudos for paying attention :T

kingfisherblue

My understanding is that the scenes are acted out six weeks before appearing on TV. The storylines are obviously discussed several weeks before that, in order for the writers to write/edit the scenes.

PasturesNew

It is filmed 2 months before it's aired.... so you'll have to count the time between when he fixed the boiler to when they air the outcome episode.

becominganobsessivesaver

Apparently it's the Christmas storyline. The complaint/comments were back in July.

shegirl

becominganobsessivesaver wrote: »

Apparently it's the Christmas storyline. The complaint/comments were back in July.

The fact that it's a Christmas storyline would convince me even more that it was already planned.The Christmas disasters are big and I doubt they'd wait until now to plan it!They always have a goal story.