Pelznickel
Roy Cropper was a complete flop as the community centre Santa – or Pelznickel as he chose to costume himself. The scenes of him in the café, for me, were also a complete flop. Indeed, I found it excruciating to watch. Poor David Neilson, having to take part in that travesty of “quirky Roy”.
“Have Roy do something odd with the idea of Santa Claus” you could almost hear someone say. Then somehow the job was given to someone who has never actually seen Roy in action before. And this is what they came up with.
So far over the top that it was embarrassing. Yes, Roy might go for a more folkloric representation of St. Nicholas. But taking it that far, and persisting in handing out fruit to children instead of candy and presents? No, he understands kids very well. Also he is a successful businessman and thus he knows the customer must be satisfied. Even Yasmeen has enough sense to know this is wrong.
Tell kids the history?
Whether Roy has questions about the origins and purposes of the red-suited ho-ho-ho happy Santa or not, he would find a happy medium. He’d give kids a bit of history perhaps. Then he would give them the gifts or candy they expected, along with some fruit.
Maria and Liam perhaps reacted realistically, certainly as they needed to react in order to have the “humour” of the situation pointed out. Maria’s snotty behaviour (“I want my money back!”) did nothing to endear her to me. Nor Liam’s, but he has the excuse of being a kid. By the time the unknown mother and her brat were yelling about horrible Santa, I was wishing Pelznickel would haul out that bunch of sticks and use them!
And Norris as Batman – will it never end??
Roy as Pelznickel wasn’t the only horrifying moment in Monday’s episodes. Norris in a Batman suit with a placard on the roof of the factory. Oh good Lord! Same person must have said “Have Norris do something funny”. The person who has also never watched Norris before came up with this. Somehow, these scenes made it through the writing chain and actually got filmed. If anyone said “hey, this stuff isn’t in character,” evidently nobody listened.
I always look forward to the Christmas episodes of Coronation Street. They always push the boat out a bit with décor, a bit of nostalgia, and a lot of drama. This year, I’m dreading it. Watching over the past couple months – since soon after the sixth episode started – has felt like work. And this week was just too awful for words.
Get well cactus – now that’s funny!
Good moments? Tracy’s ‘get well from testicular surgery’ cactus to Robert. Well done, too, that Michelle didn’t find it funny at all. Also Jude and Mary’s talks about the whys of Jude’s origins, especially the one on Wednesday. Jude’s blow-up at Mary on Monday was good too, but was overshadowed by being interspliced with the Pelznickel and Batman nightmares.
