bruceleedragon Here's my review read barry grant is and all way's will be number 1 TV bad guy no matter what am doing a petition soon to get all full uncut brookside close of barry grant on DVD he deserves it iv spoke to bazzer Paul usher aka am doing this for all you brookside fans and myself and barry grant call it unfinished business no not tin head or Steve from lost weekend and the lost footage phil redmond and lee Brady are going to have to help me out and fans to get all the full uncut unseen footage on DVD the best of barry grant and the other side from bad guy to the bill this is for you my old Muker friend in other words Paul usher as barry grant people who try conpair barry with Phil make me laugh barry s proper TV actor six bend trap excellent 10\10 for lost weekend brookside close

Chilla Black possibly the 'best' soap to be aired on British TV. The show from the off had it all. To start with it was set in a spanking brand new 'red brick' close, which was a style of housing that to this day defines the 1980's. Once that had been established, creator Phil Redmond set about a series that featured a collection of families who were either on the up or down, yet all ended up in Brookside Close. That was the theme of the early years with the main elements highlighting Thatcherite Britain. Specifiacclaly it centred on the Grants and the Collins who were poles apart but now neighbours.The first couple of years were by no means sensationalist compared with what was to follow. The first sensationalist storyline was the siege, quickly followed by the framing of George Jackson, which spawned a UK single release 'Free George Jackson'. From this point on Brookside capitalised on its unique standing as a gritty soap well before EastEnders was born). There was a gay son, a heroine addict husband and more hardline elements that kicked in that not only established the character Barry Grant but also went some way to making the show extremely watchable. In 1985 the show went three times a week, which was a first for UK soaps.In fact, as we all know, Brookside was a soap of firsts and Redmond should always take the credit. The 1980's Brookie was strong and packed full of unimaginable story lines, pick of the bunch being Tommy McArdle, Laura's electrocution, The Corkhills - including but not ending in the 'Swiss Roll' affair and the close robbery by Jimmy. As mentioned, the siege and then the first whodunnit in UK soap: the rape of Sheila Grant. In fact it was the latter story tied in with Billy Corkhill's dole madness and relationship with Sheila that really brought Barry Grant to the fore.The soaps stellar years were undoubtedly the 1990's. So many story lines were written that by the middle of the decade all reality had gone, but that only added to the strength of the programme. It was around 1995 that it gained cult status purely because of this unpretentious approach. In no preferential order, the best stories of the 1990's were Jimmy Corkhills cocaine addiction, the close church - in the Grants house, Barry Grant pushing Terry's missus off the scaffolding, the close virus, the body under the patio and The Finnigans. The Finnigans was an extremely well written sub plot that lasted for 2 years. It was at this point around 1997 that the show really took on the big sensationalist stories. Basically as a viewer you just did not know what to expect. It was good though!So from that point - 1997 - the show developed what can only be described as soap dreamland. For years Brookside went through a phase where every episode contained scenes where all the characters were at each others throats or had agendas. It got really intense around 1999 and half an hour just blew you away. Going in to the 2000's, this continued with the Moffats, who carried on the trend of menacing Brokkie characters. All over the show, left right and centre it was a case of residents who simply had it in for each other.For me, along with the totally unrealistic stories as mentioned plus loads that i have not (I would like to add that I am very knowledgeable of them) those are what made Brookside such a watchable show. Even in its final phase it carried on the trend with constant characters all arriving with mayhem in mind. Controversial stories kept on coming. Mick Johnson's Euphanasia trial being one example. The show's last stand though was the 2003 drug gang siege, which even by Brookie standards was controversial. Also one story that should not be over looked was the bombing of the health club. I ask you, where else on TV anywhere has there been so many insane story lines?2003 was the last great year for Brookside The final 4 episodes in 2004 have gained cult status amongst the die hards but in truth the character brought in as a final hurrah, Jack Michaelson was too little too late. Good idea though.Brookside is one of my favourite programmes ever and I am glad that i watched it, well nearly all of it. I secretly hope one day they bring out the entire series on a 100 DVD Boxset or something.The music was cool - complete with the armchair hand rest pounding drum beats, the original credits were good. The outro theme was great. The Saturday omnibus - yet again a first for UK soap was called for. I could go on for days...I loved it.10/10

tdavies75 The (not so) everyday life of the residents of a Liverpool Close. Brookside has been known to break the 'taboos' of life and include stories that no other soap had been brave enough to do before. Throughout the 80's and early 90's, stories of rape, domestic violence, homosexuality, incest and murder earned the soap high ratings. This was because Brookside wasn't afraid to push the barriers of soap stories. In fact, most people would say that Brookside helped pave the way for other soaps to be so extreme. In it's heyday 10 million viewers regularly tuned in. This was in 1993, with one of the most controversial storylines to be on TV at the time. From that point on things began to go downhill. Though remaining popular, the 10 million viewers gradually decreased to around 1.5 million. Thus, in 2002, Brookside was moved to a Saturday afternoon slot, then to a late night Tuesday slot. It was eventually axed, and the last episode runs tonight.So what went wrong? I was a fan up until around 2000. Up until this point the stories had been as exciting and controversial as ever, but maybe it was so exciting that it was unbelievable?Most soaps have long, drawn out stories that gradually develop, and these are few and far between. While this is dull for some, it can at least relate with the everyday life of people. These long stories allow for character development, so people will become familiar with people on screen and feel as if they 'know' them. Brookside had none of this. Within the space of a few years we had a virus that killed off half the cast, the incestuous relationship of a brother and sister, a man killing his mother-in-law to get rid of her cancer pain, a drug-rape (which did drag for over a year, but became boring), a man purchasing a shotgun and killing a burglar, a couple of bombs/explosions, racist thugs that came from nowhere, a schoolboy killing and, to top it all off, a seige that trapped the close for three weeks.Whilst these all sound good on paper, most of these characters and stories came and went in the space of a year, hauling tonnes of emotional baggage (that we hadn't seen develop) with them. Viewers didn't feel as though they knew the characters.There was also no continuity. With other soaps, they all have at least one character that has been there all along, and most have lasted the majority of the show's life. Brookside has just one remaining character that has made it past the fifteen year mark. The rest have came and gone in very little time. Other soaps have familiar pubs and shops (ie the Cabin, Queen Vic, Woolpac, Rovers Return) Brookside has no familiar 'mascot' as such.So it ends tonight. The thing is, since it was moved to a late night slot, it has became brilliant viewing. I have since heard that this was the way it was supposed to be as of last year, but the movement to an afternoon slot made it impossible to show what they wanted to.I'll be watching tonight, as will the 1.5 million left. Maybe more since the final episode has had some surprisingly good news coverage."Brookie"-1982-2003

davideo-2 STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All CostsAnd this show's end is next week,hah hah hah hah.Well,it's had a pretty long run.I must confess,I've only really started watching it and showing an interest in it these last few weeks as it tick tocks toward it's final episode.Bloody hell,they don't half overact in this show though,don't they?That and some utterly sensationalist storylines make it a show I don't think I could ever have made a permanent fixture in my life,i.e. East Enders or,more regrettably nowadays,Coronation Street.Having said that,weirdly enough,a lot of the characters are pretty believable for a Liverpool set soap,with names like Sinbad,Bazza and Jordache,as well as an impressive regional dialect.From what I've seen of it it's never been a brilliant show in my eyes but I'd certainly watch it over Emmerdale or,perish the thought,Hollyoaks.**