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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Being disgusted at the stupidity and irresponsibility of Coronation Street!

57 replies

Bex268 · 30/04/2021 11:50

Peter Barlow is already on the transplant list.

How is this sensible to broadcast in a country where we have too many people suffering from alcoholism?!

If anyone had suffered from this or knows someone who does (or did and they’re now victim to it and died), you’ll know it’s not as simple as coronation street is portraying it. You need to be sober for six months before even being considered for a transplant.

If he had end stage liver disease, things would be a lot more dyer for him than they appear.

Anyone watching this who has personal experience of alcoholism may feel like me, devastated at how easy it’s all appearing when in reality it’s such a long hard process that often ends in death.

I just want them to get this right and serve as a reminder to people that alcoholism as a disease kills too often and it’s not a quick fix. Why can’t they just portray it accurately?

I’m probably repeating myself but I’m so disappointed in them.

OP posts:

Shoxfordian · 30/04/2021 12:11

I don’t watch it but it’s not a documentary so it’s not going to be realistic

Original poster

Bex268 · 30/04/2021 12:23

But it’s meant to be a representation of what life is like.

OP posts:

Moondust001 · 30/04/2021 12:26

@Bex268

But it’s meant to be a representation of what life is like.

I don't watch it, but no it isn't. Soap operas are not real life and aren't intended to be real life. If they were real life they would be really boring and nobody would watch them.

LakieLady · 30/04/2021 12:27

I've lost a friend and a few clients to alcoholic liver disease and it's an awful way to go.

But I don't expect realism from a soap opera, so it doesn't surprise me in the least that Coronation Street's depiction of this is so unrealistic.

giletrouge · 30/04/2021 12:28

@Bex268

But it’s meant to be a representation of what life is like.

No, it's fiction, and the whole point of fiction is that it can do what it likes. It may or may not have within that certain moral and ethical responsibilities, which can be argued, but there are neither laws nor norms that fiction has to completely accurately represent reality. And the word is 'dire' not 'dyer'. I'm sorry you're disappointed.

WeeWillyWanky · 30/04/2021 12:28

He's only been on the transplant list for a couple of days but has now been told that there is a liver available. Utterly ludicrous. The storylines in Corrie have been growing more and more unrealistic so I wouldn't be too surprised if Ken Barlow performs the operation in the back of a taxi.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 30/04/2021 12:33

Soaps are not in any way suposed to be a "representation of what life is like."

PuppyMonkey · 30/04/2021 12:36

TBF the fact that half the street has already had a transplant of some description doesn’t help in the realism stakes.

emilyfrost · 30/04/2021 12:37

It’s not meant to to represent real life at all Take inspiration from, yes, but not mimic exactly.

DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult · 30/04/2021 12:43

If anyone looks to corrie for a realistic portrayal of anything they have bigger issues to worry about tbh.

Aliceandthemarchhare · 30/04/2021 12:45

Soaps aren’t representative of real life BUT I do think there’s a case for not being grossly insensitive.

Corrie is awful at the moment though. It’s turned into hollyoaks.

user135747958 · 30/04/2021 12:45

I understand where you are coming from OP and feel like some of the other posters are maybe being a bit contrary. Of course it’s a fictional show but soaps do deal with real life issues in their storylines - isn’t that why they sometimes have details for helplines etc at the end of episodes that have dealt with really serious issues? I don’t watch coronation street but can understand your disappointment - sorry for whatever you have been through x

Reinventinganna · 30/04/2021 12:45

I don’t watch it but from what you’ve said and personal experience yanbu

Yesmate · 30/04/2021 12:45

It’s fictional. They also aren’t representing COVID regulations properly, witness protection, murder or using actual food and drinks. Over the years they have covered many things, not one of them was real. It’s a fictional programme.

Youdontknowwhatyoureonabout · 30/04/2021 12:52

@WeeWillyWanky

DH was on the transplant list (different organ) for a week before he got the call to say get to the hospital because an organ was available.

Admittedly it had taken 6 months of serious failing health, tests and assessments before he was added to the list, but I just wanted to say that transplants can, and do, sometimes happen quickly.

OhGiveUp · 30/04/2021 12:52

Coronation Street hasn't been realistic since Minnie Caldwell dropped dead over her milk stout, the same with any soap.
We would spend all our time hiding in the cellar if it was to avoid being flattened by a tram, slung off a balcony, beaten to death with an iron bar, kidnapped, shot on your doorstep or having a plane crash landing on your house.

Original poster

Bex268 · 30/04/2021 12:52

@user135747958 @Reinventinganna

Thank you for taking the time to see a perspective of someone who has suffered from alcoholism, not from myself but watching someone else suffer with being an alcoholic.

I know it’s fiction but it’s not like it’s a big Hollywood blockbuster ffs - it’s fiction based on the everyday struggles of ‘normal’ working class people in Britain. I just hoped they’d take this storyline and really use it to depict how difficult it is going through end stage liver disease and how actually liver transplants are few and far between.

Call me naive, stupid or whatever (like many have you have implied) but I just think there’s an opportunity here that’s being missed and I find it really disappointing.

OP posts:

Youdontknowwhatyoureonabout · 30/04/2021 12:54

Sorry op I wanted to say I do have alcoholics in the family, it is devastating to see them suffer and decline. I imagine it’s very upsetting seeing it play out (incorrectly) for entertainment.

MissyB1 · 30/04/2021 12:55

@WeeWillyWanky OP’s point was alcoholics have to be alcohol free for at least six months.

MissyB1 · 30/04/2021 12:57

Soaps often boast that they portray every day awful situations in a sensitive and realistic way - domestic violence etc and that they have “expert” advisors blah blah. If they took expert advice from any health professional on this then that person needs sacking!

notapizzaeater · 30/04/2021 13:04

I actually googled how long the wait is for a liver transplant after the episode and was surprised how low it was. Obv not the 48 hours like in the show - adults 135 days, children 73 days.

bloodywhitecat · 30/04/2021 13:17

Nothing about that soap is true to life though, the whole fostering storyline has been a huge bag of crap too.

swimlittlefishy · 30/04/2021 13:21

@Bex268

But it’s meant to be a representation of what life is like.

It's a soap opera. Nobody thinks that is what real life is like, surely?

ancientgran · 30/04/2021 13:22

I've lost two people to liver disease caused by alcoholism. I think Peter's alcoholism has been an issue for years, he has been getting worse for months so it doesn't bother me that much. In fact I like the fact that we are moving away from the, "What a lovely way to go" view of alcoholism. Peter looks awful, his life has been awful for some months so maybe not spot on but good effort.

MarcelinesMa · 30/04/2021 13:22

I don’t watch it but I agree OP that if tv shows include storylines like this they need to do their homework on the subject and make it at least a bit more realistic. I’m sure there’s organisations and charities who would be only too happy to give them a bit of advice.

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