"Classic" 2001

[Urbanite]

Tracey, Kate, Patrick, Jake, Louise Dixon, Oona, Virginia, Rocky, Vic Barnes and Dave were all good characters in my book. Oona and Dave provided the comic relief factor while Virginia and Rocky did the same but were also capable of doing serious stories too.

Tracy was of course the Motel Drunk - the Sue Ellen - with Jake as JR and Louise Dixon as Kristen Shepherd. All very Dallas in style with Kate and Patrick as the Jock and Mrs Ellie characters really.

I remember reading in a soap magazine that Tracy and Jake were like the soap's own Sue Ellen and JR in the Dallas theme. I loved the 2001-2002 era. 

So there was no need at all for the Crossroads/ITV bosses and Yvon Grace to revamp things and try and make it that way, when it was already like it, nor was there the need to waste money either, for Nigel Pickard to want to axe the soap 2 years later.

[Mike of CAS]

Oh the whole 2002 sabotage by Granada thing, which there is apparently 'proof' in emails although I've never seen it. I've just been digging around for Leslie Hill info and the take over didn't officially happen until 2003, so I'm slightly baffled how Granada could pull any strings at Carlton, unless it was a 'network decision' in which case Granada London running the network made the deliberate change.