Crossroads 2001-2002

[RitaLittlewood]

This thread is to discuss the above era only. Please go to the appropriate thread for other eras you like.

[Charity's Neck Brace]

I loved this era of the soap. I would've kept watching it had it not gone off air. The 2003 comeback wasn't near as good.

My favourite characters were Kate, the fake Sarah-Jane, Tracey, Jake and Sam.

The storyline about Phil's abusive step father, Brian, was good and the body had just been found at the end of the series as far as I remember. Nicola had also been pushed downstairs by Sam - did she survive? I'm not sure if I remember Kate talking about visiting her.

The unexplained exits was a shame, I believe there was a fire at the hotel and we know that Vic at least perished. It would've been good for Kate to have recapped over what had happened. Did Phil end up in prison? What happened to Sam and Joanne? Where did Ray go and who looked after Holly in the end? Did Mark and Sarah-Jane ever return from travelling and nobody ever really knew what happened to Adam. Where did Billy go after his love affair with Kate and what about Des and Minty?

My favourite parts of this era of the soap were Mandy's death (awful character and actress!). Sarah-Jane's exposure as a fake was also very good as was Adam's revelation that he killed Jill. The episode where he ran through the hotel after Sarah-Jane and strangled her in the lift was extremely powerful and well acted.

Do you consider this era of Crossroads to have been a dream? I suppose it must have been for Kate to have been in the supermarket at the very end, which is a shame because I'd have liked this era at least to be true!

[RitaLittlewood]

Yes I do consider it a dream. Funnily enough on a forum a couple of years ago I used to belong to, someone suggested Jill wakes up and finds it had all been a dream. LOL! I didn't care for the Carlton versions as they rewrote the past and treated it with disrespect. So much glossed over. And you could tell they knew nothing about the likes of Jill, Adam and Doris. There were also so many unanswered questions. When did Doris return? How did she end up so glamorous when she was so dowdy with no make-up? Where did a nephew come from when she only had 1 sister and 1 unmarried niece who was about 39 at that time (1985) with no children? When did it change its name back from Kings Oak Country Hotel to Crossroads? How was it a 'failing motel' that Kate said when it turned into a hotel after the 1981 fire and expanded in 1985 after being sold to Major International Hotels? How did Jill get the 30% back? She sold that tO MIH after discussions with Stan before flying over to Germany with him to see Sarah-Jane. If SJ hadn't seen Jill since the wedding to Adam in 1983, how come Jill often went there and in 1987 SJ turned up at Crossroads after running away? Matthew Mortimer (Jill's son) died in a throwaway line. How? When? 2001 had such possibilities but they were wasted and killing Jill was the last straw for many fans. Even Jane Rossington wasn't happy about that. She didn't see the point when she could have just gone in and out. I liked Minty, Des, Billy but their potential was wasted as well. And when storylines repeated (Jake divorcing Tracey and Kate supporting her to keep Scott was done twice) then you know something's in trouble.

[tonywilson]

Carlton certainly underestimated the public's memory of Crossroads. Apparently when it was first decided that Crossroads was to return their was going to be more links to the past and the main storyline was to be The Russell Family versus The Chance Family, sadly someone sacked the continuity dept and decided to make their own version of Crossroads which was what we ended up with.

I REALLY enjoyed Carlton's Crossroads, however it would have been so much better if there had ben more links to the past and the viewers would have stuck around aswell.

I think that too many competing egos ruined Crossroads and I'm sure that the behind the scenes friction would make for an interesting story in itself.

Carlton raped the Crossroads brand and should have given it to someone who would have treated it with the respect it deserve, sadly I think Crossroads has gone for good this time.

Channel Five wanted to bring Crossroads back when it launched but Carlton wouldn't give them permission, I'm sure Five would have given it a lot more respect than ITV did.

[RitaLittlewood]

I agree Tony but didn't know that about the continuity department. It was obvious though they just took the name and traded on that. 2003 was its last chance unless five are still willing and Granada lets them do it.