In soaps Emmerdale, Coronation Street, EastEnders and Hollyoaks, they usually cover hard-hitting plots.
It’s not unusual for soaps to cover similar storylines around the same time. However over the last two years, all four of the UK soaps have covered drugs storylines.
While these plots are there to educate viewers and spread awareness, was it a mistake for all four soaps to do similar plots close together?
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This is what Entertainment Daily soap critic Charlotte Rodrigues thinks…
The soaps – drugs storylines being done so close together
In the few weeks Coronation Street is going to kick off a new storyline which sees Simon Barlow get involved in a drug gang.
However I can’t help but feel like it’s not a good idea for every soap to do a similar plot so close together.
Some people may joke that the soaps copy each other with their storylines.
But it’s always wise to remember that it’s not a case of copying the storyline. Each soap takes a plot and makes it their own.
So of course EastEnders may end up doing a storylines similar to one that’s happening in Emmerdale around the same time.
However with the drugs/county lines storylines, Hollyoaks, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street have all done this plot within the last two years.
If you watch more than one of the soaps, this could feel a bit repetitive.
In 2019, EastEnders fans saw Tiffany get involved in selling and delivering drugs for a gang.
This was an incredible storyline. Not only did it show how children can be groomed by these gangs, but also how those closest to the kids can not see it happening.
Currently Hollyoaks is airing a drugs storyline. Sid is currently working to try and bring main drug dealer Victor down.
Emmerdale and Coronation Street current drug storylines
In Emmerdale, Sarah Sugden Jr has been going back an fourth on whether to help drug dealer Danny.
Recently she seems to have ended things with him. But he has returned before, could he come back again?
Meanwhile Simon in Corrie is starting to sell drugs as he and his mum Leanne need the money after she lost her job.
Whilst the plots have their differences I feel it would have been better if the storylines had longer between them.
The difference between each storyline
Whilst I’m not keen on the fact all four soaps have done a drugs storylines so close together, I am actually very impressed with how each soap has tackled the storylines.
Whilst they were told close together, each one is different and focuses on a different aspect of the story.
Hollyoaks and EastEnders very much focused on how young children are groomed by drug dealers.
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Meanwhile Emmerdale showed Sarah dipping into the world of drugs to give her life a bit more excitement.
And in Corrie, Simon is trying to get money to help support his mum Leanne who is no longer working, due to the grief of losing her other son Oliver.
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