Albion Market

It was well acted, had some great characters, warmth, humour... but it failed. Why? "Albion Market" was supposed to be a companion soap for Granada's other Lancashire-based drama "Coronation Street", but somehow the setting did not inspire. And, although characters were often likable, the show often felt bitty and disjointed as it flitted round the market, the café, certain characters' houses and the market superintendent's office.

Perhaps a large, central family group may have made a difference? Favourite characters included Jewish crockery sellers Morris and Miriam Ransome, Peggy at the market café and her daffy assistant Carol, fiery Lynne Harrison, and long-suffering Derek, the market superintendent, and his gormless side kick Keith.

It was certainly grim. An abandoned baby was found in the back of a traders' van and an unemployed man attempted suicide. There was no sign of the glitzy side of 1980s life at first.

As "Albion Market" failed to impress viewers, shoulder pads and blonde highlights for several of the male characters were imported, and 60s singer Helen Shapiro arrived as market hairdresser Viv.

But before we could see if these new ploys would work, the show was axed. It had lasted one year.

Albion Market must be the most hyped up flop of the eighties( barring Sigue Sigue Sputnik, who were around at the same time). ITV were badly rattled by the success of Eastenders and decided to launch their own market based rival with an expensive round of promotion and a boast from its producer that Albion Market would last at least 25 years and be a massive ratings hit. Unfortunately the cheap looking set, depressing story lines and hopeless acting, not to mention Albion Market being shown opposite the ratings hit Open All Hours, meant Albion Market sank without trace and struggled to attract 2 million viewers in its peak time slots. Some ITV regions, embarrassed at the soap's terrible ratings, moved it out of peak time slots and a massive campaign in the TV Times to promote the soap failed to halt the complete apathy to the show. Even a move away from the grim up North story lines to a glossier yuppy style approach, which saw Helen Shapiro appear in the soap, failed and Albion Market was cancelled with no comment after 100 episodes. Truly a flop if ever there was one and a cautionary tale about believing your own hype too much.

The guy Below or above ha-ha Is full off .... Open all hours was finished when this was over so your trying to say that a 20ep show got a 100 ep soap canceled what did they do re run it 10 times over lol... I have studied the show and it was very well acted the only problems was its time slots aka the Graveyeard slots where people where doing what ever lol....... All shows are axed due to low ratings that dose not mean there crap it just means no one is watching at that time maybe if it was a daytime soap who know a good replacement for take the high road at the time lol the only time this show might have had a chance was day time (limited story line pre watershed) or put on the same time as eastenders and ITV bosses where nice and didn't want to do that

This is a good example of a show that tried hard, but failed. There was an obvious attempt to include ethnic minorities, but it backfired because all of them were cliches (with the possible exception of the Vietnamese car mechanic, since I have never actually met a Vietnamese Car Mechanic, I don't think that anybody in Salford has either). There was an attempt to make the market look realistic, but that backfired because many of the scenes contained the distraction of a huge number of extras, who were in some cases more interesting that the actual characters. There was an attempt at gritty story lines, and that too backfired because it gave the impression of yet another show about grumpy northerners.

And finally there was an attempt to liven up the show, by bringing in some newer more exciting characters. Yes that did work, but too late. FTR Helen Shapiro's character, brought in essentially as vintage totty, was the only character in the show who really did come across as being both believable, and likeable. Quite frankly I cared more about Viv's struggle to attract customers than I did about Carol & Jaz and their absurd inter racial relationship. The only time that I ever actually laughed out loud was when Raj, commenting about his younger brother Jaz opinioned "A young man like Jaz......", and Raj was only five years older! The problem was that line was supposed to be taken seriously.

A worthy failure, but a failure none the less.

OK I have watched this show thanks to YouTube and other sites I watched it, as I am a script writer, I like to see how and why things fail.

Were do I start well with the cast changes, I was impressed a bit of glamour from the start though would off been great but hey we didn't need a salon in the market cause no body got there hair done. (Joke)My Market has one. But yea the cast changes where to late too soon.

What makes me annoyed is the story lines first off the Roy Char.. just out of prison cheats on his wife early on, not only dose she not seam to care or do any dramatic scene where he gets kicked out and she becomes bitter he just leaves , she also dose not mind telling people he was inside in the first place and brag about it. With every one being OK with that or never asking why he was inside. The Story line was over so fast but the women Roy had the affair with was a bit of Glam and a really good actress. Any way Lynn I think her name was Roy's first wife the one he cheated on her daughter seamed slow not in a bad way (Golden Girls Rose Way) she hated the fact Roy was coming back than hugged and kissed him when he was back and was happy to see him,than she hated him again.... its almost as if the writers left out a whole back story.

I am not good with there names nor is google because a lot which is strange of the the actors and actress have the same names as American/rock stars / actors.. of the big screen which were more famous so its hard to find info on the Cast.

Despite your views I still think Eldarado was the best Soap other than corrie in the 60's.

As for Albion Market I found it dull and dreary with not enough Del Boys :)

Official Rating: 3/10

Personal Rating: 4/10