Over 15 million viewers tuned in to see Coronation Street's serial killer Richard Hillman murder his third victim, hairdresser Maxine Peacock, played by Tracy Shaw.

The characters in the long-running soap have been living under the shadow of a serial killer for months.

Hillman, played by Brian Capron, bludgeoned Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire) and Maxine Peacock with a crowbar, although Emily survived the attack.

But what did you think?

Was it too gory for pre-watershed TV? Or just harmless risible drama?BBC News Online received hundreds of e-mails from users on Monday - here is a selection.

Richard has turned the show completely around. Yes there's still humour, but he does menacing very well. I had hoped we got two for the price of one last night, but alas Emily lives on. Eastenders? Shane Ritchie, say no more. Sonia moaning, Slaters moaning, Mitchells moaning, moaning ad nauseam. Corrie? Who'll be bumped off next?! (Keith Duff-actor?)
Samuel, Scotland

It's panto time - and he's behind you Emily!
Ian, England

All the cast and the police need to do is watch Coronation Street repeats today and/or Sunday to find out who did it - common sense if you ask me!
Chris Hove, UK

This has been a great story line. Brian Capron has been great as Richard Hillman. Hope he get's some more major roles. Maybe he could bump off the awful "new" Tracey before he goes.
Jake, UK

One week we are up in arms about our increasingly violent society, the next we are lapping this sort of thing up.
Will, UK

Terrible! Did Richard ever get that pint from the bar that he went to fetch, and Gail never batted an eyelid when he returned 15 minutes later Andy, England

Best acting yet from Tracy Shaw (after she was dead).
John, UK

I think Corrie will pay the price for relying to heavily on one character. Unlike EastEnders I dont think it will recover as quickly.
Dean, Wales

Unfortunately the Richard Hillman murder storyline is now going on a bit and as a result is losing its spark.
Viola, UK

With these rating levels the government ought to consider these shows as a medium for subliminal teaching. This would probably only work for a short time though; as people become more intelligent, they would stop watching the drivel on TV as they have better things to do!
Martin, UK

Terrible! Did Richard ever get that pint from the bar that he went to fetch, and Gail never batted an eyelid when he returned 15 minutes later. The bar was not THAT busy! Gory by Corrie standards I suppose, but not a drop of blood anywhere other than on Maxine, Ashley and Emily, not believable at all!
Andy, England

I thought the pantomime season was over? Marie Brown, UK

Let's hope he moves onto Walford next and kills a few of them.
Tam, Scotland

Brian Capron is the greatest thing to happen to the Street in ages and I think he should be praised rather than criticised for his performance.
Matthew Hett, Wales

I think the great thing about Coronation Street is that it does operate at all these different levels, so that we are laughing at the cut to the piece of meat, and at the fact that Emily was watching a creepy television programme which played appropriate music while Richard tiptoed up behind her, but can still get caught up in the drama of what has happened and be moved by silly Doreen going to tend her now motherless grandson. Great stuff. But what I'm really looking forward to is the day when Richard's exposed, and Gail has to eat dirt. That'll be the best.
Helen, Scotland

I wonder how any people sat watching this piece of sordid, distasteful nonsense were only last week tut-tutting about the role of gangsta rap in the promotion of violence?

I usually watch Coronation Street, but last night, I decided to tidy up the garage instead.
Rodger Edwards, UK

I thought the pantomime season was over? This has to have been the worst acting ever seen in Corrie. When Richard clobbered Emily there was no satisfying thud or crack, and as for Maxine, just standing there waiting for it!! Richard's expressions are pure pantomime baddie, and the whole thing was laughable rather than dramatic. I agree that EastEnders is streets ahead with this sort of thing.
Marie Brown, UK

My daughter who is 9 years old watched the show with me. Neither of us were ready for the horrific scene Ian Herbert, UK

I would like to know why it is that on the TV victims always run TOWARDS their killers? The whole thing was too gory to be on at 8pm though. And how long until everyone wakes up in Weatherfield? Doesn't Audrey look enough like Miss Marple to give her some credibility to be believed?
Emma, UK

Although I did enjoy the episode, it is impossible to look at Richard as anything other than a cartoon character!
G, Glasgow

I'm afraid I've gone off soaps, there are so many killings and attacks of violence in this country, that to put them in a weekly soap which is supposed to entertain us, just to boost ratings is not on. Yep I know it is supposed to imitate the real world but haven't we got enought killing without adding to it just for entertainment value?
Sharon, Wales

Great TV spoiled by poor scheduling standards. Let's keep this stuff until after the watershed...that goes for Eastenders too.
Paul, UK

It's great to see such a respectable guy as a serial killer, a lesson to all that they don't have evil faces and live at home with mum. Although serial killers can blend into society for anything like twenty years, could this mean Richard will be around for a long time?. Will this be the way to go for any troublesome actor? Could this be the way of keeping their wages down? Best of them all ...You've got me hooked Coronation Street.
Leah Harlow, United Kingdom

Yawn! Sorry folks - I curled up with the laptop to do some work that I've putting off for ages. That's how much it grabbed me.
Stephanie, UK

I did enjoy last night's episode purely because this has to be one of the most drawn out story lines of all time. I know that the street is not real but I assume that the stories at least have to be believable! Weeks ago Richard tripped up and told Fred that Audrey forgot to replace the alarm batteries before the fire brigadge had been round to establish the cause of the fire.
Sarah, UK

My daughter who is 9 years old watched the show with me. Neither of us were ready for the horrific scene. This was shown too early in the evening and was very shocking. It is without doubt that other small children would have seen it and it was an irresponsible piece of TV sensationalism to show before the 9pm watershed
Ian Herbert, UK

Excellent edge of the seat stuff Helen, UK

I think that the murder scenes were far too explicit. There is too much of this in real life and does not warrant encouragement from the editors of the soaps.
Ian Williams, Southampton UK

Maxine's death scene was a joke - standing in a doorway with a killer before you, iron bar in hand, most people would go out of the door, not head for the TV. It screamed "Kill me, I've got a new job on stage". Her "I'm dead" facial expression was so much like the "I've done your hair look" and "Oh that's a hard question" look I was not sure if the actress realised she's supposed to be deceased?
Steve Lloyd, UK

Considering that many people are slating "Killer Corrie", enough people watched it! I thought it was excellent. Brian Capron has got the part off to perfection. My one complaint is that he didn't smack Maxine's mother and Norris while he was at it!

If you're comparing with EastEnders, Coronation Street wins hands down. At least you can have a laugh and enjoy Corra rather than sitting feeling suicidal watching idiots like Ian Beale!
Steve, UK

Ash-lae needs a medal for his performance of being so shocked. Wasn't he rubbish at looking tough in the pub just beforehand though eh!?!?!
Nick, UK

Coronation Street and EastEnders debase the medium of television. Corrie represents the triumph of the dull and its London-based counterpart demonstrates that evil always prevails. No, I do not watch them apart from the few seconds here and there between changing channels, but I think that is enough to form an accurate view. I regard regular viewers of these programmes with contempt. So there.
Paul T Horgan, UK

Excellent edge of the seat stuff. Will Emily survive? Will Richard crack under the strain? Will Audrey say I told you so..
Helen, UK

Coronation Street used to be a lighthearted take on current society. Now it appears to be a pseudo fly-on-the-wall documentary of Broadmoor Gerald Peasworthy, UK

I think that the world is a bad enough place without showing young children how adults can plan to and the carry out the murders of innocent people (no matter how poor the acting is). We are a copy cat world, it has been shown to be the case in the past..... so why fill kids' heads with evil?
Ian Cubbon, UK

A brilliant performance from all involved. This is what Corrie needed as had lost ratings badly recently. Let's hope they keep up the good storylines and make it good when Gail finds out!
Zoe, UK

Somebody recently said Coronation Street used to show everything that was best about British society, now it only shows the worst. I could not agree more.
Ralph, UK

Sensational killings have always been used to boost ratings by soap operas although "I clobbered Emily and Maxine" doesn't have the same ring as "I shot JR".
Martin Farrell, Scotland

I'd have been enthralled if the papers hadn't ruined it by giving away the plot. As it was, it was too predictable to shock the way it should have.
David Absalom, UK

Hasn't his gone a little too far? Coronation Street used to be a lighthearted take on current society. Now it appears to be a pseudo fly-on-the-wall documentary of Broadmoor.
Gerald Peasworthy, UK

I thought the two episodes were brilliant. They were very well written, directed and acted. The tension was almost unbearable. However, I do think that perhaps it was a bit too sinister for a prime time soap - but good stuff for adults!
Laura Blaker, Portsmouth, England

EastEnders is so much better at this type of storyline Nick C, UK

The writers of Coronation Street would do well to remember the lesson of Brookside, another programme that lost its sense of humour and grasp on reality at the same time.
Andrew Jones, United Kingdom

Whilst this is all good drama and is a ratings booster, I couldn't help but be sickened at the level of violence shown/implied pre-water shed. This programme should have been shown at a later time.
Richard Wright, UK

The soap was brill. I have been watching for a long time and the storyline has just got better and better.
Libby, UK

The whole population of Coronation Street should fall victim to this guy, thus sparing us from this dross.
John Clement, Wales

It was strange, you expect it in Brookside or EastEnders but such a dramatic story line in Corrie is unheard of. It beats Ken stopping them tarmacing the cobbles!!
Chris, UK

I agree with David - we knew weeks ago what was going to happen and it doesn't matter how much you try to avoid reading those parts of the magazines and papers. In the advert break just before Corrie started there was an advert for a magazine and the voiceover woman said "Why Maxine didn't want to die that way in Coronation Street"!!! Why couldn't this advert have been shown at another time?
Carolyn Kerr, Scotland

The acting reminded me of seaside Rep. EastEnders is so much better at this type of storyline.
Nick C, UK

I'm surprised many people actually saw the grisly events because ITV1 in their infinite wisdom decided to start the episode at 8.28pm rather than at the advertised time of 8.30pm. False advertising methinks?
Anthony, UK

Ratings will soar over the next couple of weeks Mark Dermody, UK

I could not believe I was watching Corrie, I had been watching Messiah 2 before that so when I saw this I thought, what is going on? Pretty violent but good. Thank goodness dappy Maxine has gone and hopefully Richard will follow shortly.
Jane Love, England

I thought that the scenes were tame in the extreme. As usual, Coronation Street made what had potential to be an excellent storyline into a laughable scene with a standard of acting that a children's nativity play would put to shame. Corrie just doesn't have the guts to cover stories like this, it should leave such things to EastEnders (which does this sort of thing much better), and go back to old ladies with blue rinses discussing milk stout and Deirdre's scary neck veins.
Justin, London, UK

Great to see that in spite of a dramatic storyline Coronation Street hasn't lost its famous humour: the stabbing of the meat just after he clobbered Maxine and Ashley's claim that she went home with a headache... classic!
Adam Gray, UK

I'd heard a while back that Maxine was leaving, but I had no idea Richard was going to kill her. I think I was lucky to have come across the storyline in the newspapers, as it made the episode much more exciting to watch. It will be interesting to see how many more people he can kill before he is finally caught.
Richard, UK

It was an amazing story line. I was gripping the edge of my seat with anticipation. Ratings will soar over the next couple of weeks.
Mark Dermody, UK

Is there a BAFTA for editing? We laughed out loud at the wonderful jump cut of Maxine's head being stoved in with a crowbar to a joint of meat (possibly prime ham), it was the highlight of the programme.
Richard de Pesando, UK

It's entirely unbelievable. He's not evil Richard. He's nice "Hoppy" Hopwood, the woodwork teacher from Grange Hill!
Tim, UK

Fabulous! This is much better than the usual missing gnomes/missing cats/boring barmaids story lines Steve O'Dea, UK

I've seen the Teletubbies act better than the cast of Coronation Street - and that's a disservice to the Teletubbies! I hope Richard gets each of the ham actors and then clubs the scriptwriters for including the single worst line in any TV programme purely to move the story on as it was embarrassing to watch (and was akin to John Wayne in The Greatest Story Ever Told uttering the line...."He truly was the Son of God") -i.e. the gormless police officer (duh!) who said, "Looks like there's been a break-in back 'ere" - who writes this rubbish?
Steve, Sheffield, UK

I thought that both episodes were really well written and acted out, but I think it is now starting to get a bit out of control and too far-fetched. Richard killing Dougie and his ex-wife was one thing but why Maxine? He didn't get anything out of that and surely he is not gonna get away with it, Ade is surely not getting done for the murder, that would be ridiculous!! Don't get me wrong they are great story lines but surely it can't go on!
Andrea, England

I disagree with those who think EastEnders would have handled this scene better. There would certainly have been more screaming, shrieking, wailing and Peggy shouting "What's going on?" and Phil saying "It's business" but this just reflects the over-the-top style of acting required by the directors. If I hear Sonia Jackson crying for Jamie anymore I will suggest that Richard Hillman jumps programmes and includes her on his hit list. I fully expect her to get a BAFTA for howling and throwing her arms about but this is what soaps are all about. Coronation Street deals with these issues in a far more calm and dignified way which mirrors the Northerners more stoic and level headed attitude to life's problems. Come on Southerners, get a grip.
Trevor Vaughan, UK

Fabulous! This is much better than the usual missing gnomes/missing cats/boring barmaids story lines. This is really enthralling and who cares if it pushes the usual boundaries of belief for Corrie fans...
Steve O'Dea, UK

Pah! What a let down. I was expecting to be gripped and awash with terror and grief as the ghastly events unfolded. And I would have been if the central characters could just learn to act their way out of a paper bag. Where did they get that awful Doreen from - the local am-dram society? But the worst thing was that Emily, the most boring character in soap history was saved from the cull - shame on you Corrie producers.
Rachel Read, England

Excellent and gripping episodes. I was at the edge of my seat and hiding under my jumper! Classic humour with the editing of Maxine's death and the juicy bit of meat being stabbed with a fork! Can't wait to see what happens now. Hoping for more of Richard's whispering and evil stares into cameras!!
Rebecca, UK

These actors were bad, they simply aren't used to this sort of stuff - stick to your Betty's hotpot orders KW, UK

The idea that Corrie doesn't have the guts to do this kind of story is laughable. While EastEnders piles on the melodrama, Corrie boldly undercuts tension & emotion to give a sense of prosaic real life continuing behind the drama.

How can someone who takes a crow bar to the heads of two people walk away without a single drop of blood being spilt on them?
Alex, UK

How can someone who takes a crow bar to the heads of two people walk away without a single drop of blood being spilt on them?
Alex, UK

I loved the fact that they were playing Tom Jones's Delilah in the Rovers - perfect music to commit murder to. Nice touch. I wish the papers would cease from revealing the plots beforehand as they spoil all the fun.
Valerie, England

As Corrie bad boys always come unstuck, let's hope this one doesn't meet his demise in Blackpool and maybe falls into Fred's industrial mincing machine.
Dale, UK

The reason it WAS so effective is because its not your usual Corrie storyline. We are used to EastEnders being full of one miserable moment after another with no humour. Corrie gets the balance between comedy and drama just right.
Mark Edwards, UK

This storyline has been going on too long now - I'm bored with it!!
Deborah, England

Weak - both their acting and the content. A few years ago nobody would have accepted this - now we have people saying it's great TV. The dumbing down of TV has already happened.
Gwilym Davies, Wales

The only good thing that came out of last night's episode, is that we no longer have to endure Maxine. Surely the only punishment Richard should get is a slap on the wrist for doing the nation a favour.
Max Eddy, England

Poor acting - at least the baby was fed and could none of them see Emily with a crowbar mark on her head or did they think she'd been at the cooking sherry? These actors were bad, they simply aren't used to this sort of stuff - stick to your Betty's hotpot orders and pints of non-specific.
KW, UK

Horrible. Watching a man cradling his wife's dead body isn't my idea of fun viewing John Kinley, UK

I just wanted to thank Granada, the writers, director and certain "actors" on Coronation Street for some of the funniest TV of the past couple of years. It was so bad, it could have been Emmerdale!
Carl, UK

Potentially this was a big story and a very important chapter in Coronation Street history, but apart from Richard, the other characters acting was of a standard normally associated with Neighbours. Ashley (or Orville - I can't distinguish between the two of them!) was shockingly poor, as was the clueless dimwit Norris. I could have written a better script on the bus on my way to work this morning - what on earth where the writers thinking of?? More to the point, who gave the final nod on that script? Awful.
Steve, UK

Mike Baldwin must have great eyesight to tell from across the street that it was Emily on the stretcher, covered in a blanket and head almost fully bandaged!
Paul, UK

I enjoy Corrie but this was too sinister/gory for a soap at primetime viewing (I have two children aged 12/13). Corrie always had the reputation of being a bit more light-hearted but I suppose the ratings weren't so good! Am I right in thinking Maxine came in by the back door (if so, didn't she notice it had been broken in?)
Sue Harris, UK

It all seemed a bit of an anti-climax really. No real violence and apart from Ashley no one else seemed shocked at all. And the timing was suspect - I missed the first couple of minutes of the second episode as my video was still concentrating on EastEnders.
Penny Thompson, UK

Horrible. Watching a man cradling his wife's dead body isn't my idea of fun viewing. And yes, I know it's only pretend, but it's still horrible. Coronation Street used to be great - witty, with strong characters and unbeatable dialogue. There are now far too many episodes each week, and the good stuff is swamped by implausible, sensationalist plots.
John Kinley, UK

Just wish he could have got the dreadful Doreen as well Michelle, UK

Good effort Corrie, but felt the potential of the episode was compromised by the time it was aired - I would have preferred to watch more drama a little later than a tame effort before 9pm. The acting was so wooden that our Ashley should have been covered in splinters and shavings...not blood!
Stuart, Winchester, UK

I was enthralled yet disgusted at last night's episodes of Coronation Street. I had to watch, then afterwards wished I hadn't because I couldn't sleep worrying that somebody was going to burst into my bedroom with a crowbar!! Should have been shown after 9pm I thought.
Samantha Walker, Basingstoke, UK

My husband tuned in to Coronation Street for the first time ever after I insisted we watch. He was gripped throughout and has (grudgingly) admitted that he now understands why I tune in whenever possible. Maybe the writers have won themselves another fan...
Kiz, UK

A "thumping" good episode by any standard. Here's hoping Richard gets away with it and goes after a few more of the cast !
Alex Keenleyside, England

I think that the story line was fantastic and I thought that the two episodes were very well done considering they couldn't be too gory. However I knew this was going to happen two weeks ago. With the EastEnders "who shot phil" storyline the answer was kept a very closly guarded secret, why couldn't Coronation Street have done the same? I already know what's going to happen to "tricky Ricky" next month!!!
Alex, UK

Thank God the awful Tracy Shaw is gone from Corrie! Couldn't act her way out of a wet paper bag. Someone should tell her dead people don't blink. Hopefully in her next role she'll remember to put her teeth in, clear diction has never been her strong point.

I have to say that Brian Capron is horribly believable as Richard - he's managed to dispell all memory of my crush on Mr Hopwood! Just wish he could have got the dreadful Doreen as well.
Michelle, UK

Excellent, really enjoyed it. The plot is using some of the best characters and actors and had that EastEnders grittiness about it. Corrie is good again.
Adam Ditchburn, Engalnd

Once again the press gave the plot away in the headlines. It seems the old 'unwritten code of conduct' between the soaps and the press is being forgotten in favour of paper sales. What happened to "If you don't want to know, read no further"? But I have to admit, I wouldn't have watched that particular episode if I hadn't known what was coming up! So read no further: Richard isn't caught, he dies in the spring sometime after Gail begins to suspect her hubby... allegedly
Alex Holdsworth, UK

I think the episodes were great and the tension and attention it has created is great. But can we really have a character in a soap going round killing people and expect to get away with it? Three killings and still no sign of Richard being a possible suspect, come on! And also with real killings and violence going on all around us, do we really need to see it so explicitly on our soaps, personally it would be nice to start having some happy storylines in all our soaps, all we are faced with is funerals, deaths, killings, bed swapping, let's get real, is that what really goes on in the world we live in?
Barbara Ricci, England

Psychopathic murderers lurk around every corner of the Street, but why does Corrie still have no gay characters?
Ben, UK

Fortunately I hadn't seen the storyline leaked by the press. We all knew Emily was in trouble but when Maxine was killed it was a total surprise. Gripping stuff and very good acting.
Chris, UK

I am not a regular viewer of Coronation St, but found last night's episodes some of the most moving and disturbing scenes I have ever seen in a soap. The scenes post murder were well acted and very gripping.
Chris, UK

It's a load of rubbish and I have stopped watching specifically because of this storyline.
Carolyn, UK

Did poor old Ashley really need to be led away in handcuffs? And how come Emma's always on duty when anything happens on the Street? And Maxine wasn't dead anyway - you could see her eyelids fluttering away the whole time Ashley was holding her - or was that just Tracy Shaw's continued bad acting?
C Newcomb, UK

Richard and his trademark "murderer's" black leather gloves are really the only thing keeping the show alive. Is there any real interest in any of the other storylines?
Dave Roman, UK

The difference with Corrie and EastEnders is that the latter takes itself far too seriously, and covers issues in a realistic way. Which is not always entertaining viewing when you come in from a hard day's work. Whereas Corrie is over the top, and lighthearted escapist telly, the best soap on the telly!
Elaine, UK

Very disappointing. This was Corrie's chance to shine but instead we had some of the most unbelievable, hammy scenes I've ever witnessed in a soap. Maxine's mother's line "My baby, my only baby" was just ridiculous. And the way the other street residents stood outside casually gossiping, you'd never know a major character had just been killed off. It was more like someone's cat had been run over.
Paul, Essex, UK

I think the episodes showing the murder was absolutely the best, most gripping TV that I have ever seen on a soap. However it does concern me that such brutal things are shown at such an early time. After the fire that Richard started in Audrey's house I heard a child the next day saying "I know how to set fire to my nan's house" so it is obvious that children are affected by these sorts of things. Brilliant television but not for a younger audience.
Joan Evans, UK

Great villain, good plot, awful acting! Last night's episode was pretty amateurish. I was actually laughing as the bodies were discovered which I'm fairly sure was not the required reaction! Suggest that Corrie bosses draft in some scriptwriters from EastEnders for big scenes in future.
Karen, London, England

We are used to death and despair in EastEnders. The latest story line is too hard-core for Corrie. It should stick to what it's good at - making us laugh!
Gill Wilson, UK