State of the Street - February 2011

Secrets blew out, as they always do. Peter found out about Leanne and Nick's affair and humiliated her at the altar of their vow renewal. But they're still married (or are they? Peter married Leanne on his deathbed, did he sign any wedding licenses or owt? Maybe they did that after he recovered.) As revenges go, it was a pretty good one, don't you think? Humiliate your wife at the altar and go after the other man with an iron bar in the location where he saved your life. Can't blame Peter for lashing out, emotionally and literally. Let's face it, wouldn't you?

You're struggling to stay sober, your fiancee is having an affair with her ex husband, you nearly die and marry her on what could be your deathbed with everyone close to you knowing about the affair. Then the other man, in a desperate attempt at getting your wife back uses your physical and emotional vulnerability while you're recovering from your injuries and tricks you into drinking again. By 'eck I'd have gone for the jugular, too!

I never expected them to break up completely. Some of that is skepticism because neither Jane Danson nor Chris Gascoyne was leaving the show but they're a love story and they really are meant to be together. They can't be happy ever after because soap marraiges and relationships rarely are but they're a lovely little family unit and they really work together. Plus, it gives me the pleasure of seeing Nick scowl and mope around. Serves you right! I really agree with Ken when he said Nick took advantage of Leanne's pre-wedding jitters and he sure took advantage of Peter's jitters during Peter's recovery.

I wish Nick would just leave and I bet he wishes he had! He certainly came down off his high horse with a crash, nearly literally when Peter had his revenge. I wouldn't quite say Nick deserved it (even if I would almost think it!) I guess the best revenge is Peter and Leanne staying together right under his nose! I knew Nick got the insurance money paid out but there was no mention of him rebuilding and then all of a sudden, the bar *is* being rebuilt but Nick is still whining about losing his business along with the love of his life. Um. No. Business is being rebuilt. Sloppy writing, folks!

Sophie is really heading for a fall, quite literally if you've read the spoilers. It kind of makes sense that she'd be off the rails. The Crash and the explosive news about the Webster marraige, her family being blown to bits and the constant warring around her, it's no wonder she withdrew, lost interest in school and now doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. It's pretty realistic and her relationship with Sian is suffering too because of it. Also realistic. Sally and Kevin were too preoccupied with their own battles to take any notice, but then they never did with Sophie did they? Rosie demanded all their attention and got it.

Over and over I shout at the telly... Fiz... Chesney wants to contribute!!! Let him pay his way for heavens' sake!!! I understand her not wanting to put a burden on the lad but he's not in school and he's making good money on the stall. He *should* be paying something towards the bills, he wants to and you should let him!

Having said that, poor kid, Fiz...She really does have the weight of the world on her shoulders. As far as money goes, wouldn't she be on maternity leave and aren't there some sort of mat leave benefits she should be getting? John is in hospital, therefore he should be getting sick benefits, as well.  But you can see where she'd be tempted to accept Joy Fishwick's money. There isn't anyone else to leave it to but Fiz doesn't know that yet. All that business about the body under the factory still has to come out and no doubt it will. It's taking an awfully long time though.

Then all of a sudden, they all disappear off our screens! She may take the money, it looks like she has at least taken the cash if not the proceeds from the house sale, and then... nothing. No wringing of guilty hands, no gnashing of guilty teeth. Wha? Now we are seeing her around in the background and it looks like she might be back at work, possibly part time. Surely maternity leaves last longer than 2 months?

I don't really find this new storyline with Tina's friend Xin to be very interesting. It's really contrived and it's only been cooked up to facilitate the departure of Craig Gazey as Graeme, a real loss even if they've not done anything with his character since he and Tina have got together. Happy couples are usually doomed on soaps and this seems to be no different.

And don't get me started on all the plot holes about the Alahan's money problems. Dev forgot to post the insurance cheque on just one shop? He owns 6 shops, a doner shop, he owns a big house and a little one and a posh flat. Presumably they're all insured, did he conveniently forget to renew those as well?  As far as we know, he still owns the big house. Or if he did sell the big house, it should have been more than enough to pay for number 7 which then should be mortgage free.

Even if the other shops aren't doing well, it just doesn't make sense and don't tell me that a mere 5000 pounds is going to cure all his problems because that won't even stock the shelves in the shop let alone pay for the work. And why on earth would he ask Steve for a loan? Couldn't he go to his family or Sunita's? Call it an investment! It's all so contrived, just so that the truth about Becky stealing the cash can come out.  I can't stand watching Dev snivel!

Owen, Bully du Jour

This week's Corrie, or at least the last few episodes, have been non stop misery haven't they? Even the slight bit of humour around Tyrone and Julie wasn't enough to lift it up. Hand wringing, friends falling out, revenge...It felt like non-stop nasty. The Dev/Steve money thing was bad enough but what really got on my tits was Owen getting in the face of Dev and Sunita and then taking his revenge on Eileen.

Owen is such a bully! Oh i really, REALLY dislike him. He's nasty and sly and most definitely has that cocky "little man" syndrome. He treats his daughters like posessions and certainly treated Eileen like dirt.

Her stealing from him was merely lashing back at his attitude. She'd never have done it, desperate for money or not, if he wasn't so horrible to her. And look how he's treating Dev! Only a couple of weeks' non-payment and he tries to bully them and downs tools and apologizes to Jason for taking a day's pay away from him. Why would Jason have missed a day's work just because the shop isn't being worked on? Owen's doing the Joinery and the Kabin as well as the flats over it and he's not finished. Surely he's being paid by everyone else via insurance. It's all blackmail tactics.

I know Eileen did wrong by stealing but she did pay it back almost right away. There was no need for him to be as hard on her as he was. She also shouldn't have told Sunita about his accounts which embarassed him. She should have known better. She should have known he'd have come back at Eileen. As usual, her gob gets her into more trouble.

He made sure he was standing on the street watching when Eileen was taken away and even waved at her with a big shit-eating grin. I'm sorry for the profanity, but he really was horrible. I hope his face freezes in an ugly knot when he finds out Eileen's been cautioned and set free. She's told the police she knew he was fiddling the books though he's got rid of the evidence. I wish they would put him on notice that they'll be checking his tax records and keeping an eye on him but I doubt that will happen.

I've got no problem with the actor, Ian Puleston-Davies,  he does a smashing job of making Owen thoroughly dislikeable. I can't even say that Owen's redeeming quality is his love for his children because even that is a power trip.

Charlie Stubbs was pretty much the same but had a little bit of charm at least and he's certainly not cut out of the same cloth as Len Fairclough. Len could be rough but was ultimately a nice fellow. Owen is not.  If Owen's not careful, he's going to end up with a statue shaped dent in his head and all!

Peter and Leanne, Together again!

I didn't really think she'd get on that train. I really did believe they wouldn't split up my current favourite couple, Peter and Leanne Barlow. If i'm skeptical, i'd say i knew it would happen because there was nothing in the papers about either one of them leaving the show and Jane Danson wasn't headed for maternity leave or something like that. So, that's one reason.

But I also think they are a fan favourite couple and people really are rooting for them to be together. Is it Simon's devastated little face? Partly. But I, along with a lot of people, really believe Peter and Leanne are good for each other. As we know, they're both flawed and they both mess up big time and sometimes it's hard to forgive that. Leanne's affair might have been less of a betrayal if Nick hadn't stuck the knife in and twisted it a few times, encouraging Peter to drink so that Leanne would leave and go back to her first husband.

Ken was right, and i've always believed it. Nick and Leanne's affair was about the past. Leanne had some pre-wedding wobblies and Nick knew very well which buttons to press. He's as weaselly as he always was, smug, arrogant and up his own arse. And you know what? His father, Brian, was the same way.

This whole week on Corrie was great! The blessing in the church started it all off with Peter blasting Nick and Leanne, his father, Deirdre and Carla from the altar. They all knew and they all kept it from him. Rock... hard place. It always is if you're in that situation. Should he have done it in a church? Maybe not. But he was so profoundly hurt and betrayed that he lashed out in the most public way he could.

Next up, he saw Nick go into the still-unfinished bar under the viaduct which is finished and the trams are now running again. (I hope we'll now get appropriate sound effects from here on in. We didn't get them for nearly 49 years of the show until they planned to have the disaster then oh... do i hear a tram? And it was only in the opening credits as a computer graphic train for a few years but nobody ever took the tram and you never heard it. But I digress...)

Yes. the Joinery. The scene of the disaster where Nick and Ashley saved Peter's life. I also didn't think they'd have Peter kill Nick in cold blood, even if it might be deemed a crime of passion. GBH is GBH and Peter would have the book thrown at him. Heck, he'd probably confess! He sure put a good scare into Nick though. I bet those designer kecks were ruined! I was glued to the screen, i really was. Then when Nick started rubbing Peter's nose in it, i literally hollered at the telly.

Honestly, the balls that boy has to continue to be such a bastard, to continue to twist words and make Peter think Leanne only married him out of pity. Peter almost believed it, i thought, but when Nick gave him back the bottle of whiskey i prayed Peter would throw it at him and he did! Yay! He did inflict some damage on Nick's leg, or i thought he did, but Nick was running the next morning so it must not have been much more than a graze from him falling over.

Peter finally broke down in his father's arms and admitted he "loved" her. But you knew it wasn't past tense. You know he was just so hurt by what she'd done and she knew it was her fault. She didn't think she could face her friends and neighbours day after day and was about to do what Leanne always does, a runner. I thought he'd manage to get her off the train but in the end, she never got on it and they reunited at the train station.

(Never mind that it was the wrong one. Trains from Manchester to London Euston leave from Piccadilly station, and that most certainly wasn't the modern Piccadilly, it was the much older Victoria station. Maybe they couldn't get filming permission for that day in the other one.)

I digress again. So what's next for Peter and Leanne? Will we have to put up with Nick's moaning and moping and petulant face? Will he go to Milan or will he stay and reopen the bar? I'm telling you, I'd not drink there. I think it's jinxed. First it didn't open because Peter got drunk and Leanne realized it wouldn't work. Then it was the site of a huge disaster with fatalities. He'd have been better off changing it into a rival factory or something.

Anyway. Peter and Leanne will probably have a few rough weeks but it will all smooth out soon enough. I'm predicting by this time next year they'll have a little bouncing Barlow either present and accounted for under the Christmas tree or one on the way. Watch this space!

Who will win the War of the Websters?

Most people seem to be enjoying the War of the Websters, shots are fired across the bow back and forth, but nobody seems to be winning any definitive battles. There are also a number of legal issues that have not been addressed.

It looked at first that Sally had the upperhand. She is the injured party, she has the moral high ground and milks it for all it's worth.

Kevin mostly seems to be scowling from the garage or a corner of the pub. He nearly pulled the mat out from under Sally by putting the house up for sale. Point to Team Kevin for that. But surely Sally would have some say in that? Surely her name must be on the deed as well? Is it legal for an estate agent to put a house up for sale when one of the two owners objects? I'm sure Sally's job contributes to the mortgage and household expenses, too.

Legalities aside (plot loopholes, anyone?), Kevin had a bit of an edge and Sally's initial attempts to put off buyers by leaving the house a tip didn't work very well. Her next attempt, having the Windasses over during a viewing was inspired. The Windasses, Eddie especially, would be off putting to the most determined buyer and he thought he was only being helpful! Point to Team Sally.

Kevin then tried to show the house to Lloyd and Cheryl who really should have known better, knowing the whole situation. Kevin only did it because he knew Sally had a new fella in the kitchen. It did scupper the date but I thought Team Sally still came out on top. She made Kevin look like a manipulative idiot in front of the neighbours and the ensuing row cause much upset to Sophie. I'd say that was another point for Team Sally.

Speaking of Jeff, I'm pretty sure Sally's just after a bit of flattery and fun and because it winds up Kevin, that can't hurt! He's probably not going to be another "love of her life" anyway. He's a bit too smooth and slick, I think.

The bickering and fighthing is down and dirty and both sides can hold their own. I think if there hadn't been a baby in the mix, it might not have felt like so bitter a betrayal and Kevin's love and custody of the baby (shouldn't that be legally signed and delivered, too? Just because Tyrone gave Kevin the baby, isn't little Jack still legally Tyrone's child?) has cut Sally to the bone. Sally's and the girls' utter rejection of the innocent babe has done the same to Kevin. Point to each, there.

There's another battle yet to come, according to the spoilers. Kevin's going to win some lottery money and hopes it will help him get Sally back but when he sees her with Jeff, decides she's not getting any of it. She finds out, of course, thanks to the wronged Tyrone and it all kicks off again. And so it should! They may not be living together but they're still married and Kevin should be providing Sally with alimony and child support at least for Sophie. There could be a case made for him not having to share the cash with her but most likely it should be taken into account with the settlement.

Speaking of which, Sally should have consulted her solicitor long since. She may have made him leave the family home, but if she's got custody of Sophie who's still a minor, she's due maintenance for her. She's also due a share of the garage, having supported him and helped with the books and administration for years. As I mentioned, she should be due half of the proceeds from the sale of the house no matter that Kevin seems to be implying that he'd get it all and she should be entitled to alimony/spousal maintenance and all of that should be recorded in a legal separation decree right from the get go. She ought to be telling Kevin to go through her solicitor if he wants to sell the house out from under her.

Will the Websters find their way back to one another? There will be an upcoming crisis when Sophie hits the breaking point and that may do the trick. Possibly that will only be a temporary measure. Personally, I hope the Websters stay apart. There's far too much that really can't be forgiven now. I don't want them to be like Ken and Deirdre, always getting back together, always having affairs and flirtations and having to forgive each other because they feel like they're stuck with each other and unwilling to make the break.

Also read, the life and loves of Sally and Kevin Webster. Here and Here 
You can read a full character study about Sally here.
You can read a full character study about Kevin here.

What did i miss?

If there's one thing that bugs me about long running tv shows is the occasional lapse in writing. Ok, there's a lot of things that bug me and this is just one of them. But I particularly hate when the writing is sloppy and you find yourself thinking "when did that happen?" or "Whatever happened to that storyline?"

This week, Gail mentioned that Nick was so involved in rebuilding the bar and suddenly decided to go to Italy.  Rebuilding the bar?? Wha??? I missed that. I know he was dealing with the insurance company and said he'd get the money paid out but I don't recall him talking about rebuilding it. I know the viaduct itself would have to be rebuilt but the city of Weatherfield or the transport company would be responsible for that. No word about him checking blueprints or having meetings with Owen about costs. It just seemed to come out of nowhere.

Another incident is the lovey dovey-ness of Cheryl and Lloyd. As far as I knew, she had decided she would only be mates with him. She was going to move out but he persuaded her to stay but he went around moping about their "breakup" afterwards. So when did they become a proper couple? It just seemed to be a fact one day. They hadn't been seen on screen for awhile and when they reappeared, they were together.

The last issue is the disappearance of the storyline about David's epilepsy. He made a few self deprecating jokes about having fits and after the final court appearance where the charges were dropped, aside from one or two more bitter comments, it's been nowhere to be seen or heard. Nothing about how he is managing to cope with it or getting the drug dosage just right. No Gail worrying about him. What's going on? He won't be cured and it wasn't a ruse to get out of the charges.

I hate when Corrie writers do that. It feels sloppy. It feels like none of them know what the other one is doing. Perhaps they don't but they do know the general storyline and write what they are told to. Do they think nobody notices? Because i can assure them that most of us fans definitely do.

Now, I admit, sometimes there's a throwaway line that fills in the holes and I've missed it. But when a couple finally does get back together, it would be nice to have an actual scene about it. And If there was a mention about Nick rebuilding the bar before this week, it must have been pretty subtle. He's certainly not been seen doing anything remotely related to it, being too busy making cow eyes at Leanne and working at the betting shop.


Ah well. I suppose it's a nit pick but I was in the mood for a rant so there you go!

The New Rosie Webster

Has Rosie Webster changed or are they writing her character a bit differently these days? Rosie was one of the most annoying characters on Corrie, for me. I didn't think much of the acting ability of Helen Flanagan and Rosie herself was shallow, vain and pretty much pointless.

Now? Well, it's not as if she's gained a lot of depth but she's a heck of a lot funnier than she used to be. She's still shallow and self absorbed but lately she's making me literally laugh out loud, not something I often do watching Corrie even if I find something amusing.

This week alone, she had me chuckling when she had Jason hold her mobile for her while her nails dried and then on Friday, for her modeling job, she took advantage of having a baby brother and took little Jack to the photo shoot only to bring home the wrong baby. Last week she came out with a brilliant line, "If I start making food for him, where will it end?" to which Tina sardonically replied "Chaos?" "Exactly!!" declared our erstwhile feminist (that's a joke, before you all start flaming me!)

It seems like Rosie's character has been turned slightly to the left and is heading in the direction of a comedic character, more than before. I think she was meant to be this way for some time but perhaps the writing just wasn't quite nailed down for the character and actor but they seem to be jelling quite well these days.

There have also been some nice scenes between Sophie and Rosie lately, since Sophie came out. Rosie has always loved her family but it hasn't come out a lot over the years. You might see rare moments between she and Sophie or with her parents but for the most part it was all about her. It still is but she's showing a little bit of compassion a little bit more often.

It's too bad they've stripped her of her former intelligence. She *did* have a good education even if she threw it away by not continuing. She *did* hold down a PA job at the factory for over a year and she couldn't have been that incompetent or they wouldn't have kept her on.  She was quite bright but you wouldn't know it to hear her these days.

Oh well, the Personality Transplant Fairy has to have a job to do now and then, I suppose.

Between her eclectic wardrobe choices, the improved writing and Helen's spot on delivery, these days I'm actually enjoying Rosie and that's something I never thought I'd say!

Just an addition to the above, something I just thought of... Wouldn't I just love to see Rosie unexpectedly fall in love with baby Jack? I mean totally enthralled with the wee baby, much to Sally's consternation! You might expect it of Sophie but you wouldn't of Rosie and i think it would really work.