State of the Street - January 2012

Kirsty's campaign against Tina notched up a ramp and pulled Rita into her net accidentally but finally, Tyrone realized what she was like. He took awhile but he started to notice how she's isolating him from his friends. and chucked her out. Until, of course, he found out she is pregnant and if it's not a fake, I bet it isn't his. Poor man, is he going to go through that again? I think it would be a real crime for them to do that to him twice in a row, the "it's not your baby" thing so maybe it will be his but the mother is a nightmare, or she'll miscarry. Poor Tyrone thinks this is his chance at being happy. But how on earth could he? Taking on a woman like that just because she's having your kid isn't going to make you happy.

We've already got quite a few babies and kids on the show - Joseph, Jack, Hope, Liam, Max, Amy, Simon, Faye, Aadi, Asha...oh, and Beth has a son as well. That's a whole creche worth of rugrats! I don't think there's ever been this many on the show at one time.

Amber is a game player. Sunita knows it. Dev doesn't get it. Amber was playing with Sophie's emotions once she realized Sophie was crushing on her and yes, she knew Sophie was probably making a mistake marrying Sian. I think she was as well. She rushed the engagement and wedding because of her own doubts. Kevin wasn't to blame for interrupting the wedding. For once, Kevin got a clue and didn't believe Sophie when she said she had no doubts. Maybe it was a blip, and of course she loves Sian but at that age, how can you really be ready to make a lifelong committment? After all that upheaval that seemed to be focussed on Amber, she got rewarded with a car for her 21st but both of them have been keeping a low profile.

Peter and Carla. I know triangles and affairs are soap staples but .... ICK! Michelle keeps running into Peter and Carla in the same places (cafe, pub etc) why isn't she suspicious since she knew about Carla's prior feelings. By the end of the month, as these things always do, Frank has figured it out and has the private investigator on their trail though he already did have a couple of weeks' head start and she didn't find anything until just before the trial. If Frank could run into them by accident, what's he paying that PI for, the one that said she was so good?

Meanwhile... Frank and Sally!!! I'm not surprised she developed a crush on him because he's exactly the sort she would go for, him being a "powerful", smooth, slick business man. Ian the car dealer was much the same. I really don't think Frank is over the moon about Sally. I think he was feeling vulnerable and she flattered him. He was on the rebound and needed comfort with the trial coming up and she's more than willing to give it. If you can't be with the one you love... and all that.

They didn't keep it a secret very long, though. Eileen and Beth saw them kissing and the news spread like wildfire. Kevin makes it all about him as usual and it's none of his business. I forgot that Sally had put the divorce on hold. That was a big mistake which is going to be rectified. Somehow though, when it all goes wrong with Frank, and it will because it has to (he's guilty), I think Kevin will be there to pick up the pieces and she'll let him. Yet again. But what are they going to do with Kevin otherwise? He's rapidly turning into a spare part.

We end the month with the trial just beginning. Carla's testimony was gruelling and spell binding (kudos to Alison King). Did you watch Frank's face while he listened to her describe the night in question? I thought his face went from a cold mask to a flicker of something. Guilt? Remorse? It didn't seem like anger and it was subtle. Bad guys always have to be punished but with rumours of Frank's imminent demise, he may very well get let free. And I think down deep, Frank knows darn well he is guilty.

It's too bad Katherine Kelly wanted to leave. She did an interview and said that if she hadn't, they would not have broken up Steve and Becky. I hate that they put him with Tracy but how great was it that Tracy's perfect wedding was busted by Becky after Tracy had done it to Karen! Payback is a bitch! The scheme to get the info out of Tracy's medical records was a bit silly and you wouldn't have thought they'd have got away with it but it's a soap and of course it did work very well.

I really did wish they had ruined the wedding, though. Leaving Steve "chained" to the cow isn't much of a revenge. Annullments are swift if the marraige isn't consummated, it may give Tracy the chance to bleed Steve financially, and leaving them married leaves it wide open for a reconciliation. Blech. Becky gets to fly off into the sky with a handsome fella, a little boy and a life on the beach. Realistic? Hey, it's a fairytale ending for a character who really needed one. What's not to love? Bye Bye Becky, farewell to one of my all time favourite characters.

I guess I'll have to console myself with Kylie. I really loved the new closeness between Kylie and Becky. They really have put it all in the past and are bonding as real sisters. It's too bad Becky left but I'm sure Kylie will keep in touch via t'interwebs. And since Danny's working for a hotel, i'm sure that means free accommodations for holidays! I guess the focus now should be on how Kylie manages to come to terms with motherhood because i'm sure it won't be a smooth road.

Was that whole stupid feud over the flipping pond all to bring the Faye and Owen thing to the forefront? Because the feud over the pond between the Platts and Owen was just silly. Surely they could have found another way to cause conflict between the po-faced Faye and Owen? Having said that, I'm glad Anna wasn't persuaded to have Owen back. He shouldn't have hit the child and no doubt had done it with his own kids when they were small. Katy and Izzy as much as told him they were afraid of him when they were growing up and that really stopped him in his tracks. It turned into some really excellent scenes with great acting all around. Having said that, it's possible they may reunite Owen and Anna eventually but that's just a guess, not a spoiler.

We've got Paul and Eileen lurching towards one another. I know it's meant to spotlight how difficult it is to care for someone with Alzheimer's at home but having them making all these excuses to see each other or being together when Lesley is in a respite care home for a couple of weeks just seems to give it a bad aura. The whole relationship has developed under a dark cloud. It won't last. I can sympathise with Paul, he's in a very difficult situation and he does very much need a friend and as much support as he can get. It's too bad Eileen has to find such a lovely man under these circumstances.

Best new character in years! Beth! Every scene she's in she makes me smile if not out and out guffaw! She's like Cilla but nicer, she's like Janice, too, but also nicer and more fun.

Bye Bye Becky, Goodbye

Becky Granger McDonald flew out of Weatherfield and Manchester last night in high style after wreaking havoc on the lives of Tracy and Steve McDonald. She cleared her name of the wrongful charges that she pushed Tracy down a flight of stairs causing a miscarraige and it looks like she's found love and a family of her own. Perfect!

Becky has always been one of my favourite characters. Not from day one, when she was pretty much a lowlife, making Kelly Crabtree's life hell. She left for awhile and when they brought her back, they put her under the wing of Roy and Hayley Cropper and it was golden from then on.

Becky came from a very rough  home life filled with neglect, abuse, years in and out of care and then survived on the streets as best she could. She was fierce and wild, drinking, drugs, sex, you name it. She was in and out of prison but she stood up for herself, too, when she was wronged. That big bald police officer discovered that to his career's expense. She had no confidence in herself and had no idea what love was or how anyone could ever love her when she hated herself.

Little by little, with the faith that Roy and Hayley found in her, she began to believe in herself. It took a long time, though. She had lots of setbacks and when she felt threatened, she would lash out violently. Time and again, though, Roy and Hayley would gently point her in the right direction. Little by Little she made a life for herself but it never seemed to be enough.

She nearly married Jason Grimshaw and it seemed like they would be a pretty good couple. But then came Steve McDonald, her white knight. He lied for her in court, saving her from another stint of time inside even though she really did do the crime. It ruined his relationship with Michelle but it turns out, he found himself massively attracted to this loose cannon, good time girl after the misery that was Michelle's life was dragging him down. It's not surprise, Becky was just like his last wife, Karen and not that far from his sparky mother, Liz. Seems like Steve often gravitates to the same type of woman.

Becky even managed to make some friends over the years, something else she didn't really have before. Not real, true friends. And the friends she did make, she defended with staunch loyalty. Roy and Hayley became like parents to her and she would brook no criticism of them. She would even face down Roy's mother and if anyone dared hurt Hayles, watch out. Hayley discovered she'd fathered a son when she was Harold but the son, Christian, didn't want to know her and he'd pushed her and bruised her. Becky returned the punishment in spades.

Claire Peacock, not the sort of person you would think Becky would have anything in common with at all, turned out to be a really good mate, especially when Becky first got pregnant and Claire was fully supportive when Becky herself miscarried. Becky was one of the instigators in helping Claire skip the country so she wouldn't be arrested for assault on Tracy Barlow (it was accidental but Tracy was pressing charges anyway).

Even her on again off again war with Liz had it's kind and gentle moments. Liz was there for Becky when she miscarried and Becky was kind to Liz after Jim was arrested for bank robbery. It was tenuous, but Becky knew when to back off and be giving. Becky and her sister Kylie even found a peace between them, putting their painful past behind them.

Steve really seemed to be exactly what Becky needed. His faith and love really made Becky bloom. She drove him mad, sometimes, because she still had that self destructive button that would go off when least expected, and it took them two tries to get wed but they made it in the end. Love's young dream didn't last long. The wars between Becky and Steve's mother, Liz, sparked off. The mother of Steve's daughter, Tracy, though she was in prison at first, caused as much trouble as she could and even more when she was let out. Becky suffered two miscarraiges and the subsequent adoption quest ended badly when her long lost sister bitterly gave a horrid reference.

Oh yes, Kylie, her sister came into the picture with a dear little boy Max who would prove to be Becky and Steve's final undoing. Becky, once she got her head around being a mother, was heartbroken that she couldn't carry a child and latched onto little Max, nominally to save him from being raised in care since Kylie had not been able to cope herself. She fell in love with the wee boy and did anything and everything she could to keep him, including giving in to Kylie's demands for money even though it put Steve in deep debt, even though Steve's father Jim decided to rob a bank to get the money to buy the pub which would help Steve out of that debt and ended up in jail, even though Becky stole cash from the Alahan's in the aftermath and wreckage from the tram crash to pay Kylie off one more time.

With Kylie's new husband David Platt making noises about wanting Max back for Kylie, and Tracy causing as much trouble as she could, blackmailing them because she knew about the payments, Steve broke. He called Social Services, thinking the truth, once out, would set them free and when they saw Max was being well cared for, nothing would change. How wrong could he be. When Becky lost Max to the Social, she lashed out with a sledghammer, thinking Tracy Barlow was behind the call. Finding out it was her husband? That was the end. The ultimate betrayal.

After that, even though both sides softened eventually, both sides apologized (at different times), they just couldn't make their way back together, especially once Steve turned to Tracy for temporary comfort and ended up getting her pregnant, another knife in Becky's heart.

Tracy miscarried but as "luck" would have it, she fell down the stairs at Becky's flat just a few days later, feeling wobbly and dizzy after an argument. She took full advantage, blamed Becky and Steve believed her. More betrayal. Becky couldn't understand how Steve could believe it. Everyone else believed it too, and that had more to do with her volatile past than their love for the tragic victim. It must have been a difficult choice, who to believe? Becky, who had caused a lot of damage and broken a few hearts, or a convicted liar and bitch?

Tracy, though she's a nightmare, was a lifelong resident of the community where Becky is not and it seemed most of the neighbours closed rants. Most, but not all. Kyle and Becky had made up their differences and with a little help from her friends, and Tracy's enemies, Becky cleared her name and threw Tracy's lies in Steve's face after he married Tracy.

Becky leaves Weatherfield in triumph, looking to the stars in hope for a bright future and I hope she gets it. She seems to know she's worthy of being loved, she has a lot more confidence in herself these days though you know the party girl is still close to the surface. Getting to be a step-mom to little Billy, son of the gorgeous Danny is going to be the making of her. She'll get to be a mom, something she wants with all her heart. Billy won't fill the Max-shaped hole but she knows Max is going to be ok with his mum and David now and Billy will make his own space in her heart as will delicious Danny.

Becky had to leave with her head up. I would have hated for her to leave with her name besmirched, her head hung low, without hope, tail between her legs. Katherine Kelly, the wonderful Katherine Kelly who played Becky, wanted to leave Coronation Street. She's spoken about how they would probably not have split up Steve and Becky if she hadn't wanted to go but she gave them plenty of notice to work up a good storyline, rather than slap something together half-hazardly.

Katherine Kelly is an amazing actress and she'll go far. She had chemistry with everyone she worked with and, for me, made Becky entirely believable. I know some people gave her stick for overacting, and they didn't like that Becky was always screeching and going off the rails, loud and violently, but I always felt that was entirely within character for Becky. Everyone has their own opinion but my place on Team Becky has never wavered.

Sunita has boobs!

What the heck happened to Sunita!?? We've known her for a long time now. She's dressed up and dressed down, she's a sexy woman but never in all her years has she exposed that much cleavage, even when she was bent on snaring a man like Ciaran or Dev.

Yet one hissy fit and one new job later, behind the bar, and her cups runneth over. I wonder if she dressed so provocatively specifically to wind up Dev who had been treating her like a doormat...for years, really. I can't blame her for getting fed up and quitting her job in the shop. Dev is a sexist twit for all he thinks of himself as a modern playboy type of guy. It's ok for him to dress sharp and speak softly and smoothly, flashing his hooded "bedroom" eyes at the "Ladeez" but it's not ok for his wife (no, they aren't actually married) to display herself in front of drunks and punters.

Ok, in a way, I can see his point. I'd be uncomfortable with people giving my partner ogling looks, too. Still, it's not as if she's working in a lap dancing club or a strip bar either. But... on the other hand, Sunita has *never* dressed with such low cleavage and an industrial strength push up bra! I can only think she went out and bought them on purpose because I doubt either of those wardrobe choices were in her closet prior to that.

Did she look hot? Yes she did! Her heavier-than-usual makeup looked smoky and sexy, too, as did her shiny, beautiful hair. It just struck me as way out of character for her to be falling out of her top like that. Maybe she was making a point as Dev suggested and we will see her ramping it back just a bit from here on.

Personally, I don't really think Sunita suits the pub as barmaid. She seems out of place there and the bar doesn't really seem to need the extra staff, either. I have a feeling that they have Sunita in place to take over the food service when they write Betty's death into the show, though she would still be working as barmaid too, as Betty did. I can see her in that role as cook/barmaid for some reason.

Thoughts?

A summary of 2011 storylines

Summary of what happened by family, as much for my own memory as anyone else's.

Platts:
David married Kylie (Double wedding with Graeme and Xin), heir apparent to the Salon. Kylie and David get custody of Max, in time for Christmas
Nick encouraged Peter to drink to get Leanne to leave him, reopened Bistro, fling with Becky, got together with Eva Price.
Gail - jobless for most of year, then cleaner at Bistro, war with Kylie
Audrey - Dated transvestite Marc. lovely man. Terrible taste in clothes and wigs

Windasses:
Adopted Faye
Eddie left
Anna and Owen get together
Gary suffers Post traumatic stress (confined Izzy to house to "protect" her and subsequent break up.) Gets back together with Izzy at Christmas

Websters:
War of the Websters divorce wars
Lottery win for Kevin. See above
Sally takes Kevin in after injury, temporarily.
Sophie caught in scam at homeless shelter, involving some of Kevin's lottery win
Sophie fell off church roof
Sophie splits with Sian after asking her to marry her, then reconciles. Kisses Amber on night out and develops a crush, re-proposes to Sian who finds out about Amber on wedding day because of Kevin's big mouth and jilts Sophie, leaving the street. Amber is not gay, Sophie is broken hearted.
Rosie - continues to model, living with Jason, kidnapped by Stape again
Bill - engaged to Pam, heart attack, disappears again
Sally dates Jeff, Rosie's boss, dumps him after he encouraged Rosie to speak to press about Stape business, spilling all family's secrets. Laid off from Factory, works for Frank Foster's new factory.

Barlows:
Tracy: blackmails Steve and Becky because she knows about them buying Max. Works at pub, finally drives wedge between Steve and Becky, sleeps with Steve, gets pregnant with twins, becomes an item with Steve, miscarries twins and blames Becky.
Deirdre: took up pottery, gets tangled in Tracy's lies about the miscarraige.
Ken: takes in grandson James, horrified at homeless shelter scandal that James is part of, falls out with neighbour Kevin over lottery scam
Amy develops an allergy to dairy products but deliberately drinks milk to make herself sick to get her parents to be nice to each other. 

Peter and Leanne: Tracy tells Peter about Nick and he humiliates her at wedding vow renewal but they get back together. Leanne has miscarraige. Carla still hankers after Peter. Leanne's mother returns. Leanne suspects Peter and Carla of affair, but later in the year, Peter and Carla do start an affair

McDonalds:
Jim wants to buy pub to help Steve's finances but robs bank to get the money and goes back to jail. Liz leaves.
Steve and Becky: Battling Tracy over Amy, Max. Becky wrecks Barlows house. Leaves Steve after finding out he called Social Services over Max, divorce.
Steve sleeps with Tracy, gets her pregnant, gets together with her as a couple to help raise kids.
Hires Stella Price and family to manage Rovers.
Becky moves into taxi flat, buys into Streetcars when Lloyd wants out, argues with Tracy and is blamed for her miscarraige. Nearly dies after a fire starts at Christmas. Nick rescues her.

Stape/Battersby:
Chesney moves in with Katy, get pregnant. Move back to Number 3 while...
Stape accidentally (?) kills Joy Fishwick and has a breakdown. Fiz uses some of Joy's estate money (because lawyers think John is Colin). John kidnaps Hoyles and Chesney, tries to get Fiz to run away with him after Colin's body is unearthed. Jumps off hospital roof and escapes. Fiz goes to prison as accessory to the murders and for fraud. Trouble with inmates over drug ring. Convicted. When John returns, kidnaps Rosie, crashes car and confesses on deathbed, Fiz is out on bail, pending investigation.
Chesney loses Schmeichel. Katy gives birth to baby Joseph on Christmas Eve.

Alahans
Money problems, sold off all shops except Corro one because there's no insurance on the ruined shop.
Amber returns, moves into shop flat, having failed out of uni. Amber flirts with Tommy and later Sophie.
Dev proposes, Sunita turns him down.
Aadi may be golf prodigy. Storyline is forgotten.
They discover Becky looted the shop after thinking Steve confessed to it to cover for Becky. Steve repays them.

Dobbs
Tyrone gives baby Jack to Kevin.
He takes in Tommy Duckworth, Jack's grandson, and gives him a job at the garage.
Gives Tina a place to live after breakup with Graeme.
Dates Kirsty, a cop, who moves in. Tina and Kirsty at loggerheads.
Decides to stop drug dealer whose girlfriend is hassling Fiz in prison. Assisted by Kirk and Tommy and Gary.
Nearly kills Kevin after he takes a crowbar to a hydraulic lift and damages it, causing it to collapse on Kevin.

Grimshaw
Eileen arrested and fined for defrauding Owen
Eileen works at Underworld, but is laid off and then works for Frank Foster.
Sean and Marcus reunite and look after little Dylan over summer. Discuss adoption.
Rosie living with Jason
Dennis Tanner discovered to be a distant cousin to Eileen via his mother Elsie Grimshaw Tanner. Julie delighted.
Julie gets together with John/Colin's coworker Brian, victim to UFO joke by Ty and Tommy.
Eileen dates Paul the fireman after he rescues her from being stuck in factory railings but finds out he's married. His wife has Alzheimer's. Eileen keeps seeing him as a friend only.

Peacocks
Claire leaves Weatherfield after revealing she pushed Tracy who fell and got head injury New Year's Eve. Number 13 is sold to Lloyd and Cheryl and later to Steve.

Croppers:
Roy's mother Sylvia arrives after her husband dies. She moves in with Croppers and causes trouble with them and the neighbours. Locks Norris in loo overnight. Uses a competition slogan thrown out by Norris and Mary and wins a cruise. Croppers support Becky, Fiz, look after Hope while Fiz in prison until she gets spot in mother/baby unit.

Miscellaneous

Lloyd and Cheryl buy number 13, rebuild and move in. Cheryl's ex, Chris, moves in after he is discovered to have a brain tumour which he uses to get sympathy with Cheryl. They start an affair. She finds out he's getting better but lied saying it was worse. She leaves alone with Russ. Chris is run out of town when everyone else finds out about his lies. Lloyd is so heartbroken that he leaves Weatherfield for awhile, selling his half of Streetcars to Becky who uses her divorce settlement from Steve.

Maria dates Chris who dumps her when he finds out he has a brain tumour.
Maria works at Underworld but is scared by client Frank Foster who she feels attempted to rape her and she quits and returns to salon. Supports Carla after Frank rapes Carla.

Frank Foster buys into Underworld, gets together with Carla who doesn't love him but can't have Peter. Takes the blame for Carla drunkenly running Stella down. She calls off the wedding the night before and he rapes her. His mother takes over his role in factory. Carla attempts suicide, saved by Peter. Frank starts his own factory and steals business and workers from Carla.

Kirk gets job at Underworld, as does Becky but Becky, Eileen and Sally work for Frank after being laid off by Carla.

Tina makes Graeme marry Xin for immigration. Graeme and Xin fall in love and leave town. Tina moves in with Tyrone and Tommy, dates Dr. Carter

Dennis Tanner returns after 40 years. Moves in with Rita.

2011 "Awards"

Rather than the usual "Best Actress", "Best Storyline" type of awards that you usually see at the end of every year, I like to pick out awards or shout outs that are a little on the
off-centre side of things. There are the occasional "Best" awards but mostly just the highlights/lowlights catagorized. As always, they're my own opinion and just as they occurred to me. There's probably loads more. Feel free to add your own!

Without further ado:

Realistic storyline:
Gary's post traumatic stress. Very well done.

Regrettable departure:
Eddie Windass

Best use of an attack tool:
Peter threatening Nick in the wreck of the Joinery with a metal pipe.
Becky trashing the Barlow house with a sledgehammer.

Dirtbag/Slime bucket
Frank Foster for raping Carla
Nick for encouraging Peter to drink so he could get Leanne back
James Cunningham for being in on the homeless shelter scam resulting in Sophie stealing money from her father.

Best/Worst Wedding
Peter found out about Leanne's fling with Nick and humiliated her at their wedding vows
Sian and Sophie's non-wedding. Father of the Bride questioned her doubts. Pretty dresses, though. 

Cow of the year
Tracy Barlow
Kirsty Soames
Runner up Tina McIntyre (McIntiresome), Eva Price

Good clean fun: (funniest scenes/storylines)
Stape instructing a tied-up Rosie on the murder timelines and quizzing her
Beth and Steve's reunion, complete with moon-faced muteboy
Deirdre's World of Pottery
Kirk, Tyrone and Tommy, Drug Dealer conquerors (ludicrous, yes, but it made me laugh)

When is it going to end aka Dullest storylines:
Graeme and Xin and the immigration scam
Departure of the Gray family.

Was that such a good idea?
Letting Chris move in with Lloyd and Cheryl due to his brain tumour.

Guinness record for most years without a spine
Steve McDonald

Romantic moment:
Peter and Leanne at the train station.

Best Twists and Turns storyline
Stapewich/Stapegate

2011 annual award for Unjustly Imprisoned:
Fiz Stape taking the "I didn't do it" trophe from Gail who got it from Deirdre.

Horror Storyline
Unearthing rotting Colin Fishwick, Fiz had to help John dispose of the body

Rocky Road
Peter and Leanne's marraige. Her affair, his injury, his boozing, his wedding revelations, her miscarraige, his boozing again, his affair.

Shocking revelations
Fiz found out her husband killed Charlotte and Joy and hid a body under the factory. He then left her to take the blame

He/She's just not that into you
Tommy didn't really fancy Amber once he laid eyes on Tina
Tina doesn't fancy Tommy (yet)
Becky and Nick quickly decided they weren't really meant to be a couple
Chris dropped Maria like a hot potato when he was diagnosed with a tumour

I'll miss you
Liz McDonald
Graeme Proctor
John Stape (hated the character, loved the storyline)
Eddie Windass
Lloyd Mullaney (temporarily)

I won't miss you
Xin Proctor
Claire Peacock
Ryan Connor
Marc the transvestite
Ciaran McCarthy - gone so long that his return and departure was a non-starter
Sian Powers - Sweet kid, spare part

Overstayed your welcome
Michelle Connor
Mary Taylor
Dev Alahan

Fashionista award:
Julie Carp wins again, always decked out wonderfully.
Runner up: Carla Connor, even makes leggings and a long baggy top look chic.

Well matched:
Kylie and David

Double act
Aud and Claud. (Audrey and Claudia)
Julie and Brian
Eva and Kylie (double trouble)

Cutest baby award:
Baby Jack, Baby Hope

Pointless character
Jeff
Matt Carter


Best new character
Sylvia
Beth (squeaked in just under the wire, a shoo-in for 2012)
Karl (I think he's got potential)

Best/Worst return:
Best: Dennis Tanner. I wish they'd do more with him!
Worst: Amber. She's not as sparky and fun anymore. Just annoying


Most annoying
Dev Alahan
Tracy Barlow
Tina McIntyre

Dropped storyline
David's epilepsy

Saddest moments:
Death of Schmeichel
Leanne's miscarraige

Much Ado about Nothing
After all the hullaballoo about Michelle Collins joining as Rovers Landlady, she's turned into a bland character, injected unnecessarily into every storyline as the Earth Mother, the Confidant, the Saviour.

Boarding House Rules:
If Jason still owns the flat and must be paying a mortgage on it, why is he living with his mother? If Nick is running a successful restaurant, why is he still living with his mother?

And see a summary of the 2011 main storylines by family here. 

Mad Kirsty - What's up with her?

At first, I wasn't too sure about Kirsty Soames. I thought maybe I liked her. She did seem sparky and fun and lifted Tyrone's spirits. She had an awful lot of hair, though, even more than dull Cheryl so I worried...

Needlessly, as it turns out. Tina and Kirsty started off on the wrong foot and at first it seemed as though it was merely that. But you know, with soaps, there's always more to it than what's on the surface. Sure enough, Tina's claims that Kirsty was causing her grief began to sound more and more like a petty grudge with Kirsty coming off as the innocent party, victim of Tina's accusations for no apparent reason. That means, in soap terms, that she's the "little girl who cried wolf", aka, Tina's not just whistling Dixie.

It's becoming clear that Kirsty is actually doing things to sabotage Tina, and she's isolating Tyrone from his friends, especially female ones. She's showing signs of possessiveness and jealousy, beyond the norm. She's taking Tina's accusations and then throwing smug looks and icy stares back at her. Nobody believes Tina yet, Kirsty is that good at covering her tracks and making herself sound like just a bit on the jealous side.

The fact that Kristy is a police officer ups the game. This has happened before on a lesser scale when a cop boyfriend of Janice Battersby set up Les. He used his power to make it seem like Les instigated an assault on him when Les was just defending himself. But he forced Emma Watts to back him up, cops' honour and all that, and Les spent time in jail for it. Kirsty is using her position, too, to have Tina's car clamped, or having her harassed as a shoplifter. That puts a different spin on the pseudo-stalker storyline, I think. 

She could very well turn out to be a nutter like some of the classic Corrie nutters of the past. There was nurse Carmel Finnan who became obsessed with Martin Platt. There was whack-job Maya Sharma who blew up Dev's shops, one with Dev and Sunita in it! There was Casey, Claire's friend who aimed at taking over Claire's life. Will Kirsty end up being another wild eyed bunny boiler? Actually, I hope not.

I hope they take this in a bit of a different direction. Kirsty obviously has control issues and she is most definitely possessive and jealous beyond the point of just being a bit protective of the one she loves. I don't want this to be an obsession. I don't want her to break Tyrone's heart though I fear she probably will.

Kirsty is turning into a character I love to hate and that's down to the actor, Natalie Gumede who plays DC Kirsty Soames. She's great at those smug looks, when Kirsty manages to keep Tyrone on side and get one up on Tina. She does that icy look so well that the hackles on the back of  *my* neck twitch when she gives Tina one of those looks-that-could-kill behind her back. "I'll get you and your little dog, (Tommy) too!!!" you can almost hear her cackle. Any time now, I expect to see one of her eyes twitch with a full on psychotic wide-eyed stare.

It's getting to where I feel like everything Kirsty does and says is all an act to keep Tyrone under her thumb but once in awhile you see a crack of vulnerability like when Kirsty brought home an artificial Christmas tree but the rest had already bought a real tree and decorated it. She felt hurt and left out and it showed. But then the tree lost it's needles and she got to use hers after all. It was back to feeling smug that she got her own way again!

I think we've got a lot more story to tell when it comes to Kirsty Soames. I hope they make it interesting with layers, not just a plain bog-standard psycho yet again. Kirsty and Tina will probably never be mates but I hope they soften her a bit as she becomes more confident of Tyrone's love and she can make peace with some of his friends, maybe even make one or two of her own. If they don't, we won't see her for long. She'll burn out and become a villain instead of a complex character and that would be a shame.

State of the Street - December 2011

Now that Carla's back, Underworld has staggered to its feet and is soldiering on. The feud with Fosterworld continues with a slight edge to Carla's lot but Sally has developed the inevitable crush on Frank. No surprise there, is it? She's always had a soft spot for a cultured voice and a man in a suit. It's part of that upwardly mobile wannabe gene she's got. And speaking of Fosterworld, Sally told Fiz that Frank might be hiring but we've seen nothing of Fiz since. Did she get hired? Is she working? Did she go back to Underworld? Don't leave me hanging!

With the anniversary of the tram crash upon us, Peter freaked out with flashbacks and memories and the urge to drink gets stronger and stronger until he tumbled off the wagon. Carla tried to hang on to her emotions while waiting for the rape trial and the pair of them shored each other up. Looks like that old black magic has done it's work. Peter and Carla were having an illicit affair by Christmas. I guess it was inevitable but I don't think it will last either.

Peter promised Carla but when it came down to it, he couldn't tell Leanne the real reason why they should split up and he tried to turn it on her, making it sounds like she's nagging and unsupportive. Obviously all his excuses rolled off her shoulders and she's determined to stick by him no matter what. If she knew about Carla, she'd have chucked him out before he had the chance to leave. Peter couldn't really do much in the face of her determination. Not yet anyway so the affair goes underground with Carla the perennial other woman, crying and alone when Peter has to spend time with his family.

And just like every other affair, it's going to be conducted in secret because he can't leave his wife and Carla will put up with what little time she can get from him. And we have to suffer through them being all mushy and loved up for the duration. Peter's had prior experience juggling two women so it's kind of second nature to him and he, like his father, doesn't really have the backbone to leave what he knows for what he doesn't unless forced (i.e. wives throwing him out)

Well Owen is sure taking over at Anna's and Faye doesn't like it one little bit. I know the shed was probably an eyesore and apparently the floor of it wasn't safe but couldn't he just have replaced the floor? He *is* a builder after all. Instead we have big, bad, Owen building a fish pond in the back garden. Would you credit it? Do you think he's softening up with his involvement with Anna? I think he's still got that bully boy underneath it all and if Faye continues to push his buttons like she's doing, she could be in for a shock, especially with David and Kylie already pushing his buttons. He'll be running hot under the collar and it won't take much.

And that feud? A bit childish isn't it? I gotta say, though, as much as one is just as bad as the other, I rather enjoy seeing Owen get bested every now and then. He deserves it for being such a bully and a plonker. I think it's kind of funny at times but I also think the devil spawn Faye may just take advantage of it.

I felt so bad for Becky this month. She started the slide downhill with the divorce and though was trying so hard to get her life back in order and start again, it must have been horribly hard. There's Max back living under her feet practically. That has to hurt. And Steve flaunting Tracy who flaunted her pregnancy. Then of course Tracy manages to get Becky accused of pushing her down the stairs causing her to lose the babies she lost the week before already. Becky only really bought into the cab firm because she was hoping she and Steve would make a new connection and get back together.

Never mind that everyone knows that Tracy has a hate on for Becky as bad as Becky has one on for her and never mind that Tracy has been caught out more than once scheming to wind up Becky and push her buttons. And never mind that even though Deirdre has often suspected Tracy of misbehaving, this time she knew damn well and yet she still let Tracy accuse Becky, succumbing to lame blackmail. Shame on her!

Becky really hit rock bottom and nearly smoked herself out, life threatening to go down in flames, literally! Nick to the rescue! Maybe now Becky can sort herself out and find something happy. She's got nowhere to go but up and partnering with Streetcars probably wasn't the smartest move since it keeps her in contact with Steve which is what she wanted. First move is go to the police. She laid it all out. It really wouldn't make sense if it were true that Tracy wouldn't go to the police though I don't know why Tracy was so bothered. Why not just lie to the authorities? She's done that before except, I suppose, a jury didn't believe her anyway and she got banged up.


I can't get over how vile Steve and Tracy are being to Becky. I know, I know, if you thought someone pushed you and caused a miscarraige, you wouldn't be inviting them for tea. Steve should know Becky better to think she'd do it deliberately. Though it wasn't, it could have been an accident. Tracy could have got away with that but she wants the best-for-her outcome. Deirdre has almost cracked a few times but Tracy is very good at emotional blackmail. It was telling that she didn't go to the police and that should have make her parents suspicious right from the start, Ken at least if not Deirdre as well. Would Tracy have been arrested if she'd falsely accused Becky and it could be proven? Not sure. But the truth will come out, it has to.

 And marrying Tracy? Seriously, Steve? He's gone from Karen to Becky to Tracy? Does anyone else spot the pattern here because he sure doesn't. Well, I really don't think this wedding will happen because the truth has to come out.  I can't imagine why he would stay with her in the face of yet another nasty trick discovered. I also can't imagine why he wouldn't try to get custody of Amy and use a little blackmail himself to do it.

Max is back and Kylie wasn't very happy about his bond with Becky. She never did have a lot of confidence in her own ability to be a mum and it was only David pushing her and supporting her that got her to agree to try to get him back. She doesn't have a bond with Max and she knows it and I hope they continue to show her trying hard to form that bond, sometimes not quite getting it right. I also hope David continues to be as supportive as he has. He's turning his life around and this marraige and now little Max both seem to be the making of him. Finally!

Tina's really really REALLY annoying me and her mouth is getting gobbier and gobbier. And this feud with her and Kirsty is a non-starter. Tina needs to move out. Why is she still there? It was only meant to be temporary! But the more we see of Kirsty, the more we are realizing that she's not quite what she seems. Tina just might be right now we are seeing more of Kirsty's uber-possessiveness and jealousy of any of Ty's female friends. Any person that isolates you from your friends is to be deemed suspicious.

And the month ended with Sophie and Sian's wedding. The dresses were fairytale lovely. Why on earth would Sian take offence just because Sophie seemed a bit nervous reading her vows? Immediately, she thinks Sophie has doubts and the wedding's off. Huh? Looking at it from Sian's point of view, she has no reason to think that. Looking at it from the viewers' point of view, of course we know that Sophie had a crush on Amber and Amber was pushing all her buttons. Most of us grown ups watching are all thinking "Well they're both too young to get married anyway!"


Katy gives birth while playing Mary at the Nativity play, rather ironically, and almost literally in a manger. Didn't any of the mothers in the audience twig that Katy was having contractions. Owen was taking out his worry on everyone and being vile. Nothing new there, then. The birth was like most soap births, a bit of screeching and then a somewhat greasy baby presented and everyone's happy. Never mind. Katy was home in an instant but then they do that these days. I keep getting the feeling that Chesney and Katy look like kids playing house with a doll. At least they admit to being scared but they're so young! I know Chesney has had a harder life than most and he's had to grow up to survive but Katy has been sheltered and it's not going to be easy for them. I hope that's brought out in storylines in future.