State of the Street - April 2013

Tina is having yet another scan. Izzy and Gary watch with excitement but Tina doesn't want to look at the screen. The technician asks if they want to know the sex. Gary and Izzy look at each other and contemplate and then say they want to know, mainly because Gary's been nagging the life out of Izzy to let him find out. They are thrilled to find out it's a boy and so far, healthy. Tina looks like she's trying to keep her emotions in check.

By the time we get to pre-natal classes, Tina and Gary are laughing and good mates while Izzy is feeling more and more left out. Was this such a good idea? Is Gary starting to develop feelings for Tina who's carrying his baby? I think it's pretty obvious but it's more about the excitement over the baby, isn't it? Whether Gary can separate the feelings is the big question. He's making it more and more obvious and now Anna's radar is up and Tommy's most certainly is. That means more scenes of Tommy's sulky face and whinging but in this case, he's right.

How I'd like this to play out: I do NOT want Tina to fall for Gary. That's too cliche. I'd like if she rejected his affections and it causes awkwardness between she and Izzy and the rest of the Windass clan. I want her to give the baby over as planned and then pine away, realizing that she really did bond with the little one and has a hard time with watching it grow up with other parents.

Right. Let's do the math because I like to pick on these things like a scab:

Tina has the implantation on Monday, October 29. They said her 20 week scan was the one she had on Friday April 5. By my counting, the 20 weeks is the week of March 18. Tina should have been nearly 23 weeks pregnant at the time of that scan and is 26 weeks pregnant this last week of April. Tina's full term should be in early August.

Kylie got pregnant on Christmas day so she would be 18 weeks along this week. She'll be full term the end of September or early October. That's if the writers are going to stick to biological facts or not have one or the other give birth early. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen a soap pregnancy that's gone overdue, not by more than a couple of days past the date they were given. Most babies seem to come on time or early because early makes a preemie and a crisis. Also, most babies never seem to be born in the hospital and that's getting really old and boring now.

Meanwhile Faye is getting more and more out of control and pushing Anna further and further. She's intent on being with her father and you can understand it really. She's only supposed to be 11 and after the life she's had, is it any wonder she wants to feel that connection with her dad after losing her biological mother who'd neglected her. Thing is, though Tim does seem to want to get to know his daughter, I don't think he wants to be a full time dad. I think he'd like to have it both ways. Live the single life and be a dad part time with Anna doing all the hard work but it's hard to say no to Faye.

She used more and more devious tactics culminating in trying to lie that Anna abused her so the Social would take her away but she confessed quickly enough and now she's ensconced in her father's flat and already it's not all the fairy tale ending she thought it would be.  I think all involved in this story are doing a very good job and I always thought the actress playing Faye does a very good job.

I find this storyline frustrating and annoying on one hand but on the other, she *is* only eleven years old and if you think of it from her point of view, she's acting like a lot of kids would in her position and from her background and circumstance. Anna is frustrated and angry and scared that she'll lose Faye and Owen doesn't know which way to look.

Where's Gary in all this? He was the one person that Faye seemed to pay mind to. Surely we should get a nice little scene where he can sit her down and try to help her sort through her own feelings. She would take the advice from him where he's a bit more objective. She adored her big brother there for awhile and now when he's around she doesn't seem to glance his way at all nor he hers. And I'd like this to play out that she realizes that her place is with Anna but that Tim really bonds with her and decides to take responsibility. Maybe something will happen while she's alone and he's down the pub and he'll realize either A. He's not willing to change his lifestyle and she belongs with Anna or B. realizes how much she means to him and sues for custody.

I don't understand why Paul doesn't seem to *really* understand Eileen's fears. Surely Lesley must have been scared for him all the time they were married. They might have made up for now but the cracks are there and they're going to widen. I know that Eileen knew he had a dangerous job but it doesn't seem real until you witness it like she did. I know partners of fire fighters and police officers dread the moment they walk out the door.

On the other hand, Eileen cannot ask him to give up a job that he loves, a job that defines who he is, in his eyes. If he did it, he'd resent her for it eventually and she probably knows that too. It's a no-win situation. I know a lot of people don't like Paul and I'm of two minds. I didn't like how he handled the Lesley vs Eileen situation at all and I do find him a bit selfish but overall he's a good guy and I like Tony Hirst. Eileen needs to find a way to learn to live with his dangerous job and Paul needs to be a bit more understanding. If they can't, it won't last.

It's really painful watching Karl scratch at St. Ella's skirts, desperately and, later, smugly, getting back together with her, all the while looking over his shoulder in case he gets caught for the murderous scum he is. John Michie is an excellent actor, mind, but as a villain, Karl is a bit pathetic. He did leave Sunita to burn and later, allegedly, unhooked her breathing tubes, or if he didn't he took advantage of her pulling them out and smothered her somehow. She may have pulled them out to call for help, you know but she'd have been weak and he only had to put his hand over her mouth for a few minutes to do that damage.

It wouldn't have taken much, no matter how he did it. He was covering his tracks and does seem to feel a bit guilty but now that he thinks he's got his life back again, I think he'll get careless along with the guilt. It doesn't matter, he'll get his comeuppance, it's just a matter of time. And I'm not sure I can stand much more of it! You know, I have daydreams that this would have been a great storyline with, say, Liz McDonald as Karl's beloved. Or, oh I know, Natalie Horrocks. She was a good landlady too. Why didn't they make Natalie Leanne's mother?

It looks like Mary and Dev are going to be the next double act. This could work. I used to like Mary a lot but they turned her a bit nasty and spiteful. With Dev needing a nanny and Mary needing a purpose to her life, they could be a match made in heaven. But not, NOT a romantic one. It will work far better if Mary mothers all three of them and though irritates and annoys Dev at times, really is a lifesaver and a little gem. This could be the making of Mary.

One question though, we've had stories in the past where Sally couldn't mind children because she wasn't a registered child minder. Wouldn't Mary have to be registered somehow or would being hired as a private nanny be a different scenario?

We finally have a Peter and Carla story after months of them being back on the Street with very little to do. Carla buying out Leanne was a smart thing to do even if she did it the wrong way, behind Peter's back. I loved the scenes in the Bistro where Peter kept sniping at Carla and Tracy, going completely against the norm, was nice and defended her brother.

Now it doesn't quite make sense that you'd put your brother in the same workplace as your partner, knowing they dislike each other intensely and it will probably end up being one huge pissing contest between the two men but it would also be awesome if Rob did actually make the bookies a big success which could end up with he and Peter being grudging friends after all and secondly, wipe that smug smirk off the faces of Nick and Leanne!

Now, after another storyline has had a rest, I'm waiting to get back to Who's the Baby Daddy. I would imagine that will be drawn back to the front burner soon. If Tina's 20 or so weeks along, Kylie must be not far behind as well. If Tina is in ante natal classes, why can't we see David and Kylie there too?

I did enjoy the space cake storyline with Sylvia's drug pushing. Harmless and fun and it's always nice to see the "oldies" featured. As for any other storyline, if I haven't mentioned it, it's because i can't be arsed to care about it ;)))) Your mileage may vary.