State of the Street - July 2017

It's the end of an era. The McDonalds have sold the pub for the second and last time and have moved out. I really loved Liz as landlady. She goes down in Corrie history as one of the all time classic landladies in my books, in the same boat as Bet Lynch and Annie Walker and miles better than Natalie Horrocks and Vera Duckworth and we won't even blink sideways at that flash in the pan Ms. Price. It's just not going to be the same with Toyah behind the bar. Nobody could evict a punter from the pub for misdeeds like Liz. (except Bet Gilroy/Lynch) I can't see Toyah being a strong landlady at all, can you?


So Rich used to be Robert's dealer? Robert was a cokehead? Not on this planet. Nope. Sorry. Don't buy it. Robert was a nice guy, probably too nice for the young Tracy Barlow. He was reliable, honest. He returned at the time of Deirdre's funeral and he hadn't changed. A "Fine Upstanding Man", honest, never backward in coming forward to make Tracy see the error of her ways. The only slip in judgement seemed to be his unfortunate marriage to Joni but that doesn't seem to have made any lasting impact. In fact, if anything, I might have believed he struggled while *married* to a cocaine addict, Joni. I suppose the storyline was completely contrived to A. bring Sinead and Chesney back together after Chesney ran afoul of a high-as-a-kite Rich who was terrorizing the Bistro and B. make the subsequent plot line all about Michelle as per usual.

Eva discovered Aidan's affair with Maria and rather than tear Maria's hair out or clobber her on the cobbles, she's taking revenge on Aidan. Only Aidan. So far. I want to know why she's not targeting Maria or maybe she will once everyone knows she knows. I can sympathise with Eva. It's a nasty thing to find out that your fella is having it away let alone with your best friend. And I think she's had more than one boyfriend in the past that's done the same thing. I guess you can't blame her on one hand for wanting revenge but you know, it's not going to be as satisfying as she thinks it will. It never is. She should talk to Michelle about that.

I know. You want the other person to hurt as much as they hurt you but in the long run, what she's doing to him, all these things she's trying to get out of him, goaded on by Adam who's got his own agenda, namely, getting his mucky fingers on the factory. Aidan could even have Eva ended up being prosecuted if he really wanted that. By taking him financially for what she can get, wouldn't that be theft? Fraud? It's morally wrong in any case.

Thing is, Aidan also professes to love Maria but I don't think he really does, any more than he truly loves Eva. He's a player, he doesn't want commitment. As soon as he gets trapped into it, he's looking to get out. He let himself be railroaded into everything Eva wanted in a relationship even though he clearly didn't really want it. He likes to have it all. So when I see Aidan chasing Maria right in front of Eva pretending it's to book an appointment at the salon, or lying to Maria with delay tactics, then yes, sometimes I think he's got it coming and Eva should give it to him with both barrels even though I just said it was morally wrong!

Poor Bethany can't get a break. She feels stupid, she feels worse about herself now than she was feeling when Nathan first started preying on her. It was heartbreaking to hear her tell people she felt rubbed out or broken and unfixable. It seemed like Nathan was going to get away with what he did because there's not enough hard evidence against him. Verbal accusations are apparently not enough, not just one voice. But if they could get more women to speak up...

Sarah found Shona and that very young girl, Lara, and if Mel could be found and persuaded to talk, that might do it. Craig found out the whole truth about Neil and has been threatened for his trouble but Craig is growing into a strong young man and he won't be bullied. He recorded Neil as he lost his temper and admitted everything to Craig, including that he and others paid Nathan for the women. Even though the recording won't be admissable, Bethany finally told the police the rest of the truth which is going to be a great help. It looks like that will be enough with an ensuing investigation into Neil's doings to charge both men. Craig has been a star in all this.

It will be very satisfying to see Neil go down, especially. A cop in a position of trust doing something like this? Oh yes, he will be punished. If I believed in such things, I'd believe he will burn in hell. But if there's a hell, it's going to be what prison will be for Neil. Prisoners that might be murderers, rapists and callous drug dealers will not stand for someone that abuses children. Lara was only 14, remember. Add that to their hatred of the police. Bad enough a policeman goes to jail amid criminals that hate the cops, but a cop that has interfered with young women, many that are underage and therefore still children? Constable Neil in prison? Yeah, he'll be in hell, all right. This story is too important for Neil and Nathan to get away with their crimes. They'll go to trial and they'll be convicted. No spoilers, it's just what has to happen.

Now that Shona's back, it's also quite likely she and David will end up together, as odd as that will be. I'd actually prefer her with someone like Steve if she has to bepaired off with anyone but that probably won't happen. I've heard a rumour about Steve's next relationship and I don't think it works but we'll talk about that next month. 

Adam and Todd have set up in business against Todd's better judgement. He didn't want to have anything to do with Adam. So being talked into it just because Mary made up business cards with both their names on it? Doesn't seem like something that would be very persuasive to me. Easy enough to get new cards made up, He hasn't registered the company name yet. Unless he set this all up by giving Mary enough hints. That's definitely something Adam would do. A passive aggressive way to get Todd on board. It worked anyway. Now they have to fix up that office because it's tacky and looks like something in the basement of a frat house. All they need is a keg in the corner and a stereo system blasting loud music. But Adam keeps doing things that will get him in trouble with the Bar if it ever comes out. He won't have his lawyer credentials long at this rate. He's forged Tracy's signature, he's blackmailing Aidan and using Eva to get his paws on the factory.

Billy and Todd have moved into the flat over the flower shop now that Peter and Toyah are moving into the pub. I'd say that's about time. They really do need their own place and Eileen must be getting tired of having so many people around. It gives them an added incentive to fight for Summer but in the end, Summer came to them and made up her own mind, with the help of her grandfather who had Drew's recently released will in his desk.

That rubbed me the wrong way, too. If someone is in a will, the solicitor is supposed to inform each person named, and isn't there supposed to be a public reading of the will for all involved? They wouldn't just handed it over to the deceased's parents without a word to anyone else, especially where guardianship is involved. The solicitor would have been in touch with Billy, I should think. If Grandad had been illegally paying off the solicitor, or using a friendship, I guess that would work but the solicitor had better hope that kind of thing doesn't get back to the bar. The thing is, if that's what went down, we the viewer were not told so we would have to assume it was all above board and ask why the solicitor didn't contact Billy since he was clearly in the final will and testament.

I like Summer, she's a great kid. She's a bit smart mouthed and has loads of attitude. She's either going to get along great with Amy or she's going to end up "frenemies" with her. Summer might be an orphan twice over but Amy has a mother that had an overturned conviction for murder and a father that's been married 6 times. Equal footing, if you ask me.

Phelan always thought he might have a daughter but now that he's met her, he is pretty sure Nicola is his biological sprog, all grown up. Nicola wasn't happy about it. They never are, these long lost children who have had their world overturned by news like this. But she's curious, too, and had a DNA test done after all and at the end of the month we haven't had the results but I reckon it'll be a positive match. I like her. She's confident, smart, strong, caring and she's not afraid to stand up for herself but she's not tough and edgy or like a loose cannon either. We don't know much about her yet. There have been rumours that Kate Connor is going to find a new love and I have a funny feeling it could be Nicola. I checked, and they're the same age, late 20s. (making Kate a little older than I thought). If Nicola is gay, please, Please don't put her with whiny Sophie!

Brian continues to be an oafish boor. He even went as far as trying to fine Roy for littering when Roy only lost a receipt. Roy even told Brian to pack his backs and move out but once Brian backed down, I suppose Roy allowed him to stay. I wish he hadn't. I liked Brian when he was in the show the first time around but I can't stand him now. 

Anna's still dealing with post trauma, her ego and self esteem in the toilet and doesn't want to be close to Kevin. It's tough on him but he says he understands. But his patience is wearing thing. Kevin has a habit of turning on the roving eye when he doesn't get the attention he thinks he should have. Enter Erica, getting bored with the domesticity that is the Alahan house. Dev's a good man but kind of takes her for granted and she never did really get comfortable with the kids. Kevin's the nearest man and she flirts, he flirts back. Wahey, attention! She takes it the next step further and they kiss but pull back. However, she's been encouraged so she offers it to him on a plate in a hotel. His tongue was on the floor and he nearly took her up on it but Anna realized she was losing him and pulled out all the stops with a heart felt plea and much effort made.

In the interest of being honest, he told her he nearly had an affair and she guessed pretty quickly, dressed like a scarlet woman and told Erica where to get off. Erica slunk back to the corner shop and tried to break up with Dev but he wasn't having it. Suggested they not spend so much time together so she got a job at the Bistro instead of working with him in the shop. I would imagine this is all just a bandaid on a larger break in the relationship. It's not long for this world, methinks.



Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)