State of the Street - January - February 2018

Blog fail award: Me for forgetting to do January's State of the Street and I'm late with this one! I'll try to combine the major points in with February.

Didn't I say that Phelan would reach out and we'd have another body lurking around?  This time, a lovely, gentle man, Luke, got on the trail of where his mate Andy is after  the post has been piling up for months. Not really a lot to be going on with but they needed an excuse to put Luke in Phelan's path.It was a well kept secret for a change and a young actor like this one will do well. I liked him quite a bit. It's too bad none of the women they paired him with were all that interesting as far as "match made in heaven". First, Maria and then Alya. Luke would have been a much better partner for someone like Rana rather than Zeedan.

By the end of February, Phelan's alarm bells are ringing loudly and he suspects Gary is up to something. Then he discovered Seb in Nicola's flat and realizes she's betrayed him. She doesn't believe him anymore. He won't hurt her but he did throw her out (she was staying there after a hospital visit). He's isolating Eileen, trying to keep her from her friends, all of whom keep a dim view of him. She doesn't understand and has already fallen out with Liz over it. Then, at the Mill development site, things are looking to go very badly because the little lake there has to be drained and we all know there are two dead bodies in it. Phelan could play innocent but once they're identified, one being his former tennant and one his former business partner who allegedly scammed him for a lot of money, he'd be front and center in a murder investigation and so he should be!

It's the beginning of the end for Pat Phelan. Some viewers think this has gone on too long but I think it's been great. Some of these villains need a long game to get to the inevitable end or it will feel too rushed. Sometimes, aspects of it are a bit too contrived, I admit that but overall, it's been great and Connor McIntyre has been absolutely superb.

Luke Britton, we miss you. Not in the way Alya does, with what was left of her life's blood draining out daily, just... it's a rotten shame he went so young and horribly. I never bought into Alya and Luke as a couple and certainly not "love's young dream". I do believe you can meet the love of your life but I don't necessarily believe you would know it within 5 or 6 months of dating  someone in that early flush of lust. And since it appears Luke never did introduce Alya to his parents, clearly he was not that into her but has she taken that on board? No. She just hoped she wasn't seen as rude to miss the burial and wake when Mr. and Mrs. B. had no clue who she was in the first place.

Anna's trial went pretty much as expected. In the majority of trials, the person arrested and jailed is never the guilty party and even then, they are often convicted, with new evidence revealing the real guilty party later. However, when you know that an actor is leaving the show, all bets are off. This was a trial for pushing Seb off the ladder and we know she didn't do that. But she is also up on charges for assaulting Eileen (when she thought it was Phelan coming up the steps to the builder's office) and she'll get time for that because she's guilty of that charge.

What I'd really like to see is Anna vindicated and released and then deciding to move away with Faye somewhere. Otherwise, you have Anna in prison with a release date somewhere down the road. Now, does she come back to Weatherfield where, all things being equal, her daughter still lives? But chances are that Faye won't be there anymore as there really isn't much to keep her there other than Tim. Maybe she'll stay with Tim's father and Tim can come back to town with Sally. That will give Anna a place to go on release.

Rana and Kate?  I still don't buy them as a couple. I always thought Kate and Sophie would have been better. Kate could bring some fun into Sophie's life finally and at the moment, they are dating but there's still that draw between Kate and Rana. Poor Rana, though, more or less forced into staying with Zeedan for a year while they build a business financed by her father, just for the sake of putting on a front. That won't last long, I am pretty sure. At this point, I don't think Zeedan will end up with a cafe either. There has been publicity that a British coffee chain, Costa, will have it's name bandied about Weatherfield which means that's already going to be a drain on Roy's business. I can't imagine there would be another cafe, albeit with a different sort of cuisine, opening up nearby.

Bethany as a lap dancer really falls flat for me. When she first worked there, it didn't seem that sleazy at all, certainly not true to reality but during her next stint, she got a bigger reality check with a less sympathetic owner and a lower class of customer. Probably just as glad to get sacked out of that one. I think she needs a bit more counselling!

All this baby business with Eva just makes me hold my head in my hands and sigh. 17 weeks pregnant when she finds out, and ok, not everyone has the most obvious signs and signals. Toyah's surrogate had a miscarriage which must have been nasty because she must have been fairly fair into her pregnancy, too. Secrets and Lies. Toyah hasn't been able to tell Peter and now she's apparently going to raise Eva's baby as the surrogate's and not tell Peter about that, either. It's really going to bite her in the bum and probably throw Peter in a direct path of a bottle of whiskey. Here we go again unless he can manage not to drink.

Carla's duff kidneys were seen to, with Aidan having the operation. During her earlier stay, she had herself seen to with Daniel Osbourne doing the deedl ; Some lovely scenes between Johnny and Roy working out how to share Carla's affections. Carla is bonding with Johnny but Roy knows her better and there's a much stronger bond there as Carla and Johnny are still getting to know each other. I'm suspicious, though, there's something going on with Aidan. He was emotional after the surgery and he's been distant ever since. '

Carla had more than her kidney seen to by young Daniel Osbourne who capably  took the reins. That was one of the oddest couples on Corrie yet.And it feels like Daniel isn't far from an all out crush on her with Peter grimacing from across the bar, jealous in spite of himself. And Daniel? I'm sure he thought all his birthdays came at once but out of this little friendship came a reunion with the woman he really wants, Sinead because it was clear that's what Carla could sense and she pushed them together.

And then there's that story that everyone both assumed ITV forgot and wished the viewers did too and the story that the viewers criticized ITV for not remembering even though it was the worst retcon ever. It's back. I guess ITV gave up trying to make everyone forget that Michelle's son Ryan isn't biologically hers and her bio son Alex is still out there somewhere. He's pitched up as a trainee doctor at  the medical center just a few meters from where his mother lived. He may have assumed his mother could have moved away but I very much doubt it. I reckon he has been secretly tracking her all these years during which neither of them have made much effort to keep in contact. Curiosity, on his part. Now he's back, Michelle would like to have some sort of relationship with him but he's not supposed to be in the show long so I'm predicting once he leaves, there will be a reconciliation and then he'll sink back into the cupboard and we won't hear about him yet again.

Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

Another Corrie Wedding Jilting

Chesney and Sinead's wedding day dawns. Suits are waiting. Soaps are wrapped and decorated as favours. Chesney looks like he's facing the firing squad. But Tyrone and Gemma's ear-bashing rendition of Get Me To the Church On Time manages to raise a smile on our earnest ginger groom. They've brought beer, Chesney has sausage. What more could you want to start your special day!?

Over the road, Kirk is practicing his speech, determining that a nephew is closer than a brother but in any case, it's true. Kirk and Chesney have been very close. Sinead finally arises from her beauty sleep and she's glowing. It's mentioned that Dev has paid for the food, all very appreciated. A nervous Kirk decides to go to see Chesney.

Sinead's Mom and Nan have arrived, both of them dressed completely inappropriately. I love it! Her family, the few times we've seen them, are so over the top that characters like Cilla, or even Liz in her heyday, look like nuns!

Tracy is doing the flowers. She makes sure Daniel gets the full meal deal of wedding and loved up couple talk but he says, glumly, he's very happy for her. Carla comes along and exchanges a few words on the nightmare that is Tracy. Simon ambles along as well and he tries the dinner money scam on her but she sees right through it and sends him on his way.

When next we see Kirk, he's in the ginnel and later in the house practicing the speech. He's at the part where he's talking about Chesney's career. His jokes don't seem to be too obvious. Oh dear.

Carla offers to take Daniel for a cup of tea and when she does, he wants to know what women want in men. Her answer ends up being a lot of contradictions and that's pretty much right. He asks if she wants Peter back but she's emphatic. No. And that's not "No" as in "she protests too much". That's "No, that ship has sailed". She's encouraging him to give it one last shot to convince Sinead to marry him instead.

Gemma has Henry in tow and they are watching Joseph draw a picture of his new family. He calls Sinead his new Mum which makes Chesney uncomfortable. Tyrone tells him he's getting married in a hour so he better get used to it. Henry puts his foot in it making a remark about Joseph's mother and is very embarassed when told by the lad that his mother is dead. Ooops.

Gemma follows Henry outside to the car and his response to her seems a bit off, telling her he thinks she looks great, especially if she was covered in grease (the kebab shop reference). Across the road, Tim has a decorated cab for the bridal party. Sinead's mother gets a grope at Tim's backside before taking her mother to their car.

The bride emerges and her dress is very much in Sinead's style, with a short underdress and a floral sheer mid-calf length overdress, flowers in her hair. Beth is dressed in sparkly hot pinks, purples and greens with bright bows in her hair. A few other guests gather round. Sally and Sophie have handmade fascinators courtesy of Gina and I think they look just fine. Others call over their best wishes.

Just before she gets in the cab, she sees Daniel on the corner looking longingly at her. Chesney spies this exchange from an upstairs window. Daniel heads back towards the ginnel as Tyrone and Kirk call for Chesney to hurry up. Daniel calls Robert and leaves a message to say he's feeling sick and can't come in to work.

At the registry office, Sinead's mother reminisces about Jason. Her nan makes a less than complimentary remark about Kirk, much to Maria's annoyance. Roy, Cathy and Brian are sitting together talking about their favourite buildings in Weatherfield. Gina's fascinator must be meant to outshine Sally's but it's rather like a pink explosion on her head! The male half of the wedding party is practically pacing, waiting for the bride. Kirk panics because he thinks he lost the rings but they're only in another pocket.

The bridal party arrives and Sinead makes her way into the room with Beth, pretty much holding Beth up. That bubbly wine earlier went down far too well! Sally whispers to Sinead as she passes by to ask where Tim is and is told he's parking the car. Now I don't believe for a minute Sally would make such a faux pas.

The bride and groom are in front of the Registrar and the bride looks particularly happy.

But outside, Daniel rushes into the building and approaches the room where the wedding is about to start. Will he or won't he? While we wait to find out, Gemma has go at Henry for yet another sarky comment. Then the door opens but it's a late arriving Craig. Daniel is still out in the entry way looking sad and deep in thought. He walks away.

 

Rings are exchanged. Sinead sincerely pledges her everlasting love. But when Chesney is ready to be-ring her finger, he looks nervous, edgy. He starts his vows emotionally. He has to be prompted by the Registrar but we're not sure he's going to get through it. He backs down. He uses Joseph as an excuse, saying they've rushed it and the lad isn't ready. He tells her he doesn't think they should do this!!

The room is empty next time we see it. Gemma pops her head in to tell them they have to be out soon for the next wedding along. Sinead gives Chesney a load of grief and he tells her he couldn't tell her before then because he hadn't worked it out. Worked out that she'll eventually leave him just like everybody else. Great timing, mate. Humiliating her out of self pity? It comes out though. He saw how she looked at Daniel that very morning. But she assures him she would have married Daniel if that's who she wanted. It isn't. Chesney still thinks it's too much of a risk that they'll break up and it'll be detrimental to Joseph. She's feeling betrayed and well she should. He didn't have the faith in her that he should have.

The guests have convened back at the pub anyway, bringing the news. Carla's there and Toyah hovers over the wedding food, not wanting Carla to have any as she wasn't a guest. Maria asks David to try to find out how Bethany feels about Craig. Gemma accuses Henry of causing the wedding fiasco by his comments making her stressed which Chesney picked up. She ends up dumping Henry. A bit of a stretch. Dev thinks Chesney just lost his nerve. Dev wonders if he can get reimbursed for some of the food even though it's already been paid for and people are eating it.

Sinead, Beth and Kirk have returned to Maria's flat. Sinead is gutted, looking down over at the Rovers where she should be now, celebrating. Kirk is happy, at least, he doesn't have to do his speech. Beth shoots him a very killing look over her shoulder while Sinead sobs in her Auntie's arms.

Chesney and Tyrone are picking the meat off the bones of the wedding. Chesney admits he's still mad about Sinead. He's convinced she'd leave him eventually and he could have lived with it if it weren't for Joseph. Tyrone tells him he should have had more faith. Chesney says he won't regret his decision. But Roy arrives. Good old Roy. More of a dad to Chesney than he ever had with any of Cilla's many men.

At the end of the day, it's just Chesney and Joseph.

And here are a few more photos of the fashions of the day, particularly Gina's fascinators!

 

Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

Random comments

Luke is dead at the hands of Pat Phelan because you know, once you've killed, it's not  quite so difficult to kill again. It was a bit of a gruesome death, though, burned alive in an exploding car. What I wondered was...what was Pat's plan previous to that where he got Seb's fingerprints on the gun? Was he going to set up Seb for the death of Andy and Vinny should the bodies surface? The big hole there is that Seb wouldn't have any motiviation. He didn't even know them. Did Phelan check to see where Seb actually was on the night they were killed? The bodies have been in the water awhile, I don't know if they could with any certainty know the exact day they were killed. And now that Pat used the gun himself, the prints will have been worn off by the gloves her was wearing.

Let's move over to Rana who was frantically trying to get hold of Luke all day. We know his battery died but the voice messages would still be saved on the phone company's system. Luke thought Rana was pregnant but she's now lied to Zeedan and brushed off Luke's remarks as having got the wrong end of the stick. She was terrified that Luke would tell Zeedan that he was told directly that Rana was pregnant. He can't tell anyone anything now but the voice mail messages might raise some interesting questions. 

Are the bodies about to resurface? Whose shoe popped up coincidentally when Phelan was at the pond? That was a bit contrived.

Rana's brother, Imran, is now in the show. We haven't seen much of him yet but so far I think I kind of like him. Charming but not too cheeky and annoying or arrogant. A good foil for Adam who thinks very much of himself. Is he an actual solicitor or is he a paralegal like Todd? He's newly single, as well. My guess is Maria. She is usually the first one a single man sleeps with before he settles down with someone else, isn't she? Wouldn't it be nice to see him take a shine to Izzy?

Jude and Angie are still around, I see, and not found a home of their own yet. When ITV opens up the set to new streets or parts thereof, I am guessing that's where their home will be. Poor Sean ends up losing both of his jobs though neither was due to Jude and Angie. But if you go blabbing about a patient's personal health in public like he did while talking to Eileen, it was right that someone report him. It's down to him that he chose to quit because Dr. Gaddas was only going to give him a warning. He also lost his lodgings so he does what a lot of people have been doing lately, turn up on the doorstep of Number 9. I guess all these guests are putting that loft conversion to good use. Poor kids still don't have a place to play but the lodgers have a place to crash. Or so it seems.

Peter sacking Sean seemed a bit abrupt but I don't think Peter was ever comfortable with Sean behind the bar. He knew that Sean was Team Liz and probably felt that Sean would rather be working for the McDonalds. Sometimes you gain staff with a business that you kind of have to keep but they'd be the first ones you'd replace if you had the opportunity. I wonder if Peter will take him back?

Daniel turned on the self sacrifice to push Sinead away. It's clear he still loves her but he ended up telling her he never loved her. The wedding is coming up soon. The thing is, I do think Sinead is better off with Chesney, they have much more in common. They do make for a deadly ordinary couple but Sinead and Daniel never did click for me, either.

I've never liked Michelle, but this week she surpassed my low expectations for her. How on earth would she believe that Steve missed paying her 10K in the divorce settlement? I reckon she probably knows down deep that he is making excuses and she has no guilt taking his hard earned money but she also had no guilt robbing the Bistro and defrauding the insurance company with rigged and untrue claims on how much was in the till. If she's wiling to do that, she certainly has crossed that line; it's only a matter of time.

It seems wrong seeing Tracy and Steve looking all loved up. It has to go wrong, it always does. I'm with Amy, the pair of them are toxic to each other. Most of the time they have known each other since Amy was conceived they've hated each other. There was only one brief moment that they were a real couple and that's only because she got pregnant with twins. Then she ruined it all by losing the babies and lied that Becky pushed her down the stairs. It feels like they've put them together because they don't know what else to do with them. Both Steve and Tracy are settling for each other rather than be alone.

Carla's back and I'm thrilled but since she needs a kidney transplant, likely from a family member, I have a bad feeling. Johnny could never be a donor because of his MS diagnosis but there are enough Connors to pick from. Someone's going to be a match and there's always a possibility that someone will die and be a donor that way. That person may or may not be a family member. In the meantime, the burning question on everyone's lips is ... who will they pair Carla with? Will they split up Peter and Toyah? Carla had more chemistry in one scene with Peter than Toyah has, that was evident. Toyah knew it, too. Should they put Peter and Carla back together? Probably not.

It's a pity we've lost Bruno Langley. That really put a ragged rip in the storyline fabric that is going to be difficult and awkward to set right. I hope Summer comes back and I hope Billy doesn't lose her to that awful Geraldine.

And finally, Brian and Cathy are moving into number 12, the flat he used to own with Julie. When Brian left the show, there was talk about Julie buying his half and she couldn't afford to. It seemed to be a dropped subject after that and we don't know  that the flat was sold or not. It's been empty for a couple of years. Now Brian has the key and he's moving into it. Has he had the key all along? there has been no word that he re-purchased it or contacted the new owner so I must assume he still owns it or a share of it. And if that's the case, why on earth was he blagging a place to stay with Norris and later, Roy? For the comedy value? Because I can tell you there wasn't any of that for me. Inquiring minds want to know why the continuity elves missed this one.


Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

State of the Street - December 2017

I was away most of November and there was too much to catch up on so we'll have to skip up to December.

Phelan is aiming all guns at Anna, determined to bring her down and using Seb to do it. He's expert at double talk, convincing Seb of what he thinks he remembers, kind of like that snake in Jungle Book hissing around his ears! Anna didn't get bail so she's locked up for now but when she hears about Gary's "death", she fights back. I should say, Gary's "alleged" death because I never did think he would be confirmed as dead. Why? Two words. Miracle. Christmas. Tis the season and all that. I half expected him to show up unharmed at the holidays but we didn't even have to wait that long. It was maybe two days and he was back as if nothing had happened. Oh, you were worried? I fail to understand why he didn't guess that all of his stuff got blown up leading his family to think he was dead. Ok, his phone was destroyed but surely he could have found a phone that worked somewhere.

Doesn't matter. David found out about Nicola and the baby while he was gone and tried to keep it secret out of respect for Sarah's grief but when Gary came back he tore him a new one. Gary promised to tell Sarah the truth but David just couldn't wait. Now I didn't think that David told her who the woman was but on Christmas Day, Sarah was drunk and screamed at Eileen across the road about Nicola and Gary and that Nicola wasn't in Australia after all. Continuity error? Very possibly.  I reckon Gary would have chickened out anyway. Sarah was rightly pissed and threw Gary out. I wonder if that's the final flop in a relationship that's been non stop flip flop, on again off again! I don't blame her and she shouldn't take him back ever but it's a soap.

And Anna? She ended up losing Kevin over the scandal and ran away from a  hospital visit. She didn't get very far, and the escape alone is likely going to have her banged up even if she's proven innocent of the original Seb charges. While she was hiding out, she assaulted Eileen at the builder's yard with a bolt cutter, thinking she was Phelan coming up the stairs. That's going to be another thing that will keep her behind bars.  I'm sure we're on the slope downward to Phelan's comeuppance but I'm still not sure how it's going to come about. Anna must be involved with it somehow because she's due for payback for what Phelan did to her. Whether it will be a fight to the death is anyone's guess. Maybe Eileen and/or Nicola will be part of it, too, so that Phelan ends up with nothing, no wife, no daughter, no granddaughter. All of his self-illusion can come crashing down.


Mary struggled with her worries about baby George and why it seemed to her people weren't investigating deep enough into why the baby kept getting ill. When Jude and Angie decided to return to South Africa, however, Mary's friends rallied round to help prevent it. Tracy stole the passports and Norris went all superhero on them! I'm not quite sure what he thought his protest would do but it was nice of him anyway.

They finally discovered that the child is allergic to the kind of sugars found in fruit. Jude and Angie have a lot of sucking up to do even if Mary is inclined to look the other way since they're going to stay in Weatherfield for now. I'm not even going to get huffy at Jude for his attitude towards Mary for giving him up as a baby. Let's face it, it's a lot to get your head around. The circumstances came from rape and the baby was taken from her and he didn't seem to register that but I don't really think that would be out of the ordinary for someone to react like that at first. They'd come around eventually and it looks like Jude is starting to think in the right direction. If Angie hadn't been so preoccupied, struggling with her post natal depression and thinking Mary was trying to hurt her baby, she'd probably have told Jude a thing or two to sort him out!


Robert has had an operation to determine the severity of the testicular cancer and his hair has gone completely silver. I never thought of him as dying his hair but yes, if he did, then a spell in prison with no access to it would result in a grey head of hair. It still doesn't make him any more interesting. He's so much in denial that he does what he always does, gambles at the casino and puts his business in jeopardy. That was the intent of the cancer storyline I think, rather than a story about him struggling to recover. Lop one of them off and do a test and it's all clear. This is about financial woes.

This time, Michelle is a business partner and it'll be all about her, too. Not that she needed any excuses for that. What does she do to help? Stage a robbery and scam the insurance company. Good Grief. Steve found out about the financial problems, though, and I think he wants to get involved which is going to put a bump in the newly paved road of his and Tracy's reunion. Don't get me started on that. I don't agree with it and it feels forced. Why does everyone have to be part of a relationship?

Aidan and Alya's business struggles to get off the ground. Not really interested, sorry. The end result was 1. Aidan getting Carla to back him to buy the factory off Johnny and 2. dealing with the company they've got an order for, a company whose  owners are nasty pieces of work, sexist and racist to start with and every other kind of "ist" you probably care to mention. Still not really interested in this one though it is good to see Carla back.

Johnny wants to retire to Spain on the insurance money from the factory. Here's another plot hole/continuity error. I thought Aidan's was the name on the partnership papers. Is Carla still a majority partner? Doesn't she have a say in the matter? Or did she sign over/sell her share to Johnny when she left town? Anyway, Carla's back, she's decided to back Aidan and she's got a secret.Turns out she's dealing with kidney failure and only Roy knows. If she needs a relative for a transplant, I've got a bad feeling. You don't have to get a transplant from a dead person, a donor has a healthy kidney removed and can live with one quite well but what if that's what happens? One of Carla's family is identified as the donor and dies? It would have to be either her brother Rob or Aidan or Kate. Johnny's MS would preclude him as a family donor and the only other blood relative, little Liam, is too young, I would think.


Luke has decided that 12 months of Andy's mail piling up is time to investigate rather than just send it all back saying "Not at this address". They believe Andy left town after he left Steph so there was no reason to believe he was ever coming back. Andy's old mate says Andy never got to Bristol and for some reason Luke thinks Pat Phelan was the next one to ask even though the two of them were barely nodding acquaintances to most of the Street.  Is it because Phelan was the landlord? He lied and said he's been in touch with Andy who may be in Birmingham. Is this going somewhere? Will Luke find the bodies in the pond?

Billy turned himself in over attacking Peter, gave police a chance to connect his fingerprints to an old robbery and burned out car. Turns out he was a bad lad back in the day. Also, he was responsible for the car crash that killed Susan Barlow or he thinks he was. He was in the car when it crashed and didn't insist on them calling for help so he's the designated guilty party in his mind. It's even worse, and quite a huge coincidence that he ends up living in the same street as the orphaned boy, Adam, but that's a soap for you.

Then we were in for weeks of Billy looking dreadful, feeling guilty and shamed and teetering on the fence of whether to tell Adam the truth or not. It was never a matter of if Billy would confess to one of the Barlows, it was a matter of when and Christmas seemed as good a time as any! For his honesty, Billy spent the night in the boot of Peter's cab and when Peter let him out, he lost his balance and went over a cliff! He survived, just, and the Barlows have closed ranks. Billy doesnt tell that Peter was the one more or less responsible for his injury and they won't tell he was more or less responsible for Susan's death. But it looks like Adam might be the loose cannon there.

Todd didn't know any of the car stuff but things were getting out of hand and he knew that Billy told Peter of his original involvement and we're told that Todd decided to take Summer away somewhere to get away from all the aggro. In reality, the actor has been fired and has left the show abruptly so this is a hasty rewrite. I hope they bring Summer back, though, at some point.


Rana and Kate are in a full blown affair even though Rana is now legally married to Zeedan and protests that she loves him as well as Kate. She knows what the scandal will do to her family and how they'll react towards her and she's scared stiff. I'm surprised because throwing traditions to the wind in the past never seemed to bother her. I'm not all that interested in this storyline either because, while this sort of thing happens and straight women discover they're attracted to women, I never bought Rana as one of those women. Then again, I've never really been overly interested in Rana at all and that's probably the main reason this storyline lets me down.

Chesney is going to be marrying Sinead in the new year and he's being busy trying to undermine her tentative friendship with Daniel by setting up Daniel to look bad in her eyes. Daniel has decided to do the same thing in return and prove that he's the one Sinead really loves. Tracy is helping Chesney for reasons only known to her and Adam is goading Daniel on. Feels like school yard shenanigans to me. 

Christmas and the subsequent holiday season on the Street really felt lacking in my opinion. In the old days, the pub was the centre of celebrations both on Christmas Day after happy and unhappy families coped with the holiday and on New Year's Eve. This year, we barely saw anyone in the pub on the 25th and aside from a pre-party scene in the pub on New Year's Eve, the rest of the celebrations were in the Bistro with only a bare handful of characters rather than a packed Rovers full of old friends. I wrote more about it here.

Hope you all have a wonderful 2018!


Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

State of the Street - October 2017

October started off with a bang and the trial of Nathan and Neil. Kind of wished there were more courtroom scenes because it seemed to be over so quickly. Bethany did really well in court though they did their best to twist her words and discredit her. Craig fared worse, the barrister making him look pretty sad and incompetent though he ended off rather well, I thought, with the Bible waving and insisting he always tells the truth. Nathan and Neil putting a spin on their activities was creepy, wasn't it?

I tried to watch it as if I was a jury member hearing Nathan for the first time. Did he come across insincere? I really couldn't tell because I did know he was bullshitting high and deep, really trying to work the jury members and sucking up, putting on a performance with the face emotion. Surely that came across like it actually was, an arrogant deviant trying to wriggle out of the charges like he had so many times before. Even his barrister was very clearly disgusted with him. I bet she felt dirty every night when she got home! He got caught up in his own ego, though, when the the police followed the money and it led back to him. Isn't that what they always say? Follow/find the money? In the end all were pronounced guilty as we knew they would be. Soap Law dictates they wouldn't get away with it.

It was a near thing, though, with the drama of Mel kidnapping Bethany to stop her testifying. Mel was a figure to feel sorry for, though, so under Nathan's control as she was. She had nothing else and he had worked his way into her brain for many years. As Bethany pointed out, he kept her around to make the other girls feel safe. I thought she often showed regrets and feelings of guilt at times, especially when Bethany really started poking holes in her perfect wall of excuses. She must have felt particularly bad about luring young Lara in so that when she killed herself, it cracked Mel's exterior and she couldn't avoid the truth any longer. We all hope she does find a better life. Wonder if she'll ever appear in Weatherfield in the future?

Rita was diagnosed with a brain tumour and didn't know if she'd have the operation to remove it in spite of the fairly good prognosis. It fell to Norris to listen to her fears and help her get through it. It was a lovely scene with the two of them. She really was afraid she'd not be the woman she was but without the operation, she already was becoming that stranger. I can't imagine the Street without Rita but if the actress has/had decided to retire, I know people would want Rita to have a proper send off and if that meant a fatal brain tumour, well it would allow Barbara Knox to go out on a high note of drama. We rarely see the full force of her acting chops these days and you forget what she can do.

Just prior to the operation, while she was working up to it, the odious Colin from that Mr. and Mrs. competition that Norris and Mary had blown out to be with Rita was lurking around. He wants to buy the Kabin from Norris and the flat from Rita and we saw a brief scene where he talked about backdating a document. He also went to the hospital when Rita was first admitted and it seems he's got her signature on an agreement to sell to him, obviously taking advantage of her state of mind and emotional upset. She's got to find a way of breaking the contract if her results are good and she will be sticking around, but it shouldn't be too difficult. A doctor can point to the tumour and it's effect on her memory making her not responsible, surely.

I really think the character of Colin is thoroughly detestable and cringeworthy. I really could have done without that aspect of the storyline altogether. I don't even "Love to Hate" him, and  the fact that he's a temporary character  is the only thing that makes me say I'll never watch Corrie as long as he's on it because I come perilously close to feeling like that when I see his face.He strikes me as a character in the long tradition of boobs like Reg Holdsworth and the type of person Norris Cole was when he first came into the show in the 90s and even Derek Wilton to an extent. Thinking far too highly of themselves when they're really just ridiculous little losers but Derek had a soft side to him in his love for Mavis and Norris in his return to the Street had slightly humbled as well. I still don't like Norris much but I can accept him now. Holdsworth was such a comic idiot that I never minded him. As a double act with Curly Watts, he was funny now and then and was always an object of ridicule to all the other characters. Colin is in the same realm of my contempt that the early Norris Cole was. Just go away.


The factory is empty, roofless and reeling. Will it be able to rise from the rubble yet again as it has so many times before? Everyone suspects Eva and Adam might have had a hand in its downfall but there's no proof just yet. Eva feels terrible and she should be livid with Adam who went ahead with the plan even though he'd been told not to. He might have thought it was too late but really, he could have called it off. He was too greedy and it didn't get him the factory, just a bit of revenge on the Connors. It may lead to his downfall in the long run, I don't know. I hope that the factory will rise again and I've heard rumours but I will avoid spoilers.


Phelan still has Andy in the cellar and is getting well and truly sick of it yet he can't let him go. But with Daniel starting to root around, digging up dirt on him, it looked like he may have the solution. He keeps saying he's no killer but he comes very bloody close and he's decided that he can replace Andy in the cellar with someone else, leaving Andy to do the day to day care which was Andy's idea in the first place. Turns out, it's not going to be Daniel though it looked like it for awhile. He managed to shut Daniel's investigation down cold. But Daniel's investigations  into Phelan's failed building project has turned up Vinny's mother. Remember Vinny? The one that ran with the cash and double crossed Phelan?

Phelan has challenged Vinny to a showdown, he used Vinny's mother and has got the cash Vinny owed him. Now Vinny's in the cellar *with* Andy.   Daniel would have too many people asking questions if he disappeared, as would any of Phelan's other enemies on the Street. Vinny really has no ties other than a mother who expects a phone call once a year.

You noticed that Phelan told Andy that it was Vinny who was the reason Michael died. I figured he was going to push Andy's buttons and give Andy a reason to want to kill Vinny. Andy won't really think he has anything to lose after being locked away in a rat infested cellar for nearly a year.

But that's now how it went down.  Phelan forced Andy to kill Vinny and had to badger him relentlessly until he pulled the trigger. Andy turned the gun on Phelan but didn't shoot again. Phelan then shot Andy. It seems so unfair that Andy lived all that time in a cellar as a prisoner only to be killed anyway but from Phelan's point of view, he really didn't have a choice. It's the beginning of the ultimate end. Murdering scum cannot get away with it. I'm really enjoying this storyline mainly due to the mighty Connor McIntyre!

Billy and Todd have their hands full with Summer who reacted so badly after they were rowing on the day that her late father's birthday was marked that she took a dare and smoked some drugs and collapsed. It wasn't your bog standard marijuana, it was laced with something called spice which is really a thing apparently and a bad thing. Because it was Simon that dared her, Billy ended up violently laying into Peter who was possibly unintentionally pushing Billy's guilt button. It was shocking to see Billy react like that and so soon after he stole the money from the law office thinking it was Adam's profit from the factory job. He played Robin Hood but it was actually Shona's money. Still, that's two strikes for the vicar. Will there be a third?

Then Billy turned himself in even though Peter wasn't going to press any charges. I've seen a spoiler that indicates to me that the only reason this happened is that it leads to his fingerprints connecting him to an old unsolved case. I like Billy but he can be a bit sanctimonious at times. I understand his position, he needs to be an example but he's also putting his family in jeopardy and they could end up losing Summer to Social Services' Care or worse, to her grandparents. It's actually very interesting to see how Todd has turned around from someone that didn't want to be a father into someone that's really bonded with Summer and really taken to fatherhood like a duck to water even if his moral judgment is a bit too liberal at times!  Telling her it's ok to break the rules sometimes probably wasn't the best thing to say!

Sally's running for mayor and it was mostly a quiet month on the campaign trail though she's not best pleased that her own sister is backing the opposition, a man in a bee suit. Honestly, you wouldn't think someone like Kirk would be able to fill out all the forms you have to do when you submit your name for candidacy as well as come up with the fee. At least, that's how it works here where I live. Maybe it doesn't work like that in the Manchester area. It's all played for a laugh so why aren't we getting more scenes to laugh at? By the time it happened, the election was very much an anti climax.

Sally won but only by 51 votes. Kirk's conscience was pricked by the fact that he really isn't a politician and was only in it for a laugh, she being the better candidate. He threw his support behind her at the last minute. Otherwise, it could have been him wearing that chain and he would have been a terrible mayor. But surely there were more than just the two candidates? I can't imagine all those town councillors and other politically minded citizens thinking it's a great idea to have an election come down to one semi-qualified person with a bit of political experience and a doofus in a bee suit. "Oh well, Sally Metcalfe who was a councillor for 5 minutes and a bee mascot, there's no point in me throwing my hat in the ring. I've only got 30 years experience on the town council"

Peter and Toyah are pregnant via the surrogate. So far it's very much off screen. I wonder if we'll see more on that. Eva's at loose ends but with a flat to her own name. I wonder if she kept the pink car as well. Very much a hollow victory. Be careful what you wish for.The Devster has leaped off into another relationship, this time with Sally's sister Gina. I don't think they're suited any more than he was with Julie or Erica but it's put a smile on his face and even more, hers. Isn't it wonderful to see Gina's smile? She's usually moaning and whinging, resentful of Sally, worried about bills. To see her coming down them stairs with Dev completely relaxed and happy? Looked like a different person altogether and you realize just how pretty Connie Hyde is!

Nicola is pregnant too, minutes after shagging Gary Windass. But she got quite a shock. Anna finally told her the truth about what happened between she and Phelan and Nicola saw that Anna wasn't lying. Add to that, her mother's friend's reaction to Phelan's photo and Nicola dug in and discovered his mother did not have an affair, she was raped. Nicola confronted Phelan with it and even then he couldn't accept what he did with her mother was rape though finally did admit that he forced Anna by blackmail. He can't take responsibility for his own actions and he's a classic sociopath and narcissist. What a great villain, though!




Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

I can't wait

When  I'm watching Coronation Street, There are storylines that really engage me. I watch with relish. I anticipate. I wait for the next thing that's going to happen. I speculate. I really look forward to seeing some things such as...

Phelan is now a murderer. He will be taken down and will have to face the music.
I can't wait.

Will his vendetta against Anna ultimately be his downfall? Or will he kill her? Maybe he will and then get caught. However it happens...
I can't wait!

Nicola is having Gary's baby. Sarah will have to find out at some point because these things never stay secret for long. I like Gary and Sarah together, and I don't think Gary and Nicola suit as well. So what's going to happen when this all hits the fan?
I can't wait!

Rita finds out tonight if the tumour operation was a success. I've got a good feeling  about this. But she sold her flat to that odious Colin so she'll still have to contend with that. Surely her being under the influence of a brain tumour is a legal enough reason to back out of the contract. Come on Adam, you're slithery. You can sort it out.
I can't wait!

Mary's finally got the family she always wanted but it's off to a very rocky start. There's a lot more going on between she and Angie than she realizes with Angie having trouble bonding with baby George and upset that her new mother-in-law seems to be taking over ably. Poor Jude is getting stuck between a rock and  a hard place. Her new BFF, Toyah, is a councillor, maybe she'll be a help?
I can't wait.

Sally is now the mayor of Weatherfield. What does that make Tim? Surely there will be a lot of conflict when she needs him by her side at formal functions. If last week's episodes are anything to go by, she's going to have to make sure she doesn't let politics overrun her family life. She did say she needed to keep her priorities straight. Someone's going to have to keep her grounded. I hope we get to see a bit of Sally the Politician and see her be successful at it.
I can't wait!

The factory is in ruins. Will it ever rise like a phoenix again? Surely it will. I'm hoping when Carla comes back, she'll put that factory back on the map.
I can't wait!

The whole Connor family seems to be in disarray. Maria made a fool of herself over Aidan who made a fool of himself right back and Eva played them both for fools and she ended up with a flat and a car. An empty victory, I think. Johnny and Jenny got married but starting up the factory seems to be too much for him to think about. Kate's in love with a married woman. They all need their collective heads knocking together. It bears repeating...

Carla's coming back!!
I can't wait!


Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)