The Big Week, The Big Reveal

Wow! ITV really pulled out all the stops this week, didn't they? There were a few smaller fill-in storylines but mostly it was one major surprise after another. Big things were revealed, one or two which were superbly timed.

First we had Ken remembering Daniel was his assailant. The viewer knew by the end of last week and watched as Daniel quickly fell apart, guilt, pain, long held damage and resentment, it was all there as he attacked his father but wait, the door opens, that bookcase blocking the way shudders as someone tries to push through...just as Ken is accusing Daniel of killing his mother, his mother shows up on the other side of the door! I knew Denise would be back in the show but I had no idea it would be just then. Excellent stuff! Now to find out why she left and why she stayed away. A breakdown? That lasted for 6 years? And she had no friends at all in the  world she could send to check up on him?

Denise's reveal was that she'd had a breakdown and stayed away because she thought he'd be better off without her and still believes it. If she could see throught he walls of that bathroom to see her son trying to cut himself, scald his hands and shake and cry in a little heap in the corner, maybe she'd rethink that statement. *I* wanted to smack her for that. Daniel was about to have that discussion with his mother when he finally came out but the police showed up. Sinead had found the bloody book and oh too familiar inscription and the penny dropped there, too. But in the end, it was her that called the police.

Daniel turns himself in. I wonder if he could claim temporary insanity because he certainly is a damaged boy, no thanks to his mother. The detective is  practically spitting coins because Ken won't press charges. I didn't expect he would so that wasn't a surprise. Now the way forward is to find a way to help him. I think this was my favourite of the big stories this week, because I've been following it with great interest from the first, spellbound especially by Rob Mallard's performances.

Next up, Craig inadvertently revealed to Shona exactly who Bethany's boyfriend really is. Nathan was the ex that Shona was running from at Christmas, the ex that she has told people abused her, with at least one burn scar to prove it. When she confronted Nathan, she got away but was attacked and left for dead. Craig proves yet again to be the hero and rescues her, just days after helping a lost Bethany.

Nathan is feeding Bethany drugged drinks, just enough to keep her pliant but she kicked off so he dragged her outside and wielded his control by shouting, physically burning her arm and then blaming his actions on her. Typical abuser. She'll do anything to make up to him now, convinced she caused his anger. This really is painful to watch, painful in that your heart breaks for her.  The next reveal was Shona managing to get out of the hospital to warn the Platts about what Nathan was doing with Bethany sending them running en masse to rescue her.

They weren't in time to prevent the 3-on-1 in the bedroom, which was quite chilling to see, those men filing into the room behind her and Mel ensuring she stayed there. I didn't expect that. It's one thing to imply that she's heading into the bedroom and has had sex with a crooked copper, it's quite another thing to put her in a Three Men and a Bethany situation, even if it is after the watershed early air time but they went there, apparently. Bethany was "rescued" though she doesn't see it that way and refuses to take against Nathan. But I wonder if, at the end of the last episode when she looked at the burn on her arm and then her engagement ring, a little flash of doubt passed her mind. Just for a brief moment. One more reveal, Shona told the police that she ran away from Nathan when she realized what Nathan was trying to do so it sounds like she wasn't used sexually after all.


The thing is, now that we know Nathan's cohort in the whole scheme is a police officer, it's going to make things more difficult to prosecute him even when he was arrested at the flat. I'm not sure where the raid came from but I suspect one of the Platts probably called them while on the way. This ongoing story has been very interesting to watch, too, even if the subject matter is difficult. This happens. It's important because it might help someone. And, again, the performances, especially by Lucy Fallon and Chris Harper as the creepy Nathan have knocked it out of the park.

Nick's a good man with the kids, really he is. He did try to help bring them all together for Simon's sake but couldn't resist getting into it with Peter yet again, trying to prove he's the better football player. With Simon walking away in disgust, Nick's in the bad books again. When Leanne overheard that he could have provided Peter with an alibi the night his father was attacked, that was the last straw. He was willing to say nothing if it would get Peter out of their lives, not caring what the effect on Simon would be. He says he trusts Leanne but he feels like he doesn't belong. He would if he was able to accept Peter and Steve and be a decent man instead of someone that always has to have all the prizes.

His lifelong sense of entitlement is his downfall. He's always taken advantage of Leanne when she's been vulnerable, knowing she always leans on him when she's been heart broken or let down. She's continually the one that gets away, that one that keeps leaving him when he messes up, trying to be her one and only. That's what happens when one person loves more than the other, when one person's definition of love is possession and triumph. He lost her again and knew it. Peter was a bit harsh, suggesting he throw himself into the sea. He didn't really consider it but he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and nearly drowned under the quicksand.

Peter was then the one that kept Nick talking, trying to make him angry enough to fight to live. It worked and Nick was rescued just in time. Acrimony aside, there was no way Peter nor Steve would ever let Nick drown if they could do anything to help or get assistance. Nick would do the same for either of them. I think. Nick says he wouldn't but I think if the situation was presented to him, he would. Don't forget that Nick saved Peter's life after the tram crash. Then again, he also lured Peter back to drinking afterwards and had been having an affair with Leanne who was engaged to Peter at the time. Peter, flawed as he is, is definitely the better man.

Previously, as far as spoilers went, it was left up in the air whether he'd survive or not. ITV was very cagey about it. They're getting a lot better and keeping some things back as surprises which is a good thing. We knew the actor was leaving, would they actually kill off Nick? I really didn't think so but it was a close call, wasn't it? Nail biting stuff.

In the end, Nick gave up and walked away. Leanne was ready to stay with him after nearly losing him but she was that close to walking away before that. If he hadn't nearly died, he wouldn't have changed his attitude and even if they got through that day, it would never have gone the distance. He knows that very well. He told his mother that he didn't like the man he was turning into, and he wasn't coming back. I can't think of anyone that needs a fresh start more than Nick Tilsley and maybe he'll even manage to get Leanne out from under his skin. Will he be gone forever? Probably not. I would imagine that they will recast Nick some day and bring him back.

But for now, that's the end of Nick on our screens. At least he said goodbye to his mum! Yet another really good storyline. As much as I really dislike Nick, the chemistry between Ben Price, Jane Danson and Chris Gascoyne especially just leaps off the screen. Georgia Taylor and Jane Danson still have that sibling dynamnic, too. While it might have felt a bit out of character for Leanne and Steve to have sex in the first place, it certainly kicked off a lot of drama and a long running storyline.

In the minor leagues, Cathy finally kisses Brian after him faffing around his superstitions for half the week. I fail to see what she sees in him. It's Anna's 50th birthday and Kevin's organized a surprise party for her with Erica's help in keeping Anna out of the house until the appointed time. Anna's still finding it difficult to get close to Kevin due to her low self esteem over her burns. Careful, luv, Kevin doesn't respond well to partners who find reasons to shy away from his advances, even if they're good ones. Just ask Sally.

What a week of Corrie! I think this was one of the best "big weeks" I have ever seen on Coronation Street.There wasn't a lot of lightness or fun, very little humour and mostly what there was of it, Brian's buffoonery and susperstition, was just annoying. I wanted to get back to the drama and there was plenty of that.


Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

Nick Tilsley, Master of Passive Aggression

Watching Nick lay a shedload of guilt on Leanne this week and then proceed to flirt with the hen party, keeping a close eye on how Leanne was reacting had my blood boiling. I've often seen Nick use passive aggressive methods over the years to manipulate Leanne and it is really a nasty side of his personality.

Leanne kept pushing him away because she's pregnant with someone else's baby so he made his speech, forlorn face, resigned to her never loving him back as much as he loves and always has loved her. Never mind, I'll get over it. It'll take time but if that's what you want, I'll go along with it. *sigh*  All the while, Leanne's tearing up and feeling more and more guilty because she does love him and wants to be back with him but can't deal with telling him about the baby.

And that's another thing. I do believe that Leanne is the love of Nick's life. He has loved others, and I believe he did love Carla. She was even more hard work than Leanne could be! But for him, it always comes back to Leanne. But while I do believe she was over the moon about him when she was 16, caught up in the excitement of it all, running away to get married, I also don't believe he was the love of her life. He was just her first love and I always felt that when he insisted on her having an abortion when they were first married back in the 90s, he broke something in her. Add on to that, he put her in harm's way when he set her up to be the one that met the man that killed his father. That hurt and betrayal never really left her and he never truly apologized for it, either.

Every time Leanne went back to Nick after they'd both grown up, it felt like she was either running from commitment (the affair when she was about to marry Peter) or rebounding (after her divorce from Peter). I felt like she settled for Nick. She does care for him, he's familiar and safe in her mind, and she probably does love him after a fashion but Nick pushes and manipulates and uses passive aggressive methods to do that.

Now it seems she's planning to leave town, likely the best move considering she needs that distance from Steve and Michelle and it's not really a spoiler to guess that Nick will come running to persuade her to stay. Then when he finds out about Steve being the father of the baby, it'll all start up again. Snarky remarks, testosterone pushing him to lock horns with Steve on the mountain top, metaphorically, because it's all about him, always has been.

I'm sure there are Nick and Leanne fans out there, but I'm not one of them. If Robert hadn't turned out to be a bit of an arse, I'd have said they would have made a much better couple and I'd certainly bet Leanne could stand up to Tracy better than Carla did. You don't mess with a Battersby. Alas, I think Nick and Leanne are probably Corrie's Ken and Deirdre for the new era, the couple that will go around and around, on and off many times over the years and end up settling for each other in their old age if both characters stick around.




Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

Here's how it should go down

Tracy is holding Carla hostage and it just isn't right. Carla is nobody's bitch and there's no way the Carla we all know and love would put up with Tracy's blackmail. The funny thing is, I think if Nick had found out about Carla and Robert's one night stand, he'd have understood. He knew that Carla was in a bad way and he knows that she lashes out and gets self destructive when she's in a state. I don't think he'd have dumped her for the infidelity though he might have sacked Robert.

Now, it's gone on too long and Carla is manipulating Nick at Tracy's command. Tracy wants to be the Lady of the Manor, ruling the Bistro with an iron fist like she had hoped to do with the Rovers. That fell through and I sincerely believe that the powers that be will not allow Tracy to "win" and be the pseudo-owner of the Bistro. So, something has to happen to blow her out of the water. I think Nick will ignore Carla's nudging and will sell to Leanne in the end. He may accept Robert's bid in theory but for once, maybe real estate transactions won't be pushed through unrealistically fast as is the norm in Weatherfield.

I would like to see Carla get a grip. Barring that, I would like to see Nick overhear something or otherwise find out about Carla and Robert but not from Tracy. A miss-sent text from Michelle, perhaps? I want him to be the one to confront Tracy and Robert, or just Robert, tell him what his beloved has been up to. Have it out with Carla. I'd like to see him want to marry her anyway, give her a happy-ever-after but it probably won't go down that way. He'll probably finish with her, with a great puppy-dog sad face and she'll do what she always does and skip town.

If there's any justice, Robert will finish with Tracy once he finds out what she's been up to, and he and Leanne will get together. I think they're a much better fit.

How do you think this *should* play out? Do you think Robert and Tracy will end up owning the Bistro? How will Nick find out about Robert and Carla (because it's going to happen, it's soap law!)


Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

Character Study: Nicholas Paul Tilsley

Nicholas, or Nick as we all now know him, is the oldest son and firstborn child of Gail Potter Tilsley Platt Hillman McIntyre, or Gail, to make life easier. Gail married Brian Tilsley, the son of "Saint" Ivy Tilsley (later Brennan) in 1979 and as per usual for soap characters, didn't wait too long to get pregnant. Nick was born on New Year's Eve, 1980 looking into 1981.

The character of Nick has had three heads over the course of his lifetime. Warren Jackson played him from infant to mid teens. Adam Rickett was cast after Nick returned from finishing his schooling in Canada, hoping his pinup good looks would draw in the younger viewers. He stayed a few years, left and returned for a few more before taking off for New Zealand and made a name for himself in a soap there called Shortland Street.  While on Corrie, Adam had a lot to learn about acting and let's just leave it at that. Ben Price is the current Nick, having arrived at Christmas 2009. Coincidentally, Nick Tilsley was born on Dec. 31. Ben Price's birthday is January 1 though he's older than Nick is by 9 years and, to be honest, looks it! Never mind. He's done well as Nick.

Nick was the golden boy, blonde and blue eyed as a child and young adult and the apple of Granny Ivy's eye even if she didn't approve of Gail's motherhood methods. She was apalled when Gail decided to go back to work at the caff and marraige to Brian had many ups and downs though Brian did love his son. During a rocky patch, Gail had an affair with his cousin and about the time she and Brian got back together, she realized she was pregnant and wasn't sure who the father was. When that all came out, Brian left her and took Nick with him, even though the baby, daughter Sarah Louise, was proven to be his. Brian did forgive Gail and they remarried in 1988 but it didn't really go well. After another row, Brian went clubbing and got stabbed to death while trying to stop some thugs from bothering a woman.

At the age of 8, Nick had lost his beloved dad and had a difficult time adjusting.  This was one of the first storylines I remember when I started watching the show in 1989. By the end of that year, Gail had taken up with Martin Platt whom she married. Nick didn't mind Martin and agreed he wouldn't mind being adopted. Granny Ivy was horrified that her precious grandchildren, the last connection to her beloved Brian, would not carry his name. She held it against Gail for the rest of her life.

Nick entered his teenage years with a growth spurt and an attitude problem. He ran away once but came back a few weeks later, broke. He and Martin clashed many times and he seemed to resent Martin's authority when, of course, he wasn't Nick's "real" dad.

When Ivy died, she left her house to Nick on the proviso that he change his name back to Tilsley. Nick felt very entitled, thinking that, at the tender age of 15, he could live in his own house but Gail put her foot down. She did allow him to take back the name Tilsley because he wanted that but she sold the house to Ivy's husband, Don and saved the money for Nick's education. With all the stress and rowing, Gail and Martin's marraige was suffering. When they went to Canada with her new-found brother, Stephen, Nick decided to stay there and go to school. Gail seemed relieved at the distance and Nick seemed to be happy.

About a year later, Nick (now played by Adam Rickett) returned for Don's funeral, having completed his schooling and now was looking forward to some kind of post-secondary college or uni, at least, that's what Gail hoped for. Nick, now nearly grown, handsome and full of hormones, laid eyes on teenage tearaway, Leanne Battersby and fell in love. Leanne would prove to be the love of his life over time but not just yet. The Battersby family were not well liked and thought of as common. Gail was not amused to find that her son had taken up with Leanne but there wasn't much she could do about it. The young couple ran away to Scotland to get married. They kept it secret for a few weeks but it came out as secrets do and Gail was furious that Nick was on his way to ruining his life.

Cue further aggro and tension between mother and son. Never mind. Nick and Leanne settled into married life and lodged at Number 4 with Ashley Peacock. Leanne seemed to take to marraige well and matured while Nick still seemed more self centered.

He nearly got her into a bad situation when he contacted the man in prison who killed his father but pretended he was pretty young Leanne writing so the man would not recognise his name. When released, that man came looking for him and found Leanne but in the end, everyone was safe and by breeching parole, he was back in jail. Nick also did some life modelling at the art college to make extra money and found himself at the hands of a sexy art teacher. He stayed faithful but he flirted just the same and Leanne didn't like it one bit.

The ultimate end came when Leanne found herself pregnant. Nick was adamant that he was not ready to be a father and insisted that she have an abortion. She did, but the marraige broke down anyway. Nick left for Canada to work for his uncle Stephen and Leanne did not go with him.

Nick returned several years later, when his mother married Richard Hillman. He had a fling with Maria Sutherland whom he persuaded to return to Canada with him but  he worked long hours and neglected her so she came back. He didn't return again for another 2 years and soon found himself in a brief fling with Candice, a friend of his sister Sarah and then he took up with Maria again. He worked for Mike Baldwin for a short while, saving the life of his former mother-in-law Janice from a factory fire.

Leanne did her best to break them up because Maria had stolen Leanne's sister's boyfriend but Nick and Maria nearly got married anyway. It was not to be. He took a job in Nottingham without talking to her and she decided he was too selfish and she wanted to stay in Weatherfield. That was that.

In 2009, Nick returned to Weatherfield with a new face (Ben Price). He was almost 30, single and a grown-up business man now. He seems to have developed a somewhat ruthless streak as befits his new image, possibly taking a page out of Mike Baldwin's book, or trying to at least. He decided he wanted to buy into Underworld and when Carla refused, he used machinist Kelly Crabtree to steal information, using bribery and flattery. When he finally gets his hooks into the factory, Carla made him fire Kelly!

About this time, his mother was on trial for murdering her husband, Joe McIntyre. Joe had actually attempted to fake his own death and was accidentally killed but the police weren't buying it. Nick let his brother David talk him into bribing a witness and Nick took the money from Underworld to do it. Not a good move. He and Carla were on the outs but after Tony Gordon burned down the factory and Carla fled to L.A., Nick pulled the machinists together and set up the factory in the premises under the viaduct where ex-wife Leanne had tried to open a bar. Carla returned, took back her factory and there ensued a war with Nick over the staff and business contracts. They eventually settled their differences and Nick took the money and ran.

He ended up buying the bar premises and persuaded Leanne to help him open it as the Bistro. He still had old feelings for her and it turned out, probably due to pre-wedding (to Peter Barlow) jitters, so did she. They launched into an affair that came to a head just before her wedding. Nick was going to tell Peter about the affair but before he could, the Bistro caught fire, exploded and sent a passing tram crashing down over their heads. Peter nearly died and Leanne married him in hospital, much to Nick's anguish.

Nick, selfish as always, decided Peter wasn't good enough for Leanne and started a campaign to lure recovering alcoholic Peter, who was temporarily paralysed, into drinking again, hoping it would push Leanne away for good and back to him. Peter found out about the affair that happened months before and jilted Leanne at the altar when they were going to renew their vows. Nick's glee was short lived though, because Peter and Leanne made up even though Carla was waiting in the wings, just in case.

Nick continued to keep his eye on Leanne but dated hairdresser Natasha for awhile since the one he really wanted was unavailable. Natasha knew Nick was still drawn to Leanne so just when Nick was going to break up with her, she told him she was pregnant. She was but Nick wanted nothing to do with the baby so she had a termination. When Nick had second thoughts about the baby, Natasha pretended she was still pregnant. That lasted a short while until Gail blew the secret out of the water, having snooped in Natasha's medical records. Natasha attempted suicide but Nick found her and got her help in time. He begged forgiveness but knowing he didn't really love her, Natasha walked away.

Nick also had a brief fling with Becky McDonald after her marraige to Steve fell apart, horrifying Gail but Becky and Nick agreed they really would be better off as friends. Still, when Becky found herself drunk and alone on Christmas and caused a fire in her flat, it was Nick that pulled her out, saving her life.

Nick dated Eva Price for awhile but eventually she realized he really wasn't that into her and finally, after Peter and Leanne broke up over his affair with Carla Connor, he got the girl he really wanted.

Leanne seemed to lean back to Nick in rebound and though she insisted she loved Nick, still had a last minute wobble over Peter on her Christmas wedding day to him. Nick, hurt and angry, jilted her but soon forgave her when she professed her feelings for him profusely. They got married and seem to be strong together, now.

>But here's the thing. On that aborted wedding day, Nick and David's wife, Kylie, had a drunken one night stand. Kylie's baby could be Nick's and David has been wreaking havoc taking his revenge on his brother.

In a confrontation, Nick was determined to tell Leanne and everyone else what happened but, panicked, David caused the car nearly to crash. While catching their breath over the near miss, a large truck crashed into them, leaving Nick in a coma. It was a close call and even though most of his physical injuries are healed, he has brain damage that may or may not ever be repaired. He can be surly, stressed and he has trouble holding his temper. He's not himself and Nick is worried he'll hurt Leanne even more than when he lashed out and slapped her on Christmas Day. 

He knows Kylie's baby isn't his and he knows David's part in everything. He can see that Leanne is pulling away from him, though she professes that she still loves him. The disappointment, stress and resentment has added to the personality change caused by the damage. Will Nick pull out of this or will he remain a "bad boy"? I think he will improve over time, gradually but it's going to be an uphill battle for both him and all the people he loves. Whether he will ever forgive David is yet to be known. I'm guessing not.

Nick has always had a selfish streak, most likely because his mother Gail has always treated him like the golden boy who could do no wrong. It's kind of creepy the way she still fawns over him!  Everyone knows Gail can't seem to let go of the apron strings but nobody can really accuse Nick of being a Mama's boy. He respects his mother but is pretty much his own man.

He's been a bit less arrogant in this latest incarnation and his brain injury seems to have humbled him quite a bit. He was never all that close to his sister and brother, mainly due to the age difference and living away from home for much of his adult life but he still felt some degree of loyalty towards them up until now, as far as David is concerned and David has always resented Nick so their relationship will likely  always be difficult.

Whether Nick and Leanne will keep their marraige intact after all the stress remains to be seen. Nick isn't always a very likeable person but he's a good, classic Corrie character.

Thanks to Corriepedia, Corrie.net and several of Daran Little's excellent books.

The year of the Platts

2013 was definitely the Year of the Platts on Coronation Street. What began on Christmas Day, 2012 had repercussions that are still having an impact today, early in 2014. I, for one, have enjoyed the ride!

We began with Kylie and David "on a break" and Nick jilting Leanne at the altar, having discovered that she'd ran after Peter earlier that day. She could possibly be forgiven, as Peter, thinking Carla had left him, made a beeline for the other woman he knew he could charm. Carla came back, Leanne was a distant memory but she didn't know it until she went to Peter to offer to call off her own wedding and saw Carla behind Peter. What to do? Marry Nick anyway and hope he never found out. Fail.

Nick and Kylie had a one night stand to soothe their pain and it all kicked off from there. Nick and Leanne made up and so did Kylie and David but, this is Soap land, and one of the prime Soap Opera Plot Devices states that if you have sex with the wrong person, you will get pregnant. Yep. And ironically, the main reason Kylie and David had temporarily split is because he wanted a baby and she didn't. Now she's up the duff and doesn't know who the daddy is.

Thing is, she'd confessed all to her mother-in-law, which was probably not such a good idea and was then persuaded not to give up the baby like she planned. It might be Nick's but it might be David's. Kylie began walking the tightrope.

David found out and went right off the rails, but since he couldn't face losing Kylie, who should carry equal blame for the fiasco, he directed his rage against Nick, the older brother he'd always resented anyway. He tried to ruin Nick, both in business and in his marraige to Leanne (which had taken place a few weeks after the jilting), all the while playing up to Nick's sympathies and pretending to be the concerned brother. That culminated in a near-fatal car crash when Nick finally figured out David was behind all the tricks and confronted him. David tried to take control of the steering wheel to stop Nick from telling all to the family. They came to a stop in the middle of an intersection and a large truck (lorry) was unable to stop and smashed into them on Nick's side of the car.

I still don't believe that David tried to kill Nick even though everyone else has accused him of that (once the truth finally came out because it always does). But even so, his actions did result in the crash so he was still responsible for Nick's injuries.  Nick survived but is suffering from brain damage which has caused him to have uncontrolled rages and is breaking down his marraige as Leanne struggles to cope.

While Nick recovered, he insisted that David do a paternity test on the little baby girl that Kylie produced. The test was sloppily done, in my opinion with only a sample from David and the baby sent away. Why not one from Kylie and Nick as well? Nick would have been happy to contribute and he could have managed a few strands of Kylie's hair from a hairbrush. Never mind. It turned out that David was the father, much to Nick's disappointment.

When Kylie found out about the test she went ballistic, realizing finally that David had known all along about the paternity issues and that he was behind the hate campaign and accident.  She outed David in front of the family at baby Lily's christening in classic soap style.

The whole family turned against David. The only reluctant friend he had was Tina but even that friendship caused her own relationship to blow up so she pushed David back out again. Rather than see him homeless, Audrey took him in at Gail's request even though Gail wasn't ready to forgive him. Maternal instincts are strong!

Inch by inch, David has been working his way back into his family and job at the salon. He's very, very contrite and remorseful but Nick was having none of it and insisted on the family taking sides. You can't blame him, he feels David has ruined his life. Kylie was angrier and angrier and when she saw that the family was beginning to warm up to David again, albeit reluctantly, it was her turn to go off the rails.

Kylie never had any self confidence. She never thought she was worth having a good life because she was brought up to believe she was less than nothing. She thought having a family of her own, a home, a job, all of that was too good to be true and now she's been made to pay for it. She spiralled downwards into a bottle until she hit bottom. Finally, David and Kylie were able to be honest with each other. Kylie took her share of responsibility for her fling with Nick and she and David have reconciled, much to Nick's dismay.

It's not quite over. Nick is still struggling and he's pushing his beloved Leanne away because he fears he'll hurt her after lashing out and slapping her on Christmas Day. She's just as determined to stand by her man but it looks very much like things will get worse before they get better. I'm glad they're not having Nick experience a miraculous recovery. It's far more realistic and it's continuing to have twists and turns. I have been speculating for the past few weeks that Leanne will have a fling herself, probably with Kal, Nick's new trainer. After many months of worry, stress and anxiety, and add Nick's rejection of her at the moment, and she's ripe for it.

Will Nick and Leanne manage to come out of it happy? It's hard to say. Nick has loved Leanne all his life and surely would want nothing more. If she has a fling, he'd be devastated but would probably blame himself for pushing her to it. We'll get more huffing and puffing from Gail who would certainly believe that Leanne is no better than Gail ever thought she was for hurting her baby boy yet again.

I have enjoyed the storyline, long though it was. All the actors involved were excellent and I felt that even Kylie's weeks of self destruction was completely understandable and far better than just one or two drunken nights with epic hangovers.  I realized that on top of the storyline covering Hayley's terminal illness, Corrie has been rather grim overall of late, but with performances like these, in both storylines, it's Corrie at its best.

It's about time Nick saw the light

FINALLY!

Nick finally figured out that David is behind the hate campaign!

It is a storyline that began on Christmas night when Nick blew off his wedding to Leanne because of her last minute wobble over Peter, got drunk and had sex with Kylie who was equally at odds with David. Kylie made up with David the day after and Nick soon patched it up with Leanne and they got properly married.

Since Soap Law dictates that an unwise shag shall result in pregnancy, there ensued a "Who's the Daddy" thread. David found out about the unfaithful wife and possibility that the baby might not be his and has launched a revenge campaign against Nick. He can't accuse Kylie because he's afraid he'd lose her but your brother is always your brother and why shouldn't he suffer for what he's done? That's David's justification, anyway.

He stole keys and trashed their flat in the aftermath of initial discovery, full of classic David anger and rage but he decided to take a more underhanded approach. The campaign was very clever. There's been little innuendos to Gail, Nick and Leanne, all geared to stir up suspicion. He's been subtly playing Nick and Leanne off against each other, hoping to break them up, bringing Gail and Leanne's ex, Peter, into the mix as needed. The problem is, even though they would temporarily be at odds, they managed to find their way back to each other, leaving David more and more frustrated.

Each step of the way, the risk got higher but the payoff remained tantalizingly just out of reach. Viewers have been shouting at the screen, wondering why nobody has suspected David of any of these tricks. If any of the subjects involved just talked to each other, they'd hit on the common denominator in a minute. "David told me that..." and "Well, he said to me that..." and the jig, as they say, would have been up. But it doesn't work that way on telly. You have to draw it out.

David's most recent and most aggressive move was to send Leanne an anonymous note, hinting that Nick did something with someone on Christmas Night after the aborted wedding. That was his mistake. Leanne believed it and it could have done what David wanted but Leanne, though she knows Nick was lying when she confronted him, now realizes that someone really is out to get them and it has to be someone they know, someone that was at the wedding. Her chance remark that it was going to turn out to be someone obvious.

Nick turned around and saw his brother and Kylie laughing at the bar.

The light went on.

David. David.

And millions of viewers jumped up and punched the air.

Ho Yuss!!!!

You didn't *always* want to be a dad, Nick

Everyone has been screaming all week about Nick telling Leanne he always wanted to be a dad, especially when he was the one that used emotional blackmail and pressured her into a termination when they were married.

But let's be fair about this.

They were kids. They weren't even 20 years old. Leanne was 16 when they got married, Nick 17 and the marraige ended just a year or two later. Nick buggered off to Canada and Leanne was left to pick up the pieces of her life.

It's something people say. "I always wanted..." or "I never wanted...." when they don't mean it literally. Not really. But they probably mean "For a long time" and Nick, once he finally grew up and gained a bit of maturity, probably does regret what he did back then, how he handled everything and how much he hurt Leanne. They did revisit some of that when they had an affair before the tram crash.

I'm taking the view that Nick didn't mean it literally and just wanted to make sure Leanne knew that he was willing to take the whole package, she and Simon. It's always been obvious that Leanne is the love of his life. I'm not so sure he's the love of her life. 

Having said that, Leanne really did seem to be talking herself into it. Stella was right about her not having Peter so she's settling for Nick and I think that's really the way it is. The word is "Rebound" and it's classically obvious that's what she's doing. The more Stella scolded her, the more Leanne made up her mind. Nick will take any piece of Leanne that he can get and he's going to get hurt again, sooner or later.

This isn't to say that I think it's a bad storyline because I do like it and it'll throw another wobbler into Peter and Carla's little world, too, because Peter will not like Nick playing daddy with Simon.

Thoughts on Becky and Nick

I'm still a Becky fan no matter that a lot of people are getting sick of her. This week was a great Becky week for me. I really thought the whole scenario and storyline of her working at the Bistro, having a fling with Nick and winding up Steve and Kylie and David was great! It didn't last an eternity or get dragged out farther than it should have been. It was just right.

The Bistro seemed like an odd fit and as we know and as Becky finally admitted, she's not a cocktails and tapas kind of girl. She also had to face demons in the personae of Kylie, David and Steve through the week, all of which tested her and found her failing her patience exam. Kylie and David in particular made a point of rubbing Becky's face in it letting her know that they were going to get Max back. There are so many great restaurants in the Greater Manchester area they could have gone to to celebrate but no.... they went to the Bistro. Of course that's because there has to be more conflict in the storyline. It would have been pretty dull had they just gone out to the Chinese at the precinct or something.

I felt bad for Becky. Yes, she's somewhat the author of her own misfortune. Steve might have called Social Services on her but she was out of control.

Then there was Nick. They almost made a good couple. Odd but oddly not so bad but her volatility would soon have him running for the hills had they managed to stick together. He's right, with all her baggage along with her rocky relationship with his sister-in-law, and the fact that she's on a massive rebound, it just isn't working. I have to say, though, I thoroughly enjoyed Gail's and then Kylie's reactions seeing Becky there in the morning. Gail was horrified! I'm glad she brought up his tryst with Tracy. So often they forget these things happened. And Nick might accuse David of being the family weasel but he's just as capable of using people to wind up others as well. He certainly enjoyed his mother's discomfort every bit as much. Odd to see Gai defend Kylie after all this time, though.

There were some nice scenes on the last of the episodes with the two of them talking. I can't stand Nick, he's just as weaselly as David and he can manipulate and lie with the best of them. He's arrogant much of the time, too, but this week he was almost sympathetic. I think Nick could be a good friend to Becky. She needs friends besides Roy and Hayley.

And of course Steve's date from hell was hysterical. You know without asking that this gorgeous woman was going to turn out to be the lowest form of tacky they could dredge up. Brilliant stuff! And that moon-faced ginger kid! First of all, he really looked like he could have been her son. Second of all, Steve said he dated her once 10 years ago, that kid had to have been 10 or 12. But aside from that, what a perfect casting choice and he was scarily and hysterically perfect, staring at Steve, slurping his drink and not saying a word. He had me creeped out and laughing all at the same time, watching him! 

Political Incorrectness

With the news this week that Peter Barlow is apparently going to attack Nick in revenge for the affair with Leanne, people are cheering him on. Nick has been manipulative and sneaky, he persued Leanne until he wore her down and then encouraged Peter to drink to get Leanne to leave him. Lower than a snake's belly in a pothole, that! So in the realms of tv land, Nick deserves it.

Not in reality, of course. But it also got me thinking.... what about Leanne? She may have been persuaded but she participated fully in the affair. It's politically incorrect and morally wrong for Peter to put a physical pasting on her for her betrayal.  Men aren't supposed to hit girls! You don't see that on tv, not often anyway and not on a soap. The most you ever see is a slap unless it's a storyline about spousal abuse and the culprit is very much not cheered on.

So why is it that it's ok for Peter (or any man in a similar situation on a soap) to be seen going all postal on the Other Man when he's been just as betrayed by his wife/girlfriend yet it's ok for a woman to scratch and slap and wallop the Other Woman or the husband/boyfriend, too, when the opposite situation happens? 

I'm not saying it should be ok, either. Far from it. Violence is never a correct response though sometimes it's understandable why people lash out. But why can't Peter find a way to put Nick through the public humiliation he deserves instead? Ruin his reputation, turn his Mummy and Gran against him and give David another reason to cackle at his brother's misfortune. Even Ken would huff "Violence isn't the answer, Peter!!"

And you know, if Nick had stopped at the affair and not stirred the pot with his utterly reprehensible plan to lure Peter, an alcoholic, back down into the bottle, maybe it wouldn't have turned violent, or just a routine punch up in the Rovers, done and dusted like most people do.

Apparently there *will* be humiliation for Leanne. I think. Another spoiler tells us that there will be a wedding, and they've been filming it this week. However, I also thought I read something awhile back that Peter blows Leanne out of the water at the altar and reveals the affair to everyone. Far more PC with humiliation served up like a grand finale. I don't know if it's a real spoiler or a tabloid-made-up one but I can see it happening. It's standard Soap Opera stuff, jilting at the altar.

If it happens, I'm going to say "Poor Leanne" but *only* because the woman has had more than her share of being publically humiliated over the years. She always bounces back but how much can one girl take? That's the only reason i'd have any sympathy for her because she shouldn't get off scot free. She was in the wrong as well.

If there was any justice, I would have been far happier to see Leanne rip Nick a new one instead. I doubt Peter will kill Nick or even go too far, more than a few blows before someone interrupts the rampage which is apparently going to take place in the rubble of the viaduct.

Slick Nick: A Rant

Just when I thought he couldn't sink any lower, Nick tumbles into the the category of "Lower than a snake's belly in a tire rut" as me grandad would say. Back when he first returned, I wondered if he'd end up with a babe or a broad, reckoning the two in competition were (single at the time) Leanne and (single and looking) Natasha. Little did i know he'd go for a two-hitter!

Although it takes two, and Leanne must shoulder some of the blame for her affair with Nick, I still place most of the blame for pushing it squarely on Nick's shoulders. He still harboured old feelings for her while she had made a new life with Peter and Simon. She was happy, I really believe that, no matter how bumpy the road got sometimes.

I think what she said about having a pre-marital wobble facing the committment is probably the truth, in addition to some old unfinished business. Her and Nick's marraige really blew up spectacularly when he insisted she have an abortion and then decided he would move away. She didn't go with him.

Now he's back and luring her into business with him and working on her until she gave in to that old black magic and it nearly ruined what she and Peter had. It still could. Nick isn't about to give her up. He is now working on Peter's frustrations and insecurity over his injuries and is going to encourage Peter to drink again. Poor Peter is not the strongest of men, whether it be a weakness for women or for drink.

Having paralysis, even if it's temporary, and probably a dose of survivor guilt, is going to work hard on Peter. He won't feel like a real man and he'll play right into Nick's hands. Nick is going to encourage him to have just the one drink, knowing damn well that's not how it works with alcoholics. And Leanne will find out, eventually. So that's really going to help his case, is it? I think not but Nick figures he can lure Leanne away before she finds out, and he figures she won't but someone will catch him at it, someone with Peter's welfare in mind. Oh, say, like a best friend or someone like that! Maybe someone big enough to knock 10 bells out of Nick (one can only hope!).

It's a pretty low thing to do but it doesn't surprise me. Nick has always been selfish, he's always gone after what he wanted and he might say that's just being bold and confident. But that's not how i see him. He's arrogant and selfish and shallow. He always was no matter who was playing him as an adult. As a child, he was just selfish. He is a user, too.

Oh yes.

In addition to how he treated Leanne when they were married, there was Maria. He wooed her and got her to move to Canada with him and then ignored her while he worked on his career. She might not be the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree but she doesn't put up with crap for *too* long, (though sometimes longer than she should). He wooed her back when he returned to the UK and they got engaged but he just had to run away to Nottingham. She didn't go because she realized that he still had a thing for Leanne. Maria accused him of putting his mother, his ex and himself before her and dumped him. (Read about it here, dates July 5th and 7th)

Remember how he used Kelly to get inside information so that he could buy into the factory and then dumped her and subsequently sacked her. She's not the nicest person but she still didn't deserve that. And look how he used Natasha. He couldn't have Leanne so he went for the dumb blonde look-a-like, used her and dumped her when she became too obsessed and started pushing for committments. He then figured that if Tracy Barlow was offering it on a plate, it didn't matter how much he disliked her, he'd have some anyway because, again, he couldn't have Leanne. Nice.

He tried to work with Carla but she took off and he decided he could just take over the factory without a by your leave. She came back and gave him his marching orders so he stole her staff to work under the viaduct where he later rebuilt the bar (hmmm... trolls *do* live under bridges, don't they? Perhaps that's why Nick was so comfortable there!)

He was always a pratt and he still is and this latest escapade only makes me hate him even more.

Quadrangle future predictions

Love triangles are classic soap stuff. We've had what is in effect a quadrangle on Corrie recently. There's Nick, Peter and Leanne forming the main triangle but there's Carla too, who has an unrequited thing for Peter, forming the fourth arm of the geometric drawing.  So what's next for these four?

Leanne dragged Nick off to a quiet spot in hospital to tell him about marrying Peter.  He accepted it but still lurked around in the corridors while the ceremony went ahead. That little snap/crackle/pop sound you heard was his heart breaking.

Leanne really does love Peter, I knew it all along. She told Nick he was the past and I think that's exactly where the fling came from. It was all about unresolved feelings and old hurts and yes, old attractions at a time when Leanne was facing committment, something she doesn't do all that well. She called it the Battersby gene.

I really hope she's not going to get pregnant and we have to suffer another "Who's the Daddy" story so soon on the heels of the last disaster of an ill-received affair. I have a feeling Nick is going to move on sooner than you think in a big rebounder. The two possibilities i see it being are either Carla or Tracy Barlow who is more than willing to put it about. She's been in the nick for a couple of years so she must be feeling like a cat in heat. A cat with big claws, as Steve and Becky are probably about to find out.

Carla? Well she's got a broken heart, too, right? It might be logical for her and Nick to seek refuge together. They could start off having a mutual pity party in the pub, get drunk, and Robert's your mother's brother! Yes, i know Carla is struggling with sobriety but the loss of Peter to Leanne (or worse) could send her back over the edge at least temporarily. Or the horizontal bop (boff?) could happen sober. Either way. It's just a guess, not a spoiler.

This is all hinging on Peter's survival, of course. I maintain my position at this point, with tonight's episodes still to be aired, that they won't kill off yet another of Ken Barlow's immediate family or leave Simon an orphan. Come on, we've got Ashley, father of two, dying and Molly, mother of an infant dying. It just isn't logical for a soap that all three victims will be leaving children behind like that, especially one having lost both parents.

What say you, dear readers? What's next for Peter (if he survives), Leanne, Nick and Carla?

Monday's episodes are why Corrie has lasted 50 years

I just have to jump in here and say how much I enjoyed Monday's double episodes of Corrie. In contrast to last week's gloom, doom, drama and pyrotechnics, Monday's episodes were filled with fun, weirdness and foreboding (but not in an impending pyrotechnics way). Mary's Star Wars get up and musing about not being allowed to watch those kinds of movies, or pretty much any movies from the sound of it, was just as far out there as the far, far away galaxy. Is it me, or is she getting weirder and weirder? It's almost as if by having her mother living in a home instead of under her roof, the relief of not having that obviously domineering life force under her feet has set her free, dizzyingly so. I don't understand how Norris seems to be friends with her again, even having her working in the Kabin after the whole kidnap debacle, but he was also not all that upset that Rita gave Tina her job back, displacing Mary who wasn't happy about it at all.

The factory is back up and running, in the old Joinery bar. It's bizarre, really. All the fixtures and fittings and empty bottles are still there on shelves and on the bar and the (rented?) machines are lined up in the middle with just desk lamps for light. Surely that isn't really good enough for close sewing work? Kirk is happily running around with bolts of fabric (and packing and shipping, assuming there's a rear delivery door as most restaurants do have that.) At least there is a fully equipped kitchen, not just a kettle and a sink and I suppose the girls could always have their tea break at the bar! Didn't Julie mention something about having a smoothie maker?

What did have that sense of foreboding for me was the increasingly clingy Natasha. Now she's lent Nick the deposit for the lease, money she'd been saving for their own place. Um. Really? She's going to be borrowing a page out of Mary's wedding book soon and we'll be seeing a meringue type dress on a hanger behind the door of the salon pretty soon. And Nick, it's so obvious, honey, he's just not that into you! He's going to let her down with a huge thump, she's going to crash and burn. Well, maybe not burn, we've already had our share of that this year. But it isn't going to be pretty.

And Peter's jealousy just got inflamed well and truly. It seems like it came out of nowhere, doesn't it? Or is it just me? After everything that Leanne has gone through with Peter, you'd think he would have more trust in her. Why on earth would he think Leanne still has feelings for Nick after all these years? Mind you, Nick seems to quite enjoy winding up Peter. Nick is a smug git, isn't he? And for those of you that remember, he does seem to be his father's son. Brian was a smug, arrogant git, too.

I can understand Peter's feelings toward having anything resembling George anywhere near him and Simon but I don't think George will be back lurking on street corners trying to get a glimpse of Simon. I think George has an empty premises, an investment that isn't making him any money and this is a good chance to recoup. I'm sure they will rebuild Underworld once the insurance money comes in. A good chance to spruce up the old set.

It did strike me odd that Paul Stokes remarked that Nick had never let him down before but I thought this was a new Underworld contract? Nick came from Nottingham previously. Maybe Stokes is a contact and Nick had worked with him before when he lived there.

It was nice to see Tina and Gail making up and it's nice to see Tina smile, even if it was at Ciaran's daft flirting. Did he really ask her what her sign was? (Speed Dating, starring Graeme and probably Mary. That ought to be hysterical!) And so nice that Roy and Hayley are going to make it legal, finally! Again, Julie manages to put her daft foot into it wondering about Hayley's bits and pieces but she's daft as a brush anyway. Julie. Not so much Hayley. I would be very afraid, though, if I were Hayley, what with Mad Mary looming over her with her wedding planning advice.

Anyway, I quite enjoyed the Monday episodes. This is the kind of thing Corrie does so well. High drama and tragedy is good, but Corrie became famous for it's slices of everyday life like this!

Do they still fit in?

A few days ago, commenter, "Ena's Hairnet", on this post on The Coronation Street Blog, suggested a topic for conversation. When a character leaves for an extended time, do they really fit in when they return? She mentioned characters like Carla, Hayley and Leanne. As this post was getting rather long, I've posted it here on my blog rather than clutter up the other one and linked back to it.

I do think in many cases when an actor returns from an absence, be it health related or maternity leave or when the character is written out but returns down the road, that the producers and writers have to have a clear idea of what they're going to do with the character. Sometimes, I agree, things do fall flat. It's taken over a year for Hayley to get back into the forefront with the fall of Tony Gordon and having her back in the factory (where she belongs!) It seemed like her last storyline before her exit, the revelation of her long lost son (an unfortunate rewrite of history), was a stumbling block for the character. She and Roy are such a wonderful, supportive couple and she deserved to be slotted back into the canvas rather than spend a year being a spare part. I'm hoping we'll see a lot more of Hayley from here on in.

Carla's character always seemed to me to be un-Corrielike. A lot of people have commented in a similar vein that they didn't think she fit in the show. After her long maternity leave, it seems a jolt to have her back for a lot of people that didn't like her anyway. She's only just back but has returned in the thick of a major story, the downfall of Tony and it remains to be seen if she'll continue to fit in. Now that she doesn't have Tony, with Leanne her only mate, will she be with us long term? She'll have to make a few more connections to have a reason to stick, I think.

Leanne has been on the canvas since 1997 and has been away from Corrie several times over the years in addition to two maternity leaves. I have found that she always seems to fit in and they always seem to be able to find a return storyline that features her that re-acclimatizes us to Leanne.

When a long time favourite has been gone a long time, people still like to think they could come back but most of them really wouldn't fit in well. Things move on without them and they lose their connections on the Street. Curly is a case in point. I loved Curly, he was always one of my favourites and yes, I'd like to see him back but only for a visit. Say, for a wedding or funeral. It always rubbed me the wrong way that he didn't return for Vera's funeral but it's down to the availability of the actor or whether ITV wants to pay for various and sundry to return for guest visits, as well, I suppose. Other than a visit, though, there really isn't anything there for Curly anymore aside from one or two friends.

Look what happened when they tried to bring Bet Lynch back! As much as I also liked her, I really don't know as she fit in either. Unfortunately, we didn't get the chance to find out because the actress found the new shooting schedule too difficult. It was still good to see her, though, for a short visit.

It isn't always the case, though. If the writers have a good storyline in mind to feature the returnee, it can work. Leanne is a case in point and upcoming, we will be seeing Sunita return. I don't know if it's for a long term or short term but I'm looking forward to it. She only has Dev as a connection, really, since her best mate, Shelley is gone, but she was a fixture on the Street for a long time and should slot back in nicely. They're also bringing back Ciaran who has a history with her as well as a history with Peter. Do you think he'll hit on Leanne like he did Shelley or has he learned that lesson? Nick Tilsley is also coming back with a new face. It will be interesting to see how that works.

So what is your opinion on returning characters after either short or long absences? Do they fit in again? Do the writers really need to know what they're going to do with them before they bring them back? (Especially characters who have been away more than a year)

Will Nick Tilsley choose a babe or a broad?

News from ITV this week is that Nick Tilsley could very well be back on our screens by the end of the year, recast with a new actor, thank heavens! Some people might have thought Adam Rickett was a good actor but I never did. He was a pretty boy who, even in his second go-round as Nick, after some acting experience, was still painful to watch. Nick would be nearly 30 now and no doubt they'll still cast a good looking man, someone to make Weatherfield hearts flutter.

Which ones, though? Well, there's always Rosie Webster, the neighbourhood trollop. She likes an older man. Then there's Tina. A romp with his brother's ex could make for even more psychoDave antics. Just because Nick is his brother wouldn't hold David back. Besides, David hardly knows Nick anyway. Nick spent most of David's childhood in Canada either at school or working for KBec then back for a short time and off to Birmingham again.

Nick has form with bubble headed broads, too, he used to date Candice Stowe and Maria Sutherland! Speaking of Maria, might she find the flames fanned again? What about Leanne? The actress is on maternity leave but surely she'll be back. She was always more than a match for Nick but maybe he's grown up and turned into a force to be reckoned with. Nick? Nahhhh!!!! Peter might have been lusting after Michelle but Leanne was still under his skin. They were a good couple, well matched, I thought, and even better with his drinking under control.

Nick... I can see him fancying Becky but she wouldn't look twice at him. Molly would likely have a go, she's shown that she can be easily persuaded by a wink and a smile. If Tyrone has found out about her fling with Kev by then, she could be out on her own and looking for love in all the wrong places. I don't see Fiz and John lasting so maybe he'll pick up the pieces and mend her broken heart.

What about an older woman? Julie certainly isn't backward in coming forward and she doesn't seem to mind younger men...Kirk and Jason, for instance. There also Michelle, too. Luke Strong is leaving, and Leanne is returning. That might mean Peter and Leanne together and Michelle left hanging and vulnerable.

My best guess? None of the above. Nick's last two paramours were both hairdressers so I reckon Natasha will be his choice. She's beautiful, tall and blonde and if they cast Nick in a similar form as Rickett, they'll make a stunning couple. She's a bit scatterbrained but not too bubble headed. She might be just right for Nick. What do you think?