State of the Street - May 2012

I'm enjoying the domestic abuse storyline. Well, not enjoying as such but I think it's a good issue to do a story about and it's being very well crafted I think. It's heartbreaking to see that Tyrone, who wanted nothing more than a family of his own, and seemed to have got it, and ends up in a situation like this. We discover a bit more about Kirsty's past, too and the attitude of her parents towards her and the revelation that she'd cut them off says a lot. Kirsty even admitted that she can't handle pressure well and it seems her childhood is a strong part of it. We also met her parents, including a father who was also a police officer and he seems to have pretty high standards. I have a feeling Kirsty always struggled to meet them and probably has pretty low self esteem because she probably figured she was never good enough.

It doesn't excuse her actions but it does go some way to explaining them. I am looking forward to finding out more about her background to figure out her demons. Tyrone's childhood was similarly rough and violent at times. Natalie Gumede is an excellent actor and she and Alan Halsall have made this storyline imminently watchable. I also like how they're unfolding it little by little and not rushing it.

I'm also glad that Sally won't have Kevin back because of the baby. I"m glad they aren't magicking her feelings away and having her fall in love with the baby after all. It is a bit weird seeing Fiz being Sally's confidant, being a good friend and giving her tea and sympathy after the horrible way Sally's treated her over the past couple of years. Kevin, of course, isn't going to give up.


Terrible Terry Duckworth was back and in top form. His plans for the club fell through, he managed to deplete Tommy's bank account and Tyrone's for good measure in order to make a dent in the money he owed the loan sharks. He scarpered off with Ty's cash, leaving Tommy heartbroken, betrayed and facing a real hitman who really ought to know better. Rick the thug already got into trouble once for trying to extort money from a relative and he's doing it again! Did Terry really have a regret or two? Possibly but I doubt he'll lose any sleep over it either. And Tommy, bless his dumb little cotton socks, didn't make matters any better by lying to Tina and saying he saw Terry pay Rick the dosh when he didn't and now he's a drugs mule? I loved the Terry part of the storyline but the heavy side is just dull, tedious and boring. Why, Why, Why do these people just not go to the police???? Because it would all get dragged up again? Isn't that the point? So they can be rid once and for all? Sheesh!


Weatherfield is in bloom and Norris is leading the neighbours to floral battle but Sally's snobbery knows no bounds, seeing as Cheshire is her spiritual home! Norris vs. Gail has been amusing. Julie has had a cancer scare and her chances of having children are dashed. Brian's vasectomy seems to have disappeared but i guess it's not going to be an issue now. Again, stunning performance from Katy Cavanagh.

It had an unexpected offshoot too. Brian and Marcus had a chat about being a parent and it seems to have struck a chord deep inside Marcus. He does want a child and Sean doesn't want any more. Marcus has gravitated to Maria and little Liam as some sort of compensation and Maria seems to adore Marcus. I have a feeling that Maria is developing a crush on Marcus. Leave it to Maria, falling for yet another unsuitable fella. The thing is, will Marcus want a family so bad that he'll consider it?

Lesley managed to walk away from a secured facility and showed up at her old house. Why didn't Paul just call the home to go get her? Because it wouldn't work for the storyline so Lesley is back in Eileen's house in spite of Paul having a perfectly good house of his own where Lesley is more familiar in her lucid moments. I can sympathise with Paul's position but watching them have relationship discussions right there in front of Paul's wife? Could it get any worse? Lesley then did herself a fatal mischief making cheese on toast, and Eileen is condemned for leaving Lesley alone.

Now Lesley is dead and Eileen is being watched suspiciously but it seems to have been dropped. Not a year goes by that a woman on the street (never a man, you notice?) isn't falsely accused of murder. It's getting tedious and predictable.

Where does that leave Paul and Eileen? Some hard things were said. Have we seen the end of Paul and Eileen? Unfortunately not. He's come begging to her to go to the funeral with him but at least Eileen said a few home truths to Lesley's sister. I always wondered why Paul couldn't ask family to help with his wife. Now they're going to be back together and he says he's moving in with Eileen. I guess it would be too crass for her to move into that nice big house where he and Lesley used to live. Let's hope he can sell it and maybe pay off Eileen's house. Though likely they won't end up going the distance anyway. I really don't think Eileen is destined for Happy Ever After.

Kylie did a runner, feeling betrayed by David. I can see where she's coming from, in her eyes at least but I'm also glad she's back. But aside from a little moment or two of brotherhood, David's still got daggers on for Nick after it looked like Nick and Kylie were having it on as did Eva who caused a near riot over a misunderstanding. As always, scream and leap first, ask questions after. All Nick was doing was trying to help. Paula Lane amazes me over and over. Gail and Audrey are inclined to think the worst but their faces sure hit the floor when David and Kylie returned, happy as Larry. Eva deserved to be dumped over this one.


Peter is really digging his heels in and he's really being insistent. He's full of mean, unresonable, nasty and spite. Leanne really and truly does just want the best for Simon and I can see where she thinks Simon isn't better off with Peter and Carla at the moment, especially having caught Peter and Carla boozing on occasion and Simon hating Carla and acting out. Simon is making darn sure, too, by lying or at least exaggerating to the court officer and though Carla seems to be trying to be reasonable, Peter isn't and I think the cracks are starting to give way, especially since Carla offered Leanne money to move away.

It took Simon's reaction to the court officer for Peter to really realize how much this is all affecting Simon. He wouldn't listen to anyone else trying to tell him but even then, he isn't giving an inch so Carla reckons she can pay off Leanne. I suppose she had the best of intentions but it sure put her in a dim light, not only in the courts but in Peter's eye too.

I really think, and have always thought that CarPet was not meant to be a long term couple though I wonder if Peter and Leanne could ever get back together after all this. Maybe if she started seeing someone else, he might feel jealous and things would go from there. Time will tell.


Sunita and Karl? Ick. How does nobody notice the pair of them making eyes at each other all over the neighbourhood? Well, now that Sophie has guessed, even though Karl thinks he's smoothed it over, she'll be watchful. And in the poll in that earlier blog post, the Dev and Sunita affair seems to be winning in the ickiest affair ever with just over 51% of the vote. Kevin and Molly are second with almost 37% of the vote.

Looking forward to Rita's wedding and the Street Jubilee party!

Corrie Jubilee Street Party in Pictures

Welcome to the Coronation Street party to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The theme of the party is pop stars over the past 6 decades. Here's Kylie as Amy Winehouse. Dev is dressed as Adam Ant with Sunita as Beyonce. Beth has come as Britney Spears and it looks like Eva is a Madonna wannabe.

Here we have Jason as The King, rather appropriately ;) Anna is a voluptuous Dolly Parton while Owen is meant to be Kenny Rogers but could pass for any generic country and western singer. Faye is Sporty Spice.Tracy is meant to represent Cher.

Steve looks great as John Lennon but he looks like a young Elton John to me!!! Nick seems to be. . . well. . . Nick with MadonnEva and Stella making a very fine Dusty Springfield. Loved Maria, Marcus and Sean! Maria and Marcus are representing Donny and Marie Osmond and Sean of course is the perfect Freddie Mercury!

Meanwhile, on the street, there are games to play.

Karl (Tom Jones) is trying to be heavy handed here, looking to ring someone's bell!

Of course there's going to be a mobile bar set up outside!

And maybe, just maybe romance might re-bloom?

Speaking of romance, it's also Rita and Dennis' wedding day, but that's not going to go so smoothly. Why choose the day of the fancy dress party? Well, I can't really picture Emily, Ken, Deirdre, Rita or Norris dressed up like pop stars, can you?

Here's a full list of the costumes and characters:

Eva – Madonna

Dev – Adam Ant

Sunita – Beyonce

Karl – Tom Jones

Marcus – Donny Osmond

Maria – Marie Osmond

Liam – Jimmy Osmond

Jason – Elvis

Anna – Dolly Parton

Owen – Kenny Rogers

Faye – Sporty Spice

Sean – Freddie Mercury

Stella – Dusty Springfield

Steve – John Lennon

Tracy – Cher

Beth – Britney Spears

Craig – Meatloaf

David – Sid Vicious

Kylie – Amy Winehouse

Max – Justin Bieber

The "Icks" Factor

Sunita and Karl's affair is stomach turning. It's so bad that there isn't even really a good shortcut name for it. Sarl? Kunita? No, not nearly as snappy as Molvin (Molly and Kevin) or Pilene (Paul and Eileen).

This affair makes our skin crawl. It's tawdry and cheap.  The worst thing about it for me is that it's so out of character for her. The personality transplant fairy has a lot to answer for on this one. Sunita used to be a bit of a flirt sometimes but she was always loyal and loving and it seemed like she would never cheat on Dev. Leave him, yes, but cheat? I wouldn't have said so.

I would have guessed Dev would be more likely to cheat. He's arrogant,  he lives his life firmly by the double standard. He's got a womanizing past. He believes that whatever the man in a relationship wants, he gets, but the little woman should be traditional, a wife, a mother, a skivvy in the shop, that sort of thing.

But Sunita? Ducking and diving, cheating under Dev's nose, or over it in the shop flat. Cheating with the husband of the woman she's working for? Chasing Karl shamelessly, out for a good time, not even feeling guilty about it. Even allowing him to grope her in the middle of the bar where anyone could have seen or in the back room snogging his face off when they could have been discovered. Tina's lying in a coma and Sunita can hardly wait for her to recover and get back to work so she can get into Karl's pants.

It doesn't even seem to be about danger. It seems to be about getting her own back on Dev for taking her for granted. SO not the Sunita we knew.

It's probably the second worst affair I've ever witnessed on Corrie. Nothing could beat Molvin (Molly and Kevin) but it comes pretty damn close as does the Paul and Eileen (Pilene?) affair, both of which were also pretty Icky. So with that in mind, which of these three affairs is the most cringeworthy? I'll leave the poll open until the end of the month and post the results with the monthly State of the Street wrap up.

State of the Street - April 2012

The Rovers has called Time on Betty. My thoughts and photos here. Sean inherited Betty's hotpot recipe and he's messed it up but Tina saved the day by remembering the secret ingredient - a bottle of stout!

Karl and Sunita are hitting the sheets. Saintly Sunita. Ok, Dev is a prat and he's been treating her like she's "the little woman" but then he always did. He pretends to be so modern and suave but he's got a very sexist attitude about women. Maybe it's just the excitement she is looking for. Meanwhile Karl's robbing peter to pay paul and gambling every penny he can get his hands on yet St. Ella kicked him out and took him back. So much for strong landladies and strong "Northern" women. I hate it when they make women out to be weak.

Sally and Kevin are circling each other again. If Kevin had a tail it would be furiously wagging but I'm not entirely sure Sally can handle taking him back if baby Jack is going to be involved too. That's really the sticking point. Meanwhile the gossip in the factory is in overload and the red wine is having its result in Webster towers. Kevin is bragging that he and Sally are back together which sounds very much to me like a Phrase of Doom. It's one thing to be in love with Kevin and it's one thing to mind the baby now and then, but being a mother to Jack is a whole different barrel of apples. Even if she can find a away around it and grow to be fond of the baby and be a good mother, there's always going to be that pain and memory in the background. Some people can put it away but can Sally?



Terry Duckworth is back like a bad penny and making up to his long lost son who, coincidentally, has just inherited a bit of money. Ching Ching! He's going to open a lap dancing club. You can imagine how that went over. Alarmed Eyebrows at the ready. Protests, fights, oh i don't know, as long as they don't have Cheryl Grey back as a dancer, i'm happy! Terry's ticking everyone off so much he's got himself banned from half the businesses on the Street!

What a hoot Terry is. Crumpling up a photo from a new picture frame and pretending it's Tommy. Like he wouldn't have seen any photos of himself as a baby? Terry is a true panto villain and you can almost see him twirling his moustache, can't you? Causing trouble, shaking things up. I'd like to see him and Owen at odds. I think he'd meet his match there. And that peaceful protest at the building site with the Street oldies up against Terry was wonderful!!! The Bohemian Rhapsody scene was probably the best on Corrie this year! I don't reckon Terry will be here long but it will be an interesting ride while he's there!

Star crossed lovers, Tina and Tommy finally got together. Most people have been saying there was no reason to bring Terry back. On the surface, I would agree but I think he's there to cement T&T together as a couple where she's there to support him. Tommy wanted so badly to have a relationship with his father so he believed all Terry's lies.

The salon wars brewed, bubbled and boiled over and landed Audrey in the hospital with a heart attack. Kylie pushed and pushed David who went along mostly willingly. Lewis was the bone of contention that started it all, because everyone thinks he's out for her money yet again. Whether he is or not remains to be seen but since he's got form, nobody trusts him and I can't blame them. Still, for the time being, Audrey is in the hospital and David has a guilt complex the size of Old Trafford.

Kylie shows no remorse and she's staking a stand at high noon and it's going to push David too far. Down deep, David really is maturing ... a bit and he's only been led around by Kylie. He probably wouldn't have dug his heels in quite as much. Kylie feels betrayed and has walked out with Max, devastating David.

The Rovers calls Time on Betty

It's always so much more difficult when you know a television death reflects reality. When Gordon was talking to Rita, Emily, Dennis and Ken, My eyes were filling up, too. These are the most senior cast members of the show and I count Dennis as one of those because he, too, was in the first episode of Coronation Street even if he's been absent for many years.

Dear Betty. The "wake" in the Rovers was lovely wasn't it? We were teased that we might see some familiar old faces but that didn't happen. Shame on you ITV! It would have made it even more special if some of Betty's dear old friends had made the effort to return or even to be mentioned as contacted someone. Surely Bet would have returned? I realize it's all based on actor's availability but it's not as if they didn't have adequate notice.

There were some sticking points, though. There is outrage echoing all over the internet about Annie Walker bequeathing Betty a pub that she didn't even own (the brewery did!). How could Betty see Bet Gilroy in such a state when she could have put her mind at ease? How could Betty, who really didn't like Alec very much, see him run the pub with his name over the door? How could she stand to have Vera lording it over her? No, ITV really lost the plot on this one.

Having said that, Betty Turpin Williams really was the spiritual landlady of the Rovers Return Inn all these years, as the mainstay. It's a nice tribute, having her photo on the wall though the dates should have been 1969 to 2012.

Would Betty really have left her hotpot recipe to Sean? Seems doubtful. Stella kept making remarks about how much help Betty was to her but we never saw them in the same scene, did we? That can't be helped, though, because the actor herself had been ill so the viewer had to presume she was just in the kitchen or having a cuppa in the back room.

I do think ITV let us down, promising all these old familiar faces to return for Betty's funeral. Where were they? Gordon was the only one that came back. 

The reactions of those that knew her longest, Rita, Emily, Deirdre, and her son Gordon, really felt genuine of course, because it's a real good bye to Ms. Driver as well. I thought several times poor old Bill Kenwright was going to break down on screen especially when he read out Betty's letter.


Overall, though, aside from the jarring rewrite of history, I thought the tribute to the character and actor was very nice. And the quote of the week must be:

"Steve, me duck, Who would I be if I wasn't cookin' hotpots for me friends?"

Here are some pictures from Betty's life in the Rovers.

Betty and Bet Lynch, circa early 1980s.

Betty chiding Chesney over the bar when he tried to be served.

Betty comforting Claire Peacock after her beloved Ashley died in the tram crash.

Betty with Bet Lynch, early 1970s, looking very disapproving

Betty and Audrey with Alf when he received his OBE. Betty was his Mayoress for a time.

Betty having fun with Becky at a hen do.

Betty, the panto Fairy Godmother

And Betty's final send off.

Good night Betty

There's a profile of Betty up to 1995 on Corrie.net and one on Wikipedia.

The life of Tommy Duckworth

Now that Terry Duckworth is back in Weatherfield and becoming aquainted with his son, Tommy, let's have a look at Tommy's history.

This is Tommy Duckworth's mother, Lisa Horton on her wedding day to RTerry. Terry brought Lisa home to meet his mum and dad in 1992. Lisa was already pregnant and Terry was going to be charged with GBH. Jack and Vera took Lisa in. Her parents, Jeff and Doreen, lived in Blackpool but didn't approve of Lisa's choice in fellas (would you?) so she preferred not to go home. Terry got sent down for 2 years but they organized a wedding so they could be married before the baby was born.

Here they are on their wedding day. Just before all hell broke loose. You see, Vera thought it was cruel for Terry to be handcuffed to a police officer while he was being married and after, out on the church steps she persuaded them to unlock the handcuffs for a couple of photos. Terry took the opportunity to run, telling Lisa he loved her and off he went.

The police suspected Vera was in collusion with her son but we know she was just as silly, sentimental, soft-hearted woman. Terry was caught eventually and banged up and Lisa stayed in Coronation Street rather than live with her disapproving parents, giving birth to Tommy on September 9, 1992 with Vera by her side.


Awww, wasn't he a cute baby? It wasn't long before things went wrong. Lisa struck up a friendship with neighbour Des Barnes which Vera thought was wrong even though nothing was going on. She let it slip to Tommy who called some mates and had Des beaten up. The penny dropped and Lisa realized what Terry really was like and wanted nothing more to do with him. She and Vera fell out and Lisa took V's beloved grandson home to her parents in Blackpool. Des soon followed her there and told her how he felt about her. She moved back in to his house, much to Vera's horror.

Vera thought it was very wrong of Lisa to take up with another man. She was still married to Terry and Terry was that little baby's dad! 

Sadly, a mere few months later in February 1993, Lisa went out to buy a bottle of wine. But when she ran across the street, a speeding car hit her. Terry was allowed to see her in hospital, cuffed again to a guard of course and rowed with Des over her bedside. She died of her injuries and Terry was carted back to jail. Jack and Vera insisted on taking Tommy home. Vera quit her job at Bettabuys to raise her grandson for Terry until he was released in spite of the financial hardship it caused.

Terry had other ideas. Pretending he thought raising a baby at their age was too much for them, he gave custody to his in-laws, Jeff and Doreen, but the Duckworths found out that the Hortons paid Terry to have Tommy, something they couldn't afford to do. In effect, Terry sold his son to the Hortons. Vera's heart broke and Jack, furious at his son, knocked him over and disowned him.

A few years later, Terry brought Tommy back but only because he tried to get more money out of the Hortons and they weren't having it. It didn't last long. In the end the Hortons paid Terry 10,000 pounds and he signed a custody agreement. They were to raise Tommy until he was 18.

Jack and Vera visited Tommy in Blackpool many times over the years. We saw young Tommy again during one of their visits in 2000. We heard nothing until, in 2011, Tommy turned up on Tyrone Dobbs' doorstep, looking for Jack. He knew Vera had died but he didn't know Jack had as well, because he'd been backpacking around the world and hadn't been in touch with his other grandparents much.

Tommy moved in with Tyrone and Ty took him on at the garage, first as a valet and now he's training Tommy to do some mechanic work. Tommy dated Amber for a little while but he's fancied fellow housemate Tina since he met her. Tina has finally come around and they have found a mutual attraction. They both united in distaste and suspicion over Tyrone's new girlfriend Kirsty who's managed to get them both out of Number 9. They both share Jason's flat over the Kabin, with Jason living there as well for the moment.

Terry is back and Tommy wants to believe the best of his father for the moment. We all know that's going to go badly wrong. Terry will end up getting Tommy into all manner of trouble and will end up betraying him, probably running off with Tommy's inheritance from Granddad Horton. I think Terry's return is meant to cement Tina and Tommy's relationship. I don't expect Terry to be back for long.

Tommy seems a nice enough lad, though still young and a bit immature. Not quite as feckless as Jack was, but he's always up for a scheme or a good time. Tina is gobby and rude and often speaks before she thinks. I wonder if they could be the next version of Jack and Vera? Alas, in this day and age, young actors don't stay with a role for 20 or 30 years like they used to. There's so many more opportunties so very likely we won't be seeing this couple around long term. It's too bad. They seem well suited at the moment. It will be interesting to see how their relationship develops.

What's next for Steve and Tracy?

 Tracy Barlow is not my favourite character. I would imagine that most people feel the same way though there may be a few people that "love to hate" Tracy. I just flat out hate her and I wouldn't be upset in the least if she were to disappear again. I don't like dumping on actors but I never found Kate Ford's acting skills to be much more than two dimensional. There isn't a lot of depth but I will also admit, in the last few months, she's not been as difficult to watch as she used to be.

This is not to say that Tracy is any more sympathetic. No matter how much they may try to show a vulnerable side to her, she's a detestable person. She may love her child but she's too selfish to be a good parent. She uses her child for whatever means necessary, usually to try to interfere in Steve's life or as emotional blackmail to get one or both of her parents to do something. We never see her hugging Amy, or being tender to her either, do we? A few people felt bad for her when she lost the twins but she was more upset because she thought it meant she'd lose Steve and she showed that she hasn't really changed at all by accusing Becky of pushing her down the stairs.

As the Chinese proverb goes, be careful what you wish for, you might get it. She wanted Steve McDonald most of her adult life. She got him finally and it blew up in her face because her scheming and lying came back to bite her. Leaving them married might have been Becky's spiteful revenge but where does it leave them now? Steve can't get an annullment because she refuses and he'll have to wait a year to apply for divorce. Surely you can get a divorce quicker with cause but I suppose he can't afford that and to be sure, Tracy would take everything she could.

Steve has had the blinders pulled off brutally and is back to hating Tracy. Tracy seems to be biding her time,  still hoping she can win Steve around. Please, powers that be, don't let him knuckle under to her!!! He only deluded himself when she was pregnant, wanting a family and the new babies. He's already proven he can be a good father on his own. Tracy will never give Amy back to him as long as it means she's got a hold over him. So what's next?

I'd really like to see Tracy find a new man, someone to really sweep her off her feet but I really can't see that happening because even if she puts on a good first impression, her real personality is bound to come crashing through eventually. She's destined not to have a happy ending but we could see the back of her if she rides off into the sunset in a black cab with some bloke, leaving Amy behind with Steve. In an ideal world. It's more likely she'll do something that will land her back in jail which would be more fitting. If that happens, this time the conviction has got to be rock solid.

And as for Steve? I think he needs to give up weddings. Seriously. Six weddings to four different women. (Two to Becky, one that didn't actually go through and two to Karen) That's a Coronation Street record. Gail's second up with five weddings to four men and Deirdre has had four weddings to three men (with Ken having four weddings to three women). Steve either has to find the right woman or give it up, become a single dad and a monk. Yes, I know, that'll never happen. His problem is that he keeps getting involved with women who are very similar to his mother, hot tempered, stubborn and volatile. He's very much like Liz in that he likes his partners to offer a bit of danger, and excitement. Someone like Michelle was too boring for him even though her life was a depressing nightmare while they were together (children mixed up at birth which seems to have been forgotten thankfully, siblings dying, you name it.).

Sophie adrift

How do we solve a problem like Sophie Webster? Does she have a problem? I think so. She's drifting with no discernable goal in life and her future at the present time is murky.

Back in the day, Sophie was bright. She read Jane Austen and quoted her, she always did well at school, she was funny and she was sparky. Then Rosie started demanding attention, causing family ructions and Sally seemed to spend her time focusing on her older daughter. It was all about Rosie, all the time and Sophie didn't seem to get a look in. She might get a word of praise but Rosie always stole the show.

Sophie realized she was gay. That certainly got her parents' attention for about 10 minutes until Rosie's latest hangnail diverted it yet again.

Then the tram crashed, and the news about Kevin and Molly exploded into Sophie's life. She didn't deal with it well and went into a tailspin. She lost interest in college and dropped out, saying she found it too hard and she hated it. I think it was the stress, more than the coursework. Sophie was always a good student but after everything turned upside down, perhaps this wasn't such an unexpected turn of events. Her self esteem suffered causing her to be more jealous over Sian. She developed a crush on Amber and had serious second thoughts about marrying Sian and when Sian left her after the aborted wedding ceremony, Sophie seemed to go underground.

Now we only see her occasionally. She still works at the shop but is drifting, with no particular purpose in her life. If Sally and Kevin get back together after this latest crisis, I'm sure she'll be quite pleased but I think she needs something more.

I'd like to see her go back to college ideally, and then maybe to university. She could meet someone new to love, or maybe a teacher can open up new challenges for her. She could find something to be enthusiastic about again, find new joy in life and spread her wings a little. She needs a good mate, too. A best friend now that Sian is gone and her sister Rosie has flown the coop as well. Maybe someone to share a flat with, in the Corrie tradition of two "barm cake" girls giggling over boys/girls in their flat.

There is  definitely a need for something to perk her up and revitalize the character.

What would you like to see happen to Sophie?

State of the Street - March 2012

Frank's dead and we've had a whodunnit on our hands. According to Soap Law, the person arrested is never the culprit so Carla didn't do the deed and neither did Peter, even though he can't remember where he was and he had blood on his clothing. There were two expendable crew members, either of whom were likely suspects. The only time a regular character is indeed guilty is if it's self defence or they're already a villain or if we know they're leaving the show.

From the start I knew it would be Anne and I knew it would be accidental. I know she's volatile and impulsive but she wouldn't have killed her own son on purpose. She was in such a state, finding out that Frank really did rape Carla, feeling guilt, and shame for what he did and anger for his lying to her. She'd already lost her husband and she snapped. It was a no brainer. Soap law says it's never a major character who dunnit unless it was self defence or if they're leaving the show. Gotta  say though, even though it was no surprise, when you weed through all the hype, the performances of Gwen Taylor and Alison King were superb and left me breathless.

Now, to the contract...Would Carla and Frank's original partner contract have a clause in it for death circumstances? It must have. Will his original share revert back to Carla or to his mother? Even though the new sale contract was signed and then burned before it could be filed with the solicitor, the solicitor drew it up and could at least testify to that and what was in it. But of course the solicitor can't say whether it was signed or not.

Amber's gone. They wasted this character. She was so sparky and cheeky first time around and they've turned her into a mardy cow. Maybe it's not a personality transplant, maybe it's a progression of her personality given a bit of freedom when she went to uni. She's selfish and bossy. So maybe she *is* her father's daughter! Other than being the catalyst in Sophie and Sian's relationship, they haven't done anything with her. Too bad, because the actor has always been good. I think the writers let her down badly.

Lewis and Audrey...together again? I wasn't sure he really did turn himself in but then we saw him doing community service for about 5 minutes so I guess he did though we never saw the police questioning anyone since he returned and there were no victim statements from Peter or Audrey. I have a gut feeling that he's still telling massive lies to Audrey but would the writers do that to her again? If he felt that sorry, he would have turned himself in long before Audrey discovered him in that pub. I'm not entirely sure he's changed. I know, benefit of the doubt and all that but although he may not have taken that cash from the Bistro till, I think he's biding his time. And being cynical, if the actor is only back for a short time, then there could be a good chance that he'll end up hurting her again.

Now Gail is being really, really vile to her mother over Lewis, and i really mean *really*. I think she's even surpassed Ivy Tilsley. Telling Audrey she doesn't want to talk to her anymore was really harsh even if it was a bluff. Well, if Audrey does go away or drop dead from a stroke from that supposed high blood pressure, Gail will get what she wanted. Speaking of which, that exercise and "no drinking" thing didn't last very long did it?

And while we're talking about the senior set in love, how giddy were you all when Dennis and Rita finally admitted their feelings to each other? I was chuffed to little mint balls, me! It was also nice seeing Audrey comforting and supporting Rita when she feared telling Dennis about how she felt. I love it when you see long time friends make a connection. It could be friends like this or even younger members, like Fiz and Tyrone or Sally and Gail. I think the writers forget now and then to inject a bit of that into the show. It really pulls things together.

This storyline with Paul, Lesley and Eileen is just so wrong. It would have been ok if Eileen and Paul weren't involved and were only just friends. The actress playing Lesley is amazing, though, I have to give her that. I don't blame Jason for ripping Paul a new one. He's not sticking his nose in, this is *his mother*. Eileen might be pissed off about Jason's attitude as well but again, wouldn't she do the same thing if the situation was reversed? Jason is watching his mother heading for a cliff and doesn't want to see her plummeting over the edge. And Tommy and Tina finally got together, making Jason the third wheel in his own flat. They're an ok couple, standard issue Corrie couple, she's gobby and he's feckless. There were rumours that the Powers That Be want them to be the Jack and Vera of the Future. Maybe. But I doubt the actors will stick around long enough for that to happen. The problem is, Tommy's a bit on the bland side.

Leanne and Peter and Carla have a brewing custody battle. Peter was staggering around drunk at the start of the month. Carla hasn't got a maternal bone in her body and both of them are battling booze, Peter moreso. Even if Leanne hadn't formally adopted Simon, I wonder if she's got a good case for custody? I know "CarPet" have their fans but to me, this couple is a train wreck. There's too much baggage between them for it to work long term and Simon is never going to be won over. Peter has to put that child first and he's not doing it. He's going to grow up to be another Jez Quigley at this rate. Lost his mum, nearly lost his dad to a tram, knows his dad is a boozer, nearly burned in a fire twice and he's only 8! Leanne might have an unsavoury past but she's turned her life around and can give that kid more stability than Peter can.

Put the knife down, Anne

For once, the real killer's name wasn't screaming at us from the headlines. ITV threw out red herrings, five possible suspects in fact, all of whom had a motive for murder, though Michelle's was the weakest of them. Carla and Peter each had pretty strong reasons to kill Frank but I knew all along it would end up being his mother, Anne. No, I didn't *know* know, but I was pretty sure because after all my years of watching soaps, I can pretty much tell how it's going to come out.

Because Anne just wouldn't kill her son with intent, I also reckoned it would be an accident, which it appears to have been. She's shown signs of lashing out and being impulsive before so it's not unbelievable that during a great steaming row, charged with anger and shock, she'd grab the nearest thing to hand and clout him with it. I don't know what she expected would happen if she whacked him with a heavy bottle half full of whiskey but I don't think she was really thinking about anything but what she'd heard and found out.

Frank raped Carla. Worry about Frank's court case contributed to her beloved husband's demise. Frank was unrepentant and scornful of his mother. Grief, anger, shock, even guilt because she believed Frank over Carla who was brutally raped, it's a clear case of a crime of passion. She may do time for manslaughter but I think it will be a light sentence under the circumstances.

By rights, Anne is Frank's next of kin. What about the factory? Even if the solicitor can say he drew up a contract for the sale, nobody can prove it because the contract has been burned. Carla won't admit it and neither will Michelle or Peter. Should they be punished for that crime? Technically you could say they contributed to stealing back the factory majority share. Anne must inherit Frank's minority share. Will she stay a sleeping partner? Will she give it all to Carla? If she does, it better be all legal and proper.

Will Carla forgive Sally after all the nasty things Sally's said in the past? Sally will grovel and apologize, and Carla will put it down to being mesmerized and under Frank's oily spell and our Sal will be back lording it over the others in the factory before you know it. Life goes on.

The whole storyline has been very good in spite of criticism that rape does not belong on Corrie. I agree with that but if you are going to have it, do it with good actors and decent writing. They built up Frank well. Cold, calculating, controlling. Carla couldn't have Peter so once again, she went with whoever was available and once again, paid a price. The rape and aftermath was horrific but well acted. The trial was full of holes but soap trials always are. Frank didn't get convicted and that happens in real life a lot, too. But as it's a soap, we knew Frank would pay in the end and he did, with his life.

Classic whodunnit but also a classic cop-out with the expendable crew member being the culprit. I did waver at one point that it was Jenny Sumner because she could very easily have been brought in to become the woman Frank tried to attack next but, no, that was too easy. I wondered if Sally would be threatened by Frank and would lash out in self defence. That could have been the second most likely scenario but I think Sally would have owned up straight away. No, it had to be Anne, Frank's own mother.

From Frank's death, over the next couple of weeks, we could see Anne swinging from a shifty look to hysteria as guilt overcame her and back again. On the day of the funeral, she tried to reach out to Carla to apologize and then she cracked open. She nearly made a clean getaway but Sally discovered the truth but fell and knocked herself out before she could raise the alarm. Carla managed to get to the house before Anne could get out and the confession came gasping out of Anne as she admitted she'd killed her own son!

It was breath taking stuff. When scenes end and I'm catching my breath, I know it's been superb, Corrie at its best.

But with the good, there's always a plot hole or two.

1. Where's Jenny? She witnessed the signing of the contract, she was Frank's lover and his collaborator. Ok, it was a dirty trick they played on Sally but you'd think she'd have at least gone to the funeral or the police would have mentioned talking to her.

2. Have you ever owned such a silent garage door as the one on Anne's house that Kevin lifted up to sneak in the back? Would you leave it  and the door into the house unlocked? There wasn't a grind or rattle inside the house to be heard when he lifted the door.

Never mind. It didn't take away from the finale of this storyline but the Jenny thing was odd.

There's been a lot written and speculated about this whodunnit as there always is when Coronation Street finishes off a long storyline with a bang. I enjoyed the storyline. I enjoyed the twists and turns as Sally fell for a calculating and dangerous man with her friends and family worried for her safety. I was amused as Frank quickly tired of her after the trial, her chuntering on about frozen entrees and him almost visibly shuddering at the thought of playing happy families with her once her respectibility helped his reputation at the trial.

Carla went through the gamut of the pain, anguish, anger, despair and fear through the rape, trial and shock of Frank's admission of guilt and then being questioned by the police. Later she thought Peter, the man she finally got her hands on, committed the crime. She struggled to be a step mother. She kept her cool at the end, knowing Anne was distraught.

And Anne...played by Gwen Taylor, she was awesome in every original sense of the word. What a smashing actor she is and what a fantastic job she's done all along! 

This is why I watch Coronation Street!