The Wedding of Mary and Norris

A bit of background: Norris entered a contest to win an around-the-world trip so that Mary could have a chance to visit her son Jude in South Africa but the contest was a very old fashioned Mr. and Mrs. competition. Honestly, in this day and age! But don't get me started on that.

He entered it as if he and Mary were wed and when she found out, she was flattered and touched but they decided perhaps they should get married for real to make sure they wouldn't get disqualified. It would, of course, be a marriage of convenience. Lo and behold, when Jude found out via the Alahan twins, he decided to bring his wife and child to England to attend the wedding! Oops! Now both Mary and Norris are feeling even bigger frauds than they already were but rather than call it off and admit why they were doing it, they went ahead with it, though it was Mary's decision. Norris went along because she said it was what she wanted, regardless of the illogical reasoning.

So here we are, on the happy day.

Bethany did Mary's hair and makeup and she looked lovely. There's a bitter taste to it, though and Mary does admit to Bethany that she's a bit ashamed at having to lie to her son.

Norris is fussing over his tie. He, too, knows the wedding is a sham of course but he's going through with it because it's what Mary wants.

Worryingly, Rita, although surrounded by a fancy frock and a gift, doesn't seem to realize that she hasn't even put on her face yet. She makes herself comfy on the sofa with a magazine and completely forgets the wedding! She does show up later at the reception, though still seems a bit vague.

The bride is crowned and ready and even Tracy was sweet to her, fixing her head dress. Norris did have to be nudged to admit out loud that she looked lovely! Jude's wife has already had her suspicions that something's not right and that doesn't help.

At the registry office, Jude tells Mary he'd like to find out more about his father's family. Oh dear.

Norris stumbles through is vows but Mary sails through hers. Rings are exchanged and our favourite Registrar pronounces them married! Norris shakes Mary's hand but then leans in to pretend-kiss her cheek so that Mary has the opportunity to let him know what Jude plans. Needless to say, she's upset about it.

Still, Norris manages to look somewhat like a happy groom though Mary looks more brittle than genuinely happy.

The reception is at the Rovers, of course, complete with three tier cake which, for such a small wedding, seems a bit overkill. Norris attempts to talk to Jude about Mary being upset about him finding his father but he doesn't get too far.

Angie takes little George into the back room to change his nappie and Gemma comes in. Before long, Gemma's mouth has pulled a big skeleton out of the closet, more or less telling Angie that Jude's conception was due to a not-very-nice experience. Mary walks in. There's going to be some major 'splaining to do here.

 Mary tells Angie, along with some help from Gemma, not really getting to the nitty gritty for ages until it's quite obvious. It was rape. Angie is horrified.

 But even worse, Jude was outside the door and heard it all. He left the pub but did come back later, still in shock to find out he was the product of rape. That has to do your head in.

 Norris explained how difficult it was for Mary to tell him the truth

 But Mary told him the most important things, that she didn't want to give him up, her mother took him from her and that she loved him as the only good thing that came from the incident. She lied because she didn't want him to have to deal with it.

 But it comes down to it, he does love his mother and he doesn't hold the lies against her. He understands and hugs her warmly to prove it.

 Later in the pub, they are all amused when Mary finally tells them the last piece of the puzzle. She doesn't want any more lies and admits, to Norris' relief, that they married because of the contest.

The icing on the wedding cake is this...Jude has decided that they should move back to Manchester. No, he didn't consult his wife. No, it doesn't look like she thinks it's such a great idea to uproot the family from their current home and jobs. You just know she's going to hold this against Mary, don't you?

An unusual wedding, to be sure. And this marriage may actually last longer than some recent ones we've seen that were actually meant to be "forever" and lasted no longer than the reception! I'd really like Norris and Mary to develop their friendship-love into something a bit deeper but I also wouldn't be surprised if they stayed married, stayed best friends and either shared the house or lived separately.

Jude seems like a very nice man. I think Angie might be a great character. She's smart, loyal and I think can defend her family fiercely, as can Mary. They may clash, I fear but Mary now has Norris in her corner. This could be gold. What say you?


Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

State of the Street - July 2017

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

The end of an era

Next week, for the second and final time, the McDonalds will have sold the pub and Liz will no longer be ruling the roost from behind the bar.

She first worked at the pub in the early 1990s as a cook, helping Betty Turpin and it seemed to spark her ambition. Newton and Ridley offered her the Queens and she and Jim ran that for awhile but it was her pub, not his and his jealousy killed their relationship temporarily over it. It didn't end well for Liz. She's worked behind the bar at the Rovers on and off but missed out on her chance to be the landlady when Vera and Jack Duckworth beat she and Jim to the post after Bet had to give up the pub, unable to find a financial backer.

This began a period of unsettled life for Liz. Her marriage eventually died, she was involved with a hood for awhile, had an attraction to Des Barnes, nearly reunited with Jim but fell for Jim's physiotherapist. She remarried Jim some years later when he was banged up for killing Jez Quigley but it didn't last. We didn't see a lot of Liz as she first followed Jim around as he was moved to various prisons and later, she lived in Brighton for awhile and spent a lot of time in Spain with her son, Andy. She returned to work for Fred Elliott and when he decided to sell up and travel with his new bride, Bev, Steve bought the bar from him, though it ended being the Estate of Fred Elliott since Fred died on his wedding day before it was formally sold. Ashley as his next of kin finished the transaction and Steve owned the pub, with Liz's name over the door. It was a dream come true for Liz who had always wanted to own the Rovers Return.
 

There were more ups and downs, a marriage and divorce (Vernon Tomlin), a number of fellas including Harry Mason and Lloyd Mullaney and after a near-reconciliation with Jim who was released from prison went badly when he robbed a bank to get the money to buy the pub from Steve for her, she left Weatherfield, heart broken. Steve found a manager, Stella Price,  and then later sold the pub to her and her partner Karl, but that was a disaster that ended in Karl burning down the pub which killed two people. Liz returned a couple of years later to be Steve's business partner when he bought the pub back.

Even though it was Steve and Michelle's names over the door and even though Michelle might tell people she was the landlady, we all knew the truth. That title belonged to Elizabeth Jane McDonald. For me, Liz has entered the Rovers Landlady Hall of Fame, just as worth as former Queens Bet Lynch and Annie Walker. Lesser landladies, Natalie Horrocks and the hapless Vera Duckworth are not as memorable and we won't even give a side glance at Ms. Price who faltered before she even rounded the first stretch of the track. Shelly Unwin, a manager under Fred Elliott had potential but never had her name over the door and Becky McDonald, Steve's (4th?) wife was far too volatile to be one of the greats. 

Steve's marriage to Michelle has been on rocky ground for a long time and his one night stand and subsequent paternal revelation was the straw that broke the back of that union. Michelle was bent on financial revenge so Steve buckled down and put the pub up for sale. Even though he wouldn't have to fight for the right to see baby Oliver after all, Liz ended up selling her share as well and is taking a job at the medical clinic while Steve still has Streetcars to run with his partner Tim.

It's a shame, really. But with a new producer, things always change. I'm not so sure about the sale of the pub to alcoholic Peter Barlow. Even if he knows that if he drinks again, it will likely kill him after that last binge in the prison drinking bootleg moonshine, the temptation is there. And his partner, Toyah Battersby will be the landlady. A mere shadow of the former greats, is Toyah. Oh, she used to have spark and the Toyah we knew 15 years ago, back when she was a barmaid at the pub, probably would have had us nodding collectively and speculating that she might make a good landlady someday.

Toyah is much changed from those days. She shows the occasional flashback to the Little Madam she was but I can't see that she'll be comfortable behind that bar. She's not blonde for one thing. The best landladies have always been blonde (well, ok, most of best ones). She scowls. She's a bit of a whiner. She'll probably nag the life out of Peter who will probably start spending a lot of time down in the cellar with the racing form a la Jack Duckworth. She just doesn't have that air of authority.

We aren't losing Liz from the Street. She and Steve will be living in the Streetcars' flat but it will seem strange not to see her behind the bar.

Let's all raise a glass to Liz McDonald, one of the best landladies the Rovers Return has ever seen.


Thanks to Corriepedia and Corrie.net.

Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

State of the Street - June 2017

This month, Coronation Street's storylines were quite varied. We had such a climactic last week of May that June has been a month of fallout  and followup for the most part.

Nick is gone and Leanne is left alone. She can't get her head around him leaving and leaving so quickly and he's gone for good. She's sure he'll cool off and come back but he's selling his half of the Bistro and cutting off business ties. Leanne will soon have something else to distract her, though, because Eva's found out about Maria and Aidan's affair.

Adam caught the two snogging in the ginnel and took a photo, intending on using it for blackmail. Even that didn't stop Aidan. He's determined to have it both ways, stringing Maria along with the usual promises to tell Eva the truth but never quite getting there. Except Eva found out because Aidan left his tablet hooked up to the television after a session of afternoon delight and it's obviously hooked into his mobile phone account. He destroyed the pay as you go phone so Maria sent him texts to his normal phone that popped up on the television screen leaving no uncertainty. Eva and Leanne were both there to see it. Busted.

Here's the twist. Aidan and Maria don't know she found out and Eva is now the one doing the stringing along, intent on revenge and she's pretending to Aidan that she's pregant (due to the fact that she thought she was but isn't)  In her revenge, it's likely that Toyah and Leanne will be her wing-women. She vows to get as much out of Aidan as she can.  Leanne gets to take out her anger at Nick and direct it in the guise of sisterly outrage in Aidan's direction.

Johnny got a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and freaked out, as you do. He doesn't want to be a sick old man and have a young, vibrant wife have to look after him so he broke off with Jenny. A stern talking to from Kate gave him second thoughts but he's not been able to persuade Jenny back yet. I don't blame her. He really hurt her and let her down and she's had trust issues going back years. One of the best parts of this storyline was Rita going down the Mama lioness route and tearing Johnny a new one after he hurt Jenny and then, after getting drunk, being one of Jenny's wing-women, along with Gemma, when Johnny tried to apologize. Barbara Knox doesn't get enough really meaty scenage and it's glorious when she does! I do hope Johnny and Jenny find their way back to each other in the end.

All the Barlows except Ken are spending a lot of their time hissing and spitting in Daniel's direction after what he did to Ken. Poor Daniel couldn't deal with his mother's return and insisted she leave him again and Sinead won't have anything to do with him either. He's lost his place at Oxford and his family mostly all hate him. Is it any wonder he jumped into a mess of cocaine and other illegal and legal substances and overdosed? It was surprising when Adam actually cared enough to look after him and stay over the night he left the hospital, just to make sure there were no after effects. I don't think Adam likes him any more than he did, but he's family and Adam doesn't have a lot of that left, does he? Turns out, blood really is thicker than water. I do hope Daniel does get counselling. He needs it badly. 

Bethany was yanked out of Nathan's flat but Nathan still has full control over her. He was out on bail and kept up contact, first, face to face and then through Neil. He made plans to wisk her away to the Continent. She thinks it's a romantic gesture and they're starting a new life. It isn't. He's selling her to the highest bidder. As she was leaving to run off, Mary tried to stop her. I loved that scene, with Mary telling her about her own past and desperately trying to make her realize that everything Nathan is doing is wrong. It didn't look like Bethany took it on board but it sowed a seed. When she admitted she didn't have her passport and discovered he was sending her off to Belgium alone to stay with a "friend", I think she realized what was he was doing to her, the truth and the whole truth. Mary was right. He was using her.  I can only imagine the broken heart coupled with the panic as Mary's words echoed in her head.

She did the right thing and went to a family in a service station for help and Nathan was arrested.  Now she's got to find a way to deal with it all while we wait to see if Nathan goes to trial. We've been promised he'll pay as will the crooked cop but I would imagine the road to conviction for both of them will be full of potholes before the cage is closed on those two.

Really good storyline, I think. I've enjoyed it a lot. Excellent performances all around. I know some have been upset that a corrupt police officer has been brought into it as a dramatic twist. They hop up and down and holler that it will put girls off from going to the police if they're in a similar position but it's television, it's drama, and it's never going to be 100% realistic. I think it was a good twist and it will be all the more satisfying to see Neil behind bars. Too bad we won't see the whole truth, all the inmates taking their own brand of justice out on these two men for what they do to young girls. Because they would, you know. Something else I wish and hope we see, that police inspector that dealt with Ken's case, DI MacKinnon, remember her? She grew on me. I really liked the character and I hope we see her again. I'd love to see her be the one that takes down her corrupt colleague! We have a different female police officer working with Sarah at the moment, though, so I suppose that's not going to happen.

Billy and Todd have met the daughter of Billy's dying ex boyfriend, Drew. She's called Summer and she's quite a character. I did think she was a bit too calm and collected for a child who's dad is dying but never mind. Todd, being the sarcastic tongue that we all know and love, made a crack about putting her in a home but didn't know she'd overheard and she's now not predisposed to be taken in by them. I'll say one thing, if they do adopt her, they'd better find a flat of their own because I don't think Eileen will have yet another mouth to feed under that roof! Summer is 9 years old. She might be a friend for Max, Asha and Aadi if Billy and Todd to end up taking her in.

I have to wonder why Drew didn't have guardianship in place for her a long time ago, though. He didn't get sick overnight after all and I got the impression he was sick for awhile before he finally approached Billy here a month ago. He would know what his parents were like, surely he would have made it a priority to find a guardian for Summer rather than have his homophobic parents take her.

In other news, Seb seems to be out of juvvy with a new case worker. Anna is furious that Faye continues to defy her. Kevin is getting more and more sexually frustrated. He's not had a shag in a very long time, since Anna's accident. We saw him looking up the side effects of the medication she's on. It's an antidepressant which can indeed have an effect on the libido.  So Kevin is going to take another chunk out of her self esteem and go sniffing around Erica, from the look of it. Once he got a taste for it with Natalie Horrocks, it didn't take much, just a bat of the eye and some flattery and he starts panting like a puppy dog. Here we go again.

I'm really not all that interested in Anna and Kevin nor do care about Cathy and Brian. He's far too rude, selfish and ignorant to be at all enjoyable for me. The actor is a little belter, but the character is repugnant, too much so for me to "love to hate" him.

Another interesting storyline has started. Pat Phelan's past comes back to him. He met Seb's case worker and it turns out he knew this woman, Nicola's parents. Not only that, he had an affair with her mother and he's pretty sure she's his biological daughter. There was no delay, no secrets kept for long, nobody sneaking around. It came out fairly quickly. I really like that Nicola stood right up and confronted him with it straight away rather than keeping it secret that she knew, and that she has had the reaction you might expect from normal non-soap people. Shocked, but not about to go out and self destruct, either. Eileen took it well, knowing it's his past rather than have a hissy fit like soap characters usually do. She's being very supportive. I expect she will turn out to be his daughter.

Phelan is a villain, he's done nasty things and in the long run he will have to pay. But finding his daughter, will she end up being his conscience? Will, in the need to be a better man, she be the catalyst to him confessing to things like leaving Michael to die and killing Andy? I reckon he'd only do that if somehow Nicola finds out first, at least about Andy. If Andy's really dead. It's all up in the air and it's going to be great fun speculating on this storyline.

Lastly, David has found out that Shona is Clayton's mother after finding Shona at Kylie's grave. She might have helped Bethany and she and David were beginning to fall for each other. I did like the scene where David talked to Leanne about finding someone new after your loved one died. Because she got together with Nick after Kal died, she'd know what he was feeling. But when he found out Shona's secret, David can't get his head around Shona being the mother of the kid that killed Kylie. It would be pretty strange, that's for sure. How could the kids manage it, growing up knowing that, as well? I realize she was not the one that made Clayton kill Kylie and it's really not her responsibility but it's difficult to separate the two. Anyway, she ran out of town but I don't think we've seen the last of her.


Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

Musing on Dramatic License

Bethany's storyline has been quite controversial. Some viewers think it's gone too far. Some hate that a corrupt policeman has been added for dramatic effect, saying that it could stop someone going for help in "real life". People know this is a fictional drama, and though these things happen in life, most of the police are not going to be corrupt. This kind of situation is nothing new. Pimps have been seducing vulnerable young women for centuries. Bethany might not have been forced to walk the streets for her clients but Nathan is pimping her out just the same. There have also always been corrupt police so why not introduce one to the storyline? Surely people watching have the sense to understand that it's still fiction they're watching on the screen.

Mind you, I should know better than to say that. I used to process the email that came in through the Corrie.net website. Flaming Nora can back me up here. There would occasionally be an email from someone that didn't seem to understand that what they were watching was acting. I remember when Alma died of cancer. There were a half dozen or more emails from people who really thought the actress was dying and how brave was it of her to portray Alma's death on screen. When the storyline aired in Canada some months later, in popped a few more similar emails. I guess there really are some people that get far too involved and confuse fantasy with reality.

Would it really be possible for a mother to disappear without a trace for 7 years, leaving a 15 year old alone as Denise did with Daniel? The financial aspect alone would make it nearly impossible. She had a breakdown, allegedly, so how was she getting the money to put in the bank to pay the rent and bills? Yet apparently she did that. So why didn't Daniel trace her through the bank deposits? Why did not one neighbour or friend find it suspicious that she hadn't been seen for years? Why didn't Denise contact Ken and send Daniel to him if she wasn't going to be around? Daniel wasn't too keen on having his father in his life, as we saw during that last time Ken saw him but rather than leave your child alone, she had that option. Daniel could only lie and cover for her for so long before someone would start asking questions. We complain a bit but more or less accept the storyline as given because it's fiction.


I'm finding it a little difficult to accept that a man diagnosed with terminal cancer only bothered to try to find a guardian for his daughter almost before it was too late. He knew he didn't have much time left, he told that to Billy when he first appeared on the screen about a month ago. Surely if you have cancer, even if you don't know yet that it's terminal, you would scramble to get your house in order especially if you had the guardianship of a child to worry about, and especially knowing she'd either go into care or be given to your homophobic parents if you didn't make prior arrangements or at least write a will and express your wishes there. Social services might still get involved under those circumstances but surely they'd lean towards a big hearted gay vicar over a mean spirited homophobic grandmother.

I can't say yet if this story is going to interest me much but I will say this, if Billy and Todd do end up with Summer, they had better find somewhere to live. I'm pretty sure Eileen isn't going to go for having yet another mouth to feed.

David finally found out Shona's connection to his late wife, the fact that her child is the one that killed Kylie. Naturally he went ballistic, particularly because he was finding that he was attracted to her and it was mutual. She went and ran off but I'm sure she'll be back and in the time honoured tradition of soaps, they'll eventually get together though it's going to be weird that Kylie's kids' step-mother is the mother of the man that killed their mother. My head hurts already!

We all know that Eva's been in full on Bridezilla mode, trying to get Aidan to propose. She's been dropping hints like the flower girl drops rose petals up the church aisle. He's not picking them up. Deliberately. He likes having it both ways, a gorgeous blonde in his bed and another beauty on the side. He can continue to make promises to both of them and probably enjoys the danger zone. Eva took desperate measures and proposed to him in public so what could he do but say yes! Just to cement the deal, Eva is now pregnant though of course, she wouldn't have known that before the proposal I don't think. What I do think is that I wouldn't put it past her to have placed herself in that position of the possibility of getting pregnant because that would be her backup guarantee of a wedding.

Eva's always been full-on with relationships, pushing them into the next step before the fella was ready for it. I think that's why she kept getting engaged and then dumped. When we first met her, she was licking her wounds after a broken engagement and was there not something about when she was staying in France (when the actress was on maternity leave), that she wrote to Leanne that she met a guy and got engaged? When she returned, she was broken hearted again. Those relationships start up and zoom through to that huge commitment stage far too quickly and that's her fueling the zoom bit just like she's done with Aidan. First it was the push to get him to move in and recently it's been the proposal anticipation. But while she's told him about the baby, she's also going to be plotting his downfall while he continues to gleefully juggle both women, making empty promises to each.

 We suspend disbelief in most cases when dramatic license is taken. There's no harm in that. Tv, movies, books, fiction. Sometimes the writers need to throw in a twist or two that might be a bit over the top.

What bothers me is the nit-picky stuff, or if a character is written to do something that we know they would never, ever do. (i.e. when it was discovered that Betty Williams pilfered all those bar glasses) We also stand up and holler if Corrie history is blatantly rewritten (Annie Walker couldn't leave the pub to Betty because the brewery owned it and did until Bet Lynch left and the Duckies bought it from Newton and Ridley.) Would one small neighbourhood have that many people that have had anywhere between 4 and 6 spouses? Would one small neighbourhood have a building bursting into flame every year or two? Sometimes, you just roll your eyes and get on with it.




Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

State of the Street - May 2017

One by one, Ken's assailants were eliminated. After initially thinking the attacker would be a secondary character, I came to the conclusion that it was Adam. I noticed that Adam was continually focussing on one after the other of the suspects, trying to redirect attention off himself. He didn't want to be blamed for something "someone else did" and at the end, when he realized Ken's memory was starting to return, it took very little to persuade him to make plans leave town.  Of all the family, he had the most convenient opportunity and possibly motive though Rosie thinks his main MO is sneaky and underhanded. But someone else was anxious to get away from the heat and returning memories, as well.

I agree with Rosie's assessment of Adam, but an argument can quickly get out of hand and accidents happen. Ken's memory took a long time to return and when it did, in flashes, and by the end of the month, we *finally* got the answer we've all been waiting for as each suspect was eliminated. Every one of them were questioned and most of them were arrested, making the police look ridiculously incompetent, but that's nothing new for the Weatherfield Police. Craig had better look sharp or he's in danger of becoming a joke on the force, as well. Or he'll end up running rings around them all and become a super-cop! I'd love to see that.

So what do we all think of whodunnit? They pulled a fast one with an about-face at the end, and Daniel was the culprit all along. The scenes with him in his old flat with Ken were very dark and disturbing in that you could really see how broken and damaged Daniel really was for his mother's abandonment and Ken not being there all his life. The huge twist here was the precisely timed arrival of Denise on the scene! I had known she'd be back at some point but had no idea it would be at the climax of this storyline. Well done, ITV for keeping that under wraps. If Denise hadn't come through that door when she did, Ken might have gone out of it feet first! A lot of things kep her away all these years. None of them were very good excuses if you ask me but that's how the storyline was written.

Ken won't press charges  and swore to attest to the same in court, frustrating the police, and he will both forgive and try to help Daniel who has a lot of demons to face. I never did think Daniel killed his mother because that would make him un-redeemable and he'd have to go and Rob Mallard is one of the best additions to the cast in years. He and Daniel must stay! I do hope they keep Denise around to 'splain things even if Daniel might not want anything to do with her now.

Tracy really came into her own, I thought. As selfish as she is and has always been (and isn't really going to change that much), she decided to take the blame for Ken's assault because she worried that Amy was the one that did it. This included being unable to resist the charms of bad boy Rob Donovan, the man that got away. Ok, the man she made go away when she turned him in over Tina's murder. Rob is the love of her life, the one man that really did "get" her and mostly was able to get past her faults. If he couldn't, he'd give her a dressing down for them but loved her anyway. Not even Robert the Sanctimonious was able to do that. Rob also did the right thing and turned himself in to save Tracy and Amy by default (because she'd have effectively lost her mother to prison).

Self sacrifice worked. Ken had changed his mind and was going to give her the inheritance early so she could buy the florist shop and he still did it once he knew she didn't hurt him and realized she'd (mistakenly) taken the blame for her daughter. It's good to see Tracy enter her forties with a business of her own and a flat of her own. If she and Amy move out of Number 1, that leaves room for maybe Adam or Daniel to move in. I don't know if Adam and Daniel will be able to share the same flat after all this but I am equally unsure whether Adam and his resentful chip on his shoulder can share a house with Ken.

The existence of baby Oliver has become the turning point for Nick's delusional paranoia. He's never got over Leanne's connection to Peter and now with Steve in the picture as well, he's been pushed over the edge with his jealousy and insecurity into the depths of paranoia and I don't think it's got anything at all to do with his brain injury. David had it right. Nick can't accept and appreciate what he has, a woman that loves him and he keeps picking at it until he's pushed it away. He doesn't deserve the happiness he's been given.

Why is Nick so insecure about Leanne? Because I think he knows damn well that though she loves him, he loves her more. He's never got over her but she had other big loves in her life that weren't him. She seems  to go back to him when she's had a knock back, someone safe, her first love. Then he hurts her yet again. At some point, she's got to end it for good because he's never going to change. He's every bit that manipulative, selfish, passive aggressive kid that he was when he first got together with her as a teenager. He really hasn't changed, just got older and more arrogant. I've said it many a time. That is his downfall. He finally realized it.

Leanne tried a last ditch effort to get everyone to make peace, taking them all to a beach. But Leanne found out he could have given Peter an alibi and didn't and then the men ganged up on Nick and pressed every insecure button he had until he contemplated walking out into the sea like they suggested. I did think Peter and Steve were a bit harsh even if Nick had pushed them too far. Telling someone to walk into the sea, to kill themself really isn't right. He didn't really try to throw himself into the sea but he got stuck in quicksand and it was almost too late. Nick survived, as I thought he would but it was a near miss. I couldn't see them killing off one of the Platts. They've recasted before so they can get away with doing it again in the future and I'm sure we've not seen the last of Nick Tilsley over time.

Nathan put his end game into play and he's farming young Bethany out to his friends, sex for money. She was shocked to her core after the first time, unable to believe that a man that said he loved her could allow, nay, expect her to have sex with someone else, let alone let it continue.  Yet, he's got such control over her that she didn't walk out the next day. The twist that Neil, that friend of Nathan, is a police officer, crooked as a corkscrew, was unexpected and, frankly, not just a little sinister.

Sarah tried her best to get Bethany away but Nathan's hold on her is now too strong. She was pressured into it. Sleeping with strangers is not what she wanted. Nathan even ramped it up to having her in a room with three men! Good grief! That's pretty grim, isn't it? Shona, as we all predicted, finally realized who Bethany was involved with and came out fighting. She got beaten up for her trouble but managed to alert the Platts who rescued Bethany but it wasn't in time to prevent her having to sleep with three men in a row. She's determined to be on Nathan's side and refuses to see him as a villain. Yet. The story isn't over, though it's going to be about realization and recovery from here on in.

Maria has gotten herself tangled up with yet another wrong'un, a love rat who might say all the right things and make all the right promises but is going to hurt her badly in the long run. Eva rushed Aidan into a commitment before he was ready though likely he'd never have been "ready". He strikes me as that kind of man.

Be that as it may, I think Aidan lapped up Maria's crush on him as a way of rebelling against Eva's domestication quest. She's always so full on, is Eva and always ends up getting hurt. She pushes too much too far too soon and then wonders why she keeps getting dumped. Maria always seems to go for men that have commitments or feelings for other women, and even if she only finds out about it after they've gotten together, seems to have the attitude that if the fella isn't cheating on his woman with her, he'd be cheating with someone so it might as well be her. It's led to heart break for her in the past and I don't anticipate any different this time.

Eva is determined to get a ring on her finger and we all know Aidan won't do that. Nor will Maria get one on hers, I'm willing to bet. But when Eva finds out about Maria, and she will of course, it isn't going to be pretty.

Brian and Roy are bickering and rubbing on my nerves, mainly because I really don't like Brian. He's such a buffoon. I put him in the same boat as I used to put Derek Wilton. Both actors are very good but I really detest the characters and only occasionally find Brian funny. I can't see what Cathy sees in him. She's got far more about her, daft as she can be at times, than to hook up with him. I hope they aren't trying to make them into the new Mavis and Derek because they don't have the charm. Cathy was much better with Roy. Too bad Roy just wasn't ready, but it's understandable.

June will be an interesting month. Bethany's story will continue as we see her still under the throes of Nathan's psychological hold over her. Will Steve sell the pub to Peter in the end? I think he will now that Nick is out of the picture. Will Ken throw Daniel to the wolves? Not likely. How will the rest of the family handle the news and will Adam percolate even more resentment towards his grandfather? What about Todd and Billy? Will Todd relent and help Billy raise Summer? Will Anna ever let Kevin touch her again? Will Phelan ever pay for his misdeeds?

Stay tuned for another month of Corrie and find out! 




Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)

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)