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!

New characters, familiar faces

Over the past couple of years we have seen a few more short term characters played by well known actors, both British and American. Sometimes a permanent cast member has also been fairly well known from previous tv shows and soaps. It seems to be getting a bit more common and the media seems to be overrun with celebs of various notorieties who proclaim they want to be in Corrie, too!

There have been mumblings and grumblings about this. Some people are not happy that "Sinbad" from "Brookie" turned into Jerry Morton on Corrie. A lot of people can't separate Cindy Beale from Stella Price. With the news that actor Sue Johnston might join the Street as Stella's mother, the peanut gallery has been tsking again.

I know that when you are familiar with a face in one show and they've been established in that show for awhile, you do tend to identify the actor with their previous role. It takes awhile to drop that image and accept them as a totally new character. It's even more difficult if the previous character was one you disliked! I'm sure it's hard for the actors, too. They probably feel typecast and want to shake off that old character and try something new but it's not always easy to convince the public that you're a manipulative murderer this time around or, alternatively, you are not going to drive your new family into the canal!

There are some actors that never manage to shake off their most famous character and you don't hear much from them ever again once they leave their show and some are lucky to create a second iconic character elsewhere. It takes talent and not everyone has that high degree of it to make the public see them with new eyes. Arthur Lowe portrayed Leonard Swindley on Coronation Street in the early days but is equally and perhaps even better known for his role as "Captain Mainwaring" in Dad's Army. Jean Alexander is forever Hilda Ogden but she's also Auntie Wainwright from Last of the Summer Wine for a great many people. Nobody thought Jean would ever shake off Hilda's pinny and rollers but she did. Corrie fans may argue the point.

Anne Reid has made a very successful career for herself after leaving Coronation Street and Val Barlow behind. Suranne Jones is doing very well after becoming known as Karen McDonald and Sarah Lancashire is also very successful. I've no doubt that recent departee, Katherine Kelly will shine as well.

On the same note, when one actor has been so well established as one character, it's rare that a show can successfully recast the role with someone new and have them be accepted by the viewers. You could never replace Betty Driver as Betty Williams with anyone else. The same goes for many of the long term cast members such as Helen Worth, Sally Dynevor, Michael LeVell, David Neilson or Julie Hesmondhalgh. Child characters can often be recast without too much fallout and even a younger character can often work with a new face.

Coronation Street has often recast child actors as they grow up and decide they want to leave the show or ITV decides the character needs a different actor for more adult storylines. Peter Barlow has had many faces and we're on our third Nick Tilsley. I for one think Ben Price does a fine job and am very relieved Adam Rickett wasn't brought back! Can anyone really picture Tracy Barlow as anyone other than Kate Ford now? Dawn Acton did a fine job as Tracy as a stroppy teenager but Kate Ford has made the role her own. Do you think Rosie Webster or Sarah Platt could return with a new face? I think they probably could, especially if some time has passed.

Being from North America, and having been a soap watcher from way back, I'm used to actors jumping from gig to gig. I'm certainly guilty of seeing a new character on one soap or tv series and connecting them with a character they were well known and loved for on another. They're actors. This is what they do. Very few are like William Roache who spend almost all of their career as one character.

Casting of "celebrities" or really famous film actors has also been a bone of contention at times. The recent stint of well known Hollywood actor Robert Vaughn came under a bit of fire but he suited the role and the storyline admirably. The short term role that Sir Ian McKellen played in Corrie as the dodgey writer Mel Hutchwright was wonderful and one of the best "guest star" roles ever! I don't think it's something that they should do all the time, but once in awhile, or the occaisional cameo in a scene in the Rovers or Kabin makes it special, something to look forward to for me.

My point is this: Why shouldn't a new character or returning character be cast with a well known face? If they are being typecast as the same sort of role, for instance, a villain or a do-gooder, then it's not going to work as well but if the actor is good at their craft, and the character is different enough from the former one, you'll soon put their previous persona to one side and accept them as their new one. Even better if it's an actor you like and respect.

A well known face as a new or replaced, short or long term character? Bring it on!

Character Study: Rita Littlewood Fairclough Sullivan ...Tanner?

To celebrate Rita's engagement to Dennis Tanner, we bring you another character study.

Rita first appeared, very briefly, on Coronation Street in 1964 as a friend of Dennis Tanner. She was an exotic dancer. Would you credit that! She later appeared in 1972 as Rita Bates. You wonder what would keep her character in the minds of the writers all those years, don't you? They re-introduced Rita as the common-law wife of Harry Bates. She was a sort of step-mother to his two children, not the last time she would be a maternal stand-in. Rita's profession was now a cabaret singer and she found no small measure of fame in the Northwest, trilling in clubs on the circuit.


She had bright red hair and cheekbones that could break your heart. She did break a few hearts too but more often than not, was on the receiving end of a list of fellas that "did her wrong". After she finished with Harry, she caught Len Fairclough's eye. It's probably no coincidence that she had flaming red hair, like his long time friend and love, Elsie Tanner. They had a stormy on-again, off-again relationship. They always seemed to be rowing and one or the other of them would go off in a strop. It seemed they were meant to be, though, and they finally got married in 1977. One thing that Rita always wanted to be was a mother. It wasn't to be but she and Len did apply to be foster parents and took care of two children, a boy and later on a teenage girl, Sharon Gaskill who was more than a handful.

Rita's best friend was her shop assistant, Mavis Reilly Wilton. The two were a bit like oil and water, with prim and awkward Mavis always tut tutting to Rita's somewhat raunchier sense of humour and Rita's patience constantly being tested over Mavis' incessant wittering. An unlikely friendship but they cared about each other and supported each other through a lot of life's ups and downs.

Rita's husband, Len, was killed in a car smash on the motorway. Rita was shocked and then horrified to discover that he was returning from a visit to his mistress! That made the grief and sadness even harder to bear and Rita turned bitter for awhile. She picked up and went on but was more wary of blokes after that. Her next major relationship was with Alan Bradley, the father of another young girl she fostered for a time, Jenny. She was attracted to Alan but he had eyes for more than one of the other residents, barmaid Gloria Todd in particular. Still, Rita was attractive to Alan for more than just herself. There was her shop. And her house. And her bank account. Alan insinuated himself into Rita's life but although she did care for him, she still was reluctant to make that final committment. When Alan took her to the registry office for a ready-made wedding, she turned him down.

Not to be thwarted, he stole some papers and presented himself at the bank as Len Fairclough and got a fraudulent second mortage on the house. When he was discovered, his anger boiled over and he beat Rita badly. He was eventually caught and put in prison but at his trial, he was convicted but sentenced to a short term and let free because of "time already served". Rita was terrified! She was convinced he was going to get revenge on her and was stalking and terrorizing her. He was but nobody believed her.

She had a breakdown and disappeared and everyone thought Alan had killed her. He was innocent of that but Bet and Alec discovered that Rita was in Blackpool singing under her old name of Littlewood and didn't remember who they were or any of the recent past. Alec thought Alan should be told and when Alan found out, he raced to Blackpool to force Rita into returning to Weatherfield to prove that he was innocent. She ran from him and in chasing her, he was knocked over by a tram and killed, probably one of the most famous deaths on the Street until Richard Hillman drove his family into the canal!

Rita recovered and soldiered on. She sold the old Kabin and moved to new premises on Coronation Street and moved into the flat over top, leaving the bad memories in No.7 behind. She sold her house to Curly Watts. Jenny blamed her for Alan's death and turned against her and left Weatherfield. A few years later, she met a lovely sweet salesman who was about to retire. They fell in love but again, the bad luck cloud was hovering over the Kabin. Ted Sullivan revealed that he had a fatal brain tumour. Instead of moving away to Florida to retire, Rita decided she would marry Ted but would stay in England so she would have her friends' support when he died, which he did a few months later. It wasn't the end of the hard times, though, because his family fought her over the will.

Since then, her bad luck with men has prevailed. She had a (very misguided) fling with her old show business manager, Alec Gilroy and later had a romance with a man who's wife was ill with Alzheimer's Disease. That didn't work out and it looks like Rita will settle into her senior years, flame-haired as ever, with new shop assistant and business parner, Norris Cole, to take wittery Mavis' place by her side.

She's had a lot of trouble and heartbreak over the years, but has good friends and looks upon Sally Webster as a substitute daughter with Sally's girls as grandchildren. she found love late in life, with Eileen Grimshaw's father, Colin but he turned out to have a few too many skeletons in his closet and then died of a heart attack from the stress of those skeletons lurching out into the broad light of day. She decided to sell the Kabin to Norris, ending an era, but she hasn't left her spot behind the counter to go cold by any means. She is still seen behind the counter part time, a perennial like Betty behind the Rovers' bar!

We thought Rita was a goner, trapped in the Kabin amid the bonbons after the tram crash but she emerged with dignity, offering rescue workers toffees and waving the Royal Wave while moaning about her bad luck with trams. Indeed! She was homeless for awhile after the crash and dossing down with Emily and Norris but the Kabin rose again, and Rita will be the Queen no matter that Norris owns it.

Rita has also had a long history of being a mother figure. She never had her own children, much to her regret so she took on foster kids early on. Sharon Gaskell and Jenny Bradley were the two young girls she fostered but unfortunately her relationship with both of them fizzled badly, through no fault of her own. She has been a mother-figure to Sally Webster over the years and a grandmother-figure to Rosie and Sophie. She and Sally have had their ups and downs and have fallen out now and then but they always manage to find their way back to each other for a comforting cuppa.

In the 1990s, she took wild teenager, Leanne Battersby on as a shop assistant when nobody else would trust in her and Leanne became more confident under Rita's gentle hand. In the last year or two, she's taken Tina McIntyre under her wing, giving her a refuge at various times. They, too have had some ups and downs but have maintained their closeness. It's fairly certain she has grown quite fond of a number of the paper lads she's employed through the many years as well.

She's been a good friend, too though her temper has sometimes brought her more grief. Emily Bishop is a long time friend as is current co-worker Norris Cole. She has always been good mates with Betty Williams and she and Audrey Roberts had more than a few late nights over a drink or two in the Rovers. Even though she did fall out with Audrey when Audrey was involved in gigolo Lewis, they, too made up. Their friendship was not worth falling out over a man. She still keeps in touch with Mavis, too.

Now in her later years, Rita has found love again with an old friend from the past, Dennis Tanner who returned in 2010. He was homeless and she offered him a place to live. They've been just mates and she's discovered he recently ran out on someone because he panicked at the thought of a committment he wasn't sure he could make. We could see that Rita's feelings were growing but she held back. Little by little, though, it seemed like Dennis' feelings were growing too and sure enough, in March 2012, love blossomed. They are engaged and plan to marry!

It looks like there's going to be a flame haired Mrs. Tanner back on the Street after nearly 30 years. As we heard, Elsie and Rita were once psuedo-rivals for Len Fairclough's attentions though Elsie never wanted to marry Len. Rita knew he'd have had her if she'd have wanted him, because he loved her for years but in the end, Rita won his hand. Now Rita is going to be connected to the departed and deceased Elsie through her son. Let's hope they can have that happy ending!

Rita will always be a favourite. Her sarcastic sense of humour and swift come-back lines are legendary. Her voice will still raise a song once in awhile, if she's had a few gins. She's got a strong constitution and really is a survivor! There's a nice fan page for Rita/Barbara Knox here with a few interesting photos and quotes that you might find interesting, too!

And here is a feature on the Coronation Street blog celebrating 40 years of Rita.

Julie and Brian - Mavis and Derek for the 21st Century?

He's a bit of a pompous windbag and she's daft as a brush. He takes his career as a teacher/headmaster seriously, she can drive her coworkers mad with her wittering and off the wall remarks.

I've often thought of these two as the new version of the classic Mavis and Derek. They have a lot of differences, of course, but there are also some similarities. I think the main reason I think of them this way is just an overall feeling. He's more Derek-like than she is Mavis-like but as a couple they are quirky and so odd that they are perfect for each other.

I do think Julie has a bit more to her than Mavis but she too was a wall flower without much luck with men for quite a long time. She's stronger, more forceful and perky than Mavis and she's most definitely a modern woman. She knows what she wants and can make a decision where neither Mavis nor Derek, as his mother said once, could tell the time in a room full of clocks. Julie has a wonderful personal style, too. Mavis was most definitely on the dowdy side but that was more to do with the generation, I think.

Brian is a bit stodgy, boorish, banal and even slightly repulsive. He seems to have his heart in the right place but he's not all that clever dealing with people. He's self centred and a bit of a prat and definitely not the most decisive of  men.  He just seems to me to embody an overall Derekish quality to him.

Together they embrace life with enthusiasm, whether it's UFO-spotting or impending parenthood. There was a rumour they would set up a fruit and veg market in the old Butcher shop and though that doesn't seem to be in the offing yet, with all this talk of healthy eating for the students and Brian's job seemingly on the line if he doesn't pull up the school's collective socks, it could still happen.

Whether you can see the spirit of the Wiltons in them or not, I think they're a classic Corrie couple. Both characters have the comic side to them which we need in the show. Brian was sublimely funny with John Stape-wick and it's too bad Stape's dead because Brian would have latched on to him as BFF rather than Ken and had us all in stitches. Mind you, I suppose he'd have driving John to another murder before long!

I thoroughly enjoy Julie and Brian's interaction with each other as a couple and look forward to more!

State of the Street - February 2012

Frank's trial. Not a lot more I can say than I've already blogged here. The fallout ....Both of them sharing the factory. Carla *is* the majority shareholder so she should be able to pull rank on decisions, shouldn't she? It seems to be armed truce but I can't imagine how Carla can get through the days, Plus there's nearly out and out revolt on the factory floor with duelling supervisors, Hayley and Sally. I would think Carla would relish the chance to order Sally around as the office P.A. wouldn't you? That leaves Hayley as the floor supervisor.

Carla's drinking a little more and Simon is rebelling as hard as he can, poor kid. I didn't think Carla would be able to cope with Simon and now that Leanne is back, it's going to be all out war.  Well, Peter got what he wanted. I wonder if he thinks it was all it was cracked up to be. Certainly not happy families, that's for sure.

Steve and Tracy can't get annulled so it's off to the childish Wind-Me-Up Olympics and they're running neck and neck. Was it supposed to be funny? It wasn't. But then it was. Once Steve moved Beth and Moonface in, that is. And yes, Tracy should be paying half the mortgage and by the way, she mentioned him paying maintenance. Wouldn't that stop once he married her? I'd be talking to the solicitor about that one. Most couples who buy a house, with both names on the deed, usually share the expenses so she *should* get off her backside and get a job.

Now there's Beth paying rent with a lease and everything. This could be fun! I'm so glad they brought her back. She's like Cilla but with a nicer side. She's as common as muck of course and that child of hers is comedy gold and you know what? Steve could do a lot worse! He has. in fact.

Poor Katy is suffereing post-natal depression and she's having a really hard time coping. She won't ask for help and Chesney is trying to work too hard to support them to be able to be of any assistance. Plus, she knows if she asks for help, her father will be all over her with his "I Told You So" and that's exactly what he did and exactly why she ran and exactly why she didn't want to come back. And everything Owen rants about only proves her point. He's a controlling bully. Yes, he's a worried father but he isn't helping his daughter cope, he's making her feel even more inadequate. Let's hope this is a lesson.

I really admire Chesney. He's always stood up to Owen and continues to do so. He's not afraid of him and he has always been willing to take on his responsibility even when it overwhelms him at times. And I wonder if kids watching will get the idea that parenthood isn't like playing house except they'll end up happy and coping after a this glitch and it'll be all roses again.


Eileen and Paul's relationship kind of creeps me out. I think it has that effect on most viewers. . Paul's house flooded and he worried about Lesley coming back. He says she needs routine and familiarity so he moves her into Eileen's? Can't he just arrange to have her continue to stay at the respite home? Doesn't he have insurance that would cover alternate accommodations? They'd be just as strange to Lesley so what difference would it make?

I understand they are trying to focus on this storyline as an "issue" but it just makes us all feel uncomfortable with Eileen and Paul gazing doe-eyed at each other across Lesley's usually oblivious head. It just doesn't seem like something Eileen would do, want to be with someone whose wife was in that state. I'm sure this kind of thing does happen in real life, and it's a sad story and a tough spot to be in, but it's just so out of character for Eileen who, while a bit desperate and lonely, isn't *that* desperate. We all thought she still had a line she wouldn't cross. Guess not.

Sylvia obviously bigged up herself, her environment, her family only for Milton to discover her in a backstreet cafe. That doesn't stop him, though, he was determined to help upscale Roy's business with expansion! I really am suspicious though. Sylvia might not be the only one that's exaggerating. I thought Milton might not have been all he seemed but apparently he was genuine. Roy just couldn't tell his mother he didn't want her to go and felt like she was abandoning him all over again.

And Sylvia was of two minds to go or not. I think it was a close call. I think she used the excuse of being surrounded by loud Americans to call it off and maybe she realized that Roy just couldn't say the words even though he felt them, as Hayley assured her. Roy's retisence is not all her fault, either. He's just not built that way and rarely reveals his feelings in words. I'm glad she didn't go. She's such a great addition to the show and maybe this will be another turning point in their relationship.


Kirsty and Tyrone have had some ups and downs and Tyrone thought she was cheating on him. She got all affronted that he would be suspicious. Pot? Kettle? It wasn't ok when she though he was after Tina and still had feelings for Fiz and it's not ok that he's suspicious either. She's still managing to put a wedge between him and his friends and even if the baby is Tyrone's, I can't help feeling this isn't going to end well.

Lewis the cad is back and Audrey is leaning back in his direction. Has he changed? Does he really have true feelings for her? Once a con man always a con man? Nobody could blame Gail for worrying. Her mother has never been the smartest when it comes to men (nor has Gail!). I guess we shall see if Audrey gets sucked back in to Lewis' charms and what happens as a result. One thing's for sure, I'm pleased in one way because I love Audrey storylines even when they're silly and it's great when there's focus on the senior members of the cast.

Beefy Brian has decided that Ken is his new BFF, out of nowhere. Former teacher, current teacher, one thread in common and it's pretty flimsy. I suppose they have to give him at least one friend so he's not so isolated. Julie has loads of mates and family but Brian is tagged on with her.  And you know it was always his idea first to try for a baby and I can't help feeling this vasectomy was a retcon, rewriting the facts. Anyway, I do love this couple. He's so pompous and silly and she's daft as a bag of hammers.

Did you catch it when Audrey asked Tina in the bar how Betty was? The reply was that Betty hasn't been feeling well. I think that was the first "heads up" that Betty is ill, leading to her death. We know Betty Driver has died and that Betty's death will be written into the story with a funeral/wake. A three hanky episode, for sure!

Carla, the Black Widow of Weatherfield.

cross posted from The Coronation Street Blog

As has been mentioned by our commenters and in previous storylines, it does look like Carla is becoming the Black Widow of Weatherfield. Death seems to follow in her wake. Nearly every man she's been involved with in her sojourn on the cobbles has died.

Husband Paul packed call girl Leanne in his boot and rushed off to prove to Carla that he didn't in fact actually have sex with *this* particular prostitute. The car crashed and Paul died.

Carla persued her brother-in-law Liam, the man that she admitted to having feelings for since they were young. But she married his brother instead. She tried, but he married Maria instead but it wasn't long before Liam succumbed to those old feelings himself and they began a steamy affair just as she was about to marry Tony Gordon. Tony found out and had Liam killed in a road accident on Tony's stag night.


Tony? Well his nefarious deeds were discovered. Carla ran off to L.A. but returned when she found out that Tony was romancing the widow of the man he had killed, Maria. She decided to put a stop to it but Tony set his henchman on Carla who fought back. Tony pretended she'd killed him and off she ran again but Tony turned himself in after an aborted attempt to kill Roy Cropper. Tony later escaped prison, intent on revenge. He held Hayley Cropper and Carla captive in the factory. Persuaded to release Hayley, he was determined to blow he and Carla up in the factory but she barely managed to escape. He decided he'd rather die in the disaster than be taken by the police again.

Frank Foster has turned out to be another bad choice for Carla. Even though she knew he had already tried it on roughly with Maria, she decided Maria had overreacted and took Frank on as a business partner. Later, in a case of "If you can't have the one you love, love the one you're with" (a common pattern with Carla), she took Frank on as a lover and agreed to marry him when the one she loved, Peter Barlow, insisted he loved his wife. She couldn't go through with the wedding and dumped him the day before the nuptials whereupon he had his way with her on the floor of the flat. He had a good solicitor and barrister and managed to get off with a not guilty verdict. Soap law dictates that he must pay and as we are aware, he's going to be found dead shortly.

Ah, but you say there has been two other men that have not met their deaths. Think about it. Peter Barlow, the latest love of Carla's life, has resisted Carla's temptations, mostly. He insisted he loved his then-fiance, Leanne.

He didn't know that Leanne was having a pre-marital affair with her ex-husband, Nasty Nick but Carla knew and she pushed and manipulated and just when it looked as if she persuaded Nick to spill the beans, a tram came careening off the viaduct. Peter Barlow nearly did meet his maker and it was only the heroics of Ashley Peacock and a very good surgeon that saved his life.

A year later, and Peter has finally walked into the fire and is with Carla. This can't end well. Peter, You'd better get out while you can, lad!

Lastly, there was Trevor the binman. Sweet Trevor. He made it out alive. But he made it out with Janice Battersby. Some might say that's a fate worse than death!

Thoughts on Frank's trial

Here's a few random thoughts and ideas about Frank's rape trial last week:

The opening arguments really exaggerated Frank's personality and the incident. But you have to do that to make him look as guilty as possible. Calling him a sexual predator implies he makes a habit of raping women. Maybe he does but maybe he doesn't. He's certainly a vile ratbag for doing it even once, don't get me wrong.  He's no Mr. Niceguy.

Carla's testimony was riveting, wasn't it? She was really believable and it looked like Frank even had a moment or two of guilt flash across his face.  His face started off cold and stiff, impatient, dark eyes snapping.  The more emotional she got, and when she described the actual rape, you could see a subtle change on his face. It softened, he swallowed hard, he looked away...it showed a definite look of regret. You could sense he still loves her and maybe, down deep, he realizes what he's done was wrong when he heard how scared she was of him. He may not accept it, and he justified it by his utterly positive belief that she was in love with Peter and carrying on with him all the time.

The prosecutor really raked Carla and her reputation over the coals. She practically called Carla a prostitute for allowing Frank to invest in the business, knowing he fancied her. The more the prosecuting attorney lambasted her, especially about Peter, the more Frank seemed to shore himself up and recover his resolve. Forget sentimentality, he's back baying for her blood.

It made me very angry that the prosecutor used Maria's attractive dress and the fact that she was drinking, to imply she should have expected his reaction. All of that does not justify anything, anyone's history, background or what they were wearing, none of that should enter into it ... but that's what happens a lot in these kinds of trials so in that respect, I found this realistic though it made it difficult to watch.

Unfortunately, Peter having to admit he now is having an affair brings doubt on Carla's testimony even if they insist nothing was going on then. When Anne passed Leanne the photographic evidence in a very measured and planned way and she hollered out in court, that sealed the deal.  There's always at least one obligatory outburst in a soap trial and if it isn't  during the testimony with someone outraged at a lie or some other such injustice or shock,  then it's someone screaming that the verdict is unfair! And even though that outburst  technically could be construed as wrongly influencing the jury because it wasn't evidence actually presented in court. I think they could even be charged with perverting the course of justice if it could be proven Frank and his mother were in cahoots over it. We know they were but proving it is their word against the law's.

Peter admitted the affair under oath. You can tell the jury all you want to disregard it but you can't unhear something.

Once the affair came out in court, I knew he'd get off. It put reasonable doubt on Carla's testimony. Frank was found not guilty and walked free.

Now Peter and Leanne have to deal with the fallout. Leanne is willing to get past the affair because she knows he did the same for her and Nick's affair but Peter's determined to be with Carla. I guess he can keep that promise even if he's rubbish at keeping them long term. There's Simon to be considered and if Peter thinks he and Carla and Simon can be one big happy family, he's got another think coming.

This was a bit more realistic than most soap trials tend to be though still some gaping holes. Some great performances, especially by Alison King and Andrew Lancel. The expressions that crossed his face were impressive. From cold to guilt and regret, to smugly satisfied.  Chris Gascoyne and Jane Danson as runners up in the performance accolades as does Gwen Taylor as Frank's bitchy mother. By God/dess,  doesn't she put Gail and even Mammy Connor to shame! Carla's had a lucky escape in the mother-in-law stakes there!

Where do we go from here? I hope we don't see Carla cowering every time she sees Frank. I'm sure they'll start setting up suspects for the forthcoming murder plotline and we can start adding up the clues from this day onward.