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Tuesday, 28 December 2010

What next for John Stape?


Looks like Gary Windass isn't the only person battling his demons on Coronation Street this week.
Alarmed by her husband's deteriorating mental state, Fiz made an appointment for John Stape to see Dr Matt (by the way - is it me, or does Dr Matt look like he'd be great in a "Just for Men" advert?).
"You seem very...troubled," mused the concerned G.P., writing a prescription for sleeping pills and suggesting John see a counsellor.
John is refusing counselling at the moment, and I think we all know why. He's racked with guilt over Charlotte's death, and he's torturing himself with the idea that baby Hope is suffering because of his evil deeds. He's longing to get it all off his chest, but he knows that if he talks, he'll end up in jail. Again.
What will he do? John Stape's a popular character. Many viewers would like him to stay on the Street and make a life for himself with Fiz and the baby. I know I would. The Stapewick saga has been terrific black comedy and the writers have done an amazing job keeping the sympathy of the viewers with John despite his horrific trail of death and destruction . Months ago I suggested half-jokingly in a blog post that one way forward could be for him to have psychotherapy. We've been up the ginnel a few times since then, but I'm just wondering if this is where we're now heading? Difficult though. I'm pretty certain that a psychotherapist would be obliged to break confidentiality if John 'fessed up to manslaughter/murder and so forth. Then John would be forced to bump them off, as well, in order to avoid jail...oh, where will it all end?
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12 comments:

Chewy said...

I'm so hoping he manages to get away with it, yesterday I found myself feeling sorry for him and realised I was sympathising with a murderer xD

Frosty the Snowman said...

I think John should be left alone now to concentrate on his family life with Fiz and Hope, but its still being dragged out with him contacting Colin's mother - triple yawns! This nonsense has gone on for far too long already. Why has Nick the Plank been given a job at the bookes, isnt John still working there? Another daft deviation with more stupid angst between him and Leanne, another character they should leave alone for a bit to be happy!

Anonymous said...

Colin was an accident and Charlotte was a nutcase who had it coming.

John should be allowed to move on now. He got himself into a mess, but he should be allowed to work his way out of it now, for the sake of his family.

Anonymous said...

if he's good at doin' nutcases in - couldn't he be employed to kill off tracey? now that would be a christmas miracle!

PeteJK said...

I'm not sure about this, but if John confessed what he has done to a counsellor or physiotherapist, surely they won't be able to do anything about it due to privacy or something? It's a bit like when Gail told Audrey and everyone about when 'whats-her-face' lied about having a baby?

Anonymous said...

I'm not a fan of John or this storyline. However, if he hadn't killed Charlotte, then maybe he could have stayed on the Street, but murderers always have expiry dates so it will probably all come out next year.

Anonymous said...

John hasn't killed anyone has he? Charlotte was still alive when she was found in the wreckage - when the machine was switched off, does that mean that he still killed her?

Sea Penguin said...

@anonymous I think since he hit her on the head with a hammer (if they could prove it) he would be done for at least manslaughter and possibly murder. @PeteJK difficult area but I think psychotherapists/counsellors can be found complicit in a crime if they don't inform the authorities if a client tells them about something specific - they can also be sub poena'd (sorry re. spelling!) if the police suspect they know something but haven't revealed it - their files can also be sub poena'd. (I'm a former psychotherapist, and had to do this some years back - ghastly hassle- hence my interest!!)

Anonymous said...

The character is a fascinating one and the character playing him excellent. I like Corrie keeping such a troubled character in the street. Its like Carl King in Emmerdale - all of their actions have such added impact because of their history. John is a many layered character and I;d rather the show kept those more indepth characters than have lot sof shallow one dimensional ones

Tvor said...

Yes. John killed Charlotte. She died of the injuries to her head when he bashed her with the hammer. You could possibly make a case for self defence because she came after him with the hammer first but she was running away from him when he hit her, not struggling with her as such.

maggie muggins said...

But she didn't die directly from her hammer injuries. It put her into a coma. His intention certainly was murderous though. Ironically, it was Stape who gave the final word to turn her life-support off.

I've never liked Stape. I tried when he & Fiz dated. He was so patronizing towards her, telling her she wasn't stupid when she thought she was, compared to him. He did nothing to bring out the best in her though. He's always used her to have a facade of normalcy between his bizarre escapades.

His history does bring some depth to Corrie. Don't think a character has ever done the talking cure though some could sure use it. How many times have we screamed for Gail to get David some therapy? It might buy Stape some time, but I don't see him ever having a quiet spell with Fiz and Hope.

maggie muggins said...

Correction to my previous post- Charlotte was in a vegetative state, not a coma.

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