Johnny Come Lately: Thu Feb 11, 2010 Corrie Episode Review

Written by Martin Allen, directed by Tony Prescott

Open to Gail having fallen asleep on the couch in her metallic shiny coat in the lake house the morning after Joe plunged to his icy watery death. Is anyone wondering how she could sleep? Gail quickly remembers what happened before she passed out and yells for Joe and tries to phone him but gets no answer. Gail climbs up a hill and notices Joe's boat floundering in the lake and assumes he's gone through with it. David's enjoying the house to himself when Gail calls and tells him he must come up there to the lakes, and not to tell anyone. Would David be the first person you'd call in a crisis?

A lady from the agency (I assume home rental agency) comes by to drop off linens and notices Gail is alone. Gail fibs and tells her that Joe's gone for a walk. David arrives bewildered and Gail tells him that he cannot tell anyone. David asks if it's about the loan shark, but Gail tells him about Joe's plan to fake his own death. Gail confesses to David that she's worried sick and she doesn't know what she would have done if he hadn't come. David asks Gail what she's going to do, but she says she doesn't know - she's just terrified. David gives her the best advice - call the police and tell them everything - ironically. Maybe he learned his lesson after all. Gail figures that'll only get Joe in more trouble. Who cares??? Gail still thinks she can help Joe out of this. David warns Gail that she'll get in trouble herself when this all goes pear-shaped. Gail says she's going to wait until he comes to his senses. David figures it could take Joe weeks to come to his senses. David and Gail notice the boat on a walk around the property. Gail figures they need to get out to the boat.

David manages to get a motor boat from one of the neighbours to go out and inspect Gailforce. They find the boat and realize there's no dingy, so maybe he's done it. Oh, he's gone and done something. David spies Joe's mobile on the boat and so Gail thinks they should take it - still trying to protect Joe. David can't believe she wants to tow the boat back. David's motorboat runs out of petrol, so David sets it free. Gail wants to give Joe one more night to come back, it's the only hope she's got. Oh, he's NOT coming back.

Back on the street, Tina's excited about Jason's valentine's surprise. Eileen wants to know what the surprise is, just Jason's not telling.

Peter wakes up worse for wear to find that Leanne's back. Peter promises that he's going to sort this out. More broken promises. Leanne tells him that talk is cheap. At work, Peter's packing back the swigs from the ole bottle. George comes into the bookies to see Peter and Peter apologizes for everything that's gone on in the past few days. It's clear to George that Peter's been drinking on the job too. George asks if he's been drinking, and Peter lies. Peter desperately wants to see Simon, but George doesn't think he's alright. Peter accuses George of being a "Johnny come lately father" and trying to use Simon to make up for his neglect of Lucy over the past years. Peter tells him that nobody tells him what to do with his own son.

Leanne comes in the bookies to confront Peter over his conversation with George. She tells him that if she was George, she wouldn't let Peter see Simon either. Poor Peter is going through turmoil, he needs rehab, but he won't go, go, go. Leanne talks with Ken and they agree that Peter needs rehab and the sooner the better for Simon's sake.

Sunita asks Dev if he can pick the kids up from school for her. Sunita comes over to the shop to give Dev a permission form that her kids need for school. Dev wonders why she came all the way down there and asks if she's okay. Sunita tells him about how her great aunt thinks that she and Dev are still married. Her parents never told them because they didn't want to upset them. This sounds like an excuse to get close to Dev to me.

HIGHLIGHTS:

- Eileen's imitation of a Parisien "hu hu hu"

- David actually helping his mum out for once.

LOWLIGHTS:

- Why on earth would Gail call David in a crisis?

- Gail still not wanting to get Joe in any trouble after he's left her like that! The problem with Gail is that she has no self-worth.

- Peter still drinking his life away.

Looking forward to: Dev and Sunita trying to "tie one on" her relatives pretending that they're still married. Clearly, they're going to wind up back together.

NOT looking forward to: When the rain comes down on Gail for what Joe's implicated her in. Never thought I'd say this, but - she should have listened to David.

(side note: Is this one of the seldom times that the opening credits weren't the typical street view we've been seeing for god-knows-how-long? Am I wrong or am I wrong?)