Written by Damon Rochefort, directed by Pip Short
John and Fiz panic on how they’re going to deal with the Windasses showing up at his supposed furniture store. John has done some research on the furniture store, for when Eddie and Anna come in. How does he have time to do all of this reconnaissance work AND work a full-time teaching job? Chesney says he needs a car, since he can’t keep taking the bus to his market stall. Making things worse, Julie asks again to be introduced to the worker men at John’s work with all their big lifting muscles.
I can’t believe this, but John actually poses as a salesguy in the furniture shop. Why couldn’t he have just told them he worked in the back, or something? John manages to entertain the Windasses, but not until another customer complains about his shoddy customer service to the manager. John sees trouble coming and tries to usher Anna and Eddie out of the way. Meanwhile, back at home, Chesney came home to meet an angry gent who’s looking for Colin Fishwick that’s been sleeping with his missus. That’s Charlotte’s husband? She’s tarting over John when she’s got that at home?
Natasha tries her worst to apologize to Leanne for her earlier comments regarding Leanne’s former career. She only gets left in the dust by Nick after Leanne walks away. Natasha whines to Audrey about what she’d done to Leanne. Audrey figures that Leanne’s heard worse and is still a Battersby at heart. Natasha is worried about what Nick thinks of her. Audrey tells Natasha that Nick’s a good looking lad (not lately) and he’s got a history with other women.
Carla comes into the factory to tell the factory girls that she’s got the Stokes order. It’s a stand-off as Carla asks who is with her. Nick loses his workforce as quick as he can say “it’s always about the money.” Nick just drowns his sorrows and sobs around Leanne. How pathetic.
Claudia comes to visit Audrey in her salon. Claudia’s booked an appointment so that she can be filled in on all the gossip about Lewis. She warns Audrey that she’ll always be paying, whether it’s a packet of cash on the bedside table or not.
Graeme tries to get Tina out that night, and wonders if she doesn’t get sick of the Rovers. As Graeme leaves the Kabin Tina says “love ya” after him. He’s clearly shocked, but happy to hear it. I wonder if Norris had anything to do with this? Graeme’s happiness is short-lived as Sean rips him for taking Tina away from his Jason and calls them “beauty and the beast.” Graeme takes this to heart and tells Ashley that he’s going to dump Tina before he can dump her, since he has no clue what she sees in him. Oh please, she’s just some brown-haired-perky harridan. Graeme actually does it, and breaks up with Tina! What is he thinking? Correction, WHY is he thinking?
Yay, Sally’s back! She was even looking forward to going back to work until she saw the state of Underworld. Her girls meet her at the car and wish her happy birthday. There’s a little garden party in Sally’s yard that her family’s set up for her. Even Sian shows up, and Sally’s delighted to be back home.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Fiz pointing out to John that there’s only ONE person making his life complicated. Now, if she could just work up enough resentment to leave him.
- Carla with her “instinctive sense for the dramatic” comes into Nick’s setup and challenges the workers to take her side. She’s got brass ones, her!
- Schmeickel (sp?) protecting Chesney from some dodgy dodger at his doorstep looking for Colin Fishwick.
LOWLIGHTS
- Is anyone else having a real problem looking at Nick Tilsley lately? He’s such a shell of a man and constantly looks like he’s passing stones, or having trouble breathing air. He already looked too old, and now he looks as though he’s aged about ten years since he returned to Weatherfield. Someone put this bull out to stud.
- Audrey’s snobby attitude towards Leanne Battersby.
- It was funny, but I cannot believe that John actually faked working at the furniture store!!! What is he THINKING? Oh, wait, he’s not.
- The Windasses bouncing on the sofas. Eddie saying the sofa will get more action than that, and pouncing on Anna on it. So funny!
The Stapewick fiasco just gets stupider and stupider, why would John meet Charlotte for lunch at Roys Rolls? Why not an obscure place in Rochdale and then even dafter he is going to confront the real Fishwick with his identify theft in the Rovers of all places. Writers I think you have spent too long in the pub at lunchtimes!
ReplyDeleteI'm more than happy to run with the Stapewick story now - I'ev totally given up trying to make sense of it and I just think it's a great black comedy storyline. In fact - I'd go so far as to say, I think there could be a good spin-off with the Stapes and the Windasses going off on holiday together - can you imagine?! And, I also get the feeling that Fiz has got more life about her at the moment - she's got more of a spark in her eye. I really hope they show the Stapes round at the Windasses christening the new sofa - hope they don't leave them at the front door.
ReplyDeleteWindy! They always go back to the Rovers or Roy's cos that is where the cameras are.
ReplyDeleteIn these frugal times there is no way they are gonna go on location or build special sets for such minor scenes.
They are saving-up the budget for the viaduct-collapse.
Wish somebody should slap the back of both legs of that foot-stamping schoolgirl that is Sean and send her to bed without any supper.
ReplyDeleteAnd be more nice to John StapeWick, 'cos he's surely got an up-close-and-personal appointment with a tram under the viaduct later in the year.
"I can’t believe this, but John actually poses as a salesguy in the furniture shop."
ReplyDeleteHahah. I think John might actually be off his rocker, and Fiz is right - he does enjoy lying, pretending to be somebody he isn't. Thing is, he's STILL boring most of the time! I must admit I'm enjoying this story more now though.
How stupid and horrible Sean was to Graeme with his "beauty and the beast" comment, and then saying he was just sticking up for "my Jase". He's really vile at times. I think Graeme's lush anyway, certainly much better looking than Sean.
"The Stapewick Fiasco" It sounds like a '70s espionage film or something.