Hope: Corrie Anniversary Week Episodes Dec 6 - 10, 2010 Review

Writing Credits: Peter Whalley, Joe Turner, Martin Allen, Jan McVerry and Carmel Morgan.
Direction: Graeme Harper and Tony Prescott.

Wow, it's been one Hell of a week! And I mean Hell. I know there has been coverage galore on this week, as much on this very blog. But let's take a chance to recap all that has transpired.

Molly's left Tyrone and she's taken Baby Jack with her to her father Diggory's. He suspects she has another man and tries not to let her leave. When he tries to keep Baby Jack, Molly tells him that Jack is not his baby, shattering whatever is left of Tyrone's heart. Molly leaves her home with Baby Jack in tow and goes into the corner store to say Goodbye to Sunita before she leaves and encounters Kevin. She tries one last time to get Kevin to choose her and Baby Jack over his family, but he choose Sally. The explosion happens when Molly is in the store, and she gets in bit shaken. As she tries to leave, the tram smashes almost directly into her burying her and Baby Jack in a pile of rubble. The paramedics manage to save Baby Jack but Molly isn't so lucky as she shares her final words with Sally who has volunteered to keep her company while the medics get her out. Before Molly passes away she tells Sally that Baby Jack is not Tyrone's - but her husband Kevin's. Well folks, it seems we've seen the end of Molvin now with the tragic end of Molly Dobb's. Sally is left distraught and confronts Kevin about the affair. She tells Kevin to leave HER house. Is this the end for Sally and Kevin?

Ashley, Nick and Peter are all in Nick's office when the explosion happens trapping them all deep beneath the viaduct. Ashley and Nick are mobile where Peter was struck heavily. Ashley and Nick try to keep Peter conscious as they try to make their way out from under the rubble. Ashley hides the fact from Nick that he's been coughing up blood. Eventually, the rescue teams can almost get to them. Time is fragile, as Ashley holds up a rafter so that Nick and Peter can be brought to safety. Peter is out of the rubble and Nick goes back in for Ashley. Nick tries to save Ashley from being crushed by the rafter and more debris, but it's too late and as Ashley tells him to save himself Nick has no choice and Ashley's body is crushed by the weight of the rubble as he perishes. Audrey, who has shown up later takes it upon herself to be the one to tell Claire about Ashley before she sees his body come out of the mess. Graeme offers to identify the body so that Claire doesn't have to remember Ashley that way. Claire is obviously upset, as are all of us at home. The only condolences we have is that he died a hero.
Peter is taken to hospital with a distraught Leanne and Carla in tow. The doctors tell Leanne and Ken that Peter is to have a life-threatening surgery to save his life, of which he has a strong chance of not coming out of. In desperation, Leanne agrees to Peter's "dying wish" to marry him there in the hospital room. They have an officiant come in and marry them while Peter gets promptly wheeled into surgery. Later, Carla and Leanne have it out as Leanne discovers that Carla is "Carl" and that she cares for Peter. Carla feels that Leanne doesn't deserve Peter and the two women part ways. Is this the end of a hallow friendship? More importantly, will Peter pull through?
John gets a visit from Charlotte, who makes more demands. In a fit of desperation and rage he hammers her head in with, well, a hammer of all things. As he makes a call to the authorities, the Joinery blows and he flees leaving Charlotte's body in his living room. Eventually, he returns and dumps Charlotte's body in the rubble pretending to have discovered her as such. In the hospital later, Charlotte's parents realizing that Charlotte is alive but brain dead as "Colin" if they should pull the plug. No prizes here for guessing his decision. Meanwhile, Fiz's blood pressure rises thanks to being out on the street when the explosion and crash happened. She is helped by Dr. Matt (whom was spectacularly helping everyone out by the way) and her and John are told that she is going into pre-term labour about three months too early. They rush Fiz to hospital where she gives birth to a baby girl aptly named "Hope Stape." The baby will be in intensive care for some time, but it is the only beacon of light during the night's dark events.

Tina's first night as barmaid in the Rovers and Becky is happy to have her there since she's facing every mother's (or wannabe mother's) nightmare: a missing child. Max has gone missing and Becky searches frantically for him before and after the crash. She and Steve alert the police, who tell her that they need to contact Kylie. Speak of the devil as Kylie appears in the Rovers saying it was her who took Max and if they want him they need to give her more money. Steve says he can't, but a desperate Becky manages to rob the store in all it's rubble. She also manages to find Sunita who is badly injured behind the store and gets Ciaran and Dev to help get her out and take her to hospital. Dev tells Ciaran he'll never forget his help. Will Becky give Kylie the money?

Where is our hero? When the explosion happened, and subsequent tram crash, Gary Windass went into Post Traumatic stress trauma imaging he was back in Afghanistan and went completely MIA. He hid out in his house where Anna found him later on the ground in a cold sweat. What does this mean for Gary's future?

Lastly, our poor Rita is buried under rubble and confections in the Kabin. No one had gone looking for her since she was supposed to be out on the town with Doreen. Nick informs Norris that Rita had stayed in for the night, as she told him when he walked by earlier. Norris quickly informs the emergency crew that Rita has been in the Kabin the entire time.
Some hero mentions: Jason for rescuing Simon Barlow from Claire's upstairs, Dr. Matt for doing what he does best, Janice for using her nurse training to aid the injured, Sally for risking her health to comfort a dying Molly, Molly for saving Baby Jack, Ciaran and Dev for rescuing Sunita, Maria for helping Fiz, Graeme for stepping up and identifying Ashley's body, and of course Ashley for saving Peter and Nick. Anti-heroes: John Stape for not helping anyone, but adding a body to the count. Lesser, Gail for squealing for Nick and not helping out in the medical centre when needed and Kylie for extorting more money from the McDonald's.

To conclude, the final death count is four. One being Molly, two being Ashley, three being Charlotte, and four being a poor cabbie driver who was in the wrong place (Coronation Street) at the wrong time (50th Anniversary week).

HIGHLIGHTS-
-Janice to Ken: "Hey Ken, not long now and we'll be related." Ken: "Can't wait." (In one of the first cold opens I've ever seen on Corrie)
- Leanne's hair and champagne dress on Monday's episode. I'm not usually a fan of fake hair pieces but hers looks quite good.
- Eddie taking drinks at the joinery as opposed to the pub. I suppose he thinks that's posh. That red jumper really clashes with the decor.
- Cute Doctor Carter is back on our screens. Finally!
- The tram crash.
- Ciaran carrying Sunita out of the rubble in his arms. I think the soundtrack to "The Bodyguard" played in my head in that instant.
- Chesney bringing a baby balloon to Fiz's emergency labour situation
- When Steve yells to Kylie "GET OUT!" I just wanted to stand up and clap. Yeah, just get rid of her. Once and for all. Chances are they'll get Max if they apply for him through social services since Kylie won't be able to care for him.
- Sean: "Ashley and I had this routine when I'd go into the butchers. He'd say 'mince' and I'd say 'homophobe.'"
- Wow, when Auntie Pam started crying about Molly I got teary eyed.

LOWLIGHTS- Molly leaving Tyrone and his broken heart. Then telling him that Baby Jack's not his. What did he ever do to deserve what he gets from the women in his life?
- All of Leanne's guilty looks when Peter shows his love for her. She should feel guilty!
- Charlotte's delusions!!! I knew she was a nutter from the off!
- The tram crash...holy
- Where was Michelle during the tram crash? Ryan in Glasgow, really? It would have been more believable if she were just out Christmas shopping.
- Is Becky seriously LOOTING during the tram crash disaster?!
- When John hears the paramedic say that Charlotte's pulse is pretty weak so he turns back in shock as to say "you mean she's not finished off?!" Despicable.