Sleeping Partner: Mon Apr 11, 2011 Corrie Episode Review

7:30pm

Written by Mark Wadlow, directed by Laurence Moody

We open to a happier-than-ever Liz behind the bar of the Rovers with Jim.  Unfortunately, her happiness never seems to last long.   Liz is excited to be “under new management” and Jim says it’s more like “old management.”  Jim’s got an anxious look in comparison to Liz’s ecstatic look.  What is he going to do to get the money for Steve to buy the Rovers?  The McDonalds are waiting for the lawyer to write up the papers before Steve and Becky flee with the kiddies.  Liz reminds Steve that Tracey’s going to go mental when she finds that they’ve taken Amy on “holiday” after the sale goes through. 

Jim goes to basically beg Kev for the money to buy the pub after Kev refuses to be a “silent investor.”  Jim is desperate now, what will he do?  Jim meets up with his old cell mate, Seamus.  This can’t be good.  He tells the mate that he’s going to buy a pub with Liz but he  needs help coming up with the money.  The mate gives him a bag and tells him not to do anything he wouldn’t do.  Uh-oh.  Jim reveals a gun in his bag as he stands outside a bank.  Jim waits outside the bank until a lady and her baby comes out before he goes in.  Jim enters the bank and tells the counter woman to discreetly give him the money and shows her a gun.  She presses the emergency button underneath the counter and does as Jim requests.  Oh, Jim. 

The solicitor arrives at the Rovers and they all wait around for Jim to come by with the money.  Liz tells Becky to have a wonderful holiday to Spain/Italy/Travelling Around when she takes Max to go pick up Amy early from school.  Liz assumes there must be a “hold up” somewhere preventing Jim from being there.  Oh, indeed there will be.  At the bank, the clerk gives Jim the money in the bag and he heads for the door. As he walks out, he’s bumped by another customer and drops his bag with the gun coming out.  The second customers see the gun, they scream and it’s all over now.  Someone tries to be a hero and clocks Jim knocking the gun out of his hand, but Jim overpowers him and gets his gun back.  He heads to the door and sees all the police and knows the show is over. 

David’s excited about going on his honeymoon – courtesy of Nick and “Gail” – and plans to sup in bed all day with Kylie, much to Gail’s chagrin.  With David away, Nick reminds his mum that it’s him who coughed up the dosh and she tricked Gail.  Nick thinks that perhaps they’re too hard on Kylie and they should accept defeat and let her into the family.  Gail does not agree.  Nick’s more concerned about his lost money, but Gail can’t pay him back.  Audrey comes to Nick’s Bistro and finds that it was Nick who paid for David’s honeymoon.  

At the factory, Maria tries to butter the girls up with butter creams for their tea time.  Will this do the trick in motivating them to finish Frank’s order so he’s good and done with?  Julie reminds her they have a legitimate grievance and she won’t be bought with snacks.  The workers are unhappy as is the client, what is Maria going to do?  They’re down a staff member after Janice’s departure and it’s hard to pick up the slack.  Frank comes by and sees that his order isn’t done yet and wants a discount and threatens to cancel the order.  Carla arrives has to settle the situation. 

Anna feels that Eddie isn’t making enough effort in creating a relationship with Faye.  It seems as though Eddie just couldn’t be bothered – like most things for Eddie.  Eddie tells Anna – while Faye is in earshot – that it doesn’t feel right, and he wonders if they can take Faye back and get another.  He is so not cut out for this.  Gary meets with Faye later, and she fibs and tells him that Anna and Eddie were fighting and Eddie thumped Anna.  Is someone trying to get rid of Eddie? 

Xin tells Graeme that they need to be more believable as newlyweds.  It seems that he and Tina used the wedding present that Emily provided – a wedding night in a posh hotel.  Xin feels that everyone congratulating her seems suspicious.  She forces Graeme to hold her hand in the cafe, but Graeme thinks it feels weird like he’s two-timing his girlfriend.  Could Xin have feelings for Graeme?  Xin and Graeme are filling out her paperwork and Tina complains about how she’s paying to live in both places and is skint, but her cries fall on deaf ears. 

Just as Roy tells Hayley he’s glad he didn’t go to his step-father’s funeral, his mother – Sylvie – walks into the cafe.  And, I like her already. 

8:30pm

Written by Joe Turner, directed by Laurence Moody

Jim continues to threaten hostages in the bank, although we know he’s not going to hurt anyone – intentionally.  He answers the bank phone and it’s the hostage negotiator.  Jim still manages to keep his sarcastic sense of humour through all of this is what amazes me most.  Jim orders the hostage negotiator to get Liz there and right now.  Liz and Steve are panicking about Jim’s whereabouts at the Rovers when they get a visit from the police.  They’re told what has happened, and they’re both on their way to the bank hostage site.  At the site, they’re ushered into the police van and see Jim on tape in the bank with a gun surrounded by hostages.  Liz tells the negotiator why Jim is doing this, but the negotiator is hesitant and is afraid that he just wants to say goodbye to Liz and might start shooting then off himself.  Liz assures him that Jim won’t hurt anyone. Jim calls Liz’s phone from his mobile in the bank, and the negotiator snaps it off her and doesn’t answer it.  Steve thinks they’re trying to tip Jim over the edge and insists that Liz is the only one who can talk him down.  Liz gets on the phone and Jim is finally relieved.  Jim apologizes for letting Liz down again.  She tells him to put the gun down and come out empty-handed.  Jim figures that when he steps out the door, the police will shoot him dead and it might be for the best as opposed to spending the rest of his life in the big house.  He thinks it’s time they said goodbye.  Jim says he’ll send the hostages out the door, but says goodbye to Liz.  What is he going to do?  Jim lets the hostages go, but remains inside.  Liz thinks he’s going to kill himself and begs to talk with him.  Liz tells him that she loves him and she always have and always will.  She tells him she needs him and not to do this.  It works, and Jim comes out empty-handed and is taken into police custody. 

Back on the street, Steve calls Becky to tell her what happened.  Tracey notices that Becky has taken Amy and wants to know why.   Becky says that she just picked Amy up for a time at the shopping centre since it’s been ages since she’s seen her.  Tracey takes Amy back and threatens that if anything like that ever happens again she’ll call social services about Max.  As Lloyd unpacks their luggage from the boot, Tracey sees it and gets suspicious, but Becky tells her that she’s bought luggage on a sale at the shops.  Tracey threatens her again to stay away from her daughter and Lloyd wants to know what is going on.  Later, Becky tells him the truth about their plan now that it’s gone bust.  Lloyd is angry, but Becky says Steve would have used the money to pay Lloyd back.  Lloyd thinks that their plan is outrageous as usual and Becky’s just as bad as Jim. 

Gail and crew try to hide from David that they’ve been talking about Kylie taking that bribery money.  David’s not sure what’s going on since Gail says she can’t stand Kylie, but then she gives them money for a honeymoon.  David tells them that he’s booked a cab if they want to give them a send-off.  At the send-off, Gail tells Kylie through gritted teeth that David’s not stupid and he’ll see right through her.  Kylie just thanks Gail and says she’s so happy to be part of the family.  Gail hates Kylie with ever fibre of her body. 

Sylvie talks about  how wonderful her dearly departed husband was as Roy lurks behind her.  Something tells me Roy’s life just won’t be the same anymore.  Sylvie is upset that Roy didn’t come to the funeral and didn’t even send a card.  Sylvie wants to know who Hayley is, and when she informs Sylvie that she’s Roy’s wife, Sylvie has had it.  Only now does she find out her son is married.  Oh, wait until she finds out the rest.  Hayley tries to make the situation better as Roy remains silent, and she leaves the cafe.  But not before telling Roy that she hopes someone stabs him in the heart one day just as he’s done to her.  Roy tells Hayley to just let her go.  Later, Hayley thinks that Roy should calls his mum and not leave things like that, but Roy thinks they should leave it alone. 

At the factory, Carla does her best to salvage Frank’s order and to get it back to the original price after Maria said she’d give a discount.  Disaster averted as the order’s back on track and Frank’s satisfied – for now.  Later, Maria tells Carla she offered the girls a hundred pound bonus each, but Carla tells her to retract that statement. 

Gary tells his mum and dad about Faye’s allegations to him that Eddie thumped Anna.  Anna doesn’t know why she’s doing this, but Eddie thinks that his reputation will be ruined and their out of their depths.  Eddie’s out of his depths in the bath.  Eddie and Anna ask Faye why they told Gary that he’d beaten Anna.  Faye says she never said that claiming that Gary is the liar.  Anna tries to have as much patience as possible but says she can’t go around making up stories.  Faye threatens that her real mum’s coming around soon and when she finds out what’s going on, she’ll come take her.  If, only.  Eddie thinks Faye needs a psychiatrist, and I think he could be right. 

Elsewhere, Tina goes into the Kabin and apologizes to Rita.  She tells Rita how this was all her idea and it’s not Graeme or Xin’s fault.  Rita reminds her she was breaking the law, but Tina thinks she’s above the law the law isn’t fair.  Tina explains they have to see it through now or they’re all in trouble.  She asks Rita not to say anything.  Rita says she won’t say anything unless directly asked.  Rita won’t lie for her. 

HIGHLIGHTS

- Gail to David: “Have you been taking liberties with my Forsythia?”

- It was nice to see Jim and Liz together behind the bar - while it lasted.  

- Jim: “You know I’d move heaven and earth to make you happy, Elizabeth.” 

- David: “We [he and Kylie] want to get cracking’ on the grandkids.” Gail: “At least you won’t have to worry if she’s fertile.” Oh, Gail!

- Liz: “Tracey’s going to go mental.” Steve: “Tracey’s already mental.”

- Steve and Liz trying to entertain the solicitor while they nervously wait for Jim. 

- I’m already loving Sylvie Cropper!  Sylvie: “Will you not stand there lurking?! He never stands in front of me, always to one side as if he was trying to slip out of the room without me noticing.” 

LOWLIGHTS

- Steve and Becky seriously still considering fleeing the country with two children!

- I actually find myself missing Janice Battersby some time later now.  She’s one of those characters that I didn’t think I’d miss immediately, but the loss of her presence is felt later on.  Now there’s only Sally to give management a hard time at Underworld!

- Why did Jim lie to Liz about having the money and only wait until the DAY OF the transaction until he finds it?  This guy consistently shoots himself in the foot.

- As if Steve feels bad for Tracey!

- As if Jim robbed a bank.  Does that even HAPPEN anymore?  He’s such an old cowboy.  Even though, it’s bad to rob a bank, I felt really sad for Jim when he realized he was over with as the police arrived. 

- Why is Eddie complaining now about Faye?  Didn’t he have an inkling of what it’d be like since 1) he’s already been a father, 2) they already went through many lengths with the adoption panel to get her?

- Tina getting upset about paying more bills and how Graeme and Xin are together.  It was HER idea!

- Carla can be a real b*tch!  Why did she even put Maria in charge when she was gone if she was so incompetent anyway?  Who goes away on a trade show when they have the most pressing order on the line, then fires a seamstress to boot!?