Cosy crimes and gritty sagas by Corrie Blog editor Glenda, published by Headline. Click pic below!

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Coronation Street episode double review, Monday May 14

Following Lesley's death by  accidental electrocution - a little nod there to the demise of Ken Barlow's first wife Val? - it looks like there won't be a happy ending for guilt-stricken  pair Eileen and her married lover  Paul, as he appeared set to quit Coronation Street for good.
The love-torn fireman had only last week proposed  to Eileen and offered to his divorce Alzheimer's victim  wife (what a charmer! ) but after  Lesley died throwing the toaster in to a water filled sink, when left alone by reluctant carer Eileen, his uxorious morals suddenly returned and it seemed he and Eileen could not have a future together. 
This has always been an uncomfortable storyline and it has been difficult to feel much sympathy for  Paul  or Eileen ( despite fine performances by all three actors concerned in this bizarre love triangle) so it's timely it is coming to a close.  And where did Eileen - deprived of her sunshine break abroad with Paul to care for Lesley  - suddenly manage to pick up that deep Caribbean  Cuprinol suntan amid all this life and death drama?
Meanwhile all systems were still go for  fellow adulterers, newfound unlikely sex pot Sunita and her lover  Karl. Not sure where this storyline is going either, but John Michie still looks a whole lot happier playing opposite her than Michelle Collins, who really  hasn't  improved one jot  - with that wooden Northern accent and frozen expressionless face - since she joined the show. I feel quite sorry for the  actress  in a way as she  is so obviously miscast, though she may well have done better if she'd  been allowed  to played it in  her normal accent - it never did Mike Baldwin any harm to be a Cockney! Michelle Collins has denied reports she's quitting the show (and she's a good friend of the producer, don't forget) but let's hope the imminent arrival of that fine actress Sue Johnston might lead her to raise her game.  
Regarding the less than inspiring daily  9pm episodes last  week, I can only agree with the excellent  previous verdicts of Flaming Nora and other bloggers on this site. As they pointed out, there was hardly  much tension involving the various cliffhangers when the  next day's preview show at the end of the episode gave most of the game away about what was happening next. And all the storylines seemed to have been leaked to the press beforehand anyway.

But the good cop, bad cop relationship of panto villain Terry and bird-brained, trusting son Tommy had a certain black humour about it and  there was a good chemistry between the two actors. Nigel Pivaro isn't  the best actor in the world  but he has a certain swaggering charisma and despite my reservations I enjoyed his temporary return, as he slunk off  into the sunset with most of Tommy and Tyrone's money. Loved the  grudgingly affectionate line he delivered as he made his farewells  as  he noted  that son Tommy was a much nicer person than he was:"Selling you ( as a baby) was the best thing I ever did, son."


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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I feel that people are a bit harsh on Michelle Collins

She really is not as bad in the role of Stella as some make out, in my view.
Of course, it is all down to personal taste, but it could be considered churlish to suggest that the only reason she is staying is because she is friends with the producer...

GRITTY SAGAS BY CORRIE BLOG EDITOR GLENDA YOUNG, PUBLISHED BY HEADLINE. CLICK PIC BELOW!

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