Coronation Street double episode review, Monday 13 August

Good to see Michelle and Steve getting together at last and as Steve himself pointed out, having a reverse order date. As the first episode began, Steve was apologising to Michelle for not having been able to keep their date the other night because of Tracey's hospitalisation. Michelle's suspicious attitude to Tracey's illness was clear as she hissed out the words, 'And how is Tracy?' Tracy seems delusional. 'Me and Steve have got our whole lives ahead of us.' There's more. Steve, on arrival at Tracy's bedside, is told he'll receive a hug and as the recovering patient attempts to get hold of him he tells her not to exert herself. Quite! Further challenges await. She asks for reassurance that he meant it when he told her he'd always love her. What can he say? Amy is there and Tracy is recovering from a serious illness. A further thought derived from the hospital scene, concerns the alarming and consistent deepening of Deirdre's voice.Just how low will she go?

Never a good idea to tell your child to keep a secret - on two counts. Firstly, they won't, and secondly it is unfair and irresponsible of a parent to burden a young child in that way. Hope you're listening Mr. McDonald!

Poor Mary! I know, many of you don't feel this way, but after the woman to woman chat with Hayley, she decides to move on - to hit the road (a nod there to Jack Kerouac) and make new friends. Of course we knew that Roy would never be unfaithful to Hayley, but it was good for Hayley to hear that from Mary. Mary tells Hayley that Roy is' incapable of straying from the course he's set himself.'  In her inimitable and eloquent way she speaks of his 'steadfast dedication to his one true love,'  which shows at least that Mary has accepted her defeat. Not though without a somewhat poetic self-analysis. This time she likens herself to the universe's first woman. 'Show me forbidden fruit and I'm like Eve at an eat as much as you like buffet.' A fetching combination of the ancient and the modern! Norris's reaction to Mary's departure shows considerable distress. Could it be that he has feelings for her? Well yes he does but chooses to bid her goodbye with a hand shake. Norris!

Michelle is not having such a good time due to Ryan's visit from the dealer, which causes her to cry out the universal distressed parent's lament, dating back to time immemorial. 'After all I've done for you!'  Absolutely Michelle!

Stella got a nice little swipe in at Karl for Sunita's benefit as she spoke of how nerve-racking it can be at the end of a meal with Karl and it's time to pay the bill. Also, she doesn't seem too keen on the budding relationship of Eva and Rob judging from her facial expressions. Claiming to be rubbish at darts, Rob wins and then quotes from The Art of War. 'Without deception you cannot carry out strategy and without strategy you cannot control the opponent.' So, dart players, now you know. Sunita got in a good line too, suggesting that she and Karl should call the present time 'The Lentil Years' then Rob steps up and Karl is offered the chance of a trial in the factory.

Coronation Street never shies away from the big issues and it will be interesting to see where the writers will take the Gary and Izzy story line, adoption and surrogacy both receiving  a mention. Heartwarming too, to see Gary's determination to become a father. We don't hear about men longing for children, the focus is usually on women, so good work again Coronation Street. 

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