Coronation Street double episode review, Monday 25 March

High drama tonight on our best loved street. As the opening music died away, we heard the clang of a cell door and  were shown the inside of the jail where poor Tyrone, innocent to his fingertips, languishes, awaiting his appearance in court. There in the gallery are Hayley, Mary and Fiz, of course.

Fair play to Mary who is approaching the trial with an open mind. She appears to be advocating David Cameron's Big Society idea and if no one else is clear what that means, it seems at least that Mary has a handle on the notion.  Mary, who claims she has 'a civil duty to be here' intends to 'log' anything significant. Fiz informs Mary  that Tyrone is innocent and to demonstrate her open mind, Mary agrees that that is 'a distinct possibility.'

Julie, forever ministering to Kirsty's needs, tells her she would look respectable in a bin bag. What she wears doesn't matter as, according to Julie, Kirsty has 'the truth on her side'. Viewers must be shouting at the television by now and if not yet, surely when the prosecuting barrister warns the jury not to be 'taken in by the affable grease monkey act' there are cries of injustice in the living rooms of Britain. And even louder must the shouts be now as she calls Tyrone 'a shrewd, calculating man and a consummate performer' who, as a bully, craves power.

Eileen and Deirdre appearing as witnesses are wholly on Kirsty's side and quite understandably Fiz states of Deirdre that she would like to 'smash her stupid glasses' - the glasses of the Weatherfield One from many years ago, who, in fairness, makes a valid point that just because people, barristers, have a lot of letters after their names, it doesn't make them good people. 'Sit back,' declares Deirdre 'and let justice take its course.'

Kirsty managed to keep going with her lies, even when her mother showed up, who knows the truth and has urged her daughter to tell the truth. Later, Kirsty's mum urges her  to tell the truth, even after she's lied in court and suggests that she leaves her abusive husband at last, becomes a proper mother to Kirsty and a grandmother to Ruby.  Kirsty's mother does tell her daughter though that she was shocked at how well Kirsty kept up the lies and pretence and presented herself as the victim  Looks like a good solution for all three of them, but Kirsty has no intention of telling the truth and abandons her mother.

On arrival home, Kirsty is furious to see Sally Webster, a child abductor in Kirsty's eyes babysitting for Ruby. Kirsty confronts  Julie as to why she left Sally in charge and then witnesses Kirsty's temper as she hurls a cup at the wall. Having had time to mull over Kirsty's display of temper, Julie fears she has been wrong about her. As she says, 'my instincts are never wrong' and then ponders the lie that Kirsty told her about the last time she'd seen her mother. She fears they've all been duped. It's starting to unravel...

From courtroom to hospital and we see Karl about to be discharged and Gloria offering him a roof over his head. What a nightmare for Jason - accused of causing the fire by his dodgy electric work, then Stella's ex moving back in with her. At least Jason is vindicated. He did not start the fire by any careless electrical work;  the investigation points to arson.

Dev's desperation is heartbreaking and his words to Sunita are profoundly affecting, especially as she can't hear him as she is kept alive by a machine. Karl will never again sleep easy in his bed.

You can follow us on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog and Facebook: CoronationStreetBlog


All original work on the Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License