Coronation Street double episode review, Monday 1July

The appearance of Piccalilli on Roy’s pyjama top is explained after his most recent stint of somnambulism. How terrible such an affliction must be for someone like Roy, who very much likes to be in charge and in control of what he’s doing.

Though none of us has control over the hours we sleep, it must be particularly distressing for Roy to discover that there is no one but himself to blame for the piled up chairs and the odd placings of food and cutlery. Of course Hayley is convinced that Roy’s father’s death is the cause of his somnambulism and tries hard to persuade him to talk to a doctor or a counsellor. When Hayley talks to Brian about Roy’s difficulties, she tells Brian that when she suggested a counsellor to Roy he reacted as if she’d suggested an interview on the Oprah Winfrey show.

Roy had, in fact,  been a little short with Brian at lunch time and later when Brian brought a leaflet for Roy to help people with sleep walking problems, Roy had just apologised to Brian for being brusque, offered him tea and a cake on the house. On seeing the leaflet Roy is less than grateful and loses his temper suggesting they ask the advice of all the people in the café. Sadly it seems Brian’s real interest is in the free cake. It isn’t clear that he actually got it. Perhaps Weightwatchers might find some unusual excuses at their weigh-ins this week in that people might claim they were eating in their sleep, an excuse Brian plans to use when Julie nags him about his weight.

There is a touching scene between Roy and Hayley when after all the tension they tenderly hold hands, but it doesn’t last. Hayley asks about and finds the tambourine a Salvation Army member left in the café.  It’s a safe bet to say that that must be the first time the Salvation Army tambourine bells have been sewn to pyjamas in order to track a somnambulist.

A very alien sensation may have been felt by other viewers this evening and not just by me. I actually felt a little sympathy for Norris. All his trying to get in Emily’s good books was motivated by self-interest, but at the same time, fear was a huge part of that self-interest, because he fears where he’ll live when Emily dies. Hence all the fussing, the lying about the box set from Freda and the criticism of Emily’s family members.

Tonight’s main focus though is David. It is working. His plan so far is extremely effective. As he tells Tina in the final scene, ‘I’m going to take his life apart bit by bit.’ His plan is so well thought out. He is Iago to Nick’s Othello. His purpose is to make Nick as jealous as it is possible to be and yet David himself never be suspected. So Leanne’s lilies, with no card, the lighter belonging to Peter Barlow found at Nick and Leanne’s are all working as a dream. David has found Nick’s weakness and he is working on it.

A great line came from Kylie tonight when she hears that Peter Barlow might be making advances on Leanne is when she says, ‘Why would you want a digestive when you have a custard cream?’  Kylie is of course referring to Carla, though I’m not sure that a custard cream is preferable to a digestive but that we must let pass.

Gail has to get involved and David should be grateful for Gail’s fanning the flames as she yells, on seeing Peter Barlow, ‘Oh here he comes, the home wrecker, I’m not having you upset my son again.’ Smart reply from Peter as he counters with, ‘Jump on that broomstick of yours and cast your spell somewhere else.’

It’s working David. Will you succeed in splitting up Nick and Leanne? That’s your aim but might something backfire?

There has to be a word of sympathy for Faye. Why doesn’t somebody see what’s happening? Surely Anna would not be satisfied and would want to investigate further. We can’t blame Jason because he has been led to believe that Faye is with Anna as indeed Tim believes her to be. Wouldn’t Izzy say something to Anna after Faye appeared to be starving and her school blouse was dirty? Surely, in the first flush of motherhood herself she’ll say something to alert Anna. In the meantime, Faye looks lost. It doesn’t make for easy viewing.   

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