A Weatherfield week to remember

I don't suppose there is a great deal new to add to the overall comments about last week's drama. Fulsome praise was heaped on both Julie Hesmondhalgh and David Neilson. Rightly so. Their performances were stunning to say the least. David in particular portrayed Roy's conflicting emotions beautifully. Despair, horror, resignation, sadness and anger - all were on show. It all felt very raw at times.

The  blog reactions to Friday's episodes ring true.

My initial thought was 'why are all these women mythering Roy?' Anna, Carla and Fiz bumped around like wayward dodgems with their endless cups of tea, casseroles and pained expressions. Saying that, the latter could not be ascribed to Fiz who appeared in each scene with a face like an Easter Island statue. I know grief can affect people in many ways but a starched expression is a new one on me. Yes, the scenes were a bit on the clumsy side but this only reflects real life. Everyone wanted to help but the continuous milling around tends to be of little comfort to the bereaved. Roy's reaction to it all was probably the right one - take your casserole dishes, your blunt advice and your woeful faces and bog off!

Up against the heavy drama we had the never-ending (and if there is a God, please let it end once and for all) miserable marriage of the Tilsleys. Cue Nick with his screwed up face and Leanne clomping around the dreary Bistro set. Enough already! It can't go on. Time for Leanne to shine and time for Jane Danson (a joy of an actress) to be given something a little lighter. Also time for Nick and his beard to be released into the wild. Or on to the Red Rec. The scenes involving Nick and Kal on Friday were poor. Something about them did not feel right.

The writing is definitely on the wall for the Tanner marriage. As hard as it is to admit, Dennis seems to be a much better fit with Gloria than he does with his wife. Rita has been made to look crabby and a bit doddery of late which is not how we wanted to see her in her latter years. She's never been one of my favourite characters but to reinvent her as some spiteful old woman seems a little cruel. For viewers it will be interesting to see how Rita copes with life as a single woman in her eighties. Separation and divorce in old age does happen in life but seldom in TV drama.

Probably the joy of the week came courtesy of Ches and Sinead. Now that mahogany-faced Kayteh is off the scene and hanging around the bus stop all day, Ches can finally settle to a decent relationship with someone norm al. Well, normal save for the fixation with soap-making. Maybe Sinead can melt Kayteh down in time? Anyway with the addition of Kirk and Beth to the household, there should be fun times ahead. Here's hoping that Ches loses that 'teenage OAP' face that he's been sporting for months.

Also on the 'hurrah' list this week has to be new girl Steph. Thankfully we are not being bombarded with a new character (painful lessons learnt thanks to Michelle, Stella . . .) but she is, like Sinead, a breath of fresh air. Well, as fresh as the air gets near to Rosamund Street.

Hayley may have gone but there are reasons to be cheerful.


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