In the aftermath of her miscarriage, Carla
receives a visit from Roy who brings her one of Hayley’s handkerchiefs for
comfort. I mentioned elsewhere this week that Hayley’s true legacy is found in
the gentle emergence of Roy
Chris Gascoyne continues to be outstanding as a pained and dishevelled Peter wanders the streets. He insists he didn’t kill Tina but feels
like he killed his and Carla's baby. Announcing that it’s a girl should be a joyous
moment, but Carla tells Roy
Sanctimonious Leanne tells him Simon is
confused. Of course he is! Did she not tell him that some people suspect his Dad killed Tina while breaking the news of her death? At least she acknowledges
that Peter isn’t capable of murder.
Rob isn’t as sympathetic, suggesting “How
about you pick some hymns for your dead girlfriend’s funeral, the one you
murdered.” With the exception of the moments before Tina's murder, there has been no evidence of the guilt ridden, tortured soul I’ve been
looking forward to seeing.
While some residents look suitably washed out
over the ordeal, Liz is resplendent in full make up and smiling behind the bar.
Even though she suggests closing the pub as a mark of respect for Tina, she is easily
talked out of it by Michelle who doesn’t share her nostalgia for the pint sized
pint puller. Liz reminisces about Tina like she died four months rather
than four days ago, gets off scot free despite knowing exactly what Steve
knew, and doesn’t appear to shoulder any of the guilt her son feels. I
do find this disappointing considering her motherly attitude towards Tina.
With spoilers aplenty of late, some argue too many,
why are we denied the opportunity to witness key confessions or revelations when they finally arrive? We’ve been waiting to
see Steve tell all to Michelle, and when it finally happens we only get to witness
the aftermath.
Steve insists he thought he was saving Carla’s marriage,
but incensed Michelle sees it as “anything for a quiet life”. It’s nothing new
to hear her call Steve pathetic, and tonight we can add coward and traitor to her
list of unfavourable adjectives. “Your face, your voice; you sicken me” she
spits, but it just sounds like a normal day for Michelle whose put downs are as
abundant as Norris’s nosy doorstep sweeps.
Telling Steve “You’ve got blood on your hands”
is appropriate considering tonight’s episodes felt more akin to Shakespeare’s
Macbeth than an episode of Coronation
Street;
Carla tells a devastated Michelle that it no
longer matters who knew what, there have already been too many victims, but she
rules out a reconciliation with Steve regardless. Rob listens with interest and I
sincerely hope he isn’t going to drag our favourite landlord down with him. Meanwhile,
Steve takes his anger out on Peter by roughing him up and telling him the
police reckon he’s guilty. It’s troubling to see our consistently dazzling ray
of sunshine turn to the dark side, even for a moment. He later wallows, and
declares that Michelle was too good for him. Liz tells him off and is
appropriately reminded of how she always cruelly remarked he was punching above his
weight.
Rob and Michelle systematically remove all
wedding photos from the flat and agree to run the factory. Peter arrives to
declare that he’s going to win Carla back if it’s the last thing he does.
Gail finds herself face to face with burglar
Michael Rodwell at their restorative justice meeting. She gets to say her
piece, but he appears a repentant figure who declares he’s ashamed and sorry. A
victim of the recession who lost everything, including his business and family,
Michael assures her he’ll never turn to crime again, and she appears moved by
his words and demeanour. As Gail holds his outstretched hand, it appears the
meeting has brought comfort to them both.
When Timmy Met Sally she spent all her time
trying to get him to commit, luring him into going on mini-breaks and endeavouring
to keep him out of the pub. Now that he appears more than happy to acquiesce to
all those things, it’s hilarious to see her run a mile. All of a sudden he’s going
to spoil everything and Julie is drafted in to assist. Her solution? Sally
should accept Tim’s suspected impending proposal, therefore leaving his ego
intact, and giving her time to make up her mind. “I’m brilliant at this” boasts
Julie, adding a perfectly amusing “Oh the irony!”
Once Tim reveals the jewelry he bought was in fact a watch for Faye, normal services resume for relieved Sally as all of
a sudden his steak and chips is a medium rump steak with a béarnaise sauce and French
fries. When she tells him what she really thought, he balks at the idea, and she’s offended until they inadvertently become engaged, and she
looks as comfortable as if they were eating their dinner down the ginnel. Here's hoping these continuous sources of much needed amusement go the distance.
By Emma
Hynes
Twitter: @ELHynes
All original work on the Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License
