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Saturday 7 June 2014

Coronation Street double episode review, Friday 6 June 2014

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’s ability to reach out to those in need of wisdom and guidance, and it’s a joy to behold, so much so that I think the following merits inclusion in its entirety. “I hope this is a companiable silence, not an awkward one for you. Life can be cruel and arbitrary, but you already know that. There’s no point in trying to summon a fresh thought, something profound, cast the tragedy in a new light. I think you would have made an excellent mother.” This, combined with Alison King’s astounding performance, had me in tears.

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 through her tears, Peter learns in a moment of rejection where the door is slammed in his face, and Deirdre cries at the news.

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; the high quality is undisputed, but perhaps the rain clouds need to part, even for a spell. “Haven’t we had enough upset?” asks Liz, and while it has been tremendous to watch, perhaps hers is a valid question. 

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 bĂ©arnaise 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


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14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Honest to goodness, at first glance I thought that was a photo of Sophie and not Michelle. Steve needs therapy. The fact that he was lamenting that Michelle was too good for him is a clear indicator of his poor mental state.

Beth said...

I think Rob is now convinced too that Peter killed Tina. He seems to have blocked it all out!

Sam said...

Excellent post.

The Carla and Roy scenes have been incredible. So so beautiful and moving. I can't remember the last time I cried watching a soap but I was in tears watching Friday's Corrie. Thought I would be able to hold it together but when Roy told Carla he thinks she would have been an excellent mother and Carla broke down, revealing her baby was a little girl, admittedly I was crying with her.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the comments. It's so frustrating when looking forward to a confrontation that you are then deprived of . We didn't get to see Gsil meet her burglar last night only the ensuing conversation - Les Dennis did very well with his first Corrie performance.
Chris G continues to be the best actor very closely followed by the fabulous Alison King. I can smell the booze and fags every time he is on screen. His depiction of a drunken downtrodden Peter should win an award for sure.
Alison K plays Carla with such depth . Congratulations to both . Simon G and BevC I love on screen to . Simon regularly makes me laugh , Bev 2!
Joe D is definetly coming into his own alongside Sally . The actor who plays Rob is deeply disappointing in that he is Not giving us signs that he is guilty of Tina's murder . He is convincing when accusing Peter of her murder but with no expressions of the fact that it was actually him . Then we get to the arm folding Kym M. I see she has been promised big storylines - mmm b interesting to see how she deals with those . I too hope she doesn't get back with Steve . Meanwhile a quietly grieving Roy becomes a gentle presence for Carla and I can't think of anyone better to help her through . Corrie has been amazing and the actors have all worked their socks off . Well done to all ,

Humpty Dumpty said...

The scene between Steve and Michelle could have been so powerful. If you'd read it as a novel, Steve's character would have emerged as a weak coward desperate for a quiet life. Steve was the good man who did nothing and Michelle's right to say that he has blood on his hands.

Having said that, the scene was disappointing as only one half of the team can act. Imagine Sally Dynevor in the role of Michelle and what a difference there would be in the character.

Roy & Carla and Tim & Sally continue to delight. They are the some of the reasons that I'm still watching Corrie.

Blair Sheridan said...

I've had it with Michelle. Steve isn't God's gift to women, but he's got a good heart and a good sense of good-natured humour, something Michelle wouldn't recognise were she to trip over it. I wish she were the next of the builder's balcony.

John McE said...

Since when did one-time burglary offenders get sent to prison? I thought these days they got off with a slapped wrist... especially when there was nowt worth burgling!

Frosty the Snowman said...

Had to laugh at Liz yesterday saying they were short staffed with Tina's absence. She never worked a full shift anyway, was always on 'her break' or arguing or attacking the customers!

Whether Rob and Michelle like it or not Peter owns nearly half the faktray business.

Anonymous said...

Liz was right there with Michelle flinging the mud at Steve not that long ago - laughing at his attempt to take courses at college. Michelle is a completely abusive woman and shouldn't be with a man at all. She sure forgot how her 'sister' Carla was banging Liam while he was married to Maria. Bah. I hope the writers don't put these two back together. Better yet, Michelle hooks up with Kieran wherever the hell he is and bogs off.

Anonymous said...

Coronation Street has addressed the issue of spousal abuse with regard to Kirsty and Charlie Stubbs. If they put Steve and Michelle back together, I think they have an obligation to address the issue with regard to Michelle as well.

Anonymous said...

I also hope Michelle and Steve don't get back together.I don't recall Michelle telling Carla that she had 'blood on her hands' as she did with Steve when her affair with her brother Liam led to him being murdered by Tony Gordon and thus leaving behind a widowed Maria and their unborn child without a father.I also thought Liz's idea to close the Rovers in Tina's memory a bit much considering Betty was not given that honour.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 18:31. She did in fact tell Carla she had Liam's blood on her hands. Michelle forgets that she wasn't actually there for Carla after Paul or Liam's death. She didn't support Carla through the ordeal with Liam because she didn't know about the affair until Maria told her months after Liam's death. She didn't care that Carla was held In the factory by Tony Gordon who had every intention of committing murder/suicide with his ex-wife, nor did she bat an eyelash when Carla was in hospital following the factory's explosion. She seems to think she's there for everyone, when in reality she turns on everyone.

NZ Coro Junkie said...

Loved the scene with a surprised Tracey getting a sudden hug from Simon. Tracey is starting to become a bit less the 2-dimensional baddie to someone more complex and real.

I also liked the scene with Leanne and Peter - it brought some much needed continuity, reminding us that this is a pattern of Peter's to screw everything up rather than accept a stable, loving family.

Leanne also looked lovely in that scarf. I hope they'll let her get her spark back as she's been playing an uncharacteristically down-trodden martyr for too long now. I love that she is a natural mother to Simon, but let's not forget the Battersby backstories (of which there are plenty!)

I predict that Peter will go down for Tina's murder. And Rob will remain at large for as long as Chris Gascoigne's sabbatical lasts. We know he will get his comeuppance but it could be months, it could be years. He could marry Tracey. Perhaps have a child together. The longer it lasts, the more entrenched he can become as part of the Barlow clan, making it even more devastating when the truth comes out. Which it eventually will, without the need to rush things to a breathless conclusion.

Anonymous said...

NZ Coro junkie, Perhaps the twist to the storyline and a first in Corrie history is that Rob gets away with Tina's murder while Peter is in jail for a murder he didn't commit?Remembering how both Ken and Deirdre supported Tracy who lied about Gail confessing to murdering Tina's father while they were cellmates,it will be interesting seeing the Barlows go through the same pain Tracy put Gail through.

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