Coronation Street double episode review, Friday 10 October 2014

Operation posh wedding sees overtired Kirk fall asleep on the job among a fortress of Underworld cardboard boxes. Sinead sounds more than a tad bonkers at her adamance that urban foxes are responsible for the unexplained rustling, and insistence on calling the RSPCA. 

Thankfully her next idea is closer to planet earth as she suggests Beth and Kirk spare their energy and cash by upcycling. Not, as Kirk suggests, a tall circus bike with one wheel, but rather decorating recycled products to give their wedding a homemade, vintage feel. Beth is dubious as to Sinead’s arts and crafts skills after a Bon Jovi mosaic she made is said to look more like Dolly Parton, but to be fair, although before Sinead's time, there was a point in the 1980s when this would have been an understandable blunder. Beth turns her nose up at Sinead’s samples but is won over on hearing that vintage is all the rage at celebrity weddings.

Somebody should have told Michelle who is now out of a job, and none too pleased at that. A double blow comes when Tracy decides to trade the fully booked, non-refundable helicopter for a horse drawn carriage. If Michelle's already questionable business is to go anywhere, she may need to revisit her terms and conditions.

Kylie’s waywardness continues as she disappears off to the Dog and Gun. The former owner of a mini torched by Kylie approaches her demanding compensation, but a pool cue and a look from Callum is sufficient to despatch him empty handed. Much to Kylie’s annoyance, Callum wants to know about Max. Despite his biological Dad believing his son would do well to take after him, Kylie reckons Max is damned having both of them for parents. Callum obliges when she asks for speed, but not before mocking her for being a “domestic goddess” and a “Stepford wife”, asking what happened to the wild girl who always said “I’d rather be dead than bored”.

Meanwhile Audrey listens to David’s concerns before encountering and tackling a disheveled Kylie in the street. Efforts to appeal to her better nature fail miserably, and Kylie is only home two minutes when she runs out on David again. The fact that she still got on the bus despite David, Max and Lily chasing after her down the street has me envisaging a rapid downward spiral here.

“Tracy Barlow is right” is a sentence I’ve never uttered til tonight when news of Deirdre’s departure was greeted by her with accusations of having let Peter down when he needs her most. Peter isn’t happy when Ken delivers the news but accepts that she needs a break. I really was hoping that this prison scene between the pair would open with an incredulous Peter remarking “A trifle? At the wall?” But alas, it wasn't to be.

Ken urges Peter to stay calm and confident, show the jury the face of an innocent man, and stop obsessing over Carla. This doesn’t stop him using her photo as a bookmark resulting in him being called a loser by Jim. Unafraid of his nemesis, Peter reminds him that Liz only visited to get Jim off his back. Jim says Peter better hope he gets off next week or he’ll be gunning for him. Despite the mutual loathing, Jim gives Peter a one minute phone call uttering the well worn “it’ll cost ya”, but whatever the price, Peter gets to hear Carla’s voice. He fears their marriage will be made to look like nothing in court, and tells her that despite everything not to forget that he loves her like mad. Carla tells him she’ll tell everyone the truth about him before hanging up.

Rob is shocked at Tracy’s instruction that he must take Deirdre’s place in court and reckons if she had her way, he’d be wearing Peter’s face on a T-shirt. Does this constitute a direct appeal to the public to drum up a Free Deirdre style campaign? Unfortunately I can't see anything on that scale ever happening again. Tracy is similarly flabbergasted to hear that Carla is his ‘best man’.

Hangover culprit debut as Liz places the blame for the previous night's shenanigans squarely with a bad olive. If the Mediterranean morsel is responsible, imagine how frequenters of the bistro feel the morning after a visit? Steve continues to fret over his mole, and Eileen puts a ring on several prior to his visit to the medical centre. Once told he has nothing to worry about, the doctor remarks that Steve doesn’t appear relieved. We’re used to enjoying Steve’s capers and exceptional comic timing, and while things have been rather grim on the cobbles this year, I nevertheless welcome a serious story that allows Simon Gregson the opportunity to show another side to his character.

As Steve struggled to articulate his feelings and leave the surgery, I found myself unexpectedly choked up as he uttered, “I can’t seem to get through the door”. While never in doubt, this short but fantastic performance by Simon Gregson bodes well for a competently conveyed and timely storyline addressing mental health.

Generally, when it comes to television, writers are more likely to receive credit than directors, but Peter Rose's shot of Steve standing at the door with his back to the camera complemented Joe Turner's words in articulating his struggle, visually conveying the solitary and lonely nature of depression and evoking great sympathy. Similarly, the number of circles drawn on Steve's body engendered great pity for him and appeared symbolic of his struggle to identify the source of his problems. Describing himself as “a cliché”, he insists he’s not depressed despite the doctor’s diagnosis and he doesn’t consider himself a patient. Liz’s tenderness towards him when he gets home, and his struggle to keep his best side out, saying “I’m still the cheeky little chappy you know and love” is heart rending.

Indeed, there were some wonderful moments in tonight’s episodes which included a lovely scene of mutual support between Ken and Audrey, and Liz apologising to Ken for adding to his problems.

All that remains is for me to rejoice with those who were concerned that Liz’s pink coral jacket from Wednesday’s episode was a one off, having witnessed an equally mention-worthy pair of trousers in tonight’s second episode which surely merited their own mention in the credits.

By Emma Hynes

www.emmahynes.wordpress.com

Twitter: @ELHynes

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