Coronation Street double episode review, Monday 20 April

For a while now, David has been pretty reasonable and has stayed out of trouble.  He has looked after Max and Lily, coped with the disappearance of Kylie and kept turning up at Audrey’s salon. That’s quite a lot for a young man to deal with. So, did we believe that David was done with trouble? That his character had metamorphosed into a person of decency and love for his fellow man and woman? No of course not – and part of the reminder of his dark side appeared in the repartee between him and his sister, Sarah, who has landed unceremoniously in his house with her daughter, the manipulative Beth. They do seem to argue an awful lot and Bethany deliberately sets out to wind people up. Asking Maria what the menopause was like though was a bit much.

Jack Shepherd, who plays David, is, in my opinion, one of the elite actors on the cobbles. He is at his best when he goes dark and menacing and here, for our delectation, we see a true return to form. Andy is to be his pawn. Having discovered that Gavin is actually Andy, David has a considerable hold over Andy. (And Gail too). Staying with Andy for now, David forces him to plant drugs in Callum’s car. By doing this David is hoping that Callum will be found out for having drugs in his car and therefore will be deemed an unsuitable father to Max.

So borrowing Nick’s car, he takes Andy with him to an unpleasant looking pub, The Swarbrick. Andy does not like the look of the pub at all, but he can’t escape because David threatens to reveal Andy’s true identity to Michael and to inform the police of his fraud.  Andy then has no choice but to do everything David tells him to do. ‘Don’t come back until you’ve scored.’ Andy comes back to the car with a bag of drugs. David drives to the now familiar Dog and Gun and spots Callum’s car. David instructs Andy to put the drugs in Callum’s car, which Callum conveniently left unlocked. We see Michael preparing a birthday tea for his ‘son’ Gavin. Michael is regretting all the birthdays of his son that he’s missed and is happy to be compensating to some degree.

Clearly nervous, Andy fumbles around with the drugs, even splitting the bag.  Andy manages to get the packet in the glove compartment, just as Callum is heading towards his car. David sees Callum and is petrified. Callum marches Andy into the pub and Andy insists to Callum that he was trying to steal his car. David is outside wondering what’s going on and it probably comes as no surprise to Callum when David arrives in the torture chamber, where Callum is wielding a pair of pliers, not intended for a manicure, apparently.  David confesses that he was the one who put Andy up to it and Callum tells David he will teach him a lesson. Andy is allowed to go and eventually David scarpers. Andy arrives at his birthday do and tells Gail and Steph that David is in danger. David runs for his life but is cornered by the delightful trio of Callum, Macca and Gemma. They then drag him to Callum’s car and it looks very much like they are going to put David in the boot.

Having stepped in when Jack’s child minder falls ill, Jenny’s reaction to the rash on Jack’s neck seems exaggerated, though genuine and she thinks he should be taken to hospital. Leanne clearly thinks that Jenny is overacting. There is something odd about Jenny’s concern for Jack. There was a previous incident when Jenny overreacted regarding Jack. Jenny tells Leanne, ‘He’s a child! You don’t take risks with children!’ Something, somewhere in her past must have happened….Anyway Jack is spotted by Tyrone as he and Jenny are coming out of the medical centre. Jenny tells Jack that they will keep the visit to the doctor between themselves, but Tyrone, very sweetly calls in at Kevin’s to see how Jack is. Very odd…

Cathy has the adjacent plot to Roy and Sharif, and this will be the start of a beautiful friendship for Roy.  Sharif doesn’t want his mint so uproots it and throws it onto what he thinks is spare land. It is Cathy’s husband’s allotment. She is understandably brusque and the impression is created that Cathy is recently widowed but I may be making it up. Roy offers his own and Sharif’s help to tidy up her allotment.

Billy and Sean’s relationship seems to have moved up a gear. They have spent the night together after having experienced shocking homophobia from a landlord who told them he didn’t want them in his establishment. Todd claims that he would have beaten up the landlord and Sean tells him, ‘You are you and we are us.’ Eileen has a word of caution to Sean. ‘He’s nice, don’t mess it up.’ He is nice, very nice and so sincere. He was genuinely upset about the death of the child called Lucy. Billy tells Sean that he’s falling in love with him and Sean feels the same way. Long may it last!

Sean tells Julie all about their experience. ‘I’ve always been gay friendly, even before it became popular,’ boasts Julie. Sally suggests that ‘The whole gay community should boycott that pub.’  A reporter comes in to the corner shop looking for Sean. As it happens, Sean comes in. He tells the reporter straight (excuse the pun) that he does not want to talk to her. Sean believes it must have been Todd who told the reporter but Julie confesses that she did it. As ever with Julie, she has good intentions. I will really miss her.

Ruth Owen

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