Jenny’s gone; taking little Jack, so speed is of the
essence. Clearly Jenny is deluded into semi-believing that Jack could take the
place of Tom, her own son. As everyone who is a parent knows, losing a child is
the worst possible thing that could happen to you in this world. It has
happened to Jenny and there may well be a degree of guilt concerning Tom’s
death. We learn that Jenny had got out the paddling pool and left Tom alone
while she intended to buy ice cream from the van playing Greensleeves. Realising she couldn’t leave him, it was
still too late. Adding further confusion
to our own feelings as viewers, watching the drama unfold, we discover that
today would have been Tom’s 7th birthday.
None of this is Jack’s fault. Coincidentally, there is a
real life situation, mirroring more or less, this story, in that a little boy
was taken from his father who had custody, by his mother and who then went on
the run. The real life mother had the sense to realize eventually that what she
was doing was madness and unfair to the child. And that’s just it. Jack has
been snatched away from what he is used to, even though Jenny had been looking
after him for some time now; but his dad, his sister, his home, his bed – those
things which give a child security and stability have been removed.
The police are at Kevin’s and anxiety is sky high
understandably. But Jenny loves Jack doesn’t she? She surely will not hurt him,
reassures Rita, who manages to get the address from Jenny when Jenny rings
Rita, sobbing. Rita promises that she will come alone. But of course, the family plus honorary
grandmother, Rita, head off.
Rita talks to Jenny who feels that she has been betrayed,
because Rita didn’t come alone. Jenny is
clearly suffering devastating grief and her efforts with the birthday tea is a
symbol of that. Kevin cannot stand
waiting and enters the flat. Close to the edge, literally and metaphorically,
Kevin pleads with Jenny. Could this be Kevin Webster’s finest hour? Sophie though barges into the flat inadvertently causing Jenny with little Jack in her
arms to move further to the edge. Finally, after much pleading, she gives Jack
back to Kevin. The police arrive and Jenny is taken away, sobbing. There is a
tender moment for Kevin and Sophie as he recognizes she was right all along.
As yet, Julie has not understood the significance of
Talisa’s arrival and it seems somewhat unfair to Julie for Dev not to show her
the lie of the land. Talisa is certainly making herself at home, wearing
Julie’s dressing gown and making smoothies. As Talisa nips upstairs Dev can
barely take his eyes off her. ‘Don’t drool Dev – it’s very unbecoming,’ says Mary. Mary then expresses her own feeling about Talisa in an amusing phrase, ‘Vegetable
bothering interloper.’
Julie asks Talisa how long she will be staying. Talisa tells
Julie how kind Dev has been to her. ‘I can see I’m a cuckoo in the nest. As
soon as I get back on my feet I’ll be out of your hair.’ Dev and Talisa do look
very cosy in the pub, though.
And then Brian turns up! He declares his passion for Julie and
has packed in his job in Wales. He tells Julie that their limerick won a
competition, but nothing is enough to persuade her. Julie is in love with Dev
and so she tells Brian. Like a burst balloon, Brian has to take the news and
digest it. Luckily Brian won’t have to stay in the Vegas anymore as Ken offers
him a room.
There is, at least for me, an uncomfortable moment when Ken
tells Brian that Deirdre will be back soon to celebrate her 60th
birthday. I realize the scriptwriters have to say something but nevertheless…
The Nazirs, in their grief for Kal, have shown themselves at
their best so far. Though Kal’s death has affected them all profoundly, they
have conducted themselves in a dignified, strong and united fashion. Alya, who
I am beginning to consider as a superb actor is sent on her own to deal with a
client. Jason is there to help her when the client behaves like an ignorant
idiot, making suggestive remarks about Bespoke Basques, which are actually
Alya’s designs. ‘Go on pal, do one,’ Jason tells him.
Beth is clearly as proud as a mother can possibly be when
she shows Craig’s fabulous artwork as a tribute to those who died. Or was it
just for Maddie? As Eileen, Alya, Gary and then Carla gaze upon the work, Beth
declares it, ‘Done by a genius.’ She speaks of a newfound appreciation of
contemporary art. In the café, Talisa tells Beth that her hair is lovely and
that Beth reminds her of Sonia, the singer from Liverpool who hit the charts in
the 1980s. A good day for Beth!?
Alya asks Carla if she’s having trouble sleeping. ‘Look at
her – business as usual.’ Mary ticks Alya off and seems to have taken on a bit
moral crusade in these 2 episodes.
Kylie is doing her best but things aren’t good chez the
Platts. Understandably, Max is a little ill at ease around Kylie. He doesn’t
want her to brush his hair and tells her, ‘You can’t tell me what to do, you’re
not even a proper mum. Callum cannot resist launching an attack on Kylie, his
ex-girlfriend and mother of his child. Callum suggests that Max’s ADHD
medication should be kept in a safe, away from Kylie as she would be unable to
resist taking them. It cannot be easy for Kylie, who Gail refers to as a
Stepford Wife, ‘Aggressively cheerful.’
Kylie and Maria meet in the street. Kylie tells Maria that everything is
pointless. Maria tells Kylie that her kids are a reason to keep going. And
proving the Platts wrong.That is reason enough for anyone.
Admirably, Kylie
visits the doctor and is honest about the drug habit she’s had. She points out
that keeping drug free is the hardest part, which Kylie more than likely knows only too well. She is given leaflets and takes
them home. Gail and David are reading them and Kylie tells them that that she
cannot get clean without their help.
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20 comments:
I thought Sally Ann Matthews was absolutely brilliant in tonights episodes. Lets face it we've all seen characters have break downs before on screen but somehow she made Jenny's dilemma believable even in the most unbelievable circumstances. I really felt for Jenny. I truly hope this isn't the end for the character as I feel it would be such a wasted opportunity to not tell her back story of the past twenty years and see her rebuild her relationship with Rita.
The only bit that really gets my goat about the whole storyline is Sophie. I think I'm meant to have sympathy for her but I find the character so repulsive its impossible to. What sort of so called Christian would make a remark encouraging a clearly grieving and ill woman to jump off a balcony and Kevin's slushy comments about her being a strong woman was total tosh. This character has really come to the end of the line and I just wish TPTB would realise that!
More Johnathon Harvey episodes please!- Micky
Sorry about your lost hope u will be alright again Sophie
I'm sick of Bethany and Sarah, they just add bile to the show. I hope the Max custody thing is sorted fast and they rest the entire Platt clan for at least 6 mths.
Anonymous 22:48:
Sad thing is, some of the biggest hypocrites are the ones that claim to be religious.
Sophie has always been a hypocrite, like most on the street. It's one thing to feel anger and grief. It's another to be malicious. The way many residents are treating Carla without knowing the facts (all just assuming she was drunk, and that she was the one that left the candle burning) and the way Sophie could be so vindictive to a clearly emotionally damaged and traumatized woman is actually sickening to watch. But I guess it's sickening because it's realistic.
I thought that Alya overreacted to the buyer's comments. He said that men would also appreciate the lingerie. Although he was being a little bit tacky, her interpretation of it that he was coming on to her was far-fetched. He was right in saying that she was unprofessional. A businesswoman would have taken the relatively-mild comment in her stride rather than lose a potentially large order. And before anyone accuses me of being a misogynist, I am female.
Prediction: Callum was paying very close attention to the conversation between Norris and Sally in the pub, when they were talking about how the parent is often reflected in the child. I think Callum will give Max drugs and either claim that Kylie gave them to him or he was imitating her.
Ok..how many times are Callum and Sarah going to march into the Platt's and slag off David and Kylie..it's getting really old.
The balcony scene was totally one sided in the acting dept with Sally Ann M. trying to hold it all together. What was the point of Kevin saying Jack was upset when the child couldn't have cared less - he actually looked bored. Sophie I agree should be gone. There is no point to this character other than to stand around pursing her lips and spouting nonsense while waiting for her next girlfriend to come along and then go off after a few months.
Another thing, why doesn't Carla ask who's idea it was for Kal to run into a burning building after that dweeb of a Leanne? Also Maddie..she ran right through that barricade after she was told to stand back and 'blam' she's outta there. Somehow, that's Carla's fault too?
It is bad enough that Kevin has a son named Jack...when he once had a son named Jake...but shame on the writers for this storyline. Too similar to Kev talking to Allison just before she stepped into the lorrie. Also...for Kevin to say it must be awful to bury a child.....duh...he did! Very frustrating for long time fans who know the history.
The final scene between Kevin and Sophie may have been awkwardly phrased, but it sounded no more corny then if my own dad had said it. It became a big 'I miss my dad moment', so for me, the scene worked.
All the arguing and put downs in front of Max do not work, however, and in front of Blabby Bethany and Conniving Callum are ridiculous. Gail needs to regain her former non-stupidness, Sarah needs to grow up, and Bethany better learn some manners.
Did anyone else do a double take with female police officer? For a second I thought they were playing a joke by having Liz White (Annie from Life on Mars) in the role. It was a different actress, in her TV debut, but still...
I've missed Brian.
There are so many hateful nasty characters that just ruin it for me. Callum, Bethany, Sarah, set my teeth on edge. The way Callum just barges in and doesn't even knock and then sits around and insults David whose house it is. David like a lemon just takes it? This isn't the David we know! Bethany seriously needs a personality transplant if she's to stay. So gobby and rude for a 14 year old.
I agree with everything said about Sophie, nothing agreeable about her. This character has run it's course and brings nothing to the show.
Having Brian back is like a breath of fresh air. I didn't realise how much I missed him.
Does anyone else find it weird that Dev moved the woman he has a thing for into the house where he lives with his girlfriend? It strikes me as very disrespectful of Julie (even if she doesn't yet know what is going on).
And it is possible that the Platts are the most disfunctional family on television.
Does it not occur to David/Kylie/Gail that they can just throw Callum out of their house?
Agree about Sophie - what a nasty comment to a clearly disturbed woman who had lost her child, that and bursting into the flat shouting as usual. I really do not like this character one bit.
Its a shame about Jennybradly as she had real potential as a returning character with links to the past but there is no going back for her now, especially as she did turn on little Jack and obviously could be dangerous.
I am also confused, is Julie still Dev's girlfriend? If so why is she putting up with a strange woman turning up and expecting to say and trying to take over and making snide comments towards her? Brian's sudden return is rather contrived.
Why are important business meetings always conducted in the Bistro or Rovers? Wouldnt you want privacy? I couldnt understand why Ayla was so affrronted and had to play it back again to hear what was a pretty innocuous remark. She will need to toughen up as a "businesswoman" especially in the lingerie world and yes she acted totally unprofessionally and like a silly schoolgirl.
Glad that the violent death of Jenny's father was finally acknowledged in the pub... but really weird that Rita didn't refer to it at all earlier. But not nearly as weird as Kevin saying he couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose your son. Did NO-ONE in the cast speak up about the son he lost? After all, they all get scripts to learn in advance of the filming.
We know Sally can be tactless at times, but it was unbelievable that even she would make such crass remarks about Jack's safety in front of Kevin, surely?
And would Jack really be taken away from his father to be examined on his own so soon after being reunited with his dad? Surely he would accompany his son, to avoid him further trauma.
But of course we all know it was to allow Kevin to tell Sophie how grown up she has become... even though she continues to be played like a 14 year old.
It's not only that they didn't mention Jake dying, Bethany talked about the incident and no one mentioned that Alison had snatched her in Jake's place - just as Jenny took Jack in place of Tom - or that her paternal grandmother later abducted her too, to say nothing of Richard Hillman abducting the whole family. And how is Norris so clued up on Alan Bradley when he didn't come to the Street until years after Alan died? Viewers remember these things!
What is it with Dev being surrounded by comedy women? He has Julie, Mary and now Talisa. His best story was the Mad Maya plot and Dev is always better with the serious stuff as he is a good dramatic actor but tends to overplay comedy. Surrounding him with sub-Victoria Wood caricatures does him no favours. Although, conversely, Mary works better with Dev than with anyone else as she tends to play their scenes straighter than usual.
I guess Dev will be left with Mary! Talisa will want to go travelling and Julie will have moved away with Brian.
I really find Sophie quite unlikeable, which would be fine if you were meant to dislike her. In a similar way to Anna, in that you're probably meant to see the different sides to the character but they just come across as totally unsympathetic.
I'm probably in the minority but I never liked jenny and thought her scenes yesterday were boring and over acted
Jenny was heart breaking. What a tremendous job she did! I was disappointed that Rita did not insist on going with her.
Sophie is so irritating...why could they not have kept Maddie and killed her off. I was amazed to see in the funeral episode how many people the character of Maddie touched. She was a much more worthwhile character than Sophie.
I've always liked Sophie and still do, despite some dire storylines recently. (Ryan, paralysis, Jenna come to mind.) I never took her flirtations with Christianity too seriously. They seemed like the efforts of a 20-year old to find meaning in a meaningless world. She forms part of a pack with characters like Ken, Todd, and Chesney, who had the potential to pursue a life outside the Street, but landed back inside the goldfish bowl Sophie is almost the anti-Steph or Tina. She is not bubbly or superficial. She appears to be preoccupied with serious thoughts, although it would be nice to find out what they are from time to time. She and Todd, despite the age difference, would be natural allies, both having pioneered a gay identity in Weatherfield, and feeling destined for greater things. Why not weave Sophie into a larger web of connections, maybe leading to activism or something positive, rather than leaving her to languish behind the counter of Dev's corner store?
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