It’s great to see the matricidal Alex back, from whom we learn that Nessa already has a new man. On hearing about his difficulty finding work, Roy offers him a job at the café while he’s away.
After much bickering on the part of the Connors and grimacing on the part of Nick, “Teflon totty” Carla finally wakes up in time to see Roy before he departs for Hastings. I actually thought he had left in last Friday’s episode, such was the quality of his farewell. It was far more fitting than the one tonight in which he barely said goodbye to Cathy, and was hastily rushed out of the ward to catch his train, making me wonder if, for some reason, the scenes had been switched.
The confessions, confidences and collusions with regard to what went on at the Bistro required some concentration tonight, so here goes.
Weatherfield police have their top brass on the case as they interview all staff, and discover Tracy’s phone in the kitchen. Amy playing her violin proves an irritant in more ways than one for Tracy as it is her screensaver of exactly that which leads the police to number 1. Tracy admits that she was there to surprise Robert, but left before the robbery, and saw nothing.
Meanwhile, Robert is perplexed to learn about the phone from Leanne and, denying all knowledge, adds that he may have taken it by accident and left it there without realising. On confronting Tracy, she tells him what she told the police, but adds that she saw Carla drinking alone and left as the robbers came in, omitting to reveal the full extent of what she knows. She’s angry to find him annoyed at her for not doing anything to save Carla.
I did find it peculiar that Robert persisted with the story that he had brought Tracy’s phone to the Bistro by accident when Leanne challenged him a second time, especially when he knew at this point that Tracy had admitted to the police that she was there. Then again, this was an episode in which Sean Tully corrected Ken Barlow concerning a quote by Oscar Wilde which learned Ken quite improbably attributed to Chairman Mao.
Leanne continues to voice her suspicions, this time to Nick, and wonders why both Tracy and Carla were in, what she believes to be, an otherwise empty Bistro. Carla becomes distressed when Nick later asks what she was doing there, and she apologises for messing everything up again.
Meanwhile, Tracy tells all to Todd, who is taken aback in a rather impressively measured way, before swearing to make Carla pay for what she’s done. How many times is this now?
I’ve decided I’m going to abstain from voting on Sally’s foray into politics for now, and see how things pan out. Her obliviousness to the necessity for policies, and scant knowledge of both parties and politics itself is remedied by some light reading, and leads her to conclude that she’ll stand as an independent. With Tim on research, Ken as her somewhat reluctant campaign manager, and Sophie on social media, I think we're in for a bumpy ride.
I find Sally’s enthusiasm for this very endearing, and while it’s clearly being played for laughs, I would genuinely like to see her succeed at it. While her snobbery sees her look down her nose at others, there is a difference between this and the manner in which she’s disrespected in, for example, the factory. Here’s to Sally finally fulfilling her potential at something she excels at. If the storyline takes this route, only then will it get my vote.
Phelan’s chip-sacrificing, car-stopping heroics had me suspicious as to what he might be up to, and I’m even more curious after tonight. Realising Kevin is being overcharged by foreman Ron, he tips him off via Jason, winning brownie points all round. Except, of course, with Anna, who is naturally very upset at his return and the fact that he has gained Kev’s respect. She’s about to reveal the truth about her relationship with Phelan when it becomes apparent that he has already iterated a version to Kevin. Worse still, Kev is more than happy to soak up Phelan's side of the story and is unwilling to hear hers. A bit disappointing really considering he knows him all of a few days, but unsurprising; it's not long since he believed the newly returned Jenny Bradley over his own daughter. Anna and Kevin make up in the end, but when he says “You can grit your teeth for three weeks can’t you?” it brought me back to that seedy hotel room when she had to do just that for the sake of her family.
Finally, Rita’s tablet proves the perfect rejuvenating pill as she’s excited to be back in touch with old friends. It's only right that the residents of Weatherfield embrace technology, but may their face-to-face conversations never run dry.
By Emma Hynes
Twitter: @ELHynes
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9 comments:
There was a time that a story about Rita engaging with the Internet and needing a bit of help would have been just the sort of 'small stuff' storyline Corrie user to thrive on. And that would have been ALL it was about. But nowadays, we know it's just a device for bringing Jennybradley back in. It sort of sums up the difference in approaches; then and now.
Not that I'm not very glad to see Sally Ann back as Jennybradley! I'm hoping they'll keep her around for a good while this time.
Agree with Cobblestone about plot devices. I wondered why Tim is on research. Does he not have literacy problems now? Maybe the research doesn't include reading, or maybe the writers have chosen to forget this. Todd saved that scene with Tracy when she said that she'd make Carla pay. Tracy has been written as such a dreadful panto villain that it's very hard to believe she's got feelings that can be hurt. It's when you watch those Tracy scenes that you realise how good Alison King is. Carla could easily have turned into a 2D wicked man-stealing witch. If Sally gets elected as a councillor, there'll be showdowns in the factory when she wants time off for meetings. Rather than give up her political career, I hope Sally realises how badly treated she's been by the Connors and sets up her own business.
A very good point Cobblestone. Oh that these little plots were there on their own merits rather than being vehicles to something bigger. It makes it feel rather transparent and contrived.
I think Tim's literacy issues are considered resolved Humpty. Putting him on research, I feel, is another small device to convince us of just that. I was disappointed with how this was handled and played out.
You're right about Tracy and Carla too. Considering the amount of drama the pair have endured, it's some challenge for the actors to convince us each time that this is the first and only catastrophe to befall them. I believe the actors, but the characters are becoming increasingly difficult to invest in, because nothing changes.
I too hope to see Sally finally tell the factory where to go.
Sally may have the brains to be promoted in the factory but her attitude and snootiness makes her untrustworthy. Her ingratiating as well as her constant puffing herself up making a show of herself probably doesn't fool Carla who's got a pretty good handle on Sally's strengths and weaknesses. Personally I wouldn't promote an employee who shows off like Sally. If Sally truly was convinced she's the 'business', she should take her considerable savings (from Kevin's lottery winnings) and start a business on her own. And I agree that someone so green on the political process such as having a platform on which to run -- policy positions, etc. just wouldn't be a viable candidate and Ken would know that and wouldn't agree to supporting such a feckless candidate. Yes, it is fiction but the storylines have to at least have a modicum of credibility. I'd much rather see Sally go into some kind of home-based business. If we can believe Tracyluv can open a florist shop and seem to make a go of it, surely someone like Sally can start some kind of in-home business.
Rather silly having Tracy declare that the new business is a success. It's only been open a week, and we have yet to see a single customer inside the shop!
On a separate note, isn't it nice to see the cast finally being able to refer to real brands, like Microsoft, Facebook etc., rather than having to use made up names. Who can forget all the years that Mike Baldwin had to ask for his "usual brand" of cigars in t'Kabin?
If scatterbrained Audrey and Deirdre could both get elected, why not Sally? She's as qualified as either of them were, which is not at all, and probaby could do a very good job. She's certainly got the enthusiasm and drive.
Why would it be even remotely credible that Sally who is unqualified would do a good job? If Audrey and Dierdre did a terrible job, the probability would be also that she would also do a terrible job ---that would be a better story anyway.
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