Coronation Street double episode review, Friday 15 April 2016

It was a Sunday Corrie catch-up for me this week, and with an arrest for Gary, Norris-driven accusations of theft for Tyrone, fluey Sinead and panicky Sarah on the cards in Friday’s double, I found I was steeling myself for it. So, here goes.

Gary sets about getting more cannabis for Izzy from “Don of the donuts” Dane but is late for their appointment. It’s funny that the sight of Dane in a tracksuit proved the trigger for Sharif to call the police considering he looked most gym-appropriate than he has done on any other occasion. Dev tries to diffuse the situation, and it’s odd to find him so anxious for Dane to wait considering he sees him as innocent and knows the police are on the way. In any event, they arrive after the transaction is completed, and Gary is caught red-handed with a quarter in his pocket.

Anna is furious to learn Izzy is still using drugs and is busy telling her she doesn’t deserve to have Jake when the phone call comes to say Gary has been arrested. Ever her measured self in times of crisis, Anna shrieks and snipes as she watches the cop car speed away and is ushered into the gym. After learning Sharif is responsible for calling the police, she tells him the whole story before storming off with Kevin. With the truth now out, Dev and Sharif are surprised to learn that Erica knew. Sharif maintains he did the right thing both as a responsible citizen and for the sake of the gym.

Izzy leaves her brain at home with whoever is looking after Jake and heads down to the police to hand herself in to PCs side-eye and heavy-handed, resulting in an upgraded charge from possession to dealing for Gary. Despite her regret, Izzy asks “why should I stop?” leaving Anna more incensed than ever.

Luke may be laughing with the lads, but he’s furious and hurt with newlywed Maria. Pablo tricks him into coming to the salon where he tries to get the pair back together with the help of some Argentinian moonshine before being told to “go and be fabulous” in London by Maria. She pleads with Luke to forgive her, saying her heart was in the right place while he’s cynical and sees her as being tricked by Pablo.

You'd think it would take a lot more than donning a lion costume and crawling on the cobbles to win someone back in such circumstances, but hey-ho, it works and they indulge in a bit of afternoon delight in the back of the salon. Whatever would Mrs. *insert irritating salon customer here* say? Luke then proposes, and Maria says yes.

David and Audrey actually proved the funniest part of this jape. I love that Audrey remains Luke’s biggest fan. She warns Maria about men on the rebound, and David’s face as she asks him “Would you hang about if you were a handsome young man?” is a picture. He’s similarly amusing as Maria emerges from the salon dressed as a lion, and he looks at the bottle he’s quaffing from, asking “What are they putting in this water?” 

Aside from the absent consequences and speed with which this storyline has progressed and wrapped up, Audrey insisting David film Maria’s apology for her was out of character, and David’s delight at the prospect of it going viral as they all laughed wasn’t in any way laudable. Have we not seen Beth fall foul of online bullying in the past, not to mention Steph’s recent experience which, while different, similarly portrayed online engagement in a negative light. For me, Maria’s caper would’ve been lighter had someone not been filming it with a view to embarrassing her on the internet.

Tyrone’s latest addition to his scrap metal collection is a typewriter from Brenda Kelly’s days in secretarial college; is this, by any chance, the new PC Fat Brenda?

Mary plants a seed in Norris’s mind that Tyrone may have stolen the absent street signs, and the latter marches over demanding that they be restored by 6pm. An apology is later due as it transpires the Council were cleaning the signs. Did they really necessitate removing? Mary acts throughout as if she had nothing do to with it and is the motivator behind Norris calling over and offering a fridge to make it up to them. It's satisfying to find him sickened at the news that his donation is worth £40 and he tries to renege on it to no avail. With an amusing “cheers Nozzer”, Tyrone now has the money for his taxi license, and it’s great to see Fiz so proud; she is far better when she’s not being Mumsy, controlling and overbearing. Only that pair could publicly announce they were going to the pub to celebrate in front of a benefactor however.

I’ve recently written here that different writers appear to write differently for Mary. Tonight she was closer to old Mary; nosy, and a bit off-kilter. Norris was certainly in vile mode, and his remark about her needing an elastic waistband from comforting herself post-Brendan with peanut brittle was dreadful.

Sinead learns a hard lesson; don’t pose for a summer pyjama shoot in front of a wind machine in April. Chesney goes to Portugal without her, and to make matters worse, he cancels their hotel and will stay with Katie and Joseph. She confides in Fiz that Chesney’s enthusiasm for her at the moment is as cool as Craig’s meat thermometer. I enjoyed Fiz’s facial expression at the mention of “that Gemma” who appears to be entertaining Chesney no end.

All appears to be going well for operation christening as Todd agrees to be godfather to "HP", but Billy has bad news; there’s been an oversight and it will have to be put back a week. Sarah’s unreasonable panic levels catch the attention of Kylie and Billy as does her relief to learn he’s pulled some strings and all will go ahead. Kylie looks concerned as Sarah declares they can “Move forward and forget everything that’s happened, starting Monday”. Could any member of the Platt family be that lucky?

By Emma Hynes

www.emmahynes.wordpress.com

Twitter: @ELHynes

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