There have been boiled sweets in The Kabin for shorter periods than it feels we last had a Friday double Corrie, and this one plodded along like a double midweek shift in Prima Doner. Yes, there were a couple of arresting moments, but in the main, things just understatedly progressed.
Kylie, feeling it’s only a matter of time before it all comes out, wonders if she should just confess to Callum's murder. David is appalled and insists that if anyone should go down, it’s him, so that she can look after the kids. It’s not long before the police are back in number eight to haul him in for another bout of questioning, this time concerning a video of him at the Dog and Gun the night of Callum’s murder, and texts that were sent after his death.
As ever, Jack P. Shepherd is a compelling watch as he coolly deflects their questions, and there's a great moment when he appears to be searching his own dark soul before possibly confessing. It comes to nothing, however, as Kylie pitches up at the station with ‘information on the Callum Logan case’ followed by Jason who has decided to hand in Tony’s tools, hopeful of clearing his Dad's name. Jason gets a hearing, resulting in David being released, and they take the opportunity to scuttle home before Kylie is called in.
Phelan is his usual brilliant self in a related scene in which Jason asks him to give him Tony's tools. As menacing and cool as David Platt, he tries to convince Jason not to hand them in, albeit to no avail. Kylie now worries that she hasn’t cleaned her prints off the wrench well enough, and David insists she stop doing this to herself.
Meanwhile, Sarah appears sedated as Bethany and Gail bring Harry to see her. The psychiatrist explains that the psychotic episodes she has been experiencing have been brought on by all the stress in her life, not least a body being found in the family home, but that the medication should help. Jason and Todd also pay a visit, and while Todd hides it better than Jason, both are struck by her unwell state.
Bethany is clearly disturbed by her mother's suffering, and the misery doesn't end there as, after moving into number 8, she tearfully reveals to Gail that she didn’t sit her GCSEs. If there was ever an excuse for not doing so, her current family turmoil is surely it.
Gail is showing a remarkable ability to cope with all this, and, to a lesser extent, Nick who already has his sights on another business. Asking Leanne to join him and meet his accountant in Roy’s, she cries off her return shift at the Bistro much to Robert’s disgust. It’s not really apparent why she’s lying to both of them instead of just one, or which business opportunity she’s more interested in, but in any event, boss from hell Robert finds her at the café and is none too pleased. Nick is similarly unimpressed to find out she’s in cahoots with the man who deceived him. She insists she’s only doing it for the cash, and notes he duped her too.
When she finally makes it to the Bistro, she tells Robert that Nick is looking at setting up a new business, but it's only a pipe dream that will never go anywhere, and she was only taking pity on him. Poor Nick hears every word and Leanne is dumbstruck as he walks out. Leanne has plenty of fans, but scenes like this are the reason I've never been one of them. She'll probably claim to Nick she was lying to reassure Robert and keep her job, but was there a need to tell him at all, or be so nasty? Robert seemed too nice for Tracy at one point, but the worse his behaviour at the Bistro gets, the more I think they were well matched. It's a wonder his former upmarket restaurant survived if he spoke to his staff there in the same fashion as he did tonight, and on previous occasions.
Elsewhere, Tim thinks he’s helping Steve move on by signing him up to a dating site, but all it shows is that Steve isn’t ready, and they draw the conclusion that he needs to make another go of it with Michelle. Meanwhile, Maria is urging her to do the same. He invites her round but after she spots the stream of Love Quest messages on his phone, she storms out, and takes up a job on a Caribbean cruise ship. I hope this 'will-they-won't-they' ends soon with 'won't'. They're simply not a believable couple anymore, and the fact that Steve thought he could sort this while doing the switch in Streetcars rather than, for example, over a meal at the Bistro, says it all.
Cathy and Roy continue to be spiky with one another, and she eventually ‘forgives’ him for attempting to involve the police with a relative of hers. While I liked tonight's dialogue and performances in respect of this storyline, I do struggle with it. Cathy has brought this trouble to Roy's door, and it's she that should be apologising. Also, I know Roy is a man with a strong moral compass, but I honestly don't think he would have involved the police, preferring instead to mete out his own idea of a punishment. Roy has come a long way and his character has been on a major journey. I wouldn't like to see him regress for the sake of a storyline.
Over at number 3, Kirk and Norris continue their Odd Couple love in with eggs and soldiers, sherry, Boggle and draughts. Kirk proves a dab hand at both games, even getting a ten letter word in Boggle much to Norris’s amazement and frustration; he’s not disgruntled enough to want to get rid of his new housemate though. Beth’s none to pleased when Kirk doesn’t want to come home and dumps his washing at the door leaving Norris delighted to have an excuse to get through Emily's coconut fabric softener that is so repellent to him, and for Kirk's stay to be extended. This is a nice little storyline and reflective of those scenes and scenarios which still make Corrie stand apart from the rest.
By Emma Hynes
Twitter: @ELHynes
Facebook: @EmmaHynesWrites
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9 comments:
I don't think Roy has 'regressed'in this storyline but has remained true to his moral compass when he called the police on Alex who does need to learn responiblity for his actions.
Fortunately it was only a speeding ticked but what if Alex who doesn't have a license or insurance got into an accident or even hutt someone?Poor Roy would be held responible for that too.
I don't like Cathy enabling her nephew's irresponible behaviour and lack of respect for Roy.
She's the one who's regressing in this storyline as she seems to be showing less respect for Roy's feelings in favour of Alex.
I'm surprised that the police didn't see Sarah's text[as 'from Kylie']on Callum's phone thus leading to Kylie being questioned.
Dealing with Alex is tough. Is he an adult who should be reprimanded for taking Roy's car, or a child who should be forgiven? He has said that he doesn't want to be treated like a child, but he acts like an adolescent. If he were a normal 15 year old and did this, he'd be in huge trouble. Time for teen-appropriate tough love? I'm leaning to team Roy on this.
Steve and Michelle were always pointless to me, a couple for the sake of being a couple. Roy and Cathy have more connection and they don't have 10 years of history. The only thing they have in common is a serious need of adulting -- both of them a reacting ridiculously to the estrangement that Steve's absence brought on. Be done with it and move on, there is no point in rebuilding what was never there.
Every Corrie couple has a problem. It might be ex-lovers, the kids, or the aging parents. None of these apply to Roy and Cathy so Alex is created as a device for tension. The set-up feels contrived and I'm guessing that it's because the character with disabilities was originally going to be 'Howie', Tim's cousin. That storyline went by the board for Tim's bromance with Kevin. I haven't warmed to Cathy so I don't much care about her boring family. It would be better if Alex was a relative of the Tinker's, a much livelier family, with a lot of potential for drama and comedy.
"This text was sent the night Callum died" Ok, I get how the Police can narrow down the period of time when Callum was killed (last time seen alive vs when concrete was poured) but seriously, they can examine a badly decomposed body many months later and work out the exact time of death? Suspension of disbelief, much?
They know it was the night Callum died. the text that really interested them was the one sent a few days after he died. They'd know the date that the floor was set with concrete and possibly the day he went missing as well. Someone else mentioned the text from Kylie's phone, but that could have been explained as well since David mentioned he was looking for Callum. It's conceivable that Kylie texted him as well. He's Max's father after all.
But Alex isn't an adolescent; didn't Cathy say he's 28? Or did I mishear that?
The text sent some days later was the more interesting. But I was a bit disappointed that the Police didn't grill David more about his previous form. They must still have intelligence on him from the Joe McIntyre homicide, when David sent a text from Joe's phone.
This Michelle and Steve story is ridiculous. Never been a big fan of them really anyway so not bothered if they split or not.
Also silly how Michelle and Maria are now best friends, in fact seems Maria is getting well in with the Connors
Poor Nick. After enjoying the scenes they had where she did seem to care Leanne just threw it all back in his face. That was just cruel and to say it to Robert of all people.
Robert really is another character I have no time for. He actually seems well suited to Tracy. He treats the staff like Rubbish and im surprised they put up with it. Wish Nick would get the Bistro back.
Though I sympathise with Nick, there was nothing illegal in Robert buying the bistro, Nick chose to sell it. He should really make a fresh start, possibly moving away, but he's a Platt, never allowed to leave the street...
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