Coronation Street Episode Review Monday 12th December

What's the theme of tonight's episode? Why, it's communication. Usually the residents of the street are happy to shout, scream, yell, explain, waffle all about their feelings. But today, everyone has, like Cathy's uncle, a stiff upper lip.

 
The ladies are all in the salon getting their do's done (Nessa gives Yasmeen a particularly startling "Asian Dolly Parton" up-do - I thought it was more Baby Love-era Diana Ross) whilst Roy stares disconsolately out of the window and takes off his wedding ring, placing it in a decorative clog under a picture of him and Hayley. Tyrone and Brian aren't going to the wedding, having fallen out with Roy, and Anna is too embarrassed to be seen out in public, shrieking at Kev when he interrupts her rubbing ointment onto her legs. She and Kevin are another couple not talking, or rather Anna isn't, she keeps pushing Kevin away. But she does agree to move in with him and Jack as Peter has asked her to vacate the flat. It feels like she is settling as much as Roy is for Cathy.

So the wedding was off, then on, then off again, as Cathy accidentally hears Roy's conversation with Tyrone and Brian on the dictaphone that she's been using to practice her vows. She steadfastly sets off down the aisle, Nessa at her side to give her away (which I suspect is less about Nessa wanting to be sisterly and more her wanting a share of the limelight), but after a lovely reading from As You Like It by a well scrubbed up Mary, Cathy changes her mind and calls the whole thing off again. This storyline has been spread over four episodes and usually with an off/wedding, it is definitely on by the end of it all, but in this case, Cathy and Roy agree to call it off, to split up and be just (good) friends. "I'm setting you free," Cathy tells Roy. In a terribly sad scene, Cathy moves out of Roy's Rolls and Roy's life and he returns to the empty flat and puts his wedding ring back on.

Sinead, having been to a few Corrie weddings, says that they all end in tears or punch ups and she's not interested in getting wed. Chesney, looking peculiarly like Rupert the Bear in his checked suit, seems upset. Communicate, kids! Mary is still refusing to talk to Norris about her long lost son, but Gail and her late husband's substitute son scatter Michael's ashes in a local (and autumnal looking) beauty spot.

This doesn't please Nick, having to deal with a wine tasting, increasing jealousy about Peter and a wedding reception (that the guests still turn up to) without his barman. He snaps at Leanne, bitches at Peter, who gave him and Robert a lift, and generally fails to tell Leanne that he feels threatened by her and Peter's relationship.

Sally enjoy the non-wedding. After complaining at Tim for buying a pedestal rug as a wedding gift and telling him not to say toilet in church ("it's disrespectful"), we find out the real reason for her 'tude is that she's missing the "traditional wedding bunk up", so the two of them disappear for some conjugal duties.

Someone else not talking is Michelle to Leanne, although Liz tries to get them to make up, to Steve's consternation - he's one person who feels that there should be a little less conversation. He and Michelle have the 20 week scan and find out that Steve's having another boy.

 

Eileen deliberately doesn't talk to Phelan about the anonymous poison pen letters, but he finds them anyway. He's touched that Eileen has hidden them from him, and misreading the signals, reaches in for a kiss, only to be rebuffed. Later we see Anna hand-delivering a letter. Is this the only way that she can communicate her feelings?

Rachel Stevenson - on twitter


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