So, where to begin? It probably has to be with the revelation of Mary Taylor's baby son. Baby Jude was born when Mary was just 14 years old. The father was a minister, a pillar of the community, someone for whom Mary baby sat. Driving her home one night he stopped the car and raped her. She told no one, but then, inevitably, her pregnancy began to show. Her mother never once asked if her pregnant daughter, at the tender age of 14, was alright. Instead, her mother wept with disappointment and Mary wept too, for causing her mother distress. What a terrible secret for Mary to harbour. And though it was possible that something of this order may descend into melodrama, in Patti Clare's capable hands, there was no suggestion of it.
There was a surprise too, by the way in which Norris appeared genuinely concerned. Aware of his reputation for inquisitiveness, this sincere concern is of a different order to his general day to day meddling. Mary is his friend and he does care about her. Norris asks 'Why now,' and Mary's answer is as quick as a flash. 'Ken.' she states. This reaction is psychologically convincing. She has observed Ken's family gather round and recognises with great sadness that the same would not happen for her in similar circumstances.
And now to Peter and the question we would all like answering - Who exactly is his mystery woman?
Could it possibly be Leanne? He says it's complicated, which, if Leanne was the mystery woman, that would indeed be the case. Let us remind ourselves that she is pregnant with Steve Macdonald's baby, but people believe it is Nick's baby. Nick and Leanne are back together for the third or fourth time. Has Peter realised that, after all, it is Leanne he wants? Out shopping, weren't they getting on well! Leanne was laughing and reminiscing about her and Toyah and their adoration of Bros. Very cosy, it seemed, and they didn't even seem to mind too much that the car was clamped. While waiting to be unclamped Peter and Leanne were relaxed and contented. Must make a nice change for Leanne after Nick's dark, brooding expressions when ever Peter is near. Is Nick paranoid? Or does he have good reason to be wary of Peter's motives. Certainly if he had seen Peter reach over to Leanne when they were in the car, he would have been furious but perhaps grateful too, to the unclamper for arriving just at the point where Peter reached across.
Is this all ridiculous speculation? Maniacal conjecture? Maybe, but where women and Peter are concerned, nothing is impossible. There may well be a woman we've never met, just
waiting in the wings...
Further intrigue concerns Daniel and his mother Denise. Why did she leave? Why did Daniel lie about the last time he saw her? Why did Denise, according to Daniel, shout a lot? Was Daniel really relieved, as he claimed he was, that as a result of her departure, their home was now calm. Where is she now?
Have I missed something or is Roy still bothered by a rash? And just when will Nessa behave in an age appropriate manner? No, scrap that. When will she learn to behave in a reasonable way for someone of any age? And who will she throw her cap at? Mature (and maybe not so mature) gentlemen of Weatherfield, beware.
And then there's Adam. What does he do exactly? We've witnessed him engaged in what seemed to be a dodgy phone call. He's annoyed his family members, he's keen on Maria and he is even keener on himself.
The recent storylines, creating interest and intrigue throughout Weatherfield are first class. Thank you to Kate Oates and the writing team for upping their game.
Ruth Owen, twitter: @Ruth1722
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22 comments:
The Bros comments have given it away, Peter is seeing Toyah. I would put money on it. It all makes sense with next week's spoilers.
Adam does not have any siblings? You mean his uncles?
Intrigued mostly by Mary's backstory. Not really interested in Daniel's history with a mom who disappeared six years ago and he somehow managed to raise himself and keep paying the rent on an entire house -- rubbish! I'm even less interested in Adam... he's become what looks like another con artist. HO HUM...
Yes, of course. Apologies Anonymous. It's just that they behave as siblings, winding each other up and arguing.
Great summary, Ruth. I'm not yet interested in the back stories of Daniel and Adam. I'm sure it will be a few months before anything begins to unfold. I agree we're being pointed in the direction of Toyah but Peter didn't react with any awkwardness when Leanne said they were spending Christmas with her. Toyah may be a red herring or Peter's good at hiding his feelings. It could be that Simon's drone catches Peter and Leanne in the ginnel. Would be fun if Leanne and her beaux are the modern version of Deirdre, Ken and Mike.
Thank you Humpty. The new Deirdre Ken Mike triangle would be terrific!
Adam has no siblings?
Danny Baldwin
Mark Redman
I too am loving the storylines- both the writing and the delivery by the various actors.
I am even now relaxing into the Maria/Aidan/Eva/Adam dynamics. Mainly I have to say because of Eva. As noted, the one stark exception was the Caz/Maria murder set-up. That story was such a dog with fleas that i am prepared to assume that it was something hastily cobbled together to plug the gap left by the Sharif/Sonia/Yasmeen triangle. I wonder if we'll ever know how that was supposed to turn out? Was Sharif on the way out anyway or did they have plans for him and Sonia to stick around causing angst for Yasmeen et al?
Although everything seems to be pointing us in the direction of Toyah, I feel like she wouldn't relate to Peter in the same way Leanne does - she always seemed to have such different interests (social interests/environment, etc.). Then again, who knows if Peter was just any port in the storm for her? I think it would be very amusing if it was Rosie Webster he was having an affair with! After all, she's also set to darken the cobbles again soon.
I'm picturing Daniel wearing his mother's pearls and dress a la Norman Bates with Denise mummified somewhere in the cellar. The more likely alternative is that she had problems with alcohol or may have been bi-polar or suffering from another mental health issue that caused her to shout all the time. As such, she may have joined the unfortunate statistics of people left unsupported, unsheltered and unaccounted for on the streets.
I've always felt like Mary has Daddy issues and thus her previous designs on Norris. Who knows? Perhaps she will find her child and she and Norris can become some type of family unit? They could benefit from each other's company and support.
I can't help wondering if Nick's dark and obsessive behaviour is linked to his on-again, off-again brain injury? If so, he really should seek the help he needs rather than spending so much energy chasing Leanne and Peter around.
Toyah clearly. I'm more interested in the Daniel storyline--is it only me who's speculating that Daniel has some sort of hidden revenge agenda for Ken? He was introduced in a very sinister way, remember. And a couple of other foreshadowings suggesting he's got a lot of anger going on below the surface...in the Rovers when he was just glowering off into space when family was mentioned and more recently his chat with Billy. If the writers repurpose King Lear (again), I'm thinking that it will not be Lear (Ken) and his children, but Gloucester (Ken), Edmund (Daniel, abandoned, bitter bastard) and Edgar (Peter or Adam).
All Shakespeare is in Weatherfield, Anonymous 3.28. I made this point in a recent class and the similarities of themes are right there. Jealousy, betrayal, plotting, scheming, affairs, accusations of murder and murder itself, theft, family feuds and on and on. I enjoyed your King Lear comments - so true.
Nick's unreasonable paranoia and jealousy was around long before his head injury. He's been nasty and manipulating both Leanne and Peter back in 2010 when he had the affair with her then and putting digs in trying to put her off Peter even before that when he first got back to town. After the tram crash and Peter's injury, he lured Peter back to drinking to try to show Leanne he wasn't worthy of her. Not a lot has changed.
I cannot stomach Nick Tilsley - dreadful character. Can't do without a woman to manipulate. Moved on from his beloved Carla in the wink of an eye.Grrr... Misogyny? Leanne must be developing the patience of a saint.
I'm so sick of Cathy playing games with poor Roy. This is not the first time she's said something she doesn't mean to get a reaction and then she's all mad when Roy doesn't play along. So exhausting... and why is Leanne walking like she's got two wooden legs?
Abercrombie, I so agree with you about about Nick Tilsley, there is nothing to like about him.
ha ha I noticed that about Leanne too--the actress is so over-acting the pregnancy waddle. She's only what 4 or 5 months along and suddenly she's struggling along like someone in the last month of carrying quadrupulets. On the counter side--I love Nick, especially mean, sarcastic Nick who can be as nasty and outrageous as David. Why he would ever get back with Leanne is beyond me! She uses him over and over again to provide financial and emotional support after each of her mistakes. And the one time he needed her (after the accident) she dumped him and moved on to a more viable and financially secure option. Apart from her relationship with Simon, she's a user, plain and simple. Not to mention the horrible things she's done --like convincing Janice to steal the lottery money that the factory girls won together and then blaming it on Rosie. And not even wanting to come forward when Rosie disappeared. A little bit of scowling and jealousy from Nick is nothing on her pure selfishness.
I daren't tell you what they were saying last night on Digital Spy's Corrie forum thread about Leanne and her waddle! Suffice to say, they weren't complimentary comments! LOL
@Anonymous 18:24 - And don't forget when she cheated on Jamie Baldwin with his father Danny, breaking up Danny's marriage to Frankie just because she could, then convinced Danny to take advantage of his father Mike when he began developing Alzheimer's in an attempt to get her hands on his money. That was really low.
When I think back to times like that, I realize that as manipulative and repellent as Nick can be, Leanne's not that far behind.
Well said regarding Nick Tvor! David is not the only menace in the Platt family. Only difference is people excuse Nick for one reason or another.
And yes!!! Leanne with that waddle is totally ridiculous.
Cathy does not know Roy very well if she keeps thinking he picks up on subtle human interactions....ain't gonna happen.
And Anonymous....very true....Danny Barlow has two half brothers. Kudos!
So true, when you compare Nick and Leanne, aside from when he was much younger his faults are pretty much those anyone could have while Leanne has been (aside from Simon) a thoroughly disagreeable and mean-spirited person in every way almost continuously.
Peter, who is just as bad, really deserves to end up with her.
Wasn't it Leanne who opened the restaurant with Jack Duckworth's grandson and then convinced the young lad to set it ablaze to collect the insurance money and then left him to take the blame for everything? I think at the time she was also manipulating that young fellow that owned the bookies with his father.
Could Andy be Mary's birth son? Perhaps odd, after he conned Michael about his parentage but then again fitting.
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