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When Shona's big reveal was that she was the mother of the lad who murdered David Platt's wife, on the surface it all felt a bit Jeremy Kyle. And for many Corrie fans, if there is to be a romance between these two, it might leave a bad taste in their mouths.
But, to be honest, many romantic comedies are creepy underneath the hearts and flowers - see Sleepless in Seattle and while You Were Sleeping for further proof, they feature stalkers, in all but name. They usually always involve a male who knows more about the female than he lets on. This time, the role is reversed and it's Shona who holds all of the cards.
So, even though I can imagine many of you cringing already, why would these two make a good couple?
1) They both have experienced loss.
David's loss is obvious and Shona is paying dearly for the sins of her son. Hence, these two are attracted to one another, beyond the physical. They are essentially two lost souls, and they are both 'grieving.'
2) They both have elements of light and shade.
Shona has links to Nathan and clearly has a back story which will reveal more darkness. Yet, here she is working at Roy's Rolls, laughing and joking, as she butters their baps. David has the darkest sense of humour going, and has had so many issues, he and Darth Vader could go to couple's therapy! First Dates would match them up, straight away.
3) They don't need or desire company to make them tick.
Many Corrie characters are better in company. These two entertain themselves, so as a couple - they would not be clingy or get on each other's nerves. And they both deal with the public on a daily basis. Plenty to talk about, including the awkward customers they share.
4) Gail cannot throw stones.
David's mum has dated all sorts, so cannot exactly throw stones from her greenhouse. She went out with Michael, and he had burgled her. And don't even get me started on some of the others! Yes, she'll kick off, but if David dated Kate Middleton, Mrs Rodwell would find a reason not to like her!
5) They have chemistry.
Julia Goulding (Shona) and Jack P. Shepherd (David) have brilliant chemistry and have done, ever since Shona rocked up in a nightclub. So, in true rom-com style. I am more than OK if they skip along the cobbles together. I know what you're thinking though...
Yes, there is the small issue of, 'My Son Murdered Your Wife', but secrets and lies, apart, these two could create fireworks and the street needs a great couple and David and Shona has a certain ring to it. Remember those stickers you could get for your car, with the lovers names in each side? I can see it, now.
What do you think?
Guest blog post by Glenn Meads who is on Twitter and LinkedIn
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25 comments:
Great post! I like David and Shona together as a couple, IF they can get past the 'my son murdered your wife' thing.
Surely Shona is not responsible for the actions of her son, but this is a soap after all.
Sorry Glenn but while you make a good case for them getting together the one point that stands in the way is unsurmountable. Clayton killed the mother of David's children. That romance wouldn't just be unwise like Gail marrying her bungling burglar or creepy, it would be toxic.
One of David's greatest characteristics and, at times, his only saving grace is what a great father he is. If he were to find out Shona is Clayton's mother and that she obviously still wants him in her life and he accepted that then he wouldn't be acting in his children's best interest at all. This is a man who threw Kylie out because she was an addict and he didn't want that around them. Having a relationship with Shona would guarantee that Clayton, a murderer and who knows what else, would be part of their lives sooner or later. Why invite all that misery and quite likely danger into their lives?
While I understand why Shona still loves her son, it's obvious that she'd exploit David's affection to get Clayton out of jail sooner. We can already see it's often on the tip of her tongue to tell David that he's in no position to judge her son. That may well be true but that doesn't mean Max and Lily deserve a step mother who is rooting for their mother's killer.
Perhaps a step too far to say Shona "is rooting" for Kylie's killer. In this story, there's devasation all around. (After all, Max's own mother killed his father.) I think Glenn might be right, that uniting these star-crossed lovers could bring the cycle of violence and loss to at least a temporary halt. Plus, with the producers' obvious investment in the actor playing Shona, I predict she'll be around for some time.
An elderly lady in our town got angry with a new widower because in digging for his wife's new grave he disturbed her aldready planted husband's casket.....long story short - they went on to be a couple themselves.
point of the story....even in real life the weird and unreal occurs. so in soap land for David to be with Shona....well although it makes it uncomfortable for me (the only way to make it right is to get rid of Clayton completely) it will make for interesting viewing.
I liked the idea of two of them together at first but when I heard of her being Clayton's mom I immediately switched my thoughts to putting her with Steve......but after reading this...I could go either way.
good job!
Well, as soon as she overheard some dirt about David she raced over to the facility where Clayton is held. She hadn't seen him in quite some time but if he hadn't been so unwelcoming to her she would have immediately told him all about David.
Why do that if not to give him leverage? Would David dare to oppose an appeal of the sentence or its severity if he was blackmailed by Clayton?
I also feel that Shona "rooting for" Clayton is a bit strong. Don't forget Clayton said he didn't wanna see Shona again, not the other way round. Also, I don't think David would have any say in getting Clayton out of prison any sooner. That would be up to probation and the parole staff. I do feel they would be a good match, given the chance, and the best thing for that would be to have Clayton go live with his dad on release from prison, and stick to his word of being estranged from his mum, so he never need to be seen on screen again.
Yes, Claytin doesn't want to see her but she definitely wanted to see him. The best thing would have been if he'd died in that prison fight where he only got injured.
I don't know how it works in the UK but in Canada, when a criminal asks to be let out on parole, the victim and their family get to speak at the hearing. If David were to be threatened/convinced into putting in a good word for Clayton or just not showing up to protest his being freed, the odds of him getting out would be greatly increased.
To a certain extent the sane would be true for an appeal: the crown might not be able to fight it effectively if the widower loses interest in the proceedings.
How would Clayton be able to blackmail David? In what way? Black mail hasn't even been mentioned as a future plotline. I'm sure a defendant only has a limited amount of time to appeal, and surely that's passed by now? Also he would need good cause/new evidence to appeal, of which he has nether
We know that characters' moral codes are modified when the writers want a certain storyline. David might tell Shona that really he ought to hate her but he's fallen madly in love with her. Alternatively, the actress might get a theatre job so David becomes very moral and tells Shona their love can never be. There might also be a long-term story arc whereby David and Shona become a couple, and Max turns on David when he discovers the truth. The writers are fickle so, yes, I am cynical. All I can say is that I don't see any chemistry between David and Shona. She is one of several characters whose departure wouldn't bother me a bit.
I have never been a fan of this coupling, partly because of the lack of chemistry between the actors (from my point of view, others seem to feel differently), but mostly it's exactly what Maricha pointed out - I don't see it in David's character to knowingly date the mother of the man who murdered his children's mother. No, it's not her fault, but it would still inflict pain and suffering on them that he can prevent, and I can't believe David would say, "To hell with it, I'm in love with her!". But Humpty's right, the writers will force whatever path they want, whether it's believable for the character or not.
If they do end up as a couple, I surely hope Max does make their lives hell. Like a miniature Demon David!
I'm with Humpty, they could lose her easily. I see zero chemistry with her and David.I'm sure the actress is lovely, but her character is like bland wallpaper.
Blackmail can't yet be in a plotline since Clayton is refusing to speak to her. Let's see how long that lasts.
All Clayton would have to do is get word to his father and he'd go see David to make sure he understood that they were aware of the accident he caused and would reveal the truth if he stood up to them
Even when the normal delay for appeals has passed, the severity of sentences or how they're served, especially by minors, can get revised, there are parole hearings etc.
If those who should be pushing for you to be kept in jail for as long as possible keep silent or speak up in your favor, it helps a lot.
There are things in the Shona-Clayton story that seem like a redo of Callum's relationship with his mother, although more from the mother's perspective this time. Like many others, I found Callum hard to take seriously as anything other than a somewhat spoiled drug dealer from a good home. In Clayton's case, while we haven't seen much of him, it feels more credible that, after leaving his mum's care, and choosing to live with his dad, he fell in with a bad crowd. Although he should certainly be punished for the crime of stabbing Kylie, he did not mean to kill her. It was a rash crime, committed by a rash 15-year old, with tragic consequences. It doesn't seem like Shona has caught too many breaks recently, and now she's got a son facing a murder charge. I think we're meant to feel sympathy for her and, while it's a slow drip, I'm actually starting to feel some.
He hasn't shown any remorse for his crime for the parole hearing, that counts for a lot. Also no evidence to prove his innocence and he's sorry. As yet he hasn't got this. These are facts. Everything about blackmail, and early release from prison are without fact and just supposition. Have you any insider info that these storylines are gonna happen?
I also don't want Shona and David as a couple.
She's a ghoul snooping in David's house, living on the same street when her son's victim's family live and worse blackmailed Gail to keep HER secret or else she'll go to the police about David's crash and yet she's seen as a love interest for David?!
What about Max and Lily?Max went through an emotional trauma after his mother's death and whom is only recovering now and I'm sure will suffer a terrible relapse if his stepfather dates the mother of his mother's murder whom could become his 'uncle'.That would be sickening to see.
Regardless of the rights and wrongs, I also can't see any chemistry between them. There was more spark between him and Maria when they were pretending to be together.
not uncle, but stepbrother probably
So what's your theory? That Shona is just a woman like any other and nothing bad will come of her getting involved with David?
Shona is Clayton's mother and wants to be close to him again, I don't see how she could manage to get in his good graces without using the dirt she has on David.
No one needs insider info to see this coming a mile away;there are no coincidences on soaps. Shona didn't accidentally end up stealing David's wallet,living on his street, snooping in his house and eavesdropping on his secrets. The writers didn't have all that happen only to decide Shona will forget about Clayton even though that's the only way this couple might work out.
I noticed that too. David had more sparks with Maria and she with David than Maria has with Aiden. That was weird considering they've been working together for years and I never considered it.
I don't have a theory. Never will have. I work with facts on what I know in the here and now. I don't deal with rumour and second guessing. Until I read it in a spoiler, that it's gonna happen, that's when I take credence in it. I try not to let my imagination run wild, in that way I'm not disappointed when it doesn't happen
I knew this one would get some great discussions going. Thanks for your feedback and for engaging with the topic.
Shona looks like she could be David's mommy. I just always see David as looking like a young boy. He never looks like a man or grown up so to think of romance between him and Shona is just weird to me. I did like the Kylie/David couple but the pairing of Shona and David is just off to me.
I still have no idea why Shona stuck around the street. It's downright creepy and voyeuristic
yes, i agree re maria - the only time i actually find myself enjoying watching her is when she's in a scene with david, then she seems much more dynamic and interesting. any other time she bores me silly. it's intriguing.
Maria and David are like a brother and sister to me. I could never, ever see them as a couple. Maria bounces from one man to the next and personally I do not care for her personality. I absolutely love David and I would hope he could find someone more deserving than Maria to marry and to be good to his children whom he loves so much. Contrary to what others have said I did think David and Shona had chemistry...a lot of chemistry! I loved them together. However, I also agree that they may have insurmountable odds against them which also makes their relationship intriguing. So...I hope Corrie comes up with a much better situation for David, but please don't make it a David/ Maria relationship !
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