Coronation Street Friday 2nd June episode review

Happy 50th birthday, Anna!

Hiya! It’s just Jordan with this week’s Friday review. As we come to the end of Corrie’s annual big week, Friday’s climactic episode pulled out most of the stops to keep the drama sizzling. If Britain's Got Talent (ostensibly) then Corrie's Got Drama (definitely)
Friday’s episode picked up right where Thursday’s had left off, a dynamic of these big weeks that I particularly enjoy. We’re landed right in the middle of Nathan’s seedy sex party as Bethany is landed right in the middle of Nathan’s seedy mates. Her cries for help are once again ignored by Mel, and Nathan is nowhere to be found. A helpless Bethany heads back into the bedroom, but around this time, her Uncle David is on hand to rescue her. As we saw in episodes broadcast earlier this week, Shona had worked out that Bethany’s boyfriend is in fact her ex-boyfriend and she knows all about his manipulative ways. This is about as slippery as soap coincidences get, but I’ll let it slide given the fantastic performances both Julia Goulding and Jack P Shepherd gave.  Even after the horrific attack Shona endured at the hands of Nathan when she tried to warn him off Bethany, she is hellbent on saving Bethany. Taking her cuts and bruises with her, the Street’s new diamond in the rough sets off with David and Sarah to save the naïve sixteen-year-old. The trio, followed by the police, burst into the hotbed of iniquity, Sarah screaming for her daughter who emerges slowly from the bedroom, shoes in hand. Her face is awash with tears and her clothes are barely draped around her. Before Sarah has adequate time to respond, the police arrest Nathan on suspicion of GBH and sexually exploiting a child. And even this performance is not enough to convince Bethany that her “fiancé” is in the wrong, loudly protesting his innocence.

"Abuse? We're engaged!"

"Bethany, we found you in a bedroom with three men you don't even know!"

 Later on, during a police interview, Shona candidly opens up about her past with Nathan, a past which eerily reflects Bethany’s present.  She reveals the shocking burn scars that are a reminder of the abuse she endured as David winces. The pair are later seen chatting in the corridor of the police station, Shona gulping down a can of pop, claiming to have low-blood sugars. While she is doing her best to reassure David that Bethany could be one of the lucky ones, she hits the deck and David scrambles to his knees, trying to wake her. The last we see of Shona, she is lying in a hospital bed, hooked up and beeping with David feebly watching over her.  Meanwhile, Sarah is way past her wit’s end with Bethany when she refuses any medical examinations and is still playing the “engagement” card.  She also refuses to give a statement to the police and believes that Nathan is innocent. The last few shots of the episode showed Bethany fishing her engagement ring out of her handbag, kissing it lightly and putting it back on, showing that although Nathan may have been arrested, he still has a frighteningly powerful hold over her.

 

"But he wasn't my boyfriend. He was just a pimp"

DS McKinnon – aka Weatherfield’s most sarcastic police officer -  has a bit of a dilemma on her hands. Daniel has now confessed that he attacked Ken, giving a very emotionally drawn out performance in which he described the attack thoroughly as well as harrowing details from past as a victim of bullying. However, Ken – determined that Daniel is his one son who has great potential and can’t throw his life away because of this – lies to the police, claiming that he fell. It would seem pretty obvious which party is being truthful. Why would Daniel dob himself in if he was innocent? DS McKinnon knows his, but claims that if Ken wants to lie under oath then that is his funeral. The comedic copper does however, look a little taken aback for the first time in her life when Daniel’s mother confronts her.

"I know what you're thinking - and you're right.

Isn't it always the mother's fault in the end?"

 Elsewhere, we finally said goodbye to Nick last night. In what was a bit of an odd yet rather simple twist, Nick survived his quicksand farce. Even though Leanne was fully prepared to finish their relationship before the quicksand incident, she has decided that she now wants to marry him. She even wanted to marry him within the next twenty four hours. Nick, however, has decided that his life in Weatherfield is done. He calls round to number 8 to say goodbye to Gail. He simply tells her he can’t see things getting any better and that he needs a reboot. Leanne knows nothing of this, and is shocked to discover her on-off husband’s passport is not where it should be. She eventually rushes out to the Street to find him, but it is too late. All she can do is watch while Nick’s car drives out of Weatherfield for good. Honestly, I will not miss Nick. I think the character has run its course. However, Jane Danson as Leanne pretty much stole this storyline of the episode. She trudged back to her flat, totally dejected. This, to me, was more emotional than listening to a plethora of sugary dialogue between Nick and Gail, although his final words to Gail were particularly sweet.

"Mum...you're the best"

  

A well-written episode which rounded the big week off nicely, whilst also setting next week up perfectly.

As always,

Thanks for reading!

Jordan

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