The Rovers was dripping with showbiz glamour as Alec's turns made their presence felt. First there was former ventriloquist Charlie Bracewell, asking Jack about support underwear and groping Betty's backside ("you'd think she'd be glad of the attention," said Alec, because #MeToo was still thirty years away). More significantly there was Tanya, an exotic dancer who would be accompanying Gilroy on a nine-week tour of the Middle East. Bet put her foot down and refused to let him go, perhaps put off by Tanya's act: dancing with a flock of budgies who popped out of her cleavage. I'd certainly pay to see that. Sally was upset by her dad's funeral, though she was mainly upset she wasn't upset enough; as Kevin pointed out, he was an awful man, so it was understandable she was conflicted. Still, a thousand pounds from his insurance policy went some way to cushioning the blow. Gina got a grand too, and immediately chucked in her sandwich round and disappeared, although it all took place offscreen. Weirdly, Gina didn't appear in the episodes at all, which smacks of behind the scenes shenanigans. Alan-slash-Len got his fifteen thousand from the bank, and celebrated by buying Rita some chocolates. She politely didn't point out that she runs a sweet shop.
TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 23rd and 25th January 1989
It was a sad farewell to Charlie as Bet finally got rid. Betty had demanded he was sacked following his inappropriate touching, but Alec took his side (by the way all men are pigs) so Mrs Gilroy had to resort to subterfuge. She talked up Charlie's talents to Stella Rigby, who fell for his charms and hired him over at the White Horse. Sally, meanwhile, was showing hints of the glorious social climbing demon we love today, by trying to persuade Kevin that the £1000 would be best spent on buying a partnership with Brian Tilsley. Kevin hated the idea because (a) he's got no spine and (b) he suspected Brian might be selling up soon as his marriage seemed to be on dodgy ground. This was a view shared by Ivy, who wanted to know why Brian was spending so much time playing squash instead of staying at home with Gail and her brats. (Question asked and answered). Rita was busy organising the social event of the season: the opening of Weatherfield Security's new shop (Alan having taken his name out of the company for, ahem, reasons). Ken tried to take a picture of Alan for an ad in the Gazette, but again, he demanded anonymity. This is all perfectly normal behaviour and not in the least bit suspicious.
WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 30th January and 1st February 1989
Two new cast members joined the show today. The first was Christine, the new sandwich girl in the cafe, who according to Corriepedia will stick around for months but who is still better known to the show as Toni, the firefighter who died rescuing Stella from the burning Rovers. What a waste of a life. Christine arrived in the cafe just in time to witness the Tilsleys' marriage crumbling, as Ivy tried to force Brian and Gail to go out together and they refused. It was the "together" part that was the main problem as Don later spotted Brian going into a nightclub. It's odd to hear them talk about having had marriage problems for months when we haven't seen a single moment of it onscreen, mainly because Chris Quinten has been off in Hollywood with Leeza Gibbons. The other new character was Dawn Prescott, who joined Weatherfield Security Systems in time for the glamorous launch party (a couple of crates of red and some sandwiches left over from Bill Podmore's retirement do). The glittering occasion was marred by Carole Burns, Alan's bit on the side, turning up and slapping him for being a pig and ghosting her. Rita was pleased by this, as she'd always suspected he was still having it away behind her back. Obviously an affair was the worst possible thing Alan could do to her. (Last time we saw Carole, Bradley was definitely still carrying on with her, so this feels less like a story decision and more like a loose end they decided to cut). And Alec was a furious ball of anger as Her Majesty's Revenues worked out he'd been hiding his earnings and decided to hit him with a massive bill - or a possible prison sentence.
THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 6th and 8th February
It must've been awful working for Alan Bradley. If you're Martin, you get constantly told to leave the room so he can have covert phone calls. If you're Dawn, you get him eyeing up your legs and trying to take you to bistros. Dawn stood up for herself, at least, telling Alan that she was there to do a job and not get involved in his complicated life. Alec, meanwhile, was on the horns of a dilemma: pay eight grand to the Inland Revenue or dob in all his showbiz clients who'd been working cash in hand and ruin his business. He went with the first option, or, at least, he got Bet to write the cheque because his hands were shaking too much. Ivy was thrilled to learn that Audrey was babysitting, as it meant Brian and Gail were going out; it turned out they weren't going out together, which was embarrassing, and even worse when she let slip that Brian had been gallavanting to Alf. This piqued Audrey's interests, so she had a word with Gail (offscreen though, because apparently 1989 Corrie thinks Mavis and Derek mithering about a house is more worthy of attention than actual drama). Gail went round Ivy's and told her to keep her nose out of her marriage, what was left of it; they were living separate lives. Ivy took this about as well as you'd expect. Don't worry, Ivy, I'm sure Brian isn't going anywhere soon. You've got years to nag him into submission. Years.
FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 13th and 15th February 1989
The second part of today's double bill is legendary, but first we had to trawl through a load of old rubbish involving Jason Stubbs. He hasn't appeared in the show since last November, but we're meant to suddenly care that he's got in with a bad crowd and is drinking lager during half-term. Ken grassed him up to Sandra, who lost her rag in the Rovers and told him off for looking down on her. She then went round to apologise, while Jason was sent upstairs to listen to one of Tracy's tapes: Kylie classic Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi! Emily Bishop, meanwhile, was getting double glazing, a bout of home improvement that spurred a jealous Vera into getting her legendary stone cladding installed. The Street is weirdly frozen in amber these days, with the designers afraid to alter its "iconic" look - most of the front doors are still wood, for example, even the same colour, as though triple locked PVC hasn't reached Weatherfield yet. This era isn't afraid to upgrade bits of the set when the story demands it. Curly didn't like the cladding, and did an impression of Prince Charles calling it a carbuncle. TOPICAL SATIRE. But the main story was the Tilsleys, as Gail told Brian she wanted a divorce. He lost his rag, because even though he's paid no attention to her for months, he liked having someone making his tea. Gail on the other hand wanted more out of life - i.e. a bit of happiness - which Brian dismissed as "feminist rubbish". It should be noted, by the way, that Helen Worth was absolutely superb in all these scenes, while Chris Quentin was his usual slab of MDF in a polyester suit. He stormed out to an extremely dodgy looking nightclub, then ungallantly left his pickup in the alley while he went for a taxi. Some thugs appeared and called Brian a "wally", so you knew they meant business, and when he returned to save her, a flick knife appeared. It was all soundtracked with Eighties stormer Good Life by Inner City, which took the edge off the attempted gang rape and murder. And that was the end of Brian Tilsley, leaving Chris free to travel to Hollywood to pursue the glittering movie career we all know him for today.
If you have any idea who sent Tracy Barlow that anonymous Valentine, please contact the author on Twitter @merseytart, so he can notify the relevant authorities.
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This week I decided to leave the 50 odd unwatched episodes on my digibox and just watch what was being shown. I wasn't disappointed obviously.
ReplyDeleteLooking online at the list of Corrie deaths, they were much more rare back then and apart from the odd few - Ernie Bishop being shot, Renee Roberts getting run over and Val Barlow and the hairdryer, most were natural causes.