MONDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 14th and 16th August 1989
The factory was a hive of gossip as the workers discussed the rumour that Mike Baldwin was about to flog the businesses. He held a staff meeting and told them he had no intention of selling, before meeting up with builder Maurice Jones and saying he'd quite happily sell for an extra fifty grand. Alma's latest paramour offered to take her out, but only if she brought a mate for his mate, so Audrey tagged along. Obviously she didn't tell Alf. Meanwhile, Nicky was being a holy terror - obviously we had to be told this by the other characters, because Warren Jackson remains incapable of expressing human emotions - and he could only be calmed by Martin. Gail ended up calling him out of the pub to get Nicky to go to bed, and then finished the night with a big old snog. I hope that's not how she rewards all her child minders.
TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 21st and 23rd August 1989
Today's episodes were thick with the scent of illicit lusts. Audrey was horrified when Alma's new bloke turned up in the Rovers and said hello to her, and even more horrified when his mate turned up in the shop selling diet food. She told Alma she wouldn't get involved in her nights out any longer. Martin and Gail agreed that their kiss was extremely ill advised, then spent the two episodes staring longingly at one another. He skipped out of Jenny's results party (two Bs - not good enough for Leeds, but maybe Brighton Poly) and tried to suggest that Gail give him a chance. She turned him down, because she needed to think of her awful children first. Finally Ken and Wendy Crozier got closer after she was suspended from the council for being a mole. "I don't like breaking trusts," she said, apparently forgetting the reason she'd been fired. "Neither do I," said Ken. And placed his hand on hers.
WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 28th and 30th August 1989
Martin filled in for Alma at the cafe, meaning he got to spend the afternoon flirtatiously bantering with Gail. Eventually he turned up on her doorstop and the two of them let the passion erupt. Next morning he left a nice note, but he didn't visit her, and Gail later encountered him in the pub with Curly and Jenny, leaving her feeling used. The banger racing plotline is still lumbering on, with Sally Webster desperate for a drive round the course but her husband constantly putting her down. She finally took a turn, and immediately rolled the car: take that, feminists! Mike and girlfriend Dawn Prescott (who had a massive plaster on her chin that nobody mentioned or explained) signed on the dotted line with Maurice Jones; he immediately locked the factory gates and sacked all the workers without redundancy. They were furious, leading to a lot of sub-par "shocked faces" from the extras because they're not allowed to talk, and making Ivy, Vera and new cast member Siobhan Finneran (yes, the show now features both Rita and Sue) form a council of war.
THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 4th and 6th September 1989
The theme of today's episodes was "Women: KNOW YOUR PLACE." Sally was in hospital with a broken ankle, leading to much lecturing from Kevin about how she shouldn't have put herself in that position and she should stay at home and make his tea. As it turned out the car was faulty, but never mind. There was more bad news for women as Ken Barlow continued to snipe about Deirdre putting her council duties above her family. He deliberately didn't tell her that Tracy was going to Alton Towers, then made snidey remarks when Tracy looked disappointed Deirdre wouldn't be going with her. He also employed Wendy Crozier (freshly fired from the Council), and had barely finished her induction before he told her how attractive she was; he's an absolute pig, and it's astonishing to think that he's still in the show thirty years later. Someone should have caved his skull in with a crowbar a long time ago, the sanctimonious oaf. Meanwhile Martin and Gail were at it like knives, leading to a jealous Jenny sniping from the sidelines. The episode ended with them scurrying off to the bedroom, accompanied by (a) a long close up of a picture of Brian Tilsley and (b) Nicky attempting to express some kind of emotion as the bedroom door closed behind them. How DARE Gail try to have a bit of fun when she's a widowed mother of two! She should be wearing black and chained to the kitchen sink.
FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 11th and 13th September 1989
Ken Barlow continued to deny he was doing anything wrong by employing brazen hussy, sorry, "qualified secretary" Wendy Crozier. He even went round her house to persuade her to take the job. What a hero. Deirdre, obviously, was distinctly unimpressed. Sally returned to the shop, despite her leg being in plaster, only for a combination of her harridan mother and Percy Sugden shaming Alf into sending her home again. Mrs Seddon immediately started hassling Kevin and Sally into having a baby, little realising that her actions would result in the birth of Rosie Webster. And that little snake Nicky Tilsley grassed up Martin's overnight visits to Ivy. She was overjoyed, glad that her daughter in law was getting a little happiness after her miserable year. LOL, not really, she was shocked and outraged and decided this was the worst thing that could possibly happen.
@merseytart isn't bothered by all the Martin and Gail snogs. He is bothered by how close the cameraman gets to their wet mouths.
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I too am surprised Ken Barlow has lasted all these years, he was horrible back in the day. I really didn't want Deirdre to remarry him when she did, I remember feeling adamantly against it.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, the one thing I remember about Dawn Prescott is the fact she had a huge plaster on her face and no-one mentioned it.