Coronation Street Epiode Review Monday 7th January

 
It's a week into the new year, and it's all about new beginnings on the Street tonight. Gina has roped Kirk* into her plan to seek redemption get info by breaking into Duncan's house whilst he is busy seeing his brief. Imran quizzes Dastardly Duncan on his insurance policy on his "dead" wife, but he gets angry and storms out back to his house, where Gina is hiding under the bed. Gina is saved by the bell, or rather the knock, as Tim hammers on the door  and she manages to escape through the window. She spies on him as he makes a call from Manchester's one working phone box, then she presses redial and gets through to....his not at all dead wife! Who is in Costa Rica! The plot, she thickens. Meanwhile, Abbie is out of stir and is back in the street (or rather, Benita's house), leaving Sally at the mercy of the nasty prison bully. What happened to her yoga pal?

*who admits that he has a crush on Janet Street Porter. Side note: I once met JSP and she invited me to her house in the Dordogne. I'm still waiting for her to give me the address, mind.

Liz, who seems to have had a perm in hospital, is back from death's door - Lourdes water must be in the Weatherfield pipes. She bumps into Johnny, who denies trying to kill her, what with not having tried to kill her an' all. Liz promises she's going to nail him (not in that way). But when Jenny comes 'round to plead for Johnny, Liz realises that it was Mrs C who knocked her down and gives Jenny Flamin' Bradley some very short shrift indeed.

Chesney tells Carla that Paul is a bad 'un, and she takes this to a 360 degree appraisal, i.e. asking young Master Winter if he is trouble. He proves that he is by threatening Gemma that he'll slice up Chesney's eyeballs if he keeps interfering, so when Ches comes 'round telling Gem that there's something between them, she tells him he's a creep who she felt sorry for and so he goes off to woo Emma instead. Gemma lies to Emma, telling her that she came onto Chessers and it was he who pulled away. So Ems turns up to the romantic picnic #2 and all is well in Chemma land.

In the meantime, Billy and Paul flirt over the tape gun ("It's all in the wrist"). How much do I adore Billy when he is cute and embarrassed? Answer: a lot. We all know Billy has a penchant for bad boys, from his time as a getaway driver (or whatever it was) to Todd (I'm conveniently leaving out Sean here) as he wants to reform them in his own special way. Paul isn't that bothered about dates or etiquette and pushes Billy up against the wildlife garden fence for a big old snog (and a chance for the homophobes to ring up ITV for a tedious whinge).

Seb tries to get a raise, but instead Gary tells him he might have to cut his hours as they don't have much work. Well, it's January, nobody's doing a loft conversion - that's why you have cash flow projections, chuck. Gary has worse news for Sarah; the landlord has chucked them out due to unpaid rent. David grudgingly plays pater familias and says they (minus Bethany, who's going to room with Maria) can move into the secret bedroom at number 8, presumably for the comedy storylines.

 
There's a lot going on tonight, which I guess is why Angie leaving for South Africa is given all of 50 seconds and B-Pac (Brian) resigning from his job at the school in order to plough new furrows doesn't get the scene it deserves.

Rachel Stevenson - on twitter

---

---

All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License