MONDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 6th and 8th January 1992
Remember when they introduced that awful tatty charity shop into the show, and after a couple of episodes they stopped mentioning it? They finally realised it was a dead end and Emily packed it up for a new shop in Nightingale Street. Hopefully this means Denise is on her way soon. Another 90s legend, Raquel, was causing trouble with her living arrangements. Jack was sniffing around trying to get her to move in his spare room, but she settled for moving in with Des, leaving both Angie and Curly discombobulated. Angie accused her of stealing Des, even though she didn't really have a thing with Des, while Curly accused Des of stealing Raquel, even though he didn't really have a thing with Raquel. Des eventually tried it on with Raquel but she decided it was too much hassle and batted him away. Alec returned from
panto the cruise and Bet persuaded Vicky not to mention the decorator. Liz returned from hospital and Steve broke down in tears, full of guilt. She comforted him and told him it wasn't his fault she lost the baby. In fact she spent most of her time making the men in her life feel better about themselves rather than doing any kind of self-care.
TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 10th and 13th January 1992
It was little Katie's funeral, but an upset Steve refused to go, legging it despite Jim's protestations. He went to the police station and told them everything as penance. Vicky went back to school, telling Alec that he needed to make it up to Bet, so he decided to get Des Foster back in to redecorate the rest of the Rovers. Bet tried to dissuade him but when he insisted she finally told him about their history. Alec thought she'd had an affair but she told him he'd attacked her and he comforted her. Vera contacted a private detective to find her grandson, Paul Clayton; given he turned up fifteen years later as a thieving arsonist she's probably better off not looking. Mike told Gail that the charity shop unit was probably going to be a fast food place and the cafe had better buck its ideas up; sick of having Baldwin interfere in her life, Alma decided to sell up and move away. Raquel and Des finally caved in to temptation, infuriating Angie, who threw a pint over him in the pub and quit her job as a barmaid. Raquel was still short of cash though and Reg smarmed around her to try and get her back in Bettabuys. Alec had a better idea: get Raquel behind the bar. I think that's a very good plan indeed.
WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 15th and 17th January 1992
Vera hired the private detective at considerable expense. (Amusingly, when she tried to remember the name of her grandchild's other grandparents, she couldn't - a reflection on how horribly unmemorable the Claytons were). Gail went to Mike to try to persuade him to leave Alma alone, as she'd never be able to buy her out of the cafe if she left, but he told her he loved Alma and would continue to pursue her. Creep. At the garage, meanwhile, Mike asked Kevin to get a contract from Halliwells, and offered him a bonus if he got it. They said they'd take the business if Kevin paid a backhander. Raquel started work at the Rovers, infuriating Angie, who accused her of stealing all of her life and threw her shoes at her in anger. Angie went for a job as a waitress at a posh restaurant, which I'm mainly mentioning because she wore another of her Amazing Hats at the interview. Martin got his old job as a hospital porter back, so Sally took over as full-time child minder to David and Sarah-Lou. Human Stone In Your Shoe Ivy was of course thrilled to learn her grandkids were being looked after by a neighbour. Derek was in charge of the company for a bit and came up with a scheme for the company to save money. Victor seemed unimpressed.
THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 20th and 22nd January 1992
Mike was always a bit of a rogue, but he's descending into a full-on villain. He told Kevin to pay the backhander and fiddle the bills to pay it back; Kevin was uncomfortable with it but Baldwin told him he'd have to or he'd lose his job. He also turned up at the cafe and handed the lease over to Alma, apparently with no strings attached. We'll see. Vera was dodging around dealing with the detective and explaining it away to Jack as overtime. When Curly mentioned there was no extra work going at Bettabuys Jack got suspicious, and even more so when he realised her former crush Lester Fontayne was playing in Manchester. Derek's efficiency report went down well with Victor; so well, he realised the business didn't need two managers and made Derek redundant. Those of us who can remember the last time Wilton was unemployed sighed sadly at the "comedy" storylines to come.
FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast January 24th and 27th 1992
Steve appeared in court for handling stolen goods and got a £100 fine because his solicitor promised it was a first offence and he wouldn't do anything criminal again. Cough. The case against the boys who did the robbing was dropped by the CPS and Jim was rightly angry that his son stood up and did the right thing and was the only one who got punished. Mavis tried to use her feminine wiles on Victor to get him to give Derek his job back. Victor told her he was cured of his love for her and sent her on her way. (That was the last we ever saw of Pendlebury, thank goodness). She didn't tell Derek about Victor's rejection, though, so Derek decided to sue him for unfair dismissal. Mavis persuaded him not to air their dirty linen in public. Jack followed Vera to a meeting with the private detective and told him to get stuffed. He took her home and told her that he'd run into Harry Clayton and he'd told Jack that Andrea had put the baby up for adoption. Now in 2019, we know that's not true, and that Jack was obviously lying to protect Vera's feelings; but at the same time, he told her the baby's name was Paul, and that part
is true. I smell a retcon. Mike continued to cause hassle throughout the Street, with Kevin wracked with guilt over the dodgy service deal. Sally encouraged him to call the police but he realised he'd be the one who'd get in trouble if it all came out. Gail was thrilled that Alma had been given the lease, but less thrilled when she said she was still leaving, because clearly Baldwin was up to something. Alma went to Mike's new flat at Weatherfield Quays to confront him and he confessed he had only one thing on his mind. He wanted her to marry him.
There isn't enough money in the world to make me care about Derek's unemployment woes. If you have a reason why I should give a monkeys, let me know on Twitter @merseytart.
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