Gemma went to another baby group with the quads to do some singing in Speed Dahl (I am not sure why such an event is not in the Community Centre) and Vanessa and Imogen (the taller one is a nice girl, the shorter one is not so nice and I cannot work out who is who - but they are from Maudsley Street so just round the back of the ginnel not from some upmarket area) get Gemma to join them in a few drinks after the singing session. Gemma may have consumed a little too much fizz and pushes the pram with the four quads out in front of a car - which stops so no harm done - but the near accident was observed by Craig and another officer who wants to charge Gemma with being drunk in charge of a pram. Craig takes a sensitive approach and says there will be no action but as Gemma sobers up (above) she tells Bernie about her failings, her inability to cope, her inability to sleep, her brain constantly churning night and day. She is very depressed (although she does not realise that herself) and cannot tell Chesney because he is working flat out to bring home some money. Gemma does feel that she is the one at fault. Bernie tries to get her to talk to Chesney but Gemma refuses. Later Craig is in the kebab shop and takes the opportunity to tell Chesney about earlier events. He rushes home but Gemma refuses to discuss and retires into the yard to cry.
Evelyn has arranged to meet Arthur, her old flame, in the Rovers and marches into the pub to tell Jenny that she wants to reserve a booth; Jenny tries but no-one can say no to Evelyn. Claudia overhears Evelyn's plans and turns up at her house to give her a makeover - which I report in Corrie Comicals. For reasons which will no doubt be revealed at some point (I suspect Arthur has had to self-isolate) Evelyn sits in the booth and consumes a number of drinks - but has clearly been stood up (above) in front of the entire pub (which includes Ty and Fiz who have been unbarred and given a drink on the house as an apology; if Ty and Fiz and Evelyn are in the Rovers who is minding Hope and Ruby?).
There are a few factory scenes as Gail nags Nick into employing her doing odd jobs - but he then objects every time she tries to tidy up. More seriously David is still unable to visit Shona who is apparently improving. She has remembered she has a son, Clayton, and they are in regular contact. David has identified that Clayton is ensuring that Shona is receiving a one-sided report of their history and therefore turning Shona even more against David.
Alya is getting nowhere convincing Yasmeen that Geoff is not the man she thinks (to be fair most women would say their husbands are not the men they thought they were!) he is. Geoff has spent the night out (he had arranged for comfort in the arms of Rachel who promised him a good ride) and refused to explain to Yasmeen where he had been. Alya makes Yasmeen aware that she has asked the police about Geoff's legal history which inevitably leads to yet another argument in the Metcalfe household with Yasmeen yet again apologising for all of her failings. Geoff tells Alya that he and Yasmeen have agreed to delay their departure to Paphos. To make up for his disappointment Geoff books Rachel for another session of escort duty.
Mary has made Emma aware that Alina and Seb were getting on slightly too well in the Rovers last night and brave little Emma decides to take the fight on. She visits Alina at work in the factory and asks her if she has come back because she has feelings for Seb and if she does then so be it. Alina thinks it over and visits Emma in the salon (which has suddenly reappeared as a set). Alina says that she was not sure but she came back because she thought she might have some residual feelings and wanted to know for sure. However she knows that Seb has moved on and she is therefore not going to pursue Seb - he is Emma's. There is a fly in the ointment however - no-one checked Seb's feelings and when Alina pops into the Rovers in the evening and refuses to let Seb buy her a drink it is clear that the atmosphere is very difficult. David comes in and Emma asks Alina what she wants before David - who should have been served first. Alina and David have a very pointed exchange - which Alina puts things right and David buys here a drink (above).
I think we are reaching a crisis point in both the quads and the domestic abuse stories. In normal circumstances the next couple of weeks might see them becoming resolved although as things stand this will now take some time I suspect. I feel it is unfortunate that two depressing stories are running alongside each other as they dominated this evening; both powerful stories but balance is not there.
Against that the Evelyn and Claudia scenes were pure gold.
Writer: Susan Oudot, director: Gill Wilkinson
Kosmo
@Kosmo100
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License
With filming about to stop on the Street for who knows how long, I can’t help thinking what a great idea it would to draw a line under all the current stories (we’ll have forgotten them by the autumn anyway) and start completely afresh, ideally restoring the local values and friendships that made the programme what it was 60 years ago. We’ll surely want to be uplifted once we conquer this disease and will need our Street to uplift us on its return.
ReplyDeleteMore unprofessional behaviour with Emma and Alina visiting each other at work to sort out their personal lives. Why do their employers never reprimand them? Similarly all the texts and personal phone calls people take at work.
ReplyDeleteThey live together, can't they speak at home?
ReplyDelete