Evening Corrie fans, it’s Kelly here with your Friday night review.
After clobbering Mancunian Albert Steptoe, sorry dangerous gangster Mick with a baseball bat, Gary asks Eileen where Todd has gone. Eileen claims he’s scarpered, but as soon as Gary leaves the man himself emerges from his unsubtle hiding place at the top of the stairs. In fact, he did that so much in this episode I was quite tempted to shout ‘He’s behind you!’ every time someone exited No. 11.
It turns out that psycho gangsters tend to get a bit miffed about being bashed over the head (who’d have thought?) and Mick turns up at Gary’s furniture shop with a henchman to return the favour by giving Gary a good going over with a steel bar. Maria finds a beaten-up Gary and before long they’re joined by one-man-crime-fighting-team Craig. Urged on by Maria, Gary tells Craig everything but when Craig questions Eileen she denies ever hearing of a Mick. A furious Gary says she better hope Mick finds Todd before he does. Just as an aside has anyone else noticed that Craig seems unable to keep his mouth closed? This has no relevance to the plot, it’s just one of my pet hates.
Meanwhile toddler Shona continues her reign of mayhem. After she starts by making David a breakfast of cake, crisps and orange squash, he is then forced to take her to the barbers with him. A random berk wearing loafers with no socks (another of my pet hates) turns up in need of a haircut but when David’s back is turned Shona shaves off his topknot. He threatens to sue the barbers. Shona seems to have no idea why ruining someone’s hair in a business that’s about hair would be a bad thing and later tries to seduce David again. When he says no, she smashes some plates and storms out. Can we please get a timeline on when Shona’s brain injury gets miraculously mended, as this is all getting a bit boring now?
Elsewhere Scott is still hanging around like a bad smell trying to threaten Johnny. Johnny tries to avoid him by making up some nonsense about a real ale conference (in a pandemic), but Scott catches up with him. He says that it was him who dealt with the scumbags who were threatening Carla, and that Johnny owes him. I’m not totally sure what it is he wants Johnny to do but apparently if he doesn’t do it Scott will tell Jenny about his past. I’m not really sure what Johnny’s worried about? Jenny forgave him over his affair with Liz, is she really going to be that bothered about a robbery that happened 40 years before she met him?
In other news, Evelyn and Arthur plan a caravanning trip to Norfolk but when Evelyn tries to get time off Dev tries to use it as an excuse to cut her hours and save money. She tells him he can shove his job but she’ll want a decent severance package (Evelyn for Weatherfield union leader!). Also, Billy gets a call from the bishop recommending he apply for the position of archdeacon, which comes with a house.
.
Back at the Rovers, Gary is shocked to hear that his neighbours all seem to think he probably deserved a beating. Deciding that he’s never doing a favour for anyone again, Gary goes to see Ray. He tells the dodgy Bistro owner that he will sell the factory but only if he pays him triple what he previously offered and tells him what he’s really up to. Ray says that he’s going to turn the street into a ‘regeneration zone’ with businesses, bars and gyms. Sorry what? Hahahahaha! Who does he think is going to go there? Just about everyone seems to be on the breadline and I can’t see Rita re-training for a new job in an emerging tech business. Although if the new gym did a pole-dancing class I reckon Audrey might be up for it!
Anyway, the Ginger Gangster replies that Ray can bulldoze the whole street for all he cares, as long as he gets the building contract. Because obviously you can just start being a builder again at the drop of a hat when you have no premises, tools or labour force.
And that's all for this week. Tell me your thoughts on what annoyed you most in this episode in the comments or on twitter @mskelstar. I'm sticking with PC Tinker's permanently gaping mouth but there's been some pretty stiff competition.
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License
Who’s bright idea was it to bring Todd back? It’s hard enough getting your head around the fact that a different actor is playing a well-established character, but it’s even harder to accept this change when the character in question has had a full personality transplant and has been given a rubbish return storyline.
ReplyDeleteThe old Todd was cunning and manipulative and could wriggle out of any situation, but this new Todd is bricking it over some cartoonish gangsters who don’t have a single brain cell between them… someone make it make sense. I’d be quite happy if Todd went on the run again just so we can forget that this god-awful storyline ever existed.
I was initially intrigued by the Johnny and Scott thing but at the pace it’s been going, I stopped caring about it a long time ago. Why doesn’t Johnny just come clean to Jenny? What’s the worst that could happen? Jenny’s not going to care about something he did forty odd years ago before she’d even met him! It’s all a big fuss over nothing and it’s boring to watch the same scenes of Johnny avoiding Scott over and over.
What else happened this episode? We had more of Shona acting like an insufferable child (can’t stand her anymore, she’s worse than Gemma). Craig was once again the only copper in the whole of Weatherfield. We had more of Billy walking around with his stupid satchel. Oh and we had more over the top gangsters lurking in ginnels. Luckily we had some Evelyn and Arthur to brighten things up a little.
All in all a terrible episode. I know times are tough but there’s just no excusing the bad writing that’s plaguing the show. The storylines are dire, loads of uninteresting characters, poor acting, no community feel, no normal day to day dilemmas to balance out the more sensational stuff… it’s bad, folks.
I really hope the Corrie team are listening to the criticism they’re receiving from fans because there’s been an overwhelming amount of it. I’ve loved this show for years and I want to see it get back on track. Finger’s crossed things improve soon otherwise I’ll be switching off – I’m sure a lot of people already have.
I dont even bother watching the episodes.The comments on this page are far more entertaining,lol!
ReplyDeleteI was going to comment but anon 00.56 said it all. Heartily agree with all you said.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it with all of the men looking so similar? Find it difficult to tell the difference between some of them. Paul, Todd, Scott and so on.
ReplyDeleteVery dark and rough storylines these days where is the humour.? Thank goodness for Evelyn and Arthur and the wonderful Mary and her George.
Somebody please tell Dev to stop SHOUTING !!!
Great review and comments from Anon at 0056.
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot of competition for the most annoying prize, but after consideration it would have to go to the Shona storyline. The script writers probably think that the audience will find this funny, how wrong they are! I feel sorry for the actress, she must cringe when she reads the scripts and sees what drivel she has to perform this week.
2nd most annoying is that we are going to have to put up with the bulldozing the street, and Johnny/Scott storylines until early December.
Louby, I agree that Shona’s is the worst storyline. There’s something so wrong about a grown woman acting like a young child yet being super horny and always pestering David for sex. I’m also tired of her childish antics. I get the show is trying to make the point that brain injuries alter people, but this is overkill. A serious issue like this shouldn’t be played for cheap laughs. It’s ruined David and Shona as a couple, and ruined Shona as a character for me.
ReplyDeleteYes, I don't need to add much as anon 00:56 said it all for me. I am coasting through these dreadful episodes, hoping things will improve. (and why so many anons? - it's a bit confusing!)
ReplyDeletePoor Gary he tries to be the hero. And deep down he is good. But he is backed into a corner and hurt once again. Love this character. Hope they keep him. Eastenders has a whole families of baddies as regulars...called The Mitchells. Why can't it be that way with Gary. Superman always needs a Lex Luther....and Sherlock his Moriarity. I think Gary and Adam could be the new Barlow Balwdin attraction.
ReplyDeleteIs Coronation Street still trying to convince us that Gary is a big, complex villain because some people were mean to him in the pub? Oh cry me a river! This is the same man who dropped a roof on Rana’s head. If Gary showed genuinely guilt for Rana then I would feel for him but all he has shown is a wannabe gangster act and feeling sorry for himself. He was always a weak choice for this storyline. And Adam is a weak choice to go against Gary. Why are we rooting for Adam again? Because Gary is his wife’s ex. Who cares!? Imran would had been a much better choice as he would want to get justice for Rana. With all the promotion, material and effort this storyline has had, it’s by the far the most disappointing storyline from Iain Macleod.
ReplyDelete