If you thought Fraser's arrest would mean the end of that tedious plotline, I've got bad news for you. His wife turned up at the incredibly 90s city centre flat and told Liz he'd been arrested. Deirdre advised her to use it as a clean break, but she still had feelings for him, and was glad when his henchman Gerry turned up to watch over her. However, she got a phone call from Fraser in prison, warning her that Gerry was a nutter and she should get away. She fled through the back alleys, at one point hiding under a load of cardboard in a skip, which I found far funnier than I think the director intended. Liz ended up on the Street, begging Jim to help her. He took her in the house but Gerry appeared in the back with a shotgun, part of a long tradition of the residents of number 11 getting threatened with a shooter by a nutjob. Ken and Sue were summoned to a Governor's meeting, making them both afraid they were going to lose their jobs, so Ken found Audrey and asked her to plead his case to Alf. Sue told Ken he wasn't all that as a teacher and she only kept him on because she fancied him. Tricia brought a fella back to the Rovers after hours, Ray, and Jack told Vera he suspected he might be Brad's real father. Ray incidentally is played by Doctors stalwart and murderer of Ernie Bishop Chris Walker. At a practice for the parachute jump, Sean fell badly and sprained his ankle, meaning he couldn't go ahead. Des was forced to go on without him, which worried Claire, who was thinking about her dead husband.
TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 10th and 12th March 1997
The siege continued at number 11, with Gerry threatening to kill Liz. When his getaway car arrived, he was finally distracted enough for Jim to attack him, wrestling him to the ground. The gun went off and blew a hole in the ceiling but with the help of Liz's high heel they got him under control and Andy wandered outside and asked for someone to call the police. The next day Andy was cold towards Liz because her shenanigans got the family in danger. What was lovely was we saw the effect of the violence on the community. Emily was traumatised, thinking of Ernest's death, while the pub was atwitter with gossip. Kevin and Rita then lead a clean-up of the McDonalds' lounge while they were at the police station. Des and Samantha went ahead with their parachute jump and were disappointed when they got back to the Rovers and found they'd been upstaged by a shotgun. Des went to see Samantha the next day about the charity money and found her fresh out the shower. He tried it on with her, so she invited him upstairs... then chucked his trousers out the bedroom window. He went to retrieve them, in full view of the neighbours - including Claire, who went off in a huff.
WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 14th and 16th March 1997
Claire was understandably disgusted with Des and immediately started packing up her things. Becky was upset to hear about his philandering as she hoped she'd got a real home. They got in a taxi and left the Street, and to be honest, they won't be missed, because they were boring as heck. (Claire will return for a one-off appearance in unhappy circumstances). Samantha told Sean what happened so he sacked Des, then Becky came back and had an emotional scene in the middle of the Street. Somehow Des decided this was all Sam's fault. Ken went to the governor's meeting only to be told the whole matter was closed: Sue Jeffers had taken all responsibility and resigned. Ken was relieved to be exonerated - because he's horribly self-centred - but was then informed that further cuts were needed so he was being made redundant anyway. Since it's her final appearance I should point out that Sue Jeffers' real name is Romy Baskerville, which is magnificent. Also, this was Alf's last appearance until November - Bryan Moseley sadly had a heart attack and was forced to take time off. Fraser was released from prison, and he reunited with Liz, asking her to provide him with an alibi on the night of the robbery. Andy was disgusted with her. He knocked back the booze and cut his hand and Jim had to rescue him. Tricia argued with Jack and Vera over her nights out and they refused to babysit any more. She threatened to leave, and when they said that might be a good idea, she panicked. Tricia went to Blackpool to see the Hortons, telling them that Brad was Tommy's half-brother and asking if they knew where Terry was. They told her she was best off without him. Meanwhile the Duckworths fretted about her disappearance, and in looking through her papers for where she might have gone, Jack discovered that she'd left the father's name blank on the birth certificate. Vera told her she could stay as long as she liked but Jack looked concerned.
THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 17th and 19th March 1997
Liz was called in for questioning but she was soon let out. Fraser was delighted, and decided to sell the Hour Glass and move with his moll to the Costa del Crime. A thrilled Liz went round telling her family and friends and they all thought she was nuts. She went to see Steve and he told her he was impressed that Fraser got away with the robbery. Because Liz is really quite thick this came as a shock to her and she went back to him and told him she wouldn't be taken for a mug. Fraser had enough of her whining, threatened to break her teeth and went off to Spain without her. Jack was suspicious of Trisha when he learned she hadn't reported Terry to the Child Support Agency, adding to his worries that Terry wasn't the dad. Ray came round to visit and to Jack's surprise he turned out to know Trisha and Jamie from way back. He suspected he was the real father. Sally started work in the shop, but Maud was upset to learn she was there full-time, not just in the evenings. She thought she was being pushed out and felt useless, though Maureen was just trying to lighten the load on her elderly mum.
FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 21st and 23rd March 1997
Ring the bells, fire off the fireworks, start a parade: Angie Freeman is back on the Street and she proved how brilliant she was in roughly twelve minutes. She ran into a dishevelled Des and took the mick, only for Sally in the shop to tell her all about his antics with Samantha. She turned up on his doorstep with a load of sandwiches and a bottle of red and cheered him up. It turned out she'd been let go by Kbec and was looking for work. Des poured his heart out and wondered what he was doing with his life, and Angie encouraged him to strike out and go adventuring on his canal boat. Maybe Des could nip off to Central Africa and see if he could flog a few tanks. Liz went on another tour of the Street announcing she was staying but Andy didn't care; he said she was an embarrassment and he didn't want to know. Fiona went out for a drink with Alan and they ran into one of his colleagues. They were the first of his workmates she'd ever met and she realised he seemed embarrassed. Fiona accused him of being ashamed of her because she's black. He said he wasn't racist, but some of his colleagues were, and he was trying to shield her. Fiona became upset that her race was an issue, and that he'd rather hide her away than be proud. It was a really interesting, powerful storyline, very well acted by Angela Griffin. Kevin found Chris sleeping on the floor of the garage which upset Sally. She invited him to sleep on their sofa until he found somewhere more permanent. Maxine persuaded Ashley to model for her and, as they chatted, she found herself kissing him. Next thing they were romping in the back room. And Vera told Don that Josie had remarried, to a doctor from the medical centre. Don decided that it was all Mike Baldwin's fault...
Classic Corrie next week will be a heady mix of tragedy and excitement. Things are really going to take a turn. Be sure to watch and let me know what you think on Twitter @merseytart.
Classic Corrie is on ITV3 every weekday afternoon and is also on the ITV Hub.
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