With a couple of minor exceptions this evening really only looked at two of the current stories. Firstly we said farewell to Oliver. The extended family came together in Victoria Gardens to remember and celebrate Oliver and his three years with us which has passed in the blink of an eye. Once that completed the hearse and accompanying car departed from Victoria Gardens and along Coronation Street (above as Sam reads his poem to Nick). Having similarly lost a daughter through a genetic failure this has been a hard story to watch in recent months and with respect to all involved I am glad that it has come to an end. In this house it has brought forth many memories as the story progressed and tonight those were of the proud white horses and the carriage taking our baby to the crematorium whilst in our garden a rose planted above her ashes is in bloom even in December.
In the Vicky gardens segment there are reminders of recent events. Steve has the favourite toy (above) - the red car; Sam has turned up to say goodbye to his "brother" - to which Leanne objects and Sam is left peering through the railings, later Sam reads a poem to Nick saying farewell to Oliver; Leanne denies Nick the possibility of travelling to the final ceremony and unceremoniously is told to take Sam home. Steve having met another parent with a severely ill child determines that he is going to continue fund raising for good causes. Thank you Steve - like to help the BDFA please?
There are some rumbles about the redevelopment plans - apparently Emmeline Pankhurst might have used Nuttalls Brewery for meetings and therefore the building may be of historic interest and capable of being listed. And in a very odd scene Debbie plants something in a white car outside Kev's house. I assume the car is supposed to be Kev's but what she plants in the footwell and why I cannot tell you - but presumably she is up to no good.
The other main storyline concerns Yasmeen Metcalfe's court case where Imran's defence case look incredibly weak, Geoff is gurning for all he is worth (above as Yasmeen tells about being locked in a box) - with absolutely no effect on the jury who are watching it all from another room and would not be seeing his expressions which are purely for the Corrie cameras. A man passes Imran a note and he smiles to himself - no doubt Toyah has sent him a little billet doux expressing her love for him. But no - what's this - an announcement that Elaine has recovered from her nervous breakdown sufficiently to come and testify - praise the Lord - who guessed that was likely? Imran lets her tell her story but the prosecution council soon tears her story to shreds - and the scriptwriter gets the storyline completely wrong. Elaine is cross-examined about being in Weatherfield General and the absence of any evidence proving Geoff popped in to have a pop at her last night. We know she was in a special unit in Oldham and Geoff obtained entrance using his latest poppet's card - and Oldham is not in Weatherfield. Clearly the pandemic re-write lost continuity checks along the way!
The prosecutor cross examines Yasmeen, Alya, Sally and then Elaine making up incredible, unbelievable stories and seeks yes / no answers. Prosecutors do not do that to witnesses - they get the story they want told and the defence turns their stories over by using such tactics. Finally Elaine turns on the prosecutor and tells her, woman to woman, that her history of mental illness stems entirely from the treatment Geoff meted out years and years ago and no she was not having a psychotic incident the previous evening when Geoff decided to inflict a little more of his controlling behaviour and that prosecutor should be ashamed of herself for making up such ideas.
And Sarah lets drop in the Rovers that she heard Carla's "friend" (we know to be Adam) in the factory the morning after the night before. This sets Peter's two remaining usable brain cells into action and he gives Carla the third degree about why some strange random came back to the factory with her. Looks like it is all over bar the shouting.
At the end of the episodes Nick finds Leanne in the flat and she admits that she still loves him - but he deserves to be able to start a new life with his son and she will be moving out tomorrow (which is probably Monday) so that Nick can get on with his new life.
Paula Wilcox was phenomenal, from Elaine's halting entrance seeing Geoff in the court, her docility as the prosecutor appeared to make mincemeat out of her story and then when asked if she and Yasmeen had "concocted" their story when meeting in prison and with a nod from Yasmeen she let rip as a woman who had found her courage and her voice - not just a soap - another real piece of theatre on TV. And JH's words to work with undoubtedly helped - and also Sam [Jude Riordan] benefitted from the writing as he delivered his ode to brother Oliver. Everyone involved tonight should be vey proud of their efforts. And if I have been a little harsh (in my thoughts if not in print) over Leanne in recent months she did have her moment this evening in saying farewell.
Written by Jayne Hollinson and Jonathan Harvey whilst it was directed by Neil Alderton and John Anderson.
Kosmo
