Welcome to 2021. Happy New Year. Much of tonight was the continuation of the Fay story after the closure on Thursday night where she admitted coshing Adam over the head in the Bistro because he looked like Ray. I just don't buy it. One is a slim, smug, Scottish guy with thick BLACK hair and the other isn't any of those. Even in the power cut darkness telling them apart should not have been impossible - although Fay had had a drink - a smell Adam remembers and associated with Peter. Never mind. Much of the episode is taken up with Fay telling Gary and Maria about events including Ray
He collects the weapon and some clothes but his dodgy van fails to start and the ever present Craig suspects Gary is up to no good which gives him the power to stop him and search the rucksack. Fay reckons she has made things worse but Maria advises her that Gary has been in far worse situations in the past and talked his way out of them and will do so again. Craig identifies the "missing" award (above) and invites Gary to the police station to aid their enquiries. Gary finds great solace in answering "no comment" to all questions even when forensics confirms that the blood on the award is indeed Adam's. Gary is requested to explain but sticks with no comment - his alibi was moving Rick's body and I bet that somewhere he was on CCTV as he drove around that night! The episode opened with the radio playing "I fought the law" and by the end of the episode the law was winning as Gary was formally arrested.
Roy is collecting signatures for his petition against the development. He gets little help from Dev (or from Jenny who alleges that Johnny was doing it). Dev however has been studying his bank account and has determined that with lots of new residents around the Street he will have more customers and therefore be able to improve his moolah position. Surreally when Ray visits Dev to get him to help talk to the planning officer Asha announces him as "Donald Trump" - at least Ray has his own non-BLACK hair! Tyrone overheard Dev talking up the development in the Bistro (although why he would have been there was never explained - I said it was surreal) and has Abi and Asha join him in a protest boycott outside the corner shop (above).
At the start of the episode Sarah left Daniel's flat having spent the night and later on Adam and Sarah are happy that Gary has been arrested - so much so that like last night Adam is getting in two more bottles of red wine and invites Sarah to assist in the consumption thereof, together with other possibilities which will exist in greater frequency once he moves back into Redbank.
Carla fell into bed with another man, Peter fell off the wagon. Is this deja vu all over again - more or less except this time Peter is probably not going to emerge the other end and has no reason to accept Carla's apologies. Given that this must be about the tenth time this story has stalked the Street it is hard to actually want it played out all over again and indeed I thought that Chris Gascoigne had more or less stipulated that his character's story would not go down this road. Needless to say Peter does not actually want in Carla in his life and nor does he want her to go - really. He keeps telling her - but instead she makes a sandwich. She retreats to Roy's Rolls and gives Roy an update - which includes Carla saying that she was fed up of the endless circles (above) [to which I can only add is that so do the viewers]. Carla knows that if Peter carks it then it her responsibility.
Roy has heard from the planning officer - he is not recommending approval and the protesters celebrate. Ray - who claimed he was doing it for the community and not for the money is fuming - the committee can always over-rule the advice of the planning officer - and Ray makes it clear to Debbie that this is far from over if he can get the committee onside [bribes work wonders].
If only Fay and Ray had got together permanently - King Kong would forever have been in our thoughts. Never mind we always have Debbie who has more sense in her little finger than Ray has been between both ears. Dev and Ray do a wonderful job telling the planning officer that the entire area is screaming out for a complete redevelopment and rebuild to bring some proper prosperity to Weatherfield so that it is no longer the weak sister in the Manchestford (sorry gone a bit Acorn Antiques there - did you see the Victoria Wood programmes over the Christmas break - especially the skit on Corrie!) with shining skyscrapers everywhere you look. Then he suggests to the planner that lunch is on him and perhaps he and his good lady wife might appreciate a little treat and a night using the spa and a room in one of his hotels. Look at Debbie's face above and we can all see that she knows he has blown all the good work in seconds!
Steve (one son down but Oliver mentioned in every other word) and Tim (one father down - locked in a box he cannot escape) come together to deal with their losses. Steve is going to carry on fund raising and thinks of doing a marathon but Amy talks him into doing the Three Peaks and together he and Tim end up starting to get fit in dinosaur outfits. Is it me or didn't Steve and Lloyd do something similar a few years ago. And Kev and Molly - and look what happened to them!
Carla fell into bed with another man, Peter fell off the wagon. Is this deja vu all over again - more or less except this time Peter is probably not going to emerge the other end and has no reason to accept Carla's apologies. Given that this must be about the tenth time this story has stalked the Street it is hard to actually want it played out all over again and indeed I thought that Chris Gascoigne had more or less stipulated that his character's story would not go down this road. Needless to say Peter does not actually want in Carla in his life and nor does he want her to go - really. He keeps telling her - but instead she makes a sandwich. She retreats to Roy's Rolls and gives Roy an update - which includes Carla saying that she was fed up of the endless circles (above) [to which I can only add is that so do the viewers]. Carla knows that if Peter carks it then it her responsibility.
Roy has heard from the planning officer - he is not recommending approval and the protesters celebrate. Ray - who claimed he was doing it for the community and not for the money is fuming - the committee can always over-rule the advice of the planning officer - and Ray makes it clear to Debbie that this is far from over if he can get the committee onside [bribes work wonders].
There was something about tonight that felt "Corrie". I know the stories concerning Oliver and Geoff got stretched because of the virus and programming changes but apart from some undue haste it felt normal (well normal for 6 episodes a week) as if the time and space dimensional shift had gone, the stories were where they were planned to be and we were where TPTB wanted to be for the New Year. There is still a sink hole hanging over the Street which I suspect was intended to have a larger role and I was rather glad that the Billy / Todd / Paul story was missing in action tonight. I am worried about Leanne and hope someone will pop in and see her before too long.
Writer - Steven Fay. Director - Duncan Foster
Kosmo
Faye saying she couldn't report Ray, fearing the police would blame her and not Ray, felt authentic. Also, Carla begging to be in Peter's life was sadly believable given how the writers have developed her character. My guess is Peter will go on for as long as Chris G wants to be in it, and then he will be killed off. His character was ruined from the moment he returned with Toyah and he hasn't been given anything to work with other than his old stories of Carla and alcoholism. I really hope they don't get back together. As another commenter said some time ago, Covid restrictions have shown this couple has nothing much when they can't be physical onscreen.
ReplyDeleteThere were some clunky bits in the episode. I actually laughed when I saw Tyrone lurking in the Bistro doorway. Maybe blood doesn't come out with a good wash, but Gary stands in the middle of the Street saying: 'I've got it' just as Craig handily turns up.
That Tim's fickle one. I thought Kevin was his best mate. What happened to their bromance? Steve and Tim are a better fit for comedy, though, and a recovering Peter could add something.
What has being Scottish to do with how 2 people look different?
ReplyDeleteHave to say I was underwhelmed by the Faye reveal.
ReplyDeleteFirstly I find it implausible that a young girl who narrowly escaped being raped would go back to the place which it happened, alone, late at night, to confront her attacker who’s more than capable of overpowering her. Not just attack him, try to kill him! Faye would’ve been terrified to go back there! When Carla was accused of killing Frank Foster, I remember her telling the police that she was so scared that he’d rape her again that she ran away. So the idea that Faye, of all people, would go back to take on her attacker is just laughable.
Plus it’s hard to mistake Adam for Ray, even in the dark…
But the thing that bugs me most about this reveal is that it’s an obvious attempt by the writers to redeem Gary. I’m sorry but he caused the death of an innocent woman and has yet to show any remorse; he killed Rick, and he indirectly caused the deaths of Robert and the bloke whose name I can’t remember who fell from the Helter Skelter. Not to mention the countless other lives he’s ruined (Imran, Carla, Kate, Kelly).
Gary’s reign of villainy has gone on far too long and it’s not been the easiest to follow with the dragged-out storyline suffering from pacing issues which has made it impossible to keep track of various plot points within the storyline. It doesn’t help that the characters involved are some of the most boring the show has to offer (Kelly, Maria, Craig, Faye, Bernie etc).
The only satisfying conclusion to this storyline would be for Gary to face justice for what he’s done, but sadly I don’t think he ever will. His storyline will just drag on, and on, and on…
The aftermath of the whodunnit has been so anticlimactic: Adam made a miraculous recovery, he’s patched things up with Sarah, and the Barlows have forgiven him for betraying Peter. All’s good again.
The only people still suffering are Carla and Peter, which brings me into my next moan…
I’m a Carla and Peter fan but even I’m sick to the back teeth of them and this never-ending cycle of misery!
Corrie has been doing poorly on the relationship front. Gary and Maria, Sarah and Adam, and Craig and Faye are nothing but plot devices. Their relationships have no substance, no depth, so it’s impossible to care if they stay together or split up.
It makes me grateful that there are still couples like Leanne and Nick and Carla and Peter on the show – because despite there being a certain merry-go-round feel to them, at least they’ve got years’ worth of history and development. They feel fully fleshed out and you buy their reasons for being together (even if you don’t necessarily like them together).
Carla and Peter, especially in the early days, had one of the most compelling love stories the show’s ever had (IMO), which is why they remain a popular pairing to this day.
That said, the writers lack of imagination when it comes to those two is doing them no favours. A big criticism of Carla since returning to the show is that she’s not the same bolshy character she used to be. Viewers wanted to see a return of the feisty businesswoman, not ‘victim’ Carla.
As it currently stands, Carla’s relationship with Peter is dragging her down. It’s no fun watching her snivel her way through scenes and pathetically grovel to Peter.
That said, I do want Peter and Carla to stay together because when the writing’s on their side, they really do shine and the actors have great chemistry. But if it’s always going to end up as this train wreck, then it’s best they go their separate ways now.
Some god valid points.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they'll kill off Peter, unless as you say, Humpty Dumpty, Chris G wants out - as he's a big part of the show's history.
They've already killed off Susan, (which I feel was a mistake, as it made The Barlows weaker) and the actresses who played Blanche and Deirdre have passed away off- screen.
I like Peter and Carla together, although I wonder how an earth the relationship can survive, with all the trust issues they have.
I too, thought Kev was Tim's best mate. But Kev hasn't shown any kind of concern towards Tim re: the Geoff and Yasmeen affair.
But the thing that I found difficult to grasp was pointed out by another Corrie blog commenter - how has Paul (who's been in prison) managed to pass his DBS check in order to volunteer at the helpline?
Maybe Billy the archdeacon, put in a good word for him?
Now Paul's been arrested and charge, he has a more recent criminal record, so he'd be asked to leave anyway?
I would have thought that these kind of charities, with vulnerable, young clients, would be very careful about how they recruited volunteers.
Also, it's a question of being answerable to their funders.
Did anyone notice that Gary's van disappeared? Just before the break it wouldn't start and he set out on foot, only to be confronted by Craig, but in the continuation after the break, the van was totally absent from where it was parked.
ReplyDeleteNope, I really didn't!
DeleteGary waited while Tim ironed Faye's shirt, but he still didn't put her things in the bag until he was outside!
ReplyDelete