Peter's back from breaking lockdown rules in Scotland. Maybe it's the clean Hibernia air, but he is the healthiest looking alcoholic I've ever seen. Nonetheless, he is back at Kate Oates Memorial to have a liver check up. He gets chatting to Carol Decker in the waiting room about transplants - she's been waiting for a liver donation for 2 years because she has haemochromatosis and a rare blood group. The
Daniel has decided that being an unemployed waiter isn't bringing in the
big bucks and has started a PGCE. Did he ever finish that Masters? Did
he ever start that Masters? Anyway, he has decided that he wants to donate some of his liver to Peter, but his bro declines. Instead, he goes to Adam and says he wants to sign an Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment.
Meanwhile at the house of shut-ins, Simon lies to Peter about where he is and Leanne tells him not to tell Toyah or Nick that she's at home. As much as Simon has put Leanne through, it's pretty terrible of her to put this kind of burden on him. Simon bumps into Kelly wearing a miniskirt - it's January, Kel, put on some tights!) She says she'll give him another chance but he says he has stuff to do and she stomps off, very much like his mum (I can see why he likes her). Nick pops round and finds Leanne at home and assumes she's back from France, so she doesn't disabuse him of this notion. He tells her he's struggling and Simon reminds her that Nick is suffering too. But Leanne says that Oliver wasn't Nick's son and then realises what she's said to him, who's also not her biological son. Later, he hides her sleeping pills.
Dev's getting sentimental about the fruit of his loins and promises Asha and Aadi a very big surprise for the 16th. Is it...a trip to Speed Daal? Walk around the red rec? A salad cream sandwich? Asha is underwhelmed. She's also let down by the other man in her life, Crappy Corey, who ignores her suggestion that they could do something nice, for her birthday. Nina saves the day by giving Asha a choker necklace. Girls>boys.
Of all the prison sets in all the towns in all the world, Johnny walks into HMP Weatherfield and bumps into Gary, not just because his vision is impaired. Gangsta Gazza, back in his natural element, offers to show him around and later tells off some scallies for trying to bullying Johnny. Jenny turns up to sit at Yasmeen's visiting table, and Johnny confirms that his eyesight is worse, but tries to cover up that he's relapsing, although Jenny finds out anyway on the bush telegraph.
Also, I don't want to get all Daily Mail, but is playing snooker what people do all day in prison? Apart from organising very orderly prison riots, that is.
To Sally's disgust, Tim has brought home the chair from the cab office as they're clearing it out before their move (are they going to the Robeson estate as well?). Maria asks Tim if Fay(e)'s OK, but Tim's too wrapped up in moving to notice what Faye is going through. She tells Maria that she threw up again and the guilt is getting to her and she wants to confess. Maria, ever the gangster's moll, tells Faye to keep schtum.
Rachel Stevenson - on twitter
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ReplyDeleteDisappointed that Gary’s the one helping Johnny in prison as I was really hoping it was going to be Rob Donavon. Enjoyed all the scenes with the Barlows, glad Samir’s kidney got a mention! I hadn’t appreciated you could donate part of your liver before, so learnt something new. While Peter’s attitude is frustrating, he’s always been the self-destructive type and too stubborn for his own good.
The conversation between him and the lady at the hospital was interesting– she needs a liver through no fault of her own, then there’s Peter, who needs a liver because of years of alcohol abuse.
I know it can’t happen because of Covid, but I would’ve loved Peter and Adam to have at least one big bust-up! When Peter discovered Leanne’s affair with Nick, Peter nearly bludgeoned Nick to death with a metal bar! So for the so-called love of his life to have cheated with his nephew of all people, I expected a more explosive reaction from Peter and feel a little underwhelmed by how it’s played out so far.
Adam’s lack of remorse is odd, too. I don’t think he’s even apologised for what he did. He’s always been a cocky so and so, just like his father, but he’s always had huge respect for Peter, so him to casually betray him like he did, I was hoping for Adam to show genuine remorse over his actions, but instead he continues to waltz around like he’s done nothing wrong.
With the way soaps work, you just know Adam will be the one to donate his liver to Peter to make amends for sleeping with Carla, then all will be well again.
With all he’s having to deal with, I can see Simon going off the rails soon…
The Ray development storyline continues to get sillier and sillier. The fact it cuts from scenes of Faye discovering she might be pregnant with Ray’s baby, to scenes of Abi parading around on a giant float, is jarring to me – one of the many reasons I hate this storyline and can’t wait for it to end.
And lastly, anyone else not a fan of Daisy? What’s the point of her? She just shows up at the pub without any explanation as to why she’s there and the whole time I’m just wishing she’d go away. She’s as random and pointless as the sinkhole!
Those are my thoughts on the episodes. Loved the Barlow stuff, not so keen on the rest. Great review as always, Rachel.
As a Canadian viewer I am not looking forward to Leeanne having a breakdown. We had to endure Daniel's grief (he still doesn't appear to be employed) and now Leeanne! I realize this is a soap, but in real life people suffer great losses, but have to pull themselves together and go back to work. Not lying around the flat all day with no money coming in. Ridiculous. Please can we not have Faye pregnant again!
ReplyDelete@Anon above - I think Peter has toned down in the years since, and he has a more 'defeatist' attitude lately, which is why I think he didn't physically go after Adam. It would be a neat twist if Adam was the one to donate his liver, I hadn't thought of that.
ReplyDeleteI think you mean, Simon will go off the rails AGAIN.
100% agree with you about Daisy! Why is she there? There are enough regular cast members that we don't see enough of as it is without adding pointless new ones.
Anon Jan 12th: Imagine how epic it would be if they brought Rob back?! One of my all time favourites and a much better ‘morally complex’ villain than Gary could ever dream of being.
ReplyDeleteSadly I don’t think we’ll see anything of Rob while Macleod’s still producer because it’s clear he wants Steve and Tracy to stay together so there’d be no place for Rob on the street, but like you said, him helping/hindering Johnny in prison would’ve been a nice way to bring him back, even if only for a short stint. Corrie sure missed a trick!
The reason Peter didn’t try to beat seven bells out of Adam (Covid aside) is because Peter doesn’t have the energy. That’s the point. He’s given up. On his relationship, and on life.
While I enjoy Carla and Peter together, I’m not a fan of how all-consuming and destructive the relationship’s become. Their relationship used to work because they both had others things that existed outside of it (Carla ran the factory and Peter had the bookies) and now they don’t. They don’t even have a place of their own to live. Pretty much all of Carla’s family have left the street. All they’ve got is their relationship. And its because all these dimensions have been stripped away that the characters feel without purpose and a shadow of their former selves.
An easy fix would be to give them a flat, establish Carla as a strong businesswoman again (something other than the factory though because she’s wasted there), give Peter something to do other than being a part time cabbie – all these things would give them a much needed sense of purpose again and cement them as part of the street because at present they're drifting and having just their relationship isn’t enough. Best thing the writers could do is give them some happiness at long last!
Agree with you re: Jenny's stepdaughter. Find her EXTREMELY annoying. Like you say, what's the point to her? Corrie's already got more characters than it can handle, don't add more!