Well Friday was Monday and so Monday is Tuesday and as I was not here on Friday I thought I would pop in for Tuesday. I almost wish I had not bothered. Nearly the entire hour consisted of Peter and the Barlow family. Carla is behaving oddly because Adam decides he has to tell her that Nick, Leanne and Simon are not on holiday - but they are in hiding which is why they have all turned their phones off. Why Adam is telling the world that they are in hiding when maintaining the fiction of a holiday would be far better at this stage I don't understand. He wants Peter to be told about his son - and yet he knows today is critical to Peter's well being. Adam tells Carla to tell Peter or he will do it himself. For reasons that are unclear Daniel decides that Carla is behaving strangely (well she is keeping a secret) and he decides to tell Tracy that Carla must be having an affair with Lucas after all. The evidence for this is all so flimsy as to be unbelievable. Eventually the liver transplant team of one person meet Peter, Carla and Daniel at the hospital with Steve, Tracy and Adam online. Tracy snipes at Carla and cannot control herself. For goodness sake the Barlow / McDonald clan are supposed to be demonstrating how they will be supportive of Peter as he recovers his health - because if they don't he won't go on the transplant list. I simply do not understand any organisation wanting family input and Peter should have known it would not work. Eventually they get Peter to calm down (above) and stay for the medical tests. By the end of the episode we do not know if Peter is on the transplant list, but if he isn't he might never see Simon again.
Ty is apparently heartbroken and is moping around. Kev takes him for shandy and Maria comes into the Rovers and gives Ty a dressing down, saying that Fiz is at home doing the washing and cooking dinner - why is Ty getting smashed? Ty points out that Fiz does not want him in the house. Kev (who is forced to agree to a first dance at his forthcoming wedding reception) opens fire on Maria pointing out that her past behaviour is somewhat mixed in knocking off Aidan Connor and also treating Ty fairly badly when they were together. Maria certainly had that coming! Later however Ty admits that Maria has a point - he admits that he is a disgrace (above).
Seb is searching for rhymes for Nina as he suddenly wants to write poetry - Ribena seems to come out favourite. He discounts Ford Cortina never having heard of John Cooper Clark.
Apparently Leanne and Nick are getting the furniture put into store so they are not expecting to return soon which will upset Gail who apparently had to curse the day they got together - she does not specify if that was the first time, the second time, the third time, oh I have lost count.
And the Baileys continue to descend into complete nonsense. For reasons they cannot be bothered to explain Michael sends Ed out for a walk. Then they remember that they need to explain that the paternity test result is due so James materialises. Ronnie pops in but does not hang around for the results. Michael shouts at everyone. Can someone explain to Michael that less is more and if he stopped stomping and shouting and went back to being an inventor and cute we might like him - unlikely but the sooner he and Grace depart the better. Eventually the envelope comes but of course Michael cannot open it. James does the honours and confirms that Ken Barlow is the Daddy. Turns out that Aggie was right all along. Ed does not seem to enjoy the result and tells Ronnie to get lost (above). I just lost it - why has no-one told Aggie? Why is Ed not celebrating instead of being upset by it all. Sorry but none of those involved are having the reactions or the involvement needed to make this story actually work. Unless Dee Dee is worth having will someone please get all of the Baileys off the Street? I suggest James gets a transfer and he buys them all houses out in Cheshire.
It is Cathy's sixtieth birthday and she is still being trolled - somehow someone knows her email address and telephone number so she is getting abusive texts and emails. Given that this has moved on from social media it means it someone who actually knows her - so is Amy making her pay? Is it Bernie - see above she is making all the right noises but we know from the Kel period that she knows her way around computers and the internet. Whoever it is can afford to send a funeral wreath. Some kids abuse someone in the kebab shop thinking it is Cathy and Dev is suggesting she does not go to work for a few days. Who would really want to destabilise Cathy to the point of her having a breakdown - I think it is probably kids linked to Amy - Kelly perhaps?
Where did tonight go wrong? You may have gathered I did not feel it was great. The Baileys have been abused since they arrived with hidden secrets from each other, from the world at large and constant reminder of their ethnic origin stuffed down our throats. Also to have Michael querying his paternity a few moments after he was the father of an un-related child just feels distinctly weird and the dates did not work for anyone other than Ronnie. Ty - given the way he got screwed by Kev and Molly just makes it feel not like Ty. And I never like it when individuals are not themselves. Tracy tonight was being bitchy but come on - even she knew how important this was for Peter and there was no evidence - just Daniel making things up. Finally I don't think Cathy would have ever trolled in the first place - again out of character. It all feels terribly forced and wrong; it is not the writing or direction; some acting falls short and the whole thing needs something positive, relaxed, friendly and a feeling of the Street pulling together in the face of the virus.
I will probably return on a Friday in the near future!
Tonight was written by John Kerr and David Isaac whilst the directors were Lee Trevor and Ian Barber.
Kosmo
The Baileys have never worked. They are separate from everyone else in the street. The racism story would have worked better if James (right name?) had been given a relationship with Paul, and Bernie was an on-street racist. Actually, Bernie could be the troll, wanting to move in on Brian and the shop. Most unlikely event last night. Daniel: 'Tracey, I will tell you a secret and you must keep your gob shut'. I'm looking forward to scenes between Jenny and Sharon. Put Jenny, Sharon and Elaine together and there would be some magical acting. Maybe even throw Evelyn into the mix.
ReplyDeleteWell said. I also agree that when they write the character to fit the story, instead of the character's traits, it just doesn't work.
ReplyDeleteAlso, this trolling story - this seems like such massive overdone backlash over a small comment that in real life would go largely un-noticed.
I agree Kosmo, the social media thing feels very forced and stale. Leaving a caustic comment on a blog is not trolling!
ReplyDeleteMost people would read Cathy's comment and simply shrug their shoulders.
Cathy has a valid point.
I've volunteered for a few very small charities/ non - profit organisations and yes they do take funding/ public donations to pay themselves and their family full- time, very good salaries.
There's nothing wrong with that if they are hard- working and dedicated, but some of them are not eg: popping in for a few hours, making a coffee, then going home, while the army of volunteers are doing all the work. This causes a lot of resentment.
It takes around 2 years for the accounts to be officially checked, so...
Why wasn't Eddie chuffed about being Michael's real dad? He didn't seem all that bothered. I don't think Bernie would have the money to buy The Kabin from Brian and Cathy, Humpty dumpty.
Edison wasn't chuffed at the result as my Michael had promised and assured Edison that he wouldn't get a DNA test. He went behind his back and felt betrayed and deceived by both Michael and Ronnie.
DeleteI don't think Mr Dumpty was implying that Bernie wanted to buy the Kabin, I think he was saying she could have designs on both Brian and the Kabin. I feel she sent the messages and the wreath, but yet I don't know why. I really don't feel that Brian would be her type.
Phew, Kosmo, I thought I was losing my mind after watching that episode. I know it's hard being creative during the pandemic, but wow! That was truly the worst, most disconnected, nonsensical and head-shaking bit of Corrie ever! Every part of it held together like strands of wet spaghetti. Only a true fan would hold on and you described every sad bit of it. I try to look for some good in things, but impossible here. Must get better cause it can't get worse than that.
ReplyDeleteIt's Cathy who is being trolled now and she has the evidence she is being harassed. The wreath, emails and texts are enough to start an investigation but alas, Craig is on the job.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the troll is Cathy's sister, remember her? They could be re-introducing her in a repeat of the way Sally's sister came back. All they do is repeat stories.
ReplyDelete