Coronation Street Episode Review, Friday 1 April 2022

Sometimes a story fragment happens - no doubt enabling the story to return in rather more detail next week and tonight it was Sam who announced that he is no longer interested in "Space" and does not want to attend some special show for which Nick has bought tickets (£300) for the holidays next week.  But then, Sam grudgingly accepts that he will go. Nick however finds his chess log book and immediately guesses that Sam's addiction to chess and playing games against Roy has continued despite Nick having banned it - well Leanne's little game has fallen apart.  [Also Nick - the Space Centre in Manchester has closed down!].

Emma is still seeing Jon Spear, the grandson of Ted Spear, who died after being hit by a car Emma was driving.  Now I know why we had to have this storyline (all becomes clear very soon) but the whole thing felt really "not-Emma" who wagged off work after a night of passion in the hotel (the only hotel in the whole of Manchester) with Jon and she wants cheese for breakfast (obviously a continental breakfast rather than a full English).  He walks her almost back to the Street (we get a scene shot on a foot bridge) and then suggests that instead of going to work they go indoor sky diving and spend the day together.  Needless to say there is a whole lotta lying to Craig and Faye when she gets back in the evening - pretending that she has been with "Martin" all this time.  

The principal story weaving its way through the programme this evening concerns Alfie's parentage.  Imran makes good on his promise to Abi from Wednesday and accompanies her to register the birth and he is named as the father.  On return from the tram Abi tells him to ensure that he keeps the certificate well hidden until he has talked to Toyah, which Imran says he will do after the adoption meeting at 5 o'clock that afternoon.  Meanwhile Toyah becomes concerned that Abi is hardly herself and of course the old demons may have returned (she walks straight through R'Toyota sending coffee everywhere and Toyah then spots a big brown envelope in Abi's bag) so Toyah tips Kev the wink that checking up on Abi might be a good thing.  He pops over to the precinct flat and once Abi is busy making a brew in the kitchenette Kev finds - no, not drugs but the birth certificate with shock, horror, Imran's name stating he is the father!  He does a runner.

"Professor" Spellman is studying so hard but eventually agrees to join Asha, Nina and Amy on a drinking session, a trip to town and a gig, having been lectured by just about everyone about sometimes taking a rest.  We see her "Voggle" how much alcohol it is safe for a diabetic to drink and she clearly consumes a quantity BUT (and I speak with some experience) apparently when she gets home and tests she finds her blood sugars are very low; Billy gets her to eat half a jelly baby.  I can state with a degree of certainty that alcohol contains sugar.  If she has been drinking then her sugar levels would be high NOT low.  On the other hand, if someone has invented sugar-free alcohol then please send me a supply urgently.  At least once, if not several times Summer refers to her weight - but her clothes are so tight it is easy to see that there is not a spare ounce on her frame.  So her perception of her body is being distorted by her belief as to how the insulin is affecting her.

The real Tyrone stands up.  Acoustics on the Street are up to their old tricks - hide behind the garage doors and you can clearly hear Fiz and Phill talking about sinkholes depressing house prices as the buyers are avoiding "Sinkhole Street".  Ty does the right thing and lets the estate agent know that he can drop the asking price.  Meanwhile Phill has a rethink (I am not sure what he uses for brains but never mind) and as he is out of work and the new house is watertight he and Fiz can move in and Phill will do the restoration work in his vast amount of spare time.  So the house reverts to full price so that Ty does not lose out.  So next week Fiz and the two girls (the noisy one and the quiet one) will leave the Street - and Ty will have an empty house.

Imran is at the adoption meeting and he is smooth talking the social worker.  He gets a text message from Abi to the effect that Kev knows!  Toyah arrives a little flustered and late and settles herself down  and although you can see something is wrong she says nothing until close to the end of the interview.  Imran says how stable they are and how they would do anything for Elsie - the final question is about any weaknesses they might have - at which point Toyah cuts loose.  "He's a liar, he is a cheat".  He had Toyah convinced and it is so not true.  She reveals that she knows that Imran cheated on her with Abi - a vulnerable grieving drug addict - and they have a son, Alfie.  Luckily Kev knows Toyah's phone number and sent her a copy of the birth certificate and she shows the social worker the evidence.  The social worker decides to leave them to discuss events.  Toyah does not accept Imran saying he is sorry as she no longer knows when he is lying.  Imran tells her everything we know - but Toyah skewers him - he admits he had to get a room so it did not just "happen".  And he did not use a condom so went to an STI clinic and he has known since New Year's Eve that Abi was pregnant and he is paying for the new lawyer.  Toyah is not amused and gets him to admit that he is concerned about his son.  So it is all over with Toyah and poor Elsie.  Toyah later tells Leanne that she already regrets having done it as she will lose Elsie.  Kev finds Abi and Imran in the Rovers.  Kev calls Imran a walking disaster and he hopes that they do not screw up little Alfie too much.  

Tempers having calmed, Abi finds Kev in the pub and tells him that she still loves him, that she does this to people she loves and that Alfie is probably better off without her as well.  Is there a glimmer of hope for these two?  Meanwhile punishment for Imran is reading Elsie a bedtime story.

Hard to condense tonight as there was a lot going on - see you all in a couple of weeks when I get back from a little holiday.

Written by Owen Lloyd-Fox.  Directed by Leon Lopez.

Kosmo

@Kosmo100

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