‘Free the Weatherfield One!' screamed the tabloid front pages all those years ago, and Corrie's slices of social injustice continue to this day. I think Stu is innocent here, and it's got something to do with Weatherfield Police corruption, but, and true to Coronation Street legacy - he's going to have to prove it.
Tonight, Yasmeen has a bad dream, a haunting from Geoff (great to see that actor back on screen) as she’s troubled by the thought of Stu being free on license. Roy lends her his ear, and being the rational soundboard he is, he tells her that Alya and Zeedan’s miscarriage of justice pursuits may well be in her favour and for her benefit. Meanwhile, Alya turns detective and consults Adam with her theories about Stu’s police corruption case and confirms Roy’s theory. Again, we have a lot of legal terms banded around, and it’s starting to make me think this is becoming C.S.I Weatherfield. Alya tells Adam that Yasmeen won't budge on her opinion, but she goes and collects Stu from the prison gates, telling him she’s willing to fight for his innocence, by hiring a cold-case solicitor - a friend of Adam. Stu visits his daughter, vowing to clear his name, apologising for the affair, and proclaiming his innocence for murder. Stu then bumps into his ex-wife, who also expresses dismay at his behaviour, but she promises to back off, as long as he drops his case.
On a lighter note: Happy Birthday to Gemma and Paul. Tonight's celebrations were a good excuse for Corrie to get post-covid cast ensembles together, starting at the Bistro, where Gem and Paul share dinner with Billy, Summer, and Aaron, minus the quads - Freda is on babysitting duties. Bernie gave her kids some Prima Doner Vouchers, as she’s a bit brassic, and trying to save for Joseph's back-to-school uniform. Begging Dev for more shop shifts ends up leading to a hilarious misunderstanding between the two of them (he needs 'personal services' aka a house cleaner) and I wonder where their, once highly mooted, romance went too? A slap in the face is by no means funny, and what with Yasmeen's coercive control reminder, I felt some conflicting opinions about that particular scene. However, Dev remains in fine comedic form throughout tonight's episode, albeit a bit grumpy with Aadi and Evelyn. He does end up hiring Bernie as his cleaner though, so maybe there is hope for those two, yet? I love Bernie!
Better luck for Aadi tonight as his flirtatious friendship with Kelly leads to a kiss, a bedroom dalliance, and the giving of his mother’s engagement ring. The ‘Weatherfield Gazette competition’ set-up has been used often in the past (I’m thinking of Mary and Norris) but it is nice to see some youngsters have happiness, unlike the misery festival of Summer and Aaron. This is Weatherfield’s yin and yang storyline process, I guess. Taking the birthday party to The Rovers, Bernie tells Ches and Gemma that she will raise the cash for Joseph’s school uniform. Let's hope it doesn't involve selling wee, again. Later, Dev and Bernie are horrified that Stu is back on the street, so Yasmeen tells him to move back in!
Talking of tried-and-tested plots, the Underworld ownership trope is back tonight and Sarah seems keen on getting Uncle Stephen involved in the management of knickers stitching. If it is a 50/50 ownership then surely Sarah could get another 1% share bought from somewhere (say, from Kirk) and it's done, am I right? I’m not Alan Sugar but I’m sure that's how it works. Carla’s nose is suitably put out of joint by Stephen’s consultancy plans, and she tells Peter and Ken about her suspicions. It's probably best that she doesn't find out about Aadi’s forbidden crush on her (you can't blame the lad!) but she still subs Summer some wages early. Is the stalwart firey factory boss really losing her steel?
Elsewhere tonight, Evelyn and Shona lock horns in a hilarious broken biscuits shop gag, Ken’s still pulling the Rover’s barmaids, and Billy’s heading for ‘Vicars Got Talent’ which, considering his vocal skills and piano playing - it’s about time!
An enjoyable hour of Corrie!
I am @rybazoxo self-styled cobbles connoisseur & Coronation Street superfan
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