This programme starts chez Chesney and Gemma where the latter is tired and not coping well with her five plus Glory and Bertie. After Ches tells Bernie about Gemma's need for anti-depressant medication Bernie steps in and gives her chance for a coffee at Roy's - where she is spotted by Beth and so it later gets mentioned to Daniel that she was not "on duty". She has been awake much of the night - possibly the anti-depressants are affecting her sleep patterns. Six children for the morning and Glory until the evening - Gemma is feeling the strain and on returning home cannot face opening her front door.
Later she dozes on the sofa and Bertie finds a packet of the tablets. Gemma wakes when Daniel arrives and immediately spots that Bertie has eaten five tablets from the package. At the hospital it is soon made clear that these tablets are not a problem but he is kept in for observation. Beth turns up at the hospital and is obviously very annoyed about Gemma's actions. So neither Bertie or Glory will return to Gemma's day care. Whilst Daniel is not intending to pursue the matter it seems someone else is as Gemma receives a phone call from Social Services who will visit tomorrow.
Billy is being ultra-understanding over Paul and considers it's all over but that Paul is on an absolute final warning. Paul tells Bernie he wants to make it up to Billy as an apology and idea strikes him - he will get baptized after all. When Billy and Paul talk about it however the idea does not sit so well with Billy. Later in the Rovers Billy orders two pints of zero (has everyone given up drinking alcohol?). Billy talks to Paul - because no-one else can understand what he is experiencing. Billy passes over a leaflet for some counselling.
DrBGaddass has been allowed out of the surgery and into Roy's Rolls; when Stephen comes in Tim complains about a bad smell and leaves. Stephen approaches the salad-buying doctor and says that he is worried that Elaine is depressed and he is afraid she will do something serious - but Dr Gadass says that she will have to come to the surgery. Stephen repeats a similar narrative to Sally in the factory about Elaine's fragility. Sally convinces Tim that he needs to take his antagonism down a few dozen notches - after calling him a pig-headed oaf. In the afternoon the doctor is willing to organise support for Elaine - if she comes in herself - but then Elaine is refusing to admit she has a problem. Tim catches Elaine and apologises - but then she does not believe Tim when he tells her what happened. When Stephen comes home, Tim apologises for his words yesterday and Stephen accepts the apology (even if Tim does not believe it).
Adam is also unhappy and is worried that Sarah is sleeping with Owen (unlikely as we know his intentions lie elsewhere) but as Adam tells Daniel, he feels he cannot trust Sarah. And they both appear to love each other. Later Adam takes Sarah some lunch but at the factory Stephen says she is out meeting Owen at the Chariot Square Hotel. Adam heads to the hotel where he finds the two of them in cahoots - with Michael and it is clearly a business meeting. Adam leaves with his tail between his legs. When Sarah arrives home Adam is cooking tea and they discuss it - but Sarah cannot keep apologising. Hopefully the DNA results next week will provide a way forward.
At the Bistro Ryan returns - but to non-customer facing duties and Leanne asks him to use skills to negotiate a better deal with Rose, the wine supplier. Having struck a good deal Rose proposes to pop in later to show off some new reds. A little later, testing completed, Rose asks Ryan if he would like to go out for a drink. Ryan misinterprets it as a "random act of kindness" and she looks completely bemused. Rose thought they were "vibing" - but Ryan responds that was before she had seen him. He is then unkind and Rose departs. Carla gets him to see sense when he returns to the flat. Carla then suggests that Ryan should go and see Michelle - and Carla will pay for the trip.
Billy is being ultra-understanding over Paul and considers it's all over but that Paul is on an absolute final warning. Paul tells Bernie he wants to make it up to Billy as an apology and idea strikes him - he will get baptized after all. When Billy and Paul talk about it however the idea does not sit so well with Billy. Later in the Rovers Billy orders two pints of zero (has everyone given up drinking alcohol?). Billy talks to Paul - because no-one else can understand what he is experiencing. Billy passes over a leaflet for some counselling.
Dr
Adam is also unhappy and is worried that Sarah is sleeping with Owen (unlikely as we know his intentions lie elsewhere) but as Adam tells Daniel, he feels he cannot trust Sarah. And they both appear to love each other. Later Adam takes Sarah some lunch but at the factory Stephen says she is out meeting Owen at the Chariot Square Hotel. Adam heads to the hotel where he finds the two of them in cahoots - with Michael and it is clearly a business meeting. Adam leaves with his tail between his legs. When Sarah arrives home Adam is cooking tea and they discuss it - but Sarah cannot keep apologising. Hopefully the DNA results next week will provide a way forward.
At the Bistro Ryan returns - but to non-customer facing duties and Leanne asks him to use skills to negotiate a better deal with Rose, the wine supplier. Having struck a good deal Rose proposes to pop in later to show off some new reds. A little later, testing completed, Rose asks Ryan if he would like to go out for a drink. Ryan misinterprets it as a "random act of kindness" and she looks completely bemused. Rose thought they were "vibing" - but Ryan responds that was before she had seen him. He is then unkind and Rose departs. Carla gets him to see sense when he returns to the flat. Carla then suggests that Ryan should go and see Michelle - and Carla will pay for the trip.
Can I ask a question? Is having a story about Gemma's mental health at the same time as a story about Ryan's mental health alongside a story about Adam's mental health whilst telling us about Elaine's mental health potentially undermining the story about Paul's mental health? I am sorry if this is rather too obvious in my coverage above - but the whole programme merely kept addressing the same problem of depression impacting each and every storyline. Can we not have some ordinary human interaction and not an hour on depression? I think I have to ask - Iain MacLeod are you all right - or has nearly 5 years in charge had an impact - enquiring minds need to know?
Written by David Isaac and Julie Jones. Directed by Diana Patrick.
Kosmo
7 comments:
Not sure where this is going with Stephen and the assurance policy he took out on Elaine's life. Life assurance companies won't pay out in the event of a suicide or an undisclosed heath issue (heart complaint - did she ever have a medical?), especially in the first year. He might be gaslighting her so that she gives him power of attorney? I guess it depends on how long Paula Wilcox is going to be in Corrie. They've said Stephen's character will be around until the end of 2023 so he could go to prison after Elaine's death.
I really hope Elaine's death isn't a given. It's time Stephen's plans were thwarted. Not sure I can cope with another six months of his creepiness.
It takes a couple of weeks for anti- depressants to kick in, so Gemma falling asleep is simply a a consequence of her being exhausted. Though childminding means engaging with the kids, not expecting them to entertain themselves. It's obviously Beth who rang Social Services as much out of spite as genuine concern for Bertie.
The only reason Paul went to the hotel was to get a break from Billy and Bernie's bickering which was what started all this, but things ended up taking a wrong turn.
Honestly, I don't know how anybody can expect Paul to cope, especially when he knows he hasn't got much time left since he was diagnosed with this incurable illness and Billy and Bernie's bickering over what they think is best for him hasn't helped at all.
At least Billy's gonna make good on his promise not to force Paul into baptism again. If he does, then Paul's not gonna want to stay in the relationship for much longer.
I believe that all the aforementioned mental health storylines particurely Gemma's is undermining Paul's mind storyline as it seems we see more of everyone else but not Paul!
I was afraid that somehow Gemma would be shoehorned in and taking over episodes when she should be playing a supporting role in Paul's storyline.
By the way if it is Beth who called Social Services on Gemma,I don't blame her as Bertie could have died and Gemma shouldn't have left her medication laying around where any child even one of the quads could have taken it.
Corrie has rarely let just one character have a "social issue". They insist on clubbing us over the head with many characters dealing with the same thing at the same time. How I wish the producer and story liners wouldn't treat us like idiots. Sometimes I think I might be one of them by continuing to watch.
Crikey, Stephen on Corrie for the rest of 2023? Really? Who does he know that's kept him on the show? He's not scary, or even creepy. Just boring, with a big dose of hard to describe repulsiveness. He has none of the genuine 'nice' sides to him that all great Corrie villains have. His manipulative, fake 'nice' lines are overused. He just comes off as slimy. Even Damon had some of that real connection with people at times. Stephen started out with quick visits to mum Audrey and the Platts, forgotten within seconds of leaving. How on earth did we go from there to a character I have to blank out every time he's on screen (sound off and my teacup over his head!), and put up with for such a long, badly told storyline?
I don't see Gemma taking over Paul's MND story. His is going to be more intense as his condition worsens, likely taking up more screen-time. Showing how the disease also affects the whole family is part of the story.
I'm going to stick up for actor Todd, who plays Stephen. The character can be quite charming, confident and smooth, and people do like him.
Yes, Maggie muggins, he's slimy, but the characters around him don't see that (apart from Tim and Owen) - we do.
However, I'm the first to admit that I'm not a great fan of the young dude who plays Max (who's probably about 21 in real life) or the long- standing guy who plays Craig.
All of us Corrie fans have our favourites!
I hope Elaine isn't killed off, as I think Paula Wilcox is great, despite Elaine showing no interest in her great grandchild, Miley!
We don't know how the storyliners, writers and producers decide on the plots that are used, popcorn but I'm not looking forward to yet another gun shooting/ kidnap story with Spider and Toyah.
I reckon the team go through stages where the soap seems to drag and they think - what can we do to perk it up?
Or an actor/actress wants to leave and they want a dramatic exit!
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