Cults are an interesting study and the recent Robert Galbraith book "The Running Grave" offered, in my view, a somewhat traditional reflection of a god like leader (with flaws inevitably). The Altovalent Institute being portrayed in t'Street which has seduced Leanne with magic words, processes and other typical cult like behaviour (like ensuring no phones and preventing external contact) delivers an entirely new spectre to the feast - Leanne is conversing with an AI powered and aged version of Oliver on her PC. In terms of separating Leanne from her family and reality at the same time this is a masterstroke and no amount of childish sarcasm from Toyah is going to bridge the gap to Leanne who is now almost constantly at odds with both Toyah and Nick - who appears totally bemused by events. Leanne eventually admits the existence of "AI Oliver" to Nick and Toyah.
Toyah does not know when to try and ignore the elephant in the Street and walks up to Rowan to tell him that she will do anything to stop him, calling him a snake oil salesman, I am sure it helped her soul to get it off her chest but Kit the cop turns up to arrest Toyah and question her about Rose (the baby who died still born). In 2001 when she was raped I was watching and reporting on t'Street elsewhere and frankly this retcon is so bad that I am not prepared to damage the sanctity of true stories to repeat the lies here (and in answering police questions Toyah admits she had all of the normal post rape tests which would include pregnancy). For plotical reasons I have to report that the police seem keen to charge her for events which (sorry Corrie) never actually happened. It does leave R'Toyota wondering who tipped the police off to undertake a dig to recover the body and Leanne gets the blame initially but it will become clear - Rowan denies any involvement to Leanne.
After much pressure from Evelyn and especially Ty, Cassie is forced to offer Abi an apology and also to admit that given the right opportunity she would welcome the relatively stable life which Abi enjoys with Kev - with Kev if possible. Whilst Abi might accept the apology she is unlikely to want a man stealer working alongside her husband - so Cassie does not get her job back and nor can she get a job as a barmaid in the Rovers (I thought the Bistro need more staff as there is reference to Leanne solving staffing problems elsewhere in the episode).
Stu is troubled, although the precise explanation is not addressed, although no doubt relates to Eliza. Meanwhile Yasmeen is troubled by Roy's continued self imposed prison sentence in his flat and attempts to tempt him out. Shona eventually tells Stu about the trouble Roscoe has caused to Roy.
Bethany has finally received the post redirected from London. It includes news of Nathan's release and letters from her ex-employer asking her to explain the use of her company credit card. In the words of a civil servant "Round Objects". Any competent employer (and indeed most incompetent employers) will terminate a credit card held by an employee on termination of employment. Given she returned to Manchester in January this delay is nonsense - someone would have sorted it much sooner. And for reasons unknown to us Joel seems particularly keen to help her trace who is abusing the credit card - without charge!
Dee Dee delivers Glenda's demands to George and it causes him to lose a big client and a shouting match in the Rovers as Glenda seeks half the business and half of George's semi-detached seeing that has been paid using the profits of the business since Archie died. Glenda declares that either he settles or they will go to court.
And in the least expected move of the week Glenda and Michael finally snog.
I also thought it might be worth looking at the meaning of Valence as it has a particular meaning in psychology being a representation of positive and negative. Alto means high of course - so the name has been carefully chosen to imply raising positive sides of the information presented - it looks like someone has put this together with some real research.
In conclusion a quick look ahead. There is no episode next Friday so nothing to review. The following two Fridays I am away - including a visit to the Street itself (and a Star Tour) whilst I am away. This will be my first visit since the set extension and I am also interested in who will be the Star! So I will hopefully be back in about four weeks.
Kosmo
I found myself wondering if Toyah is guilty of her baby's death after all?
ReplyDeleteShe mentioned that the baby was being born just as Janice and Les were returning home from bingo and maybe she did 'silence the baby's cries rather than get help.
Regardless of how Rose was conceived,she was an innocent baby who did not deserve to be buried alone in a park while her mother went on with her life as though nothing happened.
Line of the year, so far, goes to George. " You're a people person. I'm a dead people person."
ReplyDeleteBut it didn't happen! Someone went through all the footage. No baby bump. Toyah out boozing etc. When she reported the rape she'd have been given a pregnancy test and morning-after pill. The more you look into the story, the more ridiculous it is. Would Toyah, having just given birth, be strong enough to dig a grave,? How did she get to the never previously mentioned park? Am pretty sure she didn't have a car, and would look odd on the bus with a mysterious bundle. But all credit to Georgia Taylor for trying to make it plausible.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that this Toyah baby plot is silly - it does not make sense!
ReplyDeleteI also agree that Bethany's staff credit card would have been terminated.
What does she do now, how does she earn an income? I assume Daniel and Sarah are supporting her.
How would Joel trace Bethany's credit card fraudster? He's in law - he's not not a private detective.
As far more staff at The Rovers - there's Sean, Gemma, Jenny, Daisy and Glenda.
Now they've dropped the cash generating ideas, such as karoke and quiz nights, IRL, there'd hardly be anything to pay them!
But hey, this is fiction, not reality.
I liked Todd's line when he said that George was a cross between Big daddy and Alan Sugar!
Jeanie (anon): I think this story with Toyah has been done purely to push Nick and her together. And now Leanne has committed the ultimate betrayal (blabbing her sister's most painful secret to Rowan) they'll become even closer.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm liking this cult story more than I expected. It makes more sense now that they have introduced Oliver. Underlines the emptiness in Leanne that she can't escape and how they are preying on her deepest vulnerabilities.