Coronation Street episode review Friday 19 July 2024

Good evening.  When this episode aired I was waiting to be treated to 90 minutes of Madness (other musical entertainment is available).  They may be a little older - but they still manage a stonking good set.  Up in Weatherfield Lauren confirms that Nathan Curtis is responsible for her injuries but refuses to give DS (she is on duty) Swain a statement so holding him for an attempted murder might prove difficult.  Max and Bobbie visit with the latter offering Lauren his bed (he promises to sleep elsewhere) as well as bringing her up to date on the troubles which Roy has experienced.  Lauren tells Joel that she wants to go to Ireland and he says he will sort it and will put her up in a hotel short term.  Lauren once discharged heads to Roys Rolls and apologises telling him some of the story and then hugging him.  However in the absence of a better offer (Carla had refused her a bed) she lets Joel put her in a hotel.

Betsy blackmails Beth into cutting her into her black market operation creating fake high end T shirts with designer labels.  Roy has been convinced to go at stay with Kathy in Scarborough and Carla offers to drive him over the East Coast and she will have a couple of days off.  Beth and Betsy ("LOH") can see that black market  stitching opportunities will abound in her absence as it is easy to pull the stitching over Sarah's eyes.

Rowan has more to hide than just photos with which to blackmail Nick - he has another identity - he is really called Luke!  Under Rowan's blackmail Nick has however conceded that he will put £20k into the resource centre which will soon pay back its investors because all cults generate profits to pay off debts in no time.  Seeing Nick crumble leads Toyah to lift Rowan's driving licence and with a reverse image search on t'internetwebby thingy (which in an unbelievable co-incidence Sam had explained how to use earlier in the episode) finds a newspaper report of Luke being sentenced for aggravated burglary and assault.  Meanwhile R'Toyota has a phone call to make a medical appointment - so there is bad news in the offing.  

Lisa (off duty Swain) asks Sean for a drink and information about the other workers at the factory and he reveals they have a new gobby employee - what a surprise!

Dylan walks into Speed Dahl and asks Stu for a job.  Stu eventually offers him a first shift.  Elsewhere in the passage way / ginnel / cut through opposite Speed Dahl Stu spots what looks like the now released Mason Radcliffe dossing down in a sleeping bag.  He is subject of a restraining order and can go nowhere near Dylan or more importantly Liam - who have had a letter saying that Mason is being released.  Stu comes to tell Sean that Dylan did not show for his planned shift - and has not been in touch.  

Everyone is starting to be concerned about Gemma and family getting split up but she is sure that they will sort something.  Paul is noticeably weaker and the war between her and Kit shows no signs of a cease fire.  Paul wants the fighting to end.

Joel moves Lauren into his flat as he is moving in with Dee Dee and the ex-wife wants evidence of all of his expenditure to aid her claim for settlement of the divorce.  She is in the flat when Dee Dee arrives seeking from rest and relaxation and Joel only just keeps her out of the bedroom.  However in the second indication that IT is taking over the world Lauren tells Joel she has written and unsent email to DS Swain telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth - which will get sent if she is not around to prevent it being sent, she claims she is no longer the stupid scum which Joel believes her to be (I can only hope she has copied Dee Dee on the email).  Later he shows an air ticket to Lauren for 12 August - three weeks' time.  (Which is telling.  We lost a whole week's worth of episodes to the Euros so in theory we are seeing Friday 12 July - obviously there was always a plan to lose three episodes).  

Meanwhile Joel is investigating drugs which might lead to an end to a certain pregnancy.

This episode was a little unusual in that at the mid way break we moved to a second day - all episodes are still made as two half hourly episodes - hence there usually being two writers credited - but it is rare it is explicitly over two days.  More than some episodes there were also bits keeping other stories moving - often the two producing blocks do not mention the other stories - but given the events next week there are important reasons to keep certain items in focus.  An apology this evening for the images included being of different formats.  ITV X looks like it has had an upgrade which means that overlays are not vanishing.  Sorry.

And for a change some predictions:

• Mason has had a huge argument with his father and left home
• Sarah will prove cuter than she looks and catch on to Beth and Betsy
• Joel will lose his temper
• Stu will think Mason deserves a second chance and will put on the same shift as Dylan.

The truth is out there somewhere.

Written by Susan Oudot and John Kerr.  Directed by Mickey Jones

Kosmo

@Kosmo100

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