If I had not recently been in a lot of doo doo for allegedly forgetting my wedding anniversary I might have been able to laugh at David's travails this evening. In reality I had to suffer an hour of pained looks from the good lady wife. As an anniversary present David has bought Shona a six pack of beer, only one of which is non-alcoholic (she is now noticeably pregnant and has still not had a scan). However he has booked a table in the Bistro for later which just about gets him off the norty step. He ends up back there pretty quickly as he has booked the table for the next night. He tells Nick he got the days confused which is less serious than getting sisters confused nodding at R'Toyota - a joke which is not well received. One of the tables has been booked by Sarah and Kit so David decides that the four of them can sit together, solving his norty step problem. We are reminded that they have been married six years. I had forgotten that there is a Platt family sweepstake running on how long Sarah and Kit will last given her track record. Seven months and counting so far. Kit gets upset at being the subject of a bet and Sarah demands the bill.
It seems unlikely that Carla and Lisa will even get married - wedding dresses are under consideration but Becky/Kim wants her family back together and in Spain, DI Costello wants Becky either really dead (he threatens her with a Tia Wardley exit for which Costello takes responsibility by ordering the Radcliffe boys to do the hit) or dead (but alive) in Spain. Lisa makes it crystal clear to Becky that her future is with Carla but Carla thinks that it is all just a delaying tactic whilst Lisa hedges her Betsy, sorry bets. This entire story has been shot through with holes since before it started and it now leaks like a colander (who has one of those these days?). Filling in some of the plotical gaps we are told that Becky had ripped off Curtis (the now dead gang leader) for a lot of money and that Costello was the main beneficiary although he cannot sleep any longer due to the guilt he feels. Becky makes it clear that she is running the show. However allegedly the Curtis gang are now on Becky's tail but I suspect they are two of Costello's friends. It leads to Becky spending the night on the sofa chez Lisa and Carla who warns her that the bed springs can be very noisy.
Newly arrived Will has probably been undergoing grooming by Megan as we understand it, more worryingly she has something to tell him when she sees him. This is
very different to the Tim / Trisha situation. Trisha may have been older but she was not Tim's teacher or in a position of authority - so I stand by Tim's view of his youthful experience. Will is another matter and is befriended by Liam at school. They end up in the back room of the Rovers necking lager - which is just too obvious and the secret is soon exposed first by Maggie who gives them a good natured explanation of why it is wrong and then later the entire family dynamic explodes - Maggie tries to cover up, Eva explodes and Kirk collects the shamefaced Liam; Kirk is loco in parentis which he think makes him sound like an unhinged parent as Maria and Gary are away in Bristol. Will gets a right telling off and it is clear that Maggie much prefers the ex to Eva.
Abi is taking on Lauren's old flat in the precinct - which is lucky because Alfie in his innocence managed to get a load of books to fall on Roy's beloved model trains which he struggles to repair. However he can replace it by visiting the model railway convention in Bridlington next year. Tyrone however is able to almost repair one of them as he has little to do at present, he shows it off to Hope and a part falls off! Abi sold her rings to get the money for the deposit on the flat she later advises Roy.
The Dobbs family saga returns to our screen. Ruby wants a new phone as the old one is cringey and clapped but Ty has accidentally blown £200 downloading "trial" games (the good lady wife commented that her online game is free and it has kept her busy for six years). Later Hope receives another nasty message telling her she is cringey and clapped which when she tells Tyrone even his brain is sharp enough to realise that Ruby is sending the messages. He discusses it with Ruby who agrees to desist and not tell anyone else providing her phone is replaced and that they stop treating Hope as a special case. Fiz on haring about the latest message decides she will summon the police and in trying to convince Fiz that it is not worth actually gives the game (see what I did there) away as to who is responsible.
The star member of the Driscoll family is little Susie (
Aurora Bradshaw sister to Bobby who plays Jake Windass) who puts Liam through the third degree over dinner - with a lamp shining in his eyes she would fit in with any spy interrogator. She wants to be a cheerleader and would like her name to be Vision Price. I can see the next Carla Connor in the making. If anyone can confirm Liam Connor's relationship to Susie then please let me know.
The episode closes with Becky looking at online pictures of Costello, his wife and daughter Lainie - so what is she planning?
Leaving aside the reason Becky/Kim is there (and indeed the story itself) tonight we largely had stories about people living in a back street in Salford and forgetting anniversaries, underage drinking, Rovers front and centre, sisterly rivalry, making jokes at one another's expense and keeping secrets for 10 seconds - so a huge thumbs up for most of these two episodes the heart of the Street was right where it should be. I have been a little critical once or twice recently - tonight hit is out of the park and a final tip - never buy a mermaid a pair of tights.
Written by Cameron McAllister and Jan McVerry. Directed by Durno Johnston.
Kosmo
