Good evening. Gary comes round. He is surprised to find he is called Chesney Winter-Brown and has a wife called Gemma and comes to the conclusion that the bang on his head has done real damage. He uses a phone to call the landline at Audrey's to speak to Maria and the nursing staff think he has two wives when she arrives at the hospital. He gives Maria his wife's phone number and it turns out to be Lou's mobile. Maria then phones the landline at the salon as well and entreats David to keep Lou there until she can get back. Lou denies any involvement but then admits (accidentally) to knowing that Gary's credit card was used to buy food at which point Maria somehow manages to summon the police who whisk Lou off to the cop shop for an interrogation.
In a fascinating diversion Lou earlier planted Gary's bank card on Summer who accidentally tips her bag out in front of Nina before both are interviewed by the police after the police received an anonymous tip off (from Lou) that they had assaulted Gary/Chesney. Frankly m'dear they were not capable of such violence and even DC Green comes to the same conclusion but Nina turns on Summer because she cannot explain having the card. Nina and Summer are not on speakers any longer.
Randomly Ollie chats up Dee Dee in the Rovers whilst she is looking at a picture of James and Laila. Olllie is a ducker and diver and gets to buy her a drink. James is not really talking to Dee Dee after the events of yesterday but he tracks her down in the Rovers to tell her that he is pushing ahead with the adoption full steam. Otherwise James and Dee Dee are not on speakers. Dee Dee visits the Bailey house later and asks Laila if she remembers her. Dee admits to Ed that she might be having doubts. She is heading to Glasgow for a few days to get things straight in her head.
Aadi is trying to help Lauren and buys her an air fryer as a flat warming present (and obviously he still feels immensely guilty but she does not know that). Earlier Shona had assured Lauren that boys of that age only have one thing on their mind and so Lauren tells Aadi to stuff the fryer where the sun does not shine and storms off. Later she espies Aadi being the good samaritan and changing Fiz's flat tyre out of the goodness of his heart and suspects she might have misjudged the lad and Shona then advises her that she might need to apologise for her earlier intemperance. But at the moment there is no speakers between Aadi and Lauren.
Kev is finding it impossible to maintain the deception that he has cancer. He eats a meal deal in the precinct and Ty gets a pictorial record challenging him later. He promises Ty he will tell Abi later even if she leaves him - but Abi comes home with a booking for a couple of nights in a nice hotel in the Lake District so he cannot tell her and just about everyone knows now apart from Abi and Debbie - so all will soon become clear - both will want to kill him.
Social services agree to Brody, Joanie and Shanice staying with Sal, although Brody prefers his own bed but the girls get a sleepover. Brody is able to speak to Mick who is kitted up with a mobile phone and tells Brody to keep the phone turned on as something is going down tomorrow.
I am a little caustic at times in these reviews and I have to admit that trying to navigate the excruciating plot (black) holes in this episode has left me struggling. I am not going to enumerate them; but a reminder that this is a Manchester back street where people tell us about their lives and relationships living in the 'hood. Can we please get back to stories about the people, interacting on the Street, not in a hospital, or a police station? Entertainment in the Rovers, family dinners and scenes in the knicker stitching room please. Getting Gary to try and act his socks off whilst lying in a bed with that stupid tube up his nose (does that ever happen in a hospital?) is an ask too far.
Written by Alasdair Morrison and David Isaac. Directed by Chantelle Kayll.
Kosmo
