Coronation Street Blog: Rufus

Showing posts with label Rufus. Show all posts

Sunday, 16 April 2023

Coronation Street Episode Review Friday 14 April 2023

Welcome. Let us face it - you are over sixty and feel the need to do something a little wild, perhaps a bit rock and roll, and the same applies to Coronation Street. USA soaps have a reputation for going wild at some point and why shouldn't our favourite soap also let down those long locks and do something different? We will get there, but let us first praise the audition team. Freddie the Shih Tzu is going to steal every scene, just how many dogs did they have to see before he got the gig? Feeling loyalty to Melvyn (who believed in the "Greatness of Alfred") Roy has the flat inspected by the rehoming team and following a mass shopping spree (more items on the shopping list dictated by Evelyn than for a new baby when I stopped counting) Roy is awarded custody of Freddie. And has no idea what he has let himself take on!

Michael is having to do some acting. He phones Rufus and gives his answering machine a piece of his mind for standing him up last night and makes it clear he needs the job in London. I am not impressed by the shouting. Michael decides to cut his losses with Rufus and goes to find Stephen and beg for re-instatement as he no job.

Sarah and Adam have been practicing for about half the night. Oddly Sarah is suddenly interested in Gabriela Hearst, the Uruguayan ex-wife of Uncle Stephen, who is into sustainable fashion.

Stephen is trying to consume a nice quiet breakfast with Elaine at Roy's. He discusses Michael's sudden departure in earshot of Nina who instantly makes him aware of her competence. He dismisses her out of hand (well he is trying to eat a full fry-up). Nina is no shrinking violet and gets her portfolio down - which impresses Elaine if no-one else. Michael arrives and tells him he has decided not to accept Rufus' job offer and can he withdraw his resignation? Stephen is able to confirm that he has appointed a new designer as Nina has already been offered the job - which is a surprise to her! Stephen pirouettes on a pin head implying his earlier comments were merely a test of her attitude and wanting to stick it to Michael for shouting at him last night. Later Uncle Ronnie advises a visit to Rufus and to try and repair the damage of the phone message.

The reformed Damon (I am taking odds on how long it will last) has identified that they are about to build some local blocks for student residences so he convinces Nick and Leanne that a late night licence will enable the students to consume alcohol at all hours rather than trekking into town. Neither Nick or Leanne actually like the idea - both are unsure about Damon and the extra hours - but anything which might make money is welcome at the moment!

Ryan is not going to be released until he has seen the side of his face and Alya is making no progress with his reluctance to face up to it. He reckons he will be celibate for the rest of his life and Crystal has not called - so no Ibiza. He reckons he could become "MC Face Melt". Later Carla swings by the hospital and gives him a pep talk. He is particularly appreciative of Alya's efforts.

Gorgeous George and Glenda are being taken on a high power, all singing, all dancing con with Little Big Shotz as Estelle gets Glenda ready for the first class. Estelle tells Glenda she can walk away if she wants - she simply loses 75% of her up front fee plus other costs of marketing! Anyway the community centre has been booked and the children are coming - and Glenda is testing the facilities! The first free taster session seems to go well - but how many will turn up for regular lessons?

So as I hinted above tonight Corrie went full comic book mode with Stephen the cereal killer oops he had a full fry up - no Great Expectations of any quality here. Michael and Ronnie try to visit Rufus but according to the cleaner he has been found dead in the swimming pool and the police have the house as a possible crime scene. Back in the Rovers they break the news to Stephen that Rufus is dead adding (wrongly) that Michael turned down the job when he saw Rufus last night and if there is anything at the factory Michael would like a job pretty please. Stephen tells PC Tinker that story so Michael was the last person to see Rufus alive and we all know what that means!! Craig interviews Michael who tells him that the story is a lie and now Craig does not know who to believe. Michael then asks Stephen what makes him a good salesman. Stephen launches on a long monologue about how to be good he has to understand the opposition and get the upper hand so that he can win in negotiations. This monologue plays over a flashback of Stephen visiting Rufus, drugging his wine with LSD, pushing him into the pool and then holding Rufus under the water until he drowned. And at the end of it Michael comes away from Underworld with a new job title as Junior Manager!

Many months ago they issued a press release about the resident guide dog and I have missed past outings so thought I would include this shot of the dog passing by in the background! Damon is trying to convince Sarah that a late licence on the Bistro would be a good idea.

Written by Simon Crowther and Owen Lloyd-Fox. Directed by Nickie Lister.

Kosmo

@Kosmo100

All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Sunday, 2 April 2023

Coronation Street Episode Review Friday 31 March 2023

To provide some levity this evening we continue the story of Brian's Italian 8% which he has espoused with an Italian flag in the Kabin window and by later complaining that Roy's ordinary coffee is not really up to the required Italian mark. Roy challenges his taste buds to identify the origin of various coffees and later in Roy's Rolls a taste test is organised for Brian to distinguish between a rich Italian blend and a poor Costa Rican alternative. Mary is responsible for knowing which is which and when Brian waxes lyrical she confirms that he has got it right. However once Brian has departed she admits she was lying and the "best" coffee he chose was from Costa Rica.

Roy, Mary, Rita and Brian gather later for Roy's "dish of the day" - lasagne. Brian suggests that the lasagne could do with more oregano which annoys Roy and Mary has to report that she lied earlier after Rita says that the Italian palaver has got out of hand. Brian beats a hasty retreat, not paying for the meal as he originally offered.

For those of us who watch Emmerdale, another acid throwing event is one too many as regrettably in both cases the victim was not the intended target. Ryan does not want to see his damaged skin and turns down the request initially. Daisy attempts to talk him around but has little success. She crosses paths with Alya and convinces her to go and see Ryan. Michelle cannot come to see her non-son as she herself has had an operation and cannot travel. Alya goes to the hospital and assures him that he is stronger than he thinks and that she will be with him, every step of the way, as she later tells Daisy. Alya later returns to the Rovers and reports to Daisy that she has managed to get Ryan to change his mind and allow her to visit and also to see the damage to his face.

Marco reappears and entices Beth to a session at the Chariot Square Hotel to plan a school reunion. Significant amounts of going back over the names of school friends and events but very little achieved other than the consumption of a couple of bottles of wine. Beth clearly relishes the attention but is unsure as to what Marco is actually after especially when he places his hand on her knee. She later tells Glenda that she has told Marco by text that there will be no further contact as she has realised that Kirk may not offer the appreciation and attentiveness - but what they have is special.

Michael has produced some new designs as he is intending to make contact with the potential US distributors (Owen and Angelique) from whom Stephen withdrew the deal under blackmail pressure from Rufus. Inevitably they tell him that Stephen had withdrawn the deal which confuses Michael (never a difficult task). Michael challenges Stephen over his dropping of the deal and the lying to the factory staff - which leaves Stephen shaking in his boots whilst he thinks about how to answer. He eventually admits that there is a better offer on the table. Michael sees the gap and goes back to Owen and Angelique and gets an improved deal from them to be signed up. Stephen must feel like it is one step forward and two back. Faced with Michael's persistence and excellent deal which has stitched up the Americans, Stephen meets Rufus and offers him a 10% rake-off of the profits on the US deal. Rufus counters with 25% and Stephen is out of his depth, due to the blackmail underpinning the situation and shakes hands on it. Rufus then tells Stephen about the new house he is renting with a mahoosive swimming pool and Stephen's eyes light up.

The wheels rolled along for the Aaron, Amy and Summer triangle with the CPS determining that the lack of positive evidence meant that prosecuting Aaron was unlikely to be successful whilst contents of Amy's phone history could throw an unflattering light on her previous behaviours. Tracy wishes, against the views of the rest of the family, to run a campaign on the basis of the police legitimising rape as "too many people are getting away with it".

I hate to criticise - without the soap airing I would not have a chance to say anything! The Brian story felt it was just running the numbers; on the Amy story there was, in my view, poor exposition confusing the difference between "belief" and "proof"; and in what universe does any boss promise bonuses on an unsigned, undelivered, unpaid contract? I once tried to explain to a salesforce that taking an order was well and good but they got their commission even if the buyer never paid for the goods so perhaps helping convince their customers that on-time payment was worthwhile might be helpful - especially before taking another order! I should be back next week.

Written by Susan Oudot and directed by Ian Bevitt.

Kosmo

@Kosmo100