INTERVIEW- Tina O'Brien: Where do Sarah's loyalties lie?

As we all know, Gary's just been knocked over by a car after Sarah ran into the road, trying to call the police after his revelation that he is indeed a murderer. Even though he did it with good intentions (?), murder's still murder and Sarah attempted to do the right thing by calling the police and nearly got herself killed in the process. I sat down with Tina O'Brien via Zoom to talk about Sarah's sticky situation. 

When Sarah ran into the path of an oncoming car, Gary could've believed in divine intervention and let her die. Instead, he came to her rescue, which has now put Sarah in a difficult position; does she now owe Gary a favour, or do her feelings about her ex run deeper?

"I think she's a bit caught, really", Tina said. "She does actually say to someone, you know, 'he's under my skin', and I think she would be the first person to say that she would never go back to him, you know. I think they had quite a toxic relationship towards the end... the fact that she really did truly love him, I think she feels that she doesn't want to betray him." 

Following Gary's revelation that he will always love Sarah, they share a charged moment later on when he goes to find out from Sarah what she has said to the police, or Adam. Tina said: "I think it’s that feeling of ‘Oh my gosh, I could love you and hate you in equal measures’, if that makes sense because that thing there, you know, it’s like he gets her and I think he presses her buttons but I think he also... she knows that he does care about her and I think she's a bit of a sucker for the fact that she knew how much he loved her, so I think there is that moment that she thinks something could happen, but I think she would say she’s probably relieved that she doesn’t."

With all of this going on, Adam's suspicions are heightened after Sarah very blatantly lies to the police. He already has it in for Gary, but now he starts to think that maybe his wife still has feelings for her ex. 

"It’s a tricky one because I can understand why Adam thinks that Sarah’s got feelings for Gary because, you know, she isn’t being very honest with him and she isn’t behaving as she should really, she should be more open with him. 

"I think she’s got trust issues based on what happened with Callum that she maybe doesn’t want to open herself up, but I do think that she is under no illusion that if she carries this on, she could lose her husband."

Even though Sarah knows that Gary killed Rick, he also knows Sarah's darkest secrets. 

"I think she's incredibly torn because she loves her husband... but she also knows that he is gunning for Gary and he would do anything to see him go to prison and I think she’s worried that if she tells Adam the whole truth, then she’s going to compromise herself as well because she’s never told him about what happened with Callum and she’s kept that a secret" 

Sarah has got some tough decisions to make in upcoming episodes. Will she protect Gary, and will she lose her marriage? 

Sophie Williams

Read some more of my general natterings on Twitter @soph_journo.

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Corrie Comicals week ending 24 January 2020

A rotten week for me: a visit to the doctor, this pc is dying and the credit card has been cloned apparently.  Let us see if we can cheer ourselves up with some of the week's events in Weatherfield.  So starting with Nick (once again displaying his resting bitch face above) may seem a contradiction - whilst he and David have been discussing Shona, David has been busy frying food - without any steam, smoke or fat spitting - was the cooker actually "on"?  Nick merely observes that he is not getting his meat quotient (above) as non-meat sausages are foul!

Quick thinking Abi has saved the day again - dashing from the garage with a fire extinguisher.  So why is she quite so fed up?  Simple - neither Chesney or Gemma could be bothered to thank her - they are all far more worried about the quads.  I have a feeling she got no thanks the last time she saved Jack (I think), hopefully her efforts will be recognised at some point.

At this point the Ty/Fiz household does not know that Hope left the door open when she departed in the night, so when Ty chides Evelyn over being forgetful she points out that she is very security minded and sleeps with a cricket bat under her bed.  Judging by later events I would suggest that a chopping board might be more effective and pretty dangerous in the right hands!

Maria and Gary are proudly waving the baby scan print under everyone's nose - in this case Emma - and Sarah makes the crack about being able to see a loan shark fin (above).  It takes Emma about 3 minutes to catch on to Sarah's meaning!  The timing was superb.

Bethany has just been telling her mother that she is NOT managing the Bistro and that she feels she has dodged a bullet - which Carla above overhears (above) and observes that it would not be the first time in the Rovers - nor in the Bistro where not so long ago Michelle was gunned down on her "wedding day" to Robert courtesy of Pat Phelan.  Even Carla observes that her joke is ever so slightly in bad taste!  Is Carla queen of the Street re-emerging from her chrysalis - please give her something big to do!

Tim demands service in an almost empty Rovers and he gets two barmaids for the price of one as Jenny introduces her new little miracle - Charlie who is working a trial shift but it could become permanent.  Someone somewhere probably counts the number of Rovers' barmaids - so where does Charlie sit in that pantheon I wonder?

There was a nice line from Evelyn about a brew and biscuits.  Earlier today a different version of that was posted by Coronation Street and you can find it here.  There are some other bloopers there as well!

Written by: Jayne Hollinson & Susan Oudot (Monday); Julie Jones & Steven Fay (Wednesday); David Isaac & Joe Turner (Friday)
Directed  by: John Anderson (Monday); Kevin Boyle (Wednesday); Sean Healy (Friday)

Kosmo
@Kosmo100

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

Corrie Comicals week ending 28 June 2019

One thing and another has prevented my regular appearance but I should now be back for a few weeks.  This week I sensed the writers were queuing up the absurdities, starting off with Mrs Longsden-Smith's sad demise in a freak accident at a local crown green bowls tournament - as Mary told Tracy when seeking help.  Mary is sadly hiding a superb ferris wheel in the florist's window!

If I was Gary and had dealt the freak accident which no doubt ended the life of Rick Neelan I am not sure I would be wandering around the deceased's office with no gloves on or taking money from a debtor's father, or leaving money in the safe - after all if Rick has done a runner abroad then he would have emptied the safe to fund his travels.  Not sure Gary has thought this one through.  Oh hang on I spotted the mistake there - we are talking about Gary (although I seriously wish I wasn't).

Come Wednesday we had several outbreaks of "Too Much Information" with Robert complaining he is not the Duracell bunny (although apparently he was rabbit like last night and again this morning) and then Tracy reminds Steve of what happened after they "flossed" the other night - Amy worked out what that was all about!

Gail has asked Sarah why she is attracted to Adam Barlow (a coming together I suggested many moons ago as uniting two of the big families of the Street and I hope it has some longevity!) - they have been doing a lot of flossing as well - and she admits she does find him more attractive - I just wish they would do something about his greasy hair!

Roy has a paean of praise for England's most scenic main line between Carlisle and Settle - the journey went without a hitch and the Ribblehead Viaduct is quite something at any time of year - when he is cut short by Evelyn who wants serving!  Less absurdity - more classic Roy please - what else about the Settle and Carlisle line?

Maria working in "Trim Up North" is going along just fine.  She has usurped the "vibe" by putting on her playlist "Now, That's what I call Tragic, Volume Maria" as David calls it (Ryan says he likes some cheese) and then she comes back with the well crafted line "You nipped out before for a butty and you've came back with a cob on ya!"

Which all entertained me this week.

Writers: Cameron McAllister & Ellen Taylor (Monday); John Kerr & Mark Burt (Wednesday); Ian Kershaw & Simon Crowther (Friday)
Directors: Adrian Bean (Monday); Tim Royle (Wednesday & Friday)

Kosmo
@Kosmo100

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

Coronation Street Episode Review Friday 7 June 2019

A single hour long episode tonight.  We open with Mary decorating the Rovers as we sadly say farewell to Norris Cole tonight.  It was great to see Malcolm Hebden return for his final swan song and they are not ruling out the odd cameo appearance in future but Number 3 is sold and there was a huge gathering in the Rovers before Norris, who has re-united with Freda, left in the inevitable black cab.  He was also reconciled with Mary who has agreed to the necessary divorce but is sad at his departure.  The Rovers was decorated with photo balloons of Norris at various times on the Street and Norris spent the evening wearing the medal he received for assisting with the Manchester Commonwealth Games.  We are also reminded of Norris appearing in 2001 as Eartha Kitt (above - from the Liverpool Echo).  He also "formally" hands over the Kabin to Brian in a little scene where he refers to the need to keep his frontage clean and tidy.

When you enter a syndicate employ a lawyer and get a watertight contract or as Sally finds out your partners can welch on you with Jenny and Sinead deciding that they cannot afford their share of effort minding Heracles or "Tiny" as Tim is calling him!

David has been thrown out of his own house as a result of recent events.  He is told repeatedly that he has to make things up with the family and his first step in this is to see Adam and get a transfer deed drawn up so that ownership of "Trim Up North" is transferred to Audrey to repay some of her losses.  She accepts and later lays down conditions.  David remains in employment but he will have a new boss (above) - Maria - who will look after all financial matters and split her time between the two outlets as Audrey wants nothing to do with it directly.

Sarah manages to run the packing enterprise with Gary dropping hints to the workers that they will re-unite.  However she put Gary's nose out of joint earlier in the week when she had a lunchtime drink with Adam so Gary decides he is going back to the building trade and leaving the factory (I assume he is staying at Izzy's again!).

Chesney and Gemma are back and I am not sure reality has sunk in.  Gemma thinks she can continue to live with Rita - with four tots!  Rita does not want to burst her balloon so Evelyn does it pointing out that Rita's flat really is not family sized.  On the other hand the regulars have a whip round for Gemma and Chesney is standing behind her - although she accepts moving back in with him will not work either.

David gets himself a lawyer when Imran pops his head around the door and offers to represent him at the plea hearing later.  (Nick after all has non-hotshot Paula who failed to keep an innocent woman out of prison).  Imran stepped up to the plate as he had heard David and Adam in discussion earlier and feels he should be represented - but nothing changes and the two brothers plead guilty to their charges.  However this is not the end of the matter - as we know the stories they have told are in conflict, so the judge wishes to hear all of the evidence as it will impact on the potential sentences.  David and Shona (who are back together as a result of the deal with Audrey and above we see David saying that Shona is the most important thing to him - apart from a pint) are advised they need to find Natalie and get her to tell the truth to ensure that Nick gets the greater blame.

And Nick?  Well his problem is Leanne who his fed up with the lying.  He tells her not to attend the court hearing and Shona tells her that Nick is still lying as the stories do not agree.  So Leane packs her bags and is about to leave with Oliver but before she can Nick sits down and tells her how he had seen an opportunity to pay off Elsa, to let the blame fall on Lewis and to have cash left over which David blackmailed him to using.  Leanne is not convinced.  Nick then turns the screws pointing out that Leanne has been a touch naughty in her time burning down a restaurant, stealing from friends when she took the lottery winnings.  Eventually Leanne cracks and admits she does not want to lose him again but has no idea how they will sort out the mess.  They are reconciled (above).

No Corrie Comicals this week.

Written by Martin Allen and Julie Jones.  Directed by Gill Wilkinson

Kosmo
@Kosmo100

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