Coronation Street Blog Advent Calendar 2014 - Day 19

It's time to open door 19 on the Coronation Street advent calendar. When you come in tired after the night shift it's a good idea to check that the person you're jumping into bed with is the one you think it is. Martin Platt's in for a real shock when he wakes up in the morning to find Carmel Finnan next to him.

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What the Platt family needs is a nice Irish nanny

I'm finding the Platts a bit dull at the moment. It feels like the entire clan is in that coma with Nick. It's been far too long since a Platt has been pushed down the stairs or plunged into the canal by a loved one.

I think it's time to spice things up a bit. What David and Kylie clearly need is a mad Irish nanny. I long for Crazy Carmel to make a return visit. Maybe she finally did get pregnant after all and she has an equally deranged daughter who could come back and cause mayhem at number 8? If not the original, there must be another Cusack around somewhere who could step into the drab cardigan and sensible shoes. 

In all seriousness, I'm getting a bit tired of the whole David/Nick/Kylie saga. It's all far too complicated now for me to care. I've forgotten who knows what about this, that and who's had a bit of the other. Nick has given the performance of his life in that hospital bed. Although we the viewer note that he has a newly shaved head which can only mean he'll come round with a scary new personality which makes David look like Julie Andrews. All Leanne does these days is whinge and look moist around the eyes. Simon is so bored of her, he's not had any dialogue since February.

I love Kylie and always will, but the grouchy new mum thing doesn't really suit her. She could do a lot better than either of the Platt Tilsley boys and considering she's a former cage dancer who sold her son to her sister, that's saying something! As for David, well we've all seen his demonic side far too often for it to be a shocker. That evil upwards stare just doesn't cut the mustard anymore. The character appears to be in a continuous cycle of Good David/ Evil David. I'm not sure I can take another twenty years of the same. 


And as for Gail. Well when the truth finally hits the fan, or when everybody knows what everybody already knows, we must prepare ourselves for the grim task of watching much eyelash fluttering and softly spoken Ivy Tilsley like drops of poison. Gosh, if any character needs a reboot, it's Gail.

Back in the days when Gail had hair that flowed past her shoulders we cared about her and supported her feisty battles against Ivy, Audrey or whoever else crossed her path. When she came up against mad Carmel, we were on her side. If Carmel junior appeared on the cobbles today, I worry I'd be backing her all the way. 

I've always loved the dynamic of the Platts. I just feel like we've been here with them too many times before. I know the backbone of soap is the triumvirate of secrets, lies and who's the daddy, but I really do think Gail and her brood need an injection of fresh thinking and different plot lines. And no, that does not mean the return of either Lewis or Marc/Marcia! 

Where am I going with all this? Well, if I was Audrey, I'd read this blog, sell up and run like hell!    


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50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days – 1993

Day 33 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

While training to be a nurse, Martin Platt befriended fellow student nurse Carmel Finnan. She started to babysit for the family and moved in as a lodger. Little did he know that she had become fixated with him. After getting drunk one night he woke up to find her in his bed and she confessed to being in love with him and told him she knew that he loved her too. He denied he felt anything for her and to Gail’s surprise, he threw Carmel out of the house. Carmel confronted Gail and told her that she loved Martin, that Gail was no good for him and that she was p[regnant with his baby. Martin swore to Gail that there was nothing going on between him and Carmel and she believed him until she found out about the night they had spent in bed together and started to have doubts.

In a dramatic climax, Carmel tried to kidnap David Platt. Gail tried to warn her off and ended up pushing her downstairs. She broke her leg and Gail worried that she may have damaged the baby but at the hospital the Platts were told that Carmel wasn’t and never had been pregnant. Carmel’s grandfather turned up to take her back to Ireland and confessed to the Platts that this wasn’t the first time that Carmel had become obsessed with a man.

Lisa Horten and her son Tommy moved in with Des Barnes and they were contemplating moving away from the area to start a new life. Unfortunately Lisa was killed on the Street when she was knocked down by a car and young Tommy was taken in by his grandparents, Jack and Vera. Vera was counting the days to Terry’s release from prison with the expectation of them all living together in domestic bliss. Little did she know that Terry was negotiating with Tommy’s other grandparents, Geoff and Doreen Horten, to sell Tommy to them to be brought up in Blackpool. Jack twigged what was going on and thumped his son before disowning him for breaking his mother’s heart again.

Also in 1993: Jenny Bradley tries to fleece Rita; Liz McDonald leaves Jim to run the Queens; Liz has an affair with Colin Barnes; Fiona Middleton and Maureen Naylor make their first Appearances; Tracy Barlow finds out about Deirdre’s affair with Mike; Don Brennan stalks Denise Osbourne; Steve McDonald beds Vicky Arden; Jim calls Liz a whore; Raquel takes French lessons from Ken; the evil Tanya Pooley starts working at the Rovers.