It was the morning after the night before as Maxine crept out of number 7 after her dalliance with Curly. He was chuffed at their rendezvous - as he should be - but she tried to put it behind her. Much as one would try to forget a horrible car crash or a bout of pneumonia. Curly went to the coach station to start his travels and his departure meant both Maxine and Maureen could breathe a sigh of relief. Maureen confessed to Bill about her Christmas Day dalliance. He was horrified, but as Curly had gone off round the world it didn't matter. Until Curly returned to the Street, having changed his mind. He'd got as far as Stockport then chickened out. Maureen and Maxine were horrified, although Fiona found it hysterical. Also horrified was Samantha, who'd agreed to rent his house. He suggested she stay on as a lodger but she informed him she had a tenancy agreement so he would have to be the one who found a new home. Jack and Vera worried that the Child Support Agency would find Terry and tell him he had another child on the way, giving him an opportunity to cash in like he had with Tommy. Liz went to the prison to see Fraser because she was worried about Steve's lack of communication. He warned her that he had fallen in with Malcolm Fox, the guy who'd sold Steve the dodgy whisky in the first place, and was being influenced by him. Mike held a New Year's soiree with Martin and Gail and amidst a rant about communism and women who get pregnant by accident he took the opportunity to lay into Don. Martin told him about Don's suicide attempt, but rather than being chastened, Mike called him a loser. Alma was upset by how cold and harsh he was.
TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 3rd and 5th January 1997
Anne turned up at Firman's for her first day as Acting Manager and was shocked to find Curly sat in her office. She was furious with him for taking the job she thought was hers, and embarrassed because she'd made a pass at him, and when Curly said he'd forget about it she became angry. Which made it doubly awkward when Andy invited him to stay with them while he tried to negotiate with Samantha to get number 7 back. Alma received a letter from Don, posted the day he tried to kill himself and blaming everything that ever went wrong in his life on Mike Baldwin. He seems to have forgotten that he wrecked his marriage to Ivy by sleeping with another woman and lost his leg in a previous suicide attempt and neither of those were much to do with Mike but there you go. Alma showed Mike the letter and he found it amusing. She confronted him over his lack of sensitivity and he brought up her crush on Stephen which is apparently still a thing. He's an awful drip Alma, stop it. She went and saw Don but he told her she was complicit in his downfall by being Mrs Baldwin because he's an awful, awful man. She returned to Mike and told him that it wasn't Stephen coming between them, it was his nasty behaviour. Fiona hired Bill and Jim to revamp the salon. Bill told Jim about Maureen's dalliance with Curly, and because he's a very bitter man, Jim told him that now he knew what kind of woman she was. Tricia was unwilling to move out of the Rovers - and Vera wasn't keen for her to go - but Jack wanted his home back, and Judy fretted that now Samantha was next door she'd make a play for Gary. Fat chance.
WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 6th and 8th January 1997
Who's this poking her head round the door at Baldwin's Sportswear? It's only Janice Battersby in her first appearance, already complaining about her husband. She's initially credited as Janice Lee, until the producers decided Battersby was a much funnier name and decided to change it when she became full-time. Stephen arrived from Canada in time to hear an angry message on the company answerphone calling Mike a thieving scumbag. He was further concerned when he saw Don and Mike arguing in the Street. The bad news piled on for Don as he was fined and banned from driving. Jack helped him out by buying his share of Betty's Hot Shot off him. He also swiped a pair of new glasses from a charity box on the bar, but when Emily found out, she kicked up a fuss. Vera made him give them back then stamped on his old pair which seemed a bit over the top. Ken got a date for his custody hearing for Daniel but he lost all his witnesses - Denise's sister refused to testify, and Fiona dropped out because she'd feel disloyal after Denise sold her the salon for a bargain price. Worse, Deirdre told Emily she would rather Daniel wasn't around, because that would make her relationship with Ken a lot simpler. Anne told Andy about making a pass at Curly and he was surprised to find he didn't really care.
THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 10th and 12th January 1997
Seeing the date of this episode gave me a cold chill because on the 12th January 1997 I was cleaning vomit off the carpet of my student house while enduring the worst hangover I've ever had in my life. Some days you never forget. Meanwhile, in Weatherfield, Vera went round to see Tricia and was shocked to find how cold it was. This was mainly because she'd turned the heating off, but it worked, and Vera insisted that they move into the Rovers permanently. Jack warned her not to get too attached as one day Tricia would find a new fella. Andy told Curly he could stay in the house as long as he wanted, which surprised him, but not as much as when Andy listed all Anne's petty behaviours and domineering personalities. He'd had enough, and moved out, leaving Curly trapped with her. Stephen was so disturbed by Mike and Don's feud he cancelled his contract with them, which seems like a ridiculous overreaction to me. Mike accused him of pulling out because of Alma which made things even worse. He realised he might be about to lose everything. Denise returned with Daniel for a visit. She suggested an out-of-court settlement to end the whole process, but Ken was determined to go for custody, and decided to go for his day in front of a judge.
FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 13th and 15th January 1997
After being a total drip in every appearance so far, Stephen suddenly turned into a ruthless scumbag. Alma tried to appeal to his better instinct, only for him to turn round and imply that he could have her any time he wanted because she loved a devil, and there was no chance of him restoring the deal. She left with her tail between her legs and both Mike and Audrey were displeased. With Andy gone, Anne asked Curly to stay to help her pay the mortgage, and gave him a rent book. He was understandably creeped out. Bill was unhappy to learn that Curly seemed to have broken up another relationship, but he made a move to make things up with Maureen, only for her to admit that the guilt over what she did would always be with her. Yeah, if I slept with Curly, I'd never be able to get past it either. Bill suggested they start again. Fiona, goaded by Maxine, began to suspect Alan was married and that was why he kept cancelling on her. They went out for a meal where she tried to confront him but he was distracted the whole time. She realised why when he suddenly burst into action with a sting operation - it seemed she was second best to his career in Her Majesty's Constabulary, and she'd have to learn to live with that.
When Janice made her first appearance, a cold chill ran down my spine, as I got a premonition of things to come. Tell me I'm wrong on Twitter @merseytart.
Classic Corrie is on ITV3 every afternoon and is also on the ITV Hub.
