I have no idea if I am coming or going given recent scheduling changes. Speaking personally I think ITV made a fundamental error. The soap power hour should start at 7pm and if there is something on then it should start at 6:30 with the "sport" / "event" starting at 7:30. We were told it would be consistent - and consistently it is not. Before I start on tonight a word in the ear of management - new stroppy teenagers are an instant turn off (two in one episode) as is an obvious con artist at work in prison. Where is the summer road trip to the caves or a stately home or evidence of community? Poor Cassie despatched to hoof her away around the country and only Fiz cares. And please can we have more of "I Don't Spy" - the game Steve and Lloyd used to play on quiet days of all the things which they could not see - wildebeeste roaming the veldt; the Colossus of Rhodes; the Hanging Gardens of Babylon; the missing episodes of Dr Who and much much more. This is the Street we want.
Stroppy teenager 1 - well almost - Harry is only 10 but looks older (Joshua James Leavy is actually 12 and is already on his second Street stint) and is talked down from his antics by Sarah-Lou from prison. She tells him to be good for Kit (why should he given the two of them have "split up"?). Sarah explains to Kacey that she and Kit have split and yet Kacey seems to know just who Kit is and also scares the bejasus out of Bethany when she pops by to visit in the afternoon - sitting in the visiting area without a visitor would scare me too. Sarah believes Kacey is alright after she dealt with Kirsten who had told Sarah never to go to the canteen again. Sarah - favours have to be repaid in prison, it is a soapy trope.
Stroppy teenager 2 - Lucy Parkinson (who is 15) [played by Anya Dewin (18 or 19)], commences the programme with a "blood curdling" scream according to the sub titles. She then dominates the rest of the programme, stomping upstairs and slamming doors, storming out of the house, completely blanking Lily Platt who was trying to talk to her, then chasing her and fighting only for Jodie to break it up. Somehow Lucy manages to inflict grievous wounds on Jodie which look like she used a garden rake. I am not surprised her mother was at the end of her tether with a missing husband and a child like this. Lucy has a story for Tim and Sally - her mother was mad and waving a knife around and she would have killed him had he not picked up a doorstop and used it to defend himself - he has done nothing wrong and she claims she has told the police this story repeatedly. {Across in Emmerdale Charity is taking the rap for Sarah's accidental killing of Dr Todd. Odd how similar stories turn up in different soaps at the same time.}
Brian arranges a meeting of local traders and after reminiscences about WARTS (Weatherfield Association of Retail Traders and their legendary Christmas Dos) Idris who is waiter of the day at Speed Dahl treats them to a free mixed platter of starters. Kirk is pretending to be Carla who was elswhere, Rita was allowed a few words and no-one is quite sure what they plan to achieve. Hopefully it will be fun and entertaining for the viewers. Leanne points out that free starters means no desserts but Idris is still hoping to buy Alya's share. Brian wants it to be a muscular, nimble body and Tracy is always looking for one of those before she has a pop at Dev for flogging cheap flowers under her nose. Idris wins - future quarterly meetings will be held at Speed Dahl after praise for the rice pudding. Idris then attempts to try his luck with Alya by offering £35k for her half share which is worth £50k. She will think about it.
Tim lies to Lucy about him and Sally having given Richie his marching orders and sending him back to his wife which led to her subsequent death and denying that they knew Richie was at odds with Lucy's mother. Meanwhile I think the girls are due back from Spain any minute now so the house will be pretty full.
In other news between the tram stop and Sainsburys is a "Weatherfield Pop Up" store which was new to me and apologies if you already knew about it, neither shop sent anyone to the traders' meeting. My apologies for the poor screen grabs this week. Somehow the technology is not behaving - I can only blame the weather., the PC, the idiot user, the continuing inability of ITVX to provide a competent service and gremlins in the machine. I will revert to old technology next week (if of course there is anything worth reporting).
Written by Chris Fewtrell and directed by Neil Alderton.
Kosmo
