I was 19 Episodes Behind On Corrie! : What Have I Missed?

A new year is always a welcome new start, and as I write this, I'm starting the new year and still catching up on Corrie. At one point last November, I was 19 episodes behind. I haven't written for this blog for months, so I am writing to update you on where I am in the Corrie fandom and my thoughts on the latest storylines.  

In October 2024, I was in the middle of some work exams alongside an unexpected work award nomination. Being autistic, I can seldom concentrate on anything, never mind more than one thing at once, so Corrie took a backseat whilst revision came to the fore. Rather like a studious Sam Blakeman or Roy Cropper (more likely, a character with abundant autism traits), I became bookish, gave up on X, and took a black cab out of Weatherfield for a bit. Once exams were over (distinction!!!) I won the award!!! (ceremony in Bristol - a beautiful city), I got back onto ITV X to realise I was weeks, and one point, over a month behind, on my favourite TV show with some serious catching up to do. With nearly three hours of Corrie a week, it left me with a ginormous task. Like I said, I'm autistic, and Corrie is my 'special interest', so I had to catch up. But, as November began and I got into a few episodes, I noticed a definite shift in storylines, character arcs, and a clear criminal motif.

What Am I Watching - What's Going On? ''Crimenation Street'' could be the new name for the show, and alongside a good drop of Hollyoaks, the youngster issues-based storylines tinged with oodles of Kit crime capers (it's a tall order, the long arm of the law - the jokes write themselves) have gone into orbit. Admittedly, I am a fan of police procedurals, and ITV do some brilliant true crime dramas, but it's not what I watch Corrie for!

So, Where Do We Begin? Joel's strung-out murder, the whodunnit, Bethany's botched lipo, Daisy's joyride, David's money laundering, Betsy's factory heist, Mason's dodgy brother's - and that's just from the top of my head. Tracy's part-time return is more criminal than that, as is Toyah stealing Nick from Leanne and Les Battersby's death. Why weren't more legacy characters at the 'wake'? A guest appearance from Curly Watts would have gone down a treat. Don't even get me started on (spoiler alert) Debbie Webster's upcoming Dementia battle. I'm old enough to remember Mike Baldwin's Alzheimer's, and it's a grim subject. During Paul's MND demise, I used the fast-forward button, which was a first for me. I haven't forgotten Gail's departure either; however, going off previous years of her non-storylines, that was a foregone conclusion (same said for Eileen). With online gossip about cost cuts, diminishing viewing figures, and Corrie fans' dismay at the recent output, is this new producer about to enact a Brian Park-style cast cull in Weatherfield? 

What's Next For Me? I still love Corrie, and regardless of the crime shenanigans, blackmail, car theft, criminal damage, child illnesses, stabbings and murder, the writing and acting remain top-drawer. Like Roy Cropper's love of trains, Bats, or classical music, my Corrie fandom is unwavering and will never leave Weatherfield for good. That said, with the new producer promising 'shock exits', I'm just hoping Roy Cropper won't be one of them—now THAT would be criminal!! 

I'm now eight episodes behind and not far off Christmas Day 2024. Is three hours of drama a week the actual issue?

New Year is always a welcome new start, and with a new producer at the helm, I'm hoping some positive changes are afoot, ones that take "Crimenation Street" back to the Coronation Street we all know and love. What worries me is that Debbie's death ( the epitome of a classic legacy character) is a harbinger of what's to come. I hope not.

Let me know your thoughts @rybazoxo on X

Happy New Year Coronation Blog, Corrie Cast & Crew, and all who follow the show! 

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Coronation Street Episode Review;Wednesday 27th of April 8 pm

I will start tonight's review with an apology. For the past few weeks, I have slated the Sally, Tim, and Elaine storyline down as some kind of 'carry on' smut fest full of double entendres and role-playing sauciness. A tad overboard, when in my 40th year, Tim's impotence may form some relevance for me, as I hurtle towards middle age! In tonight's episode, Sally presses Tim to seek medical attention, and like all us men, he seems to be delaying the inevitable but promises Sally he will book himself in with Dr Gaddas. Seeking advice from Dev, who seems to have binned Bernie, and is now on Tinder, may not have been the best idea, so he cancels it. Now that Elaine has gone home, I think we will see this story grow more, in scope, and in-depth. I shall look forward to that. 

George and Eileen are like a breath of fresh air! and I’ll fly my fan flag for these two, all day. The comedic element is back in Corrie, and with Todd included - these three are a treat. Tonight, and with his snoring issue out in the open, George has had a successful sleepover at N0.11 with a happy Eileen, Todd, and even Mary, all getting a good night's kip. Later on, George is seen dozing off in his hearse. It transpires that he’s stayed awake all night, to hide his indiscretion. It is funny and so very sweet. Todd had some belting one-liners tonight, and I’d rather see his character involved in this kind of caper, than being in Billy's exes group, supporting Summer. 

As the son of drug dealer Callum, and killer Kylie, adopted son of David (and not forgetting auntie Becky) it's hardly surprising that Max is such a trouble-causing menace. What with Amy's spiking, and Nicky's outing added to his charge sheet, it's no wonder Daniel is riled at his young nemesis. It's been a strong Corrie thread in 2022, and tonight Amy finally finds out the truth about the night of her drug collapse. Amy's passion for young women's issues is already well known and has been portrayed brilliantly by the young actress. Although it did have a dash of ‘Hollyoaks’ about it, you cannot fault Corrie for thrusting such modern issues in front of us viewers, with intelligence and accountability, as opposed to soapy sensationalism, or tabloid titillation. It's all very commendable, and as a 40-year-old, I do feel educated and more enlightened about the younger generation's cultural issues.

Putting Amy’s bae in a job at the factory tonight is also quite inspired when it comes to drama. I'd imagine Mike Baldwin would have baulked at 'Underworld’s latest staffing levels, but it keeps the houses of Barlow and Platt embroiled and at the forefront of current stories. All good stuff. Talking of which, it was great to see factory boss Carla out for dinner with Peter. It’s been so long since we saw these two on-screen together!! Without a doubt my favourite couple on the show, I enjoyed the Bistro scene, and seeing Peter get rankled by Nick was a nice nod to their shared past. Simon Barlow, however, seems to have a shorter memory. How many second chances has young Si, had? You'd think he would get on with Jacob as they used to. Kelly had a bit of point, and certainly knows what it’s like to face such scrutiny. Maybe they could recruit Max Turner, and start some sort of former bad boy support group? Daniel may be an Osbourne, but being part Barlow, he should know that the truth will always come out. Confronted with the wrath of Tracy and Steve, Daniel has now made enemies of his own family and half the street.

Twitter and the soap mags have been throwing online speculation out about Toyah’s real intentions for marrying Imran, and it may seem obvious, yet, I'm still unsure if she is out for revenge? Tonight, she tells Leanne all about the latest developments, and with Alfie due out of the hospital, Toyah seems keen on forging ahead with the adoption. Toyah has a heart of gold and is often the level-headed one amongst Corrie residents, but could Imran have finally broken her counsellor spirit? Leanne’s wise words of warning seem to come as a genuine shock to Toyah, and she retaliates by banning her sister from the proceedings. We can only wait and see.  

Families at war, revelations, lies uncovered, comedy, and true-to-life issues. That, my Corrie blog friends, was a superb hour of our favourite drama. 

What did you think? 

PS - I am on the Corrie Tour this weekend visiting the set. It’s my first visit since 2019, so keep an eye out for my review on that.  I am @rybazoxo your self-styled 'cobbles connoisseur'

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Coronation Street Episode Review; Wednesday 14th of July 7.30 & 8.30 pm

£96K raised for Oliver’s charity, £7K for a funeral, £7K for a hostel heat pump, and Jenny’s bought a pub in a global recession! I'm no math’s genius, nor do I profess to understand microeconomics, but I reckon Weatherfield is rich pickings these days. Do they have a magic money tree growing on the Red Rec? With this much cash flowing around, you'd think Todd would have better ideas (steal from Steve, perhaps) than robbing his archdeacon fiance’s heat pump (yes, really) to shut up that irksome youth, Will. A blackmail plot from the Kipling kid - I've seen it all now!

Tonight, and in typical Todd style, the master criminal (!) decides to break into Ed's yard, a stone's throw from his own home, to steal the heat pump. The heat pump (what is a heat pump?) bought by his fiance, which was delivered there accidentally (I bet it was Hermes) instead of being delivered directly to the Hostel. Todd then dupes Ed into leaving the yard and breaks in to steal the coveted hostel treasure! Without a vehicle, Grimshaw ‘borrows’ his boss’ funeral parlour private hearse to steal it instead. With Ed returning unexpectedly, Todd’s brazen daylight robbery is nearly sussed, but he manages to steal what’s needed, albeit with a corpse in tow. Oh the hilarity (!) I like Eileen and George working together though, so hopefully, these two do have a future. Also, noticed a guest appearance from Billy’s Bishop circa 2015 (courtesy of @denlives) playing funeral customer, Mr Middleton. Coincidental, or is he related to Steve’s ex (and Emma’s Mum), Fiona, perhaps? After the heist, Todd meets Will in the Corrie crime alley and makes subtle threats.

With Paul being away from the yard due to unpaid wages, the casual labourer could also have the means to steal the heat pump. After Ed's suspicions are aired, a drunken Paul is taken to the station by PC 'Tinks' Tinker. It's all very The Bill and not at all arresting. And don't get me started on this new Emma / Steve nude calendar story strand. I guess Curtis has genuine intentions and all, but the poor girl had to virtually proposition her father to take part! Steve is now ‘Mr December’, which is not a sentence I ever thought I’d write. Dev reminding us viewers of his last nude outing only serves as a foreshadowing of what's to come, I imagine. 

Following her date, Fiz is reluctant to tell the factory girls all about her night out, nor the journalist' proposition. Instead, she seeks advice from Maria, who pushes her into publishing Tyrone’s affair. Isn't it good to see the girls at their underworld sewing machines again? I thought they’d turned it into a sales hub! Is it a temporary, or a promising production shift? Either way, I'm enjoying seeing our Dirk back in the background!. Later, Fiz spills the beans to the journo, so sure this will be the Weatherfield Gazette’s next front page - now that James has come out! 

Todd has got himself in a right pickle tonight, hasn't he? Maybe he should go to Blackpool to see his pal at Madame Tussauds. I've heard they've got some good Coronation Street waxworks...

Elsewhere in Wednesday night’s Corrie; Alya and Ryan’s break-up looks permanent, as Daisy continues to twist the knife. With Gail away in Thailand, former wild-child David Platt has taken up baking! 

A mixed bag of episodes tonight, I thought. What did you think? 

@rybazoxo  your cobbles connoisseur 

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Todd Grimshaw and his shenanigans

 

In my book, at the moment, Todd Grimshaw is the best thing about Coronation Street. If ever there was an enjoyable villain, Todd is the one. Admittedly, it took a while after his initial arrival and a strange, ‘didn’t quite work’ storyline about some weirdly unconvincing gangsters, for him to find his feet. Now though, he is fully integrated into the street. He has his mum. Eileen is fully aware of her son’s faults, but he is her son so she will always stand by him.  He did have his job until the sacking last night. Might Eileen be able to fix that? And finally, and most importantly, he has Billy back. After all his manoeuvrings, machinations and manipulations he has succeeded in his objective – to restart his relationship with Billy.

We knew from early on in his return that his target was Billy, but there was one major problem, namely, Paul, Billy’s live-in boyfriend. However, to Todd, yes, of course it was an obstruction, but one that he could deal with and deal with it he did. And what’s more, we were able to witness every detail of Todd’s plan. How fascinating it was too, as he worked his way back into Billy’s affections. That is not to say that Todd’s methods were in any way worthy of praise.

In actual fact, they were downright dodgy. It pains me to say it, but Todd’s moral compass is defunct. In his efforts to secure his way back into Billy’s affections he had to remove Paul. One ruse of Todd’s was to employ teenager Will. Will succeeded in manipulating Paul’s emotions. Paul, soft-hearted and desperate to help a person with an allegedly violent step-dad, (this last bit being untrue) Paul crossed the line and defied the rule of the charity for which he was working. Paul met up with Will, annoying Billy who had warned him against such an unwise act.

Gradually, Billy and Paul’s relationship was worn down. Their unsuitability was highlighted by Paul’s behaviour and his jealousy of Todd. It transpired too that Billy was still in love with Todd and that he had been kidding himself. So, Billy and Todd are back together and who didn’t have just a momentary feeling of pathos for Paul as he looked up to the window of his former home, just as Todd was drawing the curtains for an evening in the company of Todd and Summer. However, bad deeds cannot go unpunished and a chill wind will surely be blowing Todd’s way before too long.

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