The Invisible Man

There's been a flurry of Corrie actors taking time off from the show so they can do theatre.  Roy and Sophie and Les Dennis (still can't get used to calling him Michael, sorry) will all swap the cobbles for the boards in 2016.  The one that really shocked me was Oliver Farnworth, who plays Andy, because basically, I'd forgotten he was still in the show.

Andy arrived with great fanfare in 2014, though of course, he was Gavin then.  Les Dennis had a long-lost son and, after much scouring of the internet and interrogation of elderly relatives, he discovered that Gavin lived in an apartment building in the city.  Les shoved a note under the door and, sure enough, a few days later his handsome progeny was on the doorstep.

In retrospect, that should have been a giveaway; with all the will in the world it's hard to imagine Oliver Farnworth sharing DNA with Les Dennis.  Still, we went with it, and after a fishing trip together, "Gavin" asked dad for some money to pay the rent.  We, the viewers, were then let into a little secret: Gavin was actually Andy.

"Oh!" we all thought.  "Now it's clear!  He's a conman!"  Except things went peculiar around that point.  Les Dennis developed a heart condition - I mean the character did, the actor's health is fine as far as I can tell, but I've already forgotten what his name in the programme is - and Andy/Gavin developed a conscience and started caring about his fake dad.  He stopped asking him for money, and started going with him to the hospital.  It all became a bit odd.

Further oddness followed when Andy/Gavin got a job at the Bistro as a cocktail waiter.  The thing is, it had been established that Gavin was an experienced barman - Les Dennis had visited his former place of employment in the city - so did that mean Andy was lying on his CV?  Was Andy a proper barman as well?  It started to get muddled, and at this point I began to think that the writers wished they'd never started the whole charade in the first place.  A simple long-con by a dodgy geezer had become a perfectly nice man deciding to assume his friends' identity because... he thought it would be funny?  To make Les Dennis feel better?  It all became confusing.

Gavin's return - the real Gavin - ramped it up into farce levels.  Not a good farce, like early Frasier, but a slightly over-frenetic, desperate farce, like later Frasier.  Gavin turned out to be a wrong 'un, tried to blackmail Andy, threatened Gail on her latest wedding day, and then vanished with a load of cash.  He then died in a car crash, conveniently; I suspect at this point the writers hoped they could just pretend Andy was Les Dennis' son until the end of time, but no, we had the reveal still to come.

Somewhere along the line, Steph had been dragged into his web of deceit, and became his unwilling accomplice and then, his very willing girlfriend.  Steph is bubbly, fun, and a joy whenever she's on screen, which makes up for some of Andy's deficiencies.  He is astonishingly good looking (we're still waiting for that topless scene, producers) but he's not got much character at all.  Andy seems like a thoroughly nice man, which is acceptable, but doesn't really make for good drama.  It also seems to directly contradict all that "pretending you're an elderly man's long lost son" business as well.

So it was revealed that Gavin was actually Andrew Carver, and I had a moment of giddiness because that's the name of the rapey pop star in the underappreciated movie classic Showgirls.  Les Dennis felt betrayed and split up from Gail.  There were a few episodes of angst.  And then... nothing.  Everyone just got on with their lives.  Les Dennis forgave Andy to the extent that he actually moved in with him.  Nick refused to sack him from the Bistro even though he'd obtained the job under false credentials and Andy had directly caused Nick's mother to have her shortest marriage yet (quite an achievement for Gail).  Everyone carried on.

There were a couple of moments where Andy popped up again - he was there on a night out with Steph, Kate and Sophie, though I sort of imagine he was just there to hold the girls' handbags while they went dancing, and he had a brief moment of alpha male punchiness when Steph's ex blackmailed her - but most of the time he's just been behind the bar in the Bistro, aiming his puppy dog eyes at the camera.

I'm sad to see Roy taking time off, because I love him when he's onscreen, but it's tempered with satisfaction that he'll be back.  Andy though?  If he'd just vanished, would we have noticed?  Perhaps, while he's away at the Royal Court, the writers will find a personality for him hidden somewhere.  Or at least persuade him to go shirtless.  Either way I'd be a lot happier.

@Merseytart


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Tracy's Revenge - burning issues

So there we have it. Kal is no more and it's not looking good for Maddie. Following the slowest rescue in history, Carla, Amy and Leanne survive to fight another day on the cobbles. Who knows what happened to all the other Victoria Court residents, and who cares? 

We are now left with the fallout from an eventful few days on Coronation Street. Old rivalries start to re-emerge, cracks appear in once strong relationships, and a tangled web of lies dominates the Street. Zeedan is left heartbroken at the loss of his dad Kal, making orphans of him and his sister Alya. But a surprising relationship will emerge out of the fire, as Zeedan and Leanne strike up a friendship, which comes about as Leanne struggles with Simon's behaviour. The upcoming domestic abuse storyline involving Leanne and Simon has been well publicised but Zeedan's involvement in helping her through her ordeal is a surprising twist, although the Coronation Street blog understands it will go no further than friendship.

With Maddie now in a serious condition in hospital, Jenny is hoping her actions this week will remain a secret. But what of baby Tom, and her plan to run away with Jack? The lies and revelations of her dead child will continue for a while longer, but will Maddie ever be able to warn Kevin and Sophie before it's too late? A voicemail left on Sophie's phone amid all the panic might just give the game away. I asked actress Sally Ann Matthews how she felt about the character descending into what can only be described as 'madness', and how that might affect the longevity of her character. She said she didn't really acknowledge that Jenny wasn't 'normal' at first:

"When I got the scripts I didn't really think about her being mad, or abnormal, and I don't think when she came back on the Street she was. I just took the scripts and played them the best way I could as the story progressed, without thinking about whether she was mad or not. But now we all see she definitely has issues and we'll see all that come out.'

"I don't believe that she's planned any of this. Jenny was very reluctant to look after Jack, you have to remember that."

Producer Stuart Blackburn told the blog that the resulting storyline following Maddie's accident and Jenny's deception will lead to a 'coming of age' period for Sophie Wesbter, as she and her family come to terms with the aftermath of the fire. 

As Tracy tries to cover her tracks and ensure the blame for the fire stays at Carla's charred door, the lies and deceit spread throughout the street. But some lies have now been, or are about the be exposed. Tony has gone AWOL but will return to face the wrath of Liz and fight for control of the Rovers. Gavin's secret is still to be revealed, and with the whole family implicated, the Platt household is set for a bumpy ride, even more so now we've seen that Kylie is back. The custody battle for Max will continue, but who will side with who? There's some sad news for Nick too, as Erika loses the baby.

During all of this drama, we'll lose some cast members and gain a few, and we'll say a final goodbye to a much loved character. It's going to be emotional!

@StevieDawson 

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Andy's shock secret set to be exposed

 

Next week on Coronation Street, a shock secret is set to be exposed.  Well, when I say it's a secret, we all know about it, but the characters involved don't. Not yet, any way.


Inside Soap magazine reveal that David will find out that Gavin's not Gavin, he's Andy after all.  David will notice Gail start to act weird (well, more weird than usual) and when Sophie mentions to David that Gail keeps popping into the shop to buy flowers, David gets suspicious. 

He follows his mum the next time she pops into Dev's shop for a bouquet and strolls off behind her, wondering where she goes. Gail heads to the cemetery and lays the flowers on the real Gavin's grave.

Staggered by the discovery, David will challenge Gail and she is mortified when she realises the secret is out in the open.

What will David do with the information, I wonder? And how much longer can Gail keep the truth from Michael?

Glenda Young
Flaming Nora Blog / Twitter 

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Deception Street

(Reposted from State of the Street with permission)

What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

Yep. That pretty much sums up the mess that Andy Carver's in. He was unemployed, skint and a bit lonely. His flatmate and childhood friend, Gavin Rodwell had dumped his own fiance,  stolen Andy's girlfriend and gone traveling. The bills were mounting up. He and Gavin had often competed to see whose dad was more rubbish and Gavin usually won through force of personality if nothing else. When a reconciliation letter popped through the letterbox one day, addressed to Gavin and from his father, Michael, Andy was intrigued.  He thought he'd meet the man, pretend to be Gavin, and find out of all the stories were true.

While he was in a sticky spot financially, he wasn't intending to rip off Michael for any major cash though thought he might cadge a tenner or two or a free pint. He didn't intend to be pulled in by Michael's sincerity and pleasure at finally getting a chance to make things up with his son, the lad he'd left behind when he walked out on his wife all those years ago. He felt sympathy with Michael's regrets and his genetic heart condition that had spurred on his quest to find his son. He didn't intend for the pretense to go very far. But Andy found himself drawn to the man and liking him quite a bit. He got slotted into a much-needed job in the Bistro even though he really had no experience (the real Gavin did). He even got a great new girlfriend, Steph.

The longer the guise went on, the harder it was to reveal the truth. We found out pretty early that "Gavin" was not "Gavin" but Andy and that Andy felt guilty about the situation. It was a couple of months before Steph found out the truth but though she insisted he come clean, it turned out that was impossible.

He nearly did it, he went to see Michael and was going to confess, but Steph stopped him before he could, because Michael's medical condition had worsened and the shock could kill him. Oh great. What next? Andy's former girlfriend shows up but he managed to wiggle out of that one by staging a row with Steph over it. Even after Michael's heart operation, the truth had to stay in the closet until the results were determined and those results weren't very good. Michael now needs a heart transplant.  All stress had to be avoided.

The mire got deeper. The web got more tangled. Michael and Gail were getting married and Andy would be best man. By now, he was growing to love Michael and the new family Michael had gathered, the Platts. They may have their crises and they certainly have their faults, but they were a strong little family unit, more of a family than Andy had had before and they all pulled together when it mattered. As wrong as it would be to continue the... let's face it...identity theft and fraud, maybe, just maybe he could get away it it until Michael's health was better.

But wait! Wouldn't you know it? The real Gavin Rodwell finally shows up, just as we all knew he would someday. Perfect timing, too, on the eve of Gail and Michael's wedding. And he proved himself to be a bit of a wrong'un, also as we all thought he would be. He had to be, to contrast with the lovely Andy who, fraud and impersonation aside, is a very nice guy.

Gavin wasn't very happy with what his mate has done and you can't blame him for that. But rather than immediately reveal the truth to all and sundry, with probable dire consequences for Michael's health (which wouldn't have bothered Gavin) or go to the police, he decides to blackmail Andy. Pay up and I'll shut up. Since Andy couldn't raise all the money, Gavin shows up on Gail's doorstep on her wedding day and now she knows the truth. To save Michael from the shock, she paid Gavin off the remainder but missed her wedding because of it. 

Except Karma is a bitch. And the next layer of the onion/storyline is revealed when Gavin died suddenly, very shortly after Gail passed over the cash. Too bad it wasn't a cheque, he likely wouldn't have had time to cash it!  It first appeared to be a drink driving car crash but, no, it was actually a heart attack. Remember the genetic heart condition?  That was the other reason he needed to get hold of his son, so that he could be tested. Andy did tell Gavin this and so did Gail but Gavin either didn't believe him or hadn't had the chance to get checked out before it was too late. Irony, thy name is Rodwell.

I have been loving this storyline. I always loved Gail's family (always the Platts to me no matter what her last name-du-jour is). I like Michael a lot, as well. Some people find him weak and soppy and pathetic. I know he's not a strong man, but Corrie men rarely are. Michael Rodwell is a kind and sweet man. He is emotional and generous and he's got a lot of regrets in his life. I think he's a really good match for Gail who deserves a good man after all the cads she's been with.  They're going to get married and I really hope she's not going to be a widow again. With Michael's dicky ticker, it's a distinct possibility. It's getting to be utterly absurd that almost every man she's ever married has died.

I love how this storyline has unfolded in layers and twists. The first one was the surprise that Gavin wasn't really Gavin. The viewer then knew for a couple of months before the truth was revealed to Steph and we watched Andy become more and more involved and more and more uncomfortable in various situations. The actor playing RealGavin was superb, too. He really projected Gavin's anger and bitterness believably and was far more believable as a villainous character than Callum, a drug dealer who should be equally scary in his own way but isn't. (Though I do like his touch of the occasional sniff, as if to imply he's got a cocaine habit, but nope, still not scary.)

This most recent twist, with Gavin dying of the same heart condition that Michael has is brilliant as the plot device to move this to the next phase. Little by little, more people will find out who Andy is and Michael will probably be the last to know. Whether the shock is going to kill him or not remains to be seen.  He'll be devastated, not only to find out the truth but that his loved ones didn't tell him, even if it was for his health. (don't click here if you don't want to know who finds out next).

The last storyline that had this many twists and turns was the John Stape/Colin Fishwick saga which was funny and dark and ludicrous at times but very enjoyable. I don't know how this will end. Will the shock of it all kill Michael? Will he get a transplant before he finds out? What about Andy? Will the reveal mean he's going to leave us? I hope not. I like he and Steph together but he's sure gonna have a lot of 'splaining to do.


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The chickens can stay

I'm feeling a bit "meh" about Coronation Street at the moment. There are some good bits and some not so good bits, yet nothing truly awful. I'm in the midst of a Corrie conundrum. 

I'll kick off with what I'm enjoying at the moment. Strangely, I'm beginning to quite like Steve and Michelle together. Steve has always been a favourite, Michelle less so. However her unflinching support now his depression is out in the open has been pleasing to see. I actually have less of a problem imagining them walking down the aisle now. Having said that, I stand by my original comments that it would be more truthful to the depression storyline had we seen more of Steve interacting with his counsellor. A bit like Tim's reading difficulties, this side of things has been badly handled.

I've also thoroughly enjoyed the ongoing Kevin/Jenny/Rita story. I hope we will see more of this soon. There's always a risk attached to bringing back characters from another era however Jenny has slotted back in beautifully and I really don't want her to leave again. I hope her story is not cut and dried - I like elements of her ginger minx character but I think it's time for some more layers. 

I was dubious about Faye's pregnancy storyline but the young actress Ellie Leach has put in some superb performances so far. I hope it doesn't end up going over old ground however as Sarah and Bethany will shortly be back with us it would be absurd for them not to share scenes and experience. I've also loved Craig's involvement in this story. Colson Smith is a great actor and has come on leaps and bounds. Craig has been a loyal and supportive friend to Faye and it's heartening to see a younger character with those qualities. 

It has been a joy to see more of Emily too. I have liked her interactions with Billy the vicar and it's good to see her doing something that doesn't just involve making up the numbers with Rita and Norris. I fear that sometimes the character of Emily is treated as nothing more than a walk on part but given the right material Eileen Derbyshire still knows how to play it. Unfortunately the material just doesn't always seem to be there.

I'm missing Eva already. Of the three actresses away on maternity leave, she leaves the biggest gap for me. True, Fiz and Kylie have carried bigger story lines but Eva is such a refreshing presence in Corrie that I think her absence will be the most keenly felt. I'm also missing Carla who seems to have disappeared into the Corrie cupboard along with my favourite Nazir, the sparky, spiky Yasmeen. I'm still enjoying Steph even though her current storyline is irritating me (more later) and I hope we see more of her brother Luke. I'm not sure being saddled with Maria is the best thing for his character but the siblings are a breath of fresh air. Finally, I have high hopes for Roy's upcoming friendship with newcomer Cathy. I can see Melanie Hill having great chemistry with David Neilson and as we have been assured it will not be a romantic storyline we can all sit back and enjoy.

Now to some of my low points from recent viewing. I think my general feeling is that there are currently just too many characters I don't really care about or see myself investing time in learning to like. I think I'll call it Sophie Webster syndrome. On paper they read like a good idea but in practice, less so.

We'll start with the Windass-Armstrong clan. All the stuff with Linda just did nothing for me. I already disliked Owen so this has just shunted him further into the pit of scheming negativity. Anna, who has had her moments is swiftly turning into a pinny-clad shrew who spends her time ferrying plates of food back and forth with a permanent scowl on her face. Katy is pointless but she's away soon so we'll leave that be. Izzy seemed surplus to requirements after her split with Gary so who knows what she'll be once Owen and Katy have both left?

Apart from this lot, the other family dominating screen time at the moment are the Platts. I don't even know if they have a collective name anymore as so many surnames are involved. Platt, McIntyre, Roberts, Tilsley, Rodwell, Carver, Logan, Turner. Phew. I love Audrey's constant support in the background but she needs to ditch them all fast and crawl out of number 8 into a storyline of her own that also does not involve Maria, Ken Barlow or Anna Karenina. Gail and Michael are an excellent match, two big drips. All this stuff with David, Max and Callum is tedious. They all seem to have forgotten that Kylie didn't just leave, David chucked her out.  Callum is yet to develop into a character worth keeping, I'm not sure if they are writing him as a villain or a camp comedy element. Whatever, it's dragging on too long.

Talking of dragging on too long, we now come to the ongoing Andy/Gavin saga. It feels to me that the writers don't have enough confidence in their basic plotlines so they must constantly make them even more complex and therefore unbelievable. Qudos to stalwarts Helen Worth and Sue Nicholls for keeping up with this one. I actually quite enjoyed the real Gavin, he was an odious baddie got rid of far too soon. He could've given Callum some tips. Basically it's all just too convoluted and at the end of it I don't really care what happens to any of them. We've been promised it will come to a dramatic head and that there will be repercussions for all. Hooray. More simpering Gail and scenes of Michael clutching his chest. When Gail asks him if it's his heart, it would be the perfect time for Les Dennis to squeak out "I don't really know..."

Less irritating but worth a ponder is the continuing presence of Chesney and Sinead. Why can Coronation Street no longer create and develop nice characters who are also interesting? Why does nice equal dull or old before their time? And when these options run out they can always morph into vamps that bed their neighbours, turn bunny boilers and face horrible deaths which are accompanied by swathes of publicity. Chesney and Sinead should be likeable. We, the collective audience should be fighting for them, willing them on. Not leaving the room to stick the kettle on whenever they appear. 

Minor points before I go: I hope we never see Liz's friend Erica ever again. Sharif needs to be bundled into the van that comes to take the chickens away and never be seen again. The chickens can stay. I'm still not sure about Vicar Billy but that may be because he's sharing most of his scenes with Sean. Todd's London backstory - what on earth is it?? Still don't like Andrea. 

And on a purely gratuitous note, can we have more scenes written in featuring Gary Windass with his top off. Even at the cafe, I don't care about the hygiene risks. I've been in it, it's not that clean.

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Corrie? I'm loving it

(reposted from State of the Street with permission)

Everyone enjoys and dislikes different storylines, characters and actors. What one person loves, another finds tedious. Complaining is all easy to do. What am I loving about Corrie lately?

Loving the Gavin/Andy storyline. Lots of twists, lots of layers. I like all of the characters involved, even Michael whom a lot of you find tedious and insipid. I like that he's gentle and emotional and he's got regrets about his life. He's a nice man and Gail deserves that for once. I like that Andy is a nice man too, even though he's got himself tangled in a web of his own making. Love him and Steph as a couple. Love that David is still snarky with both Andy and Michael but also seems to have accepted them into the family.

Yep, I'm even loving the Platt story with Callum stirring things up with a very big stick. Is he believable as a drug dealer? Stereotypically, no, but there are drug dealers in all walks of life and some really are handsome and smooth. I can't wait for Kylie to get back and kick Callum's butt for trying to take Max from David.

I've enjoyed watching Steve's storyline, even when Michelle and Liz annoyed me for their treatment of him  before his diagnosis came out. It's been interesting to watch Steve try to cope and watch how everyone around him isn't sure what to say or how to treat him.

Tony and Tracy? She's not my favourite character by a long way but she's interesting to watch and she's certainly got Tony in a sticky spot at the moment. I'm hoping Liz wipes the floor with her when she finds out about the affair but Liz is also going to be hurt badly as well. I suspect that will be the end of Tony but who knows?

I like the dynamic of Sharif and is wife, Yasmeen. Kal and his kids are bit dull but I'm hoping that will change over time.

I love Tim and Sally, as do most of you.

Faye's storyline, while annoying in that teen pregnancy has been done before even if not quite this way, is being handled pretty well. It's still surprising that nobody's noticed but when there's a weight gain in someone that young, pregnancy is the last thing you think about, especially when the girl has been a "good girl" and doesn't have boys flocking around her. I also believe that Faye wouldn't have realized before now that she was pregnant because at that age, your periods are erratic and even though you're told that you can get pregnant after only having sex once, it doesn't seem real and a 12 year old wouldn't think it could actually happen to them. I am curious to find out if Anna will discover it before Faye gives birth and how. I think it would be a good twist if Tim or Sally figures it out first, or even Sophie or Izzy.  Cue more chest pounding and angst from Anna. Yeah, that's a bit annoying but the actor that is playing Faye is really good and the paring between she and the love Craig is gold.

So far, I'm enjoying the return of Jenny Bradley and intrigued as to whether she's got an agenda or not. Did she take advantage of finding Kevin's dating profile to finally make amends with Rita? If so, that's not so bad. But she also said she had a messy divorce. What was that all about? Should Kevin be afraid?

I'm looking forward to the twists and turns in the Rodwell storyline, interested to see how Faye's pregnancy plays out, and there should still be a few bumps in Steve's recovery as well.

There are always things that annoy me, things that don't interest me and things, characters and storyilnes I don't like. This blog post isn't about them. Instead of what you hate or what's annoying you, what are you loving about Corrie lately?

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Coronation Street spoiler - another funeral is filmed

Don't read this if you don't want to know who's getting killed off in Coronation Street!

OK magazine have pictures of Corrie filming pretend Gavin attending the funeral of the real Gavin Rodwell - oh 'eck.

OK magazine say that Gandy is still reluctant to tell Michael the truth about his real son, due to his heart condition.  Now that the real Gavin has died, pretend-Gavin (who is really Andy) goes to his funeral and keeps on pretending to Michael and Gail.

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Gavin's identity about to be exposed in Coronation Street

The Mirror has some picture spoilers on the Gavin who's not Gavin storyline today. 

Gavin tries to smooth things with Steph by turning up at The Bistro with flowers to apologise for being off-hand with her on New Year's Eve when he caught her with his phone.  But Steph's confused when the real Gavin’s ex-girlfriend Lisa calls into The Bistro looking for him while the fake Gavin hides behind the bar.

I'm looking forward to Gavin who's not Gavin's secret being exposed and am quite enjoying this storyline. 

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Gavin Rodwell- who is he?

Michael clearly believes that Gavin is his long lost son. Gail does too. But the viewers are wondering who he is, what he's doing and why is he pretending to be Gavin Rodwell? We might also ask, why does he never crack a smile? Well, in fairness, he did on Wednesday, he smiled at Steph. Steph is keen on him and as she said on New Year's Eve, if he doesn't snog her then, when will he? She sent him a text, 'Bet you're a great kisser' then grabbed Gavin's phone to delete it. Gavin saw her with his phone and grabbed it. 'Not cool' frowns Leanne. So why was Gavin so terror-struck when he saw Steph with his phone?

Leanne asked Gavin recently for his National Insurance number and for his bank account details. She said she was not happy to be giving cash in hand anymore and wanted to make Gavin's position at the bistro more official and above board - a reasonable request. He told her he didn't have a bank account, which is rather unusual for a person his age. He explained that he had been a victim of phishing. Phishing is an attempt to acquire sensitive information about a bank account, or similar, by posing as a genuine company online. Gavin explained this and Leanne seemed unsuspecting. 'Someone was going round pretending to be me,' he tells Steph. She replies, 'International man of mystery.' His response was that he is only staying because of her. Intriguing...

Later, we saw him in a flat rummaging through drawers in a panicky way and on finding a National Insurance card being overjoyed and kissing it .Is he an impostor then? If so, why is he? And who is he?

Disturbingly, as I picked up a soap magazine in the supermarket the other day, when everything comes out in the wash, as it always does, there are devastating effects on Gail and on Michael.

It is a gripping storyline and I for one am looking forward to its resolution.
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Who is Gavin? Is Gavin Dr Who?

With thanks to Gemma Melling on twitter who spotted an error on Coronation Street.

Or... is it an error? 

As we all know now, Gavin isn't Gavin.  But if Gavin isn't Gavin, who's Gavin?  Is there a Gavin?  Well, it looks like there might be a Gavin, he must exist because his name is on the front of this envelope, one of the bills that Gavin (who isn't Gavin) was looking at the other night in Coronation Street.

Look closely however, and you'll see that the postmark on Gavin (who isn't Gavin)'s letter is January 2015.  That's in the future, people, the future.  Proof, it it were needed, that not only is Gavin not Gavin (and we still don't know who Gavin is) but that Gavin is clearly a time-travelling Time Lord.

I rest my case.

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Is Gavin a Corrie good guy or a bad'un?

This was posted on The State of the Street and is reposted here with permission.

It was pretty clear that Gavin Rodwell  was going to be a wrong'un of some sort. Soaps are not produced to have happy reunions and happily ever after, especially for a family like the Platts. Yes, at the moment, I'm including Michael in that family.  Here on the Coronation Street blog, a couple of people have made comments guessing that Gavin isn't really Michael's son.

They were right.

Not only is he not of Michael's DNA, as in, Michael's ex had an unfortunately timed affair, but  this man that calls himself Gavin Rodwell is someone else entirely. That is a brilliant twist! Has it been done before? Of course it has. But I still like the idea. And thinking about it, there had already been signs.

"Gavin", when questioned about his mother, was very cagey, changing the subject. Obviously, if he wasn't the real Gavin, he wouldn't know much or anything at all about Michael's ex. Gavin was touted by his ex-girlfriend, the manager of the wine bar, as being a dab hand with cocktails but the man we saw on our screens didn't know his martinis from his cosmopolitans.

He seemed reluctant to get too close to Michael. On the surface, that could have been attributed to a son, long abandoned by a father, who wasn't so sure he was ready to forgive but in reality, it's actually a man who doesn't want anyone to get to close lest they discover he's not who he says he is.

We know he's not Gavin, now. Gavin's travelling and out of touch somewhere. Could this man be a roommate, a good friend, a cousin or half brother perhaps, or even a partner? He seems to live at the flat and Gavin's mail is arriving there because we saw the man looking at it the other night. This man is unemployed and it sounded like he was looking for money but then he looked embarassed to take Michael and Gail's offering.

He even seems like a nice bloke, so far. There's been none of those private sneers or satisfied smirks when nobody's looking.

Here's what I think: Maybe he's been scoping Michael out on behalf of Gavin, perhaps trying to protect his friend from someone that he thought might have been insincere or out to fleece Gavin and now realizes that Michael is the real thing and maybe not the monster that Gavin has always thought he was.  He actually seemed quite worried when he found out about the heart condition and tried anxiously to get hold of Gavin. That felt like the concern of someone who is close.

I applaud The Powers That Be for revealing this straight away rather than letting us stew for a couple of months. Now we get to watch the oncoming train knowing the bridge is out and there's nothing we can do to stop the derailment. Let's just hope this doesn't deal Michael that heart attack he's got floating around the edges before he gets his heart  condition sorted!


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