Dissing the Devster

I was maybe a little harsh when I blogged yesterday on the aftermath of the Karl Munro saga. Having thought about it, maybe Dev isn't so bad after all...

I mean the Devster has been a fixture of Coronation Street for fourteen years now so Jimmi Harkishin must be doing something right. I've never really been a massive fan of the character though I admit. I liked him with Sunita the first time around - she humanised him in the same kind of way that Alma brought out the best in Mike Baldwin. However, Dev and Sunita the second time was just one big boring mistake.

I also quite liked his partnership with Vikram back in the day. Mainly because I thought Vik was a good character. And when daughter Amber first appeared, she gave her dad a good run for his money and that was fun to watch.

On the negative side, we had that dreadful long running storyline where Dev got involved with both mother and daughter. Where on earth did the writing team get that one from? I still shudder at the thought of that big naked portrait of the Devster being unveiled. And while I'm shuddering there's always the Dev/Deirdre pairing haunting us all like a very unwanted party guest.

So I guess it's all swings and roundabouts with Dev. The Mad Maya saga was preposterous but good fun, however that was mainly down to the magnificently bonkers Maya. I keep hoping they'll bring her back to finish the job.

My main issue with Dev is that he just doesn't really fit into Weatherfield life. Sure he's got the kids and a local business, but I just don't think he suits the Corner Shop anymore. I agree with David that a middle aged woman should be running that place, making it more of a neighbourhood hub once again. He also does not come across as the kind of character to be living in the middle of that terrace either. I thought it was weird when the Alahan's bought that house, and I still can't fathom it.

So am I harsh about Dev? Is he a character worth nurturing for the years to come? 

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50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days – 2004

Day 44 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

Maya Sharma had first appeared as the lawyer advising Roy and Hayley Cropper about their rights over Tracy Barlow’s baby, Amy, when they’d been convinced by Tracy that Roy was the father. Coming across as a foxy smart lawyer, it slowly became clear that she was rather unstable and when she was dumped by Dev Alahan in favour of shop assistant Sunita Parekh, the full extent of her craziness was unleashed. She married six illegal immigrants in Sunita’s name and then ruined her real wedding to Dev by arranging for her to be arrested at the reception. Maya was rumbled and arrested but while out on bail she hatched a bigger and much more disruptive plan to get her own back on the happy couple.

First she blew up some of Dev’s shops and as he raced round Greater Manchester watching his empire go up in flames, she kidnapped Sunita and tied her up in the flat above the corner shop on Coronation Street. Dev tracked his wife down but before he can release her Maya clubbed him unconscious and he ended up bound and gagged as well. She kept them there overnight and the following morning she turned on the gas on the cooker before heading down to the shop where she built a bonfire and lit it using one of their wedding photos. She made her escape but the neighbours were soon alerted to the fire and Ciaran and Charlie managed to save the Alahans before the corner shop exploded. Maya had watched all the commotion from the safety of her car and on seeing that Sunita is safe, sped towards her and the other residents gathered on the cobbles. They all managed to get out of the way and Maya crashed her car into a wall but she still wasn’t beaten. When she came round she had another go at Sunita by reversing towards her but was hit by a truck and crushed against the wall. She managed to survive this final crash but by now the police had arrived and after a spell in intensive care she was sent for trial.

As the arrival of his first – and Sarah Platt’s second – child approached, Todd Grimshaw’s life started to unravel. Having already kissed Sarah’s brother Nick, Todd started a full-blown affair with nurse Karl Foster, though he couldn’t bring himself to end his relationship with his pregnant girlfriend even when Katy Harris threatened to blow the whistle. When the truth finally came out, Sarah was naturally devastated, Todd’s brother Jason was uncomfortable and confused (when isn’t he) and Gail was disgusted. Gail went to confront Eileen and after a doorstep confrontation it spilled out onto the Street with Eileen slapping Gail, Gail pulling Eileen’s hair and the pair of them wrestling on the cobbles while gob-smacked neighbours looked on. Todd was now very publicly out of the closet. Sarah went on to give birth 9 weeks prematurely and the baby, Billy, died.

Also in 2004: Amy Barlow is born; Claire Casey and Ashley Peacock have a Christmas wedding; Steve and Karen MacDonald remarry; Barlows play happy families on TV; Tracy sells Amy to the Croppers who call her Patience; Danny, Frankie, Jamie and Warren Baldwin make their first appearance; Jack dresses as Ida Fagg for bowls match; Peter Kay makes a guest appearance as drayman Eric Gartside.