Tommy O Scores With Tracy M : A Classic Corrie Affair Begins?

It’s been a while, I must admit. With work exams and Corrie's schedule changes, I've been using the weekend to get my Weatherfield fix via the ITV hub. I'm old enough to remember the Sunday morning omnibus, and in this digital age, I guess I'm retreating to old formats as I get a little older. That aside, I’ve been so busy that I don't see Corrie during the week, or on live TV, so my Wednesday episode reviews have stalled. In recent weeks, I've been loving the show, and unlike some online criticisms, I struggle to see any real issues with the drama/comedy/ storytelling balance. Resurrecting a few old characters and sweeping dead wood away is a classic soap trope, (it may be long overdue in some Corrie quarters, I agree that) but resurrecting a character or reintroducing one into the show is also a good start.

With Stephen Reid’s recent return and murderous demise, I think I may be a little offside in assuming the same thing will happen with Weatherfield County striker Tommy O, but it is a soap, so who knows?

Reappearing on Christmas day for a scene with Tracy McDonald, I was already aware of the footballer's return (from a 2023 press event), and that he was due to have an affair with a Weatherfield woman. Still, I had no idea who until I saw that scene. I've already seen some online whinging about another ‘affair’ but without character copulation, subterfuge, scandal, and stolen kisses - you've got no drama, and without the drama, you won't have a show - it's that simple. I would also refer the echo-chamber moaners to the classic corrie affairs of old - such as Mike and Deirdre, Peter and Carla, Kevin and Molly, and the recent Tyrone, Fiz, and Phill affair that prove these scenarios also provide the writers with some dramatic content to work with. 

Wednesday's snog between Tommy and Tracy is only the beginning (I'd guess). And as Steve returns from Paris this week, he'll surely be too blinded by his adoration for the Weathy County star striker status to realise his hero is also scoring with his wife! But for how long?

Can we envisage a classic Mike and Ken battle between Steve and Tommy, for Tracy’s affections, or will this be more comedic (like Tyrone and Phill), as is usually the tone with Steve Mcdonald of late, and what about Amy? Will she side with her mother (who also slept with Adi’s Dad, Dev) or her father? Will Steve react like Fiz (when she found out about Tyrone’s infidelity) and shack up with someone else? I think Steve would be great with Glenda! Will Steve and Tracy reunite after Tommy transfers to another Weatherfield woman? (Toyah, perhaps)? 

Either way, I'm happy to see Tracy get a meaty storyline again ( I adore Kate Ford) and I'd be interested to see how this affair pans out. We may have seen this kind of thing before, but like I say it creates storylines, which we need for the show. As the Corrie (terrestrial TV) schedule changes again this week (football, rugby, or summat), that's worth remembering. Speaking of which, I've got more revision to do.

Ta-ra for now!

I am @rybazoxo Cobbles Connoisseur & Corrie superfan  

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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 2nd of February 7.30 & 8.30 pm

This week, Wednesday night’s Coronation Street concentrated on subterfuge and clashes between the houses of Barlow and Platt. The fall-out from the stair fall caused and affected a ream of street drama in this hour, which was all the better for it. Daniel has previous here (with Ken being victim N0.1) and what with the teacher lying to the police, the school, and his family about Max falling over his teacher manbag, it was a stark reminder of his past behaviour. A lie that didn't fool Adam, Ken, or David for that matter, but things still went in his favour. Max may have escaped with only a broken arm, but I guess Daniel is now slowly heading down a different path? Aside from Daniel’s lesser-seen dark-side, the scenes between David and Max have been top-drawer Corrie, delivering nuance, dramatic flair, and poignant emotion. It does now look like the Daniel and David rivalry will continue, and the clash between the houses of Platt and Barlow rumbles on. Those two alpha males are very similar, which is where the real clash may lay. It's reminiscent of that classic Barlow/Baldwin rivalry and I’m all for it. 

 

This Barlow/Platt clash leads ever neatly to Adam and Sarah’s latest marital strife! How swanky is that Redbank apartment! It reminded me of Carla’s old place, and I doubt she had a smart oven, so you’d think Sarah would be pleased? I married a girl called Sarah too, and if I got her an HD oven, I imagine the response would be the same. In theory, this couple is a bit of a mismatch, but it works for me. 

This story has also been a plot device in bringing Daisy and Daniel closer again, much to the dismay of loony Lydia. Those two would seem to be of a mismatch too, but their shared chemistry shines through the screen, and Daisy reminds of a younger Carla, in looks at least, so Daniel ending things with loony Lydia, was expected. Unexpected was Daniel getting offered that full-time position at Wethy high, and telling the truth to Daisy about the stair fall. Considering she's hardly been a beacon of morality since her inception on the street, I was shocked at her response. Has the vacous femme fatale met her match?  

Also in the Platt house, Audrey’s seeing double may be less about cataracts and more about daytime drinking, perhaps? Shona’s revitalised personality was a bit of a ballache to start with, but tying her to Rita in The Kabin, could well be a saving grace. Seeing Aud and Reet reunite and these two titans of the street battling it out were my absolute favourite scenes of tonight's episodes. I’ve watched Corrie since 1997, and Audrey has always had a drink in hand, so that's not going to be the issue is it?  

 

Overall, we had a strong couple of episodes tonight, heaving with drama, good writing, warring families, and blasts from Corrie past. 

 

Elsewhere tonight (or, things that didn’t float my boat); Kelly struggles after upsetting Maria, and Asha and Roy battle with Nina’s emotional frailty.  

 

I am @rybazoxo your self-styled cobbles connoisseur

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Adam v Gary - Coronation Street Blog Interviews Sam Robertson

Oozing an enigmatic charm, roguish arrogance, and ever ready in a stylish suit, Corrie's Adam Barlow has always had a way with the ladies. Ever since arriving back on the street in a flashy sports car and swigging whisky, the Scottish offspring of Weatherfield's Cockney wideboy Mike Baldwin has had a string of flighty romances, including Rosie Webster and Angie Appleton.

Before his most recent departure, the flame of flirtation began to burn with Sarah Platt. As her relationship with the skint builder/murderer, Gary Windass crumbled, in swooped the debonair solicitor to rescue this damsel in distress.

On set and inside studio one of the ITV Corrie lot, I'm sitting in the Rovers Return ridiculously excited to hear about what is coming up in one of my favourite storylines of 2019 so far.

Entering the Rovers Return studio set, (the ridiculously handsome and tall) Sam Robertson is suddenly accosted by a room of swooning lady journalists (you can well imagine). Placing my smartphone (makeshift dictaphone) on the table, Sam did say hello to yours truly too, and in an interview of frank honesty and genuine warmth, you can see why this fella may have a few female fans off-screen.

As Adam and Sarah become ever closer, we talk about the obviously roaring on-screen chemistry with the equally gorgeous Tina O'Brien (Sarah Platt).

'You work with actors sometimes off-screen and we have a laugh but on-screen, the chemistry may not be there. I don't really know Tina off-screen but the producers/writers obviously see something between us because it's there. You can't put your finger on it,' he adds 'But Mikey (Gary Windass) is a great friend and we hang out a lot off-screen'

So what does Sam think about the relationship between Adam and Gary? ' It's a really tricky one, as a fan myself, I can see that Gary is a bit of a failure but there's a lot about Gary that Adam doesn't know about yet' adding 'Soon, Adam does find out more about him and the gears shift in the relationship but he's still quite wary of him.'

As we know, the apple has never fallen far from the tree with Adam's arrogance. How does Sam feel about that part of the character?

'There was a scene recently where he was on the phone talking about rating himself as a gorgeous handsome solicitor' he adds 'as we went to the scene I wasn't in a great headspace and didn't feel it, but sometimes they let me play it down but sometimes you just go with it', he adds ' he has had self doubt in the past but Sarah has given him confidence through the roof'

Is that the Mike Baldwin in him?

'It's been great watching classic Corrie on ITV 4 at the moment' adds Adam ' Because I'm watching Mike do his thing as I'm watching Adam do the same. I'm trying to find that balance of confidence and smooth, there was a lot more fragility to Mike Baldwin than people remember'.

Does that have an effect on how you play Adam?

'Yes definitely, to try and find the right balance, and watching what he was doing has helped.'

How does it feel to be back following your recent break?

'I was due at a friend's wedding in Australia, so I asked for an extended break and had 10 weeks off. I was very lucky and welcomed back by all of the guys. I needed a fresh perspective and headspace -the break was really appreciated'.

Going back to current storylines, and with Gary due to be arrested this week, has Adam any clue about Gary's guilt?

I think Adam's mind is very much open, I think he would be surprised as anybody if he found out Gary was behind the factory roof sabotage'

Do you think Adam vs Gary will be a good match going up against each other?

'Well Iain (MacLeod, Corrie producer) pitched it as Ken v Mike with Adam as Mike and Gary being Ken but the reality is that Gary is probably a lot more sinister than Ken ever was.'

Do you think Adam and Sarah will be cemented as a proper couple?

'It was kind of suggested but due to my break it was engineered quicker on-screen so instead of 6 months, it's happened over 3 months instead. We've filmed a few scenes at the Barlows and the Platts as a couple so it's official now' adding 'I think the connection between Corrie's family No.1 and family No.2 has been a long time coming'.

With the chemistry being obvious between the two, does Sam think that kids are on the card for the couple?

'I felt natural when acting with baby Susie (Eva's baby) and I discovered a different side of Adam. I enjoyed it.'

At this point, Mikey North has just arrived on set for his interview, as Sam is discussing the steamy relationship between himself and Sarah Platt.

'I am still here you know' laughs Mikey.

It will be interesting to see whether this is Mike v Ken with Sarah as the modern Deirdre perhaps.

What do you think?  Let me know in the comments section.

Keep watching Corrie for the summer storylines and plenty of more summer press day interviews still to come with myself and Emma Hynes.

Read my other press day interviews with the Corrie cast here.


TA-RA

I am @rybazoxo on twitter, your cobbles connoisseur and writer of Wednesday's episode reviews.

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