Lies deceit and alcohol. The three go seemingly hand-in-hand, and where continuing drama is concerned, the demon drink is the perfect plot device. Coronation Street is of no exception, and the demon drink looks to have brought two, maybe three cobbles relationships to the brink of collapse...
Cab-less following the mugging, a distressed Peter is in the back room of the Rovers and with Carla out at the conference, he’s easily drawn to the whisky bottle sat in Jenny’s decanter. When boozy Barry returns for his hipflask refilling, Peter is only too happy to assist, just bad luck that Abi is at the bar to hear all about it. Displaying concern for her sobriety sorority pal, Abi confides in Carla about her suspicions.
Carla’s ‘cupid’ stunt for Adam and Sarah does seem like psychological displacement, ignoring Peter’s war wounds and seemingly, she’d much rather mend his nephew’s woeful marriage instead. As soon as Sarah left the hotel (you can't blame the girl can you), Carla quickly took her place to share a commiserating drink with Adam. Heading home to confront Peter (assumingly full of booze herself) the audacity is quite astounding, yet, the plot and scene were set - it was obvious what was coming.
Billy’s modest archdeacon promotion may come with a massive vicarage type house but being a vicar of good standing, he decides not to take it. However, this is after Paul has perused pictures of the flash house, and a packing delivery mishap gives him ideas above his station, resigning from Underworld in a pride driven paddy. With Todd’s plotting and scheming, he simultaneously gets Paul the sack and his job back in a matter of hours. Todd makes masterful mixing seems easy - you keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. Getting Paul slightly drunk also helps!
More sobering, Craig’s off-the-record policing investigations about shifty Ray Crosby have begun in earnest but with Faye’s lofty career aspirations, I think Weatherfield’s answer to Harvey Weinstein may have more fuel for his fire. Ray is well ahead of the junior cops game though. How far will he go to keep his property development plans in place? He offered a general manager position to Michelle as well didn’t he, and we know how that turned out! With ex-mayor Sally on his case though, Ray may well have met his match!
Back at the Rovers, Peter caves in quickly and in admitting his alcohol relapse to Carla, the cracks of this relationship’s rocky road are widening. Peter’s illness is blatantly clear, and however hard he tries to disguise it to his girlfriend he’s in dangerous denial territory. Does that give Carla an excuse to get into bed with Peter’s nephew though? A troubling tryst indeed.
The main takeaway from tonight’s episode is that quasi-incestuous bedhopping Barlow's should never be underestimated. After Monday's episode aired, I did think seriously about Peter's future. As the 60th-anniversary approaches, is Peter's legacy in danger? It was the year 2000 and Corrie's 40th Birthday, that saw Ken's wayward seafaring son return just as Coronation Street was saved from the threat of bulldozers. It could almost be synchronous if Peter's final relapse coincided with Corries 60th anniversary if you get my drift?
That's if Carla's betrayal doesn't finish him off first.
I’ll leave that thought with you.
I am @rybazoxo your Corrie Connossieur
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