Coronation Street Episode Review Friday 15 February 2019

Prime story through tonight was the aftermath of the fire which has destroyed Peter's boat.  Peter is convinced that Abi started it and her alibi is pretty weak - out of her skull sleeping on a park bench; this story is substantiated by Cathy who saw her late last night on Talbot Street on the other side of town and got a gobful from Abi for trying to help her.  Carla studies the factory CCTV and soon spots Roy's accidental clash with the oil powered lamp which caused the fire.  She deletes the entire week's recordings - which Sarah discovers when the police come to check the recordings.  Carla also puts Roy's clothes smelling of oil in a plastic bag in her car boot.  Carla has not yet found the bottle to tell Roy about his sleep walking escapade as she knows that it will be difficult for him.  Peter soon hears that Abi is innocent and that Carla has deleted the recordings as Sally refuses to stay silent - so he demands answers from Carla and we see her above lying and saying that there is a gremlin in the CCTV system.  Peter knows she is lying and Carla knows he is boring.  At which point Roy asks Peter to leave.

Amy has morning sickness and has forgotten about her scan - soon rectified when Tracy tears her room apart.  Vicky reappears and talks Robert into employing Tyler in the Bistro kitchen and assures Amy, Tracy and Steve that Tyler is interested and wants to be a part of the baby growing up, as of course does grandmother Vicky.  Given his previous behaviour Tyler is pretty meek around his mother!  Steve also acknowledges they need more space for the baby and Oliver so he suggests they buy a new house.  Above we see Vicky arrive in the Bistro (to collect Tyler) and gets the comment shown from Tracy which is a step up from stalking I suppose.  As a result the McDonalds find out where Tyler is working - and Tyler does even apologise to Amy so perhaps Vicky is telling the truth.  Amy however seems conflicted about the whole matter.

And Steve thinks Joe Sugg (whoever he is) is the lead singer of Madness.

Landladies the world over speculate on the discussions at the tables and in this case Jenny is watching Kevin and Tyrone who are indeed discussing Mary.  The latter has been going out of her way to make herself indispensable looking after little Ruby and feeding Tyrone - simply to keep herself active following the loss of her own family.  However a hidden Valentine's card addressed to Tyrone has been misinterpreted and after some detective work Ty and Kevin know that it was written by Mary - so there is some concern that Mary really does have her sights aimed at Tyrone.

Are they on?  Are they off?  Is Chesney in the friend zone again?  Do they even like the same films, Chesney tries to act out "Ghost" but Gemma is a fan of "Sister Act" as she finds Ghost laughable.  And then they wipe garlic mayo off of each other's faces and this becomes a highly passionate encounter and they vanish out of sight behind the counter.  Hope someone hoses it down later.

Brian and Roy are working on finding RP by searching the Weatherfield births register.  Does anyone know where Robert Preston was born?

Writers: Mark Wadlow and Jonathan Harvey.  Director David Moor

Kosmo
@Kosmo100

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Corrie Comicals week ending Friday 8 February 2019

Emma has been a little of a favourite here and just in case her departure on Monday was final (PS it wasn't) I thought a reminder is in order (and a side helping of Gemma's face pulling as she thinks about Paul's thieving ways).  Emma is unsure if she should order hotpot or salad.  Such a life changing decision - and hotpot wins the day - proving to Gemma that people do not change!  There was a lot more Emma later in the week - love her work!

Ex-jailbirds Sally and Abi have just been thrown out of the Rovers by Jenny having a melt down - which is the background to Sally's comment about a sustainable business model (above) - a nice phrase she has picked up somewhere along the way.  What was even better (given Sal's near melt down when Abi was released) was Sal observing that she does not think that Jenny has the inner steel and resilience as well as being "street" smart that "our" types possess to survive inside; Abi agrees (tongue in cheek I suspect) that they can consider themselves proper hard cases!  And the discussion also touched on Abi's recent sexual conquest!

McDonald breakfasts include three vegetables apparently - beans, tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Sorry Steve but I think that might need a recount.

Moira pops into brighten our lives and she sees a resemblance between Chesney's face reflecting his disappointment at apparently being stood up by Gemma (who is working on Liz's disappearance) and a blobfish.  Then calls herself a free therapist - but in reality she just wants the scandal.

Gemma has the hangover from hell and as Rita points out downing snake pits like they are going out of fashion does not help.  So much of this week was Rita dressing down Liz and Gemma working wonders for her "sister" Jenny that make up Rita's family as well as Rita leaving her job at the Kabin.  Nice to see so much work for and the performance from one of the more senior members of the team.

Old jokes bear repeating and Jenny is massaging Johnny's neck as she says she feels like a pair of wigwams (above) - the problem here is you've become two tents (or perhaps too tense).  She then pulls away when he would like to pull her onto the bed.  Is it over for the Connors?  Johnny has committed adultery after all - but Jenny has already told Liz that there is a crate of wine behind the bar for her return.  And after a while she finally forgives Johnny.  So I think that is closed for now, but I suspect it will be remembered at some time in the future.

Extras not at Work

Leanne and Shona have been told by Bethany about the need for eye candy at "Man Cave" or "Close Shaves" to attract the men and they disrupt the interviews in progress in the Rovers as the four ladies (and one man) assembled wait their turn - and after this comment all five of them depart rapidly!  I do think Nick scoring them out of 10 is unwelcome but having interviewed staff you do end up ranking them on ability as the best person should get the job.  It developed further with Nick and David getting ratings of 3 and 4 out of ten!

That wraps up the fun for this week.  And still no room for Paul's reform, Clayton's unwelcome return, David apparently suddenly being a grown up (unlike Nick) and sadly despite promises that Norris would return to sell the Kabin it has all happened without him (and the toing and froing with Brian has the slight feel of a late re-write).  I really hope Malcolm Hebden will fully recover his health and be able to make fleeting visits, Number three is very empty - perhaps Sean and Audrey would like to take up residence?

Writers: Ella Greenhill & Mark Burt (Monday); Cameron McAllister & Ella Greenhill (Wednesday); Sam Holdsworth (Friday)
Directors: Simon Ferguson (Monday); Tim Royle (Wednesday & Friday)

Kosmo
@Kosmo100

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All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Coronation Street Episode Review of Friday 1 February 2019

Given the time of year the interior of "Lost Buoy" cannot have been a particularly warm but this did not prevent Peter and Abi undertaking activities which were best viewed from above - and Carla promptly appeared on the balcony.  Peter has a fearsome reputation for keeping two ladies busy at the same time, so my immediate thought is that history was about to be repeated when Abi left the boat and Peter headed inside the factory to try his luck (above).  Carla, who is working like a demon all hours at the moment, eventually gives him a rejection.  Carla meanwhile is so busy that she ignored a declaration of interest from Fat Jordan (who is no longer fat).  Even Michelle tells Carla she has become a workaholic and Roy is bringing her vegetable lasagne deep into the evening as she seeks to drive Underworld and herself even harder

Abi has her own problems as she and Seb have to say a final farewell to the twins who are being adopted.  Abi is undoubtedly being realistic of her abilities but it is heart wrenching for viewers as mother and son hug them for the last time.

Seb is feeling the loss of his siblings badly and decides that he has no good reason to keep "secrets" so Gary is told that Sarah lied (above) and had a drink with Adam and Seb explains how he ended up with a black eye as he got between Adam and Sarah.  Adan denies sleeping with Sarah.  Sarah explains to Gary that she would never have let anything happen with Adam - but she is finding the presence of Nicola (who is back on the Street) difficult.  Gary and Sarah are reconciled at least for now.

Talking of Adam his interaction with Seb and Gary leads to some deep thinking and he goes into the Bistro for a therapy session with Daniel.  He abandons his drink on the bar - although we do discover that Sinead will be home shortly.  Daniel later takes a break and returns to the flat to find Adam has packed his bag, Imran is going to cover with clients and Adam has determined he is off on holiday to see friends in Italy and he will be gone for a few weeks.  Sarah-Lou sees Adam leave and the look on her face (above) implies to me that perhaps she will be glad when Adam returns, preferably without female company!

Gemma apologises to Chesney for calling him a creep when he orders a cheese pasty and a can of pop which is her favourite breakfast order.  Later she has been wound up by her brother and Ches holds her hand whilst consoling her (above) - with Emma present.  The latter can see the writing is on the wall - despite all that has been said there is a bond between the Prima Doner cow-orkers which she is failing to get between.

Sally has been found not guilty and her record is clean.  She mops up Abi in the Rovers taking her home to feed her some shepherds pie.  Abi admits she has met a bloke (but not who of course) and that she is not sure which of them is using the other; both manage another helping at the end of the episode.

How is Paul winding up Gizmo (Gemma)?  First he charms the Reet; then he mends the kebab shop till and amidst reports that Summer has misplaced her iPad leads Gemma to accuse Paul of stealing it.  We know Gemma has sought to change her ways since joining full time and once again Paul tells Gemma that he is also trying to reform - he spent the day helping Billy with White Elephants - and he wants to know why they are white - surely pink or orange elephants would be even more valuable?  When half of the Rovers reaches for their mobiles to work out why Paul calls them out on it (above) saying that instant online access to information is ruining good old fashioned pub chats.  Shamefacedly they all put their mobiles away!  Summer finds the missing iPad under some washing and Gemma reckons that it is only a matter of time before Paul does something.  She explains the back history to Chesney and Emma when Paul took the blame for her nefarious misdeeds; but sibling rivalry often goes far deeper than that.

The "Reet" - Rita Tanner - has a fistful of problems to address, 35p which Paul gets out of paying, a message relayed by Mary that Norris needs capital to go travelling with Emily and Freda and has announced his intention to once again sell the Kabin plus the non-appearance of Jenny behind the bar counter.  As Rita tells Brian she is wise enough to realise that any new owner will simply not want her to continue in the Kabin so she will be out of work.  When Jenny fails to appear behind the bar R'Rita bustles into the back room and gives her a lesson in landlady duties - no surrender (above) - get your slap on and serve the punters.  Jenny heeds her wise words but backs it up with a dose of white wine courage!

Which just about wraps it up for this week.  Ms Kelstar should be in this slot next week.

Written by Owen Lloyd-Fox and directed by Simon Ferguson.

Kosmo
@Kosmo100

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All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Corrie Comicals week ending 1 February 2019

Hi.  I am here - just.  My right hand remains bandaged and typing is limited to a couple of fingers - but I will do the best I can!  Adam does not get to appear here very often and we are actually celebrating one of his clients who apparently has a set of Star Trek Toby Jugs and every time there is some minor grudge the destination of those jugs changes requiring a new will!  I have no idea what a Star Trek Toby Jug would look like either!  Adam was feeling generally grumpy, the heating was too hot, the coffee machine too noisy, papers were filed wrongly!  Just one of those days!

The web page cannot do justice to some parts of Corrie and the way Evelyn was finally forced to explain that Cassie was a drug addict to Tyrone was a master class of performance outweighing content.  Go and watch Monday part 2 online to see what I mean.

David and Nick are going to open a barbers and hipster hangout (have hipsters reached Manchester yet?).  David has one potential name - above; Nick says it should be simple - Nick's (hardly a suitable place for a close shave); or perhaps a combination of their names - Navid's or Dick's?  I think we will probably get some more quips out of this!  Dapper Dave's Shaves perhaps?

Just a little verbal exchange between Rita and Paul Foreman who is using some outrageous flattery to extricate himself from 35p.  Rita knows exactly what is going and cheerfully admits it to Gemma who is listening in the background.

The pay off came early in the second episode where Gemma goes into Prima Doner to complain to Cathy that everywhere she goes today her brother keeps popping up - and Paul promptly pops up from behind the counter where he has been repairing a sticky till drawer.

A couple of asides: I bet Abi and Peter were feeling the cold if they ever got around to removing any clothes!  Personally I believe that the Amy pregnancy story is hard to believe so I have concluded that the unlikely bun baking was devised simply to get Vicky Jefferies (Kerri Quinn) back on t'Street; if so the writers and storyliners are getting a round of applause here as I reckon she could make quite an impact.

Outside my normal remit but this was real heartbreak time as Abi and Seb said farewell to the twins who are to be formally adopted by the foster family.  I think we can all understand why Abi feels as she does, although I felt there was no need for her to kill off Seb's attempts to take on the two children and his disappointment at the outcome of the case is causing him much pain - is he going over to the dark side?  Once again the Street takes us to extreme highs and lows.

Rita is telling Brian that Norris needs capital and is selling the Kabin.  Rita can see that this will be the end of her retailing career as she reckons any new owner will not want her.  Of course our answer to the question she poses above is that we all want her to continue.  Especially if she continues to administer a boot up the backside to those in need - like Jenny tonight.


Writers: Chris Fewtrell (Monday); Martin Allen & Simon Crowther (Wednesday); Owen Lloyd-Fox (Friday)
Directors: Karl Neilson (Monday & Wednesday); Simon Ferguson (Friday)

Kosmo
@Kosmo100

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All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License