Last night's Roy and Carla scene

Last night's Roy and Carla scene was a turning point for me.  I've never been a fan of Carla and Roy together and have often said so on this blog. I know it's not a popular view to have, to dislike two of the best Corrie characters interacting - and now living - together.  Separately, I adore Roy and I admire Carla - even with all her faults too. 

I even wrote books about both of them - all details at glendayoungbooks.com

But Roy and Carla together? It was never going to work for me. It jarred with this fan. Especially when I found out that their pairing had been done deliberately to soften up Carla with the target audience for the show.

ITV admitted that here.

ITV's drama director John Whiston said about Alison King: 'She is a consummate actress but somehow she was not breaking through in the research. We thought, 'What can we do to show a different side of her? She had a soft spot for Roy Cropper - this strange character we all love. That boosted her image and it showed she must be a nice person to like Roy.' 

But last night, for the first time, Roy and Carla's relationship finally began to make sense to me. It was when Roy took the upper hand - and quite rightly too. He even told Carla how disappointed he was in her. I know she was only doing what she did to protect him, but Roy knew - oh he knew, that Carla did it because she was jealous of Peter and Abi. Roy (deep intake of breath here) even said that Carla was obsessed with Peter and she even admitted, finally, that she was still in love with the man.

The upcoming stand alone episode which focusses on Carla's mental health won't be an easy watch. But unlike the issue-led storylines under the last Corrie producer which felt as if we were being hit over the head with the issue-stick every time we tuned in, I think the episode will be done sensitively and right.

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Coronation Street Episode Review Friday 22 February

Evening Corrie fans, it’s Kelly here with your Friday night review (only one episode tonight, not sure why? Maybe Rocky V has messed with the schedules?).

In the café Roy has noticed that his beloved beige coat is missing. This follows on from the loss of his similarly coloured slippers and is clearly a bridge too far for our favourite beige-on-beige devotee. Carla tries to take his mind off it by buying him a brand-new coat. It’s a three-quarter-length brown leather jacket with far too many pockets. God knows what the thought process behind this purchase was? It looks like the sort of item that would be worn by unshaven men who hang around betting shops and think that the Taken films are a masterpiece of cinema. Wisely Roy rejects it in favour of continuing the search for his own jacket.

Meanwhile over at the factory the knicker-stitchers are making some novelty red drawers whilst planning Sally’s please-speak-to-your-sister-again-despite-her-trying-to-shtuup-your-husband party. Carla generously puts in a wedge of cash, and with the party fund topped up Gina puts it in a brown envelope marked ‘Sophie’ and posts it through the Webster’s door. There it’s found by Kev and Jack who decide that it’s money from Sophie to pay for the digital detox holiday they want to go on, and immediately pack their bags and leave. None of this makes any sense of course. Can no one talk to each other? You know, normal conversation like ‘Soph could you look after some money for me? Oh great, here it is’. Or ‘Is this money (that I wasn’t expecting) for a holiday? No? Oh ok, thanks for confirming’. When Sophie tells Gina that she never got the cash everyone naturally suspects Gina of stealing the money. Beth kicks her out, and Sophie reluctantly has to let her stay at No.13.

Still at Underworld, eagle-eyed Paul has noticed that the novelty knickers all say, ‘Sex Boob’ rather than ‘Sex Bomb’ and Kirk is told to throw the lot in the recycling bin. As he does so he finds Roy’s missing coat, and with a bit more digging the slippers turn up too. I’m rather confused by this as well. Didn’t Carla put them in the back of her car a few episodes ago? I know she wears heels that are rather impractical for walking in, but did she really need to drive to her own bin?

In other news, Shona decides to attend Dane’s funeral in the hope of seeing Clayton. Tedious couple Kate and Rana meet up with Kate’s old school friend Lolly and whine about how they’ve invited too many people to their wedding, and the McDonalds get gazumped in their purchase of 12 Victoria Street by Claudia. Incidentally, I’ve noticed that Claud speaks about herself in the third-person which I’m sure is one of the signs of extreme narcissism. Just what does she need the extra space for anyway? Is she planning to convert the front parlour into a dungeon where she can bathe in the blood of freshly slaughtered virgins to preserve her youth?

Also, Amy has still failed to mention her termination to her parents. How long does she expect to keep this up for? I know Steve and Tracy can be a bit self-absorbed but I’m pretty sure that at least one of them would notice the lack of a bump after a while.

Finally, Roy is determined to get to the bottom of the jacket and slippers mystery and eventually Carla tells him that he started the fire and that she covered it up. He tells her that she had no right to withhold the truth and goes to Peter’s to confess and apologise. Peter is furious with Carla. He tells her that for Roy’s sake he won’t take it any further, but that she owes Abi a public apology. Later in the flat Roy, having already been to the police station to make a statement, tells Carla that he is bitterly disappointed with her. He thinks that she felt satisfaction in seeing Abi suffer and that her obsession with Peter could have landed an innocent woman in jail. Carla defends herself but you know she realises there’s some truth in Roy’s accusations. Is their friendship over?

I’ve been Kelly and I’d be interested to know what everyone thinks of the current raft of nonsensical decisions made by Corrie characters? Is it niggling you or can you just go with it? I mean let’s face it Dickens is full of absurdities. I spent most of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ shouting ‘WELL JUST DON’T GO BACK TO PARIS THEN!’ 

Let me know what you think on the comments section or catch me on twitter @MsKelstar
Laters….

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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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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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