Corrie Scene of the Week

Coronation Street – Four for Four (June 10 to 14, 2013)

The first four episodes this past week each had more than one contender for “the scene”.  I cannot narrow it down any further than one from each day.

Monday:  Izzy’s face as she realizes the newborn is not crying and the nurse hustles him off.  Equally good was Izzy standing at the incubator holding the hand of the tiny infant inside it.

Tuesday:  Owen giving way to his fear and sadness.  “Vulnerable and venerable” my husband called Owen after seeing him lose his carefully constructed and maintained façade of bravery and bravado.  more…

Coronation Street – Rovers Returned (June 3 to 7, 2013)

I got quite teary-eyed during Stella’s speech at Friday’s reopening of the Rovers.  I was as pleased as she to see everyone back in there with pints and large reds and Audrey with her G & T.

A couple storylines got advanced during the opening, Ches and Ryan getting in a fight and Izzy finding out what Gary has been so desperate to keep from her.  more…

Coronation Street – The Legacy (May 27 to 31, 2013)

A two-year-old letter from Roy’s father has produced amazing scenes.  It began with Sylvia going to the hated Home to pick it up, then to her telling Hayley not to pressure Roy into reading it, then Roy dithering about what to do once he knew about it and more dithering when he learned his father was no longer at the address given in the letter.

Thursday he unwillingly went to a newer address he had found for his father, where he met his father’s widow.  Three months earlier Mr. Cropper Sr. had died, believing that Roy wanted nothing to do with him.  more…

Coronation Street – Workin’ 9 to 5 (May 20 to 24, 2013)

My ‘aha’ moment this week was Wednesday, when Rita wondered why David was so exhausted.  “But he’s a young lad, he should be able to manage a blow-dry and an hour or two waiting tables.”  Yes, Rita, thank you!  I’d been thinking the same thing.

We never actually saw David finish a double shift.  Maybe he did so in days we missed on the street.  What we saw was him starting his evening shift at the Bistro, doing something klutzy or looking tired and Nick sending him home – with pay – to get some rest.  more…

Coronation Street – Horses for Courses (May 13 to 17, 2013)

With the longshot Oxbow winning yesterday’s Preakness over the favourite Orb, it’s time to think about betting.  Peter and Rob are using the betting shop as their venue for butting heads.  In the course of that, some discussion of the bookmaking business does occur.

Barlow’s Bookies is as much an anachronism in today’s real England as Underworld is.  In reality, Carla would be having knickers stitched in Bangladesh, not on the street near where she lives, and Peter would be manager of a Ladbrokes betting shop, not an independent bookie with a single backstreet shop.  more…

Coronation Street – Friends (May 6 to 10, 2013)

Friday episode, Eileen in despair.  Paul is leaving for Yorkshire.  There’s nothing she can or will do about it.  Jason asks Deirdre to see her, maybe cheer her up.

Afternoon, a scene of long-time friends commiserating.  Deirdre sized up the situation on entry:  Eileen feeling sorry for herself, still lying on the couch.  Deirdre opens a bottle, pushes Eileen over so she has room to sit beside her and pours two glasses of red.  more…

Coronation Street – Other People’s Kids (Apr. 29 to May 3, 2013)

Friday, in the café Anna comments to Tina about both of them having “other people’s kids, hope you have better luck than I’ve had.”

The story of the week was Anna and Faye and Tim – and police and social workers.  Tim having bought a sofa bed, Faye took that as her cue to have sleepovers at Dad’s.  When Anna refused that, Faye escalated it to moving in to Dad’s…

Then Friday the story moved to another complicated parentage story – Izzy, Gary and Tina.  Tina had a prenatal class and Izzy and Gary were going with her.  more…

Coronation Street – Local Hero (Apr. 22nd to 26th, 2013)

Karl the local hero, having a hard time with doing everything right while really he’s done everything wrong.  He has been hailed as a hero since he attempted to pull Stella out of the burning Rovers.  Of course, it was actually Paul who hauled her out, then Toni went in for Karl and died before she could get out herself.  But especially for Gloria and Stella, Karl’s the hero.  So that’s all right because he did it all for Stella anyway.

He’s praised now, after the fire, for other reasons too.  He has been wonderful with Sunita’s twins.  more…

Coronation Street – Reefer Madness (Apr. 15th to 19th, 2013)

Tuesday, Dennis asks Sylvia about the effectiveness of her hash brownies for pain relief.  Works a treat she said as she swiftly cleared and cleaned tables using her previously painful wrist.  Having wrenched his back, Dennis stops scoffing about the expected effects of marijuana and pleads for some for his back pain.

Sylvia baked them herself, using ingredients given to her by Stan the brownie “pusher man”.  Hers clearly were stronger than his, and Dennis keeled over in a happy stoned heap after just a bite or two.  more…

Coronation Street – Unravelling (Apr. 8th to 12th, 2013)

Tuesday, Kirsty’s face as Ruby cries upstairs.  You know that this is the end of the storyline and the end of the road for Kirsty.  The only question is what is she going to do.  Is she going to end the cycle of familial physical violence or perpetuate it?  Is she going to admit she was lying or start hitting the baby?  She looks for help at Dr. Carter’s office.  He won’t give her sleeping pills.  She won’t consider a therapist.  She goes home.  Ruby sleeps, until Julie comes to confront Kirsty.  The baby begins crying again.

She carries Ruby down from upstairs, cooing at her to try to comfort her.  But her sh-sh-sh sounds become words:  “shut up shut up” still said in a soothing voice.  Her patience is at the snapping point.  And indeed, she snaps.  more…

Coronation Street – Devastated (Apr. 1st to 5th, 2013)

I’m going against the tide of what I’ve read this past week.  I’m picking Dev, with the doctor who tells him the seriousness of Sunita’s condition and with Karl in her hospital room.

With the doctor, Dev doesn’t want to hear her words.  He acts like if he continues to question and refute what she is saying, he will force her to say what he wants to hear.  When he unwillingly acknowledges that the doctors cannot do anything to bring her around, he uses threats.  He will get a second opinion, he will sue them for everything they’re worth, etc.

This is Dev, the personal and professional of him.  He wears his ego, and heart, on his sleeve. more…

Coronation Street – White Cliffs of Dover (Mar. 25th to 29th, 2013)

A lot of stories coming to a head this week – Katy and Chesney, Sunita and Dev.  But the big one is the Rovers’ fire.  Karl has tried to ruin anything and everything for Jason.  He sees him as responsible for all his woes.  So he sabotaged Jason’s plumbing repairs by deliberately taking out the electricity.  I knew that the Rovers was going to burn, due to a comment on a spoiler-free site that unfortunately hadn’t been deleted.  I tried to forget but it was difficult with Karl melting down and spraying water on a fuse panel.  So I figured it would be an electrical fire.

Then the candles came out for a cozy evening at the Rovers.  Fire caused by a candle accidently or deliberately knocked over, I thought.  Oh no, Rita is there, Dennis, Mrs. Bishop, Sylvia.  more…

Coronation Street - Blaming the Victim (Mar. 18th to 22nd, 2013)

Kirsty’s mom listening to her tell about her situation with Tyrone.  At first Alison believed her daughter, wanted to believe her.  Then you could see her face change as Kirsty’s words didn’t add up.  Slips in use of “I” and “he” were caught by Alison.  She heard her daughter say familiar phrases, ones that blame the victim.  He makes me do it, it’s his fault I get so angry.  Phrases – excuses, justifications – Alison has heard many times over the years.  She has heard them from her husband, and now from her daughter.

She realized that there was violence within her daughter’s home but it wasn’t being perpetuated by the man but rather by the woman, her daughter.  more…

Coronation Street - Backfire (Mar. 11th to 15th, 2013)

You do something enormously stupid.  So you come up with a plan that gets you out of it and, even better, makes it seem somebody else’s fault.  You will look like a hero, maybe even a martyr, and somebody else will look like the schmuck.  Somebody, say, like Chesney.  Perfect.  What could go wrong?

Thursday Katy learns the art of covering your tracks.  But she needs more practice to become successful at it.  She is angry at Chesney because he is not thrilled about her working at the kebab shop, leaving him with baby Joseph.  She’s become interested in Ryan because, well, he’s not Chesney.  Her friends think Ryan’s hot so she’s looking at him with new eyes.  He deejays, has fun and pays her compliments.  Chesney works at a market stall and whines about lack of money.  more…

Coronation Street - The Family Way (Mar. 4th to 8th, 2013)

The scene:  Sylvia and Norris discuss Kylie, who is drinking her pregnant face off.  Sylvia says she shouldn’t be drinking if she’s in the family way.  Norris says that’s probably how she got that way.  Bwahaha.  You’re more correct than you can even imagine, Norris.

The story:  just sad, especially for Kylie.  She had to confess to Gail about what Lewis was using to blackmail her.  A one-night-stand, she says, too drunk to remember who the guy was.  Gail does the math, might be that guy’s baby.  more…

Coronation Street - Counting Cards (Feb. 25th to Mar. 1st, 2013)

Sylvia has found her Rain Man and her rainmaker.  Having developed a liking for games of chance while in America, she realizes Roy’s odd and heretofore embarrassing mental acuity has a practical use.  She has lost a great deal of money in casinos and Roy wants her to get it back.  She would like to recoup her losses and make even more!

His abilities in mathematics and memory are perfect for the game of blackjack.  He has never played before but, after scanning her book on card games, realizes the trick to it is in counting cards so you have a better chance of predicting what is left in the dealer’s deck.  more…

Coronation Street - Mother-in-Law  (Feb. 18th to 22nd, 2013)

Forgive me for reminding you of this song, Mother-in-Law (click to hear).  But it popped into my head while Gail was pleading with Nick to take her in.  She was homeless, she said.  She was his mother, she said.  Throughout her speech, she never once looked at Leanne, Nick’s wife, standing right beside him.  Leanne, however, was looking at her and looking daggers at Nick when he caved in.

Then came my pick for best scene of the week, more accurately I guess, sound.  more…

Coronation Street - Pay Off  (Feb. 11th to 15th, 2013)

Amount of money needed to pay off debt: £9,000.  Vengeance exacted while getting that money:  priceless.

I still don’t think Lewis is justified in his outrage at Gail for testing his loyalty to her mother, and certainly not at Audrey for going along with it when she found out.  It makes me think that his professed love for her and change in character isn’t so profound.  The test, after all, was specifically related to his long-term vocation and avocation, ripping off women like Audrey.  Had he been truly changed by his love for Audrey, he would have accepted that they had cause for doubt regardless of the humiliation caused to him.  more…

Coronation Street - Open to Persuasion (Feb. 4th to 8th, 2013)

A Joan Armatrading song mentioned by Jenna this week applies to three characters in two different storylines:  “I’m not in love but I’m open to persuasion.”  Jenna and Lloyd in one, Kirsty and Tyrone in the other.  Four actors, two great scenes.

Kirsty and Tyrone talk after she returns to Number 9 from the wedding that didn’t happen.  Tyrone desperately tries to smooth things over so that she will stay or agree to let him keep Ruby.  Kirsty isn’t buying any of it.  She is angry but also hurt.  She wants to tell him how it is going to be, but she also wants to explain herself to him.  It is both a huge fight and a cathartic opening up of her history and emotions.  more…

Coronation Street - Teleflorist (Jan. 28th to Feb. 1st, 2013)

My husband’s guess was that Kirsty would show up at her wedding with a hidden gun.  After seeing her wedding dress, I asked where would she hide it?  I never thought about her bouquet as a hiding spot, and neither of us thought Tyrone’s secret cell phone would be what she hid in it.

Very clever is our Kirsty.  By reciting off some of Tyrone’s texts to Fizz, it’s Tyrone who looks bad here, not bat-crazy Kirsty.  more…

Coronation Street - True Romance (Jan. 21st to 25th, 2013)

Love, sex, relationships and marriage all featured this week in almost every storyline.  Tumultuous, even histrionic, tales of intrigue, deception and secrets and, amid all of it, one fleeting glimpse of true love.

Hayley arrives home from Palm Springs.  When asked if she’d like something to eat, she says no, she’s been nibbling all through the long day.  Anna flashes her a warning signal, yes you want to eat.  And Roy holds up a plate of beef stroganoff, wrapped in saran, awaiting her.  more…

Coronation Street - Fly Fishing (Jan. 14th to 18th, 2013)

Fly fishing is an art and a craft.  It requires skill in preparation and execution, an eye for beauty, the ability to reproduce nature, and patience.  It is duplicitous by its very nature.  The fisherman must create something beautiful to the fish, but a beauty that is true in its appearance.  He must reproduce an appealing reality, in essence.  A smart fish will take time to watch and gauge its actions before believing that the beautiful dancing insect is genuine.  The fisherman must wait as long as the fish does.  Then when the fish takes a big leap of faith, the fisherman too acts fast and the fish finds out it is a cruel hoax.  The enticing exterior hides a barbed hook.  Too late then for the fish.

Lewis has been a fisherman this week.  more…

Coronation Street - Honeymoon Suite (Jan. 7th to 11th, 2013)

Probably Kylie could do better than Nick, but he’s a vast improvement on David.  So this was my favourite shot of the week.  The repercussions of this will be horrible, so I truly hope they had a good time in Heartbreak Hotel.

I’ve noticed that changes in Kylie’s makeup have kept pace with changes in her character.  As her actions have matured, so too has her look.  more…

Coronation Street - Kirkys Turkys (Dec. 31st to Jan. 4th, 2013)

Interspersed amid the turmoil, a little tale of giving and goodness unfolded this week thanks to our Kirk and young Craig.

Beth wants a fancy necklace for Christmas.  To make the money, Kirk goes into the turkey selling business.  He’s really not good at it so Beth’s son Craig helps him out for a cut.  Then Chesney, indirect source of turkeys, has reason to think they are stolen goods and tells Kirk they have to get rid of them fast.

Turkeys, frozen in blue plastic wrappers, bob on the canal. more…

Coronation Street - The Job Offer (Dec. 24th to 28th, 2012)

A week of people not making sure secret talks are secret, of sturm und drang with our newly minted Californians and of the hideous sight of another May and September affair.

Out of it all, the scene for me was Roy checking to see if Fizz and Chesney’s meals were ok.  His query went:  “Is everything all right?  Good, good.  Want a job?”  The rapidity from which he went from one to the other surprised me, and I knew it was coming.  Good for Fizz, though.  Despite her surprise, she knows Roy well enough to not show that he’d thrown her for a loop.  more…

Coronation Street - Rent-A-Womb (Dec. 17th to 21st, 2012)

Maybe the whole thing coming out in the Rovers about Tina being a surrogate mother for Izzy and Gary was just a build up to Tina throwing a pint over David in Wednesday’s episode.  I hope so because I’m just not understanding what the big deal is.

I have thought they were keeping her pregnancy a secret just because it’s early days.  Get past the first trimester and all that.  But after Norris blabbed last week in the Rovers and everyone congratulated Tommy on being a dad, it seemed to me it was time to ‘fess up.  more…

Coronation Street - In Vitro Veritas (Dec. 10th to 14th, 2012)

On Friday, a drunk and pouting Tommy Duckworth actually made a lot of sense.  Not the part about suggesting – no, demanding – that Tina abort this medical science-conceived baby.  The part about the Windasses hovering like something out of a horror movie.

Throughout this story, I have wished someone would tell Gary to back off, and Anna and Owen and even Izzy.  Give Tina a bit of space and peace.  Stop plumping her pillows, stop offering cups of tea, stop following her closer than a dog on her heels.  more…

Coronation Street - David Prat (Dec. 3rd to 7th, 2012)

So many scenes this week in a story quickly developing in the mind of a silly boy.  David thinks a baby is just what he needs.  Yep, David, makes sense to me. You are living in your mother’s house with a wife and stepson because you don’t make enough money to rent an apartment and you think it’s a good idea to expand your family.

I had started to think David actually was growing up and growing a brain.  Then this started.  more…

Coronation Street - Trouser Press (Nov. 26th to 30th, 2012)

Like others, I didn’t see the point of Eva Price when she first appeared on Coronation Street.  But over the months I have come to see that there is more to her than the strutting and flouncing and that wonderful way she carries her purse.  And Tuesday she was absolutely brilliant.  Indeed, as a blogger notes, she is reminiscent of the glorious Raquel.

When she and Steve barged into the Sheffield hotel room, expecting to find Rob with Michelle, they initially thought they’d got it totally wrong when Michelle came from her room – across the hall.  more…

Coronation Street - It’s all about me! (Nov. 19th to 23rd, 2012)

Monday, very first scene:  Negligee-clad Maria comes slinking out of the bedroom to the couch where Marcus sits looking fretful.  Hey big boy what’s the problem, she says.  Something to that effect anyway.  They had spent the night together and she wanted to resume their nocturnal activities.  And no, it wasn’t eating popcorn and watching chick flicks in bed

He responds to her kisses by saying they have to talk about what happened.  He tries to do that, but she only wants to go back to bed – with him.  A gay man, in a relationship with another man, having just had sex with a woman, also in a relationship with another man.  more…

Coronation Street - Mrs. Guy Fawkes (Nov. 12th to 16th, 2012)

I love Lewis when he ceases being Mr. Suave and Urbane.  Oh, I love him when he is Mr. Slick too.  But this week, he showed himself to be the biggest scheming cat Coronation Street has seen in a long time.  He makes Tracy look like a rookie and even Gloria, who I think could teach Tracy a thing or two, “unraveled nicely” as he said.

He was absolutely wonderful all week, especially as he put his plan for revenge into effect.  But the absolute Kodak Moment for me was when Gail came to sort of apologize to him and speak on her mother’s behalf.  more…

Coronation Street – All for you (Nov. 5th to 9th, 2012)

Tuesday:  Roy looking through the debris of Greek Night, picks up a broken object.  It’s a model train car – a 5^th anniversary gift from Hayley.  Mary says “I’ll replace it.”  He explodes that it can’t be replaced, that she violated his and Hayley’s home, their belongings and memories.  Mary says “I did it for you.”  Holding the broken model in his hand, he says “Or is it just a convenient excuse so you could selfishly enact yet another bizarre fantasy of Mary the restaurant owner?” …

In real life, we lost our Jack this week, the inestimable Bill Tarmey. more… 

Coronation Street - Secret Shoppers (Oct. 29th to Nov. 2nd 12)

There were a lot of great visuals this week.  The end of the week, of course, Sophie with coked-up, pity-partying Ryan on the highway as traffic whizzes past. Then Sophie splat on the pavement after pushing the waste of space out of the way of a car…

But I think, for me, the scene of the week in all ways must be the culmination of Dennis’ scam for free beer.  more…

Coronation Street - Doctors Cat & Zhivago (Oct. 22nd to 26th, 2012)

A cat talking stick and the hope that Lewis would burst through the café door as if he’d just crossed the Russian steppes – the show was book covers for me this week.

Monday saw Sally using skills as a facilitator that she must have learned from some self-help book.  She did it very well, I thought, and seemed delighted to be putting theory into practice.  Using the cat pepper grinder as a “talking stick” was brilliant, as were the cat salt and peppers themselves.  more…

Coronation Street - Xtreme Fag Hag (Oct. 15th to 19th, 2012)

An actor and character this week instead of a scene.  Charlie Condou has been fabulous, in my opinion, portraying Marcus Confused.

It’s been clear for some time that Maria developed more feelings for Marcus than appropriate for a straight woman towards her gay male friend.  But this week, in the highly wrought emotional environment of Maria’s cancer scare, Marcus tipped over the edge from support superman to a man who enjoyed a kiss from a woman.  Indeed enjoyed it so much that he initiated another.  Nothing wrong with that, other than both are involved with other people, and the fact that the man is gay.  more…

Coronation Street - Roller Derby (Oct. 8th to 12th, 2012)

Classic.  Fifty-two years of Corrie ethos and culture illustrated Monday in a few brief moments by the berollered Michelle and Tracy.  Comedy, family history, strong women, intergenerational conflict, your life lived in the street as much as in your home, community relations as spectator sport – it was all there in their cat fight.  Dennis Tanner said it best, “It’s times like this I can’t help thinking about my mum.”  Elsie Tanner would have felt as if she’d never left the street. more…

Coronation Street - Tick Tock (Oct. 1st to 5th, 2012)

A quiet build up of scary tension in four parts Thursday.  Kirsty, wound tighter than a clock on a time bomb.  Wait – that’s just what she is!  The baby is crying and fussing, and Kirsty is tired.  You don’t notice the signs of tiredness as much as the signs of tension at the breaking point.  She’s calm on the surface and trying to show Tyrone she can handle it alone.

He goes back to work but he’s worried about the baby and Kirsty.  Kev doesn’t want him to take off for 10 minutes to check.  They’ve got work to do.  So Fizz and Sally go, with Tyrone’s reluctant agreement.  He knows what the sight of Fizz will do to Ms Nutbar and hopes Sally will alleviate Kirsty’s suspicions and animosity.  more…

Coronation Street - Good Parenting (Sept. 10th to 14th, 2012)

Maybe it’s having only half the episodes to which we’ve become accustomed.  Maybe it was a week of filler stories – updating us on characters we haven’t seen for awhile and building the bases of new storylines.  Maybe it was too much Tracy and Michelle and who cares.  Whatever, I was hardpressed to find a scene that stood out this week.

The scene that choked me up a bit was Steve finding Ryan at the bus stop and giving him his guitar back.  Ryan had hocked it for drug money and Steve bought it back.  Steve said “your mum and I”, but I suspect this was Steve’s idea.  Nicely done, Steve.  more…

Coronation Street - Love Hurts (Sept. 3rd to 7th, 2012)

It’s the story of Kirsty and Tyrone I guess, more than any one scene this week.  Although every scene where Kirsty gets or might get annoyed or has an implement of any kind in or near her hand is scary.  After her return, that meant pretty much every scene she was in.  And Tyrone, desperate for love and a baby, willing to sacrifice himself, his friendships – everything to keep a madwoman happy.

On Friday, two scenes that happened after Kirsty found out Tina and Tommy knew about the way she vents her stress illustrate both points.  Tyrone walked in the house and Kirsty was there ironing clothes.  more…

Coronation Street - Eve at an eat as much as you like buffet (Aug. 27th to 31st, 2012)

Soap operas are about emotions, relationships and the vicissitudes of human interaction.  So there are many powerful scenes that involve love and loss.  As a viewer, you expect to be moved.

Tuesday and Wednesday had some of the most moving and thought-provoking scenes that have been on recently.  And I think, on balance, the past months have been excellent with many good and emotionally gripping stories.  But the tale of Mary and Roy and Hayley and Norris this week was extraordinary.  more…

Coronation Street - Employee of the Year (Aug. 20th to 24th, 2012)

So many good storylines and powerful scenes this week!  Sunita’s delusions about Karl and Dev’s heartbreak as she tells him the “truth” as she wants to believe it.  Izzy’s miscarriage, her heartbreak over telling Gary that she’s afraid to try again and her anger at her father for, basically, his fears being proven right.  Kirsty, the (thanks for small mercies) ex-cop, beating Tyrone with a plastic vacuum nozzle.  Sylvia being back, and thanking Roy with an awkward hug for, well, everything.  All good storylines and moving scenes.

But despite the drama and trauma, the shining moment of the week was Kylie, Dispatch Operator.   Like Darryl the Rat recently, Kylie needed only a few seconds of airtime Tuesday to totally upstage everything and everybody else.  more…

Coronation Street - Solomon’s Judgement (Aug. 13th to 17th, 2012)

In the Old Testament story (1 Kings 3:16-28), two women claimed to be the mother of a child and King Solomon had to decide which one was telling the truth.  He called their bluff by saying the only resolution was to cut the child in half and give one half to each woman.  One said ok and the other said don’t do that, give him to her.  The woman who was willing to give up the child so that he would live, Solomon deemed, was the real mother.

On Tuesday at the train station, had King Solomon given that choice to Peter and Leanne, I’m not sure that both of them wouldn’t have said ‘go ahead, we’ll each take half of Simon’.  Instead, they asked their child to choose between them and it was excruciating to watch.  more…

Coronation Street - In Vino Veritas (Aug. 6th to 10th, 2012)

“Sometimes you’ll buy a vase or a picture and you’ll put it on the sideboard or on the wall, and it’s ok.  But it’s wrong.  And that’s what I feel when I see you in this flat.  You’re just wrong.”

Oooh boy, Peter gave lots of great material this week but this one blew me away.  Mainly because he absolutely nailed it!  I’m glad he finally got drunk.  At least then he saw the truth.  more…

Coronation Street - Darryl (July 30th to Aug. 3rd, 2012)

The visual of the week:  Darryl the rat, mistaken for a cell phone.  There have been many rats in the Rovers Return over the years, certainly two-legged and probably four-legged.  But one getting pulled out of a purse?  It’s a first.  And his appearance produced other good visuals.  Like Eileen, I laughed out loud.

You knew something involving Darryl was going to happen when we saw Beth’s new furry phone cover.  Then Darryl went missing…  more…

Coronation Street - Home Décor  (July 23rd to 27th, 2012)

It was a splendid week on Corrie Street.  The Jubilee festivities were just grand, with the bunting and flags and pictures of Queen Elizabeth.  The Street party was wonderful, as were the costumes of 60 years of pop singers.  I’m glad Steve told us he was dressed as John Lennon.  My guess was Elton John or John Denver.  Eva and Sunita – I guess if you’ve got it, flaunt it!  And they did, I say, they did.  more…

Coronation Street - Double Drunk Story (June 4th to 8th, 2012)

Caitlin Thomas wrote a book about her life and marriage to the poet Dylan Thomas.  She called it Double Drink Story.  I thought of it in the scene on Wednesday when Carla is dealing with Peter, drunk as a lord, on one side of her and Anne Foster, also drunk as a lord, on her other side.  For Peter, being drunk and nasty is habitual.  For Anne, being nasty is but being drunk isn’t.  Presumably her overindulgence in drink is due to grief over the murder of her son Frank.  more…

Coronation Street - How would you know? (May 28th to June 1st, 2012)

It didn’t take long.  Only a few weeks of sharing hearth and home – and child – and on Monday Peter throws it at Carla.  “How would you know?” is his loving response to her attempt to make him feel better as a parent.  Nice one, Peter.

He has come home after a horrible day with his business records being audited and Simon throwing a hissy-fit about coming home with him.  Leanne picked Simon up from school, at Peter’s request.  She took him back to the Rovers and fed him, despite Peter having told her that Carla was busy cooking.  As part of her effort to win Simon over to the “new normal”, Carla was attempting a culinary masterpiece – “spagbol from scratch!”  more…

Coronation Street - Children of the Corn (May 21st to 25th, 2012)

A week of kids, and both kids and adults doing strange and hurtful things.  Best scene pick:  Owen apologizing and explaining to Faye.  He flat out apologized for smacking her and said he had been wrong to do it.  But (important point) he linked what he did to her killing the fish.  He didn’t do it in an accusatory way, he said he understood that she had killed the fish because she was upset and angry and wanted to get back at him.  He then explained that he had felt the same way – angry and upset at what she had done.  more…

Coronation Street - Yankee Doodle (May 14th to 18th, 2012)

Wednesday it was so sad seeing Sylvia depart.  Sad for her, for Roy and for me.  I’ve come to like her so much.  And she and Roy really need to sort out their differences, get past their history and acknowledge their affection for each other – if not for themselves then for Hayley and all of us.

So it was wonderful to see her come back to the café, bag and baggage.  She left the airport before her flight boarded, overwhelmed by being surrounded by far too many Americans.  more…

Coronation Street – Bend it like Beckham (May 7th to 11th, 2012)

Rosie has gone to London to be in a reality tv show – her chance at fame and fortune.  Wednesday, she and Jason said goodbye in the black taxi that was taking her away.  Their farewell was surprisingly touching – and funny.  Trying to cheer her up about her talent and future success, Jason said  “D’ye remember how sometimes, when we were in the bedroom, we used to pretend to be David and Victoria Beckham?  Well, you were always dead good at that.”  The mind boggles at trying to picture what that actually entails.  more…

Coronation Street - It’s not you, it’s me (Apr. 30th to May 4th, 2012)

Poor Leanne.  Monday after she fled the courtroom, Peter comes looking for her shamefacedly.  As she screams at him, you can see her very heart breaking.  Humiliated by Peter and Carla, but also it being public.  Nasty glossy colour photos handed to her in the courtroom by Frank’s mother.  An audience to watch her life fall apart.

In the flat, Peter shuffling from foot to foot:  I didn’t want you to find out this way type of phrases coming out of his mouth.  Oh, you go girl, I was saying to the screen as she told him what a low life he was. more…

Coronation Street - The Long Goodbye (Apr. 23rd to 27th, 2012)

Paul’s relationship with Eileen and Lesley.  A story interspersed with the arrival of Robert Vaughn as Milton, the drama of Carla and Peter sneaking around, Frank’s trial and the fallout of Tracy’s trickery.  But it was there, in bits and pieces, growing all the time.  Just like Alzheimer’s does.

Paul has put Lesley in a nursing home for two weeks’ respite care.  He is free to stay with Eileen, and she has decided to not worry about his marital status for now.  Through the week it developed with Eileen’s family and community putting their oar in.  Jason accepted his mother’s friendship with Paul and apologized to them both.  But it was a different story when he realized Paul had spent the night with her. more…

Coronation Street - Sweet Revenge (Apr. 16th to 20th, 2012)

I’m sure everyone who has ever lost a love to a lying, two-faced schemer stood up and cheered when Becky got back at Tracy.  I sure did.  What a wonderful moment when Tracy’s treachery was revealed.  It was made sublime by Becky leaving it until the reception, after Steve had pledged Tracy his troth in their very beautiful wedding.  more…

Coronation Street - Sin (Apr. 9th to 13th, 2012)

“Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).  Words that Tracy, Faye and Deirdre would do well to remember.  Friday saw the start of the unraveling of the lies surrounding two monstrous acts, one by Tracy with Deirdre’s collusion and the other by Faye all on her own.

After her insane jealousy brought about a miscarriage, Tracy had seen the silver lining in that cloud.  She could blame it on Becky, thereby ensuring that Steve would turn against “baby killer” Becky and stay with Tracy.  And she got her mother to go along with the lie.  I’m not sure which one of them I find more repellant for their actions in this.  Tracy has a purpose for hers, no matter how twisted it is.  Deirdre?  Protecting her child?  I’m sure serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer’s mother thought that there was good in him too.  more…

Coronation Street - Morning has broken (Apr. 2nd to 6th, 2012)

Morning has broken… That’s what played as guests awaited the brides. By the end, it was Sian’s heart that had broken.  I’m sorry about that, but pleased that the wedding that didn’t happen made up for the tedium of watching Sian and Sophie’s relationship over the past however long it’s been.

It was a fabulous wedding, with everyone there and the brides very beautiful in matching wedding gowns.  But Sophie’s cold feet showed when she hesitated over her vows.  Then the fun began.  more…

Coronation Street - Apple and Tree (Mar. 26th to 30th, 2012)

SPOILER

 

The minister comes to see Sophie and Sian about their blessing and goes to the Barlow house by mistake.  He talks to Tracy, she finds salvation and publicly confesses all her wrongdoings.

 

April Fool!  Unfortunately.

I’ve been amazed for a long time at what Deirdre will tolerate from Tracy.  I’ve been amazed at what she will do to protect her.  It has often seemed misguided and not really doing Tracy any favours.  But Thursday’s episode…  more…

Coronation Street - Sanctuary (Mar. 19th to 23rd, 2012)

Tuesday, while looking at Faye flounce off as he and Ches unloaded materials, Owen said it best:  “It wasn’t a shed, it was her sanctuary.”  So why is he replacing the shed with a flaming fishpond!  Faye has not been reluctant to voice her feelings about tearing the shed down, even though it was her foot that went through the rotten floorboards.

Monday at the kitchen table, Anna and Owen discussed with Ches and Katie what to do with the shed and its rotting floor while Faye listened and glowered, and said she wanted a shed.  I really thought Owen would say he’d replace it with a smaller one.  more…

Coronation Street - Sleep tight big fella (Mar. 12th to 16th, 2012)

Sleep tight big fella.  Words for both Schmeichel and Lloyd at the end of Monday’s episodes.  Thank you, Carmel Morgan, for two perfect episodes.  Sad and perfect.

The death of Schmeichel was beautifully done.  Ches talking to him while waiting for the vet, telling him how frightened he was, how much he needed his help through the next stage of his life, telling him he loved him.  And earlier, Kirk speaking up for Schmeichel’s right to not suffer, saying “I don’t know all the words for the body parts in Latin or ought, but I know a dog who’s had enough when I see one… more…

Coronation Street - A Boy and His Dog (Mar. 5th to 9th, 2012)

There were a lot of great scenes this week.  The birthday party from hell with Rosie’s press coverage and Sophie and Sian’s hidden engagement rings, Paul telling Eileen about his wife’s illness and the toll it takes, Sally sniping during the prayer at John Stape’s funeral, Lloyd learning the truth about Cheryl and Chris.  Powerful scenes in a lot of good storylines.  But the story for me was Schmeichel.

My heart started breaking early in the week, when Ches said Schmeichel wasn’t feeling well.  more…

Coronation Street - Goodbye Mr. Chips (Feb. 27th to Mar. 2nd, 2012)

John Stape’s death scene Friday was very touching.  Despite him being a total nutbar, I will miss him.  The character of John Stape was perfectly cast with Graeme Hawley.  I guess I’m hoping a bit that, on Monday, John suddenly returns from flatlining and makes his escape from hospital.

Especially for scenes like Thursday’s when he was schooling hostage Rosie in what to say to the court to exonerate Fizz.  more…

Coronation Street - Breeding Pairs (Feb. 20th to 24th, 2012)

Tracy told Steve she was contemplating an abortion because she couldn’t handle one baby, let alone twins, on her own.  “You’ll find someone,” he tried to console her.  No, I need you, us – a couple.

Backed into a corner, Steve threw his fate into the hands of a metaphysical force that allowed him to disclaim all responsibility for what he was about to do: hitch his wagon to Tracy.  About the 2 for 2 pregnancy rate they have going on, he said “Mother Nature is screaming something at me and you and I think it’s about time we listened.”  If Mother Nature is telling you anything, Steve, it’s stay away from her or get yourself fixed.  more…

Coronation Street - Sisterhood (Feb. 13th to 17th, 2012)

If I’d laid a bet on how long Carla would cope with Maria as helpmeet, I’d have lost.  Carla lasted longer than I’d expected.  But, even so, it wasn’t long.

The scene that made my jaw drop and made me laugh was the two of them in Carla’s living room while Liam cries in his bed.  Maria yells “Liam, go to sleep.”  Then Carla agrees with her:  “Do what you’re told and go to flamin’ sleep.”  Well, the icy cold glare of affront that Maria turned on Carla!  As in, how dare you yell at my precious babe the chosen one!  more…

Coronation Street - Playing with Fire (Feb. 6th to 10th, 2012)

I saw my scene Tuesday and wrote about it.  Friday put my impressions in a different perspective.  So here’s both, about Carla, with observations on Friday first. 

When Carla realizes she can’t go through with marrying Frank, she tries to tell him “gently”.  She wishes to spare his feelings and protect her business.  It doesn’t go well.  She must tell him she loves Peter in order to convince him.  Frank then rapes her.

Mercifully for us, they only show before and after.  But it’s enough to see it was done in cold fury, not passionate anger:  to debase and dominate her.  more…

Nightmare on Coronation Street (Jan. 30th to Feb. 3rd, 2012)

Monday and Tuesday – great writing, acting, story and character development.  Hard to pick one scene but that’s the task I have set myself. So, Audrey and Kylie at the salon when Kylie hopes to get her job back.

A static scene, just the two of them talking.  But the ‘story’ told!  Audrey’s anger and heartbreak. Kylie’s guilt combined with defiance…

SW Ont. Corrie fans check this out:  former Corrie stars coming to Althouse Auditorium, UWO March 30th. more…

Coronation Street - Sitcom du Jour (Jan. 23rd to 27th, 2012)

A double-date at Roy’s Rolls, or four platonic pals enjoying a meal as Norris preferred to think of it.  Either way, Mary was spectacular.  Her partner in spectacularness was Sylvia, known for that evening as The Waitress.

Mary, Norris, Emily and Dennis enjoyed a three-course meal courtesy of Roy.  The free meal was the price Mary exacted for Sylvia having locked Norris, deliberately, in the café washroom overnight.  Sylvia as their waitress, hand and foot, was the penance Mary exacted of her.  more…

Coronation Street - Sympathy for the devil (Jan. 16th to 20th, 2012)

I never thought it would happen:  I felt sympathy for Kylie and appreciation for Gail.  When Kylie told Gail she wanted Max to be put up for adoption, she explained why.

She would never be able to be a good mother, her own mother had told her that, had said the best thing she could do for the kiddy was drop him off on a stranger’s doorstep.  She hadn’t done that and she’d heard her own mother’s voice in hers when she dealt with him.  He’d be better with someone who knew how to be a mother.  She would be just like her own mother.  She wanted better for Max.  And she couldn’t go through losing him again.  more…

Coronation Street - Parenthood (Jan. 9th to 13th, 2012)

Monday’s theme seemed to be parenting, or not.  Heart-breaking for so many characters.  Three parent-child bonds struck me in particular.

Sylvia and Roy.  Hayley is at the end of her tether with Sylvia’s remarks about her in loco parentis skills with Hope.  Inferred, but not said, is because Hayley is really Harold, how could she be expected to cope with a baby.  Hayley’s unusual flash of temper causes Sylvia to explain her own feelings about being a parent – of Roy.  It’s not complimentary to Roy, and he overhears.  more…

Coronation Street - The Real James (Jan. 2nd to 6th, 2012)

“Your little James is a psychopath!”  My husband said that at the end of Wednesday’s episode, with some considerable glee.  He’d been telling me for weeks that James was up to no good.  “No no, he’s Ken’s grandson and he’s working at a homeless shelter.  He is good,”  I said adamantly.  What I didn’t say so often is that he’s also Ken’s real-life son and therefore he has to be a good character.  Well, the actor James Roache who plays James is the son of William Roache who plays Ken Barlow.

It has been clear for quite some time that something wasn’t quite right with James and his stated plan to expand from a soup kitchen to a home for the homeless.  more…

Coronation Street - Eunuchs and Parasites (Dec. 26th to 30th, 2011)

Once they’d decided it was necessary, Hayley and Roy didn’t have a chance to tell Mother Cropper the truth about Hayley’s sex change.  Tracey Barlow, trademark sneer in place, was happy to enlighten Sylvia even while Roy was shooing her out of the café.

The three Croppers then had a moment of mutual self-revelation.  Sylvia tried to avoid it, but Hayley said ‘sit down’ in a tone that even she had to obey.  more…

Coronation Street - Mother of the Year (Dec. 19th to 23rd, 2011)

An anonymous call to Child Services, Max taken back into care “while we investigate.”  Becky wrung the truth out of Kylie, her first suspect, and believes she didn’t do it.  That leaves Tracey.  It is a reasonable assumption.

So Becky grabs a sledge hammer from Owen’s truck and proceeds to bash the Barlow door in. Meanwhile, Owen, Jason and Steve stand around with their fingers – well, doing nothing useful to stop her.  more…

Coronation Street - Paradise Lost (Dec. 12th to 16th, 2011)

Dreams seemingly attained: Paradise found.  Awakening to reality: Paradise lost.  Three scenes this week showed this, in very different ways with different levels of drama.

Tuesday, Tyrone going to see Kevin, telling him that it was taking too much of a toll to keep fighting him, keep hating him.  It was doing more damage to him, Tyrone, than Kevin was worth.  Let’s get along as work partners.  But I’ll never be your mate.  Wise words from Tyrone.

He’d had more than he ever imagined possible:  a home, wife, child, his own business co-owned with his best mate.  more…

Coronation Street - Live fast, die old (Dec. 5th to 9th, 2011)

I didn’t watch Coronation Street when the Tanners lived there.  But you can’t be a Corrie fan without knowing of Elsie Tanner.  I’ve seen her and her kids Dennis and Linda in “Classic” episodes on video.  So I feel like I know the family.

Maybe that’s why I listened, enthralled, as Dennis told Rita about his mother’s life after she moved away.  I know it’s just a story, but I cried picturing Elsie and her new man living in Portugal, running a pub for British ex-pats.  I could see her, still glamorous at 81, driving fast in a red sportscar with the top down.  And I could picture the crash that took the lives of Elsie and her husband Bill on a winding mountainous road.  “She used to say the way I carried on, I’d live fast and die young.  Trust her to go one further – live fast and die flamin’ ancient,”  Dennis said.  more…

Coronation Street - Marriages of Convenience (Nov. 28th to Dec. 2nd, 2011)

“For generations, the cream of British aristocracy and the crowned heads of Europe have intermingled to produce a bloodline like vintage champagne.  Then what do they go and do?  Pour in a quart of brown ale.  I’m surprised they haven’t booked the Rovers for afterwards.”  I have not heard such a wonderful summary of the debate of royalty marrying non-royalty as Mary gave about William and Kate’s wedding in Tuesday’s episode.

Like many, I have a favourable impression of Miss Kate Middleton, purveyor of party supplies, now Catherine, HRH Princess William of Wales, Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn, Baroness Carrickfergus.  However, it will be hard to think of her again without picturing a quart of brown ale.  more…

Coronation Street – Easter Reunions (Nov. 21st to 25th, 2011)

Such a treat – seeing so many Corrie people back Friday.  First, Todd Grimshaw and his new man Jules, then in London, Violet and Jamie and Marcus.

When Eileen said Todd was coming home, I figured something would prevent it like always.  But no, he arrived, with Jules, in (best of all) a beautiful black MINI convertible.  I liked Jules right off the bat.

Then, in a reenactment of Ken Barlow’s first storyline, Todd had major problems reconciling his old life with his new.  Ashamed of his origins, even his mother, in front of his posh lover, he was awkward to his mother and friends, apologized in advance for everything to Jules, and stormed off.  more…

Coronation Street - Marc & Marcia & bambino (Nov. 14th to 18th, 2011)

The scene that made me shriek with delight this Tuesday was Kevin’s surprise gift to Sally.  A beautiful little red Fiat 500, giftwrapped!  I just wanted them to keep the camera on the car.  My delight quickly turned to horror as Sally shrieked at the happy salesman to take it back.  No, Sally, you don’t know what you’re saying, no no, keep the car!!  Keep Kevin.  Give the car to me – Kevin too if it’s a package deal!

I thought, she’ll come to her senses.  The car will win out.  But then she flew into Kevin, and even said “the colour stinks”!  No, it’s beautiful!  It’s a brand new little Bambino.  Red!  What more could you want?

It was hard to concentrate on the show after that.  The image of the little orphan car wearing its bow was burned into my brain.  But then I saw Marc, bruised and bloodied, slumped on the bench in the police station in dress, necklace and blonde wig.  more…

Coronation Street - All About Becky (Nov. 7th to 11th, 2011)

Wednesday, Becky going at Kylie then the Platts, followed by Becky going at Liz, and finally, the fabulous moment of Becky throwing Liz’s favourite clothes in a puddle.  And as the driving force for all this, Becky taking control of her misery by grabbing a big bottle of whiskey and getting plastered.  Bad Becky is back!

I loved Becky this week.  Not everyone did, I see from Tvor’s blog.  Some see her as immature and selfish.  Yes, she is.  But.

Her husband has the ex from hell and she lives next door.  His child sometimes lives with them and, while Becky wants and is expected to be a mother to Amy, she can never usurp Tracy’s position as “real” mother.  Her controlling mother-in-law, who detests her, lives with them and is her boss.  Or is it business partner?  Whose house is it, whose business is it? more…

Coronation Street – Business (Oct. 24th to 28th, 2011)

Watched a bit of Corrie today, so I don’t know everything that happened.  But Dev explaining the full extent of their financial problems to Sunita was very moving.  And real for any small business person.

He explained that he had forgot to renew the insurance on the Weatherfield shop so that’s why their savings were depleted.  He’d been using that money to pay for the repairs.

Then he told her the state of his other shops – his little empire.  Road construction in front of one, a Freshcos opened too near another, the flats above another found to contain asbestos.  The tenants removed and the rental income therefore as well.  And for all the shops, the effects of the recession.  Real problems that affect real people. more…

Coronation Street - The Best Man (Oct. 17th to 21st, 2011)

The week ended as it started – with Peter and Nick.  And Leanne and Carla.  At the end of Friday’s episode, Peter told Leanne he knew about her affair with Nick and he wanted a divorce.  He did it at the altar, in front of the minister and those assembled in the church for the reaffirmation of their marriage vows.  Wow.  Cruel.  And very dramatic.

Poor Leanne.  She looked so beautiful, and so very happy.  Then boom.  At least then she would understand why, at the last minute, Peter had insisted on Nick being his Best Man and on Carla attending the blessing.  He indeed wanted witnesses.

So that was the final scene of a week about the Valentine’s Day Blessing (or Massacre).  Leanne sobbing, Peter steely-eyed and standing on his own two legs.  Everybody else looking gobsmacked.  more…

Coronation Street - The Good Soldier (Oct. 16/11)

Writing this after Monday’s episode, pretty sure nothing is going to top Gary’s description of what happened in Afghanistan.*

Gary has been unraveling; pushing his parents and Izzy away, missing physio appointments.  Unable to cope, yet unable to tell anybody why or what happened when his patrol was attacked.

After Izzy has enough of rude Gary and leaves him in the street, he apologizes.  They talk a bit.  He says he hasn’t seen Quinny’s parents.  She says “maybe that’s what you need to do.”

He phones them, but doesn’t tell his parents he has.  Quinny’s parents come to the Windass house.  Anna comes home unexpectedly, makes tea all around, offers to leave if that would make it easier for them all.  No, Quinny’s dad says, no, Gary says, I want you to hear it too.  more…

Coronation Street - Joy of Joy (Oct. 3rd to 7th, 2011)

It seems wrong to say you enjoyed watching an old lady die of heart failure after finding out that her son was dead and his body buried beneath a knicker factory.  Even more shocking for her was learning that the helpful young friend of her son was the man responsible for doing this, now sitting with his hand over her face.  But the dénouement of the Colin Fishwick story was so wonderful that all I could do was hold my breath as Joy came slowly to believe this mad story being told her.  And, yes, laugh.

You knew it had to happen, but having the whole incredible story come out between only John and Mrs. Fishwick was superb.  The look in her eyes as she heard the ringing of the cell phone she was calling – on the coffee table in front of her.  more…

Coronation Street Scene of the Week - Agatha Christie? (Oct. 2/11)

Despite the sight of Tracy lying bloodied on the ground by the Barlows’ back door, the scene this week for me was Emily Bishop telling Tracy just what she thought of her.

Mrs. Bishop said, I think, what we’d all like to say to Tracy only she was more polite about it.  “I’ve known you since the day you were born and I’ve never been more ashamed of you in my life.”  The implication was not lost on me that Emily has had plenty of reason before to be ashamed of our Tracy.  As everyone has.  Especially Ken and Deirdre.  What can Deirdre being thinking to continue supporting and justifying that girl?  A mother’s love, yes, but a mother’s blinders?

Tracy arrived back Christmas Eve, and what an entrance!  A lovely carol sing on the street, snow lightly falling.  more…

Coronation Street Scene of the Week – Airing Laundry (Sept. 25/11)

Usually I watch Coronation Street on the kitchen tv.  I also tape it so if I miss the evening broadcast, I watch next morning on the bedroom tv.  But the 50^th anniversary episodes were watched on widescreen HD in the living room.  Pets going “Huh? We aren’t usually in this room now.” 

My husband watched too.  At the end of the first half of Monday’s episode, he said “I stopped watching because of Sally.  Now I might start watching again – because of Sally.”   I forget what she’d been doing several years ago that drove him crazy.  But he was riveted as she talked to Kevin about Molly’s last minutes of life.

After Sally said maybe she should have made up “a fairy tale” to tell Tyrone, Jim said “she’s playing Kev like a fish.”  I thought maybe she was neck deep in denial – if I pretend this didn’t happen, then it didn’t. (Molly telling her Kev was the baby’s father.)  I’ve lived in that kind of denial-land before, so it seemed plausible that she was too.  more…

Coronation Street - Off the rails (Sept. 12th to 16th, 2011)

Wow!!  I was disappointed when I learned the big event to mark the 50^th anniversary would be a tram crash.  I had hoped for something uplifting.  But, having seen it now, it was truly spectacular.  Many great scenes, so here’s my highlights of the week.

Charlotte going well and truly off the rails in Monday’s episode.  A lovely meal she made for John, and chitchat about her exes and what happens to students who annoy her.  John reaches his limit over her demands on “Colin’s” time.  She likes his display of forcefulness.  “I never knew you had it in you” then she croons to herself “He’s big and strong, the man I love.”

Tuesday, her pretend life continues with dinner with her parents – her mother apparently as loopy as Charlotte and her father perhaps not far off.  more…

Coronation Street - Our Jim (Sept. 5th to 9th, 2011)

With our CBC episodes doubled as of this week, and a lot going on in the Street, it’s hard to pick just one scene.  So my pick is every scene with Jim McDonald who returns for Jack’s funeral.  Seeing Jim McDonald makes everything seem brighter.  Every time he comes back for a visit, I realize how much I miss him.   Yes, he’s a hard case, but he’s so vibrant.

It was especially nice to have him in the Rovers when Roy made the sad announcement that Gary Windass had been wounded in Afghanistan and three men of his unit killed, including his friend Quinny.  Jim is a British Army veteran.  He was posted in Northern Ireland during The Troubles so he knows combat situations.  He has lost mates and, in his case, he’s from where he was posted.  He was the enemy in his own land.  Of everybody on the Street, he knows what Gary is going through.  When he raises a glass to the soldiers, it’s heartfelt and with knowledge and memory behind it.

It’s ironic that these episodes about Gary air in Canada in the week before September 11^th, the reason that the war in Afghanistan began.  more…

Coronation Street – Goodnight Jack Duckworth (Aug. 29th to Sept. 2nd, 2011)

Tuesday – can’t pick one scene.  First, at Jack’s birthday do at the Rovers, he and Molly discuss the situation with Kevin being baby Jack’s biological father.  I had chills going up my spine as Jack told Molly about real life, about mistakes, about love and behaviour.  Both Bill Tarmey and Vicky Binns were wonderful.  He was wisdom and experienceand love, she was ‘whatever’ – a little bit flip, a little bit defensive, a lot guilty.  She knew the weight of importance in what he was saying.  She knew she had to listen, but she didn’t want to.   They personified a hard-earned sense of justice and the callowness, and shallowness, of untested youth.  Having been a callow and shallow youth myself, it was hard to watch, now older and able to see the stark truth of Jack’s words.  That’s the scene, I thought.  more…

Coronation Street – Jacks’ Bonfire Night (August 22nd to 26th, 2011)

A lot of story this week, but nothing leaping out at me until Friday.  It was November 5^th on the Street, Bonfire Night, and fireworks had started, literally on the street and figuratively for Baby Jack Dobbs.

The last thing we see is Kevin, back turned to the explosions over the street and soon to happen in the Dobbs-Duckworth house.  He was headed back to the Rovers after seeing Molly.  He had confronted her about the baby’s paternity.  It was that, and especially the accidental fallout from it, that caught my attention.

Kevin had a DNA test done on the baby.  It showed he is the father of Little Jack.  After acting like a complete jerk at the Rovers with Sally and Gail and, indeed, with and about Tyrone, he sneaks around to Molly’s back door to confront her. more…

Coronation Street - Cheap Tricks (Aug 15th to 19th, 2011)

Thursday just before a commercial break:  Kylie, obviously still in the Greater Manchester area.  Oh no, I groaned, I thought she was gone.  I like Max and the story of Becky wanting a child, wanting Max.  But Becky and Kylie have gone back to their roots – back to the trailer park.  Kylie never left it and I’m tired of her and her conniving sleaziness.  She makes me want to take a shower to rid myself of the contact slime.

She, and the whole storyline around her, embodies cheap tricks in all senses of the term.  Now she’s trying to sell Max to Becky and Steve.  No matter what you think of that, he’s not hers to sell.  “The Social” is still involved: he’s theirs to sell or give away, whatever. more…

Coronation Street - Little Englanders (August 8th to 12th, 2011)

Ashley Peacock just put himself in the ranks of splendid curmudgeons of Weatherfield.

In a kitchen table scene Tuesday, Claire and her mother extolled the virtues of living in France.  He listened to the advantages of bilingualism for the boys, then said what he really really thought when they talked about the possibility of him continuing to work in the meat business in France.

He argued that French butchers would not welcome him setting up shop in their midst and “it’s all union over there.”  “When it comes to meat, trade over there never forgot what them farmers did to our sheep.” more…

Coronation Street – bring me flowers (Aug. 1st to 5th, 2011)

Three scenes Tuesday.  First, Chesney taking flowers to Katie, and her dad answering the

 door.  Flowers go to the cobbles and Chesney goes to the wall, pinned by Owen who tells him what will happen to him if he messes his “baby girl” about.  His daughters might think Owen is a “rubbish dad” but it’s clear, at least if you’re not his daughter, that he truly cares for them and will protect them no matter what.  Chesney got the message.  Didn’t stop him, but he knows to be careful around “psycho” Dad.

Later, Brian and Julie in the Rovers discovering they are a match made in heaven. more…

Coronation Street - Care Packages (July 25th to 29th, 2011)

Eddie Windass, in the cafe, stealing Roy’s condiments for food purchased elsewhere.  Anna scolds him.  He asks if there’s any tape.  She looks to see what he’s doing, sticking food and magazines in a shoebox.  Ciaran looks too and realizes he’s making a care package for Gary, just left for duty in Afghanistan.

Aah, it’s not the first time I’ve had to wipe away a tear watching Eddie lately.  He gave his son a St. Christopher’s medal from his father, after realizing where his son was going and to what. Gary had packed several hairbrushes, saying he’d need them to brush things off.  What things, Eddie asked, himself not that familiar with hairbrushes.  Explosive devices, Gary said, land mines and that sort of thing.  more…

Coronation Street - Hell hath no fury (July 18th to 22nd, 2011)

Hell indeed hath no fury like a woman scorned by lover, lover’s mother, boss who is also lover’s grandmother, and co-worker who is also lover’s brother.  Natasha let pretty much everybody in Weatherfield know exactly what she thought of them before she jumped in a black taxi and left.  She also let them know what Nick thought of them.  You go, girl!  It was wonderful.

The multi-part scene began after she had left the hospital and seemed to recognize Nick’s caring attention as the mealy-mouthed guilt it was.  So next day, she returned to the street to say goodbye.

First David, with whom she attempted to be nice.  When he rebuffed her, she told him “next to you I’m sanity personified.  You’re seriously disturbed.”  more…

Coronation Street - The Good Mother (July 11th to 15th, 2011)

A storyline, not a scene: the unmasking of Natasha’s dreams of housewifery.  It started for me Wednesday, with Gail getting up from her chair in the Rovers. “He needs his family…he needs me,” about Nick.  No!  Leave him alone!  My pleas to the screen did no good.  She had to Save Her Son.

It has been hideous watching Gail this week.  Yes, she was right to suspect Natasha and, yes, it seems Natasha wasn’t going to come clean of her own volition.  So Gail got the truth out.  Almost got Natasha killed too, but dear Sonny Boy is protected from himself again by his devoted ‘fight to protect the cubs’ mom.

A few years ago, I heard a woman jokingly say to her son, “I made you and I can break you.”   I thought it was pretty funny. more…

Coronation Street - Waitress from Hell (July 4th to 8th, 2011)

I can’t stand Kylie.  That being said, I loved Wednesday’s scene of her “serving” in Roy’s café.  It could be one of Dante’s circles of Hell for restaurant goers everywhere.

Cell phone wedged between her shoulder and ear, chatting away to someone, while slapping plates of food in front of customers.  Customers aghast, yet looking a bit frightened.  And Roy, unbelieving of what was happening in his café in front of his very eyes.

I shouldn’t loathe Kylie as much as I do, I suppose.  She’s a very realistic portrayal of just how stupid and selfish it is possible to be.  She’s young, she has had a hard life, and presumably she didn’t choose to have a child when she did. more…

Coronation Street - Family Trees (June 27th to July 1st, 2011)

Two scenes this week – couldn’t choose between them.  Very different stories, but both about expanding the family tree.

We’ve got a new shoot on the Dobbs lineage, but daddy Tyrone doesn’t yet know that it was likely a graft.

Molly hanging on, wanting Tyrone to be there before she went to the hospital and before she gave birth.  The people she most didn’t want there – Kevin and Sally – were.  Sally was trying to keep her from having the baby on the spot, in the living room.  Kevin was looking like he’d rather be anywhere than where he was.  Molly was throwing dagger looks at him and snarky comments.  Sally, for once, was just trying to help.

I was thinking who is this situation worse for – Molly or Sally?  more…

Coronation Street – Lancashire Fusilier (June 20th – 24th, 2011)

That was the most fabulous wedding I’ve ever seen on Corrie or any other show.  I can’t possibly pick one scene – every one was great.

The singalong on the bus: evocative of old Corrie episodes where they’d rent a bus to go to Blackpool or somewhere.  Those participating in the moment, and those sniping – Norris grizzling about everyone being so silly, Sally at Claire about everything, Rosie getting digs in at John the tour leader.

Roy as John and Ches blindfolded him to take him to the train.  Roy obviously never played any trust games - more…

Coronation Street - Mary (June 19th, 2011)

This week, Mary.  She is wonderful.  Scary and wonderful.  Coronation Street has a treasure in her.  I keep wishing she’d go away because she frightens me.  But every scene she does is superb.

She’s a very economical actor.  She can create a whole scene with one look or one action.  Perhaps because she’s established her character as a woman clearly on the edge so well, she really doesn’t need to give anything more than that first visual trigger and you, the viewer, can fill in the rest.  On Thursday, we had four moments of pure Mary-ness.

Her look of longing and animosity at the ladies getting ready for Hayley’s hen party.  Who hasn’t felt that when other people were having a good time and excluding you?  I felt sorry for her, and I also felt fear – what is she going to do to them? more…

Coronation Street - Baby Daddy (June 6th to 10, 2011)

Nick patting Natasha’s belly and cooing to the baby inside versus a couple months ago Nick asking Leanne if she didn’t sometimes picture herself and him and little baby that might have been.  Hard to decide which is more revolting.

A power outage meant I missed Tuesday’s episode,  So Monday ended with Nick burning rubber getting away from Natasha and her announcement that she was pregnant (right after he’d put the moves on Leanne – yuck!).  And Wednesday opened with I’m-yer-daddy cooing and patting.  Whaatt?

When I saw Natasha was unusually reserved around him, I thought she’d come to her senses and was as disgusted by this overnight change in Nick as I was. more…

Coronation Street - the Accumulator (May 31 to June 3, 2011)

A five race accumulator is a bet in which you pick the horses to win in five different races on a given race day.  Your winnings compound from race to race, but if all five horses do not win, neither do you.

Lewis “won” his first ever accumulator.  Not impossible but pretty hard to do, especially based on pure beginner’s luck as he so blithely told Leanne.  Such a win, whether by a neophyte or a better with a good system for picking, is a great day for the better and a bad day for the bookie.

Peter guessed Lewis must have known something he shouldn’t have known based on the winner of the fourth race.  The combined odds of Allagoggin actually winning and of somebody choosing him in an accumulator were so astronomically long that Peter was suspicious, not just hopeful, that there was something wrong about Lewis’ ‘luck’. more…

Coronation Street – Crazy Ladies (May 23rd to 27th 2011)

Fizz going off on Charlotte.  She’s in Charlotte’s house telling her exactly what she thinks of her and telling her to stay away from her man!!  Wonderful.  Nice to see Fizz back.  No more mealy-mouthing, just saying what she really thinks.

Poor Charlotte cowering, obviously not used to being talked to this way.  It’s one shot that I particularly liked.  Fizz, with a curtain of glass pendants, crystals, whatever they are hanging in front of a mirror.  Fizz looks out of place in this house, and that shot captures it perfectly.

We’ve never seen Charlotte’s house before, and it’s absolutely perfect.  At first, the tight shot when Fizz is going to the door, I thought it was a small brick cottage.  The flowers, the low front porch, the trellis work – I knew it was Charlotte’s.  more…

Coronation Street - Farce (May 16th to 20th, 2011)

John Stape is making progress.  He now isn’t just teaching about farce, he’s living one.  It wouldn’t feel that way for him, of course, having to figure out how to quietly dispose of a body while everyone is everywhere around him.  But for us, the audience, the latter half of the week has been a lovely tour de farce.

The real Colin Fishwick has removed the need to return his identity to him by dropping dead in John and Fizz’s house.  He got a beating from the cuckolded husband and came to John to complain.  Charlotte happened to be there and when she poked him to emphasize a point about how difficult all this was for her and John, Colin keeled over.  Dead as a mackerel.  John was supposed to be at the café for Chesney’s 16^thbirthday party, Charlotte was supposed to be not there, and now they have to deal quickly with a corpse.  more…

Coronation Street - Meowrr! (May 9th to 13th, 2011)

Lots of ‘cats’ on the Street this week!  So many scenes to choose from.  I had one picked then saw Friday’s episode, which gave me another two options.

So here are the runners-up, in order of appearance.  Audreh’s birthday party at the Rovers.  The whole thing was wonderful, but Audrey telling Gail off was superb.  “You don’t exactly pick ‘em do you?  Murderer, followed by a suicidal drug addict.”  In the middle of their catfight, a hush came over thecrowd.  When Audrey realized everyone was listening, including the lovely and plastered Rita and Claudia (gigolo co-clients), she told the entire room exactly what she thought about her life, and theirs.  more…

Coronation Street - The Salesman (May 2 to 6, 2011)

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!”  John Stape would know without having to google it that this famous line comes from Sir Walter Scott’s poem Marmiom.  That’s because he’s an English teacher who loves his job.  So much so that he’s woven himself a huge web of deceit.  And he’s enjoying it.

I’m beginning to think what he really really wants to be is an actor.  This week he had to pretend to be a furniture salesman in a store without telling the real staff and customers that he was just pretending.  He was showing sofas to the Windasses who believe him to be an employee of the store.

I don’t suppose it would have worked if he’d gone to the floor manager and said ‘look, would you mind if I pretend to work here?’  more…

Coronation Street – The Wedding Planner (Apr. 25 to 29, 2011)

Monday, Mary leaping at Hayley in the fancy hotel’s small event room when Hayley says she prefers it to the large room.  Hayley is especially pleased to see the steam train yard outside the window, remarking that Roy would like that.  ‘Who cares?’ is Mary’s reaction.   “It’s your wedding day, not a trainspotters’ outing.”   It’s your day, it doesn’t matter what he thinks, it’s about you, you, all about you, your chance to shine, your chance to be the princess, the fairy tale dress in the fairy tale ballroom, “the day you’ve thought of since you were a little –  since you were small.”  more…

Coronation Street - The Dinner Party (Apr. 18th to 22nd, 2011)

Sean touching his son’s face onscreen, Cheryl after being battered by her husband – moving moments.  But Ken telling dinner guests Audrey and Lewis, “Tracey always says how much she misses her mother’s home cooking, her stuffed marrow in particular.”  Like Audrey, I knew:  “yum yum.”  This is going to be good!

And what followed Ken’s statement was a tiny three-act play set into Tuesday and Wednesday’s episodes, starring Ken and Deirdre, Audrey and Lewis.

The Barlow dining room, after their (and our) appetites had been whetted in the Rovers.  Not really Audrey’s though.  She seems to not be a fan of stuffed marrow.  more…

Coronation Street - Stayin’ Alive (Apr. 11^th to 15^th, 2011)

It was Graeme’s week.  Even before all his Christmases came at once and he got lucky with Tina, he was the man.

Two scenes on Wednesday made me giggle.  First Graeme and Ashley sitting on the floor in the back of the butcher shop role-playing Graeme’s speed dating chat.  Ashley playing the girl and assessing Graeme’s best chat up lines.  Tina walking in to invite him over – looking at them and wondering.  You have to wonder how she could still entertain romantic notions about him after that!

Then Graeme, swinging his way down the street, dressed in his best disco dreams shiny shirt. ‘Stayin’ alive ah ah ah ah stayin’ alive.’

I can’t see Graeme and Tina together for long, but it’s nice to see Graeme happy for at least a little while.  He and David and the radiator and handcuffs was played as slapstick and was just delightful.

Also in Apr. 17th post

Coronation Street - A Proposal (Apr. 4th to 8th, 2011)

My pick for the week is not the small, unexpected quirky moment.  I’m going straight to the Big Event – Roy’s romantic proposal of marriage.  It was lovely, weepy-making and also quirky even if expected or at least hoped for.

In a smoke-filled room with shattered glass on the floor, Roy got on one knee and asked Hayley to be his wife, again.  No, they weren’t in a pub evading no-smoking laws after a bar fight.  It was their living room after he’d had a cooking disaster.  As he attempted getting down on his knee, Hayley fussed at him about shards of glass and what are you doing, be careful.  She did not see what he was trying to do.  But her smile when she heard his words, and realized his meaning, and her immediate heart-felt ‘yes’!  Priceless. more…

Coronation Street  - ‘Our Father’? (Mar. 28 to Apr. 1, 2011)

A woman battering at the factory door, the menfolk trying to decide whether to help, and nary an official of civil authority in sight.  This image from Wednesday encapsulates the history and ethos of Coronation Street.

As I and other analysts of Coronation Street have noted, it’s always been an insular community where people fix their own problems and a community where women are the leaders.  Here we have a madman holding hostages inside a building, threatening to shoot them.  The police (for once!) have been called.  But before they get there, Becky takes matters into her own hands. more…

Coronation Street - Red Dress Redux (Mar. 21 to 25, 2011)

My “aahh” moment was Hayley opening the gift from Roy when it wasn’t even her birthday.  When Roy fumbled and bumbled his way into the Windass home to leave the present for her, saying it would take him a while to arrange, I’d thought he was going to sprinkle rose petals on her bed, as Anna had suggested to him.  And maybe he did.  What we saw was Hayley, downstairs, opening the box he’d left.  It was a red party dress.  Like Hayley, I almost cried.  And, aside from the romance of it and how difficult it must have been for Roy to go dress shopping, it was absolutely beautiful…

It is great to have Tony Gordon back and just as bad as ever.  more…

Coronation Street – Red Hot Hayley (Mar. 14^th to 18^th, 2011)

Hayley, delighted with her dress purchase.  Roy saying “I find it hard to see you in it.”  The hurt you feel when you’re all excited by something and someone you love throws cold water on it.  Hayley was already angry with Roy, and hurt, for his totally ham-handed proposal of marriage.  Then, to perk herself up, she decides to splurge on a fancy red dress, a dress that is totally unlike her.

Yes, Roy is right.  But that’s not the point.  I’d go even further and say the dress looks absolutely hideous on her.  At least Roy didn’t say that.  more…

Coronation Street - Baby Tigers (Mar. 7th to 11th, 2011)

A few weeks ago, we had the grown-up tigresses going at it.  Rita and Audrey over Lewis and Alf and many years of shared history.  This Wednesday it was Tracey and Becky, well-matched fighters from the younger generation.  The difference between the two pairs is that Audrey and Rita are friends.  Somehow I can’t see a friendship between Tracey and Becky ever developing.  Audrey, Rita and Becky are all decent human beings who may have disagreements with others and who speak their minds.  Tracey is not.

But watching the two of them eyeing each other across the visitor table in the prison!  I could see them as cats, backs arched, circling warily, keeping back far enough to avoid the other’s claws but trying to get in close enough to land a good wallop with claws out.  more…

Coronation Street - A funeral, a fight & free food (Feb. 28 to Mar. 4, 2011)

They did Blanche – and Maggie – proud.  The funeral was lovely, heartfelt and funny.  So many beautiful moments.  Starting before the funeral, on Tuesday, with Ken in Blanche’s room, looking through her “bits and bobs”.  Deirdre is furious, but realizes she’s taking out her guilt and grief on him unjustifiably.  So together they look through Blanche’s things, remembering.

Wednesday, Deirdre trying to get ready, hearing her mother chivvying her along.  Eccles, seeing Deirdre distraught, coming to lick her hand and make it better.

At the Rovers, Liz explains a lot about the MacDonald reluctance to tell Amy anything.  “I were that age when my gramma died.  My dad sat me down, said she’d moved house and he’d lost her new address.”  more…

Coronation Street - Blanche (Feb. 21 to 25, 2011)

Norris and Mary, in the little cottage of horrors, were riveting this week.  And it was nice to see Nu-Amy.  But the week belonged to Blanche.  May she, and her portrayer Maggie Jones, rest in peace.  They are missed.  There were so many scenes, and bits of scenes, in Wednesday and Thursday’s episodes in the telling of Blanche’s passing– facial expressions, a line spoken, even a word.  Blanche was there.

Despite knowing for over a year of the passing of Ms. Jones, it still wasn’t real while watching Corrie St.  Whenever Deirdre would say something about “Mother coming home” I’d think oh maybe she is, maybe it was a huge mistake.

But no, Blanche died in her sleep the day she was to fly home from Portugal. more…

Coronation Street – Duets (Feb. 14th to 18th, 2011)

So many strange pairings this week, so many good scenes.  Lots of story building.

A biggie with Audrey and Lewis.  What is he doing?  Is he smitten or is he taking her for a ride?  If so, what kind?  Is he tired of the escort business, of being nice to people like that dreadful accountant lady with the twins?  Or does he have a sideline in emotion-driven financial fraud?

Natasha and Nick.  Is he smitten or just unable to avoid her?  Girlfriends Sophie and Sian.  Is Sian really smitten or is she just between boyfriends?  Gary and David. more…

Coronation Street – Crash (Feb. 7 to 11, 2011)

Tyrone’s car rolling over and over and over – wow!  Then, next episode, the firefighters cutting the car apart.  The car and the jaws of life were the stars of the week.

How fast was Tyrone driving on that narrow country road to have a car roll over that many times?  How, indeed, was more damage not done to Molly and the baby, seeing as how she had removed her seatbelt just prior to the crash?  more…

Coronation Street – BFFs (Jan. 31 to Feb. 4, 2011)

A jaw-dropper at the end of Monday’s episode.  Sophie, having scrubbed the back of her neck raw trying to get the temporary tattoo off, crying.  Then Sian coming in to make up with her after their fight.  Then Sophie kissing her in a not “just friends” way.  And Sian maybe returning the feeling?

A couple weeks ago, after Sian and Sophie had a little hissy spat, I read a comment somewhere online that said something about their ‘lesbian moment’ in a kind of eye roll way.  I thought, oh, it’s just teenage girl stuff – emotions and hormones all over the place all the time.

Certainly, Sophie’s emotions had to be running amok at this moment in her room.  more…

Coronation Street – Needs a home (Jan. 24^th to 28^th 2011)

Tuesday, Becky reaching to the computer screen, to the girl with the challenging eyes.  Cloe, 9 years old, seven siblings most of them in Scotland, needs a forever home.  Steve and Becky are looking at a website of children available for adoption.“ You’d think they’d be all puppy eyed wouldn’t you.”  Becky sees herself in Chloe’s eyes and story.  Steve sees her too.  Please pick Cloe, please please, I say to my screen.

I know it wouldn’t work – not right now.  Becky’s on too much of an emotional rollercoaster, in an emotional wringer, whatever way you want to put it.  She’s had too little time to get used to the thought of having a baby, then losing a baby, then losing another she didn’t even yet know had existed, then having to think about never  being able to carry a baby to term at all, ever.  A bad womb, a womb that kills babies.  Not an easy thing to accept about your body for any woman, ever.  more…

Coronation Street – Movin’ on down (Jan. 17^th to 21^st 2011)

A scene I liked in a storyline that’s not up to par.  First, the scene (a two-parter):  Sunita and Dev in the Rovers talking to Ashley and Claire about living on the side of the street that has, as Dev says, “outdoor loos”.  (Sunita had learned from Kirk that Maria is planning to put her house up for sale.)  Claire and Ashley have lived on both sides of the street, and know whereof they speak.  Claire defends her house, that it’s not “pokey”. Ashley takes the middle of the road – yes it is “a bit” but it’s all right. more...

Coronation Street – SWF looking (Jan. 10^th – 14^th 2011)

Friday, Audrey and Rita had an interesting conversation about paying for companionship.  To the news that Lewis is an “escort” hired occasionally by Audrey, Rita’s reaction was what probably most of us think – “a gigolo!” with a little titter of laughter.  Audrey denied there was any gigolo-related activity going on, just someone to talk to.  “On the meter,” Rita scoffed.  She told Audrey that she could find men for companionship or whatever without resorting to paying for them.  Audrey doubted the likelihood of that.

It was a sad scene, two widow women talking about finding interesting single men.  But more than that, it was reassuring. These women know that they are “of a certain age”.  But their age was not something they discussed.  more…

Coronation Street - Ashes to Ashes (Jan. 3^rd to 7^th, 2011)

Whatever the Joe McIntyre storyline was like, his death has been perhaps the most entertaining I’ve ever seen.  The funeral Monday was a gem.  From the gathering of the mourners on opposite sides of the street when the cortege was forming, and Norris and Dev, like a Greek chorus, intoning “decorum” as they observe the hostilities.  Then, in the chapel, the interruption of the solemnity by the noisy arrival of Graeme, late because he had to catch a bus to the chapel.  Then the almost as noisy departure of Tina because she couldn’t stand the sight of Gail in the pew across from her.  more…

Coronation Street – God bless the child (Dec. 27^th to 31^st)

Not really a “scene” this week – a shot and a background, both part of the same storyline.  Poor little Simon, looking out the door at his feuding family.  That child can tear the heart out of you.  You can feel how confused and frightened he is about the behaviour of the pack of jackals (and jackasses) he now must live among.

It is rare to see child actors, especially ones so young, be able to carry their parts in a storyline all by themselves.  Simon’s emotions and reactions do not need propping up or explaining by the adults at all.  We’re more accustomed to children whose expression basically doesn’t change and we only know if they’re happy, sad or upset by the context of the story, indeed even the verbal explanations we’re given.  “Look at —, he/she is upset now!”  Ok, thanks for telling us.  But we don’t need that with Simon:  he tells us or shows us quite well on his own.  more…

Coronation Street – Loss (Dec. 20^th to 24^th, 2010)

The biggie of the week was Monday’s three-scene telling of Becky’s miscarriage.  The look on her face when she leaves the bathroom, the surreptitious tippling of vodka, the screaming out “I had a miscarriage”.  Dramatic, suspenseful and, ultimately, heart-breaking.

But my pick comes on Thursday, when Liz sits down for a heart-to-heart with Becky.  She tells her she knows how she feels, and she tells her about Katie.  Katie was the baby girl that Liz lost.  She was a day old when she died.  Liz puts a spin on it that’s consoling for Becky and that is really nice of her.  She says, “at least I did get to hold her.”  more…

Coronation Street – Trash Kitties (Dec. 13^th to 17^th 2010)

Tuesday at the Rovers, Trev says,  “Hey guess what I found today?  Two little kittens in a wheelie bin.”  Janice says, “aah, really?  Where are they now?”  In a cardboard box at her flat, Trev says.   No one else says anything, except to comment on Janice’s allergy to cats, out of Trev’s earshot.  Living kittens were put inside a bin destined for the compactor end of a garbage truck.  And no one comments on it??

It happens in real life.  There are people uncaring and cruel enough to find that a way to solve their unwanted kitten and puppy dilemma.  And they don’t do it thinking “a nice garbage collector will be sure to find them if I put them here.”  They think this is an easy and cost-free way to get rid of animals.  And it is, for them.  It’s not for the animals that are crushed to death by the compactor, and it’s not for the garbage collector who may realize too late that a live animal is being crushed.

So if ever there was a moment crying out for a “public service” line to be written in easily and effectively, this was it!  more…

Coronation Street – ‘Bob’ jokes (Dec. 6^th to 10^th, 2010)

There was one brief, shining moment this week on Wednesday.  As I said to my husband when updating him, “Joe popped up.”  Then I almost fell off the chair laughing as he looked at me searchingly, perhaps a bit fearfully.  I do hope I’m not alone in finding it funny:  the beautiful calm lake at night, silvery in the light spilling out from a cottage window, then sproing!  “Hi, my name’s Bob”…

And Corrie Crazy aired this week on CBC. more…

Coronation Street – Lake Schtupid (Nov. 29 to Dec. 3, 2010)

Suicide by stupidity:  that’s the theme of this week.  Or, another name, Dumb and Dumber.  By Wednesday, when you add Gail to the mix, it’s “Dumb, Dumber and I can’t believe she’s that dumb!”

Dumb and Dumber, of course, are Joe and Peter – different storylines, different kinds of stupidity.  For those of you unfamiliar with the Darwin Awards, check them out.  They are “awarded” posthumously to people who do the human race the favour of taking themselves out of the gene pool by killing themselves in some spectacularly stupid way.  I thought of them often while watching this week.

But first, the scene.  The breathtaking beauty of a lake in the Lake District on a cold winter night.  White sailboat reflecting off the water in the moonlight.  Onboard, Joe putting his “solution to all our problems” into effect.  His cold hands fumble with the dinghy rope as he’s trying to tie it onto the sailboat.  He drops it.  The dinghy floats away free.  He has to get it back; it’s the key to his floating away free.  He uses an oar to retrieve it, almost gets it.  The sail comes around and knocks him overboard.  more…

Coronation Street – And he’s back! (Nov. 22^nd to 26^th, 2010)

There were a lot of “should be” scenes this week.  Some fell short, some have built over time, and an unlikely one happened right near the end.

The thing that signaled ‘uh oh’ the most was the appearance from behind a restaurant kitchen door of the glorious Ciaran.  You knew his return was bad news for Peter and for whatever woman or women he encounters this time.  He is so lovely to look at and to listen to, but he leaves a swath of destruction behind him.  And all the while, he just smiles with a “what – who, me?” look.  A poster on Corrie Canuck perhaps summarized him the best:  “As for Ciaran, he is not use, but he IS ornament.”  I would go further:  he is more than not “use”; he is a one-man wrecking crew of people’s lives.  But he certainly is ornament.  more…

Coronation Street – What I really think (Nov. 15th to 19th 2010)

Becky shone this week, in every scene with every other character.  Taking Kelly on over her flirtation with Steve, taking Steve on, telling Roy and Hayley that her mom had died.  Great scenes.  Then, Friday, three scenes where I got teary – Becky reading a story to Amy and crying for the loss of her mother; Liz commiserating with Becky over Steve’s behaviour and actually seeming to like and respect her; then the final scene with Becky and Steve reconciling and her telling him she is indeed pregnant.

Wonderful moving stuff.  But the scene that has stuck in my head was at the end of Monday’s show when Joe told Gayle what he really, really thought of her.  It was the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time.  more…

Coronation Street – Vera (Nov. 8th to 12th 2010)

The 2^nd anniversary of Vera’s death.  Tyrone is sad.  But that morning, he doesn’t know what’s about to hit him.  All he knows is Molly is being very difficult to live with.  At the Rovers, Jack gives him advice about how to handle women.  Betty tells Jack that in her almost 90 years, she’d never heard “such a load of codswallop”.

Then, in a week of great scenes, comes the one.  It’s a two-parter, maybe a minute.  First part:  Jack sits alone in a booth, finishing his pint.  He’s pulled something out of a paper napkin and is holding it.  Betty brings another pint over to him.  “I didn’t order that,” he says.  Betty puts it in front of him, kisses the top of his head and walks back to the bar.

Second part:  Jack looks at the object in his hand.  It’s Vera’s wedding ring.  He looks down at it and up at the heavens.  “My little swamp duck.”  more…

Coronation Street – Private Gary (Nov. 1^st to 5^th 2010)

I shed a tear for the Windasses this week.  Friday, Eddie unveiled the cake he’d baked for Gary’s going away party at the Rovers, the cake Gary said he hadn’t wanted because “men don’t eat cake.”  In honour of his joining the Army, it was shaped like a hand grenade.  Anna, despite her horror at the macabre design her husband had chosen as a send-off for their son, was touched and wanted Eddie and Gary to express their feelings for each other.

A bit of foot-shuffling by Eddie and Gary, looks of horror toward Anna for wanting them to get “touchy-feeling”, then some “yeah, well, that’s what I think of you too” stuff between them.  Then a lovely moment when Gary looks at his dad with real love in his eyes and a kind of “gotcha” grin.  more…

Scene of the Week – C (Oct. 25th to 29th, 2010)

There was a lot of good stuff this week.  Carla hauling the vodka bottle out of her desk drawer and telling Sally “orange juice in the fridge” after Sally has told her why she needs time off work.  Also excellent is the ongoing storyline with the dueling grandfathers in the Barlow family: there’s a lot of show – and English – history with Ken and George battling it out over education options for Simon.  Have a look at the first episode where Albert Tatlock gives Ken a little lesson in class consciousness when the young university student is feeling caught between two class worlds.  Also in that episode, a bicycle is being repaired in the Barlow living room, just like last week.  But that time Ken wasn’t doing the fixing, rather he was mortified about it.  But for the scene of the week, I stand by the decision I made early in the week.  (Sun, Oct. 31st)

I’m writing this Tuesday.  I’m sure I’ve just watched “the scene”.  Bill comes by Kev and Sally’s to see how Sally’s visit to the oncologist went.  Just Kevin is there, Sally is upstairs having a long soak.  Bill kind of shuffles from foot to foot and tries to look cheery.  His body language is that of visiting “the sick room” – that not knowing where to look or what to say.  Kevin tells him what the process will be, his lips uncomfortably forming the words “lumpectomy” “lymph nodes”.  His speaking manner is a bit stilted, like he’s reciting or practicing a phrase in a foreign language.  And he is:  he’s repeating the words of the doctor, words he may have heard before but never had them apply to his own life.

As Kevin talks, Bill’s face transforms.  He’s listening, hearing and understanding the words but he’s going back in his mind.  more…

Coronation Street – Trifecta (Oct. 18th to 22nd 2010)

No one scene jumped out at me this week.  But three spoke a bit, for different reasons.  The penultimate scene with Steve and Becky and a close up of Becky looking back at Steve, worried, pensive, scared, maybe all of the above.  She had been in the Rovers’ bathroom earlier, taking a pregnancy test out of the box.  She’s been like a frightened rabbit since.  When she learned Claire had told Steve Becky didn’t want kids, she told Claire off in no uncertain terms.  No ‘bezzy mates’ if you blab.  She had a long talk with her real ‘bezzy mates’ Roy and Hayley, about kids and marriage but didn’t tell them the results of her pregnancy test.  Steve has got very broody all of a sudden and is pressuring her to have a baby, even without knowing she thinks she’s pregnant.  That’s the only part of this story that strikes me as rather contrived, indeed “soapish”.  I could accept Steve getting broody and wanting a baby with Becky and her resisting.  I could also accept her thinking she might be pregnant, not telling him, taking the test and not knowing what to do with the information (assuming it’s positive).  But having the two things happening at the same time, without Steve knowing that Becky is at the stage of taking a pregnancy test?  It says American daytime to me, not Coronation Street.  more…

Coronation Street – Molly’s Turkey (Oct. 11th to 15th 2010)

Molly pulls the Christmas turkey out of the oven.  The pan tips and the turkey slides out on the floor.  Oh, the poor girl.  I haven’t had a lot of sympathy for her in this whole affair with Kevin, but my heart bled for her in this scene and the one leading up to it, the one where Kevin breaks it off with her.  What I liked in the follow-up scene was there was the turkey on its platter in the middle of the table, with Tyrone, Jack and all tucking into it.  Molly did what I’d hoped she did when I saw the turkey laying in the middle of the kitchen floor.  She picked it up, wiped it off, put it on a platter and served it – ta da! – telling no one of its little side trip en route to table from oven.

Now, girl, that’s what you have to do with yourself.  Pick yourself up, look your best and carry on!  Easier said than done – more…