Easter Reunions

Such a treat – seeing so many Corrie people back. They were there for Easter in UK air time. For us, just a very good 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. Even Jules, himself condescending about Eileen’s “lunch” or “dinner,” told “Todley” he didn’t like how he was behaving.

London Calling

And Sean went to London for Easter, with a humongous teddy bear, to see Dylan. Entering on a “domestic” between Violet and Jamie, he went to the kitchen where Dylan was and found his old lover Marcus there also.

Then a lovely tour of London – for them all day, for us snapshots of the highlights overlaid with The Clash’s ‘London Calling.’ Corrie Street again uses a stylistic staple of American soaps – nice in these circumstances but I hope not about to become regular fare.

Back at Violet’s, a heart-breaking scene where she showed her opinion of Sean hasn’t changed since she left Weatherfield. Despite Jamie leaving her, she cringed at the thought of returning to Weatherfield, where Dylan might learn Sean’s –.  Sean filled in the rest himself, “How I talk? How I walk? My gayness?” He told her that, as she had said, the Violet he knew no longer existed. She had been replaced by a homophobe.

Then a visually and emotionally beautiful scene with Sean, Marcus and unwanted teddy. Sitting on a park bench at night, looking over the lights of London, talking about their lives since they parted. Being honest, being friends and both opening the door a bit for maybe a future together.

Sylvia calling

A reunion also on the Street between Roy and his mother. Sylvia has appeared before, right after Roy’s stepfather’s funeral. Now, Hayley has brought her back to their house and the café where she will “help out” and terrorize the clientele.

She is absolutely stunning with Roy, Hayley and every character she has met so far. She is utterly believable as the woman who created Roy Cropper. In his interactions with her, Roy is utterly believable as a son who fought so hard to gain what semblance of normality he has, and now fears remembering his childhood horrors will take it away from him.

Gail calling!

And I can’t not mention the line that had me almost spray coffee all over the kitchen table. Gail looking through the classifieds, seeing a course on counselling, saying “I think I’d make a good counsellor; people tell me things.”

No, please, not another messed-up human being thinking that their neuroses and psychoses qualify them to counsel other messed-up humans!! Hire her, Nick, it might send your business down the drain but it will save the mental health of many others.