Don’t Do It!

Gail, David, Kylie and Max hustle along the street. Callum gets out of his car as they pass. Max cringes and hurries away from his father. What’s up, Callum wonders, surprised at Max. Kylie and Gail try to keep the little party moving along, away from Callum. But David just can’t resist Callum’s jibes. Don’t do it, David!

But of course, David stops and turns back. He wants to wipe that smile off Callum’s face. Max saw Callum kick Jason. That is why he wants nothing to do with him. And soon the police will know, and you won’t be smirking then will you. David just can’t resist.

No, no, don’t do it! Keep walking! Kylie is trying to get across to David, trying to push him along away from Callum. I’m praying for the same. Kylie doesn’t want Callum to get a heads up that they are going to the police station. I don’t want to witness one of the biggest soap clichés ever: blabbing your guts and thereby allowing the villain to thwart your plans.

But David blabbed

Neither Kylie nor I got our wish. David blabbed, Kylie worried about what Callum would do now he had warning. I felt deflated. I don’t expect to see hackneyed dramatic devices in Coronation Street writing, heavy-handed in their furthering of a plot. There’s been a few lately, and that’s too many.

In this case, it was especially unnecessary. Max’s behaviour itself was enough to clue Callum in that something had happened that wasn’t to Callum’s advantage. He could probably figure out for himself what it was. A word, or flinch, from Bethany or Sarah, both nearby and easily located, might confirm it.

Alone, either of them might have told him whatever he wanted to know. Neither of them know enough to keep their mouths shut. Neither does David on his own, but he does know how high the custody stakes are and Kylie was right beside him almost dragging him away from Callum. There was no need for the ‘I’m going to expose your evil ways and you’ll be sorry’ type lines that make soaps the butt of jokes (and that got Tina killed).

Other great scenes

Later in the week, there were great scenes. Beautiful suppressed annoyance from Roy about Cathy leaving toast crumbs in the butter. Mary bullying everyone to seek their artistic muse. Sean and Sally discussing modes and means of listening to music. Tony struggling to support his son and Eileen instead of taking revenge on those who nearly killed Jason. Finally and gloriously, the week’s end with Tony slamming the wits out of Callum. Despite all these small gems, I couldn’t get the click-click of a plot device turning over out of my head.