Peter and Tina: An affair to forget?

(This post was originally posted by Graeme N on the Coronation Street Blog in January 2013.)

It was with a sudden jolt the other evening that I realised how much I currently hate Peter Barlow. Yes, before you say it, I know he's a fictitious character in a television drama and that it's meant to be an exaggerated version of real plodding life, but I can't help wishing he would just get out of my sight.

I know Peter is just the latest in a long line of Weatherfield residents to commit adultery and I'm not going to go all holier than thou on that one. However, well, let's be honest, the man has only just married for the fifth time! The current infatuation with young enough to be his daughter Tina McIntyre seems to have sprung up from nowhere (as it were) and it is just totally seedy.

Of course the writers have it planned out that just as Peter cheats again, Carla is showing her human, fragile soft side as she cares and frets for poor Hayley. The contrast between these scenes the other evening was almost too much to bear. I cringed as Peter sat with the Croppers in the Rovers, showing a complete disinterest as he pined for Tina. What a creep!

It was good to see Liz warning him off in the Rovers' gents the other night, however I don't totally agree with her that's it's mostly Peter's fault. He may be twice Tina's age, but she hasn't really tried that hard to stay away from him has she? I know this is part of the grand plan for Tina so that she's alienated as many people as possible before she finally leaves in the summer. It's just all a bit much.

Tina the temptress has hardly had five minutes to get over Tommy's sudden departure and now she's snogging the face off both Peter and Rob. Who's next on her hit list, Norris? Before Tommy there was Graeme (thankfully not me) and David Platt and not that long ago she was fighting off an amorous Gary Windass. However I guess her one redeeming feature is that, unlike Peter Barlow, she hasn't married them all as well.

I do feel sorry for Carla as I think Hayley's death will really hit her hard. On top of that, any revelations about Peter and Tina may just push her too far. I'm loving Alison King's portrayal at the moment, she's a terrific actress and Carla is developing nicely mainly thanks to her blossoming friendship with the Croppers.

Another character who will suffer as a result of this affair is poor little Simon. Has there ever been a worse upbringing for a Corrie child than the one Simon has had to endure? He is constantly stuck in the middle of Nick and Leanne and Peter and Carla. Not a pretty place to be. I do wonder when the writers are going to follow up on Simon's bullying storyline as that seemed to climax and then peter out (pardon the expression). Surely Peter would be concentrating on his son at this time and his new wife, rather than chasing Tina hither and thither.

However, what do I know? Illicit affairs and secrets are the foundation stone of the modern soap opera so this latest story just carries on a grand tradition. Is it really what you want to watch five times a week though? I'm not sure I do.


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