Sunday Comments, November 28

Lines of the week:

• Molly "If you ever need me, you know where i am" (That means YOU Kevin!)
  
• Betty (looking at Michelle and Liz's cleavage) "Some things never change behind the bar!"
  
• Becky to Steve "I married ya cause I like living with Liz!"
  
• Steve "You mean we might have poisoned the oldest barmaid in Manchester?"
  
• Ciaran eyeing Michelle, to Peter "If i'm not back in 30 minutes, make your own plans!"
  
• Janice to Sean and Julie "Shotgun? You two wouldn't even add up to a water pistol"
  
• Ciaran to Carla "Where's the boyfriend?" Carla "Husband. He's in prison for murder. Insanely jealous" Ciaran "She's kidding right?" Peter "Yeah, he's not been convicted yet"
  
• Peter "Here she is, Night of the Living Dead"
  
• Betty "I've seen gargoyles with a pleasanter look than yours!"
  
• Gail "I thought this was a Valentine's treat, not a geography lesson"
  
• 
  
• Deirdre to Ken "What's the view like from that high horse?" Ken "It's very clear" Deirdre "I should keep your eyes open. Because once you fall off, it's a long way to the ground!"
  
• Steve "I've got a good mind to go down to that wine bar and drive a JCB through a window!" (**HA!!)
  

Becky's pregnant and Steve is over the moon but Becky's not. Now she's going to have Claire on her case as well but Claire was supportive. Sounds more like Becky does want the baby but is scared to death she will be a crap mother due to her upbringing and she knows she can go off on a mad rampage herself at the drop of a hat. She doesn't always take pressure well. Thing is, she really is a good mother already but feels because Amy isn't hers, it's different. IT's not, you know. It's harder to be a step mother. Steve couldn't help but tell his mother but it's only fair, Becky told Claire (who probably told Ashley!) and Roy and Hayley and Steve told Betty and the news is most definitely getting around! That baby book she got off Claire sure took her aback!


Ciaran's back! Peter was reluctant to admit to his old drinking buddy that he's off the sauce. But it didn't take being around his mate for 5 minutes and Peter was diving into the bottle again, on the sly. Ciaran proceded to pour on the Blarney to Michelle but, having Irish roots herself, she seems immune. He tried it on with Carla too, but after she told him about her murdering husband, he backed off. Especially when it was confirmed as true! I'm actually glad Peter is off the wagon again, only because most of the time in soaps, an alcoholic gets help, gets sober and it's never really an issue ever again. This slipping is more realistic i think. As much as Peter doesn't think he would ever drink again because of what happened to Simon, alcoholics sometimes still think they can handle just one drink.

Well, they can't and neither can Peter and he ended up ruining the bar party and that's Leanne's dream gone up in a boozy cloud of smoke. And to make matters worse, Ken witnessed it, too, making his view from the high horse even higher. (I'm sure it must be against regulations to have a party in a construction site!) It's too bad, he finally started to think that his attitude was only adding pressure to Peter and it probably was.


Lots of awkward with Tyrone and Molly both visiting Sally. Does nobody work these days? Why would either of them stay if they've come to see Sally and she's lying down? For someone that doesn't want Molly anywhere near, Kevin sure goes around Molly a lot. Janice is looking for a lodger and look who it is! Trevor the binman! It didn't take her long to fancy him, and why not! He's gorgeous! Why is Mary upset that the yogurt is "live"? She knows loads about all kinds of things, why wouldn't she know that it comes in all sorts? Deirdre is always so funny when she's drunk!


Happy Birthday Betty! 90 and still working! But is she really the oldest barmaid in Weatherfield? What were the odds that there was actually another one over 90 still working? Pretty slim, it seems to me. Anyway, she might have been a little older than Betty but probably just jealous that her boss never thought of putting her in the paper! And she stuck around at the party. I bet she wouldn't have that many locals at the Parson's Arms that would club together for a party for her!

Why did Tina tell Joe she could put her flat on the market and give the money to Joe? She just finished telling him she had a buyer for it so isn't it already on the market? Mind you, i think the loan shark is the one she thinks is the buyer. Joe's conversation with his daughter seemed to have a bit of finality to it. Was he really saying goodbye? What sort of plan does he have up his sleeve and will it have something to do with that insurance policy?

**If you will recall, when Steve and Andy first moved into the Street, they jumped on a JCB (earth mover on the construction site for the new side of the street) and drove the blade/bucket of it through Alf Roberts' shop window!

Sunday Comments November 21

Lines of the week:

• Tyrone "No fear... no fear...."
  
• Kelly "Sorry to break up Nerds Aloud..."
  
• Sophie "Good as gold? Dad do you actually know how old we are?"
  
• Gail about Joe "He's just in a slump" (which has lasted most of the time she's known him)
  
• Joe to Gail "When it comes to the male of the species, you're the equivalent of Tutankhamen's curse!!!!"
  
• Joe "I can explain" (pathetic but it worked)
  
• Michelle "she might be a brainless slapper but that's Kevin's daughter you're talking about!"
  
• Rosie "I'm nil by mouth" Sophie "and nil by brain"
  
• Steve "You are MY WIFE ..." (then start acting like a husband!)
  
• Kevin "They've been good as gold all afternoon" Sophie "Good as Gold?!! Dad, d'you actually know how old we are??"
  
• Gail "I just feel that you've been lying to me!" (Feel? FEEL???)
  
• Graeme "I'm not staring. I'm drinking in your loveliness" (yeah, but she loves the attention, really)
  
• Dead as a doornail... door knob? Everyone getting them confused!
  

Becky is acting out but i think mostly she's reacting to Steve being so childish. These two need a course in how to communicate because they do love each other to bits. And first he's spending 1000 quid on golf clubs then he buys a motorcycle and acting like a twit. Rubbing Becky's face in it by flirting with Kelly, her old adversary, really was a low blow. He better be careful. He could get his wish to be single if he keeps on like that! He got bladdered and couldn't even stay on the bike! Doesn't he look a prat in those leathers? I do wonder why Steve went all over the neighbourhood looking for Becky and never tried the cafe! Most obvious starting point, i would have thought. But Finding out that Becky's mum died, not
from Becky herself, though, kind of took him back short. For all her blustering about her non-relationship with her mother and though her mother wasn't much of one, Becky still ended up crying into Amy's bathrobe. It's still a wrench.

Finally she sat and talked to Steve like a grownup. She's even admitted she's pregnant. Maybe that will get the pair of them talking again. But with all the things she said about not wanting kids, is she even going to keep the baby? If she does terminate, i think that would probably drive Steve out the door.

Poor Tyrone. He's just devastated. And all alone in that house, the only noise being his snappy rice breakfast cereal! Kirk's advice was strangely appropriate, though. Use your head instead of your heart.

Sophie and Kevin have made up and Rosie didn't have the boob job. (Who calls their surgeon by his first name?) She was nervous, really. I expect though Kevin went with her, that was probably a rewrite and i am guessing that it would have been Sally originally if the actress hadn't gone off on sick leave. You didn't really think she'd go through with it, did you? And her getting upset about her mum's illness is probably one of the few times you really get to see Rosie with genuine feelings.

Dev keeps working on Sunita but then still doesn't think about anything but himself when he thinks he'll be the one to suffer if a reconciliation went wrong. Of course he tells everyone else he rejected Sunita, not the other way around. Twit. You noticed Mary singing about the Eye of the Tiger with a line that was akin to stalking being sung quite vigorously!

How would letting David rent the salon flat be making it akin to helping Gail bail out Joe? If she didn't, David would find somewhere to stay or Audrey would just take him in anyway. Gail keeps saying she wants David to stand on his own two feet, i expect that meant he should just persuade Audrey himself but wouldn't living in the flat do that? She wants to move and him having a place to stay would facilitate that. She never minded sticking her beak in on behalf on one of her chicks before! What Joe tried to do by selling the house to a broker is basically what you do with an old car when you sell it for parts. Well it backfired on him when Gail found out what he was doing. That and all Audrey's niggling little points. The penny might actually be dropping and she's going to pull the house off the market.

Joe really can be a nasty sod, can't he? He has shown flares of this side of him in the past, too. Quick tempered and vicious tongued. I'm not one to advocate violence but it seems to me after his remarks about David deserving a medal for trying to kill his mother, he had that slap coming. But you know? for her hitting him that hard, he never even flinched let alone have his head jerk backwards even a hair!

What *really* gets me annoyed is how Gail then turned around and blamed herself for Joe's outburst. She didn't lash out at Joe in any way. And she wonders why she keeps getting involved with total losers. Joe keeps scurrying around out of sight of the loan shark and making furtive phone calls to the insurance people. So now you know why he saved that sheet of paper on which she was writing her new married name. Now he wants to go out on the boat with Gail. No money. But he wants to go for a second honeymoon on a boat. He's using Gail's money seeing as he can't pay Ted back what he borrowed from him.

Simon looked cute in the hard hat, the fashion award of the week, I think! Amazing how it seemed to fit his little child sized head perfectly! The bar is starting to take shape and Leanne wants to have a hard hat party before it opens for the publicity. I shouldn't think that would be legal, if it's not sanctioned for occupancy yet by the council permit people. Meanwhile, George is making inroads into persuading Peter to send Simon to a private school. He figures it's an "in" to Oxford... well he can get that anyway if he's smart enough.

Trevor the binman. He *is* rather gorgeous, isn't he? We haven't seen the last of him! Kelly might love motorbikes but riding it with her legs flung out to the sides is only going to have her flying off it! If Becky's mother died living rough and had next to no possessions, A. how did they identify her and B. how did they find Becky's mobile number? Her mother certainly wouldn't have had it if they'd not had contact for years.

You probably didn't notice but the car that Kevin and Tyrone were working on earlier in the week is the same car they were working on 3 weeks ago. See?

And Here's a bit more commentary on what happened in Weatherfield in January (UK timeline, which we're seeing now).

Sunday Comments, November 14

Lines of the week:

• Molly "Everyone's already looking at me like i've stomped on a kitten" Pam "'appen you 'ave!"
  
• Dev about Matt "He was a womanizer... God's Gift" (pot? Kettle?)
  
• John "never a dull moment, especially with Roy" (I do hope he was being facetious!)
  
• Ryan to MIchelle "If you're trying to embarass me it won't work. I'm too used to it!"
  
• Jack "Widows, nuns and lesbians...steer well clear of em"
  
• Rosie: "I can't wait to tell John Stape that he's paying for my new boobs. He'll feel like a pimp!"
  
• Julie: "I can tell it's going to be one of those days when I have to have a little cry before I can thread the needle"
  
• Kevin to Sally: "It's made me realise how much I love you" (And that's the first truth he's told Sally in months! Ok, but you know what I mean
  
• Kevin to Sophie: "Why does this God of yours do this in the first place?" (To make you see what an ass you've been, maybe? Guilt, much, Kevin?)
  
• Molly to Tyrone "I don't love you" (awwwww)
  
• Jack to Tyrone "They always come back, lad, you just gotta give them some time"
  
• Norris "It's horrible being the bearer of bad news. It's exhausting!" (Norris you old gossip, you love it!)

Joe's gone and done it. He's got a new life insurance policy! Did he insure them both or just him i wonder? Ha! David sure scuppered the house sale and everything he said was true, well more or less. Stape isn't a paedophile but his history is certainly pretty jaded! Then Joe was eyeing up the charity collection jar with it's tenner and collection of coins, as if that was going to help him any. He's already ticked off Peter by suggesting money up front for a "Maybe" job and Bill isn't going to go that route either. A desperate man will take desperate measures. (Does anyone wish the thugs had actually caught Joe?)

Molly's gone and done it, too. She left Tyrone and he thinks, rightly, she had an affair but wrongly, he thinks it's with Dev! I suppose Dev offering her a free flat didn't help but really. Dev? I nearly burst into tears right along with Tyrone! She was horrible to him! IT really would have been the best if Molly had just left altogether. Leaving Tyrone and staying in the street at her job and living there, it's just torture and it's just not fair. If her father would have let her work at his bakery, that's where she should be and shouldn't have let Dev talk her into staying. It just gets worse. Ty begged Kevin to talk to Molly and she kept trying to persuade him to be with her by blackmailing him into giving Ty her wedding ring back! It seems Fiz finally remembered she's good friends with Tyrone except how would she even think Tyrone would ever turn vegetarian? Hasn't she seen him chowing down a full English in the cafe?

Molly is still delusional, she thinks because she's left Tyrone that Kevin will come round. Pam told her straight and don't you love Pam? I'm firmly on Team Pam!

Aw, Lloyd and Teresa shook hands on not getting serious but did you see her face fall when he turned away? The cancer collection..er..jug, so much for anonymity when Betty broadcasts all the donations! Mary is still hovering around Norris and has talked him into letting her help in the Kabin. I thought Tina still worked there?

Rosie is still planning on having a boob job. Did you see the photo on the shelf behind Sophie of Rosie back in her school days? A sweet little schoolgirl? Good news for Sally though, they seem to have got it all and it hasn't spread. Just radiotherapy to get through now to make sure! Kevin's drunken rant against God is understandable. It's hard to understand how bad things happen and people want someone to blame. Kevin feels if God helped make Sally well, He shouldn't have let her get sick in the first place.

Sunita and her fiance has broken up... how on earth can Dev even keep a straight face calling Matt a womanizer? So Sian's father is sending her to stay at her Mother's in Southport and Ryan takes a righteous strop over it, trying to emotionally blackmail her. Poor kid feels bad enough as it is.

Becky and Steve are still at daggers drawn. I don't think she quite got it right, doing all the bar work to spite Steve lol!

Awww Jack really is still broken up over Vera's death, isn't he? And Betty knew... thus, the little kiss. Oh i see Sian's father is a total ignorant idiot! I don't think Gail really has to consult David for permission to sell the house. He's 18, he can live on his own! Ok, yes maybe she should have at least been more up front with him but object or not, it's not like he's a little kid to be considered.

Corrie Crazy is official!

Just got the official word and here it is, Corrie Crazy airs on December 9 at 8 p.m. on CBC. Find all about why Coronation Street is so popular with Canadian fans! You may remember reading all about the experiences that Graham and I had and those of my friends Mark and Deborah right here on this blog. Now you can see the end result along with lots of other Canadian Corrie fans who all got their 2 minutes in the limelight too! I am looking forward to it though I may watch my part through my fingers!

Sunday Comments, November 7

Lines of the week:

• Norris "I'm being shadowed by a moon-faced munchkin in a large motor home"
  
• Norris "First time i've started a meal with dessert" (you haven't lived, Nozzer!)
  
• Mary "I've got 2346 photos!" (Holiday snap hell!)
• Joe "We could bring the boat" Gail "So you could push me in and claim on the insurance?" (Omen!)
  
• Rosie "These breasts and my brain is my passport out of this dump!" (Seriously?)
  
• Rosie "O! M! G!" (that pretty much says it all)
  
• Kelly "It's discrimination!" Janice "Cos yer black?" Kelly "Nooo coz I'm single!"
  
• Emily to Norris "You're comparing yourself to an annoying little bluebottle (fly). I can see the comparison"
  
• Norris "For a sec there, I thought you looked like Hannibal Lecter" (She did!)
  
• Graeme about Rosie "You make her sound really shallow" David "She IS really shallow!"
  
• Gail "I'm not thinking of popping me clogs any time soon, are you?" Joe "Of course not" (*cough*)
  
• Kelly "Typical, they just go and make me look stupid" Fiz "That's not hard!"
  
• Tyrone "Loyalty, Kev, you taught me that" (oh if you only knew!)
  

Oh i HATE hearing women say they can't live without a man! Gail always picked losers and it's not changed any. Now they have a honeymoon on the lake and are planning to bring the boat there. Uh oh Joe's looking up life insurance stuff online. And it's so frigging obvious, isn't it? Gail practicing her signature and decides they don't need life insurance so Joe is going to forge her signature! Someone does need to explain the concept of life insurance to Gail, however. She's been a widow often enough, you'd think she'd have figured it out by now. Gail, love, your husbands die! It's only prudent! I think Nick is flirting with Tina to wind up David more than anything else. He also seems to enjoy seeing Tina squirm but i don't really think he's really after her. So far he's actually a bit of a dislikeable pratt but Nick Tilsley always was. The new actor, Ben Price, seems pretty good though. And Ew, first he says his mother looks so good he'd marry her himself and now this week, he's all over David! Yeah, yeah, he was kidding both times... wasn't he?

Freda is gone and Mary's back! Yay! I love her! She's absolutely bonkers! But why was she being so coy and hiding around corners? and How many moon-faced munchkins in large motorhomes does Norris know? You'd think he would have recognized her but he didn't seem to. Laughed at Norris being afraid to enter the campervan for fear of never coming out alive! Mary certainly seemed to have a few adventures. If Norris doesn't want anything to do with Mary romantically, why did he seem a bit jealous when she told him about that Spanish fella. I don't understand why Mary would have been surprised it was cold in Scotland. It's January in the show's timeline! I guess that trip of hers over half the world or whatever it was didn't make her very worldly.

Happy Anniversary! So much for Molly's promise to be a better wife. She dumped Tyrone within hours and poor Ty! It kind of cements Molly as the villain. Breaking Tyrone's heart is like kicking a puppy! Tyrone, loyal lad that he is, turned down that job to support Kevin. What does Molly do? Throw a strop and plan to walk out. Ken doesn't learn a blessed thing, does he? But he's got George having doubts. Too bad Ken never did learn to support his son. Peter is protesting how he'll absolutely not touch a drop. Soap law and the Soap Opera Phrase of Doom tells us otherwise. That's not a spoiler, that's just the way things always work!

Graeme says he can get back up on a ladder next week. But his wrist isn't bandaged anymore and he seems to be walking just fine. He was kind to Rosie though salivating at her bus stop poster for drain cleaner! HA! So much for glamour shots! He's got it bad for her, though even though he knows it's so wrong!  And the truth about Rosie wanting a boob job came out. Poor Sally! Rosie or should i say Helen Flanagan acted the fakest crying i've ever seen! But i did laugh at Graeme crying in sympathy. Anyway, the gurls are starting to notice something's up. Well, Sophie did anyway and their suspicions that there's marital problems pushed Sally and Kevin to tell them the truth about Sally's illness sooner than they thought they would. That has to have been a very hard scene for a lot of people to watch and didn't they all do a good job of it!

I'm sure it must seem unfair to the workers that Sally gets unexplained time off and Kelly kicked off the worst. And you gotta love her, even after she found out about Sally, she was unrepentent. She doesn't think she should pretend to like Sally now she's ill. Kelly is what she is and what you see is what you get and she's no hypocrite. But it wasn't about the girls liking Sally all the time, it was sympathy and support. It could have been any one of them and they know it, most of them.

HiyaLowa got a big Hiya on his horse didn't he? What a Diva! Dev's flat is most definitely not kiddie proof and that really wasn't a lot of ruckus and noise for 20 kids was it? Hmmm looks like there might be a few cracks in Sunita and Matt's relationship. Maybe Matt isn't as confident about Dev being around so much? And isn't that the doctor from the Rosamund Street clinic? She came quite a long way to see Asha!

Happy Birthday Ryan. And was there any mention of her bio son Alex with the same birthday? Was there 'eck. Sophie and Sian made up at least. Seriously, Michelle. a toast cake? Don't knock yourself out or anything!

Why is it that sometimes, normal speaking between people in the pub or cafe can be heard in the whole establishment and other times, someone 4 feet away can't hear a blessed thing? Hmm, Hayley's going to take dance classes? Our unfortunately uncoordinated Hayles? oh well, i imagine she'll have fun at least.  Oh God. Eddie in his dirty dressing gown, bare legs and grotty socks!!! And oh my, can you believe Eddie made Gary a cake shaped like a hand grenade? LOL! Good thing it was tasty! Gary's off to become a soldier. It's a bit surprising to have a going away party for Gary when nobody in the neighbourhood likes him and he's got no mates except for Chesney! David stuck a target on his back. It sure backfired on him though and so it should!

DVD Review: Coronation Street Romanian Holiday

This year's Coronation Street DVD release from E1 Entertainment is Romanian Holiday and it's probably the best Corrie spinoff I've seen yet. That's mainly because it features the wonderful Roy and Hayley with a bit of Becky thrown in for good measure and the secondary characters are very funny as well. The premise is a wedding invitation. The Croppers are invited to Romania to the wedding of Frankie Barlow to a footballer who's playing in that country. They then are asked to house sit for a few days while the newlyweds are on honeymoon. Typically, things go horribly wrong. I have the region 2 dvd and wrote a summary with screen captures of the storyline over here.

The DVD is now released in Canada and will play on any North American dvd player. E1 has kindly offered me a copy of the DVD to review. In addition to the main storyline, there are two short documentaries. One has interviews with the cast members and the other describes the behind-the-scenes goings on, with what goes into putting the production together with the help of a Romanian crew as well as the English one. There's input from the writers and the directors, as well. I always enjoy these and I wish the documentaries were a little longer. These "extras" are on the Region 2 DVD as well.

Romanian Holiday is available on Amazon for $19.99 at the moment, and other online sites and you can get it at department stores, electronics and music shops that sell dvds as well. Wal-mart and Zellers often have them a little cheaper and you can try Costco as well.

Last year, Out of Africa (episode summary) was released and is still available.

Sunday Comments, October 31

Lines of the week:

• Kelly "Half the blokes thought i were a drag queen and the other half thought i were a Diana Ross lookalike booked as entertainment" (You know, i can kind of see that!)
  
• Becky "I want to see a film where a fat, balding, middle-aged pig dies in a chainsaw accident"
  
• Steve to Ashley "Men can't force women to have babies but women can force men NOT to have babies" (You know he's got a point!)
  
• Peter to Joe's request for cash "Tell me, what have I done to make you think I'm soft in the head?"
  
• Graeme "I don't think Gail could cope with another one like David."
  
• Joe "I'm not about to spontaneously combust!" (too bad)
  
• Audrey to Gail "It's so lovely you getting a second chance at your age." (fifth?)
  
• Lloyd "Joe's a very lucky man" (in whose universe?)
  
• Becky "I don't have to get wasted to have a good time!"
  
• Ted to Jo "Any last minute doubts?" Joe "Only whether i'm good enough for her" (I can answer that one. You're not.)
  
• Nick "If you weren't my mum, I'd marry you myself" David "That is so wrong on so many levels" (it was kind of ick wasn't it?)
  

Well that's one question answered. Sarah isn't coming to the wedding because Bethany has chicken pox. Why isn't Gail crushed? You'd think she would be but said she wanted a low key wedding anyway. It's your DAUGHTER and GRANDDAUGHTER! That's hardly high key though with Sarah it could be high drama. And the loan shark has returned and we will be treated to Joe shaking and grimacing and whining again. And why isn't Gail excited to be marrying the man she loves? Maybe because weddings are pretty much routine to her these days ;) Meanwhile, Rick is making sure Joe and his family are being threatened. Surely that's illegal? Can't Joe just go to the police? And if you declare yourself bankrupt, can loan sharks still come after you, legally i mean?


Joe's so desperate he's asking Peter for an advance of wages on a job he hasn't even got yet! He even cadged cash off Ted to pay some of what Rick says he owes. Is there no lengths to which he will stoop? Apparently not and even the wedding day is ruined for Joe when Rick lurks in the back of the pub. (Gail's fifth wedding to the fourth husband, married Brian twice, by the way) I was a bit surprised at the guest list at the wedding. Not even Gail's best friend Sally? And Graeme? Was he David's date?

Man, David and Nick sure tossed around a lot of old baggage didn't they? Seems a bit hypocritical of Nick accusing David of causing all kinds of family trouble and him being there to put a stop to it. Where was Nick all those years? Nottingham isn't that far away. Nobody can dredge up dirt like family, eh?

Molly's pushing for Tyrone to get a job out of Weatherfield but i fail to see how working for someone else is a step up from being half owner of a business that seems to be thriving. And they would never hire him without checking references and the only reference Tyrone would have is his current employer. Kevin.

That was an awful lot of noise Joe and Rick made banging about the garage door right under Rita's window and right outside Gail's house and nobody saw or heard? Rita sends a postcard from a round the world cruise and the photo on it? A picture of the boat. You'd think she would find something a bit nicer from one of the ports of call.

Must be hard for Hayley to hear Becky banging on about not wanting kids when Hayley would give anything to have one. Steve and Becky really are acting childishly aren't they? They don't know how to properly communicate and when they do, each seems to be too involved in their own side of things to try to see the other's.

I see illness hasn't affected Sally's sense of snobbery at all. Dressing up to see the surgeon! Nice to see Carla being very supportive but then as a woman, how could she not be? And have you ever noticed, it's easier to let your emotions out with someone more objective? Do you get the feeling that Michael LeVell was having a hard time doing the scenes where he was telling his father about the surgery and procedures? I thought he was, in particular, more than just acting so i wonder if the cast by that time those scenes were filmed knew that the actress was going through the same thing. He and Sally Whittaker (now Dynevor) are good mates as you would if you'd been working together as long as they have.

Ken, petition, anti-bar, grousing about George, private school, yadda yadda yadda. Deirdre's right, Ken would have done much better to support Peter. By fighting him every step of the way, he only pushed Peter into George's moneybags. Bins aren't being emptied because they're too full? Huh? You'd think Jason could get a couple of hours off for the wedding but then again, if he can't, then Tina shouldn't be so stroppy about it. Oh look Mary's back and she's not happy to see that cozy photo of Freda and Norris! Stalker, much?

My god, someone turned the vocal key on Amy and she said several whole sentences albeit still in that autobot voice. I'm sorry, i'm sure the little girl is very sweet but she's not a natural actress is she?


Did you notice Joe walking around the Kabin while eluding Rick? No Post Office by the door anymore and a previously unseen window pointing right at Gail's door. I've looked at all my photos and aside from the big picture windows on the front and side, i can't see where that blind-covered window would be. Hmm maybe it's the opening that they use to set up the window display. It's the only possibility.

Sunday Comments, October 24

Lines of the week:

• Molly on New Year's in the Rovers "Out with the old and in with the old"
  
• Ryan about the Christian rock group "They smash up hotel rooms but leave the Bible in the drawer after"
  
• sally "I don't want to be a condition, i just want to be the same person i always was" (*sniff*)
  
• Bill to Kevin about Molly "You make it sound like some kind of accident!"
  
• Sophie to Sian "What was he? the main course?"
  
• Ryan to MIchelle "It's all right for you to put it about but not all right for me to be with the one i love" *slap* (she *is* a hypocrite!)
  
• Molly "What's she got that i haven't?" Kevin "Cancer. You stupid girl"
  
• Sally "Molly, you're dull!" Molly "Sally, you're drunk!" Sally "Molly, you're right!"
  
• Becky to Claire "From now on keep your nose out of my marraige. Or i'll break it."
  
• Rosie to Kevin about Sally "She's got a hangover, not cancer" (ulp!)
  

Dude! Tyrone's too sexy! Molly doesn't think so. She's brooding over Kevin dumping her while Kevin is worried sick about Sally. Molly was ready to dump Kevin but he dumped her very thoroughly so now she's panting after him again. He got the worst kind of reality check but it's snapped him out of his infatuation pretty swiftly and i'd have been extremely disappointed in him if he hadn't. It's no wonder that Kevin is upset, since his mother died of cancer but this is caught early and Sally is a major character so you know she'll be ok in the end. I can't believe Kevin told his father about Molly, though. Good lord, his dad should have taken a wrench to Kevin's backside when he heard that but he sure gave him a deserved dressing down! Excellent stuff!

Molly wasn't keen to go to the Rovers for New Year's until she heard Kevin and Sally would be there. Then she dressed up with a plunging neckline so he'd know what he was missing and she's still giving Tyrone the runaround. Our poor dim little mechanic nearly guessed she was seeing someone else but her amour Kevin convinced him she wasn't. It's just so obvious! Yet Molly is really making it all about her, flashing her cleavage at Kevin and is convinced that maybe Kevin is making the cancer up because Sally doesn't look sick. Oh just give her a few weeks when the chemo starts! Well Molly just sealed the deal on how Kevin really feels about her

Rosie wants a boob job? Oh *that's* going to go over well with her mother who might lose one or both of hers! Graeme is quite smitten with Rosie, even wearing Auntie Pam's knock off aftershave by Alvin Klein (lol!) Hey! Peter, Leanne and Simon were playing Kerplunk! I bet lots of you had that when you were kids! Natasha dumped Audrey for a hog roast! *snort* So she called the gigolo!!! Lewis certainly is a smooth operator isn't he? He knew she was nervous about hiring him and talked her through it all, telling her exactly what she needed to hear. It was a nice little scene after Audrey's date when she went to Gail's and they more or less made up over Joe.

Yeah. So Michelle gave Ryan a hard time about having sex with Sian and then turned around and skipped off to a posh hotel with a man who is almost a stranger. Nice example, eh? Not only that, Liz let her go on the busiest night of the year. That's completely unrealistic. Aw and Sophie found out she was dumped by Sian for a dvd and a teenage shag. Did anyone see Escape to Victory? It was all over the telly on Corrie on New Year's Day! I quite like those little running "jokes" and references sometimes.

Nick seems a bit keen on Tina but he's far too old for him and anyway, how much can poor David take anyway? Bad enough losing his girlfriend to his sister's ex-husband. But for her to go for his brother? So what do we think of NuNick? I think he's a far better actor if nothing else. The character was always a bit of a pratt so it remains to be seen whether he's changed any.

Steve wants a baby and Becky doesn't. Claire already knows so now Steve knows too. So what's he going to do about it? Looks like he's going to sulk. Then Becky told off Claire and Claire got into an argument with Ashley over fancying Leanne. Anyway, STeve and Becky are certainly up against a roadblock, But does Mother Nature have other ideas?

The Grandad wars continue. Ken bribing with babysitting with one hand and writing petitions with the other, right under Peter's nose in the pub too! I wonder how the view looks from that moral high ground, Ken?

Dev has decided he wants his family back. Does anyone else wish this story would go away? More and more i find Dev increasingly odious and obnoxious. I am glad to see Sunita back but i wish it were under different circumstances. But it seems the only way we can have her back is if she and Dev get back together so it's inevitable i suppose.

Are you getting tired of Michelle? I got tired of her a long time ago. Overused in ridiculous storylines. Lots of people say Becky is overused and they're tired of her, too. I love Becky and i do think that she's the "flavour" of the month but she's such a good actor and her storylines are very much in character where Michelle's were just pulled out of the air. Here's why i think Becky isn't annoying and why Michelle most definitely is

Sunday Comments, October 17

I'm back! Just in time for Christmas too! Wasn't it a good week? Lots of fun and lots of drama too!

Lines of the week

• Audrey about Zoe's foot in mouth disease "At least she's pretty"
  
• Molly to Kevin "How does the view look from the moral high ground?" (She's getting right up my nose!)
  
• Molly "Does it not get any better than this?" Pam "Some folk might say you've got everything" (and she is a bit ungrateful isn't she?)
  
• Becky to Steve "You kiss her again like that and Turkey won't be the only thing getting stuffed this Christmas!"
  
• Rosie to Sally "Christmas is a time of miracles but i wouldn't hold your breath" (you better hope it is!)
  
• Amy "Oh Bol......"(sound effects) Eileen "It could have been worse. she could have said Sh..."(sound effects)
  
• Molly "Is this really happening?" Kevin "It's all off. Sally's got cancer" Molly "It's not terminal is it? People get better." Kevin "There is no us. Are you so stupid? It's finished. It was a stupid game. We've just had the biggest wake up call we could imagine. .. My wife needs me. Go on... Grow up!" (YAY! FINALLY!)
  
• Becky "I think it's better when they're not your own!" (kids, that is)
  
• Connie "Do you think we might hear the pitter patter of of little feet by next Christmas?" Pam "I wouldn't count on it" (I would)
  

I'm glad Ashley had to pull out of the panto. He really isn't a Prince Charming, is he? In my opinion, Claire is selfish. Just get someone else to play the part, surely she can see how busy Ashley is? (I thought he said he was going to take Kirk on for the Christmas rush?) Ah well, Steve gets to be the substitute Prince but he wasn't very good at it was he? Problem is, he doesn't find Claire attractive but he sure does find Becky in thigh high boots attractive! Claire is also a big bossy boots. But the panto? It was brilliant! Great costumes, great characters...Jesse and Sean as the ugly sisters, Carbuncula and Gorgonzola, was brilliant and nobody could be Fairy Godmother but Betty! Amy stopped the show with "bollocks" which really isn't *that* bad but proof positive that she does swear! It's no wonder she fluffed her song. That child never gets any practice speaking out loud on set!

Why wouldn't Sarah come to her mother's wedding? Well since the actor is no longer on the show, it's likely she won't. Tina is turning into a right stroppy mare isn't she? Why all the jealously about Sarah all of a sudden? Ah but now we find out there's not been a divorce yet. I can understand she'd be a bit narked at him not telling her. David certainly enjoyed the big bust up but his girfriend Zoe got the worst of it and dumped David. He didn't seem bothered. Joe has to impress Nick and says he's going to do everything to make Gail happy. Would that include hiding the fact that a loan shark is on his back?


Tina gets drunk and kisses a handsome stranger. Only he's not a stranger! He's the nuNick Tilsley who's arrived after a call for help from Audrey! Eeek! That could be a bit tricky! Is it realistic that Tina didn't know David's brother's full name? She would have known they had different dads I think. She didn't tell Nick her last name or he might have put 2 and 2 together, probably knowing what David's ex girlfriend's name was (Tina) and that Gail is marrying her father. Crossed purposes. Uncrossed on Christmas day... you! YOU!!??

Sophie's baptism was very nice and so nice that Emily was there to contribute as well. I may not share the same beliefs but i do hope that Sophie keeps to her convictions and stays with the church. It seems to fit her quite well and it's nice to see her following her own way.


Sophie chucked Ben to the curb for making a pass at Michelle. Poor lad! Don't you think Michelle was kind of giving off mixed signals? I don't think she even realizes she does it. If it wears pants and she needs attention, it's fair game, it seems. Meanwhile Molly is behaving more and more possessive and things are getting more and more complicated. Kevin should have told her straight away that Sally swept him off to Paris for the weekend in stead of letting her find out from a photo slide show a week later. That should tell her something about his values and goals in life. He's a family man and no matter what he says, he's not going to leave Sally and i can't believe they were going to dump their spouses on Christmas Day!


Especially now Sally has dropped a bombshell. No wonder she wanted this to be a Christmas to remember. Sally has breast cancer and Kevin is going to realize just exactly where his priorities are. Molly finally has had enough and kicks him to the curb which makes Kevin come crawling back, for a slap at first. He begs, he pleads, she finally agrees and then he's got to stop Molly breaking up with Tyrone hours later. Oh come on, Look at that loveable Tyrone, tubby, topless and singing lovesongs to her on the karaoke machine. Why would Molly want Kevin when she's got this? How ironic having her have to sing "Don't go breaking my heart" just before she was going to dump him.

I don't mind telling you, Sally telling Kevin about her breast cancer had tears in my eyes and i didn't know then what i know now. The actress that plays Sally went off screen a few weeks later with an illness. Nothing was said and there was a media blackout on it. I had a sneaking feeling and in the spring the news came out just as she was coming back to work. Sally Whittaker (now she's going by her married name of Dyvenor) found out she had breast cancer herself and was going through most of the scenes knowing she too had to face chemo. Luckily, the actress has done very well and everything looks really good for her.
Will we have Christmas Ceasefire at the Barlows? Of course not! Too bad Blanche wasn't there, she'd have everyone sorted with a heavy dose of guilt. (Sadly, at this time last year when these scenes aired, Maggie Jones was in hospital and died in early December) Deirdre did her best and Peter finally agreed. Ken gets to spend his Christmas not only with George and Eve but with Janice too! Simon was thrilled with is bike after all so that made Ken's Christmas even if they got a flat tire on the first go. And even though George made a mistake with the wine at dinner, Ken took the opportunity to make a big deal of it when anyone could have done the same thing. I think he was narked that George's Wii present upped the bike.


Tina's hair gets higher and higher. It's a wonder she can even hold her head up! With all the times both Sally and Kevin have cheated on each other, you'd think Sally would have spotted the signs, wouldn't you! Steve is brooooodyyyyyyy! As much as Becky is so good with Amy, do you think you'd like to see her pregnant and in hormone hell? eek! Doesn't look like Claire and AShley are going to have much of an anniversary, does it? I guess with Vera gone, someone has to have a marital row on Christmas day! aw but they made it up in the end.

Sunday Comments, September 26

Lines of the week:

• Simon "I've got a brain ache and a hand ache" (That's quite the Christmas list, then!)
  
• Rosie "I want to be a doctor" John "But you really have to care about people"
  
• Sean "I've not got a deviated anything" Sally "That's debatable"
  
• Norris about Rosie. "They should lock her up and throw away the key." Becky "John's already tried that"
  
• Sally "I've always wanted a pagoda!" (on top of the conservatory, maybe?)
  
• Simon "I'm 6, Grandad, i need some wheels!" (bless!)
  
• Becky about the faux-Liz partiers "It's like being down Canal Street, knee deep in trannies!"
  
• Jesse to Eddie: "I can hear whining but it ain't sirens!"
  
• John to Rosie "Get out you pernicious little bitch!"
  
• Fiz "Total honesty from now on" John "No matter how painful" (you're gonna wish you remembered that promise, Stape!)
  
• Norris about Stape: "Any word on the Weatherfield Ripper?"
  

Well you just knew Rosie was working up to give John more grief, didn't you? When he didn't bend to blackmail, she set feminism back 40 years by pretending he assaulted her!!! I can believe that Bill would believe her and probably Sally but why on earth would anyone else? and Why would he think Fiz wouldn't believe him? Well, the fact that he didn't go straight home to Fiz to tell her right away, ya think that might have given her a few doubts? She'd have believed him. She knows what Rosie is like. And Rosie backing off from calling the police should have been a big clue right there but gormless Sally and Kevin didn't clue in and John gets arrested yet again. In the end though, John poked holes in Rosie's story in front of everyone and showed her up for the lying cow she is. I cheered. Boy if it was me, i'd have charged Rosie with mischief just so she can see what it feels like. I'm very glad Janice gave her a mouthful about telling tales, too!

Teresa got her and Lloyd banned from the pub so what does she do? Instead of apologize, she throws a party where everyone impersonates Liz. Yes. that's good. That'll get you invited back. Poor Liz, i felt sorry for her but really, dressing the way she does, she does rather invite a bit of ridicule doesn't she? You don't have to dress in twinsets and tweed but there's somewhere in between. If most or even some of the party goers were a bit uncomfortable with the party theme, why did they go into the Rovers at all? Liz got her own back, frying and tossing Lloyd's records (in front of a police car, even!) though I think that was very mean when it wasn't Lloyd's fault. How is hurting him getting back at Teresa? Then Teresa pretends that Lloyd proposed to her when everyone should have known it was the last thing he would have done after that.

Steve, Dev, Bernie, Golf, yadda yadda yadda. Dev is ticked off because Steve was having lessons behind his back? Pot.. Kettle... yadda, yadda, yadda. Dev being an ass on the golf course and a very very poor winner. yadda yadda. By the way, why is Dev acting all uppity about being a member at the club? He's been a guest member for years! Now, did you see that friend of Dev's, Matthew, that was taking lessons and apparently just got engaged but didn't say her name? Watch this space....

Molly's life is tedious. Tyrone witters on and on. Kevin's life is tedious. Rosie and Sally witter on and on. What makes them think life together would be any less tedious? These two are boring the pants off me. It's got to be one of the worst and most illogical storylines ever. And see? Kevin might make the right noises that he wants to leave his family but he jumps at the first sign of crisis and leaves Molly hanging on her on in the hotel. And then Sophie's getting baptized and her exams are next year and of course there's Christmas. It'll be one excuse after another. Will Kevin leave Sally? Somehow i doubt it no matter what he says. Watch this space, too!

Becky is going to drag Claire out for a night on the town. That ought to be interesting. Claire gets drunk with just a sniff of the cork! Only Claire could sip a shooter! Looks like she had a good time, at least but suffered for it. Instead, she's going to take Becky to the dramatic club. And Club is what Becky's going to do to Steve now she's found out about the lessons and the potential membership cost of 2000 quid when he wouldn't even buy her a jacuzzi. Anyway now the golf dreariness seems to be subsiding, Claire and Becky are going to have to put on the panto show themselves...in the Rovers!!! Or at least they might if they don't stop arguing about who gets to be Cinders and who gets to be the prince. Oh Gosh there hasn't been an event like that for years!

Deirdre moaned about Ken not listening to her. A. Does he ever? B. She was on about weevils. What did she expect? Why did Deirdre ring a taxi for Blanche? Doesn't Ken have a car? He hadn't been drinking, just at the library.

Let the war of the grandads begin! Ken is determined to get Simon a "wow" pressie for Christmas, probably knowing George is going to outspend himself. So if Simon wants a bike, Ken says he'll get one (um, isn't this supposed to be a surprise?) That said, a part time seasonal job is in order. As what? As Father Christmas. Can't you just picture Ken lecturing children on the evils of commercialism? Meanwhile, George is making inroads, seducing Peter and Simon with his taste of the high life, fancy house, and money dripping from every orifice and ready to finance the bar in spite of reservations about Peter's alcoholism. He'd probably have had more luck had he set up a proper interest payment and an investment plan rather than making it seem like a gift. Naturally Peter's pride wouldn't let him accept and naturally, Leanne's Battersby instincts say Yes please!

And yes, I do think George is trying to buy himself into Simon's life. Of course there's also the Christmas dinner war as well, with Ken getting all huffy about someone that he doesn't consider family getting their two pennies in. And the more Ken pushes, the more he's going to push Peter right into George's wallet. Peter's right. Ken never seemed to have much faith in Peter. I understand why Ken is worried that running a bar will be too much temptation for Peter, i do but once his concerns were aired, the prudent thing would be to support him whatever way he can, not fight him. It only makes things worse.

Eddie's got a new scam. Fill up the guttering then charge people to clean them! Eileen wasn't fooled, though, and got her own back on Eddie by stealing his Santa!

Sunday Comments, September 19

Lines of the week:

• Gail to Audrey "Look at you now, all pursed lips and grimaces" Audrey "I'd rather eat nails than watch you make the wrong choice again!"
  
• Bernie "I could say i'm a tarmaccer, been sorting out your drive!" (Ha!)
  
• Carla "I swear to you on my mother's life" Maria "You were never that close to your mother" (exactly. Pants on fire!)
  
• Tyrone to Molly "That's why we work so well together - we belong together!" Molly "Um.. you better go to work now"
  
• Betty, who gets all the good lines, "You know," says Betty, "for a good hairdresser you make a lousy liar, Audrey Roberts!" and "Nobody ever got addicted to a good strong cuppa tea, do they?" (i do know one or two that have, though!)
  
• Claire "I find it hard fitting in with the other mums" Graeme "That's because you went mental and got locked up. I can see how it would put some people off"
  
• Carla: "Sally. Why are you standing there trying to look important?"
  
• Rosie to Carla: "If you need me, I'm available." Carla: "'Available'. Could almost be your middle name, that!"
  
• Ryan "And if she did know what difference would it make?" Michelle "It makes a difference as to how much i can hate her"
• Sean "She might be a bitch, but she's our bitch!
  
• Eddie about his carol-less lights "Folk are gonna be that disappointed!" (Right there, right then. I know officially love Eddie! What a star! :)))
  

Rosie cracks a clue, video... jealousy... murder...Rosie figures she was close to death in that hotel room. It's all about her. Sally is ready to jump in and take over management of the factory. It's all about her, too. Ah but Carla's back and there will be hell to pay, now, and she didn't even know why Tony was arrested. She struggled pretty hard at first to pretend that she had no idea that he'd had Liam killed and the name Jimmy Dockerson gave her heart a jump. Carla and Maria hugging, i bet you never thought you'd see that. Carla nearly plotzed when the cops wanted her to find out if there's any trace of Jimmy in the factory records! And when she did find something, she shredded it! Big mistake there since Sally knows about the receipt. Wouldn't it be less suspicious if she gave a receipt to the police? They already know Tony dealt with Jimmy. I laughed at Sally in the factory when Carla came back, bigging herself up and brown nosing for all she was worth and it didn't get her anywhere. She deserved a good taking down off her high horse! Hayley still got the manager's job!

Maria has had her confidence completely shattered and won't even look after the baby! What did i tell you? Off to Ireland (for Samia Smith's maternity leave) You gotta feel for the poor woman, though. What she's been through is enough to bring anyone to their knees. Audrey was the only one that really made sense to Maria, pointing out that she was punishing herself. Poor Roy seems to have had a rough go of it too, trying to get his feet back under him. I was going to say getting his sealegs back but that might be in poor taste, eh? Maria flitted off to Ireland and that left Michelle to go to the court hearing instead. Well, she warned Ryan not to kick off and then made a show of herself instead.


Oh dear. Amy seems to be picking up some of Becky's rough language. Swear words that start with D! It isn't Damn, either, it's um... "Richard" head. (use your imagination) Claire has decided to get involved in an amateur drama group. That should work since she's quite often a drama queen with red haired temper! Why would Claire want to be Becky's new bezzie mate? You couldn't get two women more different. Is it by default since Claire doesn't fit in with the other school mums and they were bullying Becky? It might work, though. you never know.

Speaking of red hair, Teresa isn't too happy that Lloyd is still sniffing around Liz and Liz has no business being pissy with Teresa for being with Lloyd when she didn't want him anyway. Teresa is particularly angry that Liz reminded her that she only got Lloyd on the rebound. There will be repercussions. Her being nice to Liz immediately puts Liz on her guard and a few drinks under her belt gets her barred, as per usual. I wouldn't trust her either! It looks like Rosie is working herself up to some scheme or other to wind up John. I'm with Fiz. I wouldn't trust her.
Gail's selling up to pay off Joe's debts. Audrey knows there's something afoot and David is just ticked off that he will not be coddled by mummy any more. Naturally David is going to be so mature and make it difficult for everyone who comes to see the house. First looker? The loan shark!!!! Gail and David have no idea. I thought Joe was going to pass right out. And personally i don't blame Audrey for taking against Joe. Gail makes out that Audrey married Alf because he was safe. He was. Joe isn't and Gail likes that. She's going to regret that, mark my words.

Sally wants to see the books and they'll tell a tale. Kevin's been cooking the books for the motel charges without receipts. How's he going to get out of this? Plead stupidity? Boy she sure had Kevin and Molly scared, when she called both of them and demanded Kevin call her back. I guess they are back to motel visits AND taking chances in the Webster marital bed. So much for taking a break to keep people off the scent. Pam was trying to get Tyrone to do something nice for Molly but when you see him there slobbing in his dirty vest and Molly doing all the work, you kind of get the idea why she might have got bored and fed up with him. I'm not excusing her, mind you, the solution is to talk to your partner, not shag his best friend and business partner.

It had to happen. It had to happen that Kevin and Molly would take more and more risks and if Sally ever finds out they were making out on her bed? I wouldn't want to be Kevin or any of his dangly bits. Molly is starting to get more and more pushy, too, wanting to be found out but Kevin seems to be backing off a little, don't you think? Molly should have listened to Auntie Pam. Married men rarely leave their wives and families even if Kevin seems to be coming around to it. That was only after Sally was her usual obnoxious self. Will it happen? Wait and see!
Dull, dull, dull, Dev, Steve, Golf, hiding the golf pro lessons, pretty woman, Dev assuming a golf pro couldn't possibly be a woman and then flirting with her over the 19th hole, Becky stroppy because Steve's playing and paying. yadda yadda yadda. Steve seemed pretty sure that Bernie wasn't a solicitor. You figure he is taking secret lessons behind Dev's back? Well he is. No surprise.

You know, it just wouldn't be Christmas on the Street without someone putting up obnoxious and loud Christmas lights! Les used to do it, the Mallets had done it before and now we have the Windasses. And as awful a character as Eddie is, he's growing on me! He doesn't have a lot of redeeming characteristics but oh my god, Steve Huison is really making Eddie great!

Sunday Comments, September 12

Lines of the week:

• Julie to Eileen "You're too old to be this paranoid"
• Tony to the cops about Maria "Grief does funny things" (made her fall for her husband's murderer!)
• Hayley to Roy "Don't fall in!" (she didn't say don't get pushed in!)
• Hayley "He murdered your husband. And if i don't do something now, my husband could be next" (and he almost was!)
• Kirk to Maria "We'll sort it, like we used to" (Awwww)
• Julie about Eileen "There she is, Big Chief Sitting Bull"
• Blanche "Naughty Blanche. Naughty!!" (She was brilliant!)
• Helen "You shared a bed with my son's killer!"
• David to Joe "You really are the scrapings of a pretty ropey barrel" (I agree!)

Tony's giving Maria a spa day and then packed the baby off to Audrey. And he's still avoiding the police like a bad flu but they found him at the factory and they arrested him on suspicions!!! They did seem to be taking Roy and Hayley's accusations seriously though. They questioned him for five hours but he went off anyway. Last straw and all that. Didn't tell Maria about being questioned. Did he really think nobody would tell her? He put his spin on things, told her the truth about why Roy went to the police but saying that Roy is insane. That doesn't wash with Maria. She says she doesn't believe it but you can see she's shaken and so can Tony.

So. First. You lure Roy out into a dark, spooky location by reporting to the bat society that you've seen the rare sighting. Then. you get into the cafe and try to shut up Hayley (with a carving knife) only Maria got there instead and she believes Hayley's story. Tony knows he's lost her. Right there. He's lost her. He has nothing more to lose now. One last shred of conscience, though, and Tony pulled Roy out of the drink. Even stevens, then he turned himself in. He was so matter of fact, retelling the facts, wasn't he? So cold, so calm. The only reason he even confessed is because he knew Maria doubted him and he'd lost her. He'd lost everything and Roy's needling pushed him over the edge. When he was talking to Maria, wasn't it clear that Tony really is insane? He truly believed he could put murder behind him and make a new life with his victim's widow.

Roy managed to come out of it alive, and still had to make sure he recorded the information about the bat sighting! Poor Maria could be close to another breakdown but awww wasn't Kirk a good big brother? between the aftermath and finding her later at Liam's grave, he really does love her. You gotta feel for the poor girl (a bit more to read about this through this link). She feels stupid for being duped and it's a big thing to be duped over. Let's face it, this isn't just nearly marrying a man that's unfaithful, is it? She knows everyone is going to think she is as well. They'll be sympathetic to her face, most of them but some of them will still have something snarky to say or think. Everyone is in shock and man, you just knew Mammy Connor would have a lot of I Told You So to say! At least she didn't blurt it out to Maria first thing. She waited 5 minutes. Tony never really got her on side as much as she seemed to start to thaw. There was still down deep suspicion.

I'm a bit surprised that, as worried for Hayley's safety as he was, Roy at least didn't take Hayley's mobile. Then there was the awful acting of Ben Thompson (Ryan) who really is as wooden as a plank, isn't he? Kym Marsh (Michelle) isn't a lot better but she can express emotion a tad me realistically. Compare them to the actors playing Roy, Hayley, Becky and Tony who act circles around this lot.

 Apparently, this area of Manchester under those bridges is where the scenes canalside were filmed. It must have been from the other side of the bridges because it doesn't quite look right to me from this side. It's only a short walk from Granada Studios. Once you've seen this week's omni, have a read over here where i've written something on the Downfall of Tony Gordon

Back to our regularly scheduled storylines...

Brilliant stuff! Blanche managed to spill all the Barlow secrets after getting squiffy on wine when George and Eve visited. George didn't take some of the news well but he did apologize...with expensive gifts. Buying their love. I guess he doesn't know any other way. Typical Dev, riding on a guest membership long after the original person who guested him was gone and Steve's guest membership has been for a dead man. Obviously the golf club don't bother checking. Now they've got to actually pay for a membership and they are going to fight over the last open one. Dull, dull, dull.

Eileen doesn't believe that Julie fancies Jesse. I don't think she does either, for all her moaning about finding a fella. But i do think Jesse is tempted by Julie. Laughed at Jesse running down the road away from Julie. I really think that Eileen is too good for Jesse, though. He really does seem to have the apron strings firmly tied and i think he just used Eileen to try to get away from his mother. Very possibly Sean's description of Saggitarius, half donkey half man was closer to the mark than half horse. Half jackass is even closer to the mark. Why lie about your birthday? Because you want to spend it with your mommy and your girlfriend isn't invited. He used the excuse that he didn't think she wanted to go but that's really a pretty lame excuse but apparently, a pretty fair one since she had a horrible time.

John gets to be a pinnie wearing cafe guy. Seems to be a habit, having ex-teachers work in the cafe! So much for signing the van over to Rick the debt collector. He wasn't happy with it and is demanding double the remainder! Joe is back to sweating and grimacing and whinging and he's dragged Gail into it too. Just when David is halfway to possibly accepting Joe, i guess once this gets out, it'll be all daggers drawn again. And i can't blame him, really. He sees someone dragging his mother down. First it was the depression and drug addiction and now crushing debt with a loan shark and his mother about to sell his home out from under him!

You know that running joke about Spa and people talking about shopping? There's a grocery store chain in the UK called Spar.

Becky thinks Gail could wear a dress just like one of hers! Ya think? Here's what she'd look like!

Poor Maria

That poor kid! Loses her husband and then falls in love with the man that had her husband murdered. She thought he was guilty of it but then he was smooth enough to make her think she was just losing her mind. Little by little he managed to get under her skin and she fell in love with him after he delivered her baby on a beach. He may even have fallen in love with her a bit too, in some way. Tony felt he was making up for what he did to her and it could all be put behind him as long as Maria didn't find out.

But she did and he went off the deep end after pushing Roy Cropper into the deep end and pulling him out again. Now everyone knows the truth and Maria can't walk out the door and face the world. She reckons everyone will be staring at her and thinking how stupid she was. They'll be sympathetic to her face, most of them but some of them will still have something snarky to say or think. Well, she was stupid and naive but it isn't her fault completely. Let's face it, this isn't just nearly marrying a man that's unfaithful, is it? Tony Gordon was very slick and smooth and could talk himself out of any pickle and has done. And she was grieving and vulnerable and he took advantage of that.

I do feel bad for Maria. She wasn't too bright but she did get sucked in, too. Now she's got to live with the consequences and was ready to rid the house of any trace of Tony. At least Kirk was there to help and what a lovely man he is too, when it comes to being a big brother. It feels to her like losing Liam all over again and she's lost all her confidence. She doesn't even feel able or entitled to look after a child! You know that will be sorted out quick enough but I expect you'll see her go to Ireland for a break for awhile (because the actress was pregnant and going on maternity leave). You know she *must* not be thinking straight if she's willing to spend an extended time with her mother-in-law!

Maria's never been too bright when it comes to men, has she? She should have stayed with Tyrone all along but she grew up and grew a bit more ... well "sophisticated" isn't quite the word for it, though maybe it is when compared to Tyrone! She lost Ty to Fiz and fell for pretty boy Nick and that was a bad choice. She shagged Toyah's boyfriend, got pregnant and had a termination and that blew up in her face too. There was another go-around with Tyrone but she kept wanting to change him and he knew she didn't really love him the way he loved her. Chalk up another loss. She had a brief fling with Peter Barlow but he had no intention of being around for her. She thought she had it made with Liam but he always loved Carla and was on the verge of leaving her when he was killed. Then there was Tony. Biggest. Mistake. Yet!

What will happen to Maria? Will she manage to find someone she can trust again? Or will she always be the one that makes the wrong choice with men?

Sunday Comments, September 5

Lines of the week:

• Kevin to Sally "Since when have you ever been able to resist bragging!"
  
• Fiz "I've missed this. You going on about stuff i don't understand"
  
• Chesney to David "Do sommat nice for a change!"
  
• Kevin "I love you and i'd do anything for you" Molly "Except leave your wife" (honey, they almost never do!)
  
• Ted on seeing the wee diamond ring "It means we'll have more money for the wedding" Joe ... thinking.... "oh crap"
  
• Ted "It's not every day your daughter gets engaged" Sean "That's right, you've not been around very long"
  
• John to Tony "Whatever happens, i'm not prepared to be frightened anymore. That's the worst prison of all"
  
• Hayley "I thought i'd married a cafe owner, not Cracker!"
  
• Steve "You're sleeping with an absolute nutter" Lloyd "You're married to one!"
  
• Tony "The hunter chopped up the big bad Wolf with an axe" Maria "He deserved everything he got!" (Feel hunted, much, Tony?)
  

Roy poked and prodded Tony, even gazed up at him through the rain...Clearly he's getting to Tony. Tony wastes no opportunity to suck up to Hayley as well, making sure she knows he was drugged up and didn't know what he was saying. Tony's conversation with John was interesting, too. John spoke of learining to forgive himself and that he's a different man now that Fiz loves him. I wonder if Tony thinks he's a different man. He's not really, he's still up to his old tricks. He's putting scary pressure on Roy and threatening Hayley too and Hayley is scared Roy is on Tony's case too much.
So everyone got locked out of the factory because Hayley didn't turn up. They called, oh yes, but did they walk 50 yards down the road to the cafe? Why didn't someone do that? tsk. Solution? Go to the police. I wonder how seriously the police actually took them but it looks like they were going to follow up anyway. I'm sure Tony could probably charm them out of it like before but things are definitely closing in. Roy always seems to get so single minded when he gets something under his skinand with no regard for anything else until it goes too far. Next step? Run away but they don't fool Tony, nosiree, and he didn't waste any time getting his nose into the Cropper flat to nick Hayley's keys.

Gary's attitude towards War vets sure got him told very soundly, didn't it? Jesse and Julie got found out! Simon was in the crowd and wasn't he clever, getting to win all the games! It was inevitable that they got busted! and someone should tell Eileen that making a man choose is never going to end up well. It's too bad, John Thompson is a good actor but they didn't do a lot with his character.
So Joe owes 9 thousand pounds??? The loan shark bought 2 grand worth of debt with 7 grand interest! Joe might want to buy a paddle for that boat because he's up the creek! And he should have sold the boat for 5 grand. Instead he gives Rick the van and thinks they're even. Somehow, i doubt that. And will he tell Gail? Will he heckaslike! What does he do next? Buy Gail an engagement ring with the money he didn't actually get in hand from the van!

Aww Kirk and Chesney persuaded David and Zoe to paint Number 5! What stars! Even if they did paint the walls in easter egg colours! I like it! So John is going to live with Fiz... happily ever after? Not if Sally Webster has her way. I know she's got good reason to dislike John, really i do, but she did go a bit over the top. After all, Rosie isn't bothered or scared of having him close by. She never really was scared of him. Mind you, i am surprised that legally he was allowed to live within such a short distance of his victim. Wouldn't that be unusual? Couldn't Sally and Kevin have put in an order or would Rosie have to do it? It would serve Sally right if Fiz called the police but Ches is right, ignoring bullies is the best way to deal with them, especially bullies like Sally. Nice example for your children, though, isn't it? Not.

Style-ista of the week.. Eddie in the buff body pinnie! John fell into a job at the cafe. Steve and Becky are back from honeymoon and Steve's quite surprised to find Theresa with her feet under Lloyd's table. Lloyd's embarassed (wouldn't you be?) and pretended she was cleaning his flat. She'll clean his clock! Steve and Lloyd seem to be pretending to like each other's girlfriend/wife but i thought Lloyd actually did like Becky? I bet most of the photos Anna was looking at that she thought were a scowling young Roy were a scowling young Harold.

So Connie sleepwalks! Molly didn't like hearing about Kevin's past, did she? I wonder if it made her feel like just another bit on the side. Well, i think that's all she is no matter what Kevin says. Molly better get her act together. She's treating Tyrone like dirt and he's getting upset about it all. She needs to leave him or chuck Kevin for good. Kevin wasn't fooling the lawyer with his story about a friend. Now he knows it will cost him big time. That's one more reason not to leave Sally. Married men rarely do. It's rather the exception that proves the rule.