And with a heavy heart, we bring you the sad news of the passing of Betty Williams. You probably know that the actress, Betty Driver passed away a few months ago and they've written her death into the show. It was handled so well, with her Gordon back to visit and finding her passed away in her bed, having reread an old childhood favourite book of his. I liked that the scene in the pub where Gordon broke the news was quiet, with the most senior members of the cast in the booth. Very sad. Steve put a bit of time behind the bar, too, for memory of Betty. He would have got to know her well when he owned the pub.
I do wonder why they stuck Stella in the middle of it had had her at Betty's house to clear out. She had absolutely no business there. Betty would most definitely not have "stolen" crates of pint glasses either. And why would Rita read Betty's personal correspondence? Why, because of the absolutely absurd plot that wants us to believe that Annie Walker left the Rovers to Betty. Annie Walker was only ever the manager, she didn't own the pub, the brewery did back then. She couldn't even bequeath the license. That bit did kind of sully the whole storyline a little.
There were lots of memories
(More here). The idea that Gordon would have Betty buried in London was soon scuppered and he saw that Betty would want to be buried where she lived. In the end Gordon declined the idea that Betty owned the pub and he would inherit it. (Rightly so and all!) Betty clearly didn't want it so that's that. Overall though, it was a lovely tribute to the character and the actress, rest her soul. We'll see the wake after the funeral on Monday. I kind of wish we actually had seen the funeral service but they don't always have that and I suppose it's sometimes harder for the cast to go through when the character is played by an actor who really has died. And if there's not going to be any drama before or during the funeral, I suppose there isn't always a need.
So Stella has found out how much debt Karl's gambling has brought them. If the credit cards are in his name, why is she liable for the debt? I suppose, though, both of their names are probably on the deed for the pub and that does give the bailiffs legal claim. Karl is making the classic mistake, denying everything in the face of evidence. It only makes it worse, doesn't it?
And Classic Gambling Excuses are being pulled out of the hat, he did it for Stella, Just one more big win.... the man definitely needs help but what does he do to get it? Cry in Sunita's arms and she jumps his bones, a reaction to being pissed off with Dev. It would have been so much better if Sunita just stayed as Karl's support and friend instead of dropping her knickers. Stella is blaming herself which she should most definitely not do. Maybe she needs to take herself in to the back room for a bit of Saint Stella advice. Not so easy when you're the one with problems, eh?
She did kick Karl out but that probably won't last too long. Love forgives all including a 20K debt? Not in my book. And it sounded like Karl hasn't always been the steadiest fella so he's got a dodgey past. She's likely had to forgive him over and over through the years. What would it take for her to finally make the break from someone that's dragging her down? She practically ran right back to him when she heard he sold a football tshirt that was a collector's item but the deed was done and we now have to suffer a sleazy affair which is so out of Sunita's normal character!
It really grinds me that Stella whined about how their problems were probably her fault. Nobody made him gamble! I hate spineless women who are fools for the love of feckless men. Especially unfaithful ones. Stella's putting the clamps on Karl now, with regulating every penny and I understand that but he probably feels he's being treated like a child. His reaction? Back to Sunita even though Dev and the kids are back from their holiday. (I do wonder who looked after Asha while Dev and Aadi were on the golf course?)
Owen is still trying to get back into Anna's good books. Should she take him back? He made one big whopper of bad judgement when he smacked Faye about the legs and she was right to dump him. But maybe he's learned a lesson and between that and the crisis with Katy who was afraid to go to her father for help he might have discovered something about himself that needed changing?
Mediation wasn't very helpful for Peter and Leanne. Both of them seem determined to use Simon against the other though perhaps Leanne has a bit of an edge. Peter *is* an alcoholic and has fallen off the wagon almost on a regular basis. Carla drinks too much as well and Leanne is rightly worried. Peter being willing to admit to a murder he didn't commit because he was too drunk to remember whether he'd done it, and was confessing because he thought he might be protecting Carla was not helping matters. On top of that is Simon's dreadful unhappiness that breaks her heart. If the booze wasn't in the mix, then I think she should leave Simon with Peter. Simon would get used to Carla eventually but it's so difficult for the little fellow who's had so much upheaval in his short life.
And Carla, she seems to be the only one in the three of them that really does have Simon's back. She's the one that keeps trying to let Simon see Leanne and talk Peter into seeing that sharing Simon is for the best but Peter keeps digging his heels in and Leanne just claws back at Carla every time she gets the chance. Peter almost started to see her side of it until Simon repeated what he'd heard Leanne say, calling Carla a Black Widow. (Well she is!!!) Peter's back to banning Leanne from seeing Simon so Ken manages a few meetings behind Peter's back. You know that's going to come out in short order and it's only going to make Peter even more angry. Peter seems to think if he cuts Leanne out of Simon's life, Simon will get used to Carla but we all know it doesn't work that way. And indeed, with Simon seeing a bit of Leanne, he's actually more receptive to Carla at home but Peter thinks it's his plan that's working.
Tommy got through the funeral for his granddad. I'm kind of surpried Tyrone didn't go. He would have known the Hortons fairly well over the years through Jack and Vera and if nothing else, would have gone to the funeral to support Tommy. Tina's support of Tommy was enough to push them together finally. Now he's inherited 12 grand which is great and he thinks he and Tina should travel around in a beat up old van. Well, it may have it's good points if it actually worked. Would Tommy who works in a garage really buy a piece of junk like that? He's got the cash to buy something a bit better even if second hand. Fun watching the other guys give Tommy a load of ribbing about it. he also comes up with the plan to buy Jason's flat. Might be a good idea. So there's all this money and a whole future of good things to spend it on at the moment. Hmmm...
As soon as Lewis suggested that Nick expand the Bistro into the next unit, it seems the unit was bought by someone else and a sign advertising 7eventh Heaven (Seventh Heaven) is put up. Sounds a bit dodgey. And was anyone surprised that an old face came crawling out of the woodwork? Tommy + money = Terry Duckworth even if Terry doesn't know yet that there is cash at hand. Or does he? Clearly he didn't even recognize his own son so he's not even been sent the occaisional photo by the Hortens. He wouldn't have bothered to keep in touch on his own of course.
I gotta say, I love it when Terry comes for a visit. He's an over the top cartoon villain but he always stirs things up and it's good fun to watch him twirl his virtual moustache. It would normally be a very strange place to open a strip bar on the end of a back street in Weatherfield but for our purposes, it kicks of the storyline nicely. Who else to own such a sleazy joint than Terry? Terry is going to have some 'splaining to do though when Tommy finds out his father sold him to the Hortens.
Tommy naively thought Terry came to get to know his son. If that was the case, recognition would have gone a long way to backing up that theory. Terry's involved in opening up this club and clearly he's made close personal friends with a Town Councillor that can only be bad news. Terry already seems to be scrabbling for ready cash to pay Owen and you could see the pound signs in his eyes kaching when he found out Tommy got an inheritance. Did you see him "age" a photo that came with a frame and pretend it was a baby pic of Tommy? And there's no way, even crumpled up, that photo looks like it was almost 20 years old and carried in a wallet or pocket all those years. You'd think Tommy would have seen his own baby pictures enough to he wasn't looking at himself but no. He bought it lock, stock and smoking barrel. And you thought Tyrone and Kirk were dumb bunnies! Terry then starts to make inroads into driving a wedge between Tommy and Tyrone, spinning the spin and pouring poison into Tommy's ear. Tina isn't taken in but Tommy won't be told. However, he does make up with Tyrone but quits the garage to work with his dad. Uh oh. that's going to end up a great, big, fat FAIL, you know it!
Here's a bit of info on Tommy's short life
Will Carla really have to take Sally on as a partner? You know, that would be fun because Sally really can be insufferable when she's climbing the social/business ladder. She's not a bad person but she's been so stifled in her life's ambitions that she's desperate to have something of her own. And to be fair, she probably is clever enough to do it but she's so much up her own backside that the workers would mutiny and hang her from the yardarm in a week! But Carla needs the money for the factory so she's agreed once the lawyers are through processing Frank's estate, she can buy in. Sally is even horning in on Carla's client meetings already (though I can't think that Sally would have missed Betty's funeral for it. Seems her ambition had a stronger hold on her than her respect for an old friend)!
Sally and Kevin seem to have found a new fondness. I guess Sally's brush with death makes her realize how much of a part of her life Kevin has been and still is. But will she really be able to live with what he did over the long haul? I know i don't think i could.
David got a job in a posh new salon but it didn't last very long. Seems to me Kylie was the reason he lost the last job he had in another salon as well. No, my mistake, it was Tina wasn't it? Kylie really is pushing David into this war with Audrey, isn't she? So they manage to trick Audrey and Maria out of the Salon and take over themselves and the seige is on! they change the locks and try to change the signs with Under New Management. Gail continues to be extremely disrespectful to Audrey and Lewis both. Even if she doesn't trust him, there's no need to be that nasty. Doesn't she realize that pushing him so hard is only going to make Audrey defend him even more? Audrey decides to try to conduct her business out of Mary's motor home. You wouldn't think there would be enough power in there. At least when they did it out of Gail's they could manage the power supply a bit better and there was a bit of elbow room.
Audrey gets so incensed at the new signs that she ends up getting herself arrested when the police try to escort her out. It seems like David does have mixed feelings and probably would have backed down long ago if it weren't for Kylie. Audrey was even going to try to compromise after she found out about Betty's death. Life's too short but it was too late, too. She was served with a legal restraining order, also probably at Kylie's instigation. At least Kylie's heartless reaction to Betty's death caused David to snap at her. Audrey has finally decided to play dirty and is going to accuse David of bullying her into signing over the salon when of course, it was all Audrey's idea in the first place.
Karl spent one night on Sunita's sofa. Why? There were two child sized beds available. Why shouldn't Tommy treat himself to a nice new telly with some of his money? Ok, Tina is right to advise caution, he shouldn't blow the lot but one really nice purchase is ok isn't it? Why would Gordon come and take Emily and Rita to visit Betty when Rita drives and has her own car? Betty was Tracy's godmother? She must have had two then, because I though Emily was. Wonderful scene with the older men and Steve out behind the Rovers talking guy talk about women and relationships! When Jason first bought the flat and he and Tina were doing it up, were they not going to share the proceeds when they sold it? Or was that just because they were together anyway at the time.
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