February 12, 2020 – The Soap Dish

(Monday 3^rd – Friday 7^th February 2020)

Kim is currently the number one suspect among the villagers for Graham’s murder. And weirdly, they’re sort of right and sort of wrong. Al catches Vanessa and Rhona snooping around Home Farm, who adamantly insists that Marlon is the guilty party. However, he also lets slip that Kim already knew about the move to France. Kim is furious with Al. But when Rhona comes home, she finds that someone has been into her house and broken a picture. Unaware that Pierce is stalking her, she accuses Kim of breaking in. Pierce lets himself into the house yet again and listens to Rhona ranting about Kim.

Kim accidentally runs Pierce over on his bike and brings him home patch him up. He poses as a divorce lawyer called Ollie and manages to get himself hired by her for Jamie. He uses Clark Kent as inspiration and puts on glasses as a disguise, a bit like Keanu’s magical beard in Eastenders. Jamie is hesitant at first but as usual, he does what his mother tells him, upsetting Andrea who he had agreed to work things out civilly with. Things remain awkward between Belle and Jamie after their night together. Belle throws herself into her relationship with Ellis.

Meanwhile, Vanessa and Charity are still on the rocks after Charity and Ryan’s revelations of their theft on the night of Graham’s murder. Please don’t let them break up again! They’ve only just sorted things out!

Cain visits Marlon and tells him all about the campaign, passing on messages of love from April. When she realises that she is being lied to and that she is actually being prevented from seeing her father, she runs away, sending the whole village into a panic. Like every soap character, Marlon gets more visitors than legally possible. He completely breaks down when he finds out that his daughter is missing. She stays out overnight but Bob and Sam find her randomly walking along the roadside the next day. She comes home on the agreement that she gets to see Marlon.

Rhona laments to Vanessa over her lost love. That night, Pierce breaks into her house to watch her sleep. I’m still not entirely comfortable with this story. If they had just brought a creepy guy in to stalk her or even an ex, that would be a one thing but this is a man who raped her. It’s not creepy Leo King in Eastenders, who freaks me out enough. This is a rapist we’re dealing with. It almost feels dismissive of what happened, like they’re turning him into a bit of a pantomime villain. I’m not sure about this yet… What do other people think?

Victoria allows Wendy to say a brief hello to baby Harry. She has also sent her a photo. When Victoria gets Luke a job in the Woolpack kitchen, she ends up helping him out on her day off. Together, they juggle the kitchen and the baby and when he goes upstairs to tend to Harry for her, she overhears him on the baby monitor telling Harry how much he likes her. She teases him about what she overheard and agrees to go on a date with him as well as to letting him look after Harry while she goes for counselling.

While Luke is out with Harry, Wendy finds Victoria’s journal but gets caught reading it by Victoria, prompting a very emotional conversation where Wendy finally admits that she knows that Lee raped her. She has been coming to terms with the truth for a while now, as she has been getting to know Victoria and her story has begun to make sense. But now, reading her journal has compounded everything. Unfortunately, no progress is made as despite facing the horrific truth, she cannot let go of her love for her son or the fact that she misses him. Subsequently, Victoria has no choice but to say goodbye to Luke as well, not wanting him to be constantly torn between her and his mother.

Laurel hears the sad news that Sandy has died, over in Australia (this is the moment that Emmerdale has chosen to respectfully acknowledge the passing of actor Freddie Jones within the context of the story). While everyone raises a glass to him in the pub, Arthur is broken up with guilt, believing that his abuse of Archie is the reason Sandy died. Jimmy finds him breaking down at Ashley’s grave and is so kind and supportive because that’s just the kind of guy he is. It’s funny when you think about the horrible family Jimmy came from and he didn’t actually start out very nice either. But anyway, Jimmy sends Arthur to his mother and he confesses everything. Laurel is distraught but kind. She feels guilty for not having been there properly for her son.

Just as Laurel prepares to tell poor Jimmy the truth, Jai arrives home from rehab, wanting to make things right and to support her over Sandy’s death. He also wants to get back together. Laurel decides to wait until they return from Sandy’s funeral in Australia before facing up to things. She also makes Arthur promise never to behave that way again.

With Pete’s blessing, Nate and Tracey start dating, although why Tracey would even want to go there, I have no idea. This man clearly has no respect for women. Or people in general. But especially women. Pete opens up to Tracey about how much he misses his family and she suggests that working at the farm where his mother tortured his father before she killed him, might not be the best idea.

Emmerdale is on at 7pm Monday to Friday with a second episode at 8pm on Thursdays

(Monday 3^rd – Friday 7^th February 2020)

While Geoff prattles on about his magic show, Yasmeen desperately cleans the house. He continuously harasses Yasmeen at work and then sabotages a spa day for her an Alya when Emma is unable to be his assistant for the show. He loses his temper when she is anxious about being locked in a box for one of the tricks, as she is claustrophobic.

During the show, the trick with Yasmeen in the box goes wrong and Yasmeen is unable to get out of the box ‘magically’, meaning Geoff has to really wrestle with the box to set her free. The audience find it hilarious and it earns Geoff the name ‘Jiggle It Geoff’, sending the video viral. Of course, Geoff does not find it funny and what is not caught on video is Geoff blaming poor Yasmeen and calling her a ‘clumsy, oafish bitch’. It’s a truly horrible moment, with worse to come, as the more compliments they receive for doing ‘comedy magic’, the worse punishment Yasmeen receives from her vile husband.

That night, Yasmeen almost begs Tim to stay when Geoff sends him off to try and sort things out with Sally. Alone together, Geoff lays into her for apparently sabotaging the show. He physically intimidates her and frightens her before shoving a phone camera in her face, videoing her and screaming horrific abuse at her, suggesting he might put that online to embarrass her. But of course he won’t because it won’t show her in a bad light, will it? Hopefully this video will eventually be his undoing…

He sends her out for chips, having rejected the dinner she has made. Out, she bumps into Emma who reveals that she was actually fired as Geoff’s assistant. So the whole ordeal was caused by Geoff and all because he didn’t want Yasmeen to a spa for a couple of hours with her granddaughter.

The poor woman is treading on eggshells the next day as the video of the show has gone international. Geoff is raging, although they both put on a front for Tim. He throws Yasmeen’s breakfast away and calls her fat. He tells Tim that Yasmeen doesn’t want him to stay with them anymore, making him feel like he is putting their marriage under pressure. Geoff suggests that Yasmeen help him practice for his next show as a way to make things up to him. He makes some adjustments to the box, during which time, Yasmeen mentions her conversation with Emma but it only gets her into trouble as he recalls that she took ten minutes longer to get the chips than she said she would be. He then locks her in the box – for the whole afternoon! He ignores her cries to be let out before turning music up loud going for a pint with Brian.

While Yasmeen screams and cries for help, Geoff enjoys a casual pint with Brian, not letting on how annoyed his is by the gentle teasing about the magic show from his friend. Eventually exhausted, poor Yasmeen gives up. The music has stopped by the Tim arrives back at the house and he is absolutely stunned to find Yasmeen locked in the box. He rescues her and is still trying to work out how such a terrible thing could have happened when Geoff arrives back, clearly horrified to have had his son rescue his wife. At first, Tim accuses his father of locking Yasmeen in but Geoff is quick with a denial and a lie. He tells him that Yasmeen was timing herself and must have got locked in. Yasmeen doesn’t contradict him. Tim reluctantly accepts it and gives the couple time to talk. Come on, Tim! Work it out! Genuinely concerned, he tells Eileen what has happened. This incident, coupled with Geoff’s previous behaviour makes Eileen suspicious. Could she be Yasmeen’s surprise salvation?

Tim is shocked to find Yasmeen locked in a box at home…

Despite the horror of what he has put her through, Geoff is still ready to lay all the blame at Yasmeen’s door. However, traumatised by her ordeal, Yasmeen stands up for herself and accuses him of lying about how she got locked in the box, unable to comprehend how he could have done that to her. She makes it clear that this is not how love should be. She shows genuine strength, which only gives me hope for the future of this storyline. But of course, he changes his tactics. He knows he won’t get anywhere with scaring her anymore that day so he makes her feel guilty and sorry for him instead. He denies locking her in the box on purpose and claims to have just been playing a trick on her. Then he breaks down over his previous trauma over the way Tim’s mother treated him, claiming that he thought she had messed the trick up on purpose because that’s what she would have done. He begs forgiveness and begs her not to leave him. She accepts it but something has definitely shifted.

Tim makes a bid to win Sally back by presenting her with his signed divorced papers and an invitation to their wedding. Sally is not impressed.

Daniel apologises to Maria who in turn apologises for Gary’s attack. Gary and Maria explain the miscarriage to Liam but Maria is annoyed when without prior discussion, Gary suggests to Liam that they might have another baby instead. He turns down a desperate customer in need of a loan.

Bethany is still unhappy working for Ray and makes her point by serving his table of colleagues and blatantly telling them that she has been told to flatter them all. Ray is not happy. She and Daniel submit one of her stories to a course in Preston.

Steve and Tracy skip off to a hotel to try and rekindle their romance. Unfortunately, they only end up frustrated with each other, resulting in Steve ending up locked in the bathroom. She seems to have come to the sad realisation that she loves him more than he loves her. She says he is scared of her. He says everyone is scared of her! Well, fair point. However, they do end up reconnecting so perhaps they will be able to move forward now.

It turns out that Nina has been evicted from her flat and is now living on the streets. She eventually turns up at the café and Roy takes her in.

Rita receives the news that her third husband, Dennis Tanner has died. He has his ashes sent to her with a request for her to scatter them in Blackpool. Jenny arranges a party bus with half the cast to do a day trip to Blackpool to celebrate the show’s 10,000^th episode: Rita, Jenny, Sally, Gail, Eileen, Sean, Ken, Tracy, Emma, Amy (who is celebrating her birthday), Mary, Audrey, Evelyn, Carla and Nina all hop on board, dragging reluctant Yasmeen (with a FIVER spending money) along for a ride. Apologies if I’ve missed anyone. Claudia definitely does not join them. Apparently Blackpool is like Vegas for the poor!

While Yasmeen struggles with the pressure of discussing getting locked in the box and spends most of her time reassuring Geoff on the phone that she is not drinking (very much noticed by Eileen), Audrey and Rita end up snapping at each other about times gone by. Ken begins to regret that he has spent his entire life on one road (but what a busy life it’s been!) and quietly reveals his plans to move to a retirement flat round the corner with Claudia. Well, I’m sure that will be thrilling! Nina argues with Tracy and tries to hitchhike home, only to be talked down by Carla. I do like Stable Carla. Yasmeen brings Sally and Tim back together at last with a video call. Sean admits that he feels pushed out of Eileen’s life when once upon a time, they were family. When Emma reveals that Seb has moved out without telling her (he’s scared of her, apparently!), it frees up his room for Sean to move back in. How lovely.

However, the group don’t actually make it to Blackpool as the bus driver has a heart attack at a wee stop. Rita has a tantrum and the urn gets run over by the ambulance, essentially scattering the ashes in a car park (in the most convenient moment of prop placement ever).

On the way home, Rita is finally grateful for her friends who gave up their day to be with her. Back on the Street, she gives Amy her engagement ring, which belonged to the legend that is Elsie Tanner. Amy is thrilled! Rita enjoys an evening in the pub with her friends. Then alone in the bar that night, she recalls memories of times gone by before Jenny comes down and Rita tells her she couldn’t have wished for a better daughter. It’s a lovely way to mark a special moment in the history of Coronation Street as we hear the echoes of so many remarkable characters from the past, who have made the show so very special. Outside, Ken says goodbye to the Street but rest assured, he’s not going far. The credits roll through every sequence in the show’s history, dating right back to its days of black and white. A great episode focussing on so many of the great and longest serving characters.