(Monday 15^th June – Wednesday 26^th August 2020) 

So, it’s been a huge few months on Coronation Street, with some of their biggest stories coming into focus.  We passed through VE day with it’s infamous type of Corrie sing-song (‘We’ll Meet Again’) through the 27^th July when we flashforward to all the characters having apparently lived through months of lockdown (and Mary singing opera out the window) and they began to emerge back into socially distanced civilisation.  It’s actually pretty cool to watch them learning to live in a new, socially distanced world, the way the rest of us are, from navigating their way round the shop, keeping two metres apart to Jenny serving an empty pub, constantly on the phone to Rita, who never appears as none of the older cast are currently allowed on set.  There was also special reference to Aggie, who works as a nurse.  Abi lent the family a car when their broke down, we saw rainbows in windows and sadly, Aggie was forced to isolate in a hotel when there was an outbreak on her ward.

So, to the storylines…

One story kind of flared and then fizzled; I think the lockdown may have prompted a rewrite.  But during the flare, it was fantastically done and showed Alison King at her best.  Two creeps surfaced in the pub and attempted to blackmail Carla for things she had done (and didn’t remember) just to get by when she was on the streets and suffering her mental breakdown.  Essentially, they abused her and were now abusing her again.  But rather than give in to their demands, she told the pub the truth about what had happened, thus taking away their power.  They were then removed from the pub.  Later, that bloke, Scott assaulted them and I presume he was meant to have more of a role in the show but when they resumed filming and referencing Covid-19 and the lockdown, Jenny informed Geoff that Scott had left and the B&B was empty.  So, who knows if and when he’ll return?  Now Johnny has returned and it’s been mentioned that Scott is renting somewhere round the corner so who knows…?

Without Yasmeen to protect him, Geoff really hasn’t been able to conceal his ugly behaviour and by the end of these few months, even Tim, who has always stood up for him, is starting to see his true colours.  And Faye, who has also always stood up for him, has now caught him lying to the police and being very cruel to Sally.  Sally, meanwhile, has absolutely seen through Geoff.  She has visited Yasmeen in prison and understood her story.  She has teamed up with Alya and handed over the wedding money Geoff gave them in order to help her buy Geoff out of Speed Daal. 

In prison, Yasmeen was still torn over her feelings for her husband and the pain he had caused her until she spoke to him on the phone and the way he spoke to her finally decided things once and for all.  This was helped along by the arrival of Elaine Jones, Geoff’s first wife and Tim’s mother – formerly known as Philippa, who Geoff claimed had died.  With a lot of persuasion from Alya, Elaine agreed to testify for Yasmeen (as did Sally) but Tim refused to accept that she was his mother and after a confrontation with Geoff, tragic Elaine vanished.  Did he kill her?! 

Sadly (in another rewrite, I think), the trial was postponed as the stress got too much, Yasmeen ended up in hospital with a heart attack.  This story has been utterly gripping.  I could watch entire episodes just of this.  It has been pitched so perfectly.  I hope Corrie get award after award for it.  It’s been absolutely brilliant. 

Things got intense for Gary when Bernie discovered Rick’s watch in the woods.  With Adam obsessed with proving that Gary killed Rick, when she heard the inscription on the watch, Sarah bought it, prompting Gary to desperately try and buy it back.  A socially distanced argument broke out, with Sarah running down the Street, calling the police.  When she was about to walk in front of car, Gary pushed her out the way and fell in front of it, all without actually touching her.  I know a lot of people criticised the stunt but actually, I thought they shot it pretty well, considering the limits on how they could do it. 

Anyway, Gary was hailed a hero.  He told Sarah he loved her.  She stopped wanting to call the police on him and instead, got rid of the watch, successfully prompting the breakdown of her marriage to Adam, who was furious that not only was she protecting a murderer but she had also willingly become an accessory.  Of course, he has no idea that she’s an old hand at this, being that she, David and Kylie bumped off Callum.  But Gary knows that and he understood.  Adam probably wouldn’t.  Even though he’s shadier than a tree. 

Anyway, while Sarah and Adam’s marriage was left in tatters, Gary and Maria went ahead and get hitched (in accordance with social distancing rules), despite Gary having just declared his love for Sarah.  Oh, what tangled webs these people weave. 

In a very bold and very sad story, Leanne and Steve got the worst possible news about Oliver – he does have the life limiting condition they suspected.  I honestly never thought they would go so far as to kill a child.  How absolutely devastating.  But it is providing Jane Danson in particular with the opportunity to act her socks off!  She is absolutely amazing at portraying the sheer heartbreak at the prospect of losing her son.  It has been such a rollercoaster of emotion as the whole family come to terms with that has happened, each of them heartbroken in different ways.

Toyah and Imran decide against fostering as Toyah felt it would be inappropriate at the present time (a storyline that seemed to come from nowhere anyway) but upon hearing about it, Leanne insisted that her sister’s dreams should not be put on hold because of her pain.  Unfortunately, she let them down with a reference when she had to support Steve. 

Simon moved in with Peter when he heard Leanne telling Steve that when Oliver dies, she will have no children left, implying that she doesn’t think of him as her son.  She didn’t even remember saying it and desperately tries to make it right but it’s not enough.

When Toyah persuaded Leanne to talk to a professional, Leanne found the strength and hope to make every moment of Oliver’s life count.  Unfortunately, her confidence was knocked when she bumped into someone from her antenatal group whose child was doing really well and she was also pregnant again.

Shona returned to the Street and moved in with Roy, maintaining contact with David, which seemed to be going well, apart from that time she tried to kiss her support worker, Aaron.  She also made friends with Gemma, who of course has history with her from their old estate.  Flashforward to post-lockdown and we aren’t seeing Shona anymore but apparently David has been visiting her window every day during in order to maintain contact, as have the kids.

Daniel accidentally spent the evening chatting up escort, Vicky and despite being offended at first, he ended up spending the night with her.  Then he kept going back.  However, he hasn’t been sleeping with her.  He’s been getting her to wear Sinead’s cardigan and perfume and holding him – for money.  And the poor bloke has been pouring his heart out to her.  Post-lockdown though, she kept telling him that she was busy and couldn’t see him.  He did attempt to see someone else but it just wasn’t the same.  It looks to me like there are reluctant feelings there – on both sides.  This is turning into quite the sad storyline.

Seb was furious with his mother when she avoided saying goodbye to the twins before the emigrated to Australia.    Abi is trying to do her best for them by letting them go and start a new life.  She feels like it’s the least she can do for them after all the mistakes she has made.  However, she eventually agreed to go with Seb to see them.  Unfortunately, right before she was due to leave, she had an accident in the garage, preventing her from saying goodbye and leaving Seb thinking she had flaked on him and the twins.  This left her in a downward spiral as she stole morphine from the hospital, attempting to numb her pain.  Thankfully, Peter spotted it (he rescued her from the accident in the first place) and threw the morphine away.  She was not happy!  However, he did persuade her to agree to go to meeting with him.

Gemma was contacted on her blog by Vanessa, one of the women who was horrible to her in the mother and baby group, her life having completely fallen apart.  Despite Bernie attempting to warn her away, Gemma went ahead and befriended her, not wanting her to be alone.  She also very sweetly arranged a surprise birthday for her twin brother, Paul, which she couldn’t attend herself due to social distancing.  She gave him a signed photo of PJ and Duncan.  Cue a fantastic twin dance to ‘Let’s Get ready to Rumble’, much to the bemusement of Summer, who thought PJ and Duncan looked a lot like Ant and Dec…  Kids!

Sean, Mary and Billy were concerned when Todd contacted them, asking them to deposit money at a drop off point.  They agreed but then a random girl showed up and took the cash, claiming that she found Todd’s phone and took a chance.  So, was it a scam all along?  Well, we know Todd is due to return (with a different actor) so, who knows what trouble he will bring and what this beginning storyline means?!  Also, what will it mean for Billy and Paul?  I do hope they don’t break them up.  I really like them as a couple and I am not a Todd fan at all!

Coronation Street airs on ITV1 @ 7:30pm, Mondays, Wednesday & Fridays