Who Won Christmas and New Year?

4^th Coronation Street

Billy provided the entertainment for the Street on Christmas Day!

I’m ranking Corrie last because although Corrie had some great bits this Christmas and New Year and I loved the focus on it being about family and community, it didn’t pack all that much punch. I found myself getting distracted while I was watching. I loved Billy playing the piano on the Street while people gathered around. I loved the Barlows and the Platts unable to get along. A real highlight was Tyrone and Phill fighting in their rubber gloves, although I find it reprehensible that Fiz wants to sell Jack and Vera’s house. Although, to be fair, if Tyrone hadn’t had some kind of early midlife crisis and gone off with Alina…

And what on earth was George thinking when he bought a coffin for Eileen?! Merry Christmas! Let’s plan your death!

Abi and Kelly’s scenes were heartbreaking and I was shocked by the revelation that it was Abi that Imran had a one night stand with. I just hope that this doesn’t break her and Kevin up. He has stood by her through everything and forgiven so much.

And I don’t know about anyone else but I am already sick of Adam’s lothario storylines. He’s either having an affair or a one night stand or he’s suffering the effects of having had one. And subsequently, he and Sarah are always arguing. They never give him a different storyline. It’s so boring.

3^rd Hollyoaks

Luke left a beautiful message for Cindy for Christmas…

I felt genuinely emotional as I watched Cindy desperately try to create the perfect Christmas for her and Luke and their family. But everything went wrong. Ollie got caught up with Becky and her bonkers conspiracy theories and Luke was so poorly and forgetful that everything fell apart. And then the next day, he completely forgot the big argument they had and was so lovely to her; he thought they’d had a lovely Christmas. I also loved the video he had made for her during a more lucid moment. She came to realise that no Christmas could ever be perfect. It’s too late and this is how they live now. It was really sad.

Ella had big news and revealed to Charlie and the rest of the family that she is pregnant! It was fairly obvious that this is where the story was going as they made such a big deal of their first time and they had that pregnancy scare before. It would be interesting if they hadn’t done exactly the same story with Tom and Peri. However, I am curious to know how they will write Sarah Jayne Dunn out when her on screen daughter has such a big story on her hands…

It is always nice to see the McQueens taking centre stage and this Christmas saw Mercedes and Sylver return with Bobby after their trip away to try and rebuild their marriage. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to Mercedes, Sylver is planning to leave and move away, unable to forgive his wife for her infidelity.

Maxine went all out to keep Trish in the Village (why she wants to, I have no idea – she’s never anything but horrible to her!) New Year seemed the appropriate time to reveal that newcomer, Dave (Emmerdale’s killer Cameron who dated Debbie Dingle played by Charley Webb who is the real-life sister of Jamie Lomas who plays Warren Fox, just for a bit of trivia), who is already aware but has 0% interest in getting to know his daughter and disrupting his already complicated family set-up. Charming.

So, although I wouldn’t exactly call any of these episodes ‘Christmas specials’, Hollyoaks also doesn’t dominate any prime time viewing over the Christmas period. It did have some good stories and Cindy and Luke’s story really did get to me.

2^nd Eastenders

Gray was determined that the wedding would go ahead…

I was desperately looking forward to the Christmas and New Year episodes of Eastenders; they had promised so very much, what with Gray’s crimes and Rocky’s identity being uncovered and an explosive hate crime at the clock struck 2022.

Unfortunately, they delivered very little. The Christmas Day episode just never really got going. It was over before anything really happened. The Boxing Day episode was incredible though. It was almost as if they were behind schedule or something considering the difference in the quality between the episodes. And it was a real shame as the episodes leading up to Christmas too were so good! I was hooked all week long and so disappointed on Christmas Day. And I promise I am not going to sit here and complain that an evil, far right gang failed to blow up a building intended to be a mosque. Obviously. But again, the discussions regarding New Year were that everyone would be struggling after the traumatic events of New Year. And nothing actually happened at New Year. That was the big story. So, although I am very glad that the explosion did not take place, it still adds to the general feeling of overpromising and underdelivering.

As for storylines, Zaarah Abraham absolutely knocked it out of park and Toby-Alexander Smith was terrifying! I could have throttled Mitch for bringing Chelsea back to the Square, no questions asked. And I feel it’s a real plot hole that he has some kind of forgiveness amnesia when it comes to Gray. It was only last year that he suspected Gray of foul play with Chantelle himself. So, if a woman is clearly frightened of her husband and is fleeing the day after her wedding, wouldn’t you at least ask why?

I was glad that the truth finally came out about Rocky, although I like him so much that I still hope there will be away forward for him and Sonia. She wants a Dad and he wants a daughter – little knowing he does actually have one in Dotty! I feel stupid not to have seen that coming. Also, are we about to see him and Shirley get together?! It would be nice if Shirley met someone. She always seems to be on the romantic sidelines.

I was really happy to see Mick knock Janine back when he found her in his bed. However, it was disappointing to see that that wasn’t the end of it. Although it was wonderful to see Kellie Bright back on screen, albeit briefly, we should have known that Janine would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. Unfortunately, despite how brilliant the scenes between Janine and Linda were, this plot, again, has so many flaws.

Linda has met Janine before, right at the beginning of the Carters’ time in Albert Square and Janine is not exactly the kind of person you forget.
The implication was that Janine persuaded Linda into drinking that first time but when Nancy and Zack went to see her, she implied that she’d been back on the booze for a while, so which is it? If it was the first time with Janine, she sure spiralled very quickly!
After finding out that Janine had been to visit Linda, why wasn’t Mick even more suspicious of the situation?
After finding out that Linda was drinking again, why wouldn’t Mick at least try to work things out and go and see Linda?
Why would Mick have left it so long to communicate with Linda anyway? They share a young son! How would it have even got to this stage?

And with the news at the weekend that Danny Dyer has quit the show… who on earth knows what will happen with Mick and his clan this year?!

And speaking of plot holes – as if Mr Lister wouldn’t know who Stacey was?! She has had a stall on the market for years! Come on!

1^st Emmerdale

Manpreet would live to regret uncovering Meena’s secret… she hoped!

I was on the edge of my seat for the entirety of the Christmas and New Year Emmerdale episodes. Every episode so was well done and so full of drama.

First there was devious Al blowing up the pub. I can’t stand Al at the best of times but honestly, how dare he?! Doesn’t he know how iconic that place is?! What an awful man! And I certainly wasn’t expecting Meena and Manpreet, in the middle of a completely separate plot, to get caught up in the blast!

I have read and heard a lot of criticism for the Meena story; people feeling like it is dragging on too long and is becoming over the top. But I completely disagree. The whole idea is that this woman is a psychopath and lacks any kind of empathy. I’ve found it really compelling to see her pushed into a situation where the one person in the world that she genuinely does care for, has discovered her secret. We saw her by Manpreet’s bedside in the hospital, willing her to die so she didn’t have to kill her. And normally, she would have revelled in murdering somebody and she would have done it immediately. But instead, Manpreet has ended up being held hostage in the house while Meena has been going quietly (or loudly) mad, realising that she has to kill her. I am honestly going to be devastated when Meena is caught or killed or vanishes into the distance; however, this story turns out. For a serial killer, she sure has injected a lot of life into the Dales.

Finally, my Vanessa returned to the Village! I have been so very desperate for her to come home! It has been forever! She returned just as Mack and Charity were confessing their love (yuck) – Mack because he means it and Charity because she wanted to mean it. Within about an hour, it was quite clear that Charity had lost all interest in Mack and was desperate to be with Vanessa again. I mean, she’s going to have to work harder than that but I have high hopes for them for 2022. I was a little thrown by Vanessa having a girlfriend but then it turned out that she was the woman that Nate cheated on poor Tracy with so that solved that issue…

Meanwhile, Ellis abandoned Belle and little Kyle out in the woods, accidentally taking the car keys with him when Priya called him for help. Staying out all night, the pair ended up in hospital with hypothermia. When Priya then rejected Ellis’s assistance, why he decided to get drunk with his Dad instead of going back to Belle and Kyle (or you know, look in his pocket and discover the car keys he accidentally took with him?!), I will never know. But Cain was very soon out for revenge…

So, yes, I absolutely loved Emmerdale over this holiday season. In 2021 and into 2022, it has gone from being probably my least favourite soap to one of my most favourites, if not my favourite. I love it. The writing, the storylining and the performance are all amazing and everyone should be very proud.

Home and Away: Confrontations

(Monday 16^th – Friday 20^th November)

Well, everything went rather sour between Ziggy and Tane when she discovered his van of stolen goods at the garage. Her disappointment in him when she had been so pleased with his efficiency and been praising him so much to Ari, was massive. He did sort everything out and Justin suspected nothing but Tane is going to have to work pretty hard to make things up to her.

Tane is up to his neck in stolen goods…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Justin decided to have radiotherapy rather than surgery on his returned tumour. Tori was more concerned with her fledgling relationship with surgeon, Christian. She has become exceptionally annoying. It’s embarrassing. The writers should actually be ashamed. This is a strong, independent woman who survived witness protection, a coma and goodness knows what else that I’m not aware of because I haven’t watched the show for long enough. She’s not only a Doctor but the Head of the ED. She decided to have a baby on her own. And yet they’ve turned her in a quivering wreck of a woman because a handsome Doctor has given her a second glance? Really?! I mean, I know Jasmine’s issues with her talking about Christian are her own but I don’t blame her. Every time she comes on screen at the moment, I want to turn the TV off! Home and Away really do tend to push women back rather than propel them forward sometimes. It’s a problem.

Tori is all of a flutter…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

So, Bella and Nikau got back together and were happy for all of five minutes until Nik’s mother, Gemma called from New Zealand. She finally remembered she had a son who she previously adored and would never have been apart from all this time and now that she had decided to stay in New Zealand, wanted him to come and live with her. I for one, am very disappointed she left the show. She was a great character and a very stabilising influence on those boys. But like Bella, I also hope that Nik doesn’t go off to live with her, although he is seriously considering it. He even got the restrictions lifted off his passport.

Clever Detective Rosetta finally twigged that Colby and Taylor have been having an affair right under his nose for weeks! Half the Bay already know. Well, he always was a bit slow to catch on. Remember when Belle Taylor cheated on him all those years ago? And remember when Charlie Buckton actually wasn’t cheating on him and he got so obsessed that he started stalking her and fell out of a tree outside her therapist’s office? Pillar of the community we have here!

Anyway, first he failed to officially label Colby as a suspect in the murder investigation because he didn’t have enough evidence. Then he rooted through his wife’s phone and found all her calls and texts had been deleted. So he got hold of her phone records and found all the calls she and Colby had been making to each other. He then began asking questions of colleagues (who dutifully gave Colby the heads up and gave Angelo a good report) about Colby’s character.

Angelo is suspicious…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

He took things further by telling Taylor that a witness had come forward, confirming Colby’s guilt. As he expected, Taylor rushed to Colby with the news and Colby denied everything. Angelo photographed them kissing. The next day, Angelo was very nice to Colby. Weirdly nice. Creepy, even. He then gave Taylor a necklace, apparently to apologise for all his long hours. The necklace turned out to be bugged so that he could listen in on her clandestine conversations with Colby.

Colby and Taylor just can’t help themselves…
(photo credit: Digital Spy)

After yet more arguments regarding Jai, including Amber and Mac almost coming to fisticuffs, Dean reluctantly decided to take Amber to court to put formal custody arrangements in place. In a fit of anger, he drove over to Francesca’s house, he found Jai alone.

Home and Away currently airs on weekdays @ 1:15pm & 6pm on Channel 5

Sneak peek on 5Star, weekdays @ 6:30pm

These reviews are based on the lunch time episodes

The Soap Dish Update

At the end of next week, my soap blog (as it currently stands) will be coming to an end/pause, as it is just taking up so much time that I am not getting a chance to work on any of my other projects. I will continue to write blogs regarding various storylines but weekly reviews of episodes will cease, at least for now.

So this week as been the last review for Coronation Street, Doctors, Eastenders, Hollyoaks and Neighbours. I’m afraid I fell behind with Emmerdale quite some time ago! As this week is the last week of Home and Away in the UK for this year, I will just finish that one off and that will be my last ‘review blog’ for now.

Coronation Street: So Much For My Happy Ending

(Friday 9^th October – Friday 13^th November 2020)

Apologies, it’s been a few weeks since my last Corrie update and a fair bit has happened on the Street…

Things finally moved on with this whole Johnny and Scott storyline. I’m grateful, to be honest. That Scott is very annoying and I don’t really care about Johnny’s ‘dark past’. Anyway, Scott carried out an armed robbery on the Bistro but rather than join him, Johnny, who was suffering MS symptoms from the stress, called the police instead. Craig, who has feelings for Faye, charged in against advice and ended up getting shot but thankfully, he is alright. And Faye who has recently been dumped by Noah (who the hell is Noah?!), asked Craig out.

Craig gets caught in the crossfire…
(photo credit: Digital Spy)

Todd resurfaced and attempted to persuade Eileen to identify a random dead body as him to get the guy he owed money to off his back. As it turned out, the guy was someone he was having an affair with and after some aggression, fighting and waving a gun about, all it really took to sort things out was a) returning the money and b) Eileen giving the bloke a bit of counselling and he went off with his husband.

Todd was then back on the Street, eager to derail Paul and Billy’s relationship. He scored a job at the factory and generally popped up at any given moment with an opportunistic comment to either get Billy very flustered or upset Paul. I’m not happy. I cannot stand Todd. He’s horrible. And Paul and Billy have been through so much together. It’s such a shame that they are very clearly going to break up because of this.

Alya reported to Yasmeen that Abi locked Geoff in the conservatory in order to prevent him from attending Tim and Sally’s wedding. She laughed her head off! It was a lovely scene. Alya was thrilled to report back to Geoff. Imran also happened upon the possibility of charging Geoff with fraud after they discovered Yasmeen’s terrible credit score but Yasmeen unhappily admitted she probably signed for loans without knowing what they were. She then admitted the depth of the financial abuse and control she suffered.

There were definitely some teething problems when Shona moved back into the family home, as David struggled to have to look after her as if she was a child. He struggled with patience and she struggled to feel loved. This is such a sad storyline. She has to learn everything new every day, what to do, what not to do. I’m impressed that the show hasn’t miraculously cured her like soaps tend to do when they get bored of stories like these.

Gary reluctantly got involved in Ray’s plot to take over the whole Street with his building development plan. He persuaded David to sell up on the promise that he would be allowed to rent the house back. For now. It was also revealed that Debbie, who randomly turned up after lockdown and has been hanging around like a bad smell, is there for a reason – she is working with Ray. She set her sights on Sally and Tim’s house, winding Geoff up into smashing up their garden and persuading them that they shouldn’t have to live next door to such an angry man. But Ray swooped in too quickly with an offer, making Sally think she could hold out for more.

Debbie manipulated the fragile situation between Tim and Geoff
(photo credit: Digital Spy)

Things got very heavy in the story surrounding little Oliver and it really is so heartbreaking. Leanne and Nick have now been torn apart, as the truth came out about his own feelings regarding whether they are doing the right thing, fighting the hospital to keep him alive. I feel ever so sorry for Nick. He never wanted to give his opinion. He only wanted to stand by Leanne and support her. And he loves Oliver like his own son. I am not sure how he and Leanne will get through this. It’s so sad after everything they have already been through.

I have to say though that Tracy has been amazing throughout this storyline. She has made her own opinion clear – she doesn’t think putting Oliver through the courts is the right thing – however, she is committed to him and to Steve and the family and she has been nothing but supportive. Even when Leanne hit on Steve, she charged over to the hospital and offered Leanne kindness, compassion and friendship. Something has really changed in Tracy over the last year and it’s for the good. She’s still witty and funny. She hasn’t lost that. But she’s developed a lot of heart. Long may it continue.

Tracy is kind to Leanne…
(photo credit: Digital Spy)

Simon also stepped up for Leanne, Oliver and his family, giving his testimony in court and fighting to prolong Oliver’s life and attempt to save him. But it doesn’t look likely, in my humble opinion. Oliver’s team only have their love on their side. The medical team have the medical opinions and actual evidence. As much as I want a happy ending and for that little boy to recover and live, I don’t think it’s going to happen. It’s so very sad. I am still a bit shocked that Coronation Street have gone so far with this story.

Emma made things a bit worse when she accepted stolen money from Scott after she caught him with a load of cash from the Bistro and a gun. Bless her, she used the money for Oliver’s legal fees but eventually, she had to confess and was arrested for handling stolen goods and fined.

On Friday 13^th, everyone waited with baited breath for the judge to deliver her verdict. And as expected, she sided with the hospital and the medical evidence they had provided, that it would not be possible for Oliver to recover in any way and that it would not be the right thing to continue to keep him alive. I was expecting it. I thought I was prepared for it. To be honest, I thought there was something wrong with me in that I haven’t been as affected by this story as I know others have been. But I was not prepared. I was a mess. A weeping mess.

The family wait for the verdict…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

It was just so sad, watching each of Oliver’s loved ones receive the news. Utterly heartbreaking. And then it only got worse at the hospital when Leanne took everything out on the Doctor. And then when Steve finally had to tell her the truth – they couldn’t appeal, they had to let their son go. The way Leanne broke down and begged him absolutely broke me. Jane Danson is absolutely incredible. My only criticism of this story really is that they could at least have attempted to make it look like the kid was lying in the bed during scenes!

Leanne doesn’t want to hear what Steve has to say…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

In other news:

Sean struggled to bond with his son, Dylan, during a visit. Who even remembered he had a son?!
Michael was in turmoil when Grace told him she was pregnant.
Dev and the twins made peace and he attempted to accept Corey.
Billy lost a promotion due to Paul’s drunken antics.
Adam set his sights on Alina but after advice from Carla, she backed off, not wanting to get in between Adam and Sarah.
Evelyn and Arthur split up when he revealed that he was married but that his wife was in hospital, unresponsive with brain damage after a stroke.

Coronation Street airs on ITV on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays @ 7:30pm and 8:30pm

Neighbours: The Scarlett Woman

(Monday 9^th – Friday 13^th November 2020)

Pierce and Dipi continued their affair, apparently without guilt. They were almost caught out by Hendrix, who I feel incredibly sorry for. He really believes in his Dad and he adores Chloe. He is going to be so hurt when the truth comes tumbling out. He was further concerned when he found Chloe getting drunk with Nicolette but Harlow persuaded him to keep his cool. However, he did persuade his stepmother to focus on her marriage and set boundaries with her friend. Little do any of them know, she needn’t bother.

Things became even more fragmented between the couple when they heard the news that Pierce’s ex, Lisa has had her baby. While it gave Chloe food for thought about the future, Pierce (with a new face) completely shut her down regarding any kind of serious conversation about their relationship.

Pierce has a new face!
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Dipi wasn’t best pleased when Shane suggested a camping trip. Nothing he suggests is going to be good enough now, as if it were good enough before. I feel sorry for him. I know he messed up but he is trying. And he is a lot more interesting than Pierce. Dipi is making a huge mistake.

David and Aaron told supportive Chloe about their surrogacy plan. Nicolette is looking more and more besotted with Chloe in every scene. It’s quite sweet.

Karl couldn’t help sticking he nose in by telling Jane that Nicolette was working as a nurse in London when she claimed she wasn’t. The truth came out that Nicolette visited Mrs Mangel and came out to her, upsetting her on the day she died. In one fell swoop, interfering Karl has ruined the fragile relationship Jane and Nicolette have built up. And also ruined Susan’s cunning plan to get rid of Jane and have her move in with Nicolette and the boys. Nicolette made no secret of her fury with Karl, who breached confidentiality by looking through her records and passing information onto her mother. Ever kind and thoughtful, Chloe attempted to advocate for Nicolette with Jane.

Janes struggles with the latest revelations…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Some humour for the week involved Roxy secretly and very naughtily taking Ned’s portrait of Paul all around the town for people to tag themselves with it on social media. This only infuriated Paul more, as he already hated the portrait and it was becoming even more infamous. Unfortunately, when Terese was bringing it home in Bea’s van, she ended up running Kyle over, as Scarlett (who is not dead – what a non-shock), had cut the fluid to the steering wheel.

Terese accidentally runs Kyle over…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Between this victimisation of Bea and Ned thinking he has seen Scarlett at the garage, the police – well, Yashvi and Levi – thought that Scarlett may well be still alive. Yashvi and Bea staked out the garage, little knowing that she was at The Hive, where Ned was camped out for the night. While Ned implored Yashvi not to fall into danger, Yashvi happened upon a plan to smoke Scarlett out – a fake wedding. Of course! What else?!

Ned and Yashvi trick Scarlett out of hiding…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Kyle was left a paranoid wreck, convinced he was going to get struck by a third accident after the barbeque burn and then being hit by the van. So, who knows what the outcome will be now he, Roxy and Terese have got wind of the wedding plans?! With Scarlett sufficiently alerted to the wedding, she has battered Bea and locked her up and as the credits closed on Friday, she was charging towards the altar with a jar of acid in her hand…!

Scarlett launches her attack…
(photo credit: Digital Spy)

Neighbours airs Monday – Friday, Channel 5 @ 1:45pm and 5:30pm

Home and Away: Suspicious Minds

(Wednesday 4^th – Friday 13^th November 2020)

Bella warned Taylor to stay away from Colby or risk her husband destroying him, prompting Taylor to at least temporarily end their affair. But it was actually Bella and Nikau that were for the chopping block, as the couple couldn’t cope with the pressure of the Colby situation or agree on how best to handle things. It’s a shame. They are a lovely couple. And when she finally did decide she wanted to spend time with him, quite rightly, he had had enough of her picking him up and putting him back down again.

Meanwhile, Angelo finally began to notice that something was up with his wife who knew more about his murder investigation than he did. What a good Detective! Over a rare meal together, she accidentally let slip some details of the case she shouldn’t have been aware of, making her husband a little bit suspicious of where she might be getting her information. And his response was to hang around Colby’s apartment like a stalker. Not weird and unprofessional at all.

Angelo becomes suspicious of Taylor…
(photo credit: Digital Spy)

Colby and Bella had a huge argument, with Bella being the grown up one in the conversation. How times have changed. I still can’t work out why Colby thought that having an affair with the wife of the Detective investigating him for murder seemed like a good idea. But anyway, Colby finally did something sensible and ended the affair. Taylor was not happy. And I can’t work out if Colby really does have genuine feelings for her or not.

Mac and Ari were on again off again yet again as Ari wanted her to move in permanently and she decided to move out permanently – and in with Ziggy. Tane got the blame, being that he hated living with the girl he is in love with – and her boyfriend/his brother. But really, the whole situation is just weird, quite frankly. Ari pressured Mac for an answer about where their relationship was going and whether she loved him. She begged him to just be happy and less intense and eventually, they agreed to go at her pace – after a brief breakup. It’s Ziggy I feel sorry for. They are going to be so annoying to live with, especially post-breakup with Dean. Come on, we’ve all be the third wheel in a house share situation. It’s beyond crap.

Mind you, it looks like Ziggy may be moving on from Dean with Tane so who even knows what will happen next?! After he quit his job at Salt, she bagged him a job at the garage (who needs qualifications?!) But there was definitely some flirtation there, I think. I’m Team Dean all the way, just for the record. Tane was irritated when Ari brought him lunch on his first day, believing he was just coming to check up on him. And despite bonding with Ziggy and making a good impression, he was of course immediately up to no good and using the garage to commit crime.

Tane’s fresh start is heading in the wrong direction…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Willow stepped up for Dean when Amber shut him out of contributing financially, when actually, she really needed the help. He was adorably excited to be celebrating Jai’s birthday but he and Amber argued over Amber’s refusal to allow his mother to be part of Jai’s life, especially when her unpleasant mother is an active part of his life. Eventually, he accepted that Amber would find it hard to accept that Karen has changed and sacrificed her in order to stay in his son’s life himself.

Dean will do anything for Jai…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Justin and Leah were worried when his symptoms began to return. They sneaked into the hospital to see Christian, almost without Tori noticing but not quite, who confirmed that the tumour had returned.

Justin gets bad news…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Owen decided he needed to get out of Summer Bay and go travelling again and while at first, Roo was heartbroken, she spontaneously decided to go with him and get to know him better. Who knew teachers could just take time off in term time whenever they liked? Just as an aside, why did Owen need to rent a caravan if he already had a campervan?

Home and Away currently airs on weekdays @ 1:15pm & 6pm on Channel 5

Sneak peek on 5Star, weekdays @ 6:30pm

These reviews are based on the lunch time episodes

Hollyoaks: Crushed

(Monday 19^th October – Thursday 12^th November 2020)

The McQueen’s were having BIG problems with their blackmailer, not least the fact that the blackmail was coming from that freaky looking doll. That alone would be enough to give me nightmares. Seriously, I have a real thing about dolls that move/talk. These episodes are like watching a horror film.

The McQueen’s are being blackmailed by a very scary doll…
(photo credit: Digital Spy)

So, the first sin was wrath, exposing the fact that Sylver killed Breda. Well, to be fair, it wasn’t really as simple as that, was it? She’d murdered goodness knows how many people, she’d let him go to prison for murdering his Dad when he was innocent and she was trying to burn them both to death at the time. So, I think he could probably plead self-defence. However, he was arrested, thanks to the doll recording his confession. George stepped in and got rid of the evidence, setting Sylver free. At first, John Paul was angry that his boyfriend had been ‘corrupted’ by his family, hurting George’s feelings, as he had been trying to help but eventually, John Paul was relieved and grateful. I remain upset that with everything George does now, I know it’s with an ulterior, dark motive.

Sylver had to explain to Cher what happened with Breda, prompting her to fear that he had passed his ‘badness’ onto her. She then revealed that she killed her sister – after a feud, she pushed her into a swimming pool, knowing she couldn’t swim. She drowned. Sylver is nothing but supportive and Cher called him Dad for the first time. It was a sweet moment but I’m pretty sure the scary doll was listening.

Silas Returns…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Sylver accused James of being responsible for the blackmail but it clearly wasn’t him. In fact, thanks to the fact that he shot Mercedes, he ended up helping her. The doll offered the McQueen’s the chance to cancel the debt if they could work out who is responsible for their current predicament. They couldn’t. And I was delighted to discover that the person responsible is Silas Blissett! How fab to bring that psycho back for such an important anniversary! He is working with an unknown so obviously this story goes deeper than that and I am looking forward to it unravelling. Determined not to stress about the blackmailer, Mercedes announced that she was pregnant and it may have saved her life, as it diverted Silas away from pouncing on her.

Theresa wants to keep her sin a secret…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

The next sin was greed, sending Theresa into a panic. Apparently, in her time away, she has worked as an escort and got herself into some real trouble. When she begged John Paul for help, he took it upon himself to resolve the situation himself. First, he and James attempted to catch the blackmailer but it was George who came to collect. He had caught John Paul out in a lie and seeing him and James together, he concluded that John Paul was cheating on him. With their wires crossed (or could this be a double bluff and could George actually be the blackmailer?!), they broke up. And with the debt still owing, James would only pay it off in exchange for sex. Feeling like he had no option left, John Paul reached a new low and stole Kyle’s watch from Nancy, gifted to her by his parents, breaking his friend’s heart.

James always has an ulterior motive…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

However, this only meant this his sin was next: pride. With no options left, John Paul confessed everything to George. The boys got back together and George paid off the next debt with his savings – but John Paul cannot see James anymore. Again, I am very cranky now I know that every nice thing George does isn’t actually him being nice. Why couldn’t he just have been nice?! He just seemed so lovely at the beginning!

… but unfortunately, so does George
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Tony and Diane, who was fully in the grip of Edward, to the point that she has now dyed her hair red like his late wife, began to settle their divorce arrangements. Tony’s world was then thrown into a spin when he received a note from ‘the love of [his] life’. I mean, who could it be? Diane? Julie? Mandy? No! Of course not! It’s Kurt Benson! Yes, the one who died at sea in the late nineties. But it’s Hollyoaks so it’s fine to just change the past. Apparently, he didn’t die. He went into hiding and has wanted to come home ever since. Now, he presents himself as some kind of entrepreneur millionaire, which is clearly a lie.

Kurt Benson – Back from the Dead!
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Kurt had a new business plan he was eager to get Tony, Darren and Mandy involved with and very quicky snatched Verity away from upset Sami, an extra point scored when he realised she was Tony’s sister (after he discovered that in his absence Tony had slept with both Ruth and Lucy). He also got Verity swept up in the business plan, despite Sami nearly derailing things, having discovered he had set the business up in Tony’s name. Kurt explained that a bad deal meant his name has been blacklisted but promised that the business was going to be a big success. All the while, he took constant phone calls, promising the caller their money.

On the plus side, despite Kurt clearly being a con man, I do think he will be very good for Tony. Plus, you know, Hollyoaks legend back on screen. Hooray! But right now, Tony needs love, support and confidence. His life is being ruined by Edward and there is nobody to protect him. Kurt can do that. If anyone is going to call Edward out on his behaviour and catch him out on his lies, surely it will be Kurt? And he will help Tony win Diane back, I am positive. Those two are meant to be together!

Yazz refused to let go of her relationship with Tom who was sure that their relationship would only hold her back and restrict her dreams. She put together a video of all of Tom’s loved ones to tell him how loved he is. Actually, it was a beautiful message from every single member of the cast, thanking the audience for our support, marking their 25^th anniversary. It was a genuinely lovely moment and made me feel quite emotional. I’m big enough to admit it.

And to top it off, Yazz then proposed to Tom. Hooray! We’re going to have a New Year’s Eve wedding, guys! Our little Tom, who has grown up with us, who has lost so much, is happy with such a lovely girl and he is getting married! How lovely!

Yazz and Tom Engaged!
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

While Tom and Yazz were busy getting engaged, they were shocked to discover Ste had returned to the Village, having failed to make a new life elsewhere when people began to find out about his racist past. Yazz was incredibly compassionate and kind to him after everything he and those thugs put her through, terrorising them and causing her to lose her hearing. When Misbah returned home, she reunited him with his family. James, of all people, took pity on Ste, although he couldn’t help but try and set the situation up to try and make John Paul jealous. And failed. Mostly.

And it is lovely to see Tom and Yazz as a strong, happy, loving couple who are not mixed up in all this drugs madness, which has completely taken over the whole show right now. It feels a bit like when the River Boys took over Home and Away and it was more like Gangster’s Paradise than Summer Bay. Or when Eastenders was focussed on The Mitchell’s latest crimes and every episode was like The Sopranos. Well, I’ve never been sold on this County Lines storyline, to be honest and I admit I hope it finishes soon. For starters, these kids are literally taking ketamine all over the village. They’re dealing, they holding it, they’re using it and not a single adult has noticed? No parent, no teacher, no policeman? No ex-addict? Nobody? Come off it.

Juliet is at the top of the tree and has pushed Charlie and Ella into the mix as a couple of her underlings. Peri decided that Jordan was not the one for her after all and that she quite liked Juliet after all but things hit a roadblock at Romeo’s party (which he never actually made it to but did finally get together with Cher anyway), when she discovered that Juliet was also a drug dealer.

Sid was extremely worried about Juliet getting in so deeply with Victor and the gang but it’s like a switch has been flicked somewhere. She doesn’t think she is worth more than this. It’s very sad. But Sid had bigger problems as Victor was on Jordan’s case big time over catching the ‘grass’. Jordan was under big pressure to find out who snitched on him to the police and eventually, he did discover it was Sid. He risked a huge beating by not giving Sid up to Victor, who decided not to batter him but keep him under his control instead. Jordan cut all ties with Sid forever, feeling utterly betrayed.

Meanwhile, Ollie returned to the Village with a different face but no better attitude. He reunited with Brooke who was elated to be back together, only to be ditched the next day for Romeo’s party. Ollie was furious to discover that Brooke had asked Juliet to look out for him at the party and with Juliet also upset that Peri had stormed out on her, the pair went off to take ketamine together and ended up having a one night stand. While they instantly regretted it and vowed that nobody should ever hear about it, Peri turned up to declare that she wanted to make a go of things with Juliet. She was utterly disgusted to realise what she had walked in on. Well, you would be, wouldn’t you?

Juliet and Ollie make a big mistake…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Sid was devastated to discover that Juliet had slept with a boy when she had always told him she was only interested in girls and if there would ever be a boy, it would be him. After a row with Ollie, Sid found himself taking ketamine and collapsing, completely off his face. In a state, Peri wasn’t concentrating as she drove, distracted by tears and constant phone calls from Juliet. In a particularly hideous moment, she drove over Sid’s leg without even realising he was there. Thankfully, Luke, who had been picking Ollie up from a heap on the floor, also off his face on ketamine, saw what happened and called an ambulance for Sid.

Sid’s world fell apart around him…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Ste informed Peri what happened to Sid and she quicky concluded that she was the one who ran him over. With Ste’s reaction to both Peri and Jordan and his protectiveness of Sid, I am reminded of exactly why I’ve been missing Ste all this time! I hope he is going to be pivotal to this storyline and sort some things (and people) out. Ste had to explain to Sid that his leg will need to be amputated. When Juliet found out, she came straight to the hospital to support him. She later tried and failed to back out of her ‘job’ with Victor. Marnie spotted them together, which could either be really good or really bad.

Things got even worse for Sid after he was run over…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Brooke was honest about how much Ollie has hurt her and telling Luke about the drugs. Ollie in turn was honest about cheating on her with Juliet. I miss the old actor who played Ollie but it’s almost a good thing as he was so sweet and I don’t like the direction the character has taken.

The other big storyline these past few weeks involved Sienna backing out of running away at the last minute, unable to bear leaving Liberty. Brody broke up with her, believing that she was actually unable to leave Warren. The couple were horrified to then have Liberty announce that she was keeping baby Faith. Between Liberty and Brody, hurt Sienna found herself in bed with Warren, just as Brody was buying flowers and set to make things right with the woman he loved. Unfortunately, unwell Liberty took Faith and jumped in the car, ready to run away with her, running Brody over in the process. Sienna came to her senses, insisting that her slip with Warren was a big mistake; Brody is the person she wanted to be with.

In other news, Walter was shocked when Martine bought their flat and invited Mitchell and Scott to move in. At first, Walter offended the boys by offering to tolerate them but Mitchell gave him a talking to. Despite Toby’s best efforts to wind the situation up, Walter did make an effort and even bonded with Scott over The Golden Girls!

Hollyoaks airs Monday – Thursday, 6:30pm on Channel 4 (sneak peek on E4, 7pm)

These reviews are based on the E4 episodes

Hollyoaks airs ‘Hollyoaks Favourites’ on Fridays, Wednesdays-Fridays, 7pm on E4

Eastenders: Lost in the Dark

(Monday 9^th – Thursday 12^th November 2020)

Well, the first thing I have to say is that I am so impressed with Simone Lahbib’s arrival as Katy Lewis. The story unravelling is engaging and deeply uncomfortable in equal measure. I had no idea how it was going to play out when Katy arrived on the Square but the way it has, blindsided me. This woman is clearly a master manipulator. She is wrapped up in beautiful smiles and a gentle voice and it was so unsettling to watch her persuade Mick that nothing had ever happened between them. Danny Dyer was incredible in these scenes as Mick began not to trust his own, very clear memories of how their relationship began. And she was so convincing! And so lovely to him at times. So bloody clever.

Katy is a master manipulator…
(photo credit: Digital Spy)

Tina was delighted to see her and looked like she had as much of a crush on her as Mick once had. She forced Mick to persuade Frankie that he had been wrong and couldn’t be her Dad. Frankie was furious and disgusted with him that he could have let her believe her Mum was a paedophile. It really has been awful to watch but also fascinating. Eastenders has cast this so well. She is the nicest, girl next door type character. And yet, there she was, pressuring Mick, manipulating him, without him even realising it half the time. Changing his memories. Confusing him.

Mick suffers in silence…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

However, could I just suggest that the obvious answer is a paternity test? Just saying.

With Mick still in a dark place and his family not understanding why, Tina very sweetly persuaded Ian to ask him to do a shift at the Vic. And for a moment, Mick was back in his stride. But conversation between him, Tina and Shirley soon turned to Katy, he dropped an expensive bottle, Ian told him off and accidentally revealed that it was a pity shift. Mick was back to square one, leading to a very emotional scene between him and Tina where he so nearly told her the truth. I actually begged him out loud to tell her! But he closed up and kept his silence.

Mick temporarily gets his groove back…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Meanwhile, Jay confronted Lola and Peter about their infidelity but a chat with Honey made him realise that he and Lola were not meant to be and actually, he felt okay about it. She didn’t want his baby, she didn’t want to marry him, she didn’t really want to move in with him. Finally, he has realised he deserves better! Hooray! May I suggest he gets together with Honey? I hadn’t seen it before but recently, I’ve concluded they would make an excellent match.

It’s the end of the road for Lola and Jay…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Kat made her presence felt at Phil’s when she did the cleaning, stealing a football shirt in order to get his attention. She then requested his help in the robbery again. My wife and I actually laughed out loud when Kat turned up at the office with Phil in a cleaning pinny, allowing Kat to make fun of him in front of the security guard she had befriended, with a view to rob the place the next day. It really was funny. However, Phil decided that was no point robbing the place for a few grand and backed out, frustrating Kat. When he spotted the fancy cars parked in the underground car park though, he was much more interested and a new plan began to form. Kush was hurt when Kat refused to let him get involved, admitting that she didn’t trust him.

Sometimes pictures don’t need captions…
(photo credit: WhatsOnTV)

Stuart and Rainie were told once and for all that she could never carry a child. Having been friends for all of ten seconds, they then asked Tiffany if, for £10,000, she would be their surrogate. After a lot of thought, she agreed but Keegan was not happy about it.

Keegan isn’t happy with his wife’s decision…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Jack was supportive as Denise continued to try and bond with Raymond and help him through the grief of losing his parents. They took him to his old church, where he finally smiled and began to come back to life. Denise was able to speak to the church leader and find out more about Raymond and his family, as well as to get some advice about the way forward. Is this the storyline that will bring evil Lucas back into Denise’s life, I wonder…?

Denise will do anything to reach out to her son…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Eastenders airs on BBC1 on Mondays @ 8:05pm, Tuesdays & Thursdays @ 7:35pm & Fridays @ 8:30pm

Doctors: There Ain’t No Party Like a Social Distanced Party!

(Monday 9^th – Thursday 12^th November)

So, I have decided to be the bigger person and put my feelings about Doctors ignoring Covid-19 aside and just enjoy the episodes for what they are. I do accept that filming a medical drama in a socially distanced fashion would be very difficult. So with that in mind, this week, the show has been back to its usual standard.

Emma teases Zara about Harper…
(photo credit: WhatsOnTV)

For starters, Harper has gone! Hooray! No more stupid Harper storyline! But first we got to enjoy some brilliant Zara and Emma scenes, with Emma teasing Zara about her new obsession and finally, Daniel (and Joe) had had enough and they and Zara staged a ‘Viking funeral’ for the thing. It is gone!

Daniel forces Zara to say goodbye to Harper…
(photo credit: WhatsOnTV)

Al and Lily’s relationship continued, with her buying him some tickets to a beer festival. She told Deborah they were seeing each other. Jimmi overhearing them was hilarious. Al confided in his friend, explaining it was all very casual. But I absolutely love this pairing. They are so well suited and it’s nice to see Al happy.

Al and Lily’s relationship is blossoming…
*(photo credit: WhatsOnTV)*

Sid had to let Deborah down gently, although I immediately became concerned that she overheard that Daniel and Zara talking about Ruhma having ‘custody’ of Tanya. If the relevant authorities find out about it, Ruhma will lose her job for good. Deborah wants to stay. I have no idea why she wants to stay in a job where nobody likes her. But could she be that ruthless?

Shak and his mates suffer the effects of dodgy tequila…
*(photo credit: WhatsOnTV)*

While Ruhma was still away and suspended (so, do we assume the amazing NHS episode is outside of the Doctors timeline and didn’t really happen as part of any of the characters’ storylines then?), Shak decided to have a party. Bear and Sid felt like the old fogies amongst the young students and while Bear almost pulled a disgruntled neighbour, Sid was concerned about a student he had treated for an STI, pulling a girl who had no idea. Things came to a halt when most of the party started vomiting dodgy tequila that STI guy had brought. Grownups, Sid and Bear were left to clear up but Ruhma immediately worked it out when she got home and found a trashed painting behind the sofa.

However, that was the least of her problems, as the day after her return, she caught Tanya leaving with the baby, wanting to go and live with her sister and receive support from her mother. She didn’t feel able to talk to Ruhma about wanting to leave and start again. Ruhma found it hard to let go but it was all pretty good timing as just as I suspected, Deborah did leave an anonymous tip about Tanya staying with her. Ruhma and Shak managed to persuade her otherwise but things are not looking good for her case. And unfortunately, it has put innocent Zara in the firing line as Ruhma concluded that she was the only one who could have informed on her…

Ruhma is devastated to say goodbye to Tanya and the baby…
(photo credit: WhatsOnTV)

Doctors airs on BBC1 every weekday @ 1:45pm

Eastenders: The Truth Comes to Light

(Tuesday 3^rd – Friday 6^th November 2020)

After Kheerat persuaded his mother to let the Slaters stay, albeit at a much higher rent, Kat and Kush’s relationship was left hanging by a thread. In desperate need to raise funds, Kat happened upon a new scam to commit a robbery but even Phil rejected her request to join in. He did offer to let her clean his house though.

While Tiffany scored a job as a beautician at the undertakers, Keegan accidentally ran Rainie over on his moped. At the hospital, Rainie was distraught to learn that she wasn’t pregnant but having a phantom pregnancy. She attempted to run away from her husband but he persuaded her to stay, offering nothing but love and support. Bonkers that Stuart came into this show as an absolute monster.

An accident leads to a revelation about Rainie’s pregnancy…
(photo credit: Digital Spy)

Lola and Jay were preparing to move in together despite the fact that she looked like she would rather move into a jail cell than live with her boyfriend. After spending some time with eligible bachelor, Isaac, he called her out on her reluctance to move in with Jay, forcing her to confront how she really felt. She finally admitted everything. And I mean everything. She even confessed to sleeping with Peter! Ouch.

Lola confronts the truth about her relationship status…
*(photo credit: Digital Spy)*

Mick finally caught up with Frankie who wanted nothing to do with him now she knows that she is the result of her mother abusing him. He was distraught when she referred to her mother as a paedophile. Shirley became suspicious of Mick’s fidelity when a random man barged into The Albert, warning Mick to leave Frankie alone.

Mick denied an affair and attempted to explain his apathy towards Shirley for abandoning him, something it had been easy to assume has been sorted out as they do normally get along. But obviously there is a lot of deep rooted pain that we were only just beginning to scratch the surface. He told her in great detail how he struggled in care and that it was Frankie’s Mum, Katy who was there for him, looked out for him and helped him survive. It was Katy who made him feel special. He didn’t tell her about the abuse, which he doesn’t seem to understand himself yet. And he didn’t tell her about Frankie.

One interesting part of his dialogue is that he told her about trying to contact Katy multiple times, right up until Lee went to secondary school. So… twelveish? Around the age he was when Katy abused him?

Mick was furious when Shirley, unaware of what had truly happened between him and Katy and feeling desperately guilty for letting him down as a child, contacted Katy and invited her to the Square. He accused her of not listening to him and was shocked at the end of Friday’s episode to find himself face to face with his abuser. For me, this is possibly the most brilliant casting ever. Katy is going to be so awful and so complex. And yet she’s played by such a beautiful, lovely actress who I’ve adored since the late nineties. It’s unsettling. Very unsettling.