

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Coronation Street double episode review, Monday January 30

Poor unsuspecting Leanne!
The scales did not so much fall but were ripped from her eyes over Peter's lies as he was forced to confess to his affair with Carla during the rape trial, shortly after Frank's mother had gleefully passed her the detective's pictures of her errant husband and his mistress kissing in Chester. Jane Danson's expression of slowly growing realisation (as she watched her husband admit to meetings with Carla and beating up Frank) from the public gallery was utterly convincing, as was her anguished public cry as she saw the incriminating pictures.

So it's rape trial week in Coronation Street. This reviewer is married to a law court specialist reporter and every time he watches any court scenes in Corrie, he tells me they are full of factual inconsistencies. For example, a rape trial defendant would apparently never be allowed to verbally confront his alleged victim outside court before proceedings begin, as Frank did Carla, nor would he be allowed to go out of court in lunch break to chat to his mum. But I guess it's all a bit of dramatic licence.

Meanwhile, Sylvia's fibs to Milton about her "handsome" son owning a haute cuisine restaurant in Weatherfield rather than a greasy spoon also further unravelled as she took Milton for a meal at the Bistro,  pretending it was Roy's gaff.  When waitress Eva started gushing about dating the boss (in reality Nick Tilsley), Milton guessed the truth and went off to Roy's Rolls,  gamely ordering a Full English and admiringly declaring the place "quaint" and "retro".

 I know some people have expressed caveats that Robert Vaughn sounds a bit wheezy and as if his false teeth don't fit properly, but I think he's doing just fine, nicely tongue in cheek. Did you know Vaughn, 79, is actually eight months younger than the ever boyish William Roache, who turns an unbelievable 80 in April? Truly Ken Barlow must have a portrait in his attic.

Elsewhere, cuckoos in the nest Tracy and Paul seemed to be getting their feet under their separate tables, as Steve turned up for a cosy family meal with estranged wife Tracy and daughter Amy, and a still suspicious Jason grudgingly helped Paul fix a broken door at lover Eileen's house. The actor who plays Paul (Tony Hirst) is quite a bit smaller than Sue Cleaver as Eileen and when they stand up to embrace I'm sometimes reminded of a looming praying mantis and her quarry.  It's my guess this tricky relationship will end in tears.

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Anonymous said...

I am actually liking the trial, but that is mostly down to the fact that all the main actors involved are amazing and can act (unlike Kate Ford and Brooke Vincent, they are both so embarrassing to watch)

Glenda Young said...

Another excellent review, thanks Kathryn!

Kate said...

The trial is difficult to watch, but I agree with Anonymous above that the quality of acting makes it worthwhile. Also (on a different note), I was nearly laughing out loud at Brian, his meeting with Meredith, and then his announcement asking for biscuits to moment he came into Eileen's. He was even sorting through the washing in the kitchen looking for them -- HAHA.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Kathryn.. another great review. I've always thought that Corrie was a bit weak on all medical/legal matters, so not a surprise to hear this confirmed for the trial.
Love your description of Eileen and Paul.. a praying mantis and her quarry!
Rebecca in TO

Looney Baloon said...

Enjoying the trial but am a bit disappointed in Milton so far but it was a funny moment when Eva said the owner was her "fella". Did they eat a meal at the Bistro, I thought they did and then immediately after Milton ordered a full english at Roys, I have heard about American appetites but that was too much! I just find Paul annoying and always seems t have his mouth open gormless style.

Adam Rekitt said...

Excellent review again. Great care is taken to ensure that victims do not encounter their attackers outside Court. That scene was not dramatic licence in my view; it was extreme irresponsibility to play on victims' fears to inject some "drama". Alison King's performance was high quality, but even so, I hate this storyline and the trial. It seems the Street no longer has any scruples in its chase for ratings.

Danny-K said...

My admiration for Leanne would have gone sky high if - IF she had stopped for one full minute and realised she was being played. Did she not stop to think of Photoshop?

I've got Photoshop and I've put relatives on the balcony with the Queen waving back to the crowds, shadows and everything. Looks totally genuine, but of course it can't be; it draws lots of incredulous laughs.

If only Leanne had put her thinking cap on, and held on until Peter had been dismissed from giving evidence, then she could have made an angry beeline for him, and had a barney with him if he confessed, then she'd have been right to be angry, but to react like that in an open public court, when handed those photos at that particular time makes her quite a simpleton in my opinion, for acting like a puppet on behalf of the marionettes behind her.

Washing her dirty linen in public, she is. Have it out with Peter in private!

A character lacking self respect, might as well be a fishwife! (Apologies to fishwives everywhere).

Humpty Dumpty said...

William Roache and Robert Vaughn are great ambassadors for 'older people'. Milton must surely be on the make; he and Sylvia make a very strange couple. And Eileen and Paul - they do not look good on screen (yes, I know there are plenty of mis-matched couples in real life)and I find it rather embarrassing to watch them embrace. I have to say that Alison King was excellent in the trial scenes. At least, we now know what happened when she said Frank became violent. We didn't see or hear about that, did we? She's a good actress but pity the character is normally so dull to watch.

Anonymous said...

Excellent review! Thank you very much. As someone who remembers Robert Vaughan in his UNCLE years, it is amazing to see him here. I'm enjoying the storylines at the moment.
Also looking forward to the 'Steptoe' plot where Steve divides up the house into two flats - there'll be plenty of humour there, something I really love in Corrie.

Anonymous said...

Hear, hear, Adam Rekkit: quote -- That scene was not dramatic licence in my view; it was extreme irresponsibility to play on victims' fears to inject some "drama". -- unquote.

Anonymous said...

what a if all the visitors gallery were going to be bunched up like that..Franks mum directly behind Leanne.

Steve can get an annulment because of legal reasons.

Brain dead writers.

corrierules said...

Eee, by gum that Peter scrubs up very nice! (Yes, I am that shallow.)

Anonymous said...

Must say I enjoyed the scene shift between the trial and Milton's meeting of the locals.
Wasn't looking forwards to Robert Vaughn's arrival, but I see he is quite comedic, very funny introduction between Julie and Milton, and am looking forwards to seeing what's going to happen with him.

Cobblestone said...

Danny-K, I think you're being rather harsh on Leannne - here is a woman who has long held her suspicions about her husband's fidelity with 'that woman' and has done everything she can to repress them, choosing to believe that everything is fine. In a stressful situation like that, having to listen to an uppity cow of a brief demanding of her husband in open court if he was having a relationship with Mrs Connor, watching his nervous swallowing and hesitation and then to have those photos pushed under her nose AT THAT PRECISE MOMENT - she WOULD erupt - it's human nature. The psychology was perfectly plausable and doesn't make her a simpleton at all. Your annalysis could only hold true of the most cold-blooded, dispassionate 'Sherlock Holmes' type personality. Interesting point about Photoshopping, however, but it's surely a straw most people would only begin to grasp at after initially thinking the worst.

Tvor said...

Standing someone in a photo beside or in a group using Photoshop isn't all that difficult to do. Faking two people in an embrace kissing is a lot more difficult to make look realistic for the average Photoshop user. You're right, Leanne always had suspicions no matter how many times Peter or Carla would deny it and she probably knew down deep that it was true as soon as she saw the photo. And soap trials MUST have the obligatory person standing up and screaming in outrage over something be it the testimony or the verdict! It's standard soap opera plot stuff, that.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, that would be your first reaction when handed photos like that ..... "hmmmm, I wonder if these are photoshopped ... Perhaps I shall ruminate on this question, study them, before I react NORMALLY."
Who would that blasé about seeing pics of their spouse with someone else?? Especially when there's been an undercurrent of suspicion for a longggg time and bold-faced denials.
~JB in Canada


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