Cosy crimes and gritty sagas by Corrie Blog editor Glenda, published by Headline. Click pic below!

Sunday 4 June 2017

Coronation Street Friday 2nd June episode review

Happy 50th birthday, Anna!
Hiya! It’s just Jordan with this week’s Friday review. As we come to the end of Corrie’s annual big week, Friday’s climactic episode pulled out most of the stops to keep the drama sizzling. If Britain's Got Talent (ostensibly) then Corrie's Got Drama (definitely)
Friday’s episode picked up right where Thursday’s had left off, a dynamic of these big weeks that I particularly enjoy. We’re landed right in the middle of Nathan’s seedy sex party as Bethany is landed right in the middle of Nathan’s seedy mates. Her cries for help are once again ignored by Mel, and Nathan is nowhere to be found. A helpless Bethany heads back into the bedroom, but around this time, her Uncle David is on hand to rescue her. As we saw in episodes broadcast earlier this week, Shona had worked out that Bethany’s boyfriend is in fact her ex-boyfriend and she knows all about his manipulative ways. This is about as slippery as soap coincidences get, but I’ll let it slide given the fantastic performances both Julia Goulding and Jack P Shepherd gave.
 Even after the horrific attack Shona endured at the hands of Nathan when she tried to warn him off Bethany, she is hellbent on saving Bethany. Taking her cuts and bruises with her, the Street’s new diamond in the rough sets off with David and Sarah to save the naïve sixteen-year-old. The trio, followed by the police, burst into the hotbed of iniquity, Sarah screaming for her daughter who emerges slowly from the bedroom, shoes in hand. Her face is awash with tears and her clothes are barely draped around her. Before Sarah has adequate time to respond, the police arrest Nathan on suspicion of GBH and sexually exploiting a child. And even this performance is not enough to convince Bethany that her “fiancé” is in the wrong, loudly protesting his innocence.
"Abuse? We're engaged!"
"Bethany, we found you in a bedroom with three men you don't even know!"
 Later on, during a police interview, Shona candidly opens up about her past with Nathan, a past which eerily reflects Bethany’s present.  She reveals the shocking burn scars that are a reminder of the abuse she endured as David winces. The pair are later seen chatting in the corridor of the police station, Shona gulping down a can of pop, claiming to have low-blood sugars. While she is doing her best to reassure David that Bethany could be one of the lucky ones, she hits the deck and David scrambles to his knees, trying to wake her. The last we see of Shona, she is lying in a hospital bed, hooked up and beeping with David feebly watching over her.  Meanwhile, Sarah is way past her wit’s end with Bethany when she refuses any medical examinations and is still playing the “engagement” card.  She also refuses to give a statement to the police and believes that Nathan is innocent. The last few shots of the episode showed Bethany fishing her engagement ring out of her handbag, kissing it lightly and putting it back on, showing that although Nathan may have been arrested, he still has a frighteningly powerful hold over her.
 
"But he wasn't my boyfriend. He was just a pimp"
DS McKinnon – aka Weatherfield’s most sarcastic police officer -  has a bit of a dilemma on her hands. Daniel has now confessed that he attacked Ken, giving a very emotionally drawn out performance in which he described the attack thoroughly as well as harrowing details from past as a victim of bullying. However, Ken – determined that Daniel is his one son who has great potential and can’t throw his life away because of this – lies to the police, claiming that he fell. It would seem pretty obvious which party is being truthful. Why would Daniel dob himself in if he was innocent? DS McKinnon knows his, but claims that if Ken wants to lie under oath then that is his funeral. The comedic copper does however, look a little taken aback for the first time in her life when Daniel’s mother confronts her.
"I know what you're thinking - and you're right.
Isn't it always the mother's fault in the end?"
 Elsewhere, we finally said goodbye to Nick last night. In what was a bit of an odd yet rather simple twist, Nick survived his quicksand farce. Even though Leanne was fully prepared to finish their relationship before the quicksand incident, she has decided that she now wants to marry him. She even wanted to marry him within the next twenty four hours. Nick, however, has decided that his life in Weatherfield is done. He calls round to number 8 to say goodbye to Gail. He simply tells her he can’t see things getting any better and that he needs a reboot. Leanne knows nothing of this, and is shocked to discover her on-off husband’s passport is not where it should be. She eventually rushes out to the Street to find him, but it is too late. All she can do is watch while Nick’s car drives out of Weatherfield for good. Honestly, I will not miss Nick. I think the character has run its course. However, Jane Danson as Leanne pretty much stole this storyline of the episode. She trudged back to her flat, totally dejected. This, to me, was more emotional than listening to a plethora of sugary dialogue between Nick and Gail, although his final words to Gail were particularly sweet.
"Mum...you're the best"
  

A well-written episode which rounded the big week off nicely, whilst also setting next week up perfectly.
As always,
Thanks for reading!
Jordan


All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm slowly warming to Shona - nicely put, btw, "the Street's new diamond in the rough." But still, the incestuous nature of this is getting out of control. Now David is going to pair up with a woman whose son not only killed his wife, but who was abused by the same guy who slept with his niece? Really?

Maricha said...

Should make for interesting family gatherings.

Louby said...

I guess that's the end of the police investigation into Ken's fall then? I think I will miss DS Mackinnon, much more than I will miss Nick anyway!

Flo said...

It was a sad episode the whole way around for so many characters, but I did like how the writers used subtle things to tie all of the similarities in the different stories together, very well done. Jane Danson is still the best crier in the street, although Tina O'Brien is coming up a very close second. The scene where she realized that Bethany has been brainwashed into her situation was really hard to watch.

Tvor said...

I thought there was an instant, however, when Bethany looked at the burn in her arm but then the lure of the engagement ring took over again. Surely that's the first tiny chink in the armour?

popcorn said...

Thanks for recognizing the wonderful performance by Jane Danson - in my view, the best actress on the Street.

Anonymous said...

Well to each his own. I do not like the character of Leeann, to me she is a shrill shrew. But what I find amazing is that Nathan told Mel earlier that he sees her as used goods - then we hear that Shona (who is a lot older than Mel) was one of Nathan's girls. This doesn't make sense, if he preys on kiddies. I thought that perhaps Shona and Nathan were the parents of that ghastly beast that killed Kylie (Can't remember his name), but split up as he was abusive. Oh well, another twist that makes no sense. So, here I am, the only one who will miss Nick and I'm glad he was not killed off.

Maricha said...

You're not the only one who'll miss Nick. This was a truly boring storyline for him to leave on and he's far from perfect but still an improvement on the other men on the street ( Roy excepted) in just about every way.

Corriegated Cardboard said...

i really loved watching the expressions on lucy fallons face during that final scene tvor, it was brilliantly acted! the way she gazed at the ring, and then was briefly distracted by the pain of doubt and of the burn on her arm, before switching her attention back to the ring with a loving, relieved smile, almost as though nathan was right there beside her, telling her how much their engagement means to him, how sorry he is for hurting her, how much he loves her... chilling stuff. i may have to go back and watch it again now, it was that good!

Anonymous said...

And David, and Peter and Luke to name a few? Need I go on?

Corriegated Cardboard said...

i agree, anonymous, and i would also add billy, tim and kirk; even johnny to the list of improvements on nick!

Tilly Flop said...

Nathan is not Clayton's dad. Shona spoke to his dad on the phone after Clayton broke his arm and I think she called him Dean? Shona also said Nathan pimped her out. So maybe he has different ages of girls for different clients? That's when Shona got the courage to leave Nathan

Cobblestone said...

As I've said elsewhere, I've noticed a softening of McKinnon's appearance and a lightening of her character (she even laughed on Friday!), especially when compared with the bruiser she was when investigating Maria & Caz. I wonder if she isn't going to be coming back again when they build the new police station round the corner, which is also where Craig will be based.

Cobblestone said...

Got to be honest, though I think her acting has been wonderful, that was the only scene she played that didn't convince me. I thought she was about to whisper 'My Pressssiousss!'

Cobblestone said...

I agree.

Tamar said...

Ahhh ... maybe McKinnon and Kate? Lol!

abbyk said...

Anon, I will also miss Nick as well. BP was a bit wooden at first but he loosened up and became a multifaceted interesting character. He got a raw deal with the brain damage and being cheated out of half his business, none of which was fun to watch but I think he did it well and believably. When he was given good stuff, usually with David, it was put down Candy Crush and pay attention time. Hope the character finds a cure to what ails him and returns with a new face, a fantastic wife and scads of success and cash. I appreciate why BP wants to spend more time with his family and wish him well.

Re: Shona, I want to like her but there are just too many coincidences. If she weren't Clayton's mom or if she weren't Nathan's ex or if she hadn't arrived a down on her luck waif, maybe. There are too many contrived links for me to find her believable right now. She could have known about Nathan's reputation, she could have known Clayton as a boy; either or both would have worked better. Oh well, she is talented, so maybe she'll be able to smooth it over.

Ken: for a compelling story, it really fizzled out. Shame.

Maricha said...

Lol! I thought I was the only one who saw it that way.

GRITTY SAGAS BY CORRIE BLOG EDITOR GLENDA YOUNG, PUBLISHED BY HEADLINE. CLICK PIC BELOW!

You might also like...

Coronation Street Books for Fans

GRITTY SAGAS BY CORRIE BLOG EDITOR GLENDA YOUNG, PUBLISHED BY HEADLINE. CLICK PIC BELOW!