Coronation Street Weekly Update - June 30 1998

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Glenda was away, this week's update written by Ian Harding.

 

This week saw Jim feeling very sorry for himself - probably with good reason, but he isn't making himself very popular with his friends and family. Steve asks Gary to convert Jims house so that it's wheelchair friendly - unfortunately Jim is very Gary unfriendly and tells him to get out. As the week drags on in the McDonald household Jim sinks deeper and deeper into depression. The situation isn't helped when he gets thrown out of the Rovers by a young chap with absolutely no acting ability. That night Jim drank himself into a stupour - well wouldn't you? The poor chap's been given nothing but rubbish storylines for the last year or so, then he gets thrown out of his local boozer by a male version of Maxine. The next day Jim is seen revving up his wheelchair outside the Kabin, then, as Mike Baldwin sets off in his Audi, Jim whizzes out in front of him - unfortunately Mike is driving a car with excellent brakes and he stops in time to avoid converting Jim McDonald into Jim McBurger. 

 

This week also brought us much hilarity courtesy of the Duckworths. They need someone to work behind the bar in the Rovers. Jack and Alec want a young woman for the job, preferably a good looking young woman with a large 'personality'. Vera doesn't agree and decides to interview women with more experience (older women). Alec and Jack devise a plan to put Vera off this idea. Alec contacts an actress who he knows and gets her to apply for the job, but he makes sure she knows exactly the right things to say at the interview. As soon as she walks in to the Rovers the actress starts coming on to Jack - making it very obvious that she fancies him in front of Vera. After she leaves Alec points out that a younger woman behind the bar would be no threat to her as Jack isn't attractive to young women. Later we see Alec paying his actress friend and Jack is there preening himself, saying that he thought she wasn't really acting but that she actually fancied him. She made it very clear that she was, in fact, acting. 

 

The outcome of all this is that Vera decides to set on a young bloke behind the bar. Jack and Alec aren't happy about this at all, but as it's Vera's name above the door her word is final. The new bloke is called Sandy and it seems that all the women in Weatherfield fancy him, including Betty. What a pity they couldn't find a good looking bloke who could also act - he is truly terrible - I've seen more acting ability in...well in Maxine...and even Tilly. Anyway - Sandy may not be much of an actor, but he got some good lines to say. A real classic was when he reveals that he used to work in a cocktail bar. He goes on to invent a new cocktail and makes a big show of not spilling the ingredients all over the floor as he makes it. He presents the new cocktail to Vera and says that he's naming it after her. Vera's face lights up at this, but then he tells her what he's calling it - a 'Bloody Vera' hahahahaha - I nearly pee'd myself laughing. 

 

The silly Tilly saga starts to wind down at last when Tilly is finally forced by his mum and Leanne to go to the police to tell them the truth about the letters he sent to Darren Whately. 

 

The council electioneering is hotting up. There's a smear campaign which starts with silly Audrey talking to the press. She tells them exactly what she thinks of Geoffrey - unfortunately thinking isn't one of Audreys strong points, and she gives the press lots and lots of things to say, and they say it all on the front page of the local rag. Geoffrey isn't at all pleased about this and threatens to sue Audrey. Fred and Alec manage to talk Audrey into contacting the press and asking them to print an apology. It seems that the only thing Audrey is really interested in the election campaign is buying new clothes and getting her hair done. And talking of new clothes - Emily buys Geoffrey a second hand suit to try and smarten him up a bit --I think she'd do a better job if she were to sneak up behind him when he wasn't expecting it and pull those ribbons or whatever they are out of his hair. 

 

And my favourite storyline this week is of course the one concerning Roy and Hayley. After much consideration Roy decided that he will go to Amsterdam to see Hayley. As he doesn't have a passport he has to sort that out too. Eventually he arrives in Amsterdam and tries to see Hayley. At first when he finds the boat she's living on he also finds a man who she seems to be living with. At this point it looks as though he might just turn around and go home. Fortunately he doesn't - he waits to see Hayley and discovers that the man she's sharing the boat with isn't interested in women in that way. Roy is rather relieved to hear this.

Roy and Hayley spend some time together but Roy doesn't quite get around to telling Hayley that he's there specifically to see her - he implies that he was "just passing" . I'm looking forward to seeing this particular storyline progressing - I think we're all in for a real treat in the next few episodes. 

 

Bye for now, Ian Harding

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