Written by Steve Hodgson
Hello and welcome to my first update in a very long time. As we seem to be aiming at the shorter type of update I'll steer clear of the gruesome details of life at Smith Mansions over the last few months. Anyway why would you want to know about my months in Sheffield, the fling with the landscape gardener, my current, unrequited passion for a trainee librarian, the little matter of the bottle of gin at Dublin Airport and the night I danced the twist in the Mexican Bar and was subsequently barred by the Irish manager. As for the business with an MP in St James's Park Station and my night at the Chines karaoke, the less said the better!
So, on with the show.
During tonight's episode we saw Roy and Hayley continue planning the Street's millennium party, much to the annoyance of Audrey who wants everyone to pay twenty five quid to attend the official bash. After a roasting from Emily, Les tries to ingratiate himself by offering his help with the organising as he feels he really is a community minded person! It's worth repeating Emily's description of Les; he has asked her, as a pillar of the community, to supply him with a character reference for use when he appears in court. She tells him "You are a self-centred, devious, conniving, out-for-all-he-can-get con man. Since you moved into this street you have done nothing to help your neighbours or the community. Now that you have been caught stealing benefits I feel you deserve whatever punishment the court throws at you. How's that for a character reference?" "Well" says Les, "it wasn't quite what I had in mind. Perhaps I've caught you on a bad day. I'll catch you later."
Meanwhile the flirtation between Mark and Leanne continues although Tom does his best to warn his friend what Mike will think of any liaison of a Battersby nature. Mike and Linda are driving home after a night out (during which we saw him order a large Scotch in the Rovers) when he is stopped and breathalysed. He tests positive, all the time insisting that he'd only had a couple of glasses of wine. He doesn't help himself by making a thinly veiled offer to bribe the policeman to let matters drop.
The main story tonight concerned the arrival of the Freshco team at the luxurious five-star Benbury Manor Country House Hotel for their team building event. Unfortunately, this is the first of many surprises, as they should be three miles down the road at the Benbury Lodge which looks like a barracks, and boasts facilities of a one star nature, including bunk beds, no hot water and zealous instructor. (Although I'd rather stay there than the Royal Glen in Blackpool!)
The team are twenty minutes late, have missed lunch, have been made to dress in canary yellow tracksuits, Fred is moaning about the lack of a luxury restaurant and golf course and now they have to get themselves across a six stage river with only five planks and their common sense to help them. Curly is all of a flap and only Nita's thinking and Ashley's team spirit look like saving the day. Of course it is only a matter of time before Fred is in the freezing water in his best brogues.
As they settle down for the night (at nine o'clock) Fred produces a bottle of Scotch for a nightcap. Ken and Ashley talk about Deirdre and Maxine and show the pictures of their beloveds which they keep in their wallets. Curly makes his peace with Fred and reveals that he is worried that the success, or otherwise, of this weekend will affect his future career with Freshco. Then it is time for lights out and a little Walton-esque moment. "Goodnight Curly". "Goodnight Ken". "Goodnight Ashley". "Goodnight Fred" This was a lovely scene, the sort which Corrie does so well.
Unfortunately, their slumbers are disturbed by Jock MacFascist at one thirty in the morning, when our plucky band are loaded into the minibus and dropped in the middle of nowhere with a map, compass, torch and first aid kit and told that if they aren't back at Stalag Freshco by eight thirty they will miss breakfast!
Sorry, not that short, but you know what I'm like!
Update written by Vivienne Smith
Welcome to my first update. In case the Friday night update has not yet been uploaded then be aware that it ended fairly dramatically with Mike Baldwin's arrest
Rather than follow the scene by scene of the original tonight I will look at the individual plots and their progress.
Mike is seen at the police station (Weatherfield nick we later discover) losing his temper with the custody officer and being locked into a cell. {Sadly for those of us with decent memories the expectation that the wonderful solicitor, Frankie, would put in appearance was sadly dashed}. Mike has proven positive on the breath test and is expected to give a positive blood test, even though he has only had a "couple of glasses of wine" - but is way off the scale.
Eventually he is released and told to take a cab home - a route Linda took earlier to find Mike's son still up and she brings him up to date. Mike has to appear in court the following morning {reality question - does it happen this quickly usually?} so on getting up he gets a taxi to the nick, collects his car, goes to Bury {we are never told why} and then returns for the Court Hearing. He turns up much, much later in the Rovers and has a whisky. He is later than expected as his licence has been retained by the court and he has been fined £500.
Blanche and Dreary had visited the cabin to collect the papers and our Reet was bemoaning the lack of an assistant. Blanche volunteered and was hired for the short term until Rita can find a permanent replacement for Sharon. Somehow I cannot see Blanche being a submissive Mavis type in the shop and I predict tears before long (seriously how does Dreary put up with her?). She starts Monday morning.
In the Kabin Dreary is also looking for Mike (who has missed providing the VAT figures, so that should be another fine before long) and Mike's son (what is his name?) tells her of the events of the previous evening which Janice overhears. Janice later has fun winding up Linda in the Rovers when the latter does not initially let on about the arrest.
Much of the episode was taken up with the exploits of the Freshco "Outward Bound" (or more likely completely lost) weekend away. We first see them on the night hike with Curly being difficult over taking breaks for drinks and a rest with progress very slow due to Fred's fitness level (not enough rounds of golf I would say).
Quotes from Fred "I'm a butcher not a member of 3 Para". "This is Derbyshire not the Gobi desert - we'll probably drown before morning."
Subsequently Fred slips and rolls down a bank. Lama (Alma) decides that he has a badly sprained ankle and Curly feels he would be best left behind to be recovered later. Ashley refuses to leave Fred under any circumstances. Nita seizes the opportunity to over-rule Curly and force Fred's continued participation. (Curly is more concerned about losing points).
We next see Fred being dragged by the team on a litter (good team work in putting that together quickly) issuing instructions on the route to be followed. They take another rest and Fred is found to be hiding a bar of chocolate, the remains of which is shared amongst the team (Nita again in charge).
After the break we join the debriefing session (some of the teams managed to get back in time for breakfast). Initially the Weatherfield team are credited with good work - a potential disaster turned out to be handled well - but Fred points out the actual events and although Nita does not want to undermine Curly the truth will out and her reputation is significantly enhanced. In the discussion Curly gets the blame for just about everything going!
Watching the debriefing is the Area Manager (James Kitchen) who is also the nephew of the ultimate head of Freshco (if I understood correctly) and he sees Nita to give her personal congratulations on her leadership skills. {Aside - does this mean Nita [aside to the aside in much of this episode I feel I should record that Nita was wearing a rather fetching red anorak and baseball cap] is to be promoted out of the Street - that would be unwelcome as I rather like her character but could manage without Vikram - or perhaps Alma as deputy manager is under threat?}.
Ken then beats Curly at table tennis. Ashley is extremely fed up with "Uncle Fred" for not revealing the chocolate bar and Curly is concerned over the Area Manager's discussion with Nita. We do not leave a happy team.
Roy, Hayley and Emily are discussing the millennium celebrations and the weather is raised. Hiring a marquee is discussed but ... points out the potential cost. Planning of the event is not running very smoothly.
Elsewhere Gail welcomes Danny and Sally to dinner (and where
are Rursie and Surphie - with Kev I suppose. No sign of Martin,
expected back from work. They have a drink...
and they eat the meal and...
in walks Martin. Martin explained that there had been a crisis
in A&E with two people in intensive care. Gail had phoned
and been told that he left duty as normal. Danny and Sally accept
Martin's story that there must have been confusion. {One bottle
of wine has only been part consumed during the meal - nothing
like our house). Gail smiles but given the past deceit by 'R Brian
some of us will wondering if perhaps Martin has perhaps been not
entirely truthful - wives have a sixth sense about such matters.
Kev settles up with Steve by handing over a wodge of cash for the van. Steve is OK - Vikram is still down £1k for the trip to Brighton and France.
All contents are copyright ITV and appear here in the hope that they will eventually arrange a Nationwide omnibus edition. Written by Ken Blakeson Directed by Graham Wetherell
And John Savident did not do the roll down the slope - a stunt man was credited at the end of the programme!
Most personal comments already in the above. I hope it is not too long.
I can't say that I think much of what looks like Nita's new romantic interest. The Christmas drink driving season has obviously opened early in Weatherfield and I assume that the story will lead to Mike needing a regular driver. Cavorting around Derbyshire was fun - amazing how bright it all seemed - it always seems a lot darker when I walk my Westie!
A good episode and clearly some new developments on the horizon. Not as good as Friday so say 4 out of 5 this time around.
Episode written by Richard Whitbread
