This programme starts chez Chesney and Gemma where the latter is tired and not coping well with her five plus Glory and Bertie. After Ches tells Bernie about Gemma's need for anti-depressant medication Bernie steps in and gives her chance for a coffee at Roy's - where she is spotted by Beth and so it later gets mentioned to Daniel that she was not "on duty". She has been awake much of the night - possibly the anti-depressants are affecting her sleep patterns. Six children for the morning and Glory until the evening - Gemma is feeling the strain and on returning home cannot face opening her front door.
Later she dozes on the sofa and Bertie finds a packet of the tablets. Gemma wakes when Daniel arrives and immediately spots that Bertie has eaten five tablets from the package. At the hospital it is soon made clear that these tablets are not a problem but he is kept in for observation. Beth turns up at the hospital and is obviously very annoyed about Gemma's actions. So neither Bertie or Glory will return to Gemma's day care. Whilst Daniel is not intending to pursue the matter it seems someone else is as Gemma receives a phone call from Social Services who will visit tomorrow.
Billy is being ultra-understanding over Paul and considers it's all over but that Paul is on an absolute final warning. Paul tells Bernie he wants to make it up to Billy as an apology and idea strikes him - he will get baptized after all. When Billy and Paul talk about it however the idea does not sit so well with Billy. Later in the Rovers Billy orders two pints of zero (has everyone given up drinking alcohol?). Billy talks to Paul - because no-one else can understand what he is experiencing. Billy passes over a leaflet for some counselling.
DrBGaddass has been allowed out of the surgery and into Roy's Rolls; when Stephen comes in Tim complains about a bad smell and leaves. Stephen approaches the salad-buying doctor and says that he is worried that Elaine is depressed and he is afraid she will do something serious - but Dr Gadass says that she will have to come to the surgery. Stephen repeats a similar narrative to Sally in the factory about Elaine's fragility. Sally convinces Tim that he needs to take his antagonism down a few dozen notches - after calling him a pig-headed oaf. In the afternoon the doctor is willing to organise support for Elaine - if she comes in herself - but then Elaine is refusing to admit she has a problem. Tim catches Elaine and apologises - but then she does not believe Tim when he tells her what happened. When Stephen comes home, Tim apologises for his words yesterday and Stephen accepts the apology (even if Tim does not believe it).
Adam is also unhappy and is worried that Sarah is sleeping with Owen (unlikely as we know his intentions lie elsewhere) but as Adam tells Daniel, he feels he cannot trust Sarah. And they both appear to love each other. Later Adam takes Sarah some lunch but at the factory Stephen says she is out meeting Owen at the Chariot Square Hotel. Adam heads to the hotel where he finds the two of them in cahoots - with Michael and it is clearly a business meeting. Adam leaves with his tail between his legs. When Sarah arrives home Adam is cooking tea and they discuss it - but Sarah cannot keep apologising. Hopefully the DNA results next week will provide a way forward.
At the Bistro Ryan returns - but to non-customer facing duties and Leanne asks him to use skills to negotiate a better deal with Rose, the wine supplier. Having struck a good deal Rose proposes to pop in later to show off some new reds. A little later, testing completed, Rose asks Ryan if he would like to go out for a drink. Ryan misinterprets it as a "random act of kindness" and she looks completely bemused. Rose thought they were "vibing" - but Ryan responds that was before she had seen him. He is then unkind and Rose departs. Carla gets him to see sense when he returns to the flat. Carla then suggests that Ryan should go and see Michelle - and Carla will pay for the trip.
Billy is being ultra-understanding over Paul and considers it's all over but that Paul is on an absolute final warning. Paul tells Bernie he wants to make it up to Billy as an apology and idea strikes him - he will get baptized after all. When Billy and Paul talk about it however the idea does not sit so well with Billy. Later in the Rovers Billy orders two pints of zero (has everyone given up drinking alcohol?). Billy talks to Paul - because no-one else can understand what he is experiencing. Billy passes over a leaflet for some counselling.
Dr
Adam is also unhappy and is worried that Sarah is sleeping with Owen (unlikely as we know his intentions lie elsewhere) but as Adam tells Daniel, he feels he cannot trust Sarah. And they both appear to love each other. Later Adam takes Sarah some lunch but at the factory Stephen says she is out meeting Owen at the Chariot Square Hotel. Adam heads to the hotel where he finds the two of them in cahoots - with Michael and it is clearly a business meeting. Adam leaves with his tail between his legs. When Sarah arrives home Adam is cooking tea and they discuss it - but Sarah cannot keep apologising. Hopefully the DNA results next week will provide a way forward.
At the Bistro Ryan returns - but to non-customer facing duties and Leanne asks him to use skills to negotiate a better deal with Rose, the wine supplier. Having struck a good deal Rose proposes to pop in later to show off some new reds. A little later, testing completed, Rose asks Ryan if he would like to go out for a drink. Ryan misinterprets it as a "random act of kindness" and she looks completely bemused. Rose thought they were "vibing" - but Ryan responds that was before she had seen him. He is then unkind and Rose departs. Carla gets him to see sense when he returns to the flat. Carla then suggests that Ryan should go and see Michelle - and Carla will pay for the trip.
Can I ask a question? Is having a story about Gemma's Mental Health at the same time as a story about Ryan's mental health alongside a story about Adam's mental health whilst telling us about Elaine's mental health potentially undermining the story about Paul's mental health? I am sorry if this is rather too obvious in my coverage above - but the whole programme merely kept addressing the same problem of depression impacting each and every storyline. Can we not have some ordinary human interaction and not an hour on depression? I think I have to ask - Iain MacLeod are you all right - or has nearly 5 years in charge had an impact - enquiring minds need to know?
Written by David Isaac and Julie Jones. Directed by Diana Patrick.
Kosmo
@Kosmo100
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License
