Coronation Street - Current Episode Discussion - V

[Son of Cain]

She had a suitcase packed and ready so she knew she would have to leave him at some point; it was a matter of plucking up the courage to break free. I don't think she accepts everything he says any more, which makes their physical intimacy even creepier for me. Also she didn't leave the key lying around for Geoff to find; she just didn't know he would physically take it from her pocket. So up until last night she had some hope and but even that is gone now. Geoff has gone insane now - how is he still able to function as an easy going DJ/magician which is what everyone else knows him as?
I'm really hoping that characters like Cathy and Tim will start remembering the various incidents (Tim had to rescue her from a magician's box, for heavens sake) and start putting two and two together. Cathy in particular must know by now that something isn't right.

She has had the suitcase packed for some time now, so as you say she must have felt in some danger and that she might need to leave in a hurry. I am disappointed that has not been able to confide in Kathy. I think this story has been well told, but think it would have been better told involving someone other than Yasmeen as it does not really gel with how she was presented to us originally.

I am not sure but I think Tim may have said that Geoff had retired as a magician, and the hospital DJing might have been a voluntary activity. Now that he works at Speed Dahl he probably has no time for these things. As frequently seems to happen nowadays I think they have re-thought his character to make him less boring. It will be interesting to see it turns out he abused Tim's mother in the past, altho' the father and son relationship would not seem to suggest this. I find it unlikely that when he met Yasmeen that he suddenly changed from being an easy going, but perhaps slightly pompous hospital DJ to this vile bully without some sort hint of similar behavior in his past history.

[emerald]

I'm wondering if Geoff didn't start abusing Tim's mother until after he left home, therefore he didn't know about it? They seem to have been estranged for some time, if I remember correctly and Tim may have left when he was fairly young. As you said, I don't think you just change into a horrible, sneering bully at the drop of a hat.

[lizann]

tough watch tonight but how is everyone against yas he locked her in with eileen watching, bought her a big dress not her style, his video secret filming will bring him down the whole truth out

[RogerOver]

tough watch tonight but how is everyone against yas he locked her in with eileen watching, bought her a big dress not her style, his video secret filming will bring him down the whole truth out

Tough watch yes.
In fact for the first time ever I skipped forward to the end, only because I was just sick to the back teeth of this storyline.

It's been going on for so many weeks now, I just couldn't stomach any more of Yasmeen putting up with Geoff but not doing anything.
Don't get me wrong, I feel sorry for her and Geoff's an evil git, but I couldn't watch yet another episode of it.
I hope Geoff will die, but who knows, more bullsh** from him probably.

It's all very well tackling social issues, but I want to watch 'a story of everyday folk' with some humour thrown in.

[thin space man]

In an ideal world (i.e, no Covid 19 lockdown) this storyline would have played out weeks ago. Perhaps it may have been a bit more palatable, but in a time of uncertainty, this already grim subject matter is twice as depressing, given the current situation?

To be fair, I'm sick to death of TV programmes jumping onto moral soap boxes (pun intended) and tackling any/all box ticking social problems. First and foremost, I want to be entertained, not socially conscious of the many hardships in the world.

Let's hope that come the other side of this lockdown, Coronation Street realises that it's primarily a soap opera and not a social worker. Fine if you can balance the two Acts (subtly) but not rammed down our throats at the sacrifice of it's primary obligation to entertain.

I'd love to hear the announcer over the end credits say (quote) "If you've been affected by issues raised in tonight's episode.............then perhaps you should be doing something about it, instead of watching TV all the time?"

Sorry if that sounds harsh.....but it seems that CS is going down the Brookside route in the last couple of years (and it certainly wouldn't have lasted 60 years if it started out as downbeat as it has been of recent) Let's stop expecting 'soaps' to solve all the ills of the world and enjoy them for the escapism they're meant to be?

[thin space man]

I think even CS wanted to put this story to bed too (and as a result, last night's episode seemed edited down to *only* accommodate the Geoff/Yasmeen scenes (cut-aways, fade-outs, etc) More than likely to preserve what little remaining storyline footage they have 'In The Can' (so to speak) for latter episodes?

I've read that filming may commence soon, but that older cast members may have to take a back-seat for now...which may (confusingly) leave this current storyline oddly rushed, unfinished or just plain forgotten?

[parkerman]

I'd love to hear the announcer over the end credits say (quote) "If you've been affected by issues raised in tonight's episode.............then perhaps you should be doing something about it, instead of watching TV all the time?"

Absolutely spot on. I believe the original intention of soaps were as a bit of entertaining escapist drama to get away from the cares of the world. Brookside and Eastenders put paid to all that and now Corrie is just as bad. The whole Yasmeen and Geoff episode (as a whole) has been very distasteful. The producers will say these things happen and we should be aware of them and that it help women in that situation. I can't imagine for one minute it helps women in that situation; it probably gives them nightmares. Also, what they are now saying is that the only way out of this dilemma is to kill your partner. If this is supposed to be a public service, perhaps they should have explored ways Yasmeen could have got proper help.

It is neither one thing nor the other. It is not pleasant escapist viewing, nor is it tackling a social issue in a responsible way. Very very poor television by Coronation Street.

[LouiseP]

Absolutely spot on. I believe the original intention of soaps were as a bit of entertaining escapist drama to get away from the cares of the world. Brookside and Eastenders put paid to all that and now Corrie is just as bad. The whole Yasmeen and Geoff episode (as a whole) as been very distasteful. The producers will say these things happen and we should be aware of them and that it help women in that situation. I can't imagine for one minute it helps women in that situation; it probably gives them nightmares. Also, what they are now saying is that the only way out of this dilemma is to kill your partner. If this is supposed to be a public service, perhaps they should have explored ways Yasmeen could have got proper help.

It is neither one thing nor the other. It is not pleasant escapist viewing, nor is it tackling a social issue in a responsible way. Very very poor television by Coronation Street.

Totally agree with all this , Parkerman. It would have been much more constructive to see ways in which Yasmeen could eventually get constructive help. THAT would highlight the problem that some women face and the solution and give some sort of hope and the perpetrator gets his just desserts. I am sure he will in the end but it has just gone on too long . I used to look forward to Corrie for a form of escapism and a bit of humour with pleasant idiosyncratic characters . Not any more.

[Jadefalcon]

Very very uncomfortable to watch last night, and this is from someone who watches violent films and TV. I only hope that Geoff dies slowly and extremely painfully as the vile scum deserves no better.

[emerald]

It was Eileen's reaction that puzzled me the most, after what she saw on the street. Even if she couldn't hear what Geoff was saying, surely his whole demeanour and Yasmeen's body language should have alerted her that something was wrong, especially as she already knows about the Box Incident.