There are often times when awards ceremonies deliver the wrong results. That’s not to insult the winners; it’s just a shame when the same people win year after year, because it means there are a lot of brilliant performers who are always going to miss out.
In the recent National Television Awards it was, however, encouraging to see some new faces in the soap categories, and terrific to see Katie McGlynn (Corrie’s Sinead) pick up the prize for Serial Drama Performance, even if her speech was longer than three Oscar winners put together (where’s that Wrap It Up orchestra when you need it?). Peter Ash (Corrie’s Paul) was also a well-deserved winner for Best Newcomer.
It was unfortunate for EastEnders’ Max Bowden (Ben) to have met such strong competition when in any other year he would have walked it. Give him time.
Emmerdale won Best Serial Drama for the fourth year in a row and this is where I have to take issue.
While it’s good that the show has raised its profile in awards ceremonies that used to be a two-horse race between Corrie and EastEnders, has it really been the best for four years? Seriously?
CORONATION STREET: BAD, BAD, BAD, BAD WORLD
Maria Connor (Samia Longchambon) returns to the flat and confronts Gary (Mikey North) about his shady dealings. But when both Ike (Julian Walsh) and Ryan Connor (Ryan Prescott) back him up and explain that his money to Ike was a gift and the parcel Ryan had was an engagement ring she starts to realise she has made a huge mistake
Will Maria never learn? What will it take? A therapist? A frontal lobotomy? If you had a track record in choosing partners that makes Henry VIII look like match.com’s most successful member, you’d ask questions, right?
Even when Maria landed herself a doctor in Ali, he turned out to be a drug addict. Now she’s briefly back kissing him, perhaps finally realising that if Gary puts up with his barber doing that to his hair (forget a Number One; shaving his brain is but a millimetre away), he’s mixing with the wrong set (and not the salon kind).
She even convinces herself that Ike and Ryan are telling the truth about Gary’s suspected shady dealings – he claims he was just buying an engagement ring (now who needs a lobotomy?).
Is Maria ever going to do any work again, by the way? Even before her sad miscarriage, her job appeared to be little more than frowning. This is a woman who could crash a funeral and make the corpse consider a career as a lie-down comedian.
At least Daniel and Bethany get it together. Interesting. Daniel, Gary, Chesney – all centre stage. The Gingers are among us.
EASTENDERS: BACK FROM THE DEAD(ISH)
In EastEnders, Keanu Taylor has returned in spectacular fashion to throw a spanner in the works. Pictured, Danny Walters as Keanu with Max Bowden as Ben Mitchell
Most of us are grateful if we make it through our First Coming, birth to death, without worrying about any subsequent lives we might have to endure.
Pity poor Keanu who faced death, cheated death, had to pretend to be dead, and has now returned in spectacular fashion to throw a spanner in the works.
It’s as if he’s never been away. I don’t know if I’m coming or going – which is pretty much like Keanu. How is Ben going to react when he comes face to face with Walford’s answer to Lazarus, who now looks more like Basil Brush than the Keanu who departed?
When Ben confronts Martin, you know it’s not going to end well, and when Keanu demands £100,000 (his family’s grocery/drinks bill for the month?), Ben doesn’t cope well with the pressure. I could watch Max Bowden, the latest Ben (How many have there been?
We’re talking resurrection/reincarnation big time) read a telephone directory and be enchanted. He is easily the best Ben and is, miraculously, no longer deaf, unlike those around him who he keeps shouting at.
In another Groundhog Day/Week, Linda is drunk again and berates Mick for talking about her to Loretta. After Tina questions if Linda is safe around Ollie, Mick is left wondering whether his marriage can be rebuilt.
Not without bringing Barratt on board would be my guess.
EMMERDALE: FREE THE WOOLPACK ONE
In Emmerdale, support for Marlon Dingle gathered pace as April works on the campaign. Pictured, Mark Charnock as Marlon with April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan)
When Mandy et al stomped around the police station with cries of ‘Free Mar-LON!’, why was the emphasis on the last syllable when it’s been MAR-lon since 1996? Support for the chef gathers pace as April works on the campaign.
If Emmerdale’s past record is anything to go by, he’s looking at freedom by Christmas 2030.
Meanwhile, who’s doing the cooking in The Woolpack? And how stupid is Al, not getting the money from Kim while she still thinks he killed Graham? He couldn’t negotiate a hole in a doughnut, let alone commit murder.
Surely the penny must drop soon.