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<blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 402890" data-attributes="member: 23"><p style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Episodes 366 - 375</span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong>29 April - 2 June 1986</strong></span></p><p></p><p></p><p>Watching these episodes at a fairly leisurely pace means the earlier ones feel in many ways as though they’re but a dim memory while simultaneously (and contradictorily) feeling very much connected to the latest.</p><p></p><p>Billy began this run freshly laid off, and this disruption for the character has also given him a new kind of grounding and allowed him to relate to other characters in a new and fascinating way.</p><p></p><p>First comes his scene with Bobby in which Bobby is as sympathetic and supportive as he can be, despite their previous friction over Billy’s lack of support for the strike. There’s a sense that, even now, Bobby might do all he could to rectify the situation… if Billy would have only met him halfway.</p><p></p><p>Even more surprising ground is broken in Billy’s relationship with his other work-related neighbour, Paul Collins. First Paul is disarmingly relaxed about the eyesore on Billy’s drive - a massive pile of bricks that has appeared overnight to everyone’s surprise (including Billy and Doreen). Instead of criticism, Paul gives him a friendly warning about how hot the planning inspectors are in the area (pleasingly, Billy can’t resist seizing this opportunity to drop in that they weren’t too worried about the shutters which previously had Paul so worked up).</p><p></p><p>Their exchanges give us a scene that’s absolute gold, as Billy’s admission that he’s been given the push is met with laughter from Paul who confesses that he’s in the same boat ("snap") having been considered surplus to requirements by the new American high-ups. The two of them sitting on those bricks, comparing notes and adjusting to their new normal is a <em>Brookside</em> high. There’s even a nostalgic reference to the opening episode as Paul - almost whimsically - tells Billy that his previous experience with redundancy is what brought the Collinses to the Close in the first place.</p><p></p><p>This is one of several scenes that shows us a different side to Paul. Like Billy, his new situation presents opportunities for character. Shocked as he is to be given the push, there seems no danger of Paul descending into depression again. He seems somehow lighter, and this is perfectly reflected in his encounters with young Adam Black who gets a cricket lesson from Paul on how to bowl.</p><p></p><p>The threads at work here are great. Things are soapily interwoven a little more than usual. Firstly, it ties in with Paul’s relationship with Gordon, prompting him to reach out to his son with a letter. The Collinses also happen to be first on the scene when Adam is struck by a car away from the Close, which ties them further to Heather’s current storyline. They’d already had Heather and Nick to dinner where Paul and Annabelle became the first on the Close to learn of Heather and Nick’s engagement.</p><p></p><p>Aspects that could be contrived as soapy convenience are addressed by the writing. Heather and Nick, for example, both know this is happening very quickly after Heather was in a very similar situation with Tom. One of the more interesting aspects for me was the age gap between Heather and Nick being discussed, mainly because along the way it was said out loud that there’s also an age gap with Paul and Annabelle. I feel this must be about the first time it’s been said during the series, because I’ve don’t think I’ve ever consciously noticed there even <em>was</em> a gap (now I think about it, there <em>might</em> have been some kind of passing reference to it when Paul and Anna did their camping thing in the garden. But I couldn't be sure).</p><p></p><p>Slightly adding insult to injury for Paul, their snarky friends from the Wirral suggest the idea of becoming a magistrate, but push for Annabelle to do it when Paul is too old to qualify. And Annabelle jumps at it.</p><p></p><p>There’s more soapiness when Karen sees Matty and Mo together and debates whether or not to say anything to Sheila (not knowing that Sheila herself knows and found herself unable to continue to lie to Teresa when she asked outright what Sheila knew).</p><p></p><p>Karen and Guy’s relationship has been very watchable (Karen’s now lost her virginity when Karen had the house to herself). Guy’s a great addition to the cast, and I find myself wishing we had longer with him (from memory, I don’t think he’ll be around too much longer).</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, there’s been fun and games with Edna giving Harry a driving lesson (this series has great fun with these. I’m smiling thinking back to Sheila’s)</p><p></p><p>Rod’s 18th felt completely authentic, with Billy moving furniture and knick-knacks upstairs to avoid them being damaged or desecrated while Doreen objected because people wouldn’t see her lovely stuff. Her sharp change of tune as soon as Billy reminded her of her own 21st (she gravely told them to strip the room) reminded me very much of that scene in <em>Jaws</em> where Ellen suddenly calls the boys in from the boat upon seeing a painting of a shark ramming a hull... moments after telling Martin he was worrying over nothing.</p><p></p><p>The music thumping over the house and the entire Close. The teens pairing off and finding bedrooms. The booze and spills and throwing up. It all perfectly captured a moment, thanks to Jimmy McGovern’s writing. The newly-liberated Billy is surprisingly cool-headed when he and Doreen walk in to the devastation and have to climb over a chair and a heap of horny kids to get to their own bedroom. Even Rod’s morning after heaving is met with Billy’s laughter and teasing:</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mel O'Drama, post: 402890, member: 23"] [CENTER][B][SIZE=5]Episodes 366 - 375[/SIZE][/B] [SIZE=5][B]29 April - 2 June 1986[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER] Watching these episodes at a fairly leisurely pace means the earlier ones feel in many ways as though they’re but a dim memory while simultaneously (and contradictorily) feeling very much connected to the latest. Billy began this run freshly laid off, and this disruption for the character has also given him a new kind of grounding and allowed him to relate to other characters in a new and fascinating way. First comes his scene with Bobby in which Bobby is as sympathetic and supportive as he can be, despite their previous friction over Billy’s lack of support for the strike. There’s a sense that, even now, Bobby might do all he could to rectify the situation… if Billy would have only met him halfway. Even more surprising ground is broken in Billy’s relationship with his other work-related neighbour, Paul Collins. First Paul is disarmingly relaxed about the eyesore on Billy’s drive - a massive pile of bricks that has appeared overnight to everyone’s surprise (including Billy and Doreen). Instead of criticism, Paul gives him a friendly warning about how hot the planning inspectors are in the area (pleasingly, Billy can’t resist seizing this opportunity to drop in that they weren’t too worried about the shutters which previously had Paul so worked up). Their exchanges give us a scene that’s absolute gold, as Billy’s admission that he’s been given the push is met with laughter from Paul who confesses that he’s in the same boat ("snap") having been considered surplus to requirements by the new American high-ups. The two of them sitting on those bricks, comparing notes and adjusting to their new normal is a [I]Brookside[/I] high. There’s even a nostalgic reference to the opening episode as Paul - almost whimsically - tells Billy that his previous experience with redundancy is what brought the Collinses to the Close in the first place. This is one of several scenes that shows us a different side to Paul. Like Billy, his new situation presents opportunities for character. Shocked as he is to be given the push, there seems no danger of Paul descending into depression again. He seems somehow lighter, and this is perfectly reflected in his encounters with young Adam Black who gets a cricket lesson from Paul on how to bowl. The threads at work here are great. Things are soapily interwoven a little more than usual. Firstly, it ties in with Paul’s relationship with Gordon, prompting him to reach out to his son with a letter. The Collinses also happen to be first on the scene when Adam is struck by a car away from the Close, which ties them further to Heather’s current storyline. They’d already had Heather and Nick to dinner where Paul and Annabelle became the first on the Close to learn of Heather and Nick’s engagement. Aspects that could be contrived as soapy convenience are addressed by the writing. Heather and Nick, for example, both know this is happening very quickly after Heather was in a very similar situation with Tom. One of the more interesting aspects for me was the age gap between Heather and Nick being discussed, mainly because along the way it was said out loud that there’s also an age gap with Paul and Annabelle. I feel this must be about the first time it’s been said during the series, because I’ve don’t think I’ve ever consciously noticed there even [I]was[/I] a gap (now I think about it, there [I]might[/I] have been some kind of passing reference to it when Paul and Anna did their camping thing in the garden. But I couldn't be sure). Slightly adding insult to injury for Paul, their snarky friends from the Wirral suggest the idea of becoming a magistrate, but push for Annabelle to do it when Paul is too old to qualify. And Annabelle jumps at it. There’s more soapiness when Karen sees Matty and Mo together and debates whether or not to say anything to Sheila (not knowing that Sheila herself knows and found herself unable to continue to lie to Teresa when she asked outright what Sheila knew). Karen and Guy’s relationship has been very watchable (Karen’s now lost her virginity when Karen had the house to herself). Guy’s a great addition to the cast, and I find myself wishing we had longer with him (from memory, I don’t think he’ll be around too much longer). Meanwhile, there’s been fun and games with Edna giving Harry a driving lesson (this series has great fun with these. I’m smiling thinking back to Sheila’s) Rod’s 18th felt completely authentic, with Billy moving furniture and knick-knacks upstairs to avoid them being damaged or desecrated while Doreen objected because people wouldn’t see her lovely stuff. Her sharp change of tune as soon as Billy reminded her of her own 21st (she gravely told them to strip the room) reminded me very much of that scene in [I]Jaws[/I] where Ellen suddenly calls the boys in from the boat upon seeing a painting of a shark ramming a hull... moments after telling Martin he was worrying over nothing. The music thumping over the house and the entire Close. The teens pairing off and finding bedrooms. The booze and spills and throwing up. It all perfectly captured a moment, thanks to Jimmy McGovern’s writing. The newly-liberated Billy is surprisingly cool-headed when he and Doreen walk in to the devastation and have to climb over a chair and a heap of horny kids to get to their own bedroom. Even Rod’s morning after heaving is met with Billy’s laughter and teasing: [/QUOTE]
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