Review: Coronation Street Live Episode

Before yesterday's live episode I was concerned that some of the cast might fluff their lines or burst out laughing. I needn't have worried. I have to say that the performances were superb, though there was perhaps a little too much screaming for my liking and it I had to turn the brightness up on my TV as the sets have looked so dark all of this week!

Even Dev - who I think is generally a poor actor in my opinion - showed real emotion and tenderness in the hospital scenes with Sunita.

So good in fact I think they should do live episodes more often if it brings out that quality of acting - and passion - in the cast.

Certainly the episode was a real emotional roller coaster, what with Molly's 'death bed' confession to Sally about Kevin being Jack's father, Peter's death bed marriage to Leanne and Fiz giving birth to a very premature, but seemingly healthy, baby girl.

Yes of course it was faintly ridiculous that so many people would be allowed around Peter's bed when he was in intensive care or that Sally would have been allowed to talk to Molly for so long in such a dangerous situation while there were firemen all around her in hard hats. But that's soap operas these days I guess - it's all a far cry from Tony Warren's days when not that much happened in comparison from episode to episode.

So now we know that two people are definitely dead: Ashley Peacock and Molly Dobbs. But who else? The live episode led us to believe that Peter was dead having suffered cardiac arrest with the medics trying to resuscitate him with a defibrillator. But I'm not so sure. I think he may - against all odds - pull through.

Then there's Rita who I was sure would survive but hasn't been found in the wreckage from the tram crash yet. Finally there's Charlotte, bludgeoned in a fit of rage by John Stape but still alive at the moment. Whatever happens, it's going to be a very exciting finale to what I think has been a very good week for Coronation Street and its 50th anniversary celebrations.

You can watch the live episode on the ITV Player by clicking here.