Season Fifty-Seven Episode Guide

The storylines:

Plans and preparations continue and evolve for the weddings of Jacqui and Nathan, and Rachel and Mike, despite resistance from a worried, redundant Katie, and the break-up of Ron’s marriage to Anthea. Jackie has an unwanted admirer, Lindsey is keen to sell her house and become a lesbian, and Jimmy find new ways of lowering the tone of the Close. Tim reluctantly joins, but less reluctantly sleeps with, Emily as her quest for revenge on Susannah helps to develop her criminal tendencies, while Susannah tries to convince herself that she no longer wants Max back by having an affair with Mick, and Darren eventually persuades Victoria that marrying him might be preferable to jumping into bed with Dave. Meanwhile, the return of the long-lost Josie makes Gemma decide to go and live with her; Ray moves in with the Shadwicks; Sinbad forms a friendship with deaf boy Andrew; and the Parade is renovated and re-opened, with an unlikely new owner for the bar – Bev!

The dates:

It is Friday in episode 2322; and, based on dialogue in episode 2324, it is Friday in episode 2325. It is February in episodes 2326 and 2329; and, based on dialogue in episode 2327, the 27th May is “12 weeks away”, October is “ages away”, and it is Friday in episode 2328. It is still the same Friday at the beginning of episode 2329, but later in on that episode, and in episode 2330, it must be a day within the range 8th-10th February, as a banner seen in the latter episode reveals that those are the days on which the bridal fair at which certain characters are seen is taking place. The events of episode 2340 take place over at least two days, including a Sunday; based on dialogue in episodes 2341 and 2342, it is Friday in episode 2343; and, based on dialogue and a document in episodes 2345 and 2346, it is 16th March 2000 in the former and 17th March 2000 in the latter.

Name-checks:

“Cruella” (2316); Tina Turner (2319); Maggie Thatcher (2320); Pinochet (2320); Tommy Steel (2320); “Indiana Jones” (2320); Cilla Black (2321); David Sylvian / “Japan” (2321); Paul Daniels (2322); “Winnie the Pooh” (2322); Arthur Askey (2324); Ken Dodd (2324); Dixie Dean and Billy Liddle, footballers (2324); Einstein (2325); Lizzie Christian, legendary flower-seller (2324); Max Bygraves (2325); Matthew Kelly (2325); “Stars In [“Your”] Eyes” (2325); Dr Anthony Clare, psychiatrist (2325); “Lord Snooty” (2327, 2329, 2339); David and Goliath (2327); Sir Christopher Wren (2327); “Gilbert and George” [“George and Gilbert”] (2327); The Queen (2328); Lord Lucan (2329); “Posh” and “Becks” (2330); “Jack” [as in “Beanstalk”] (2332) Clare Rayner (2337); “Thelma and Louise” (2338); Bill Gates (2339); Jeremy Beadle (2339); Ainsley Harriott (2340, 2348); “Bert and Ernie” (2342); Rolf Harris (2343); Judas (2343); “Walking With Dinosaurs” (2344); U2 (2344); Val Doonican (2344); “B*Witched” (2344); the Corrs (2344); “Westlife” / Shane / Brian (2344); Toyah [Willcox] (2344); “Handy Andy” (2345); “Penelope Pitstop” (2345); Bernie, absent Nolan sister (2346); Mo Mowlam (2346); “Punch and Judy” (2346); “The Spice Girls” (2346); “Changing Rooms” (2347); Noel Coward (2348); “Bros” (2348); “OMD” (2348); “Johnny Bravo” [cartoon character] (2349); “Cartman” [“South Park” character] (2349); and Rory Bremner (2349).

Locations:

While the majority of the action in this season is set in or near Liverpool, there are scenes set in the home of Victoria and the late Mark in Didsbury, Manchester in episode 2316; the whole of episode 2321 takes place in or near Cuddington Hall, Cheshire; and there are many scenes set in, and clearly recorded in, Blackpool in the extended episode 2340.

Births:

None. Emma’s birthday party, which takes place in episode 2322, is “on Friday” in episode 2320; and it is Lindsey’s birthday, which is “next week” in episode 2341, in episode 2344. It is the 70th birthday of the yet-to-be seen mother of Susannah “on Friday” in episode 2327, and Max and Susannah are seen setting off to see her – and returning for the birthday present they forgot to take with them! – in episode 2329. Sinbad reminds Tim that it is his sister Mel’s birthday next week in episode 2328; Josie recalls that she missed Leo’s 18th birthday in episode 2336; and the [10th] birthday party of Andrew, who Sinbad guesses is “about 10” in episode 2327 / “what, 10?” in episode 2334, is “next Wednesday” in episode 2349, when Barbara reveals that he is currently 9. We are also told that Beth is a day old (2316), Gemma is 13 / a teenager (2316, 2335 / 2332), Emily is 16 (2327), and Josh is 5 (2340). Little Jimmy’s gravestone, indicating that he was born on 26th March 1974, is seen again in episode 2135; and Bev reveals the star signs of the Nolan Sisters in episode 2346 – Coleen is Cancer, the unseen (well, kind of…….) Bernie is Capricorn, Anne is Pisces, Maureen is Scorpio, and Denise is Taurus.

Marriages:

None. Mike and Rachel (2320, 2330, 2340, 2349) and Nathan and Jacqui (2330, 2340, 2349) all plan to marry on 27th May, which is “12 weeks away” in episode 2327. Darren and Victoria get engaged in episode 2347; Susannah and Max’s divorce is due “in a few days” in episode 2317; Ron and Anthea have been married for “coming up to six months” in episode 2321, although Anthea says it feels like a lot longer! – and for “six months” in episode 2322; Jackie says she has been with Jimmy for “20-odd” years in episode 2340; and Brian implies that he has been married for five years in the same episode. Deborah claims in episode 2337 that it is the 40th wedding anniversary tomorrow of an unnamed couple she once fidelity-tested, and Ron recalls in episode 2339 that he and Anthea were at her unseen cousin’s wedding.

Deaths:

None. Mark died “a few days ago” in episode 2317, his funeral takes place in episode 2319, and it is six weeks since he died in episodes 2330 and 2331 / five weeks after the funeral in episode 2331. Little Jimmy’s gravestone, indicating that he died on 29th November 1996, is seen again in episode 2319. Unseen characters who are dead but mentioned are: Nathan’s grandmother (2321); the 12th, 13th and 14th Earls [of Cuddington] (2321), Augustus Marland, a local artist commissioned by the first of those Earls (2321); the current Earl’s father [Nathan’s grandfather], and the Marquis of Upton, from whom he received a gift (2321); Jackie’s father (2324, 2334), who used to be a docker (2324); Ray’s wife Renee (2333); and Mrs [Lil] Harring”d”on, the former customer of “Great Grannies” into whose service Bev had entered, who died “a couple of months ago” (2340).

Toilet visits:

Ron (2321, 2324 – into a pot of paint, and 2346); Max (2330); Tim (2331 and 2345); Emily (2339); Carol Smillie (2346); Susannah (2347); and Lindsey (2349).

Characters mentioned, so far unseen, but who will be appearing later:

Ray’s brother Bernard (2327, 2331); Susannah’s mother (2327, 2328, 2330); Andrew’s older brother / brother (2334 / 2338), Kevin (2339, 2343, 2345, 2349); Brian’s wife and his two children (2340). But NOT Bernie [Nolan] (2346). Oh no.

Gone but not forgotten – seen previously and still mentioned occasionally, but not reappearing in this season:

Beth [Jordache] (2316, 2317, 2318); Tony (2316); DD (2316, 2321, 2329); Tom (2316); Mandy (2316); Mark (2316, 2318, 2319, 2320, 2323, 2326, 2330, 2331, 2332, 2335, 2345, 2346, 2347); Alasdair / Callum Finnegan / the Finnegans (2317 / 2348 / 2348, 2349); Mr Crosbie / “Bing” (2318); Little Jimmy (2318); Barry Grant (2319); Mark’s mother (2319); Josh [McLoughlin] (2320, 2340, 2342, 2343, 2348, 2349); Harvey (2320); Nathan’s father / Lord Cuddington / Robin (2320, 2322, 2330, 2344 / 2321 / 2321, 2343); one of Nathan’s parents (2332); Megan (2321); Ruthie / Ruth (2321 / 2327, 2328); Faye (2323, 2347); the Pope (2323); Sammy (2323, 2326, 2332); Greg / Mr G. Shadwick (2325, 2342 / 2345); Margi / Margi Shadwick (2325 / 2329); Mel (2328); Mr Howard (2328); Lorraine Kelly (2330); Patricia (2332, 2347); Jason / “Jase” (2336 / 2340, 2345); Kiev (2340); Ian Leigh (2346); Matthew (2348); Emily [Farnham] (2348); and the Musgroves (2318, 2326) / Joey Musgrove (2316) / Joey (2317) / Luke (2317, 2319) / Kelly (2317, 2319) / Niamh / Matt Musgrove (2318) / Kelly Musgrove (2318) / Luke Musgrove (2318, 2320, 2322, 2326, 2329, 2345) / “from one Musgrove to the next” (2331) / “this Musgrove business” (2342).

And those that are also mentioned, but are destined to remain unseen forever:

Janice, receptionist at “The Shelf” (2317); Caroline (2318, 2324) and Pippa (2335), friends of Gemma; Shelley’s mother (2318); Mrs Saunders, an x-rayed patient of Darren (2319); David, from Max’s bank (2319); Una, a friend of Hilary (2321); Vera Powers, a “Great Granny” (2321); Lizzie, an ex-girlfriend of Charles (2322); “Magic Merlin”, a magician who lets Max down (2322); Tamara Donaldson (2323, 2324, 2325), who was suspended from Gemma’s school for a day for bringing in drugs (2323), and her father (2323, 2324, 2325), Mr Donaldson (2325), who paid for a gymnasium for the school (2323, 2325); Mr Morgan’s mother and father (2324); Sharon, a possibly fictitious mate of Emily, and her possibly equally fictitious mother (2325); Douglas, Victoria’s boss (2325); Mrs Hudson / Miss Hudson (2327, 2328), Emily’s history teacher (2327); Darren Shaw, a university student who was in Tim’s class (2329); Old Mrs Aldridge, a patient of Darren whose ankle needs manipulating (2332); Leroy [Brooks], Josie’s new husband (2333, 2335); Jackie’s mother (2334); Naomi, an almost certainly fictitious friend of Emily (2338, 2339), and her parents (2338) – her father, “Paul Tyrell” (2339) and stuttering mother (2339); Anthea’s cousin (2339); Brian’s mother (2340); Jamie, an employee of “The Shelf” (2345); Grace Rowden, a motorist (2346); Kelly, an employee of “Better Burgers” (2347); and Julie Davis, a stunning brunette who Shelley had a crush on at school (2348).

Goofs:

Rachel adds an extra “about” in episode 2316: “Don’t go and ask her about advice about boyfriends, ‘cos she’s always getting it wrong herself.”.

Jacqui appears to be meaning the Close in episode 2319 when she claims “I’ve lived around here most of my life” – but she was revealed to be 15 in episode 864, shortly after she arrived, not much more than nine years earlier! And in the same episode, Little Jimmy’s grave is in a large and very full graveyard, whereas it was in a small and nearly empty one when he was buried in episode 1859.

Ron seems to be forgetting or ignoring Jacqui’s six GCSE passes again in episode 2321, proudly telling the Cuddingtons that she is “without two “O” levels to rub together”; there are no expiry dates shown on either of the credit cards seen in close-up in episodes 2322 and 2326; and Mike stumbles over a line in episode 2324: “Still, I’d rather take……not take any chances.”.

Emily refers to one of her teachers as Mrs Hudson in episode 2327, and Miss Hudson in episode 2328; and Bev mispronounces the surname of her late employer as “Harringdon”, rather than “Harrington”, in episode 2340, then gets her second, third and fourth words in the wrong order in episode 2347: “I’ll let them still work for me.”.

Trivia:

Josie and her new husband Leroy now live in Bodmin, Cornwall (2333). Mick says that Susannah’s height is 5’6″ (2345), and when he tries to contact the headmistress of “Heathbank”, the school Gemma has been expelled from (2327), he is told that she is at a meeting of “LASH” – Liverpool Association of Secondary Heads (2324). Gemma is seen reading a book called “Secrets” (2318), while Tim is caught reading “A Sensual Act Of Love – A Beginner’s Guide” by Jared Egerton, claiming on its cover to be “A step by step guide to getting the most out of your partner in the twenty first century” (2328). Emily has seen a coat she fancies in a shop off Bould Street (2320), and intercepts a letter addressed to her father dated 10th January 2000 which is signed by John Stapleford, Credit Manager, and accompanied by a Phoenix credit card (2319). The number on this card is 2546 3728 2829 9923, and the name appearing on it is MR GREG SHADWICK (2322). Later, she steals a Greenfields Building Society credit card, number 4929 4012 3456 7008, bearing the name MS SUSANNAH MORRISEY (2326). The room in a guest house in which she and Tim stay in Blackpool is number 14 (2340), and the internet search engine he uses, which finds 6,540 websites matching his request for “big knockers”, is “Sniffer Dog”. The website they are then seen visiting is “Erotica Galore” (2349).

Darren and Victoria have been friends for eleven years (2347). Her boss, Douglas, has taken her off the “Tyrell account” (2325), and she makes an appointment to get the morning-after pill from Cedar View Health Centre, 15 Malvern View, whose telephone number is 0151 692 5941 (2332). When leaving for Shelley’s, Lindsey, who earns £57,000 for the sale of her house on the Close (2348), asks her taxi driver to take her to “Hill Village” (2316). Bev implies that the fee she has paid for the Nolan Sisters’ promotional appearance is £10,000, while Graham Norton – whose Channel Four programme she doesn’t watch – and Carol Smillie imply that they have received much less than that (2346). Jacqui plans to live in Holland Park, London (2321, 2326, 2327, 2345) with Nathan, who needs the file of the “Deary case” for the London office (2322), and finds a bill for £235.15, dated 17th March 2000, for Ron’s three-night stay at the Britannia Adelphi Hotel, Lime Street, Liverpool (2346). Ray’s favourite meal is liver and onions (2327); Max bought Susannah’s mother a pendant for her 55th birthday, which she gave away the first time he divorced Susannah (2328); and Barbara has fifteen years’ experience of fostering (2349).

A “For Sale” sign bearing the estate agent name “Fletcher’s” and the telephone number 0151-629-1876 can be seen outside number 9 in episodes 2320, 2324, 2327, 2328, 2332, 2336, 2341 and 2342. There is a Janet Jackson poster on Gemma’s bedroom wall (2318, 2335, 2349), posters of Oasis (2319, 2320, 2322), Radiohead (2326) and the Beatles (2333) on the wall of Tim’s garage, and a poster of Natalie Imbruglia on Nikki’s bedroom wall (2325). A milk float bearing the initials “HD” and a Belmont Road address is seen again in the Close in episode 2337, and the captions on the television programme on which Jimmy is seen being interviewed by Elaine Willcox reveal that it is “News N.W.” (2341). Mrs Tompkinson (2323) and Jimmy (2324) are left-handed, while Max (2326, 2341), Katie (2327), Andrew (2338, 2345), Ray (2339), Susannah (2341, 2342), Jackie (2341), and Victoria (2345, 2347) are all right-handed.

“Blink-and-you-miss it” moments:

In episode 2331, a disc-jockey in the background announces a record Deborah has asked him to play and dedicate to Katie – Pulp’s “Common People” !

In episode 2342, whereas other characters refer to the arrival of the Cuddingtons “on Friday”, Ron tells Jimmy to take down his signs because they are coming “tomorrow”, presumably in the hope of addressing the problem sooner rather than later…

In a somewhat surreal moment in episode 2346, Bev wonders why she has ended up one Nolan sister short for her St Patrick’s Day celebration:

Quote:

BEV: Where’s your Bernie?

COLEEN NOLAN: Oh, she couldn’t make it. She’s got another job.

Luckily, Coleen doesn’t go on to reveal that her sister’s job is playing a new regular character called “Diane Murray” in a Liverpool-based soap opera…

The end-of-season cliffhanger:

Number 9, Brookside Close has finally been sold – and after helping Lindsey to clear it and leave things tidy, Jackie assures her almost tearful daughter that she will be able to afford another house some day. Before looking around sadly, and closing the front door for the last time, Lindsey expresses her hopes that the new arrivals will look after the house, and that they will have better luck living there than she did. As the Corkhills pass by the living-room window, we see that on the window-sill they have left a bottle of wine, a few flowers in a vase, and an envelope addressed to…….”THE MURRAY FAMILY”.