While waiting for the bus, Ken sees Janice heading into the café so he runs in to meet her. He discusses Pete and Leanne’s plan for the new wine bar and his reservations about it, expecting Janice to feel the same way. Unfortunately, she doesn’t offer to be an ally in his anti-wine bar crusade as she tells them that they’re both grown-ups and can make their own decisions.
Meanwhile, in the Rovers, Deirdre is complaining to Liz that Ken is doing his usual “Ken first, the rest of us … nowhere” thing. She figures Ken is basically fighting Peter to get back at George because he’s afraid there’s a newer, nicer, richer granddad in town. Of course, she reckons, if he carries on as he is, they’re not likely to have much time for him anyway. And you know it’s Christmas because they’re playing 2000 Miles by the Pretenders. One of my favourite British Christmas tunes:
Later, Leanne and Peter are talking to a designer about the bar when George notices it’s time to pick up Simon for school. He also offers to get him supper. Leanne and Peter are grateful to have George around.
So of course George and Simon just happen to end up at the mall where Ken is playing Father Christmas. Simon wants to go see Santa and despite George’s reluctance, he allows it. Not recognizing Santa is Ken, Simon tells him that he wants a Wii for Christmas. Santa Ken starts lecturing him on how Christmas isn’t about splashing out on big gifts. George says if Santa can’t afford it, Grandpa George will get it for him.
“Look, he was perfectly happy with a bicycle until you came along, waving your wallet, playing the Big I Am!” Ken says, as he pulls down his beard.
“Grandad, what have you done with Santa?” Simon asks.
George says Santa had a toy emergency and Ken was asked to help out and takes Simon away.
Ken realizes he’s been an idiot but it’s too late. His boss saw the whole thing and now he’s out of a job. So much for the bike.
Claire and Becky, new BFFs, are getting the panto put together. Deirdre recalls her time in one and Becky notes that she saw the photos and wants to know if she still has the glasses.
Anyhow, Liz will allow them to use the pub to stage it. They’ll do it for charity and use a script written by John Stape in his college days. He even direct for free beer, I guess.
Liz thinks that, unlike the old pantos they did, which ended in disaster, this is beginning as one.
Private Gary
After his tester weekend with the army, Gary has decided to enlist. This worries Anna to no end but Liz counsels that her Jim was in the army and he loved it. He served in Northern Ireland and the Falklands. Gary reckons that all his friends do little but get drunk and moan about their lives. He wants to do something more.
Later, as Eddie is putting his trash into Gail’s bin (his is full) he tells Anna that perhaps this is for the best. Eddie says that Gary may be the first Windass to do something the family can be proud of.
In Other News
Kevin’s been complaining to his family about the amount of money he spends on them. He’s saving his pennies so he can run away with Molly.
Dev and Bernie and still dating and it seems to be going well.
Graeme is taking betting tips from a priest.
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Corrie Canuck 
John, I love the picture of Bad Santa. Thank you. You made my day.
LOL at Bad Santa!
Ken is getting to be a real grouch.
Kevin is so free with his spending on hotel rooms and the Rovers but cheap with Sophie. Money was no object when it came to Rosie and now Molly, but Sophie is right about being the forgotten child. I’m liking Kevin a lot less these days.
Maybe Liz recommending the army was a ploy to get Gary off the street! I think she resented the time Jim spent with his buddies.
Poor little Sophie, said she is just background noise.
Sophie is amazingly normal, especially considering her weird family.
For all the concern Kevin has expressed to Mollie about Sophie’s exams, when he’s at home he barely knows she’s there. Excuses??
I am just waiting to see what’s up with the Grandpa George storyline. Is he going to trick Peter and try to gain custody of Simon??
That’s what I was thinking too, Jody. Have Peter start drinking again; bring up Leanne’s stint as a call girl/arsonist at the custody hearing; add even a small morsel of Ken & Dierdre’s collective sordid past, and the courts would be thrilled to hand Simon over to George and wife. On the other hand, I really wish it’s just because George wants to become closer to his grandson, and he just happens to have a lot of money and is a nice man and wants to be generous with his new found “family”.
George does seem to be a nice man, but then again, so does Ken most of the time! Just not so much now. Also, I’ve been wondering what exactly Amy was going to receive from Grampa Ken? An orange? A library book? A new dishwasher to call home? She’s certainly not as important as Simon right now.
I’m quite looking forward to the pantomime. The Christmas shows are always really enjoyable and different.
Dev and Bernie seems to be a bit of a strange relationship. He always dates gorgeous, girly girls, and while she’s lovely, she’s just not his type. Trust me, his girlfriends would have received flowers before!
I’ve been thinking the same re: Dev and Bernie – just the name Bernie is tip-off that she is not his (previous) type. Another case of writers’ lack of continuity? Where has Amy been? I don’t even recall Becky mentioning her lately, of course, now with the panto looming who would have time for a mute child? Speaking of mute children – do you think Bethany has learned any Italian?
I also have bee wondering where Amy is. She is never even mentioned by anyone. As far as Dev’s reaction to Sunita’s boyfriend wouldn’t his children have mentioned that Mommy had a new friend. I don’t think Dev visits his children very often at all (which wouldn’t suprise me). I’m not liking Dev at all much lately.
I can’t remember Sunita even being mentioned in recent history, much less Dec mentioning that he visited his children. I guess they just wanted to bring back Sunita into the story?
She seems a very flat character so far. I remember her as being fiesty and occasionally silly. Yes Gayle, I would have expected the children to mention a new friend, let alone mention “Matt who lives at our house now…”
Ken. Ken. Ken. Sigh. Get a grip.