She does recover from this assault and gets the better of him giving him no choice but to agree to the ten o'clock morning meeting. Anna is magnificent in her optimism and control of the situation. Not quite Henry Kissinger, but getting there in her diplomacy. However, Mr. Kissinger didn't have to contend with Owen and his manipulation of Chesney. Owen even tells Chesney that women can die in childbirth. Owen is caught by Gary in his manipulation of Chesney and according to Gary, is intent on pouring his poison into Chesney's ear. Divide and rule seems to be Owen's strategy as Gary accuses him of 'ordering Private Brown to do his dirty work'.
Owen and Anna's family are so intertwined and we are reminded tonight that Gary works for Owen, when Owen orders Gary to leave if he still wants a job in the morning. When Owen's machinations are revealed to Anna, she picks him up most astutely just as he is saying that Katie and Izzy are 'my' daughters, and that is the point where Anna repeats the word 'my' in a kind of demented scream then points out most forcibly that in fact 'they are themselves' which is probably a worthwhile reminder to all parents that all our children's lives are their own, a fact which can be hard to take at times.
Hayley makes the point when she and Fiz are talking in the factory, that what Katy is offering to do for her sister is 'a wonderfully kind and generous thing' and if Hayley says so it must be so as she and Roy are the moral guardians of all Street matters, knowing instinctively and intuitively what is right.
Some lighter moments were in store for us in particular Julie swooning over Brian 'bedroom -wise' claiming she's never known anything like it. Fifty Shades of Grey now seems to have a contender.
Also the Ryan/Tracy scenes were quite amusing but Ryan must get the title of The Street's most self-absorbed individual. 'Do one!' orders Lloyd in frustration at Ryan's inappropriate behaviour on the switch board. And Ryan does.
Tina is unstoppably determined in her bid to cheer up Tyrone even to the extent of eating her finely aroma-ed curry in a garage with a spoon. A spoon? Oh well, each to their own as REM's Everybody Hurts plays dolefully in the background.
A question on which to end- do they still sell stay-prest slacks? Hayley obviously thinks so...
Follow the Coronation Street Blog on Twitter and Facebook