Weatherfield is about to enter a stormy period, typical of the end-of-year drama where the more fun, the more likely it is to explode.

At the center of this drama is Carla Connor, who decides to take a gamble to expose Becky before things go too far.

Carla can no longer stand Becky’s constant presence, manipulating the atmosphere at No. 6 while giving the impression that Lisa and Betsy need a “new plan” to escape the mess.

So Carla stages a perfect act: sitting in Underworld, drinking scotch, talking as if she’s depressed and drunk, but in reality, she’s perfectly sober.

Her goal is clear: trick Becky into revealing something, then use the recording as evidence.

But Becky is no pushover. Becky didn’t react with an overt villainous outburst, but responded very subtly, ambiguous enough for Carla to think she was winning, but not clear enough to immediately accuse her. Carla took the recording back to No. 6 and played it for Lisa, hoping Lisa would come to her senses and side with her.

Unexpectedly, Lisa’s reaction was one of utter exhaustion: Lisa didn’t want to be dragged into a battle between two women who both thought they were right. The painful part was that Carla not only lost a round, but was also seen by Lisa as part of a control mechanism, just like Becky. For Carla, it was a cut to her self-esteem, because Carla did everything to preserve her love and protect the small family she clung to.