If the Carla-Lisa-Becky storyline is a soft form of manipulation, then the Todd Grimshaw and Theo storyline is a more direct, suffocating one.

This isn’t a noisy street fight; it’s terrifying because it unfolds through seemingly ordinary conversations: Theo asks Todd where he’s going, Todd answers, Theo says he’s just worried about Todd, and gradually Todd can’t breathe.

Control begins with small things: demanding explanations, checking schedules, getting annoyed when Todd meets friends, criticizing Todd in front of others and then apologizing later.

And you know that cycle, the victim will think, “Maybe I’m just too sensitive,” and try to maintain peace.

But Todd isn’t one to give in easily. Todd has a sharp tongue and a high ego, so when Todd starts to resist, Theo tightens his grip. And when Theo tightens his grip, the story shifts from “toxic” to “dangerous.” Corrie even went so far as to create a special episode filmed from surveillance camera angles and police bodycams, so you’re no longer watching the drama through the eyes of the audience, but through the eyes of the evidence.

That makes everything even more chilling, because it feels like a real-life incident: there’s heavy breathing, doors slamming shut, hurried footsteps, and the moment you realize Todd is trying to escape but can’t. When the police show up, it’s no longer about romance, but about personal safety. Todd might try to act okay to save face, but his body doesn’t lie.