After George lost his cool because of Christina, the spotlight this time focused on the couple Todd Grimshaw and Theo Silverton.

At first glance, theirs was a gentle love, but the deeper the audience went, the more they felt… shudder.

Theo – a man who had a wife and two children – came to Todd with a sincere appearance.

However, hidden under that mask was a scary control.

Todd initially only saw Theo asking about him, then gradually realized that he was being monitored every step: from messages, appointments to even his friend Billy being questioned.

The climax of the drama was when Todd discovered that he had signs of a serious illness, but did not dare to share with Theo for fear of being judged. Instead of caring, Theo tightened his control, turning love into an “emotional prison”. The scenes of Todd trembling in the middle of the night, looking at the phone ringing Theo’s name, made viewers shiver.

Coronation Street this time boldly exploited the theme of “coercive control” in homosexual relationships – something that had never been openly shown in the show before. Theo not only made Todd suffer but also dragged his old family along: his daughter Millie rebelled, his ex-wife Danielle returned to cause trouble, turning Weatherfield into a battlefield of exposed secrets.

The audience both sympathized with Todd and was angry. Is he strong enough to step out of control, or will he continue to endure in a toxic love? That question makes everyone who watches have to think – because sometimes, “lovers” are not necessarily lovers.