MUM'S the word for the latest drama in Emmerdale (ITV1). The re-appearance of missing mother Emma hasn't been welcomed by all the Barton boys although ex-husband James is willing to tolerate her presence in the village because he feels guilty about depriving his sons of a mother while they were growing up.

Farmer James and Emma share the blame for her leaving the family home 20 or so years ago – he'd cheated with McMoira and she'd tried to smother son Ross thus losing any chance of being named Mother of the Year in the process.

James has a lot on his mind when Emma pays him a visit on the farm. And even more after she leaves because a load of bags of cattle feed have fallen on his head. That's what you get for multi-tasking. He's trying to have an argument with Emma while loading pallets with aforementioned bags. She loses her temper, lashes out and the lot comes crashing down on James. That's bad enough but instead of seeing if he's all right, she does a runner – straight into son Pete. She makes up a story about running for help but if James ever comes round he may have a different tale to tell.

Randy Robert Sugden has to move fast when his secret affair with Aaron looks like being discovered by fiancée Chrissie. He wants to have it both ways, booking a hotel room for him and Aaron. But arch-enemy Katie is on his trail, determined to prove he's carrying on behind his fiancee's back.

Chrissie's already on the warpath after finding porn on Robert's computer, although it should be pointed out he's not the only person who uses that machine. When Robert, Aaron, Katie and Chrissie converge on the hotel where the gay liaison is taking place, it begins to resemble a French farce with much running in and out of rooms and subterfuge.

Family matters in Coronation Street (ITV1) see lovebirds Jason (the man who makes two short planks look intelligent) and Eva planning to buy a home together, but as first-time buyers their finances will be stretched to the limit. The news doesn't meet with the approval of Jason's manipulating brother, Todd, who doesn't like seeing anybody happy.

He gloats when the pair find they don't have enough cash to purchase their dream home. He snarls when his dad, Tony, offers to lend them a deposit. And he insinuates that Eva and Tony are sexually connected. What a meanie.

The Carters in EastEnders (BBC1) are another family at war with hostilities intensified as Linda reports Dirty Dean to the police for sexual assault. His ex-girlfriend is on Linda's side, but Grandad Carter gets an earful from Mad Mick after pointing out it's only her word against Dean's.

Mad Max is wasting no time finding another woman following policewoman Emma's death. At least that's what it appears to his sister, Carol, after she sees Mad Max hugging Emma's mother, Margot. What she doesn't know is that it's a comforting not a sexual hug. Even Max wouldn't canoodle his dead lover's mother so close to the funeral. On second thoughts, he might.

At least one family is happy – the Beales. There's still the outstanding matter of who killed Lucy, but life goes on and there's a wedding to arrange. Jane wants a low-key event when she weds Ian for the second time (she's a glutton for punishment), but he has other ideas. He wants the men to wear kilts in the Beale tartan. Jane walks in to find Ian, Alfie, Peter, Ben and Alfie modelling the Scottish skirts. "Give me a twirl," she says in a bid to find out what an EastEnder wears under his kilt.