Emmerdale: Discussion Thread

[Bright Eyes]

Tonight was a great episode.

One of the few times a character went straight to the police after a sexual assault and told their significant other what happened right away. Natalie Anderson was great and the boy that plays Lachlan is one creepy bastard. I really can't wait to see how this unfolds for David/Alicia and the Whites.

I loved the moment where Leyla pushed David against the wall to stop him from going after Lachlan. And the difference between Alicia naivete/trusting nature vs. Priya's on point analysis of Lachlan was a startling contrast due to their history.

[Bright Eyes]

Trailer for the Alicia/Lachlan story.

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[DRW50]

That was way more graphic than I'd expected. I thought they'd just cut away. I have to wonder if they realized if they did, some fans wouldn't believe he assaulted her.

Idiots are already complaining to OFCOM, even with a warning before the episode aired.

One thing Emmerdale does better than most soaps when it tries is setting up atmosphere - they did a great job in the last few episodes of showing what an increasingly dark presence Lachlan was becoming. The scene in this episode when David was outside with him and wouldn't even leave, because he had this feeling and he was so clearly unsettled by Lachlan, was the perfect harbinger for what was to come. I was also affected by Chrissie going through all those photos and knowing, absolutely knowing, even if deep down she can't admit it to herself.

They really laid out every trope against women who have been raped or sexually assaulted. Alicia was wearing revealing clothes, she was drunk, Lachlan "only" used his fingers (which to some idiots is no big deal), she was friendly to Lachlan. It's a brave writing choice. In a way it makes me nervous, if this story is another that tells women not to go to the police, but I hope they ultimately say she was right.

Natalie Anderson was wonderful, effortlessly going from the bubbly Alicia to the violated Alicia to the numb Alicia in the space of 45 minutes. The ending broke my heart, with Alicia trying to pretend everything was fine as Leyla and David looked on helplessly. It was so much like something Corrie excelled at many years ago - literally kitchen sink drama.

As someone who was a Leyla fan from her very first scene and shakes at my head at material like worrying over that twatface Jai, it was a nice surprise to see her so involved in Alicia's story. Many soaps, especially American soaps, would have her exploit her sister's rape to bed David, as some type of big revenge. Instead she was right there with her the whole time, proving the strength of a bond between sisters.

The Rodney/Georgia stuff was decent comic relief and also dovetailed a little into society's idea of what is expected of women (Rodney happily assuming Georgia was fine with their breakup and even willing to be his bed buddy). The Rachel stuff didn't do much for me, although Sam dumping Tracy amused me. I notice they're now dressing Sam slightly more upmarket. I think James Hooton is a wonderful actor and the little boy who plays Samson is a very good child actor, but I feel like it's time for Sam to go. Have he and Samson and Rachel and Archive move away for a fresh start.

As for Jai - I just don't care about this deeply unpleasant, childish man. Not to make light of Alicia's agony, but her scream of "NO!!!" cutting right to a Jai scene...made a great deal of sense. I actually feel like Megan has some potential when she's away from Jai. When she's with him she always weakens. The only way I can tolerate this pairing is if she crushes him. Perhaps literally, Rosemary King style.

[I Am A Swede]

Great to see all those familiar faces.

I hope more episodes from the 1980s will get posted on Youtube. I love all the 1970s episodes that have been posted, but you can never get enough episodes from the good old days.

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

What was Lochlan doing to that lady? Did he have inappropriate photos of her on his laptop? He's always seemed weird to me.

[DRW50]

He was taking photos of her from afar (he'd done this with Belle for a while too before Belle's mental problems drove him away). He started sending her gifts. She didn't think it was anything serious (she didn't know about the photos). On her birthday, she was drunk, and he was waiting for her alone. He gave her another glass of champagne and he had one himself. While she dozed on the couch, he put his fingers inside her. She woke up during this and was horrified. He insisted she'd led him on and he'd done nothing wrong and it was what they'd wanted. With her sister's help she quickly went to the police.

[DRW50]

[DRW50]

Robert has his Karl Davies hair again! I could throw together all kinds of reasons for that but it's probably just a coincidence. Ryan Hawley's face is just a little full for that type of hair, but I'm still glad to see it one more time. To me it's a big part of the character.

[Bright Eyes]

Natalie Anderson was fantastic yet again tonight and tomorrow, when she tells Jacob what's going on, is going to break me.

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

What kinda sick twisted family has Robert married into? The father in law offering to buy off Alicia (I think that's name?) was disgusting.I just can't with him and Chrissy.

[DRW50]

You know, I do believe that the story will ultimately end with Lachlan facing consequences for sexually assaulting Alicia. The show has managed to avoid many of the most damaging tropes of rape stories on soap operas (like not making Lachlan a random psycho, not trying to make it a mystery rapist story, Alicia keeping quiet, or “who’s the daddy,” or telling viewers it may not be rape and “you can decide”), and they’ve done nothing but present Alicia as sympathetic and totally in the right.

What bothers me is that yet again we have a rape story on a soap where a woman going to the police about her attack leads to nothing but grief and absolutely no justice.

Soaps like to talk about all the groups they work with on rape stories, but what this increasingly means is they’re using these groups as a cover for melodrama and fear.

If more women choose not to go to the police because of what happened to Alicia, then it’s just sad and it’s wrong.

Edited March 3, 2015 by DRW50

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

YYYYEEEESSSSS to that woman getting slapped into the next century! Do it again! She was disgusting and Im glad Alicia's sister put her in her place!

[Bright Eyes]

It was a great slap, too.

As I had hoped, I got really into the scene where Alicia had to tell Jacob what happened, but I was unfortunately thrown off by Jacob's chapped bottom lip.

I liked Nicola's reaction, too. Clearly not believing Alicia did anything wrong, but having to keep quiet.

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

That last bit was excellent but I really wish Nicola had stood up to her intimidation. Like who is this Chrissy chick who thinks she can boss everyone around? I can't stand this trick and I don't feel bad for her at all re Robert and his while whorish ways

[Ben]

I think it's more important that they present this in a realistic way. The only way the CPS would take on the case is if there was some kind of evidence, and Alicia unfortunately has none due to the nature of the attack. It would be wrong for the show to present this in any other way. But, we know that there is the photos on Lachlan's laptop, which if not deleted, could be used as evidence of stalking, and could be enough to persuade the CPS to press charges. The sad reality is that most rape cases don't end with a prosecution or a prison sentence.

I really don't feel ED are using this in any sensationalistic way to create melodrama, b/c so far, it has been written sensitively. With a story like this, it is so difficult to present it realistically and at the same time be positive about reporting sexual attacks straight away, as the two don't always gel in real life. At least they have shown Alicia to be treated respectfully by the police and in a sensitive manner. I hope it doesn't discourage people from reporting attacks as well, as you never know whether your case will be one of the success stories in getting a prosecution.

It's way better than the time Corrie's Carla was raped, and the cops treated her harshly, like she was in the wrong, not to be believed; or the time HO had John Paul get sent to prison after being set up by his student rapist for inappropriate behaviour with a student (Sam the cop being vile to him as well); or EE having Linda keep her rape a secret for months for no real reason other than to create drama, while throwing in an unnecessary who's the daddy? twist; or recently on Neighbours, when Terese reported her almost rape to the police, only for the story to randomly vanish like it wasn't important (accidental on their part, I'm sure, but still...).