A major soap cliché that I totally despise, is the Redeemed Rapist. I don't care how much charisma a show decides an actor has, once his character has raped, he should be gone. Dead, prison, I don't care where he goes, but he needs to be gone, never to be seen again.

I tend to agree with this, although I'll make an exception for those rare situations in which both of the characters are clear that it was consensual but some of the audience disagree.

The same people being not only presumed dead, but being shot at/attempted to be killed multiple times. No, not just Sonny (although he's probably the worst offender here)--From 1987-2003 on OLTL, Max was shot three times, stabbed at least once, was in a car accident where he was presumed dead after supposedly being burned beyond recognition (being made over into Nicholas Walker and then miraculously turned back into James DePaiva), fell into a shaft in the ground that led to a body of water while rescuing Al & CJ, and had a brain aneurysm. I think he may be daytime's most underrated death defying character ever.

Wow. Poor Max.

A major soap cliché that I totally despise, is the Redeemed Rapist. I don't care how much charisma a show decides an actor has, once his character has raped, he should be gone. Dead, prison, I don't care where he goes, but he needs to be gone, never to be seen again.

Or she. Im sick of women raping men and getting away with it just bc they are women. Except the shows dnot go through the troubles of redeeming them bc its generally accepted when a woman sleeps with a man without his consent. Its rarely ever called out for what it is

Edited May 7, 201213 yr by Cheap21

I tend to agree with this, although I'll make an exception for those rare situations in which both of the characters are clear that it was consensual but some of the audience disagree.

I'm trying to think where that happened. I can't remember; can you help?

Or she. Im sick of women raping men and getting away with it just bc they are women. Except the shows dnot go through the troubles of redeeming them bc its generally accepted when a woman sleeps with a man without his consent. Its rarely ever called out for what it is

Oh, absolutely. It's still non-consensual sex, therefore rape.

ETA: I hated that story on GH where Jax was raped and Carly and Jason made fun of him. It was obvious the writing agreed with them.

Edited May 7, 201213 yr by SweetPea36

A major soap cliché that I totally despise, is the Redeemed Rapist. I don't care how much charisma a show decides an actor has, once his character has raped, he should be gone. Dead, prison, I don't care where he goes, but he needs to be gone, never to be seen again.

I disagree, I don't think it impossible for a rapist to be redeemed as long as the show went threw an extensive process of show that he has changed. If the show can have murderers, arsonists, blackmailers, torturers, framers, baby killers, kidnappers, physical abusers, hitmen, drug lord king pins, gaslighters, corrupt law officials, sex trafficers, pimps, etc. all hanging around town doing horrible deplorable things on a daily basis I don't see why a person who genuinely feels bad about their actions couldn't eventually find redemption in a sea of people who are amoral, immoral and remorseless over their actions and worse continue to do horrible things to other people.

I don't particularly mind the redeemed rapist story if done right -- Jack from Days for instance was something I thought was well done. While RH's Todd was down right deplorable in nature after watching Marty get gang raped by three men.

I'm trying to think where that happened. I can't remember; can you help?

Sami raped Austin and no one cared. Jax was also raped by Ariena or whatever and Carly blamed him for it. Todd was raped by Margret and it was played as "karma! ha ha Todd!", etc.

Edited May 7, 201213 yr by Skin

Sami raped Austin and no one cared. Jax was also raped by Ariena or whatever and Carly blamed him for it. Todd was raped by Margret and it was played as "karma! ha ha Todd!", etc.

You didnt answer his/her question

I tend to agree with this, although I'll make an exception for those rare situations in which both of the characters are clear that it was consensual but some of the audience disagree.

Can you name a case like this? I hope you're not thinking of Ford and Jessica's retcon romance...

I too hate the redeemed rapist. Sometimes these show forget that their primary audience is female and that society has actually progressed. Being a rapist isn't hot, nor does it make you a woobie that just needs to be rescued by the right woman.

I disagree, I don't think it impossible for a rapist to be redeemed as long as the show went threw an extensive process of show that he has changed. If the show can have murderers, arsonists, blackmailers, torturers, framers, baby killers, kidnappers, physical abusers, hitmen, drug lord king pins, gaslighters, corrupt law officials, sex trafficers, pimps, etc. all hanging around town doing horrible deplorable things on a daily basis I don't see why a person who genuinely feels bad about their actions couldn't eventually find redemption in a sea of people who are amoral, immoral and remorseless over their actions and worse continue to do horrible things to other people.

Well, personally I don't like to see any of those people you mentioned presented as anything but villains or seriously mentally ill. BTW blackmailing doesn't exactly fit on that list...lol.

Edited May 7, 201213 yr by Darn

I'm trying to think where that happened. I can't remember; can you help?

The Johnny/Kate situation could qualify, as could the Sami/EJ one -- the consent was dubious on both levels one could argue. I also think Antonio/Jessica, Nash/Tess and Ford/Jessica could have been seen in the same or similar light.

You didnt answer his/her question

I thought the quote came from instances of male rape not being seen as rape.

Well, personally I don't like to see any of those people you mentioned presented as anything but villains or seriously mentally ill. BTW blackmailing doesn't exactly fit on that list...lol.

I think it's hard to argue morality in soaps because eventually everyone is selfish, has an agenda or is in some ways flawed or evil and ends up committing felony level crimes. It all comes down at the end of the day to if you "like" the character enough to forgive them for it or excuse them for their actions. When you look at it objectively soaps are filled with character who commit moral wrongs every day like breathing, with little to no remorse for it. Especially shows like GH, Y&R and Days where douchery for a lack of a better term is upheld as a system of value.

The Johnny/Kate situation could qualify, as could the Sami/EJ one -- the consent was dubious on both levels one could argue. I also think Antonio/Jessica, Nash/Tess and Ford/Jessica could have been seen in the same or similar light.

I thought the quote came from instances of male rape not being seen as rape.

No. I'm very clear. Male rape is rape. I don't make a distinction.

Those examples are all ambiguous. If the victim is unable to give consent, it's rape.

Ric raped Elizabeth on GH. She was drugged, and therefore not able to consent to sex. That makes it nonconsensual and that means it's rape.

ETA: I don't buy the justification that everyone is a criminal therefore rapists can be redeemed. I'm not talking about other criminal acts, I'm talking specifically about rape.

The most offensive part of the redeemed rapist stories is when the rapist and his/her victim become involved sexually after the rape.

Edited May 7, 201213 yr by SweetPea36

I was referring to David and Erica having libidizone-fueled sex on AMC. David spiked a drink for Tad with the drug, which was supposed to reduce inhibitions. Erica took it instead and (in her words) "pulled a Michelle Pfeiffer on the piano and came onto everything in pants" before David carried out of the Valley Inn dining room. They had sex in his hotel room, with her as the aggressor, literally ripping at his clothes, and yet there were some anti-David fans who insisted that it was rape because Erica was on drugs and commented afterward that she didn't know what had come over her and she felt drugged. Erica clearly remembered having sex and being an active participant in it, and she even later came to David's defense when he was arrested and even Dixie wouldn't stand up for him.

But some of AMC's fans never forgave him for that. It wasn't ethical, but to me it wasn't any different than a man having sex with a woman who has been drinking and is coming on to him.

Women passing out because they're pregnant. I hate this one. Ten seconds after the sperm hits the egg, the mom-to-be is written to do a faceplant--usually in front of her worst enemy. It's usually just an excuse to get the poor dimwitted female to a doctor so he can tell her that she's knocked up. Out of all the times my friends/relatives have been pregnant, not one of them has ever passed out in public. Not even the ones with difficult pregnancies. In fact, most of them have exhibited Herculean levels of strength. (One of my friends sang a solo at a community concert four weeks after her caesarian. Another puked up her guts right before a presentation on business contingency planning.) Honestly I think fainting should become vomiting because that's been the reality I've observed but I guess it's more romantic for the hero to rush a woman to the ER than it is for him to stand outside the ladies room while she pukes.

I was going to say this one too! Just about every pregnancy I see on soaps lately the woman has found out by passing out.

The most offensive part of the redeemed rapist stories is when the rapist and his/her victim become involved sexually after the rape.

~cough~ Luke and Laura ~cough~

I was referring to David and Erica having libidizone-fueled sex on AMC. David spiked a drink for Tad with the drug, which was supposed to reduce inhibitions. Erica took it instead and (in her words) "pulled a Michelle Pfeiffer on the piano and came onto everything in pants" before David carried out of the Valley Inn dining room. They had sex in his hotel room, with her as the aggressor, literally ripping at his clothes, and yet there were some anti-David fans who insisted that it was rape because Erica was on drugs and commented afterward that she didn't know what had come over her and she felt drugged. Erica clearly remembered having sex and being an active participant in it, and she even later came to David's defense when he was arrested and even Dixie wouldn't stand up for him.

But some of AMC's fans never forgave him for that. It wasn't ethical, but to me it wasn't any different than a man having sex with a woman who has been drinking and is coming on to him.

It isn't any different. That's why people have been convicted of having sex with impaired partners, which means they are non-consenting.

How is David and Erica different from spiking someone's drink with roofies and having sex with him/her?