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I couldn’t agree more. I also think that Tony is still willing to give Rob the benefit of the doubt because he is still not clear about who and what Rob is. Now we know that Helen’s reluctance to speak about what she had been enduring was down to her lack of understanding of what had been happening to her.
Intellectually I agree with Tony, but Patricia Gallimore’s line readings chilled my blood. If this were an American series Rob would have taken Henry off on Father’s Day, shot him and then himself. But this is the BBC so he just took him on a steam train and said some bitchy things about his mother.
Firstly Audreyanne, as a first-time forum poster, I was thrilled to get your response. It’s great to be able to communicate with fellow Archer/Dumteedum listenerinerers!
Carmina Burana, exactly re your intellectually agreeing with Toady, and your gut agreeing with Pat. Succinctly put. Regarding the American outcome: I think the insidious nastiness and revenge that Rob is exacting on Helen through taking Henry to see the steam engine, and his training of Henry to side against her are much more “effective” and typical strategies for someone like Rob, whose entire motive is to win the so-called game whilst destroying others, and to come out all-powerful at any cost. Shooting Henry and then himself would be far less satisfying and even inconceivable for Rob who is, after all, Voldermort returned in disguise.
Audreyanne, it’s good to understand a little more about why Helen was remaining silent regarding Rob. It seems that she’s feeling safer now and, being away from the constant gaslighting, along with making a new friend, is finding some distance from it all, is starting to get some perspective, and beginning to open up & make sense of things.
I’m sure there’ll be more drama and ups-&-downs, but let’s hope this is the beginning of a glimmer of light in what has been – and will probably be – a very long tunnel.
Excellent post Julie! I do think Rob will turn things around at the custody hearing to make them look bad and hopefully this will open up Tony’s eyes as well. I am guessing that Rob will keep custody of Henry for the time being but Pat & Tony may start to think more clearly about how they can further Helen’s case. Hopefully they will talk to Henry and realise how he is being manipulated by Rob.
I was married for five years to a Rob-type toxic narcissist (and yes, this storyline is hella triggering for me) and my own experience has taught me that the most effective way to deal with someone like that is to get away, stay away and cut all ties. Obviously this would make for boring radio, so the writers have not only made her have a child with him (permanent tie) but gave Rob the advantage of having Helen prove herself every bit as incompetent and unstable as he’s accused her of being (note: I have every sympathy with Helen but a woman who would attempt to stab her partner to death in front of her child is not a person I would trust having custody of that child.)
I’m in the camp that feels let down by the Archers writers for putting Helen in the wrong for the sake of ratings. I understand why they did it–and it sure worked–but it all brings me back to my favorite quote from my man Bernard Shaw, who was fed up to THERE with this sort of story line:
Crime, like disease, is not interesting; it is something to be done away with by general consent, and that is all about it. It is what men do at their best, with good intentions, and what normal men and women find that they must and will do in spite of their intentions, that really concern us. (from preface to Saint Joan)
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