Niamh's call: Toby v Rob

[lexi bee]

I was so struck by the recent discussions about Toby having Rob-like tendencies. I know the Rob storyline was hard to listen to, but I think one of the main educational takeaways was that this can happen to anyone at any time. And I feel these things happen on a spectrum from seemingly benign to fatal violence on the other end.

I have personal experience, and I think the best result from the storyline we all had to endure was that we collectively are more aware of the need to all be on guard for -symptoms- we encounter, whether they be in our own lives or things we observe in people we know.

I’m not saying Toby is an abuser in progress specifically but strong signs of selfishness in a partner are something we all need to look out for.

So whether Toby was ever going to be poised to mistreat Pip emotionally or physically, I think the people of Ambridge, her family, and Pip herself are now better equipped to recognize and deal with those symptoms quicker than they might have without learning through Helen’s experience.

Just as I hope all of us have learned, too.

[Emily]

I have been thinking about this too.

While Toby is not in anyway in Rob’s league when it comes to control and abuse, he definitely emotionally manipulates Pip. He doesn’t have the malevolence of Rob however – He is not a narcissist, but he is selfish.

I think all people are capable of emotional manipulation – I mean look at Jill telling pip she couldn’t have flapjacks. She bakes for her family because she loves them, and when she withheld flapjacks, she was in effect withholding love. (grossly overblown language – but go with me here). She did this because she knew it would really hurt Pip, and she wanted to hurt Pip.

I think what the Rob storyline has done brilliantly is that it has highlighted the ways in which anyone who is close to you, not just romantic partners, can use your feelings to manipulate you. Something that I think is particularly prescient for the festive season when families get together and emotions run high.

I have many other opinions on Rob and Towbee’s similarities and differences. But I am sure other people can express them more cogently.

[Miss Mid-City]

You can see many similarities between the most unpleasant characters. Being manipulative, arrogant and controlling are at least three of the common features of Rob, Toby and Justin.

I think it’s unfortunate that the writers seem to have put so much effort into creating horrible male characters. There seems little point in introducing a man who is actually interesting, pretty decent and well-rounded. The only person who kind of comes close to that description is PC Harassment Burns, for example, but no one (apart from Fallon) has particularly warmed to him. You could also throw Dr Locke in there but he’s been around before and his special gift seems to be creating emotional/romantic turmoil rather than contributing anything else more constructive. And in broad terms Johnny has been presented as a “good guy” rather than “bad” but he’s not had very much to do.

It’s one of the ironies of drama that the so-called interesting characters are people I would strive to avoid in real life. Don’t need them. Don’t mix with them. Don’t need the bother and the stress. But they seem to give rise to the most compelling stories whereas the decent even if flawed people which are more like the majority of real people are dismissed as “boring” and are often under-used.

Not sure why she was necessary but I’m waiting to see how the new vet turns out to be – one of the “good guys” or the bad? Perhaps no more than a plot device like Anna Tregorran? (Please God, we’ve seen the last of her.) I get the sense they ran out of things for Carol Tregorran to do so they need not have brought her back to the village, in my view. However, they seem keen to bring Kaz/Caz into the village to support Helen. But we already have Fallon and Emma.

Frankly, we have loads of characters in The Archers. There are many who are inexplicably silent at present. And for me right now the focus on the currently all-too-vocal characters with emotional angst and trauma such as Pip, Toby, Rex, Rob and Helen is wearisome.

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