Emmerdale and racism

[Deleted User] · 30/09/15 - 01:03

Nice to see this topic covered despite it being difficult to do at 7 at night. Do you think the story will continue or was it a one off?

danyell · 30/09/15 - 01:10

Hate Eric at the moment. Val was no saint but I think even she would be ashamed of Eric's vile behaviour!

Adrian_Ward1 · 30/09/15 - 04:44

Very Well done Emmerdale

Alleycat666 · 30/09/15 - 08:39

I think at heart Eric isn't a racist - he's lashing out at Rakesh for his (as Eric sees it) betrayal in representing Chrissie. The way I see it is that Priya and he will break up over this whole thing and ultimately I can see Rakesh and Chrissie getting together.

What I hope that doesn't mean though is David and Priya getting back together - it would be nice to see them having both moved on but being friends and good parents to Amba (in the same way as ED have done with Andy and Debbie).

Oldnjaded · 30/09/15 - 09:03

It was a ridiculous idea which clearly came out of nowhere. You could practically see Kate Oates stood behind Eric clutching a shoehorn marked 'issue'. :kitty:

It was very unfair to dump it on Eric, who is no racist - heck, I seem to recall he married a Filipino girl back in the 90s.

In his initial remark to Rakesh about 'your kind' he was referring to lawyers and only when Dopey David jumped on to his moral high horse did he lose his temper and lash out, simply to make a point. A very ill-judged point of course, but we know he's not been thinking straight about anything since he lost Val. To me Dopey David was the one looking stupid with his laughably heavy handed lecture to Eric back at the house.:kitty:

glen20 · 30/09/15 - 09:08

Oldnjaded wrote: »

It was a ridiculous idea which clearly came out of nowhere. You could practically see Kate Oates stood behind Eric clutching a shoehorn marked 'issue'. :kitty:

It was very unfair to dump it on Eric, who is no racist - heck, I seem to recall he married a Filipino girl back in the 90s.

In his initial remark to Rakesh about 'your kind' he was referring to lawyers and only when Dopey David jumped on to his moral high horse did he lose his temper and lash out, simply to make a point. A very ill-judged point of course, but we know he's not been thinking straight about anything since he lost Val. To me Dopey David was the one looking stupid with his laughably heavy handed lecture to Eric back at the house.:kitty:

Yes - Dee I think her name was. Didn't Eric also work with Danny Daggart in the antiques barn?

It was David who made the situation worse by so obviously drawing attention to it. His lecture to Eric didn't half seem forced and OTT.

[Deleted User] · 30/09/15 - 09:24

Oldnjaded wrote: »

It was very unfair to dump it on Eric, who is no racist - heck, I seem to recall he married a Filipino girl back in the 90s.

That really doesn't prove anything.

Having said that, I don't think Eric is racist either and it could be argued that Rakesh 'played the race card' to send out a marker to any villager who wants to criticise him.. Personally i think it is a storyline that should be explored but I realise the difficulties of making it realistic in that time slot.

EddyBee · 30/09/15 - 09:50

Oldnjaded wrote: »

It was a ridiculous idea which clearly came out of nowhere. You could practically see Kate Oates stood behind Eric clutching a shoehorn marked 'issue'. :kitty:

It was very unfair to dump it on Eric, who is no racist - heck, I seem to recall he married a Filipino girl back in the 90s.

In his initial remark to Rakesh about 'your kind' he was referring to lawyers and only when Dopey David jumped on to his moral high horse did he lose his temper and lash out, simply to make a point. A very ill-judged point of course, but we know he's not been thinking straight about anything since he lost Val. To me Dopey David was the one looking stupid with his laughably heavy handed lecture to Eric back at the house.:kitty:

Totally agree.

TrebleKing · 30/09/15 - 09:54

Even the most naive could see Eric meant lawyers when he said that. To have a character like Rakesh interpret it like that was atrocious writing. Very disappointing from the writers.

[Deleted User] · 30/09/15 - 09:56

Being mixed race myself I enjoyed it

Enjoyed what David said too

Alleycat666 · 30/09/15 - 10:00

TrebleKing wrote: »

Even the most naive could see Eric meant lawyers when he said that. To have a character like Rakesh interpret it like that was atrocious writing. Very disappointing from the writers.

I think Rakesh was deliberately goading him to be honest - he knew what Eric meant...

Littlegreen42 · 30/09/15 - 10:51

Oldnjaded wrote: »

It was a ridiculous idea which clearly came out of nowhere. You could practically see Kate Oates stood behind Eric clutching a shoehorn marked 'issue'. :kitty:

It was very unfair to dump it on Eric, who is no racist - heck, I seem to recall he married a Filipino girl back in the 90s.

In his initial remark to Rakesh about 'your kind' he was referring to lawyers and only when Dopey David jumped on to his moral high horse did he lose his temper and lash out, simply to make a point. A very ill-judged point of course, but we know he's not been thinking straight about anything since he lost Val. To me Dopey David was the one looking stupid with his laughably heavy handed lecture to Eric back at the house.:kitty:

and if it educates a few viewers then what the hell is wrong with that?

Glendarroch · 30/09/15 - 11:18

I agree, Eric was talking about lawyer, Rakesh goaded him and Eric responded. If David had at least half a brain he'd have realised that. It was Takesh who came out of it badly IMO. If Eric hadn' t been in such a state he would have realised straight away what Rakesh was up to.

I found the whole thing very clumsy. Did David really not realise that what his father said could have been deliberately misinterpreted?

Although of course there was no need for Eric to abuse lawyers.:D

[Deleted User] · 30/09/15 - 11:41

Littlegreen42 wrote: »

and if it educates a few viewers then what the hell is wrong with that?

It is not the purpose of a TV SOAP Opera to "educate".

A TV show such as Emmerdale cannot give sufficient time to explore all sides of any given issue therefore any "education" it offered would be of very dubious benefit.

It has no remit to "educate" its an entertainment.

[Deleted User] · 30/09/15 - 11:43

Glendarroch wrote: »

I agree, Eric was talking about lawyer, Rakesh goaded him and Eric responded. If David had at least half a brain he'd have realised that. It was Takesh who came out of it badly IMO. If Eric hadn' t been in such a state he would have realised straight away what Rakesh was up to.

I found the whole thing very clumsy. Did David really not realise that what his father said could have been deliberately misinterpreted?

Although of course there was no need for Eric to abuse lawyers.

You should take every opportunity to abuse lawyers >:( (unless there's an estate agent in the vicinity who would take precedent naturally ^_^ )

Glendarroch · 30/09/15 - 12:06

Justabloke wrote: »

You should take every opportunity to abuse lawyers >:( (unless there's an estate agent in the vicinity who would take precedent naturally ^_^ )

:D:D
Had some bad experiences I take it????:o:D

Oldnjaded · 30/09/15 - 12:25

Justabloke wrote: »

It is not the purpose of a TV SOAP Opera to "educate".

A TV show such as Emmerdale cannot give sufficient time to explore all sides of any given issue therefore any "education" it offered would be of very dubious benefit.

It has no remit to "educate" its an entertainment.

Exactly. And if it feels it must shoehorn in the occasional 'issue', then it has to flow seamlessly as part of the natural flow of the storytelling. Otherwise it's just a cack-handed clumsy attempt to force an issue down the throats of viewers who mostly don't need it. I doubt many National Front and BNP members sit home watching ED of an evening anyway. :kitty:

[Deleted User] · 30/09/15 - 12:53

Glendarroch wrote: »

:D:D
Had some bad experiences I take it????:o:D

Let's just say I'm divorced and leave it at that

:D

[Deleted User] · 30/09/15 - 12:57

Oldnjaded wrote: »

Exactly. And if it feels it must shoehorn in the occasional 'issue', then it has to flow seamlessly as part of the natural flow of the storytelling. Otherwise it's just a cack-handed clumsy attempt to force an issue down the throats of viewers who mostly don't need it. I doubt many National Front and BNP members sit home watching ED of an evening anyway. :kitty:

given the ludicrous parody of life that soaps offer the viewer, I really don't know why they bother with "ishoos" anyway. Its not gonna make the shows any more relatable or relevant.

Oldnjaded · 30/09/15 - 13:06

Justabloke wrote: »

given the ludicrous parody of life that soaps offer the viewer, I really don't know why they bother with "ishoos" anyway. Its not gonna make the shows any more relatable or relevant.

No, soaps are pure escapism these days, but I suppose that given that those, along with interminable crappy game shows and reality shows, are all the 'mass majority' watch, TPTB feel obliged to make the effort occasonally. ;-)

[Deleted User] · 30/09/15 - 13:10

Oldnjaded wrote: »

No, soaps are pure escapism these days, but I suppose that given that those, along with interminable crappy game shows and reality shows, are all the 'mass majority' watch, TPTB feel obliged to make the effort occasonally. ;-)

They probably get extra money for every issue they shoehorn in...

Orchideam · 30/09/15 - 13:33

This is not how I see this line in the story. Imagine Rakesh was white British and this same comment by Eric was made, it would have been taken in the right context - solicitors. It was Rakesh who jumped in on the race card, because he could, making thick David also see it in that light. It was not in any way what Eric meant. I think it's a switch on racism, showing that sometimes even a non-racist comment can be used against someone innocent. And yes, it does happen.

Eric is no racist, but Rakesh does have a chip on his shoulder.

loddellbosh · 30/09/15 - 16:02

Alleycat666 wrote: »

I think Rakesh was deliberately goading him to be honest - he knew what Eric meant...

It was obvious Eric meant lawyers, and when he said the line I jokingly said "Ooh, racist" but didn't think ED were going there.

Rakesh was trying to wind Eric up and he stupidly took the bait.

CarlLewis · 30/09/15 - 16:17

i thought it was lame.

i will Sky+ the show for the next few days and fast forward any of those bits..

sunny day · 30/09/15 - 16:19

loddellbosh wrote: »

It was obvious Eric meant lawyers, and when he said the line I jokingly said "Ooh, racist" but didn't think ED were going there.

Rakesh was trying to wind Eric up and he stupidly took the bait.

He did take the bait though and what he came back with about the elephant was racist and can not be taken any other way

sunny day · 30/09/15 - 16:20

Orchideam wrote: »

This is not how I see this line in the story. Imagine Rakesh was white British and this same comment by Eric was made, it would have been taken in the right context - solicitors. It was Rakesh who jumped in on the race card, because he could, making thick David also see it in that light. It was not in any way what Eric meant. I think it's a switch on racism, showing that sometimes even a non-racist comment can be used against someone innocent. And yes, it does happen.

Eric is no racist, but Rakesh does have a chip on his shoulder.

Telling someone the 'get back on their elephant' is racist....

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