Nah General is where it's all kicking off - I do love a good barney on there.

Haven't been there since the Pistorious trial.

I spend most of my time on there.

I used to...now I have an election to sort out.

Woops, went off topic. And Eastenders of course.

As long as the party of Ian Duncan Heydrich and oddly shiny-faced Bullingdon boy (a huge fan of fox hunting which shows the real person beneath the mask) does not win I will be a happy man.

Is it possible for someone to point me in the direction of a Carter family tree, please? I'm completely unsure of who is related to who, especially as nearly all the women mentioned re: Shirley, all look about the same age.

More Pictures > http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...ddaughter.html

^
I think that report just answered its own question. Deano has no recollection of what happened, thought he might vaguely remember bumping into Shabnam.

Doesn't Roya's foster dad look like an older version of Mick within receding hairline and a bit more weight? Weird given that Mick is actually her biological uncle.

That beware of the dog sign though...

I wonder if more photos will be released of Masood and Jane. Assume that Shirley's scenes were filmed first. Interested to know how this gets out in the first place. Shabnam only told Stacey who can keep a secret. She has no reason to speak to Shirley or Dean about anything. Unless she tells Kush and someone like Donna overhears it.

I wonder why the girl has only been fostered and was never adopted

I had a thought today about the Roya storyline and how it might intersect with Linda's rape storyline.

We know that Dean was drinking the night in the club with Shabnam. We also saw him drinking the night that he raped Linda. Does Dean turn into Mr. Hyde when drunk?

We assume right now that the encounter with Shabnam was consensual because Shabnam said nothing about being forced. I have had my doubts from the start that this is the case, however, given Shabnam's deep shame about what happened. While it could be that she assumes full blame for the incident due to her guilt at betraying her religion, it could also be that she was so traumatised by the experience that she simply defaulted to blaming herself.

Perhaps Shabnam was one of Dean's earlier victims and she is simply refusing to acknowledge that due to her guilt. Dean may truly not remember the incident if he was that drunk. This could have been repeated with Linda, although Dean clearly remembers more. He may have conveniently "forgotten" that he raped Linda rather than seduced her due to him being drunk.

So perhaps we have a pattern here - Dean gets very drunk and possibly angry around a woman and it doesn't end well for her. The satisfying conclusion that we're supposed to get regarding Linda's ordeal could very well be someone - probably a combination of Shirley, Linda, Shabnam, Masood, and Dean himself - realising that Dean has a problem with alcohol and sexual assault. Ideally this would end in Dean seeking treatment, giving a satisfying conclusion to the storyline. Dean could theoretically come back to the show after receiving treatment, which could then segue into a storyline asking whether or not the treatment for alcohol abuse/sexual offenses actually worked.

For whomever might ask, this idea does NOT leave Dean blameless for Linda's rape (or Shabnam's, if my theory is correct). He is absolutely to blame and should be held accountable for his behavior. Treatment for alcoholism and perhaps sexual offenses may, however, actually prevent him from doing this again.

Thoughts?

Thats exactly where we are..

Stepping away from this forum and looking at the story for what it is without being 'conditioned' into thinking it's crap and that Dean is 100% aware of his actions, I have actually allowed myself to consider this to be a possibly.

What we are being told by theTV mags/tptb/Matt DA is that Dean is in denial - perhaps he has wavered slightly on occasion when he has been backed into a corner but overall it does seem like they are trying to portray him as though he has deluded himself into believing that it was consensual - maybe he knows deep down and he is lying to himself and everybody else because it is easier than facing up to his actions? And has the double effect of saving his own skin?

A lot of us have assumed that Dean's comeuppance will be violence - but perhaps not. Perhaps TPTB are going somewhere different with this story (and no, I'm not saying this because of Matt DA's appearance - Charlie/Declan is more my type - but that's another story ).

I think there is a reason they made Roya, Dean's daughter - and contrary to popular opinion, I don't think it had anything to do with the Carters 'infiltrating' the Masoods story, and I also think making it a drunk one night stand was also done for a reason. Maybe Dean did assault Shabnam, maybe Linda wasn't the first - but maybe with Shabnam he was too drunk to remember (whereas with Linda, he does remember more) and with the constrictions of her religion - Shabnam didn't come forward - or was she too ashamed? Has she not completely entertained the idea that is was assault, yet? (hypothetically, if it was, that is).

I think that Shirley is the one who needs to realise about Dean in order for this story to progress - so maybe she does realise when it comes out about Roya? Maybe a combination of people prompt Dean to admit to what he has done and seek help? They have said he won't face court but maybe he will go into rehabilitation?

And why isn't Dean out there looking for Roya? Why is he not with Shirley?

Like you say, this is not leaving Dean blameless - regardless of circumstance, Dean still raped Linda and needs to be held accountable for his actions but maybe they might be taking this rape story somewhere different to the usual...

There's nothing to enjoy about the show at the moment. Yes, that's IMO and the question "why do you watch then?" is a valid one but just as much as you loathe the supposed negativity on here, I can't stand the "let's grin and bear it and never question TPTB" attitude. The show's shite at the moment and there's no reason at all why the people who share that opinion shouldn't make all the threads and posts they want. I'm not sure what you mean about the "seeing things a bit more clearly" comment? Thinking EE is even half-decent at the moment isn't the preserve of the enlightened among us. It's also a matter of opinion.

EDIT: To make the above relevant to the topic, this storyline also sounds rubbish and based on recent evidence, it's completely understandable why people are presuming this story will eventually focus on the Carters. The only Masood that really needs to be involved in this is Shabnam.

BIB Disagree. Shabnam will need, and get the support of her family and friends over this, and quite rightly. So that's Masood, Tam, Kush, Stacey, Denise and maybe even Zainab. Jane also becomes involved.

On the other hand no one in the Carter family, apart from Shirley, is going to give a toss about Dean's child, any more than they care about him.

Well said, Vald. If Buster is there, he may take an interest, maybe Tina at a push but the majority of characters involved will be linked to Shabnam. Denise will represent both sides.

This time two years ago Shirley had no grandchildren, by the end of this year she will have six. Wow.

Carly has a son (Jimmy) who she mentioned in her brief 2012 return.

Seen as DTC loves baby plots - next up will be Whitney by Lee or Nancy by Tamwar and that will Shirls first great- grandchild!

Wasn't Jimmy mentioned back in 2012?

Edit - just saw above post.

more boring Carter arguments to 'look forward' too....

You mean fast forward.

I really want to know why Shabnam confesses.