Brilliant post, completely agree.

I agree, if anything it should have been the other way round! She should have gone to her father's funeral even if it was without Dean - to honour her father. The funeral was about Stan FGS, she could have left Dean with Buster if she thought he needed looking after. The wake is basically just a get together afterwards and non-essential in the grand scheme of things, you can toast someone anywhere but to miss her father's funeral because she was digging her heels in about Mick declaring he didn't want Dean there and her with all that 'don't make me choose' tripe? FGS, how old is this woman? You do the right thing and the right in this instance was attending her father's funeral. I can't actually believe she didn't go the way her and Stan were reconciled at the end. Besides, even if she had taken Dean to the funeral I doubt very much that Mick would have started in the church! Linda would have kept him in check.

But to be deliberately inflammatory and turn up at the wake like that was ridiculous. Hope Mick turfs the three of them out.

Another thing before I forget. Linda asking to see her rapist alone. It wasn't exactly an empty house was it? I would bet my last penny that Shirley had her ear up against that door and, I know she has her faults, but there's no way she'd have let anything happen to Linda. If she heard one thing she'd have been in there like a shot! Look how she protected Lola? Nah, they might not have shown it but there might as well have been three in that room!

They showed Shirley and Buster were outside during the confrontation. But if Dean had given any indication of harming Linda and Shirley had overheard then Shirley would have protected Linda, I have no doubt about that. She did protect Lola, I think she wavered in that ep but it does seem like she fully believes Dean, currently.

Well that's another angle why she'd have had her ear up against the door isn't it? If she genuinely believes that Linda was lying then she'd want to protect Dean from having accusations like that made again.

IMO there's no way her (and even Buster) weren't listening in. So it's even more frustrating that Mick burst in before we got a confession out of Dean! Damn!

While the confrontation was going on, they showed Mick spot Buster and Shirley standing outside the B&B together.

I just want him to confess now! I just feel like I am watching and just waiting for the truth to out, even though I know the conclusion is no where in sight.

Did they? I must have had my eyes on my laptop I'll have to have another look, lol!

Oh well, there's that theory down the pan then

Mind you, rather remiss of Shirley, I thought she'd be listening like a gossipy old woman lol! Thought her mind would immediately jump to thinking Linda was up or she better not leave the house just in case!



It's ridiculous how long they're stretching this out for. Can't believe Matt is still filming which most likely means that Shirley STILL doesn't know the truth.

Yep, Mick left the pub and bumped into Bill, asking him if he had seen Linda - then it showed Mick look across the square and panned to Shirley and Buster stood outside the B&B.

It really is ridiculous. And the fact that Matt is still filming doesn't leave me with much hope for a conclusion any-time soon. At least if Shirley found out, that would be a step in the right direction, however they are still on good terms come the end of May and if they are filming late Jun/early July now - this could be stretched out until the birth of Linda's baby - maybe even after. I like the Carters but TPTB have taken this too far, imo.

They were outside but they were right outside the lounge window. If Linda had started to scream, they'd have heard it. I know she didn't scream last time but she'd be more 'prepared' this time so less likely to freeze I think. Kim was also in the house and she would be the type to listen in at the door.

*smacks myself on the head*

Of course! That's exactly what they're doing. They still want Dean there when the baby is born.

No doubt one minute they'll be having a DNA test then the next putting off. Perhaps Dean wants to get one and Mick repeatedly refuses to wind him up (let's not pretend that Linda will have a say/be listened to *roll eyes*) and so on and so on until they eventually let us find out (Xmas storyline maybe? Just which xmas!) "Who's The Daddy!".

I wish we still had a roll eyes smilie. A rape reduced to a paternity battle.

This is a really good point which I hadn't even considered. As far as I'm concerned she knows Dean raped Linda but refuses to face up to it / admit it. However, you're right, even if she truly doesn't believe Dean raped Linda she does know something went on and Mick cannot bare to be near Dean because of it. In fact the whole family can't so why doesn't she care about Mick and her grand kids feelings in this

Because she doesn't care about a single person more than she cares about herself. Her kids, her grandkids, her lovers, her friends only exist in her life when it's convenient for her or when she can use them for something. She doesn't recognise or care about their feelings - the endgame is always about what she wants.

In fairness, that's been her character trait since she came into the show, it wouldn't be realistic to expect any different now.

In this case though, it's almost like she gets a perverse joy out of provoking Mick and trying to get Dean beat up - even if you take the rape aspect and Linda's feelings out of it, what sort of mother would risk one of her son's getting beat up and the other one getting arrested, on the day of her father's funeral no less, to petty point score?

Yes, I agree with you and Shrinking Violet.

Even if she does believe it was consensual she must recognise that Dean is as much to blame as Linda for the sex itself and Mick is the innocent party so why is she rubbing his (and his children's) faces in it this way? To punish them for believing Linda's lies about the rape?

If she had any concern for the family as a whole she would keep Mick and Dean apart and recognise that Dean is the one out of her two sons that has done wrong.

So, frankly, even if she does believe Dean is innocent of the rape allegations, she is still behaving badly.

I have only started watching EE again recently (although frankly this story is putting me off again) but I get the impression it is about control. She wants to be matriach with her 'boys' but Linda is an impediment to that. Rape story aside I get the impression Shirley is eaten up with jealousy of mick's love for Linda and the fact she isn't first in his life and she tries to provoke something she is never going to get and she hasn't got any emotional maturity to see that how she reacts will only ever be counter productive. Even if she has doubts about the rape her treatment of Mick is reprehensible but it does seem driven largely by a hatred of Linda.

I do wish they would write Nancy and lee showing a bit more anger in defence of their mother, they seem far too accepting of what is going on which surely isn't realistic and nice woman though Linda is I do hope that at some point she gives Shirley some home truths rather than always trying to be so compliant.

Agree with every word of this.

I agree with this as well.

Shirley has never liked Linda, always seen her as a threat to her relationship with her 'boy' and wanted rid.

This rape has just strengthened that. Linda is the troublemaker, she is the one that is the 'poison' in the family. In shirley's perfect little world, Mick will realise that his Jezebel of a wife tempted his little brother in such a way as he was powerless to resist so Mick kicks her out, forgives Dean and shirley has both her boys, grandchildren and Pub with Linda banished forever.

In fact Shirley gets the result that Peggy Mitchell did back in 95 when Sharon was blamed entirely for her affair with Phil, left and the brothers more or less reconciled with Mum taking over the Vic.

Linda and Shirley got along before the rape, they fought but they had several nicer scenes too, Shirley told Linda she was good for Mick, even last week Shirley said that Linda was a better woman than her and thanked her. I don't get the impression that Shirley hates her at all. I think the animosity stemmed from the fire.

There was a certain amount of sarcasm in that remark and she was pointedly staring Linda out when she made it clear she would never be her friend - it seemed pretty obvious tthat she despises Linda.

I can't remember specific scenes unfortunately (might have to try and rewatch, i still have most stuff since last April recorded) but I'm sure there was stuff early on which indicated Shirley's resentment of Linda and a sense that she wanted Mick to 'choose' her over Linda. Not in as great a way as kicking her out obviously but small stuff like winning about getting her name above the door, getting to move in, agreeing to lock ins.

They had come round a bit but I'd hardly say their relationship was warm.

She has certainly said things like Linda wanting her out and being the poison within the family since the rape. I really do believe that she would like her gone for good.

Yes, i agree.

BIB: This has to be one of the best Shirley related posts I've ever read on here. Spot on, bravo.

As to the rest of your post, I have no idea. I think I can categorically say that most mothers wouldn't be acting in this way. I said something similar in a post the other day that I haven't got a clue why she keeps waving Dean in Mick's face like a red flag when she saw Mick go for him at christmas and what Mick's capable of.

It does make me wonder if (perhaps without even realising it) she resents Mick because when he found out she was his mother didn't fall into her arms with joy (like she might have imagined). She might not be pleased that he's been pretty cold about it and is finding ways to hurt him because he didn't live up to her imagination? It does make me wonder though as pre-rape Mick was the one on a pedestal who was quite obviously the favoured child but now? She's backing Dean and backing him very publicly, continually 'choosing' Dean when at times (like Stan's funeral) there was no need, she could have gone without Dean (and indeed should have).



Agree with the whole post but particularly wanted to highlight your last comment.

It's like she thinks Dean is wholly innocent of anything but then again, this is Shirley. SHE cheats on Phil with Sharon's fiancée but it's Sharon's fault. Dean 'cheats' with Linda but it's Linda's fault. When in doubt blame the woman lol!

I agree too.