I think we are all in agreement that the rape storyline has ruined both Dean and the Carters but given that DTC did want to cover rape within a family unit, would it have worked with a different family?

E.g.

The Brannings: Derek/Tanya
The Masoods: Zainab/Inzaman (Masood's brother)

Although I suppose they also wanted to show that "ordinary" men can rape, not just thugs/bullies.

I've thought for a while this would have been a good story for Kat, Alfie and a recast Spencer.

Mick wasn't close to Dean and it was obvious to everybody he'd believe Linda so there wasn't much tension.

Spencer could have returned outwardly still the same nice, sweet slightly goofy guy who seems innocent and gets on well with everybody but with occasional flashes of being disturbed due to some incident while he was away. He always got on well with Kat and could have become increasingly attached to her, confiding in her about his troubles and then eventually raping her.


When Kat finally tells Alfie what happened, Spencer plays on Kat's reputation and insists she lead him on, came onto him, the sex was consensual. Kat protests her innocence and insists it was rape.

Who does Alfie believe? The viewers know Kat is completely innocent but does Alfie trust her after the previous affairs, or does he trust his brother who he is close to and believes to be a nice guy?

I think that could have been great drama.

That sounds like it could have been a lot more successful. It could also have challenged another horrid belief about rape; that promiscuous women can't be raped.

I think if it had been another family fewer people would've been making excuses for the rapist, but beyond that, I expect the same complaints may have come up about the victim having to get over it and stop being so miserable, or her spouse having to stop being upset about it, or it dragging on, yada, yada, yada.

The rape plot wasn't the problem for the Carters imho, it was the tacking on if the Shirley/Mick story and the timing of Stan's death at the same time, it meant the victim got sidelined.

I don't think the rape has ruined either Dean or the Carters, and I think they were the right family for the story. That said, there are plenty of things about the storyline I would have done very differently.

I agree the Shirley/Mick story was unnecessary but I disagree about Stan's death - it raised awareness of prostrate cancer and Stan passed away peacefully in Shirley's arms which was good. It also meant the family being forced to try and pull together for Stan's sake which created tension and drama.

I agree. I hadn't even considered that possibility. I wish they had that instead of the Kat/Derek affair. That way, Roxy and Alfie would also have stayed good friends. They could even have had Alfie confide in Roxy over the dilemma and Roxy be there for him as a friend.

It would have worked without Dean. And I also think it was too early to do a rape plot on such a new character and family.