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Eastenders: The treatment of Lee Carter


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Old 21-08-2016, 10:04
Ancalagon
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Hello everyone,

So, with the news
Spoiler


I wondered what everyone thought about the way his depression story line has been handled?

Personally I think it's been a complete mess and a total joke! They have handled it with almost no sensitivity, Lee's behaviours and moods seem to be a source of annoyance to his family and Girlfriend with all of them showing very little understanding of the nature of mental illness.

Terms like "man up" or "get a grip" are just ridiculous, I don't know why they would undertake this story line if not to play it out properly! In fact more often than not he has just been treated like a "naughty boy" when he was not taking his pills etc

Perhaps it will be revisited properly now and form
Spoiler


What have the rest of you thought?
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Old 21-08-2016, 10:05
priscilla
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Storyline shit and so was the acting.
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Old 21-08-2016, 10:14
little-monster
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A mess
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Old 21-08-2016, 10:15
lux_aeterna
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It wasn't very good.
Hopefully it ends with an impact and not how it was carried about.
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Old 21-08-2016, 10:16
Adrian_Ward1
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I'm shocked he's been axed
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Old 21-08-2016, 10:19
Ten_Ben
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The story should have been okay in itself but it's drifted too much and many viewers probably forget about it which doesn't help.

Plus the fact that Lee was never a cheeky, happy-go-lucky, bouncy character in the first place - he's always had plenty of problems to deal with, so Lee with depression (whilst not unreasonable) isn't a lot different to how he's always been, so he's always come across as downbeat and somewhat dreary. I know that's part of the storyline, in that his friends and family haven't noticed a big change in his personality - and that's probably very realistic - but it's all combining to not come across particularly well to us viewers.
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Old 21-08-2016, 10:21
Ancalagon
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The story should have been okay in itself but it's drifted too much and many viewers probably forget about it which doesn't help.

Plus the fact that Lee was never a cheeky, happy-go-lucky, bouncy character in the first place - he's always had plenty of problems to deal with, so Lee with depression (whilst not unreasonable) isn't a lot different to how he's always been, so he's always come across as downbeat and somewhat dreary. I know that's part of the storyline, in that his friends and family haven't noticed a big change in his personality - and that's probably very realistic - but it's all combining to not come across particularly well to us viewers.

This is a really good point! I agree. I think EE ere trying to say "look even a big strong confident army guy can get depression" and that getting help or talking about it is not shameful- however they have totally failed.
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Old 21-08-2016, 11:33
jamauk1
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He had some terrible storylines, and the acting of them wasn't that great. Initially when he came into the show and it was revealed he was from an army background living and working in the Vic, I did wonder if DTC was trying to recreate the whole Grant thing (ex-paratrooper, with anger issues). But all that was created was a monotone voice and confused facial expressions.
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Old 21-08-2016, 11:47
starry_rune
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Hello everyone,

So, with the news
Spoiler




Personally I think it's been a complete mess and a total joke! They have handled it with almost no sensitivity, Lee's behaviours and moods seem to be a source of annoyance to his family and Girlfriend with all of them showing very little understanding of the nature of mental illness.


What have the rest of you thought?
The truth is, Eastenders are being true to life. What would your employer say if you told him you had depression?

"Oh I understand, you'll be late some days and your performance will be down some days"
"have 6 weeks off and a paid holiday in the sun"

People have a terrible understanding of mental issues, from the dangers of sleep deprivation, the cognitive decline of shift workers, right up to the various mental illnesses.
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Old 22-08-2016, 10:17
Ancalagon
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The truth is, Eastenders are being true to life. What would your employer say if you told him you had depression?

"Oh I understand, you'll be late some days and your performance will be down some days"
"have 6 weeks off and a paid holiday in the sun"

People have a terrible understanding of mental issues, from the dangers of sleep deprivation, the cognitive decline of shift workers, right up to the various mental illnesses.
I'm well aware that there is a huge misunderstanding of mental health issues. To be honest, in this day and age and employer does have to take such things seriously- though granted you wouldn't get any "special treatment" such as 6 week holidays.

I just think EE should of showed Lee's family at lest come to a better understanding of what he is going though.
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Old 22-08-2016, 11:18
joe gillott
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Handled badly and over shadowed by everything. It's a shame he got axed as he needed proper material and screentine to develop. Whitney should be axed as I don't see what she has to stick around for once Sonia, Linda and Lee go.
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Old 22-08-2016, 12:02
xItzDannyx
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I posted this on another thread but I'll post it here as well...

The story is in no way a bad one, but I do have a few problems with it if I'm honest. I think my main problem with Lee's Depression storyline was the amount of depth it could have gone into compared to the amount of depth it did. We saw Lee suddenly change from a cheeky ladies' man (who admittedly had a few problems) to a moody and reserved shadow of his former self, which is admittedly realistic, but it's the scenes in the doctor's that stick in my mind. Instead of exploring how Lee felt with him opening up properly and describing his emotions and thoughts, we had Mick constantly answering for Lee and getting told off, which I felt took away from the scene. A majority of the scene in the doctors was the doctor asking Lee how he felt, but Mick answering for him, and then the doctor saying "Mr Carter" "Lee needs to answer himself" "Mr Carter" "I'm going to have to ask you to step outside if you persist" blah-di-blah. IMO that scene should have been an emotional scene with Lee opening up to the doctor and his Dad, instead of having Mick making it all about him. Having Mick constantly answer for Lee not only meant that they didn't delve deep enough into Lee's emotions and thoughts, but it also made Mick look arrogant and controlling, whilst also adding nothing to the story as all it did was make it harder to empathise with Lee. It could have been one to rival Johnny's coming out scene, but it turned into a scene with Mick butting in and making it all about him if that makes sense.

It's a shame DBH didn't get more to do, as he never really got to show how good of an actor he is IMO.
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Old 22-08-2016, 12:19
Foxster Hotpot
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Thought it was good in the beginning, well portrayed and well acted by DBH and goof that they were giving Lee a decent storyline of his own. Block storytelling with the story disappearing and an unsatisfying and seemingly rushed conclusion let the whole thing down. I think Lee's depression was one of the stories chief among those that were let down by the way the stories have been told under DTC.
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Old 22-08-2016, 12:43
Aaron_Silver
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Handled badly and over shadowed by everything. It's a shame he got axed as he needed proper material and screentine to develop. Whitney should be axed as I don't see what she has to stick around for once Sonia, Linda and Lee go.
I'm with you on this Joe, I also liked Lee and agree he should have been developed, but now that he is going, and with the lack of family and really not much of a place for her anymore Whitney should also go.
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Old 22-08-2016, 15:47
Scorpio87
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For me the character of Lee always had potential thats never really been tapped into. Firstly i think he was indirectly the victim of the short sightedness of killing off Lucy. Admittedly they may have become as tedious and boring as Lee/Whitney under the same writers, but i think from re-watching their scenes Lee and Lucy could have been the perfect match which made his relationship with Whitney very forced in an effort to develop Lee but more as an excuse to keep Whitney on the show by shoe horning her into the new 'main' family. Since they got together its always felt a bit second best and hasn't rung true.

The depression story if developed well could have really elevated the character but with so much being crammed into the show all at once the story didn't really take priority so therefore its come across a bit as dull filler and tokenism. I always got the impression it was done purely because Johnny's coming out scene had been so well recieved that they wanted another scene to show what a great Dad Mick was and therefore Lee admitted his depression to Mick; cue hordes of tweets about 'Mick Carter best Dad eva!!!'. After this though the story was just sort of, finished. It was more about strengthening Mick/Danny Dyer's fanbase on the show when it should have been about Lee. I know depression isn't the sort of storyline that can take huge plot twists and headline grabbing sensationalism but it could have been portrayed (not by DHB he did a good job with what little he's been given) but by the writers producers investing in the storyline beyond one scene every now and again mentioning it.

I can see the reasoning behind axing Lee; being dragged down by chemistry free relationship with Whitney that's really not got much scope for a future storyline wise; not really being a huge priority in the Carter family yet not really having any real links outside of them may have made the character an easy target. Personally i'd rather they kept him and axed Whitney, at least shes had a good crack of the whip storyline wise than Lee has. Shame.
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Old 22-08-2016, 16:39
cas1977
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I think that unless EE wants to commit most of its timeslot to a storyline about depression then it's always going to fail. Plus, having a mediocre actor trying to carry it off will obviously make it all the more tedious and boring to watch.

I think writing and acting out a depression storyline is far too sophisticated for a soap to tackle. Meaning it's far too complicated, intense, too many layers to delve into, and to make it really work, they'd have to devote too much time to one actor in order to carry it out.

And I think it'd be actually as boring as hell to sit there watching this for half an hour when we all watch EE for entertainment and out of habit!
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Old 22-08-2016, 16:55
Harlowe
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It failed because of the writing and development of the storyline, which is strange considering how much effort they put into Stacey's mental health s/l, Lee's was just like a filler plot every couple of months, there was zero concentration on it, other then the deep chats to make Mick look big.

Lee is a victim of the Mick effect, if its not directly link to him and making him front and centre then there little point to progress it.
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Old 22-08-2016, 17:09
vaslav37
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Lee has been given shoddy writing and Danny-Boy has been weak in the role.
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Old 22-08-2016, 19:05
Peg ODwyer
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Lee always came across as a bit of a drip, & the depression didn't seem to make much difference. In any case, I won't miss is gloomy appearance. I wish the actor well in his future.
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Old 22-08-2016, 19:36
0...0
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The doctor was going to offer him a lobotomy, but cancelled it when he realised no one would notice the difference.
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