Exactly, it seemed to lose the balance and get bogged down with sensationalism and ridiculousness, especially in the last few years.

What a brilliant episode that was, a good mix of comedy with a darker storyline. And especially since the consent issue does affect students and especially during Freshers week.

Yes, that was a good episode.

Well that was interesting, they had said that we would be conflicted and we wouldnt see her say no but it would be open to view points

I felt he was totally in the wrong, they were both drunk, but she said she was tired and it looked like she fell asleep
Could have done without Tegan and Harry for that story

A really decent episode. I actually laughed rather than cringed at the little touch of humour with Cleo losing Mercy's hoop earring, and the scenes with the students enjoying themselves didn't seem manafactured.

Poor Ellie. Although I'm not rushing into taking any side as Nick genuinely didn't seem to know what he'd done wrong. Although this happens frequently it doesn't seem like 'consent' is tackled much in soaps. I also hope people don't claim it's a copycat of the Gilly/Jacqui story as there are already evident differences.

Its nothing like that story, she said no a number of times

Both were drunk, she kissed him, invited him home, took more booze, sat on the bed with him, did everything other than said do you want to have sex, because she was so drunk

I'm conflicted and I'm not in anyone's corner at the minute. While Ellie was tired and looked like she was about to fall asleep, she kissed him several times and lee him to her bedroom. The question is, was she asleep when it happened? That we don't know and if she was, it changes everything. They were both hammered. I do feel for Ellie, don't get me wrong but i don't see nick as some kind of dean wicks like rapist either. However it is a important issue to tackle and this does happen. I like that this story is not black and white and that there is bound to be conflicting opinions. Strong episode.

This storyline was meant to spark debate, and it probably will, but from where I stand there is no ambiguity in this. She did not consent. He raped her.

Poor Ellie idk for me she was really drunk, Nick did not seem out of it like Ellie.. but it's a good story to tell.

The Freshers party was fun I enjoyed those scenes.

I agree, you are a drunk guy. you go to a girls bed room after kissing all night you assume you are getting laid

Also being drunk he wouldnt be thinking clearly, you cant consent if drunk anyway

Though she kissed him, he didnt consent to that

I think they cut off the scene a little too soon to be on anyone's side.

From what we saw Ellie was leading all the way and only started losing attention near the end of the scene, so Nick wasn't in the wrong.

But what happened after that? Did Ellie get some energy back and carry on with Nick and just forgot about it? Or did Ellie pass out and Nick saw that and carried on? Or was Ellie awake enough for Nick to assume that everything was fine?

From what we saw, I can't blame Nick and I don't blame Ellie for not remembering. That's as far as my opinion can go because they didn't show us enough.

There was a similar story on the show Switched at Birth, a drunk girl not remembering if she consented, it lead to all the characters around her calling the guy a rapist, who was then expelled from the college. I hope it doesn't go that way with HOs, not remembering doesn't mean you said 'no', but at the same time it doesn't mean you said 'yes', it means that you don't remember.

Inviting someone into your bedroom is not consent. Kissing someone is not consent. Taking your clothes off is not consent. Consent is when you say yes and participate in sex.

No, Nick isn't a misogynistic rapist like Dean Wicks and obviously not out to do her any harm. But he is entitled enough to think that she had given him the green light when she clearly hadn't. He is a rapist.

Exactly. The story is not black and white so it's difficult to put characters in victim/villian boxes that you normally do. It's like you said, we don't know enough. Ellie did not consent but she didn't say no either. The scene cut out before we could see what happened. Did she pass out? Did she carry on kissing him but can't remember because she was so intoxicated?

I understand what you're saying, really i do but how many people honestly, when extreamly intoxicated, say I wanna have sex or yes, let's do it etc? You hear about, know, or see situations when two extreamly drunk people rip each other's clothes off and they put it down to a drunken one night stand the next morning. For the record, I'm not saying that happened to Ellie and I'm not taking anything away from how she feels. I'm not even saying that nick didn't rape her. For all we know, he did but for me, from what little we did see I'm not sure either way. It's too ambiguous but each to its own.

Good evening everybody, and thanks for the thread, Winter - just starting to watch now.

"I wanna show this college exactly who Zack Loveday really is." - a bad actor with appaling pronunciation, y'mean?

Tegan and Nick....... really????

I'm not sure what's worse - Tegan's hair, or her dress.

Wish my memory was like that!

I like to blank her and her family out mentally

So The Dog has no burglar alarm???? And that wallpaper???

They're making this a date rape SL ....

But the point is, men (and women for that matter) should understand that a person who is that intoxicated is not able to give consent.

I don't think there's more to this scene then what we saw. I don't think that down the line we're going to learn that she became a little more conscious and consented. I think they cut where they did for a reason.

If Ellie had been ripping his clothes off then it would have indicated her intent to sleep with him, obviously. But she didn't. So there's no point in even discussing the issue in relation to that. Yes, people get caught up in the moment but it takes one second to ask if a person is sure and to get an answer. Its really not that ambiguous. Surely its just common bloody sense if you've just met the person.

Anyway, I don't mean to criticise you personally. There's nothing wrong with trying to understand both sides, I suppose. Although I'm personally unable to do that in this case because it seems clear cut to me at this point.

All I can say is that I hope this storyline changes minds.

I really didn't like that episode and hate what Hollyoaks are trying do. It undermines the seriousness of rape and might make people think that people who report rape are over exaggerating.

Black bra and pink pants??? I'm sure Ellie would be co-ordinated ....

I think it was badly scripted (unless we find out better). Nick does not seem a predator and they were both really drunk and the whole thing would have been consensual IMO. Is HO trying to send out a message pre-freshers week?