Monday, September 3, 2012

The Difference Between Phil and Heather and Phil and Dennis

Please, let's differentiate between the part Phil played in Heather's death and the part he played in the death of the fragrant Saint Dennis Rickman.

First, let's look at the victims.

Heather was a totally innocent victim. OK, she could be manipulative (The Hazel wedding competition storyline was evidence of that). She could be deceptive, and she clearly was incapable of looking after herself. But Heather was one of the truly better characters in the show.

Dennis, on the other hand, albeit the vulnerable bad boy, had committed a cold-blooded murder. He was easily manipulated and when he often didn't get his way in one way or another with Sharon, drifted back to his BFF Andy Hunter and did his bidding. (Remember how he brutally beat Alfie Moon on Andy's behalf?) 

So Heather was nice and Dennis was not-so-nice (but he was pretty, so that made up for all of that, or he had an horrific upbringing, so that made up for all the bad stuff too, or he fucked and loved Sharon, so that made absolutely everything peachy-keen.)

Way back in 2005 - New Year's Eve, to be precise - Jonnie Allen threatened Sharon, grabbed her by her pregnant neck and pinned her against the wall. (Sound familiar? Phil did the same to Shirley a couple of weeks ago). Sharon had until midnight to get out of Walford with her husband Dennis, so she convinced him to flee with her to Florida to live.

Now, I buy the fact that Sharon lived in Florida. Legally. But there's absolutely no way in H-E-L-L Immigration and Naturalisation would have allowed Dennis Rickman a Green Card - even if he were married to a woman who had one (and I seriously doubt Sharon had a Green Card; more realistically, she may even have become naturalised, herself, but that's another story). Why? Because Dennis had a criminal record. Believe me, the last thing the US wants is someone else's ex-cons; but, again, that's a different story.

Let's call it one of joy of pat's misguided artistic licence moments.

Anyway, Sharon confided in Phil what Jonnie Allen had done to her and begged him not to tell Dennis. Why? Because she didn't trust Dennis not to retaliate against Jonnie, and she knew Jonnie was the stronger bad guy. But Phil told Dennis, because he knew what Sharon knew - that Dennis didn't have any real common sense, that Dennis wouldn't stop and think - "Hey, wait .. I've got a pregnant wife and a new life waiting for me. I can let this shit drop because that geezer would more than likely make me toast for his breakfast."

Instead, Dennis assumes the beetle-browed imitation of angry and barrels in on Jonnie, beating him within an inch of his life, but throwing him his mobile phone before he leaves, so Jonnie can call an ambulance. (See? No common sense). Result? In less than a New York minute, Dennis is dead at the hands of Danny Moon, one of Jonnie's henchmen.

Sharon asked Phil not to betray a confidence, and Phil did. That's as far as it goes. Dennis, a grown man, then took matters into his own hands, and beat the shit out of Jonnie. Phil didn't tell him too. Phil didn't force him by any means. Phil did not break the law. Actually, Dennis did, because if he hadn't been stabbed, he could have been nabbed. (After all, Jonnie lived and knew who'd done this to him).

Question is: Would Sharon forgive him? My answer? Of course, she would, although maybe not right away. She's still basking in the afterglow of Saint Dennis, but deep down, Sharon knew Dennis was a loose cannon who didn't have very good common sense and whom she had to guide. She'd come around to appreciate that if Dennis was incapable of realising that there was more than one way to defend his wife and unborn child, then he got smacked  dahn.

Actually, Sharon had much the same sort of relationship with that other infamous loose cannon, Grant Mitchell. This is why Sharon and Phil make such interesting watching as a couple: they are equals.

Who knows about what Phil did? Peggy does, and she's gone. Grant does, and he's gone. Danny and Jake Moon know and they're dead. Well, we think Jake is. Jonnie Allen knows, and he's dead. Phil hasn't told Shirley. Phil knows.

Even if Sharon eventually knows, the most Phil would cop would be a smack around the gills.

Now, let's look at Heather.

Phil's son, Ben, killed her. If you watch this segment, when Phil has discovered Ben with Heather's body, his first impulse is to contact the police:-


It's only after Ben levies a guilt trip on Phil, by acting like the scared, little kid, asking Phil to make it better, does Phil go into "protective parent" mode.

Phil is going to shield Ben, concoct a cover-up to Heather's murder which will deceive even Shirley, Phil's partner and Heather's best friend.

Phil is covering up an actual murder and, in doing so, becomes an accessory to the crime. 

This is against the law. And now Shirley knows about it.

This is the information with which Shirley is drunkenly teasing Mo and everyone else. She has the means and the wherewithal to put Phil Mitchell behind bars for a long time, but she doesn't, because she loves him.

This is the difference between Phil and Dennis and Phil and Heather.

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