I fear for Shirley Carter.
Friday's episode saw her drunk and atop a mess of scaffolding, singing at the top of her voice and being comforted and advised by Jean.
Jean, I ask you!
I am not a fan of Jean's. I admit that I don't subscribe to the idolatrous fanworship she inspires on many Eastenders' fora - specifically Digital Spy. I also don't find her exempt from criticism because she's a character who suffers from bi-polar disorder. Many of Jean's foibles occur, not because of her medical condition, but because Jean is a simpleton's simpleton. In short, she's pig-shit ignorant.
But for some reason, TPTB alternate her from being a craven idiot, chasing after older men and screeching "Sausage surp-r-i-i-i-s-e!" at every opportunity - perhaps the men are running from her because they think she knows something suprising about their anatomical sausages - to moaning mummy going on and on ad nauseam about what a saint her murdering daughter is to veritable sage and village wise woman, able to see within the depths of a person's soul and render sound advice.
Personally, I preferred Ethel and her tea leaves.
Anyway, Shirley was reduced to weeping in Jean's arms, after being reminded by Ben's birthday card to Heather (the woman he brained) that Shirley had, herself, forgotten Heather's birthday.
This is the same Shirley Carter, who sauntered, unashamedly, into Walford in 2007, looking to reunite with her children after walking away from them when they were little more than infants. This was the Shirley Carter who was tough as old boots and lived by her own wits, loving and leaving a trail of men in her wake.
Now, this is the same Shirley Carter, who's content to live with a man who doesn't love her. Oh, she loves the bones of Phil Mitchell, which is why she's staying with him, in futile hope of one day receiving his true and undying love. In the meantime, she's content to live off the emotional crumbs from his table, unknowing of the fact that he and his son have both betrayed her love and devotion. Phil's son, Ben, who was actually the first Mitchell who bonded with Shirley, killed Shirley's best friend, Heather. Phil helped Ben hide the evidence.
Viewers who really care about Shirley - well, viewers who really care about Shirley except Digital Spy's infamous forum member, Monalisa, were screaming at their screens when Shirley discovered Phil's infidelity with his own Auntie Glenda. After Shirley despatched the hapless Glenda, she turned to Phil and demanded that he promise fidelity only to her, but Phil couldn't and wouldn't.
"That's just the way I am," he shrugged, mindful of the fact that within hours they were supposed to be married. Well, they didn't get married; but Shirley stayed with him, knowing that she was nothing more to him than a friend with benefits, and that her tenure in his household lasted only as long as his good humour (or, now, until she discovers that Ben was Heather's murderer and Phil helped him conceal the fact or until a certain Mrs Rickman sashays back into Phil's life, whichever occurs first).
Fact is, Shirley's become Phil's doormat. OK, I would expect a woman like Tanya to stick like glue to Max, even though she knows that eventually he'll want a bit of variety and go off on a cheating binge again, only to return when he gets bored or found out. I wouldn't expect anything else from Tanya, because everything Tanya's achieved, she's achieved off the back (or underneath) whatever man she happened to be with. Tanya cannot exist without a man.
But Shirley ... Shirley was originally the epitome of a strong woman. She had the potential to be the Pat of her generation - an abysmal mother to her own brood, who successfully takes on the sprogs of the man she loves and becomes their Lady Madonna, a trollope who stares down her detractors with defiance, learning never to judge anyone because she would have, at one time or another, stood in their shoes. A protector of the weak, herself.
Now, not only has she become utterly craven for Phil Mitchell's love, but she's also the unwitting victim in the biggest and cruelest deception, possibly ever revealed on Eastenders - a deception which will leave her totally bereft, abandoned, alone and isolated.
What then?
I fear the worst. I fear that Shirley will depart Walford, much as she came, alone. A really strong woman, in the real sense of strength, is reduced, again by Kirkwood, to a quivering mess. She will have lost Heather, her best friend, whom she alternately mothered and bullied, and Phil, the love of her life who never really loved her.
If TPTB had any imagination or any integrity whatsoever, they'd bring back both of Shirley's children. Matt di Angelo (Dean Wicks) has finished filming Hustle and has developed into a fine young actor. Kellie Shirley has always said that John Yorke promised the Wicks's siblings a return at some point. Besides, Shirley's role as a mother to her children was never fully explored, since Diederick Santer decided to axe the siblings when Phil Daniels, who played their father, decided to leave the show after two years (as he'd promised to do).
We never learned why Shirley walked out on three small children, one of whom was disabled and subsequently died. We know now that she really left her husband and children for Heather, because Heather became the constant in her life for the next twenty years. She was her friend, who protected her from Heather's awful mother - yet Shirley could be just as awful and bullying to Heather. At times, she treated her like a surrogate child. We know from Heather that Shirley "dropped" Heather the moment she met and fell in love with Kevin, and when Dean briefly moved into Shirley's flat, Heather felt abandoned and jealous of the attention Shirley lavished on her son.
We also never knew why Shirley had two one night stands with strangers (sound familiar?), resulting in Dean and Carly being born, why Kevin took her back after her numerous infidelities and why he raised her children as his own. We never knew the answers to any of this, because as soon as the Wicks brother and sister left Walford, their mother ceased to mention them and focused all her attention on either Heather or Phil - at times, both.
But instead of developing Shirley in the direction of bonding with her children, I expect it would be easier for her to be shunted from Walford. After all, she's hard and over forty, and there's a younger and more attractive hard-edged slapper about to leave a loving husband, herself, who's ready to take centre stage as the next booze-sodden, ageing slapper.
What a crime to waste Shirley as a character!
Friday's episode saw her drunk and atop a mess of scaffolding, singing at the top of her voice and being comforted and advised by Jean.
Jean, I ask you!
I am not a fan of Jean's. I admit that I don't subscribe to the idolatrous fanworship she inspires on many Eastenders' fora - specifically Digital Spy. I also don't find her exempt from criticism because she's a character who suffers from bi-polar disorder. Many of Jean's foibles occur, not because of her medical condition, but because Jean is a simpleton's simpleton. In short, she's pig-shit ignorant.
But for some reason, TPTB alternate her from being a craven idiot, chasing after older men and screeching "Sausage surp-r-i-i-i-s-e!" at every opportunity - perhaps the men are running from her because they think she knows something suprising about their anatomical sausages - to moaning mummy going on and on ad nauseam about what a saint her murdering daughter is to veritable sage and village wise woman, able to see within the depths of a person's soul and render sound advice.
Personally, I preferred Ethel and her tea leaves.
Anyway, Shirley was reduced to weeping in Jean's arms, after being reminded by Ben's birthday card to Heather (the woman he brained) that Shirley had, herself, forgotten Heather's birthday.
This is the same Shirley Carter, who sauntered, unashamedly, into Walford in 2007, looking to reunite with her children after walking away from them when they were little more than infants. This was the Shirley Carter who was tough as old boots and lived by her own wits, loving and leaving a trail of men in her wake.
Now, this is the same Shirley Carter, who's content to live with a man who doesn't love her. Oh, she loves the bones of Phil Mitchell, which is why she's staying with him, in futile hope of one day receiving his true and undying love. In the meantime, she's content to live off the emotional crumbs from his table, unknowing of the fact that he and his son have both betrayed her love and devotion. Phil's son, Ben, who was actually the first Mitchell who bonded with Shirley, killed Shirley's best friend, Heather. Phil helped Ben hide the evidence.
Viewers who really care about Shirley - well, viewers who really care about Shirley except Digital Spy's infamous forum member, Monalisa, were screaming at their screens when Shirley discovered Phil's infidelity with his own Auntie Glenda. After Shirley despatched the hapless Glenda, she turned to Phil and demanded that he promise fidelity only to her, but Phil couldn't and wouldn't.
"That's just the way I am," he shrugged, mindful of the fact that within hours they were supposed to be married. Well, they didn't get married; but Shirley stayed with him, knowing that she was nothing more to him than a friend with benefits, and that her tenure in his household lasted only as long as his good humour (or, now, until she discovers that Ben was Heather's murderer and Phil helped him conceal the fact or until a certain Mrs Rickman sashays back into Phil's life, whichever occurs first).
Fact is, Shirley's become Phil's doormat. OK, I would expect a woman like Tanya to stick like glue to Max, even though she knows that eventually he'll want a bit of variety and go off on a cheating binge again, only to return when he gets bored or found out. I wouldn't expect anything else from Tanya, because everything Tanya's achieved, she's achieved off the back (or underneath) whatever man she happened to be with. Tanya cannot exist without a man.
But Shirley ... Shirley was originally the epitome of a strong woman. She had the potential to be the Pat of her generation - an abysmal mother to her own brood, who successfully takes on the sprogs of the man she loves and becomes their Lady Madonna, a trollope who stares down her detractors with defiance, learning never to judge anyone because she would have, at one time or another, stood in their shoes. A protector of the weak, herself.
Now, not only has she become utterly craven for Phil Mitchell's love, but she's also the unwitting victim in the biggest and cruelest deception, possibly ever revealed on Eastenders - a deception which will leave her totally bereft, abandoned, alone and isolated.
What then?
I fear the worst. I fear that Shirley will depart Walford, much as she came, alone. A really strong woman, in the real sense of strength, is reduced, again by Kirkwood, to a quivering mess. She will have lost Heather, her best friend, whom she alternately mothered and bullied, and Phil, the love of her life who never really loved her.
If TPTB had any imagination or any integrity whatsoever, they'd bring back both of Shirley's children. Matt di Angelo (Dean Wicks) has finished filming Hustle and has developed into a fine young actor. Kellie Shirley has always said that John Yorke promised the Wicks's siblings a return at some point. Besides, Shirley's role as a mother to her children was never fully explored, since Diederick Santer decided to axe the siblings when Phil Daniels, who played their father, decided to leave the show after two years (as he'd promised to do).
We never learned why Shirley walked out on three small children, one of whom was disabled and subsequently died. We know now that she really left her husband and children for Heather, because Heather became the constant in her life for the next twenty years. She was her friend, who protected her from Heather's awful mother - yet Shirley could be just as awful and bullying to Heather. At times, she treated her like a surrogate child. We know from Heather that Shirley "dropped" Heather the moment she met and fell in love with Kevin, and when Dean briefly moved into Shirley's flat, Heather felt abandoned and jealous of the attention Shirley lavished on her son.
We also never knew why Shirley had two one night stands with strangers (sound familiar?), resulting in Dean and Carly being born, why Kevin took her back after her numerous infidelities and why he raised her children as his own. We never knew the answers to any of this, because as soon as the Wicks brother and sister left Walford, their mother ceased to mention them and focused all her attention on either Heather or Phil - at times, both.
But instead of developing Shirley in the direction of bonding with her children, I expect it would be easier for her to be shunted from Walford. After all, she's hard and over forty, and there's a younger and more attractive hard-edged slapper about to leave a loving husband, herself, who's ready to take centre stage as the next booze-sodden, ageing slapper.
What a crime to waste Shirley as a character!
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