This time it is Eileen who I am finding myself annoyed with, what she is doing is not right, no matter how she dresses it up. Paul is in a very vunerable position, sure he needs a friend, but that doesn't seem enough for Eileen.
I don't really know how Eileen can look poor Lesley in the face after what she has done, Lesley, when she is herself, seems to be a lovely woman, and it's easy to see why Paul married her. Fireman Paul is obviously heartbroken at what is happening to his wife, and might feel the need to go running to another woman, but I don't think this is what Paul needs.
Paul simply needs a shoulder to cry on, and someone to support him, Eileen on the other hand needs to sort her life out, what she is doing is morally wrong and frankly, quite disgusting, I hope she sees sense and ends it with Paul, but I somehow can't see it being that simple.
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20 comments:
I think it shows a very complex situation. Eileen is desperate for a fella. Paul is desperate for a shoulder to cry one. Lesley is desperate for proper care. None of them are getting what they want or deserve. It'll end in tears.
What Flaming Nora said. Morally grey areas are interesting, black and white situations less so!
I agree with you Chewy - it doesn't sit comfortably with me either.
Also the fact that Eileen and Paul just don't look right together, he's puny compared to her.
There's a lot of selfish people on that street (Eileen, Peter, Carla - to name but three).
At least Eileen showed some kind of integrity yesterday at long last, when they were quite appallingly embracing with the poor sick woman in the next room a couple of feet away! Poor Lesley’s face when she caught them was awful. It’s Paul I cannot abide, with his side parting and odd taste in outer wear and blatant advantage taking and neediness. Do the couple have absolutely no other friends or family or children or even insurance to cover renting a place whilst there’s is uninhabitable? They have known Eileen only a matter of a few months. I hate this story, I think it’s crass that Paul should jump beds and bedrooms and put his wife in the same house as his sex partner. Its very uncomfortable viewing and has ruined Eileen in my opinion
As I've followed this story, all along I've thought that I would probably do the same thing. Paul is gorgeous, and in a way he's lost his wife, she's not the woman he married. I know it seems morally wrong, but I can understand it completely.
I actually know a real life situation where this has been going on for years -- the wife has been sick, homebound and the husband and his "mistress" go out regularly and even gone cruising/vacationing together.
It's indeed uncomfortable when you first find out about it, but what can you do? People get lonely esp. in middle age when it's hard to date, find new friends. The "mistress" and the husband met each other by accident much like Eileen met Paul -- the two never set out to find a "lover" but once they met (in hospital -- one's a healthcare worker), they did make the decision to engage in this long affair.
The marriage vows -- sickness and in health -- they're probably more frequently broken than kept! Eileen is headed for a broken heart most likely but that's not stopped people from engaging in romances and love affairs with inappropriate people-- it's soap opera and it is life. This is a far more interesting storyline than the awful Peter-Carla affair.
I think it would be realistic if Rita had a chat with Eileen and spoke from her own experience. Rta afterall dated Anthony in the early noughties whose wife was in a residential home. - Micky
So I suppose Eileen will be the next pregnant one on the Street so she and Julie can be pregnant together and all move into Eileen's house and live happily ever after.
He's puny compared with her!!
Seriously! How shallow is that. What! bigger girls should only have bigger guys?
I like Eileen, always have. Sure she hasn't always made the best choices, but who of us always does.
Agreed this set up is not ideal and some think it's morally wrong, but it's easy to judge when you're not in the situation and not facing the same choices. Some people divorce their husband/wife, some people stay with them and only them, and others go the way of Paul.
I guess you really don't know how you'd react until you're in the situation and facing the same choices, and even then you can only do what's right for you.
And yes I know it's just a soap!
KC
This is far less morally reprehensible than Carpet. Weak man cannot stay faithful for even a year of marriage. Woman pursues "best friend's" husband. Child's world is shattered. That's far more uncomfortable viewing and a much better target for moral outrage.
The paul and Eileen story was potentially much more interesting, but has not been well done. Paul and Lesley moving in with Eileen is contrived, unnecessary and adds nothing but discomfort. It just doesn't make sense that Eileen should put herself out/offend her family for a virtual stranger. By far the best thing about the story is Lesley, who is written and acted very well.
I agree that this really important issue has not been well handled. The relationship has been rushed so we haven't had a chance to watch Paul and Eileen wrestle with their feelings. Consequently, I don't feel anything much for them. Lesley's character has been drawn very well and you can see how the writers took advice about how to portray someone with dementia. But left to themselves, the writers have cobbled a story together which is not credible. Insurers would stump up the money for temporary accommodation and I don't believe Paul and Eileen would feel comfortable about their relationship with Lesley so nearby. It would have been much more believable, and dignified, if they had tried to maintain a discreet relationship which Julie rumbled after some time rather than flaunting it down the pub. There is a little hint of 'it doesn't matter what we do because Lesley won't know' and I find that distasteful. If I'm supposed to find it distasteful then I suppose that bit of the story line works.
I agree that the shattering of Simon's home life is far more distasteful.
Eileen is good-hearted and takes everyone into her home; but this storyline makes her look bad because, as mentioned above, they're kind of behaving like "so what, Lesley's losing it, so she won't catch on".
~JB in Canada
Please resurrect Dennis from the dead for Eileen.
I like big guys and they're always with skinny chicks; opposites attract, I guess. No one knows what they would do if faced with this situation and it's ridiculous to judge other people's reactions from the safe vantage point of your high morals. I agree with the other poster, grey areas are interesting and what keeps soaps going.
This story should have been built up slowly, with Eileen and Paul becoming friends and she supporting him and their love affair growing from that. Instead we had her leaping into bed with him within days or even hours of knowing him. Its made it all rather sordid for me, I find Paul irritating, and miscast, and agree that the best in this story is the actress who plays Lesley who is first class. Blundering Eileen who is so desperate to have a man or even half of one is not comfortable viewing. Lazy and sloppy writing again has ruined which could have been a very good, informative and heart rendering story. Now I just cant stand the sight of gormless Paul.
@ Anonymous (KC): "He's puny compared with her!!
Seriously! How shallow is that. What! bigger girls should only have bigger guys?"
Shallow be buggered! It's a simple fact, Paul looks ridiculous alongside Eileen.
I'm sorry..but Eileen and Paul getting all kissy face makes me cringe. Is the character that desperate that she goes crawling after the husband of a desperately sick women? I can see Lesley setting fire to Eileen's house and Paul with perish in the flames when he goes in to save her (Lesley) and that will be the end of this sad little scenario.
@ Dilly Daydream.....I think you forgot to add "In My Opinion"....because obviously, not everyone agrees!!
KC
In defense of Dilly Daydream, isn't it a given that all these comments are in the poster's opinion. Doh!!
I don't think any of us should get high and mighty and condemn Paul and Eileen as no one knows what you would do if faced with a similar situation. People fall in love with their hearts and it just happens. I think the actors are doing a fantastic job of acting. The Peter-Carla saga irritates me. Carla is always carrying on with someone else's partner and it is worse this time because there is a child in the picture.
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