If anyone needed a friend right now, it is Carla. Yes, she has Peter, and Ken is being kind but part of her agony and guilt is reinforced by the fact that Roy is not on her side; in fact it would not be an exaggeration to state that he has removed his friendship from Carla, as well as forcing her out of her home with him. What’s more, he has removed the friendship at exactly the time when she needs his affection and loyalty, not just his disapproval and judgement, which he is offering, I believe, a little too freely.
Carla has most certainly been less than careful and her ignoring of the roof problem ended in the tragic death of Rana. Her guilt at Rana’s death, her rather cavalier approach to ensuring fully that her staff were safe, are going to stay with her for the rest of her life: she can never be fully at ease with herself; her failure to act will punish her far more than any prison sentence could.
Carla’s reputation is in tatters. Her own family support is at best weak and at worst wholly adequate. Yes, of course Kate is aggrieved but Carla had no intention whatsoever to hurt a hair on Rana’s head. Kate is adamant that Carla killed Rana and that none of her family should have anything to do with her. I would be interested to know what others think, but it seems to me that Johnny has not performed his duty as a father to Carla, distracted as he has been by Kate’s very real and profound grief.
Carla has endured a myriad of insults, and it seems inevitable, that there will be more to come.
And so to Roy… I think I’m right in saying that she has moved out and is living at Ken’s with Peter, and that both men are kind and concerned. Carla tells Ken that she wishes she could make it up with people. Viewers will remember Ken talking about seven maids and seven mops, from The Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll. I’m not sure Carla understood the reference nor am I sure I did. Anyone?
Ken tells her that you can’t erase the past and its consequences, but you can try to ameliorate the effects of what’s happened. Change those things you can as you go forward. A lot of people are worried about their jobs after the accident, Ken reminds Carla.
‘If you could take that concern away it might help.’
‘It won’t bring Rana back though, will it? And it won’t stop people hating me.’
‘Nor will fixating on her death. Saying how sorry you are, isn’t going to buy you forgiveness, Carla. You have to express your remorse through meaningful deeds, not words which will only sound hollow, however well meant.’
Wise words Ken and very well intentioned.
Wise words Ken and very well intentioned.
Carla takes Ken’s advice and goes to speak to her employees. Again, their reaction indicates just how much she needs Roy. Most of her employees are hostile and quite rude, especially Beth, who does seem to enjoy kicking as woman when she’s down.
In a scene in Roy’s café, we witness a very pensive Roy. Brian wants to know what it is that weighs so heavily on Roy’s mind. It is Carla, he tells Brian
Of Carla, Roy says, ‘This is about right and wrong. What Carla did was utterly deplorable. I feel enormous affection for Carla as did Haley, but her moral compass and mine are rarely in alignment.’ Brian chips in to say, ‘When it comes to morality, you have a GPS not a compass. It can be hard for people to measure up.’
‘You think I’ve been harsh? But she behaved badly. It was a complete abdication of duty to her employees.’
Roy is spotted leaving the cobbles by Carla, who is lurking in a doorway. She asks Brian, ‘Where’s Roy going?’ Brian tells her he has to get away. ‘When’s he back?’ she demands.
‘No idea. When things are less stressful for him.’
Friends, such as Roy and Carla, at times of difficulty, need to be together. Carla is at fault – undoubtedly, but Roy has deserted her when she needed him most. What can be gained by his absenting himself from her? If he is, as he states, and as we all believe him to be, very fond of her, why has he barely met her eyes since the factory collapsed? He is nobody’s judge or jury - he is a friend. It is frustratingly disappointing. To criticise Roy, really sticks in the craw and it’s something I thought I would never have to do.
By Ruth Owen, twitter: @Ruth1722
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14 comments:
Good post. I agree that Roy would definitely take the higher ground on this issue, but to completely abandon her when she's obviously falling apart is not only cruel, but it is not like Roy. Cruelty isn't in his nature.
The writers are doing Roy a disservice by this storyline.
This is a fantastic post, Ruth!
As much as it frustrates me that Roy is acting so cold to Carla, I do think it is actually a bit of a blessing in disguise. I believe Roy is often perceived by the audience as the moral compass of the street, very rarely making mistakes and even rarer on passing judgment on others. However, it is not realistic that Roy is without flaws. While he and Carla are very different, they do share a common flaw: they do not properly deal with their own personal issues.
Roy never dealt with his mother's death properly; his sleepwalking was affecting not only himself, but put Alex in danger, and affected Carla who was not sleeping for worrying about him as well. She begged him to speak to someone but he didn't, and ultimately led to him sleepwalking and causing the boat fire. But Carla has protected Roy, (misguided as her decision was, it was done to protect him and she took the blame on herself stating that she'd rather go to prison herself than Roy.) and not for the first time: she and Anna Windass protected him from being implicated in Hayley's decision to end her life. He had every right to be appalled that Carla covered for him and she absolutely deserved to be called out for it, but his coldness towards her was not very 'Roy'-like, and as he said "it's a relief to be taken off that pedestal". (Perhaps that was a nuance from the writers that his character would be portrayed a bit more flawed?)
Roy once said about Carla, “she has a heart the size of Lancashire,” and I think there are few characters on the street that see that Carla genuinely: that she wears a façade to the world but is quie a broken woman underneath – Hayley saw it first, Roy, Peter, Ken, Nick, (although you wouldn’t think it the way he’s been acting since his return…) Michelle, Aidan and Johnny, while the others struggle to see past it.
I don’t feel that Roy has completely turned his back on Carla. I think the fact that he showed that he was so conflicted about kicking her out, shows his struggle between his moral compass and his struggle with friendship. Roy has always struggled with interacting with other, but eventually warmed up to people in the way they needed it most. He is quite comfortable with Carla’s hugs and affections towards him in a way that he struggled with, at first, after Hayley’s death. I think he is overwhelmed with how his relationship with Wayne and Carla has put him in an uncomfortable position with the community. Him kicking Carla out, felt more like a disappointed parent who while needing space and needing to show that their actions will not be tolerated, still loves their child. I think when Roy comes back it’ll be with a much clearer mind, and he will be the one to ultimately pull Carla back from the brink – perhaps discovering and having a better understanding of his own flaws as well.
The writers have specifically caused this rift between Carla and Roy so that she will disintegrate. Roy, like the other characters who are currently shunning Carla, will regret his behaviour just after Carla's stand-alone episode. All will be well in a few weeks. The question is not whether Carla survives. She will obviously, unless Alison King wants to leave, but how much she will have changed as a result of her ordeal. With previous knock-backs, she soon recovered, having learnt precious little. And, by the way, this storyline is ruining Peter which is the biggest crime for me.
Jeanie (anon):
I find it a bit hard to comment on Roy's behaviour (and Kate's)towards Carla when it is so obviously plot-driven and has very little to do with their personalities. Carla needs to be driven to the point of collapse so that she can have her mental health issue/storyline and the stand alone episode. Therefore everyone suddenly starts to treat her with excessive cruelty and harshness. Roy kicks her out, Kate--who is a pretty kind-hearted, fair person--denounces her with a demonic fury, Johnny and Jenny don't have much time for her despite the tragedy of Aidan's death (surely they'd be concerned?!), Nick is exceptionally nasty about it all, and Beth is putting the boot in despite being part of Carla's plan to outsource. So, I find discussing these characters' behaviour a bit pointless since their actions are all set up to advance the mental health story. Sort of like when Sean suddenly lost his whole safety net and employment in a matter of weeks so he could have his brief homeless stint!
The thing I find intriguing are
1.the dynamic with Peter. That is creeping me out--the slimy way he is all over as her mental health deteriorates when--back when she was stronger--she wouldn't have given him the time of day. Peter is really milking her vulnerability for all its worth; and it's interesting how Carla, despite being so broken, doesn't really seem to trust or count on him.
And 2. why now, for Carla? I mean this woman has been struck by disaster and ostracized countless times and always bounced back stronger than ever. She was raped and falsely blamed for Kal's death, all in about one year, and it didn't seem to phase her. So if none of that could bring her down, why this?
Jeanie (anon):
Ha ha, Humpty: you've taken the words right out of my mouth but expressed yourself a lot more succinctly! We must have been typing at the same time. :)
Didn't phase her? I'm sorry I don't think we've been watching the same programme.
Carla's rape was the beginning of her downward spiral. She never dealt with it properly; Frank was found not guilty and then tormented her in the factory, with almost everyone on the street believing she lied; she was then accused of murdering him, and being set up by his mother who actually murdered him. When the truth came out, no one apologized or acknowledged this, with the exception of Sally and that was only because Carla approached her first to see how she was (Sally having known for weeks the truth that Frank raped Carla and never stepping forward). They acknowledged Carla's struggle with the aftermath when she and Peter returned back from LA and he casually brushed off how much she was suffering with the memories, and she ended up leaving for a short time. And when she came back, she never brought it up again, instead throwing herself into this relationship with Peter and losing bits of that strong woman she was in her previous relationships.
She miscarried a baby she never thought she wanted, while being blamed for Tina's death. Fast forward a year later, she was being vilified on the street for the deaths of Kal and Maddie, which while it wasn't an accident on her behalf, was believed to have been so, but the entire street acted as though she tied Kal and Maddie up in her apartment and set fire to it, Tony Gordon style. She broke down from the guilt, choosing to self destruct by gambling away almost everything she had, and nearly killing herself in the process (the second time she almost committed suicide, btw which in and of itself is a massive red flag that has been brushed off...) And when Tracy was discovered as the actual culprit, where was the sheer contempt for Tracy that there was for Carla? No where to be seen, the neighbours all having exhausted themselves with the I hate Carla campaign. Again no apologies or acknowledgment to Carla, save for Alya who wanted to save her job after trying to close down Underworld to exact her revenge.
Enter Johnny 'I'm only admitting I'm your dad because your brother is blackmailing me' Connor. Admitting he never intended to say anything because he didn't want to hurt 'his kids'.
So I have to respectfully, to you Jeanie and Humpty, disagree. I believe that Carla's breakdown was a long time coming. Everything that occurred since the rape has been cracking at the mask she wears to the world. As Alison King had mentioned in an interview, Rana's death which is inadvertently at her negligence to repair the roof quicker, "is the breaking point... it is cumulative of all the life trauma that has happened to her. She is that strong person who has carried on for too long and not asked for help or dealt with anything properly - her upbringing, finding her father, the rape, losing the baby, the disastrous relationships, the death of Aidan. She is at snapping point." I know the actress will be phenomenal in showcasing the heartbreaking reality of psychosis, but i just hope the writers engage all she mentioned above and not just make it about Rana's death. It's so far deeper than that.
I ramble, I know... :)
I have not yet seen this episode, but the reference to the 7 maids and 7 mops describes something of such vastness that even with a lot of people and a lot of effort, the problem could never be resolved.
I'm not actually surprised at Roy's reaction. I think he is guided by a very black and white sense of right and wrong.
I'm more disappointed in Johnny. He is too busy worrying that Kate might repeat her brother's actions that he hasn't stopped to consider if Carla might be more likely to follow in Aidan's footsteps. Aidan's mental health problems stemmed from him being shunned by his family, ironically over a problem with the factory roof, and he sadly never recovered. You would think Johnny would try to be there for Kate and Carla in equal measure instead of tiptoeing around his youngest daughter.
What wonderful detailed analysis here from all of you who have commented - thank you so much. What brilliant fans Corrie has. Rubyrosebuds - thank you for your maids/mops explanation.
Even though I'm across the pond, I love coming to this site for the articles, and even more so for the comments.
It's so nice to get actual fan's takes on our favorite show, from both the articles and the comments, because both stem from fans!
(Heck, I don't even visit the Canadian site because I can resist spoilers! Even my hubby and son are always plying me for details about what happens next! lol)
Thank you - now it makes sense.
That’s great C in Canada - do stay with us!
Carla’s acting is blowing me away - we’re in Michigan and been watching for 48 years now (comes to us through a Canadian station), and Carla only gets better. I know what they’re doing with Roy’s character but it’s killing me to watch him do it.
I must weigh in.
Carla has always been a car crash. She enjoys playing games and let's face it, she isn't the most honest. Does anyone remember the Polish worker who died when she fell down the stairs after pulling an all-nighter working in the factory. The Connor's lied about that and now we're expected to believe that Carla's all about the safety of her employees. History suggests otherwise.
What exactly has she done that's so wonderful and deserving of Roy's understanding and sympathy since she's been back?
1) schemed to take the factory off the person her brother left the factory to. Some might call her means criminal.
2) go behind her partner's back to cut side deals and bankrupt the partnership. Remember Nick - he was the nice guy who was above board and honest until he found out on their wedding day that she slept with his partner. Perish the thought she should just deal with her issues in a normal, rational manner (like go to her fiancee for support). Not our Carla. Let's take everyone else down while we're at it. (Nick is no prize now - understood, but how much of that is down to Carla? - another topic for another rant).
3) attempt to stitch up some poor woman who also has the bad sense to fall for Peter Barlow (I can't help it so I will). He's the unemployed alcoholic who looses any thought of keeping promises to his son at the snap of a knicker band. (Sorry, I couldn't resist)
4) endanger everyone in the factory by not getting the roof fixed. A young woman died!!(Fantastic acting by Rana)
Now we wxpect everyone to say "That's alright Carla. Let's get you a cup of tea dear." As Jim McDonald would say "Catch yourself on."
Having written all of this, my wife and I love watching Carla.
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