Helen is drowning in the Cow Pat of Destiny. Please SWs - when will it be curtains for Rob?

[PseudoBadger]

Come on Kirsty!

MeolsCop Nancy Banks Smith wrote in The Guardian some time ago that Helen has 'a tin ear for men'. She does seem hopeless on this count. I've always found the character soppy. So unlike her mother! Must be a great disappointment to Pat.
Secondly, I don't really want TA to raise my consciousness or educate me. The Guardian is for that purpose (though I normally stick to the G2 bit as the main section doesn't miss an opportunity to bludgeon you with 'issues'). I want something about giant veg competitions and the single wicket while I'm having supper. I dislike the social/issue-led campaigning they do on TA. That's what Eastenders is for.

In the original film Gaslight the husband was trying to drive the wife mad, or get her and other people to think she was mad, to get her money. He convinced everyone she needed locking up.

I think knob is trying a similar tactic, not to get Helen committed for her money, but to gain ultimate power over her, her inheritance, farm etc. If she is considered barking then henwee will become his property under PR. Helen can't resist it as she will be having ongoing psychiatric care and no one will believe her. No one in any authority sorry Kirsty will think she is stable. She's not stable enough to plot her way out like julia Roberts in sleeping with the enemy. So she will have no choice but to surrender. At least for the forseeable future. And once the baby comes we'll will have full blown PND.

Well, yes. Perhaps he wouldn't have actually said it to himself - but I'm sure Rob sees himself as a latter day Prince Regent to Henry. And once he has his own son poor Henry would be nothing but a downtrodden pathway to Peggy's money, taking in Bridge Farm along the way.

Thankfully there are quite a few people he'll have to hypnotise first. Tom is unlikely to run away again - and they can't have brought Johnny to Ambridge just to see him bested by Rob. John's heritage is surely sacred.

I think it is marvellous what you are doing, Cutted. Keep us informed, please.

If Rob is found out as an abuser surely the PR thing can be overturned because of coercion.
I rather liked the contrast between Ruth saying that David has never thrown her affair back in her face while Rob is verbally bludgeoning Helen because she tried to have a nice time with her child and her friend.

fluffi RealPat would indeed have despaired of H's wifely submission. PatBot - not so much

Chilling teaser from the CA today about tonight - 'Rob is feeling protective'. Roll out the yellow wallpaper and the triple-padlocked bedroom door....

I wish there was a like button meols

Glad I asked - though reading Meols's post above, I realise I meant "teaser", of course

Is there a blog or something with all Nancy Banks Smith's writings about TA ? I love that woman.

It's quite clever (if irritating) to have Knob being so self righteous about lying and secrets at the same time as he's lying about the fact that he altered the shop orders to make Helen look as if she's losing her mind - to say nothing about little lies about shagging Jess and failing to invite his parents to the dinner-that-wasn't.

Cutting The Isle of Wight's loss is your gain. It does sound as though he's found his niche there.

Kirsty needs to find a way of getting Fallon, Roy, Tom & Ian together to compare notes and start casting doubt on Knob's character.

Kirsty might pick up on Helen saying she's lost all her friends and talk to Ian. She would see the malice behind Rob's weasel words.

I didn't think Helen had actually fallen out with anyone else except by seeming to have kept them at arm's length.

I doubt it would take a psychiatrist long to notice the cause of Helen's malaise.
They are pretty wise to these things.
They are also not at all into hospitalising people these days even when it is merited.
I can quite believe Rob could convince a GP to fill her full of valium and AD and a fair chance he might convince SS she isn't coping but I doubt he'd get her sectioned. Then again when was TA last plausible?

It is possible her ED could get so severe she'd be hospitalised for that but I don't think he realises that.

Fingers crossex this is not the way it pans out.

Ian is pissed of with her.
Adam presumably would be if he knew.
Emma was a bit out out about the secret wedding.

Did she have any other friends?

I think they have to be careful about including current affairs-ambridge has to be a bit of a bubble. Writing a carefully balanced sl with opinions from all sides that doesn't show a bias would be tough and make it a political football.

Yes, they occasionally put in a topical insert (and presumably they have scripts marked with "scenes which must stay, scenes which could go," in case of things like a member of the royal family dieing), but it's usually in terms of noting a piece of news than commenting on it or analysing it (and a good thing too - how tedious would that make it?)

Lancelottie "But it would be such a fitting end. Then he really could have a finger in every pie at Bridge Farm". although your gag made me gag a bit!

I saw the BBC news piece on Saturday morning & I was initially cross that I'd heard Tuesday's denouement before listening (omnibuser here)But when I listened today I was glad that I knew, because otherwise the feeling of dread would have been a bit overwhelming.

Great thread title Pseudo may I claim credit (part credit anyhow) for the invention of Cow Pat, for it was I who spotted it amongst a PP's post

Well done CUP for volunteering in Dunkirque. Those poor people need all the help they can get.

I've just listened again to Friday's episode as I, too, was thinking mmmm salted caramel this morning ( a le Homer -Simpson,not the other one)

told Yes you may, since although "cowpat of destiny" is a direct Pip/Matthew quote, I completely unintentionally cleverly spaced it so as to include our very own Pat

Finger in every pie should be worked into the next thread title.

I have a feeling tonight's is going to be a damp squib episode. She's going to say she's fine, Rob's going to say he'll take good care of her at home, Pat's going to agree.

Delurking to thank CUP for her work and the link, I have made a donation.

Also v. moved by CUP's work. Just started reading out your post about the amazing people you've met to DH and DS and ended up blubbing. Pitiful perimenopausal emotional performance from me. Didn't help with DS' homework focus.

Anyway - just wanted to say how bloody brilliant I think it is and how vital it is that everyone remembers the real individuals concerned rather than hiding behind statistics.

And back on script - am also really nervous it will be a disappointing episode with nothing happening or coming to a head. Only too happy to be proved wrong

I think knob knows she's not eating, eg ordering a massive pudding.

don't trust the scriptwriters not to drag it out and out, or to make it a sad ending.

What I'd like to happen is for Kirsty to overcome the jilted at the altar thing, get Tom to "see" it and conspire to help Helen.

It is so hard to listen to.

Can't listen due to bedtime - please give me a synopsis once broadcast!!