Dean Wicks

[Kim]

More or less true. Di Angelo was originally hired to play Dean only for a certain time, during which the rape would occur, and then he would leave (presumably for prison or just leave). But then DTC ending up changing their minds and asked him to stay on, presumably so they could do the Jade storyline. And now it seems they've asked him to stay on yet another year. I don't know if Di Angelo had wanted to or not, but work is work.

What's good looking got to do with being a rapist? It doesn't matter what you look like, but what you're like on the inside that matters, and Dean is damaged.

The looks point was one of the preconceptions that the storyline was intended to challenge. It was in a previous interview, I think it was one of DTC's comments about the rape storyline at the outset. It's perhaps assumed that as a good looking man, Dean wouldn't need to rape anyone since he could have his pick of women. As you say, that's not the case and it's because Dean is damaged that this happened.

[Dazzle]

Lots and lots of people are damaged but don't hurt others. This wasn't a case where someone lashed out when provoked: he made a choice to violate a completely innocent person, and there's no possible justification or excuse for that. He doesn't have a serious mental illness so he's completely responsible for the choices he made. Also, he's shown absolutely no remorse for what he did, so he's not a decent person who made a mistake. He's just someone with a huge sense of entitlement and no conscience.


I HATE it when people say EE are showing reality by letting Dean get away with it - as if the people who are complaining don't understand subtlety and nuanced writing! Showing him getting away with it could be MORE powerful if it were written to highlight the shocking rape conviction statistics and society's lax attitude to rape. That's not what's happening, it's coming across as just the opposite! EE are actually perpetuating the problem not shining a light on an injustice.

The moral of the story needs to be that rapists DESERVE a comeuppance though Dean doesn't need to be imprisoned for that. In fact, showing him getting away with it could be MORE powerful - if it were written as being an outrageous outcome and devastating to Linda. If they tack something onto the end of the story now it'll be too little too late because the damage is already done.

It's a huge problem in our society that rape and its victims are not taken seriously enough by many. That's not the case with murder and other violent crimes, which is why there's so much disgust being felt by the treatment of Dean in this storyline.

Maybe it's always been intended that Dean will rape again and that's how he's exposed. If that's the case, we shouldn't be getting the distinct feeling the writers are trying to sweep it under the carpet. It's perfectly possible for the story to be on hold for the moment and to show Dean getting on with his life in the meantime, whilst also making it clear Dean's actions were abhorrent and that he's a dangerous man. It's called good writing!

The fact is that if a significant proportion of viewers are getting the impression that Dean's being written as a bigger victim than Linda (and you only have to look on any EE forum or social media to see that's true), then something's gone very, very wrong with the writing. Whether that's deliberate or completely unintentional I've no idea, but it needs to be put right now!

[storyseeker1]

Dean being damaged is no excuse. Lots and lots of people are damaged but don't hurt others. This wasn't a case where someone lashed out when provoked: he made a choice to violate a completely innocent person, and there's no possible justification or excuse for that. He doesn't have a serious mental illness so he's completely responsible for the choices he made. Also, he's shown absolutely no remorse for what he did, so he's not a decent person who made a mistake. He's just someone with a huge sense of entitlement and no conscience.


I HATE it when people say EE are showing reality by letting Dean get away with it - as if the people who are complaining don't understand subtlety and nuanced writing! Showing him getting away with it could be MORE powerful if it were written to highlight the shocking rape conviction statistics and society's lax attitude to rape. That's not what's happening, it's coming across as just the opposite! EE are actually perpetuating the problem not shining a light on an injustice.

The moral of the story needs to be that rapists DESERVE a comeuppance but Dean doesn't need to be imprisoned for that. In fact, showing him getting away with it could be more powerful - if it were written as being an outrageous outcome and devastating to Linda. If they tack something onto the end of the story now it'll be too little too late because the damage is already done.

It's a huge problem in our society that rape and its victims are not taken seriously enough by many. That's not the case with murder and other violent crimes, which is why there's so much disgust being felt by the treatment of Dean in this storyline.

Maybe it's always been intended that Dean will rape again and that's how he's exposed. If that's the case, we shouldn't be getting the distinct feeling the writers are trying to sweep it under the carpet. It's perfectly possible for the story to be on hold for the moment and to show Dean getting on with his life in the meantime, whilst also making it clear Dean's actions were abhorrent and that he's a dangerous man. It's called good writing!

The fact is that if a significant proportion of viewers are getting the impression that Dean's being written as a bigger victim than Linda (and you only have to look on any EE forum or social media to see that's true), then something's gone very, very wrong with the writing. Whether that's deliberate or completely unintentional I've no idea, but it needs to be put right now!

I didn't mean he was damaged as an excuse. I just mean he's damaged plural, as in dangerous, psycho or whatever you wanna call it.

Well, unfortunately that's the way EE is writing it. Don't misunderstand me, as I hate Dean getting away with it, and want him to pay for his crime. But I can understand why EE wrote it the way they did, because sadly unless new evidence turns up then this is the most realistic way everything would turn out. And part of the reason why I and a lot watch EE is because of their realistic writing, because the sad fact is that not everything ends with a happy ending. But I think we can safely say that they are not finished with Dean yet. He's obviously still dangerous, by the way he reacted when Roxy seemed to dump him. Like you say, maybe Dean will hurt someone again and he will be punished then. EE did say that Dean would pay for his crime, but didn't mention how. I guess this is the best we can hope for.

[Dazzle]

But I can understand why EE wrote it the way they did, because sadly unless new evidence turns up then this is the most realistic way everything would turn out. And part of the reason why I and a lot watch EE is because of their realistic writing, because the sad fact is that not everything ends with a happy ending.

You've misunderstood what I said if you think what I'm asking for in my last post is a happy ending. It's perfectly possible to write a realistic story about a rapist getting away with his crime where the rape is treated sensitively and the rapist not be portrayed as a victim. It's called good writing.

[storyseeker1]

You've misunderstood what I said if you think what I'm asking for in my last post is a happy ending. It's perfectly possible to write a realistic story about a rapist getting away with his crime where the rape is treated sensitively and the rapist not be portrayed as a victim. It's called good writing.

Ah. Well I can't comment on that, as I'm not a writer. When Dean got away with the rape I stopped watching for a while, and then the Jade story started... It's just all messed up. I wish EE had never done the rape story, or used another character to do it.

[Dazzle]

I wish EE had never done the rape story, or used another character to do it.

I certainly agree with you there. I used to quite like Dean and was glad when I heard he was returning to the square. I really, really wanted his and Shirley's relationship to be explored and mended. That's been ruined for me forever now.

[Kim]

I didn't mean he was damaged as an excuse. I just mean he's damaged plural, as in dangerous, psycho or whatever you wanna call it.

Yes, me too. His thinking is about as skewked as it could get and that makes him so dangerous. In the rape episode itself, it seemed that his prime motivation was that Linda saw him as a son almost and he didn't want that. Something's wrong in his head as he didn't see politely telling her that he wasn't comfortable with that and wanted to be seen as a nephew instead (which he/they thought he was, except for the technicality that Linda and Mick aren't married) as an option. Dean was a nice guy when he first arrived but his actions got more and more questionable (especially after his prison stint) until he became totally despicable. It was clear months ago that he saw women as objects to be controlled and it's evident in his reaction to being dumped.

Dean's continuing presence wouldn't be so infuriating if he wasn't aware of what he'd done and it wasn't so black and white. Linda clearly said no and he knows what he did. He's gone into denial because he doesn't like what that makes him. That, for me, makes his continuing presence unacceptable. The storyline could have been written to give him some redeeming features from the outset (remorse for his crime, it not being so clear cut, etc.) Even him having the decency to stay well away from Linda, Mick and Ollie (in particular) would have been better than nothing. Obviously the proper way for him to show remorse would have been to turn himself into the police, but anything would have better than what we got (I assume because the intention at the time was for him to leave Walford somehow and for the story to illustrate the importance of rape being reported to the police as soon as possible.) One of the messages should have been that verbal consent should be sought but the only time that was touched on was when Dean and his huge attitude were being questioned.

[tammyy2j]

EastEnders fans have voiced their concerns at how Dean Wicks is being portrayed in the show after raping Linda Carter (Kellie Bright).

One branded the character - who is played by Matt Di Angelo - "Walford's new Casanova" and questioned why he is able to walk around with "girls falling at his feet" following his recent romantic liaisons with Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons).

They wrote: "He is walking around with girls falling at his feet, cracking jokes like the main man at the party and suddenly he is everyone's friend. He even talks about being able to get 'it' whenever he wants... its foul."

But some EastEnders fans clearly have short memories as executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins promised way back in April that Dean will get his comeuppance in a "shocking" way.

He said: "There will be justice. And how it's meted out will be satisfying but shocking too."

Despite this, another viewer insisted it is "unnecessary" to portray Dean as an "all-round great guy".

They posted: "Yes, we all know that Deano escaping punishment for rape is, sadly, very realistic.

"But portraying Dean as an all-round great guy? Totally unnecessary, insensitive and insulting to viewers' intelligence."

However, there are other fans who think Dean's portrayal is realistic and completely understand the show's portrayal of the evil character.

One wrote: "I find the fact he hasn't been shunned to be totally realistic if I'm honest. It happens. I used to work in an office with a guy who beat his wife on a pretty regular basis. We all knew and he knew that we knew. Fair enough, we weren't 'friends' with him, but we didn't shun him either."

Another wrote: "Don't get me wrong I loathe Dean and he needs exterminating. However he hasn't been charged or convicted so in the law he's innocent. Therefore why should he be shunned. Only the audience and the carters know the truth"

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/v...280513#rlabs=1

[lizann]

will he beat or even rape roxy, i even think he could have got rid of charlie

[Dazzle]

will he beat or even rape roxy, i even think he could have got rid of charlie

It looks like Roxy's in for a bad time with Dean.

I do like the idea of Dean getting rid of Charlie, but I'm still certain DTC won't have killed off Dot's grandson.