Kevin Nauta (prydonia@accn.org)
Sat, 03 Jan 1998 18:14:12 -0800
Murray Head wrote:
>
>
> Does anyone have any ideas/comments about his area of Spikes life? Was the
> comment in "A Night In" forgotten/"removed from history" by Steven Moffat in
> later episodes, or does the whole plotstream still hold together? A
> revelation like domestic violence just seems an odd thing to never again be
> mentioned, when Spike's relationship with his dad was certainly a part of
> Press Gang's interplays.
>
> Murray
>
> Kevin replies....
Good question, and one I hadn't thought about before. I don't have a
good answer, but I'll give you a couple general observations. PG has an
odd take toward families, Spike's being the most obvious. I find it
interesting that Lynda always is moaning about never having anyone to
rely on, but she never seems to think of her own mother, as in "Jasper
Street." Is this a game she plays to get sympathy from others (As she
does with her "missing" father in bamboolzing Sarah during "Friendly
Fire) or has she had a serious falling out with her folks? Sarah's
parents are less interested in her than in her achievements. Colin's
family seems rather vicious towards him. And in most every case
mentioned, it is only related to us second-hand from the characters. We
never see it, so how much do we believe it?
Second, I tend to believe the abuse charge because Spike's no angel,
either. If you remember "A Night In", Spike throws either a pile of
papers or a tray containing papers (I forget which) at Lynda. "Love and
War" has him destroying a typewriter in a fit of rage. He beats up Barry
Crowther in "Picking Up the Pieces". Learned from his father? Could be.
As for Katherine Hill's reflections about leaving, Katherine might not
see herself as a victim, and might not wish to dwell on the past at a
time when Spike is mourning his father. It is more tact than I'd expect
from her, but it is possible. That she blames herself is not
necessarily inconsistent, either. Even if there was abuse, she left
Spike behind because he was inconvenient, and I don't think that is
likely to be forgiven anytime soon. As for Spike's description of his
dad, it doesn't square with Lynda's recollections of him in "Love and
War". I think this might be a little poetic license on Spike's part to
make his story more interesting to Lynda & co.
>>From his Thoughtful Spot,
Kevin Nauta
prydonia@accn.org
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