I know that Life on Mars is set in 1973, and women have made a lot of progress in America in the last 26 years. Still, I was really surprised to see just how big of a dick our Detective Ray Carling was to his wife Denise during Wednesday’s show.
Should I be? I don’t know, maybe I figured that even with all of his tough talk at work, he wasn’t really that bad. I chalked it up to just that — tough talk.
We know some of the random officers at the station are skeevy — the ones that don’t play any major part in the show. But Skelton (whether he is or isn’t the mysterious voice on the other end of the phone) treats women with respect, and even Hunt is a big old softie underneath the gruff exterior. I guess there had to be a bad seed, and it’s Carling.
Not letting his wife cut her hair because it’s “a signature of the modern woman and the end of civilization as he knows it” — really?!? Even Edith Bunker had short hair. Then again, even Archie Bunker wasn’t as bad as Ray. That wasn’t even the saddest part to me, though. What really got me was that Annie going over to borrow some clothes was the first time Denise had ever met anyone that her husband works with. That has obsessive jealousy and oppression written all over it.
How long has he been working with these guys? And not just working with him, they’re his friends. Never once did he invite anyone into his home for dinner or to watch a game? It’s not like he’s got anything to be ashamed of (treatment of his wife notwithstanding), not with the way she slaves her ass off to keep the house in a state of perfection 24 hours a day. You could say he doesn’t want to get all touchy-feely with the guys, but I don’t buy that reasoning. Men have been inviting other men over to show off their wives and their houses since the invention of wives and houses.
After the way Ray cornered Annie at the end of the show, I’d be surprised if they weren’t going somewhere with this. I get the feeling he’s going to try to cause Annie some trouble, either for her trying to “liberate” his poor wife, or for something else she does further down the line to piss him off and make him feel like his manhood’s been threatened. Whatever happens, I hope he eats dirt for it, and I hope his wife leaves him eventually.
What do you think? Were you as surprised as I was about the way Ray treats his wife? Do you think he’s going to try to hurt Annie in some way, physically or in her career? Or do you think it’ll all blow over and be forgotten about and Ray will go back to being a good ol’ boy making wisecracks with his buddies at the station?
Clacked by Cate Cropp
on Feb 20, 2009 @ 16:00 EST5EDT
Your math is off. 1973 would have been 36 years ago :)
While I haven’t watched the US version, this is perfectly in line with his character in the UK version. He didn’t have a wife in the original and since the US show has gone in such a different direction, I see the actions you describe fitting perfectly in line for Ray.
I’ve got an uncle who is still like this.
*POST AUTHOR*
Good catch! In my defense, the 2 and 3 keys are right next to eachother! ;)
I wasn’t surprised at all. He’s made lots of comments already that disparage women. I was fearful he was going to hurt Annie at the end, so I do think something more will come of that. We’ll see.