Why Loving Brendan Made it Ok to Love a “murderer”.

Right, let’s start with a disclaimer:

If you are in love with a real murderer do seek police/any help. Please.

So this blog is going to be some therapy for me in the wake of the exit of a beloved Hollyoaks character. Now Hollyoaks is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me as I haven’t watched any other soap since leaving the parental home a few years ago and before that soap watching was only done under mother’s orders. I pretend I only watch it to make fun of it (which is kinda true, some of the acting is horrendous) but somewhere over the years I became I true fan.  The main reason for this was Brendan Brady. The only soap character (as far as I am aware) that is an Irish, mustached, gay, bad boy (man) that was completely lovable!

If you happen to lurk over the online forums you will mostly find love for the character and this thanks to the great acting of Emmett Scanlan. I doubt this character would have been near as popular if portrayed by anyone else and I look forward to seeing Emmett in his future work.

Brendan was introduced to the soap in 2010 as the new bad boy and over the years has been shown as a truly dark character, from killing his own grandmother to frequently beating his lover Ste, but also providing laughs with his quick wit. Scanlan described Brendan as “a man who defines his own moral code and principles” and I think this is why people loved the character so much. He may have been a baddy but it was also good (in a way). He may have been a murderer but he also protected the people he loved the most, like killing Danny to save Ste.

Relationships

Ste

So… I have always been a fan of the “Stendan relationship”. It was definitely a destructive and unhealthy relationship for the most part but its TV and I’m a sucker for a happy ending (which they didn’t get ..) 

I think Hollyoaks does a great job of highlighting serious subjects, like domestic abuse and this side of Brendan showed the depth of his issues but also showed that he was capable of love (eventually). To me they truly belong together as they could help each other through their own issues (Ste is known for a bit of a temper too) and they brought out the best in one another.

The recent reveal to Ste about the sexual abuse that Brendan suffered at the hands of his father was emotional to watch and I think it showed Ste why Brendan was the way he was and that he could be helped and changed if he had people he loved round him.

Now I know some people don’t like them together because no one changes from being abusive but to me it’s just TV and if it was real life it would be a completely different reaction. Then again, if Hollyoaks were real life Brendan would have possibly been in jail quite a while ago…

Final quote from Brendan “In the next life Steven”….. *ugly sobbing*

*so there was actually a whole "stendan" scene in tonights episode but seriously that episode is just being erased from my memory*

Cheryl 

I think the main love I have for Brendan is his devotion to his sister. They will do anything for each other and Brendan has spent the majority of his life protecting her, even as a child and keeping her away from the truth about their father. Cheryl knows that her brother isn’t a good person and even seeing him chop up a body isn’t going to keep her away for long. Now I’m pretty sure if I witnessed my brother doing such I thing I wouldn’t be nearly as accepting. 

In the end it is this devotion to his sister that is the end of Brendan. In giving her the chance to live a happy life with Nate he sacrifices his own happiness with Ste and his "life" for her :’( 

Brendan’s Exit.

Now these past few weeks of Hollyoaks watching have been marred by the knowledge that the Brendan end was near. I read spoilers so I have pretty much known the whole storyline for a few weeks now which has made watching a little painful! The scenes between Brendan and Cheryl have been really beautiful and emotional to watch although I was a little annoyed that he would rather Cheryl have the “happy ending” rather than Ste :(

 

In the end, it has been a pretty epic 2 and a bit years for Brendan Brady and I think Hollyoaks are seriously going to find it hard to replace him. With some of the best actors leaving (or already left) this year I’m not sure how long I’m going to keep watching for and really the Will storyline creeps me out, and not in a good way. It makes me want to turn over. Which I will probably do now.

I shall leave you with some of Brendan’s funny moments that I found on youtube! Enjoy…or cry….

Claire x

Ps. Im still a little emotional from the Merlin final and then this! I have nothing left to watch but Dance Moms (which is amazing!)


*EDIT*
So I just watched tonight's episode and frankly I was pissed off with it. The Brendan ending should not have been jail, last nights episode was the perfect farewell to such a character and i refuse to accept tonight's version.....Even with the Ste scene it just was not enough.