Last Man Standing - Will the Real Ian Beale Please Stand Up?
By Mackenzie Lambert Wood
In one of the early issues of the Walford Gazette, I wrote an article entitled What's the Deal With Ian Beale?, in which I looked at the changes and inconsistencies in his character in just the first six or seven years of the show. Little did I know that this would be a prediction of the sorts of things to come for Mr Beale.
My article took note of the drastic character changes the writers made with Ian, starting him off as a rather mild, 'good', kid, who argued with his father but usually did as he was told, only to change rather quickly into a surly young man who threw tantrums (literally throwing them) and suddenly had a chip on his shoulder. Yes, a lot of teens go through such changes in the course of growing up, but this was practically an overnight transformation from a basically well-behaved 'typical teenager' into an unreasonable brat who couldn't understand why his macho father didn't want him to be a chef. It isn't 'typical teenage development' to go from crying in his grandmother Lou's lap to planning his best friend/half-brother's murder only a few years later.
After interviews with the writers, fellow actors and simply watching the show, the answers are pretty clear. It seems to be a combination of the writers not really knowing what to do with Mr Woodyatt's on-screen persona and the high turnover of both the writing staff and the show's producers. It is hard to hold consistency with a character when you are bringing new people on board on a fairly frequent basis, especially those who can have a say in how a character behaves.
This being said, I think the problem also lies with Adam Woodyatt himself. The many writers and producers over the years have tried many a persona on Mr Woodyatt's Ian Beale; but most of the character's transformations never really stuck, and this may be down to the actor portraying him. We have seen Ian as a bully, a potential murderer, a high-flying entrepreneur, a kerb-crawler, a blackmailer and a heartless boss. The only personas that seem to fit with Ian are when he is playing the victim, and when he is trying his hardest to be the Donald Trump of Albert Square. Adam Woodyatt is at his best when he is playing the underdog, working hard to mark out his place in life, and when he is shown to be a family man who puts his family and his business first.
Another bone of contention when it comes to the many personality changes in Ian Beale is his apparent lack of sense when it comes to women. Can anyone really be this unlucky in love? His first wife, Cindy, cheats on him with his brother, gets pregnant, but still marries Ian. Okay, that isn't too far-fetched. But then after many break-ups and many a reconciliation, the birth of a son, Steven, and later, twins, Peter and Lucy; Cindy tries to have Ian killed so that she can take her kids and run. He survives the attempt, only to find love with Mel, who doesn't love him, but still holds a candle for her ex, Steve Owen.
Ian is aware that she doesn't have the passion for him that she does for Steve, so he tries emotional blackmail. Telling Mel that his daughter Lucy is dying of cancer, Ian finally gets Mel down the aisle, only for her to find out the truth and leaves him on their wedding night.
Are we beginning to feel that Ian's love life is a bit over the top? Well, just wait and see, there is more to come.
The character of Ian Beale has been through so many personality changes, it's hard to know who the real Ian Beale is. Is it the heartless businessman who will do anything to get back on top, including lying to his loved ones and cheating his way through life? Is it the sexually frustrated Ian, who turns to prostitutes to satisfy the twisted desires inside him? Is it the family man, who comforts his Auntie Pauline and wants to take in his younger half-brother, Ben, after their mother dies? Or is it the hapless lad who never really comes up smelling of roses in the love department? Perhaps we will never know, especially if the writers have their way. They keep trying on different personas, hoping that one will stick.
Personally, I liked the Ian that we first met. He was vulnerable but we cared about him, and felt his pain of unrequited love for Sharon and his frustration at not measuring up to his father's expectations. And perhaps the writers can bring back that part of his personality. I guess we will just have to keep watching to find out.
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