Does anyone else remember that time they just fucking forgot about Ray having PTSD?
Okay full disclosure I haven’t finished Ashes to Ashes yet so maybe they explain why the plotline lasted one episode and was never brought up again (do not give me spoilers) but straight up are you telling me Ray Carling got over PTSD by shooting someone. In like two days. He’s fine now guys don’t think about it.
Because I’ve been thinking. Sam has to want to spend the rest of his existence in the 70s, which means willingly accepting that he will have to deal with Ray Bitchface Carling for the rest of his existence (I would stay in the present just to avoid dealing with Ray tbh). And Sam Tyler is the textbook example of a severe ‘atlas complex’ my poor pathetic little man. So, I propose:
- Ray suffers from PTSD throughout the whole show.
- He fucks up on jobs, everyone ignores his symptoms, he tries to sort it out with drinking and smoking and shooting and it doesn’t work cos y’know it’s a serious mental health condition.
- His career genuinely suffers because he spaces out and has anxiety about things - much to Ray’s horror because he exists to try and please Gene.
- Sam, being from 2006 and also generally unable to resist trying to fix everything all the time tries to help Ray get the help he needs to semi-function again
- Ray initially refuses but he gets so desperate one night that he shows up SUPER drunk at Sam’s shitty flat and just goes “I want my life back.”
- Sam tries to help him find half-decent psychological care and improvise some coping mechanisms from what he knows from his time as a DCI.
- The two of them have to keep this whole arrangement a secret from everyone at work, so a lot of secret meetings/Sam trying to calm the bastard down while he’s going panic mode
I dunno, just some thoughts. Hey maybe he can teach Ray not to be such a shithead while he’s at it.
If I’m wrong and there’s context about this in Ashes to Ashes, my sincere apologies?