Markup View

Author: AgProv

May 9th 2013 at 6:11:53 AM

[[AC:LiveActionTelevision]]

The two characters in ''LittleBritain'', where a cunning person of challenged intellect (Matt Lucas) repeatedly and shamelessly exploits Andy, his gormless and over-helpful carer (David Walliams).

[[AC:RealLife]]
Anyone working in nursing or social care will know the phenomena of''Pyjama-Induced Paralysis'', where a disabled person will either sink into lethargy expecting the nurse to do everything for them, or else deliberately exploit the situation to work it to maximum advantage. A new, inexperienced,  or over-caring carer, might well allow themself to be exploited this way and the situation spirals up into a mutual co-dependency in which the ill person never gets better or learns to be self-reliant despite their disability. The characters in ''LittleBritain'' are a classic case of this syndrome. Averted in ''Frasier'', where Marty Crane is not above faking a little helplessness to get more out of Daphne Moon. However, Daphne is too experienced and too good at her job to fall for this very often and is seen bullying Martin to do his physiotherapy exercises, take Eddie for walks, and generally be self-reliant.  Even so, she lingers on as part of the Crane household long after the initial need for her is over...