How do you know that Sheila wasn't warming herself up while talking to Tommy at the table while he was losing consciousness?

Besides, that's not how I see it as all. Sheila's rape of Tommy was a nearly exact parallel of his rape of Janet. After their relationship earlier in the series, she feels that he is hers. It is obvious that she has been trying to get back together with him (notice how she tried to come on to him when he was crying about his son). She has been trying (unsuccessfully so far, as far as I can tell) to get him to make a sufficient deposit at a sperm bank so she can have his kid. And now she finds out that he is having an affair of sorts with a women she considers a friend.

She's reclaiming her "property" just as Tommy was with his wife. And perhaps trying to get herself pregnant in the bargain.

There was another female, "marital" rape of sorts in the latest episode, too: Tommy's sister pretty much exchanges monogamous sex with a firefighter for the chance to see him get beaten up on the street.

You know, yes, I made light of it, but let's be clear, rape is a lot of things. The rape of an 8 year old girl is different from the rape of an experienced woman. The rape by a repulsive stanger at knifepoint is different from the "rape" by an ex-husband with you have had sex countless times. It just is!

I was once raped by two gorgeous men, one of whom I had been in love with. Too much information? Sorry, but I want to defend my comment (above). It is a "whole nubba leval" so to speak.

Rape enters some women's fantasies. Again, that does not mean you wish it to happen or, especially wish to be BRUTALLY raped by a stranger.

Tommy's wife was not all that offended. Should WE be more offended than she was?

I'm just saying'…

Trilby, in fact, makes light of the matter, only to be lightly scolded. She also asks about the rape of the male character, which is never acknowledged.

I'm not being critical, it's just interesting and might show how the myth of heroic manhood, gender identity and sex/violence/rape are intertwined in very complex ways.

I guess I'm playing devil's advocate, but I suspect the show's writers may be aware of those complexities.

What I find interesting is that a very good show was reduced to ashes with this storyline. What began with a premiere that transcended most dramas on the air today has become an ode to Tommy Gavin's nether regions. It is laughable and incomprehensible. Tommy 'ain't all that'.

The women on his show are caricatures and an insult to intelligent women everywhere. Supposedly another writer penned these objectionable episodes, but the buck still stops with Tolan and Leary, and they should both be ashamed of themselves.

I'm not impressed with Tolan's authorship, either on this show or his attempt at a defense on TWoP (where I've been banned, by the way, over this abomination), but I expected more of Leary. His past writing and acting were awe inspiring. With this storyline, he has descended to the level of television without conscience. Never mind the lack of morality or insult to females he has portrayed, it is just bad television.

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2006/07/rescue_me_and_t.html#more

This ongoing discussion reminds me of the Dustin Hoffman film, "Straw Dogs." The wife was raped and seemed to enjoy it, at least at the beginning. Then she seemed to blame her husband, who wasn't aware the rape occurred.

I never completely figured out where the film was going with the rape scene, but suspect it was much more about gender roles and marriage than actual rape.