The BBC’s EastEnders is delving into one of its most darkly compelling and socially charged storylines yet — and it’s putting multiple characters in moral peril.

At the center is Joel Marshall, a teen whose behavior has already raised red flags. From taking invasive photos to secretly filming girls, Joel’s warped view of women is now spiraling into something dangerous and criminal.

The tipping point comes on a packed tube ride. Joel, manipulating his friend Tommy Moon, urges him to start filming — and then carries out a vile act: pretending to trip so he can grope an unsuspecting young woman, Isla. His act is calculated. Predatory. And it’s witnessed.

Isla’s quick action in reporting the assault leads to Joel being detained. For Ross and Vicki, this is a moment of reckoning. But what they do next shocks viewers even more.

Instead of standing behind Isla and holding Joel accountable, Vicki attempts to sweep the whole thing under the rug. After offering Isla comfort and support, she goes back on her word — bribing Isla to stay quiet. She justifies it by claiming it’s to “keep the family together.” But what message does that send?

It’s a chilling echo of real-world stories where abusers are protected instead of punished, and it’s making fans furious — and hooked.

Even worse, Tommy Moon, who witnessed the entire ordeal and is traumatized by his so-called friend’s actions, is now facing pressure to stay silent. Vicki threatens him, saying if he talks, she’ll bring him down too. The implication? That silence is safer than truth.

This storyline isn’t just about Joel. It’s about how young men are influenced, and how adults can fail the people who need them most.

Will Tommy find the courage to stand up against Joel? Can Isla get justice in the face of corruption and manipulation? And will Ross wake up to the fact that hiding your child’s evil won’t cure it — it’ll feed it?