I know for a fact it's not intended to be cliquey. (Which is why some officious person - usually me - generally tries to sweep in posters from other threads, so we can all speculate and suggest plot improvements and call the Editor names in the same place.)
But I do take your point. (And desperately want to know what you don't like about the titles. )
Have you, btw, had a look at the BBC Archers blog? And the character list?
Of course you're entitled to think that they are cliquey, and there are a couple of things that have become popular on the thread (over-infested - apt mis-type, BOOP point - a good thing to please a certain poster) - but the threads have grown over the past 2 years (bloody hell) from a simple rant that I had one day about Lillian and the first of many recent bizarre storylines. And the people on the thread still allow me to start new ones, even though I barely post at the moment So please join us if you like, the thread isn't about us, it's about the programme.
The character names mostly aren't actually from the thread, they are from the very very popular BBC Mustardland message board so pre-date MN cliqueyness
Wips Possibly on New Year's Day or thereabouts a poster whose name could be abbreviated as BOOP complained (justifiably) that the threads were becoming increasingly negative about the show - and therefore less fun to follow and post on.
So, some exceptionally bright spark (...) proposed the challenge of adding a BOOP point - mentioning something positive on each day they posted. Others took it up too. It's fallen off a bit now but things do still get BOOPED. Like the Hell/Rob story.
OP I wasn't on the Mustardland forum so I just pull spiteful faces when they start on all that - and wait for / interrupt with a change of subject.
Brenda - I'm on the other thread and I have a very stupid question to ask but I'm too embarrassed. My DM always listened to The Archers, but I've only really started listening quite recently.
OK so why does David own the farm and not Jill ? or was her DH another controlling misogynist twunt
No - her husband Phil definitely wasn't a controlling misogynist. He was a very nice man, though of his time, and Jill was a traditional farmer's wife who made an equal contribution to their family life and prospects.
They retired together, moving out of Brookfield to Glebe Cottage and taking a "pension" from the ongoing farm income to be generated by David and Ruth.
Some of us might post on the threads occasionally simply so it stays on 'threads I'm on' rather than having to look for it or having it on 'watched threads'.
SOC is Sean O'Connor, the 'new' editor of the Archers who used to work on Eastenders and who replaced Vanessa Whitbyrn (VW). HWMNBN is Darryl, it stands for ''He Who Myst Not Be Named'. This acronym stems from when he had a big meandering storyline & was really irritating.
The other threads are meant to be inclusive, we're just keen. The only form of hierarchy, as far as I'm aware, is that people tend to be polite & thank Pseudo when she makes the effort to start a new thread, for which I too am grateful.
I'm a newbie and post on there! I've listened on and off since about 2008 (when I got podcasts on my iPhone!) but now I am deeply overinfested and listen daily as I can't wait for the film anymore.
The archers thread definitely makes me enjoy it more as people catch stuff I miss and it is fun to talk about speculative storylines or deeper meanings behind small actions (like- Pip only going to the BBQ to stalk Toby, and then vanishing just proves she is only playing hard to get and we're going to have to watch an irritating will they won't they, though her voice has dramatically improved recently and is less gravelly and therefore nicer to listen to).
Also, I am the lone Helen fan, so if you like Helen (more likely if you're a newbie) you owe it to me to come and keep me company!
Grauch - thanks for that link. Scary - but she's usually soooooo smug.
Though there is a poster Helenluvsrob who posts some hilarious stuff. I totally agree the thread improves it, as you say as other people pick up different things.
Some of Jill's cake to tempt you. 
And Carol's tea to hypnotise you ...
)
