I'm out

[WordGetsAround]

I wondered if it was worth (belatedly?) starting a thread for people to declare when they give up on the archers?

I'm out.

I've enjoyed the Hellknob story in its early stages, defended it and then longed for it to be over. I had all my hopes pinned on a Christmas finale, then New Year, but the pain goes on and on. I keep thinking that I've stayed with it this long and that it would be such a shame to give up now, but I can't keep going.

DH gave up 6 weeks ago and he's survived, so it must be possible to go cold turkey!

I think when it's all sorted out I will come back - and may even catch up on it all, but I can't keep going with it day after day not knowing when/if it's all going to be resolved.

Please use this thread to declare if / when you're out - or any thinking out loud you're doing.

Tonight's episode will be the first in 10 years I won't have listened to (v committed podcast listener!!).

(Might keep reading the amazing thread though!!!)

[HumphreyCobblers]

I can't bear it anymore. It sometimes comes on the radio but I have to quickly run away as it is all too much!

The stress I feel when absolutely no one ever seems to question Rob's dubious decision making, or points out that he said something completely different last week, or that normal pregnant women don't have to give up driving etc etc makes it impossible to enjoy listening.

The addition of Ursula tipped me over the edge.

I may start again one day as soon as the thread tells me he has met his downfall

[allegretto]

I don't think I could give up after 30 odd years (not counting early childhood). Anyway, he wasn't in it (directly) tonight.

[weebarra]

I only get to listen to the podcasts at the gym but yes, I'm going to stop listening until it's all resolved one way or another. My heart sank every time I heard Helen or Knob.

[kansasmum]

I have given up because I just can't stand listening to this storyline anymore. It's really frustrating.
May come back but sadly after several years of enjoying the Archers I think I'm done.

[WordGetsAround]

Yes, I think Arsula was one of t final nails.

It's funny, as I am a pretty tough person who, if anything, lacks sensitivity, but I can't hack this storyline anymore! I need resolution!

[redshoeblueshoe]

I'm still in but so much of it is bollocks. No one liked Rob, especially Pat and now she acts as though the sun shines out of his backside.
Kirsty knows something is wrong but she is not discussing it, apart from a half hearted attempt to talk to Tom.
Ursula - no one has questioned the fact that he said he had an awful childhood, yet its deemed appropriate that she should help out.

Helen - not one person has said anything about her not driving, or working, in the real world people would say you are not ill, you're pregnant

Rob - gave up work last fucking August this has barely been mentioned, and they must live on fresh air.

Rant over

[BeansMcCready]

Both my Mum and my Mother in law are out o find out today - both been listening for more than fifty years. Both assume I will keep going and tip then the wink when it's safe to come back!

[Waitingfordolly]

I was out quite a long time ago. No staying power....

[peacefuleasyfeeling]

Yup, I'm taking time out too. The Rob thing has beaten me (I haven't been able to listen since before Christmas, actually), but I'll be back once he's gone.

[PennyDropt]

It's when you feel the story is solely to keep listeners numbers up with no interest in making it believable.

You start to not care about the characters.

I heard a Helen episode yesterday as I was working in the garden and couldn't be bothered turning the radio off. Am glad I'm not listening.

I switched off when Nigel plunged 1000 feet off his roof.

[MrsArthurShappey]

Yep I'm oot. I'll probably listen to all the podcasts when the Knob SL is safely over, or well on the road to resolution, but I can't even enjoy the Knobless episodes episodes any more.

I'm bereft! MN and Lowfield help a bit.

[crossparsley]

Me too. Over the last month I've started lunging for the off switch when it starts. It's too upsetting. Can we request a special post on this board when he's unveiled/humiliated/dissolves in a bucket of water like the wicked witch of the west?

[20thCenturyGirl]

When the storyline began to evolve and it became clear that Helen was being abused there were many posts asking that script writers recognize that EA can last for years and to not allow the story to end in two or three weeks, doing real life sufferers a disservice. As a victim of EA I for one am pleased that they are showing that this abuse can carry on for years. As uncomfortable as it may make some people I think it is important. And as for Helen's abusive mil, yes, I had one of those too, so, not a step too far.

[clairemum22]

I need this storyline to end soon or I'm out. I hate listening but I so want rob to get his comeuppance.

[BYOSnowman]

The problem with the sl is its dominance. I would have preferred it to be a slow burn but not hear from them for a while and not have over half the episodes dominated by the sl. It would have to be called the titcheners otherwise!

I'm living off lowfield and mn

[cheminotte]

Really struggling to listebn here too. Currently about 11/2 weeks behind and no desire to catch up.

[silverfingersandtoes]

On verge of clearing off out too. For the same reason that I stopped bothering with Eastenders a few years ago. I stopped cold turkey then, and have never regretted it, but I'm sure I'll miss TA and will go back to the Sunday Omnibus when I hear that all is back to normal. The sooner the better.

[redshoeblueshoe]

Well the end is coming. Helen told Kirsty that Rob hit her, though she did say it was her fault, so tonight Kirsty rang a helpline to get advice on how to help her.

[Twowrongsdontmakearight]

DH and I were out finally after the flood happened. Everything got a bit too Eastenders/Corrie etc with ludicrous storylines. Plus found Pip annoying. She sounds too middle aged!

I've drifted back to the Omnibus while cleaning. Wish Helen Rob sl would be over but not gripped by Fairbrothers etc. either. Miss Matt Crawford and Lilian. Maybe we can have a saga with her and Justin. Much more interesting!

DH is still out!

[Gruach]

Oh dear!

I'm just visiting this thread, not joining it. I keep threatening to give up but then I wouldn't recognize myself in the mirror and my interior monologue would be all skewiff. (And I would miss the Archers thread too much. )

Are you all avoiding the Archers' spoilers thread as well? If you take a look it might give you hope ...

The Hel/Rob story is sure to reach some sort of conclusion as the current editor makes his exit. Perhaps millions of former listeners will return in the Summer?

[luluskiptotheloo]

I stopped listening too when Robs mum came to stay. I can't even bear to hear the theme tune now!

[Tryingtosaveup]

I have stopped listening after 30 years. I want to enjoy listening and this is too harrowing. I think they are losing a lot of listeners

[WordGetsAround]

Just checking back on this thread! I have had a very successful flounce - I've not engaged with TA at all since my decision - not a podcast or live, if I'm still listening at 7pm to R4. I'm not reading threads or the (brilliantly written) resume in The Week.
I'm surprised how easy I've found it - although I think its a reflection of how it was beginning to make me feel. I can genuinely say my life is better for not listening to it - and I didn't think I'd be saying that 3 months ago!
I wasn't even that emotionally engaged with it, but we always listened last thing at night on the podcast and it was a bad way to relax. It used to help us drift off to blissful sleep!
The most I allow myself is reading THE thread title when it comes up in active conversations - please let me know via that when it's safe to return!
Wishing all other 'outers' strength and relaxation!

[Biglaugh]

I am so out too.

Becoming an insult to our intelligence and like the worst sort of Eastenders' plot where IT IS SO OBVIOUS that there is a complete psycho at large although no-one else seems to have noticed it.
I absolutely throw myself at the radio to turn it off now. for a while I used to just switch it off for the Rob and Helen storyline but now I can't bear it at all. Makes me sick with anxiety!!

[WannaBe]

the thing with soaps is that it's not realistic or reasonable to suggest that e.g. An abuse storyline go on for years.

And this storyline isn't realistic at all. In realistic terms Rob would have isolated Helen from her family and friends but they would have questioned it, questioned her and she would have insisted she was fine. Instead Rob has sort of turned Helen into some kind of... Oh, I don't know, invalid? And meanwhile he is loved by all even though he was the one who cheated on his wife with Helen and everyone hated him in the beginning. And the boarding school storyline..... It's like something out of a Disney film where everyone hates the incoming stepdad and then it turns out he's shipping the kids off to get the mother to himself.

And of course it won't have a realistic ending, he'll fall into the blades of a combine harvester or something and we'll hear his screams echoing away to the music.....

I read that they have literally lost hundreds of thousands of listeners over this storyline. I wonder actually whether this is a ploy to justify canning the whole thing altogether? If they can say their figures have dwindled down that significantly perhaps they'll just stop producing it altogether?