💥 Archers thread #117: Welcome to the only C19-free area in the world! Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed. We don't all agree on all points and most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you think Phoebe is a genius, or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please. We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3853783--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-5-Cant-wait-for-7-02pm-Join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have - BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

I put the BOOM! emoticon in the title as I thought it could transition into a vague likeness of a virus if we're still going by early May, when we expect some wild contortions from the production team to get Ambridge back in synch with the rest of the world. I think I would have preferred them to ignore it altogether but I suppose they couldn't.

[BeardieWeirdie]

Why is Phoebe so desperate to please Justin? Totally flummoxed - she knows he’s only supporting them to green-wash BL.

[MikeUniformMike]

Because she is naïve, and her degree was in Personal Protective Equipment from Bolloxford University. That is why JD didn't go to the graduation ceremony.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

[DadDadDad]

Thanks for the new thread, Gasp0de !

Do we need some game / activity / project to keep this thread occupied when TA is off the air? Perhaps we could write our own script...

[AskingQuestionsAllTheTime]

It is going to be on-air five days a week at least for the time being, so I suppose we ought to be able to manage somehow.

[MikeUniformMike]

Where's @chemenger and the Intern? Thanks for the thread Gasp, the last thread filled quickly.

[BoreOfWhabylon]

Thanks Gazp0de

Yes, we will definitely need Chemenger's intern.

[pasbeaucoupdegendarme]

Hello... joining the thread and, as always, intending to keep up... but strangely in lockdown I am busier than usual 😱

[PerditaProvokesEnmity]

Thank you Gasp0de!

(New thread, new name. In honour of Ambridge's brightest spark. )

[UnholyStramash]

Hello, everyone. I’ve not really read the end of the previous thread but here’s to a lovely new one. Thanks to GaspOde.

[TheSparklyPussycat]

Has Pheobe learned nothing? (Clearly not.) At the very least she could have talked to Brian.

[Signifyingnothing]

So happy that there's a small piece of the world which is delightful

[nettie434]

Thanks for the new thread Gasp0de and for the explanation of the Brookfield ownership setup on the other thread.

I wonder if they will mention coronavirus. I wouldn’t mind if they didn’t. I like hearing about people going out! Sometimes The Archers is out of synch. In the dreadful Sean O’Connor days (my opinion naturally, others may disagree), I vaguely remember the Ambridge flood occurred when the rest of the country was having unusually dry and sunny weather.

[Motoko]

It will be mentioned when they have to record new episodes. At the moment, there are enough episodes to last to the end of April, according to the Beeb. Then the actors will record their bits in their home studios. We will be treated to hearing their thoughts too.

Thanks Gasp0de.

[PerditaProvokesEnmity]

I wonder if they will mention coronavirus.

Thought it might be useful to repost the BBC statement on how The Archers will work over the next few months:

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2GNKGkF5VfvSSVwJlkdgXXf/making-the-archers-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic

There are no actual spoilers - but if you really don't want to know their plans (and have avoided hearing about them on TV, radio and here!) then you may want to skip it. Although actually we'll undoubtedly carry on discussing the changes on this thread, so ...

[Chemenger]

The intern may be back once the the scriptwriters master Microsoft Teams, they’re struggling a little bit with it as you might imagine.

[MikeUniformMike]

Aren't we all. Thanks Chem.

If anyone is struggling with it, please contact myself at the below link. Be sure to start your communication with So, , and use really, really to emphasise anything of actual importance. Perfect!

As you can see, this morning's work e-mails and the Toady Programme have put myself in an actual really, really bad mood.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pedants_corner

[LillianGish]

Thanks for the link PPE
I can't say I'm looking forward to it - I like having a pre-Covid world to retreat to. On the other hand, I can't stop myself thinking - you can't have your meeting the Bull, no-one will be able attend an Easter festival, what's the point in building new offices when everyone is working from home, you'll have to postpone your wedding Kirsty etc etc picking holes in the most pedestrian details while rather enjoying the actual plots (for the first time in ages). How would a lockdown affect the village? The Bull would close, the tea room, the health club, Spiritual Home work would have to stop on repairing Grey Gables. Farmers would continue working, but what about elderly and vulnerable members of the community - Peggy, Jill, Bert, Leonard, Oliver, (how old is Tony?) everyone at the Laurels. Would Harrison be out enforcing it?

[Chemenger]

I am fortunate, MUM, that almost all my work colleagues are not native speakers of English. This means their emails are either immaculately phrased or totally incomprehensible, rather than the approximations to grammar that are irritating you on that thread.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

MUM (again).

[MikeUniformMike]

Don't get me started on the neighbourhood group messages. Should of stay bed.

I find that even non-native English speakers use these. Sorry for filling the- The-- Archers thread. Don't get me started on missing articles, misuse of tenses, and the disappearance of adverbs.

At least, I can look forward to 7.02. I know it is April the 1st, and I should be full of the joys of spring but hey, ho!

I strangely miss Mianed.

[PerditaProvokesEnmity]

neighbourhood group messages.

Good God! Never have I been more glad to be an habitual recluse.

Lil'G, both Tony and Eddie just miss being herded into the over-70s pen.

Must say I'm rather looking forward to the coming experimentation with form that they're preparing for us. It could be just the filip TA needs.

[MikeUniformMike]

Did the BBC say that TA will be going down to 4 episodes a week in a few weeks' time?

An over-70s pen would have quite a few occupants.

[EBearhug]

Did the BBC say that TA will be going down to 4 episodes a week in a few weeks' time?

Yes.

[MikeUniformMike]