to think The Archers is a pile of poo

[WickedWitchofWatford]

Over the years I've come across numerous folks who rave about The Archers, and must say they tend to be the haw-hee-haw plummy voiced variety.

Anyway, the other day, having nothing better to do at 2pm, I tuned in. What a load of old s*!

Would some Archers fans kindly explain the attraction?

I was seriously addicted to it 20 years ago.

I no longer tune in r as it's not as good as it was (but not quite a pile of poo)

YABU. Everyone's entitled to an opinion but to judge a long-running soap based on one 15 minute episode as a 'pile of poo' is just thick. Archers fans like myself enjoy it for all the things it isn't... It isn't 'edgy', controversial, fast-paced or violent. It covers modern subject matter without artificially shoehorning current issues into the plot for no good reason. It doesn't feel the need to kill off great swathes of the cast in far-fetched accidents just to bump up ratings. It's a gentle bit of drama with characters you get to know over years rather than hours. An oasis of comparative calm in a world that's often rather daunting.

YABU. You might not like it but it's not poo.

What Cogito said!

It's nice gentle predictable and lovely plus maddening at times.

I was a faithful listener for years on end. God knows why - I hated everyone in it to a greater or lesser degree. I think I'm masochist. Pain in the arse Peggy and St Shula the Martyr. That twat Nigel - how I rejoiced when he fell off the roof.

Linda Snell, who was brought in to be a pantomime irritant to all the other characters, is actually less annoying than them.

I think most dyed-in-the-wool Archers listeners would defend the programme - while also reserving the right to hate most, if not all, of the characters and be incredibly rude about them on a regular basis

I'm one of those people and I suspect I'll keep listening forever. We like having a good old moan about it but retain deep affection for it nonetheless. Weird but true.

WetAugust I agree, it was great 20 years ago and beyond. When it stopped being an "everyday story of country folk" and written by people who clearly have never set foot in the countryside or on a farm, I stopped listening.

The Archers is a comforting piece of repetition, in the same way as the Shipping Forecast and Football results, when they were read by Tim Gudgeon. You don't actually need to listen to the details to be comforted by it.

I was amazed the other day, when my son asked what was going on in The Archers, I could actually tell him. I thought that I just let it wash over me but I must have been listening all along.

WWW. Bad girl.Go and wash your (cyber) mouth out. < how very dare you >.

Wow, I have contributed to many threads on this forum over my time on MN but never before have I said with such certainty that YABU!

You can't possibly judge on one episode. You need a few years to tell the difference between Brian and Tony's voices weeks to tell who is speaking; you need longer to understand the histories and how people are linked. Once you're in to the swing of it it's fantastic!

But you would probably categorise me as having a 'plummy voice', so I would say that I suppose!

YABU - I have given it up recently but that's only because I don't have enough time to listen to it. I miss it! It's boring sometimes and can be cringey but overall it's great. It does take ages to get into though, so give it another few years go!

OK then!

Shall we make an appointment for...let's see....18 March 2017 and I'll see if I've changed my mind?

maras - What are you like?........

(I think we at least agree on CT being brilliant?)

Not poo, slurry

I've listened for 20 years, on and off. Sometimes it's bollocks, sometimes it's gripping. I go off it for long periods of time, but always get hooked in again. You can't really get an informed impression from listening to a single episode, so yabu if this is what you are basing your conclusion upon.

I'm not plummy btw, I have a northern, working class background, and I'm from non-white immigrant parentage.

YABVU

The Brine/Shove/JennyDarling love triangle was riveting.

And when John died - well I still get a lump in my throat when I think about Tony finding him . . .

Some episodes/weeks are a bit tedious but overall - I love it.

Oh no! Not the love triangle. "You deserve to be horsewhipped!" Yes, and you deserve to be put in the ducking stool, you old bag.

I never usually post in AIBU but I couldn't leave this one. I love love love The Archers so, of course, YABVU. Oh, and I am certainly not 'plummy voiced' or of the 'yee haw' variety (though to be fair I have no idea what 'yee haw' variety means...)

I've never listened myself but the fact that it's been running so long speaks volumes.

It's like comfort food I suppose, like tv soaps.

Yabu.

Not plummy voiced either, but love it!
I grew up with my parents and both sets of grandparents listening. I always laughed at them all and mocked my mother in her obsessive desire to find Radio 4 so she could keep up with it even when we were on holiday in France.

And then I left home and found myself tuning in. Having grown up with all of the characters, I couldn't just abandon them, I needed to know what was happening.
Certain story lines drive me mad, some characters are irritating as hell, but I love the programme and am now inflicting it on my own DD (who could accurately hum the theme tune before she turned 2!)

YABVU!

snap babybythesea, grew up listening to The Archers and it's just part of the background noise of my life.

DH can't stand it, but finds himself drawn in to discussions of Brine's new Big Dairy project etc regardless.

It doesn't matter whether it's good or not. It just is.

I am not plummy and I am a city dweller. I have listened all my life and shall continue to listen for the rest of it! Sometimes it's boring and even boaksome (Ruth having an affair... in fact, RUTH.) But also completely involving and touching (when Betty Tucker died - waaah.) And funny (Emma and baybee Keeeeeira.) I also remember all the old characters... Walter Gabriel, Nelson Gabriel...

Lisa Tarbuck's a big Archer's fan. I always remember her saying that the theme tune signalled the move from day to evening, from work to play. I agree. Lovely.

Archer's wtf am I on tonight. Archers. Sorry.

I want to know how you know which posters are of the haw-hee-haw plummy voiced variety. Do you have a magic laptop?

I actually am of the haw-hee-haw plummy voiced variety, but yet I hate the Archers.

Yes my grandfather who was a farmer listened back in the day when there was proper farming stuff on it. And for me it has that sort of link to the past - I am quite sentimental about it really.

Most of the characters annoy me though but you know in a good way.