Don't blame it on a Grundy, don't blame it on Route B, don't blame it on Sean O'C, blame it on the badgers. Discuss The Archers of Prudhoe here.

[PseudoBadger]

Wow daddaddad, I didn't realise you had such a low opinion of our wit and bonhomie. Hash tag Insulted.

According to posters on the underground she is appearing in a play that necessitates her wearing really tarty shoes

BYOS - I'm genuinely unsure whether you are just joking or whether you feel genuinely insulted. I hope it's the former, if not I'm sorry if I gave the wrong impression.

I was actually just trying to be lighthearted: working as the TA thread's statistician, I would say the hours are good, the office banter is fantastic, but the salary is a bit on the low side... (And then I consider that I don't actually remember applying for the post in the first place ).

And I'm far too busy tied up with my research project, working out how you do a pie-chart just using smileys.

Poor, DDD, all those burdens AND a whole gaggle of very demanding children too. I'm sure BYOS was joking, and I certainly am. Your spreadshit and the subsequent smiley pie charts have added a certain je ne sais quoi to this thread, and I am sure we are all very grateful. Maths was never so exciting in pre-internet days. IMO anyway.

DDD I love your analysis. I want to know what drew you to this thread - is it a fanatical love of the Archers or it's statistical potential?

Its

Definitely not its statistical potential.

But nor am I fanatical. I listen to The Archers from time to time, and get interested in some storylines and some characters. I found these threads to be perfect, because the posters here are knowledgeable and witty, and are a quick way to keep up with the main happenings in Ambridge.

But, yes, I've come to love the quirkiness of this thread, where I can build a bar chart out of smileys, and it actually gets taken seriously...

Yes I was joking! I would never use a hash tag except in jest!!!

I double dare you to use a smiley bar chart at work

I've just been on a little trip through old threads and I see that the first time I posted on TA thread was to set out a table showing how the rate of posts per day had fluctuated over time. I suppose I was fascinated at how the rate reflected the level of drama going on in the programme - what events in Ambridge drove excitement levels here on MN.

But it will be hard for us ever to beat the wedding: in the 24 hours that began just before 7pm on 24 April, 329 posts were made, many times the normal rate. I wonder what will be the next event to get that kind of response?

LOVE the title.
Bit behind - keep falling asleep = been a VERY long week.

Yesterday's episode sounded as if it was leading into a tidying up period before The Archers was cancelled. David & family selling Brookfield, Debbie getting fired & Adam & Home Farm losing the contract to farm BL's land - another week and the programme will be finished for good. Sharon & Eamonn can take Johnny back to Leeds. If there's a shoot next week Ed & Will could have a big row ending with a duel.

Am somewhat out of touch as haven't been able to listen much this week, but thought I would add my stats. I'm 35 and have been listening on and off since I was little as my dad is a listener. I remember Helen getting her GCSE results as she is the same age as me. First big storyline I remember was John's death, and have been (fairly) faithful since.

Just caught up. Oh dear oh dear… but they wouldn't have taken on Mr O'Connor if they were going to axe it East.

(Off to Google lapse rate model thanks to Dadcubed and wondering how I can use it in my research work ). Missing point of thread entirely.

I probably watch far too much stuff like Supernatural, Buffy, SHIELD etc but I'm now convinced that if Henry is actually OmenBoy then Johnny is his counterpart, they pair of them locked for eternity in a duel where OmenBoy causes death, havoc and misery and Johnny brings light and happiness to offset the DOOM - there can be no other explanation for Maurice being positive about anything and given the current crop of story lines I think my theory is just as plausible.

I hope Debbie at least gets to come back for a swan song, hopefully involving her pushing Charlie into the sinkhole!

Sorry Peat I was probably being over dramatic...

One good thing about Adam losing the contract is that we'll hear less of Charlie.

If the rationale for Debbie going off to Hungary was that there wasn't enough for them both to do on Home Farm then what are the chances of one of them buying Brookfield?

Re previous comments about a lack of strong women. Surely Debbie is pretty successful running the Hungarian operation and Home Farm from a distance? It's just a pity we never get to hear from her!

Why not Adam,Ian AND Debbie plus partner buying Brookfield?

Eastpoint

Am posting without having RTFT
but why on EARTH are David and Ruth putting the for sale sign up? Surely if Route B is going to go ahead then the County Council would have compulsory purchase over the bit of Brookfield where the cow bridge was meant to be?

Surely that would give them more ££ than a sale where a domestic buyer (it'c clearly not viable as a farm or they wouldn't be leaving) would have the threat of a mahoosive great road being built?

IT is BAFFLING

Of course you're right Olivia It's a pile of poo actually (I'm still going to listen though!).

I'm all for Debbie coming back. It would solve Brian's possible dilemma of how to divide his assets 5 ways if he gives Debbie & Adam the wherewithal to buy Brookfield - and save inheritance tax.

It doesn't solve the problem of Jill though.

And, the way things are going, instead of getting a strong independent Debbie we'd get a heavy domestic drama in which her partner dumps her and she falls apart.

I agree about the compulsory purchase. It seems David and Ruth haven't really sat down and done their sums, or a spreadshit.

It is utterly unreasonable and I am so annoyed that I don't even try to listen live anymore - sometimes I just catch up with the film, sometimes I check out the the current thread.

Why push listening audiences down the instant drama - gratification route? Felicity Finch was on R4 this morning talking about the power of listener's imaginations...I am even more worried about Ruth & David being pushed off to Prudhoe after hearing that, as imagination is clearly not a muscle that SOC wishes to engage with.

DID - late forties and listening since in the womb. (My firstborn emerged to Eddie Grundy and dumdi dum by accident )