Sack the Sock - put a sock in it or pull your socks up - frankly we're a bit sick of it. The Archers is shit, discuss it here.

[PseudoBadger]

I have it on good authority that this is the thread that people enjoy more than the programme it's about

Johnnie seems to feel he's been wronged and if he had previously had trouble recognising numbers I think he would have more meekly accepted the blame or not trusted himself to read out the order in the first place. He would have been extremely keen to get it right.
Either the list at the farm end has been altered or the note of the order in the shop has been altered. It would be the work of a moment for Rob to do either for sheer mischief & malice.

At least we now know from tonight's episode that the shop is a Bridge farm enterprise.

Film listeners might be able to follow the pak choi and misuma order more carefully.

I think the note was altered and Johnny rooting about in the veg sorting shed supposedly tidying up was him looking for it.

I agree Lilian

Haven't we always known the shop is a Bridge Farm enterprise?

It was from the start when Helen set it up to sell Bridge Farm produce (veg, ice cream, Borchester Blue, etc,) Tom Archer sausages and the non-BF deli stuff.

It definitely was when Pat and Tony took on a mortgage for the farm and had (seemingly) endless family meetings about their various enterprises.

I always pictured Tiger as Bradly Walsh, but now ZeroFunDame has gone and suggested Ray Winstone, I just don't know what to think

Hmmm... I'm sure Mr Walsh could cut it as a small time crook in a British TV soap - but we'd need someone with more heft for this trillion dollar multi-national Oscar-contender.

Tbf they're both far too young for the part. Matt's in his late 60s.

Of course, it depends if we're going with "old" Hollywood - where everyone is under 40, or "new style" Hollywood with every character played by Judi Dench and Clint Eastwood.

Oh, there's a thought ...

Have I missed Henry's birthday? I thought it was around New Year... Anyway I was amazed when Rob sent him off to put his pyjamas on. If I tried that with my 4 year old she would be playing in her bedroom (she's perfectly capable of putting them on but not without a bit of chivvying along!)

Yes I think the CSA is based in Belfast. We had an employee who had to pay Child Maintenance and I had to deduct it from his wages. I thought Helen had suspicions about the letter or she wouldn't have brought it through for Rob to open.

Poor Johnny and his numbers... 3 / 8 mix up does seem more like sabotage - I'd have thought a dyslexic mix up would be more likely to be 12 / 21 or something. Also when Helen was talking to Tina I thought the veg order problem had occurred in December and was another reason for the poor performance, but she told Johnny it was earlier this week?

Oh and can I nominate Patricia Hodge for Lil? Such fun!

I adore Clint Eastwood. Given how often he's played police officers I suppose he could have been PC Plot but he's a touch too old for that now. Considering his age, it should be a choice between Joe Grundy, Bert Fry and Jim Lloyd, but somehow none of them seem quite right...

I seem to have lost a post! Timothy spall for Eddie? I heard Today too, it was lovely

Souad Faress is on TV quite frequently so for me Usha is Usha iyswim! But Shobna Gulati would be quite good I think. Or for more film-y actors Tannishtha Chatterjee (from Brick Lane), though she might be a bit young

Brilliant acting from Helen when she brought the letter through. Her tone of voice when she asked "Who do you know in Belfast?" said so much - trying to sound light and casual, but full of trepidation. She forced him to open in front of her because she knew he would fob her off otherwise. Can't decide whether he knew what it was. Her reaction when she read it was also superb - it said I keep trying to put my reservations aside, I want you to reassure me, I want to be reassured, but I'm starting to panic. The treatment of this storyline is superb - slow-boil, real time unfolding of the drama where Rob can seem so helpful and innocuous for long periods that even we start to wonder if everything is going to be alright. He's not a pantomime villain. This is the Archers at its best - not the fast-forward by-pass plan and fast-track move North. Played out at a slower pace these stories too could have been believable (possibly), but instead they just look like crude plot devices to create a bit of drama. Also does anyone else detect the Ambridge health fairy in Tony's hospital room?

Did Helen see in te order book that she had only ordered 3? Why did Tina accept an order for more? What would have happened to the mizuna if it hadnt gone to the shop? In reality wasn't this just a bit of loss shifting from one part of the business to another?

I think Helen should have told johnny it wasn't his fault because the order shouldn't have been accepted.

Yes, I thought Tony sounded astonishingly bright and breezy given everything he's been through. I recall being told that the first few times you get up after being in bed so long you feel really dizzy and are exhausted very quickly.

I'm in forrin parts and struggling to make my first post via kindle. Haven't heard an episode since Tue, but having read this thread am desperate to catch up. Love all the oscar-nomination actor suggestions here!

My boop point (can't find capital letters) is that Johnny (predictive text worked there!) Is a really good character.

Absolutely love the idea of Roger allam as Brian!

I wonder whether Helen had googled the return address on the envelope and knew exactly where it had come from

Second your entire post Lil'G.

Pretty astonished at Tony's chirpiness. Isn't it only a few days since he re-found his voice? IME he should still be sounding hesitant and exhausted.

I wasn't very happy with robs use of the word 'bitch'. That's a word my kids haven't been introduced to yet and is like to keep it that way!! Another reason why I have to listen to funkids on a Sunday mornin

I now believe that when the Dopeys don't go, it really is a stroke of brilliance. Kenton has literally spent all his share, he's promised Fallon some, may have alienated Freda through the grapevine; Shula is looking forward to Jill coming to her and has plans for her share; Lizzy also knows where her share is going. Well played.
And the Bridge Farm/Helen/Rob stuff looks to be shaping up well and quite realistically; agree with your post Lillian.
So my only issue (and it's a biggie) is identikit voices.

zero I wasn't sure how much independence the shop had. Appointing a manager without consulting the rest of the family was an outrageous step.

If the 'miasma' order was done in December then Rob was at BF a lot then(and will have been right through the paperwork in the office, you betcha.)

Oh I'm sure that SOC will be be all smiles and "ta-Da see what I did there" when he does his Feb Feedback interview". The identi-kit voices will be glossed over and the emphasis will be on how much he has engaged us all in talking about it!

Even if the fallout is brilliant it doesn't change the fact we got there with a badly written and highly unlikely storyline.

Yes BYOS the "bitch" comment was true to rob's character but I wondered at the inclusion of it at the time it is broadcast

I agree that as a set-up for storylines and tension for years to come it has been brilliant, but it has been so excruciating listening through the (to me) artificial and tenuous machinations to get them to that point that I just want them to get on with it and get it over with!