Oh. Hello. I didn't know we'd invited another The Archers thread round darling. How nice to see you. Discuss Ambridge here.

[PseudoBadger]

As tribute to the best SL at the moment...

Don't worry Lil, I wasn't being entirely serious. Was just a neat juxtaposition of posts. I guess their ages really don't match up.

And I would hate them to go down the EE road - with long lost never before spoken of relatives turning up every week. Oh Lord - if they turn the Dower House into a B&B we'll know all hope is lost.

So they expect Josh to leave and start somewhere else for his final year of school?

How do they even know the Northumberland sixth form would be following the exact same syllabus?

Does that mean Dan Archer was visiting the mother of his love child in the cottage hospital in 1937? So should we be looking for 77/78 year olds?

Oh . (If you've listened you'll know why).

I remember when JE was talking about his roots and he said something weird. He didn't say 'my dad' (immediate past) or 'my family' (some vague time in the past). He said 'my great-granddad', which seemed strangely precise so it lodged in my brain.

Phil was the same age as my DM? (Always thought he was much older somehow.)

So he could have a sibling ten years younger in his 70s?

They can't possibly take Ed's herd away! He was born to raise cows.

Oh help. If Justin was Dans child - and Charlie is Justin's child ...

The Pip is no longer in play.

We've been going on about a realistic approach to the portrayal of dairy farming, haven't we? A sad BOOP for Ed's last scence.

On the bright side, Jill said "Hello, you two!"

A BOOP point also from me for the Ed storyline in tonight's. That actually made sense.

I'm still holding on to the hope that the newly-remembered Brookfield Dairy story is somehow going to prove to be Ed's salvation.

Just don't know how yet...

I would like to see a salvation for ed too.

Why has rooth not realised that David doesn't want to move yet?

:( Poor Ed. And Eddie.

They're only just realised (D&R I mean) that they actually affect other people's lives, haven't they?

Well, I think Ruth has been worried about her mother, and isn't against the idea of going back to the area she grew up anyway. And they were rather forced into it because of Plan B, so I think they've been more focussed on how their own lives are being affected than others. But you'd think they might have given a passing thought to people working for them at some point. Keri Davies is one of the better writers, though - he's been responsible for some of the good Kate & Phoebe ones, too. (Tonight's episode was his, it's not just a random comment.)

I can't accept the never-before-mentioned-or-remembered Brookfield Dairy as a plot device if it has been introduced so Dan Archer can have a love child - but if it turns out to be a lifeline for Ed well that's a different matter entirely. I still can't see how it would work - someone would still have to buy Mikes bottling plant and take over the round. Who could do that? And would even that be enough to make Ed turn a profit? Really heartbreaking scene there though with Ed saying goodbye to his cows and Eddie trying to comfort him even though he doesn't know what's going to happen himself if when the Dopeys leave. The idea that JE's profit will be turned by wind turbines or solar panels - nothing that will provide employment for local families like the Grundys. Just too bleak - brilliantly written though. Big BOOPS.
My favourite line tonight though was Jennifer saying something along the lines of "As if I haven't been on the radio before".

Would there be compensation money from the road that David and Ruth could use to buy the bottling plant? Sell Ed's milk and their own locally?

I found it quite weird that Ruth was sounding genuinely concerned about Bert and Freda as if their situation had nothing whatsoever to do with her. At no point was she acknowledging that if they weren't moving then Bert and Freda wouldn't be at risk.

Also annoyed that the Dopeys are sufficiently bothered about Josh's AS levels to stop him doing the lambing, but not so bothered that they hesitated for one moment about making him move to a new college three months before his exams. Yes, the reality is on their current plans that that won't happen, but that's only because of the ridiculous robotic milking parlour. Otherwise they wouldn't have hesitated about totally messing up his AS level preparation.

Yesterday's pub scene with Jim, Robert and Brine - be still, my beating heart! If Jazzer had joined them, it might all have been a bit too much. And the competitive bird-watching really was TA at its one-inch-of-ivory best.

Yes Bluestocking, and Patrick got a mention too!

(I still harbour hopes that he and Kirsty will get together one day)

Poor ed

How much do we reckon the bottling plant and milk round is selling for? Has that been mentioned? Could the Dopeys show a glimmer of conscience and offer a loan to Ed and Eddie to buy it- Ed could keep the herd, Eddie could run the round. Although then the Grundys would be just another set of folks on the ever growing list of those who will be disappointed if/when the Brookfield sale falls through, sending the ripples further (obviously Kenton and J'lene, Lizzie, Shula, and then Fallon for her shabby chic business, Lil for cash from the Bull sale). Proper SATTC stuff.

Oh poor Ed. I was quite teary listening to him. Where is Oliver, though? I'm not saying he could wave a magic wand and sort everything out, but Ed has always been his protégé so Oliver should be around for this story.

No doubt poor Oliver has been sent to Teen Drama School - so is unavailable to take his natural part in the actual story.

On the subject of milk famers and poor Ed, is it OK to ask if people might like to sign this petition about minimum milk price?
epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/73628

Talk about spoilers!!! I have just gone onto the BBC website and looked at the actor profiles - hardly any of them look right at all! I was quite shocked to find out that JD is not a close friend of mine as I always picture her to be. I am off to assign more characters to my real life friends as its much more fun that way

That whole BBC website is nothing but a smokescreen to conceal the truth from us, stilllearnin

THE ARCHERS IS REAL. THERE IS NO CAST!

I loved the discomfort in Brian's voice as he watched Lil packing up her life time's collection of shoes in preparation to being "parachuted' into his home.

Oooh yes can't wait for the cat fight between Lil and Kate! She won't pussy foot around her like Jenny . Hopefully .