SOC has soaked Ambridge to the core across a never ending weekend. Discuss The Archers post-watershed here.

[PseudoBadger]

Deluged damp squid or not? And has Peggy been assisted off the mortal coil by Rob yet?
And when will JD and Brian remember Debbie?

Excellent point re LL Zero - without other locals working there, there is less and less reason for us to go there. I did wonder if Jill would move at one point when all the Brookfield nonsense was going on, but in the end she would have gone to Shula's. Re Hellin and Knob (my fave storyline) I certainly don't want it to be rushed to a hasty conclusion. I think in real life it can take women years to realise they are with an abuser and even longer to extricate themselves. It is interesting though that Hellin - a control freak herself - has ended up with someone so controlling. She's clinging to the idea of Knob as hero at the moment - of course she didn't see what really happened at Shula's.

Lilian what did really happen at Shula's? I was away and missed that week. All I know is everyone keeps going on about how brave Knob was.

He got in strop at the Bull because he didn't like PC Plot taking control, sent Hellin home then somehow got hold of boat (I still don't know where the boat came from) and went to the stables where Alistair, Shula and Christine were trapped by the rising waters. Christine (who is in her 80s I think) was required to jump from a window into the boat and was understandly anxious. Shula and Alistair were trying to be gently encouraging while Knob used his usual charm to rant and shout at her to get on with it (generally acting within character in any stressful situation - think Hunt sab and Jim after the Open Farm day). In his fury (as I understood it) he somehow managed to hit his head.

I think the boat was from Arkwright Hall, but I don't know how he got it from there to the stables, he lied to Helen saying he was talking to the garage about his car when Jess rang. Did he abandon his car when he got the boat? I don't think it matters, just thinking it through.

Flood evening outside the Bull. Panic rising.

PC We need you to help out Rob.

Rob Actually we were just about to go -

Helen Oh don't worry darling - We'll be fine on our own.

Rob But darling, I have to protect you and Henry ...

Helen Honestly darling, you wouldn't want to run away leave everyone else to cope would you?

Rob But DARLING ...

Helen Bye Darling. Be seeing ya. C'mon Henry ...

Cue Rob strop as detailed above.

Was hilarious.

I love you lot - it's better than listen again!

My prediction is Rob will get the push, Charlie will ask Adam if he wants the job. Rob will become more mentally unstable and who knows, it may be an EE type drama outcome. He tries to murder Jess or some such.

Excellent summary Zero

Listening to Rob and Helen talk is wonderful. Someone a few threads ago described them as having their own mental image of what each other is like and this image is perfect. Their conversations reflect this and for me is some of the best writing that we hear at the moment.

I'm all in favour of the Jess/baby plot. It's fascinating hearing a total control freak deal with something he can't control and which he knows has the capacity to derail everything else. I must say the way the actor showed how much difficulty he was having not going into a total rage during the conversation with Charlie was brilliant.

Re Shula, wasn't someone saying the other day that she'd been singing Knob's praises for his heroism? Or did I imagine it?

Re: Shula - what other people say and the person involved says can be very different. Shula hasn't denied that Knob rescued them, but hasn't actually sung his praises as far as I've heard. I think she is being very careful in what she does say.

I would rather the ea continued and then we saw the control freak lose control because his victim is trying to get away. Rather than the Jess baby bringing it to a premature boiling point

I had hoped for Helen to reacue herself from an abusive relationship rather than it end because he had been unfaithful and there was a massive drama

Exactly mummytime. I suspect Shula merely confirmed Rob's existence/ presence at the scene and the listener heard it as confirmation of heroism.

They've just been talking about pop-up libraries on Today and mentioned a telephone box. Whatever happened to all the plans and projects for the Ambridge phonebox? What is it doing now?

I agree. I think the way the Rob/Helen story is being played out is a very fine example of character driving plot.

The whole way he acted during the flood was very well written and did give other people the chance to see what he's like.

Meanwhile, Kirsty's back - surely for more than just one episode. And Patrick! Maybe our dreams of a Patrick/Kirsty (Katrick? Pirsty?) combo will come true...

The way Jolene's acting really reminds me of how she was after Sid died.

mink. I do agree that Rob's abusiveness shouldn't be excused by illness, or anything else. Jess wants him to recognise what he's done and that would be the best outcome - but there are so many possible ways forward for this story and that's what makes it so interesting.

I think BL is going to be under investigation at some point for its ditch mis-management and Rob will be the fall-guy. He is partly to blame.

I still think that Rob will run away when the going all gets too tough.

Yes mummytime Shula is being very careful about what she says ref. knob.

enoch Surely knob is just the manager of the industrial dairy not the land manager? There's going to be a great deal of shit hitting the fan at the meeting on Wed.; Poor Ed jnr. will be blushing hugely if he has to tell porkies about clearing the ditches.

And Ed has already broken his confidentialty clause by telling Emma.

And Emma = Portable-radio-Carter ...

Charlie probably thinks ed is too thick to put two and two together re the badly maintained ditches

BBC Blog. Love the Scruff solutions!

No BYOS Did you not hear Ch. telling Ed to keep his mouth shut about them? I thought it's going to come back and bite him on the bum!

Yesk- Charlie doesn't want him telling anyone in case they put two and two together and the reason he asked ed to do it was because he thought he was too thick to put two and two together

His first ask was Adam who he could blackmail with the kids to keep schtum

Just heard last night's episode and was chuckling at Bert; he's such a forelock tugging sap. Why doesn't La Bron insist he calls her Carol?

I think the point of Ed&Emma's conversation about the ditches was to make it clear that Ed knows what the score is but he also knows he needs to keep schtum. While Emma may be Susan's daughter, she's not stupid and I don't think would do anything to jeopardise Ed's position. But doubtless Susan will get hold of a rumour and it will be assumed to have come from E&E.