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?

Yes, I think so! Wasn't he the hunk that Debbie was keen on for a bit? He disappeared frustratingly soon.

Thanks for that, R4. I'm not greatly encouraged, I must say, but I will soldier bravely on.

The first question asked SOC if the flood was his idea. He said yes. When Roger Bolton asked him the same question on Feedback he said no. I so wanted to ask him about this but couldn't bring myself to effectively call him a liar in front of s room full of people

oh R4, I so wish you had! (Not called him a liar as such, just said "but on Feedback you said..." )

Thanks for reporting back so succinctly and promptly, R4!

Oh wow - was it the Wednesday already? (I missed tonight's episode.)

Well done R4 and thank you for the note taking.

Was Graham Harvey God-like?

Was Pip like Pip? How does she speak in RL?????????

Was the writer informative - or not?

And will you see TA any differently now?

Graham Harvey thought that he was god-like. He kept mentioning that he had written scripts. I suppose he was trying to get cred with the writers.

Daisy was Daisy. She naturally has a deep, low voice. She needs to work on being a showbizzy person.

The writer, who is a member of the writers group, spoke a lot about the research they (he and GH) did. He talked about the pacing, how they tried to point us in one direction (eg will Ruth crash on the way to Prudhoe) but then come up with something else.

Thanks. Almost sorry I couldn't go.

Now, shall I catch up on TA or Masterchef?

They need to go on a subtlety training course then because the false signposting of a Ruth crash was pretty obvious!!

And the fact they all knew the move wasn't goi g to happen might explain why the storyline was so shit

They clearly all think they are cleverer than the listener but unfortunately for them they are not. I thought the writing for flood week was poor and generally poor around the 'big' stories that affect the whole village. The god writing comes in snippets and with knob and Kate and their families putting up with them!

i have given up on masterchef. GW makes me want to stab forks in things, and they keep saying "tatatan" and "pampadoo"

I agree with BYOS, they think their misleading signposting works but it doesn't.

Remember the straw poll we had at least 3 months ago regarding whether the Dopeys would really move?
It was a resounding No.

Anyway thanks for going R4, and for your interesting report.

ooh yes, meant to say thanks for reporting back R4. did anyone ask why they scheduled it to clash with the archers?

The god writing comes in snippets
Usually seems to be when Keri Davies is on the job, doesn't it?

Thanks for the update - I think I've said on previous threads that I'm sick and tired of the faux misdirection - it isn't subtle, they've done it so often we know that the drama won't happen where they're telling us to look. It's like a small child saying 'look over there' whilst trying to steal another biscuit.

Interesting that SOC keeps changing his story - to me that sounds like he isn't confident in what he's doing and is trying to rewrite events. The constant harking back to the 'history' is irritating as well - it's misguided - we want the traditions of the Archers and the type of drama it is respecting - not clunky set pieces that basically say 'look we consulted the archives - listen to us referring to events past'.

The 'constant harking back' is annoying because you know that he is selective in which bits to reference and which bits to ignore. I want to hark back to an everyday tale of country folk. SOC seems hellbent on following The Archers brief literally and making it about the family. The rest of the folk aren't so important - their function is merely to be the environment in which The Family live.
We got a mention of Hardy. And how characters react to Acts of God. (arghhh too many 'act' in that sentence!!!) Apparently the major set-piece of flood week was meant to be Dave and Pip on Lakey Hill, surveying the scene of desolation below. It sounds almost biblical!

I do want them to research in the archives and be aware of past events so they don't write things which are incompatible with past events/character. But it should be in the background, so we don't get any noticeable continuity errors. I don't need it to be more than a passing comment like, "it was so lovely to see So-and-So at the wedding/funeral/whatever, after all these years." I do not need a detailed retelling of some past exploit.

Totally agree Keri's writing usually makes a good week.

Well done for going there R4 as the 'country mouse" . Typical of SOC to lie; he said on Feedback that the flood had been 'talked about' (?) for 2 and half years, del he hasn't been editor for that long has he?

I do like the fact that the flood bought into the forefront the whole philosophy and practice of farming, it DOES need to be thought about by everyone (IMHO)

I like the way the flood has given Adam a chance to think and get back to his roots, of sustainable farming.

I wouldn't want him and Charlie involved romantically, because (regardless of all the reasons we've been moaning for months) its much better to have them as friends/acquaintances with different ideas/vision about farming - with enough respect/assurance to have friendly arguments.
Adam does seem to have a little more depth (but that could be Keri) recently - and remembering his farming history rather than just doing what Brian/Debbie/Charlie etc. tell him.

Yes mummytime I noticed that the meeting hasn't finished, I wonder if we'll hear from Charlie and or Ed jnr. tonight?

Adam and Charlie are diametrically opposed in their attitude to farming atm maybe it will change? It's a BOOP point for divided loyalties.

Susan's final snort of derision was funny. If a bosom can be hoicked on radio then hers was.

Rob sounded hard done by and whiny.

David was channelling Henry V /Churchill again but I do like the way this is developing into a discussion on land management.

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Is there some significance of Knob taking his car in and needing a lift? Could he be secretly taking a paternity test and that's what he's so twitchy about? Unlikely since he knows what the result will be. There seem to have been a few conversation about his car - wasn't that the excuse he gave when Jess called last time?
Didn't like David's speech - didn't think it was in character. It felt like a theatrical set piece which was out of place. I was hoping Adam would mention the blocked culvert - after all he was an eyewitness to the poor ditch maintenance.

Not sure - I think Rob is just using the car as an excuse for phone calls and being extra stressy.

I just listened to the repeat - I missed last night that Lynda mentioned the new spring and the dried pond.

I found David's speech really annoying - talk about making it all about me me me!

Is David going lead his people to the promised land? He will be growing a beard and striding about with a big stick before we know it.

I disagree about David's speech being wrong, due to bigmouth Susan he had just told the whole village that he and the family were staying, and he had to explain why.

IMO it was good, because he was highlighting the difference between proper stewardship of the land and the exploitation of it just for profit like BL.

Olivia, your link doesn't lead anywhere?

I thought David's speech was OK. The actress who plays Susan is very good, but I think she really is quite unpleasant as a character. If she were on MN, she would be one of those harpies who haunt AIBU waiting to swoop aggressively on hapless OPs and pass strident judgment on them.