Continuing culvert conspiracies in Ambridge - discuss The Archers here

[PseudoBadger]

Won't someone please give Kenton a kick in the FA Cup Finals, and a link to Money Saving Expert?

zero - what is the first saddest thing on TA?

I'm guessing John's death.

John dying.

They used to be stupendous at death in TA. John, Betty, Polly, Mark; all landmark episodes in my listening life. Perhaps I was overinfested (though younger and with plenty of RL stuff to think about) but for each of those I wept and walked around feeling rather shocked for a few days.

(Leaving aside Nigel and the very old) is it that I've become more cynical - or have the deaths truly become more instrumental? I don't remember feeling anything much for Ruairi's DM, or Paul, and Sid was an anomaly. Perhaps it's a good thing that they're don't seem keen to kill of any younger people at the moment - because they'd do it so badly.

Off. Off. Off!

What's happened to Bert? If he's fit enough to dig carol's garden, surely he could do the odd bit of milking

He's just vanished. Did he go to his DCd?

I cannot remember John at all!! I do remember Mark and also was it Caroline in a coma? That made me cry, even before I had children and started crying at anything!

There seem to be a lot of homeless oaps. Maybe they could all move in with Peggy.

Yes a commune!

Given that Johnnie took his GCSEs last summer, he must be around 17 now, so add on 9 months - it must be nearly 18 years since John died. It was terribly sad. Tony found him dead in a ditch, after a tractor accident. Gosh, I'm welling up just thinking about it, although I too cry at anything at all!

Yes, Caroline was in a coma for a bit. Mark lost control of his car and crashed it trying to avoid Caroline and someone else, can't remember who, who were out riding. He'd been speaking on his carphone to Shula just before. Odd the things that stick!

An OAP commune in Ambridge would be ace. The Tregorrans' old home, which I think is called Manor Court, is supposed to be right in the heart of the village and is quite big. It hasn't been mentioned in the 30+ years I've been listening which implies it's been forgotten about inhabited by silent characters who play no part in village life. Perhaps they travel a lot. Anyway, if they want to sell up Manor Court would do very nicely.

I thought Siobhan was pretty tragic.
Nigel was a mistake. Sid was forced on them, as were quite a few of the elderly recently (Phil and Jack Woolley).
Paul was ridiculous, it was totally like there was a fight over the way the story went. Why did they bring in Anita Dobson and then do nothing with her? There was a lot of potential (ridiculous potential) so why did they totally chicken out of doing anything. Its one thing I don't think SOC will do as much as VA did.

While Nigel just left me numb with disappointment I find I am still not over the sheer waste and idiocy of the Paul story. As you say, why bring in Anita Dobson, why bring in his grown up children and have all the business with a wedding that didn't concern us - for no reason whatsoever?

And then - no actual consequences in TA. It was only in AmEx that Matt revealed to Lil that he knew about her affair. His sending someone to scare Paul (in TA) was simply weird - either it helped to kill him or it didn't - it made no difference to the continuing story whatsoever.

Whoever was responsible for the entire mess is my H(or S)WMNBN.

Zero, it sounds you might be The Wrong Sort of Audience!
John's death (or at least Tony finding him dead) was really heart-wrenching. Nigel's death (AAAAA-AAAA-AAAARHGH!) was just farcical.

Poor old Deeevid and his deathly dull Farm Sunday. I feel quite sorry for him.

Eek, Kate, you bitch!!

What happened? Was David all alone?

Who did Kate upset this time?

Kate expressed herself quite forcefully about Helen's puff presentation for the Berrow Farm renewable energy set-up.

Never thought I' d say this- but Go Kate!!!!!!

It was quite funny.

But how long before Charlie offers Helen an actual job - and Rob shoves her back in her box?

So did anyone go to Open Farm Sunday? I went to one farm but not the other (seen it before and I had a busy day). They are an ARLA dairy farm and, not knowing what that entailed, I was worried that they might be a bit Berrow-like. They were fine though - just a normal family farm who sell through a co-op. They had the co-op's quiz and goody-bag but that was about as commercial as they got. I am now the proud owner of a plastic cup shaped like an udder!

Completely forgot it was open farm sunday till I heard TA thought.

BTW it was Debbie Aldridge who was riding with Caroline when Mark died.

My cynical ears reckon HP's stroke can't be that 'massive' if she is complaining about something in the hospital. (I never can hear on the phone!) And if she's being transferred to the stroke unit, she must have some hope of coping with and benefitting from rehab. Well, that's in the real world, not TA.

I did like hearing Kate talking to Helen. Though felt a bit sorry for Helen.

John died in February 1998. I remember because I cried at his funeral on the omnibus, which was completely out of character for me, then shortly afterwards discovered I was pregnant.

I think Greg's death was more shocking because I couldn't remember a suicide in twenty years of listening.

I gave up listening a couple of years ago, but still keep up with the plots intermittently. Is there any chance that SOC will bring back the Doom Music?

He did actually, at the end of the week of the flood! It was like seeing the sun come out and shine on the flooded fields. I love the Doom Music.

There was no doom music for Freda - and she was a much longer term character than HP. Even if she said much less.

I'd forgotten about Greg's death. How long ago was that now?

Siobhan's death was upsetting more because of her small son. For me anyway. And she was young too. But she wasn't so likeable as a character - she did serve her purpose though!

Really? I must have missed that. Sorry.

Re heatherpets stroke

Having had a close relative suffer massive strokes her recovery does seen remarkable. Watching a loved one trying to move/communicate and the frustration they feel is heartbreaking.