Don your paisley tabards, feel the static crackle, and join our Archers thread team hug.

[PseudoBadger]

Chocolate Chip cookie anyone?

So these geese upstarts. What's their family name? Is geese boys dad still about? And Man Archers sister? Are they like the Montagues and the Capulets? How do Mr and Mrs Elope fit in to all this sex and drama?

Sorry I know I should be concentrating on the Rob/Helen saga but can't focus on anything but the weirdness that is David and Pip, today DH found me standing in the kitchen gripping the radiator and staring at the radio. It is just unnerving.

Newbie to the thread (but not to Ambridge... The soundtrack to my childhood... I listened to Brian and Siobhan on the radio of the communal kitchen at uni during my Finals... And recently as a SAHM have got addicted again) Jumping in with both here, I agree with PP who said tonight's episode was horrible, David was being vile, his constant references to "your mum" instead of jus Mum massively grated and sounded like he was separating himself from Ruth - and totally hypocritical, he would never have said the same about Jill - good on Pip for calling him on it. As for Rob... There are no words. I listened to the omnibus on catch up yesterday and it was really noticeable that whenever H talked about him to anyone else, she was all happy and "married life is so great!" but whenever the two of them were together, the way he spoke to her was awful.

It is just unnerving.

Yes.

It's not that sort of show - but otherwise one would definitely surmise that we were heading towards some gruesome revelation about the domestic life of the First Family. Wish the Editor would do something about the tone of the David / Pip conversations. It's all gone very wrong somewhere. Bloody creepy.

headinhands I love your plot summary! the Elopers are Rob and Helen, she is an Archer, I think the niece or cousin (I lose track) of Man Archer. I don't know about the history of the geese boys though, hopefully someone else can fill us in..

Headinhands I am roaring with laughter at your description!

I genuinely don't know their names yet! I take it the tension between the shop workers is the lighthearted fun filling sandwiched between the dry and sensible Archer matriarch and patriarch. With the geese boys and Elopers as some sort of frivolous and exotic canapé?

Welcome Slice. There was a wonderful series of posts a couple of years back where we all told our listening histories; You'd have felt very much at home.

(I imagine the thread is rather quiet tonight because people are still dealing with ... events.)

Yes, if it was EE, I would assume we were heading for a controversial headline grabbing storyline but this is the Archers. Please make it stop.

Headinhands, Geese boys are the Fairbrothers, Feckless Toby and Steady Rex. Their Dad isn't in the show any more.

There's a family tree thing on the BBC Archers website which helps you see how they are all related. Helen Archer is daughter to Pat and Tony Archer (the organic farmers). Man Archer is David, Man Archer's wife is Ruth. I forget how the two branches of Archers link, something about Peggy (Tony's Mum) having been married to an Archer at some stage.

I can't wait to hear your descriptions of Barman and Barwoman Archer, Horsey Woman with Vet Husband and Soldier Son, and the Facelift woman, sister to posh kitchen lady and everso grumpy farmer man. There's so much fun to be had in Ambridge!

Thanks for that link Gruach. But wait, Ruth is a bobbed brunette. What's she doing being blue eyed with a blonde elfin crop!? Who is this imposter!

Forgot to say don't look at the (imposters') pictures!

Mega BOOP episode!!! David making valid points about personal care and GO PIP (all is forgiven)

And Ruth nearly had an affair with some Sam guy! She can wipe that 'efficient and wise' voice right off her face now thank you very much.

headinhands it might help if you think of them geographically.

3 main farms- Brookfield, Bridge farm and Home farm.

The Brookfield Archers- man and woman archer a.k.a. David and Ruth live there, with their children Pip (soon, we pray, to be leaving) Josh and Ben. Also there Jill, David's mother and cake baker sounds like a pigeon. And Bert, elderly neighbour and tenant temporarily accomodated due to flooding.

Bridge farm - home of Bridge Farm Archers, Pat and Tony. And their son Tom. They are organic and keep pigs and cows. Temporary village shop is there along with Ambridge Organics. This used to be business of Eloped Woman (Hellin daughter of P and T). She married the awful Rob a.k.a. knob.

Home farm home of the Aldridges (Brian and Jenny dahling nee Archer.) Run by Adam who is now a soil bore. Kate maddening pseudo lentil weaver yoga vegan who despite being almost 40 acts 12 and her daughter Phoebe who despite being almost 18 acts 40. (The Edina and Saffy of Ambridge). Lillian Archer is also there temporarily..she likes gin and has a fabulous laugh.

The true matriarch is Peggy Woolley formerly Archer. She uses her wealth to generally meddle.

Others - Berrow farm mega dairy employs Rob (eloped man) and Charlie.

The Grundys. There is an assortment of Grundys including Joe, Eddie, Ed and Will. Much talk of ferrets, cider, dogs, pheasants.

Other Archers- Shula kerps stables, married to vet. Smug.
Elizabeth - owns Lower Loxley.

Then there is Grey Gables owned by Caroline.

Both the above are hotels/catering/events venues and employers.

Now to shop people. Everyone volunteers in shop but it is managed by Susan. Massive gossip. Married to Neil.

Snooty shop woman does not like tabards is the fabulous Lynda Snell organiser of fetes, pantomimes, christmas shows and owner of llamas. Her heart is in the right place.

Thanks for that Smink! I know more than I realised as I was nodding along to your post and it made more sense. I know snooty shop lady would always come through in a crisis but not until she'd made mention of her many AmDram productions.

Peggy Archer was originally married to Jack Archer, who was Phil's brother. They ran the Bull. Her mother was Mrs P (Perkins.) I think. Some of this is before my time, and I forget some bits even when I have been listening.

Phil was former owner of Brookfield and David's dad.
So David, Kenton (pub man with debts), Shula and Elizabeth were all Brookfield Archers.

Tony, Jenny dahling and gin swilling Lillian are all children of Peggy and cousins to Brookfield)

Phil Archer was originally married to Grace Archer nee Fairbrother (great aunt? Of the Fairbretheren). Jill is so not over it.

Oh and Elizabeth and Kenton are massively spoilt in their own ways.

Elizabeth was nearly ruined by a Fairbrother - one of her unsuitable suitors.

Peggy married the original owner of Grey Gables and has loads of her own money but as Jack was a drunk, it is thought that she made this as a Madam during the war.

Bum - both her husbands were Jack. J1 was the drunk.

AND if she wasn't there they'd have to have someone to do housekeepery things...... Absolutely! Indeed if HP moved in there would be even more need for someone to do housekeepery things. Also Brookfield is Jill's home. It seems a bit off to evict one granny while falling over themselves to accommodate the other one. I'm surprised Jill hasn't had more to say about it to be honest. She of all people must be feeling for HP and for Ruth's dilemma.

The original Archers were Dan and Doris - parents of Phil (deceased), Jack (deceased) and Christine (still alive and moved in with her sil Peggy)

Phil having seen his first wife quite literally go up in smoke married nice Jill and they had 4 dc - Kenton (1 daughter, lives in Australia) and Shula (1 son born after her husband had a collision with a tree) (twins), David (parent of Pip, Josh and Ben who was conceived on the hay waggon during hay making (arf))and Elizabeth (parent of twins Freddie and Lily and widow of Nigel who fell off the roof)

Jack married Peggy and they ran the Bull for a while (not great as Jack drank too much). Their dc are Jennifer (mother of Adam, Debbie, Kate and Alice), Lilian (mother of JAmes but he barely counts) and Tony (father of John (deceased), Helen and Tom. )

Christine was married to a n'er do well and adopted a child who hasn't been heard of for years. She definitely got the crappy end of the plots.

I don't think Jill will give conflicting advice - I think she'll agree with Pip.