The Archers Thread September 2015 - The One Where Helen Kicks Rob In The Balls?

[PseudoBadger]

Wishful thinking. I think she's in it for the long haul

He's trying to take even the cheese-making away from her.

I feel she has no intention of getting tipsy ever again.

But why he insisted on keeping Henry at home is either too awful to contemplate or he wants to show he's the more responsible parent.

Enochroot- the thought had crossed my mind.

But, surely not on The Archers?! There MUST be another evil reason.

Perhaps while they were all respectfully considering his (worthless) opinions at Bridge Farm he was gleefully busy ordering a whole load of cheap trash, in their name, behind their backs.

(Hope he remembers to let Henry out of the cellar before Helen returns. Bet he didn't feed him citrus cured salmon.)

Won't it be his usual mess it up and blame someone else routine - with the builders or yes, he will have researched the rennet and ordered something better (non-vegetarian)

i think i could cope with him emotionally abusing henry (which he is) and perhaps even hitting him (but only once). I really don't think I could listen if it turned into a sexual abuse SL. Whilst I think it is important that the archers acts as an educational program I don't think there is any way that it could be done without being gratuitous.

I don't think it's a subject they would dare to touch tbh. Kathy's rape was a very brave SL but as an adult character she was able to voice her story. Henry wouldn't be able to and we would be left with an adults interpretation. if they wanted to do that SL i think it would be better with an adult character and an historic case.

i would rather think he will go after henry in a custody battle as revenge when helen stands up to him. he will claim he was the sahp and main caregiver while she was off with her family business

oooh good SL BYOS (the last bit). I do not watch telly soaps - have there been any child sexual abuse story lines in those? I think that would be really hard to get right.

Rob is too much of a pantomime villain now to be believable, ditto Hazel.
"He's behind you".
They don't seem to do subtle characterisation. Matt was quite good as a mixed character for a while until they made him lovable rogue then moneygrabbing bastard.
Too many changing script writers, it can seem like writing a long story in school where each kid in the class gets to write a chapter and change the personality of the characters. Brian and Peggy stay the same but many of the others are very changeable.

Agricultural wages are pretty low. Pip is investing in her future by working the farm and getting free board.

The bridge farm finances are far more perplexing. Although I think Pat and Tone did day they had done some pension planning.

Wtaf is Helin playing at though. I found her unreadable in that conversation.

Loved the ginger biscuit chat though. It was nearly as good as the ginger scone/appetising anbridge debacle.

Yes! I was making plans for refining my own ginger biscuit recipe by the end.
totally haven't got a ginger biscuit recipe

Peggy sounded very Mary Berry in that scene I thought. Bit mystified by Rob but yes I agree that H is probably up the duff :(

Nancy Banks-Smith in the Guardian on top form:

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/sep/15/nancy-banks-smith-archers-month-in-ambridge-matthew-cowman?CMP=twt_gu

I assumed that Helen was avoided wine after what Rob did last time she was drunk. Like she wants to stay in control - poss opening up the anorexia story again (also would mean it difficult to get pregnant).

Love Nancy B-S's thoughts on what happens in Ambridge on Saturdays.
Everyone cheers up and all is well, then at the stroke of midnight they all have to go back to being miserable.

We'll continue to hear about Henry being unhappy at school and be left to draw what inferences we choose but there won't be anything explicit, I think.

The cheese and Henry are Helen's babies and he's indicating that he can take both away from her. He's building his arsenal for when she attempts rebellion.

I reckon;

"Oh rob I think I might be upduffed"

"Darling don't worry I'll make the cheese and run the shop for you, do'nt upset you're pretty little head about it, you need to rest."

If Rob were merely taking a short break whilst looking around for the right job, he wouldn't be around to lend a hand with the cheese. He so has no intention whatsoever of going back into employment.

The cheese and Henry are Helen's babies This. Knob wants to undermine her on every front and the penny is starting to drop with Hellin that he has no intention of getting another job. The reason he didn't want to go to the family meeting was because he knows he can't bulldoze the family in the way he can bulldoze Hellin. He'll just make lots of undermining comments when she gets back and tells him what was decided safe in the knowledge that he can sabotage the project in any way he likes because he's made himself project manager. She wasn't drinking because she wants to stay in control and I think she was pale because she was anxious about having to speak up for Knob's rubbish ideas knowing that no one would agree with them and wondering how she can best break the news to Knob.

I'm worried about David. (I sound like Jill!)
Ever since I read an interview where Tim Bentinck said that he didn't like Dave and wanted more exciting acting parts in exotic places, I have been waiting for the chop. People keep commenting on how ill Dave looks. You don't think that SOC will kill him off and leave Ruth & PipTheFutureOfBrookfield to run the farm, encumbered with ailing grandmothers and teetering on the brink of the overdraft limit?
Everyone is waiting for HP or Jill to SOTMC but what about Dave instead?

Spot on, Lillian. He's sure Helen is indoctrinated enough, or fearful enough, to put forward his views to the family. Tom is unlikely to go head to head with Helen in opposition to his stupid ideas.
I suspect the Old Tom would have done but New Tom is far more peaceable. This might have been the thinking behind the change of actor. Old Tom always sounded peevish and irritable.

Oh no R4 I [heart] Dave He's the right age for a heart attack though.

But enoch Tom has stood up to knob quite competently a few times. Knob won't have plain sailing.

They can't kill David off- there's already an unfeasible number of widows in the Archer family...........

I think he's hoping she is pregnant but I don't think she will be (and will be cross if she is). I think she is avoiding getting drunk in case it happens again so she doesn't want to let her guard down.

Agree there will be some sort of cheese related f-up. He wanted to know how to do it as he thinks she is pregnant is planning for that.

I think he is emotionally cruel to Henry or will tell Helen that he 'confided' in him something about school and put her under more pressure to be a "better" mother.

will tell Helen that he 'confided' in him something about school and put her under more pressure to be a "better" mother.

How could you say such a thing! I think that Rob will cleverly work out what is troubling the little chap and nobly suggest that he never works another day in his life home-educates him. After all Rob knows all about everything so it's the best plan, don't you agree. It's a shame that Helen didn't spot it but she's so busy.
Lucky that they have Rob around, eh?

I don't think the Henry/Knob thing will be anything so obvious as abuse which would be utterly impossible for Knob to explain away. It's always slightly hard to put your finger on exactly what he's doing or has done wrong. Even with the rape there was a degree of did he/didn't he on here (though I think we can all be agreed that he did) and I think Hellin can't quite believe it herself and is trying to persuade herself (not v successfully) that he didn't. More likely he is using Henry to make Hellin feel inadequate as a mother - no doubt he'll be reporting back some comment or incident while he was looking after him (making her feel guilty for leaving him at all). I'm sure he'll soon be trying to persuade her to ship him off to boarding school.