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

And, also, Henry has just started school as an Archer. Bad timing to think about changing his name now.

If the adoption of Henry by Rob does play out (accurately) then it will be interesting to watch. It's not a straightforward process, it's called a 'step-parent adoption' and involves assessment by Social Services as to the suitability of the step parent to adopt. Lengthy interviews with both parents separately and together, interviews with wider family members, e.g. Rob's parents, police and background checks.....

I do wonder if rob has a criminal record but if he did Charlie would know

Gosh, Rob is relentless. There's not a single thing Helen says, does, or thinks that he doesn't sneer at.

Horrible to listen to.

The social worker doing the assessment should be trained to detect any unease Helen might have - and she's showing some unease, I think.
Jess would have to declare a prior relationship, I suppose, but it would be a bit too neat if she turned up as the social worker.

Will he lie to keep his parents out of it?

Perhaps someone will point out to Helen that that Henry will be safer from playground taunting with a name like Archer rather than Titchyknob!

Rob the Terminator: he wants the Lodge, the farm and someone else's child.

The way he said "I thought your parents had retired" was exceedingly sinister.

I don't see a happy ending.

I think something massive is going to happen at Christmas with this sl

Yes, Rob made me shudder tonight. He is throughly nasty and controlling in every respect. I was quite upset by the cheese making scene last night, belittling Helens attempt to make her own special Borchester Blue.

I wonder whether the SW will make the adoption complex enough to highlight any concerns that Helen had? They've already done it once with Shula, Al and Daniel and I don't recall it being overly onerous.
I'd love Jess to rock up from Children & Families services or for them to say that they have to approach her as an ex-wife.

AskingForAPal

Jennifer - I didn't know she'd been married before. Debbie - she was married? to whom? Jolene - thought she was widowed? Was she married to Fallon's dad then?

Oh dear - I've been celebrating () so head's too fuzzy for detailed explanation. Jennifer was married to Debbie's father. Debbie was married to her former university lecturer.

Ooh that's interesting SealSong. Knob was clueless about the CSA (sorry I know its not called that now). He thought he could psych them out. So perhaps he has not thought that side of adoption through. Yep there is no way Jess could be involved as the social worker but he could allege some kind of bias or meddling by her or colleagues. But as you say, it would be way of getting out whatever Knob is not saying about his family and past.

So you have suspicions that a good friend of yours from the past was murdered by his ex. Do you;

A) quietly pursue investigations and then confront in an agatha Christie sort of way
B) quietly pursue investigations, forget all about it and then decide to question a close friend of the suspected murderer
C) call the police immediately and try and avoid being sectioned

So, do we all agree Knob pushed Henry over?

He fell over, wasn't remotely bothered but Knob thought this would be a good hook to reel Helen in with, which half-worked - she came home but knew that Knob was lying.

Nice juxtaposition - the WI and the triumphant history of all that women have worked for v Helen having everything she has worked for and built up for herself, the shop, the cheese, her child, dismantled and taken away by a man.

At the adoption part I was shouting 'no Helen don't let him do it' loud enough for DH to come running downstairs thinking that someone had broken in and was attacking me. Apparently....

Lowl

I came over quite stirred about the WI - its funny how it became so fusty (or am I out of touch with it all)

I agree with Gruach about tonight's juxtaposition.

And however full of holes the plot may be (and it is) whoever is currently writing Rob is doing a very good job.

It was striking that when H tried to challenge him over his ridiculous insistence that she come home, she stopped, thought carefully, and presented it as 'but Henry loves you' - trying so, so hard to frame it in a non-confrontational way. Only for him to pull the adoption line on top of the baby one.

I'm one of H's biggest critics, cannot stand her in fact, but this SL really is grim to listen to. There's no merry prattle from her about 'how HAPPY I am!' any more, that's for sure. All that stopped abruptly after their clearly horrific 'romantic' evening

He just can't bear her to have anything for herself - not Henry, not her cheese, not even a night out with the WI.

Just caught up with last night's ep, as I was out last night at my WI meeting (we didn't sing Jerusalem).

One of the things I like about WI is the supportive community of women, no wonder Rob Titchnob doesn't want Hellin involved...

Exactly.

And the threat in his tone when he asked if she was "friends again" with Emma ...

Yes, belittling her friendship with Emma and also reflects how he would react in that situation. So if someone upsets him he doesn't talk to them about it calmly but dramatises it and sulks.

I think knob pushed Henry or orchestrated it so that he fell.

We've had the first people noticing Helen's odd behaviour, I wonder if that's how it will unravel?