Badly done Helen, badly done - you're as stuffed as a Grundy turkey. Discuss The Archers here.

[PseudoBadger]

New thread in time for Friday's episode...

Is it dominating it? We've got the Fairbrethren, Pip'n'David'n'Ruth, Jill at Lower Loxley, Ed'n'Emma, Will & the Poachers, interludes with Eddie & Jo and the turkeys and the orchard, Fallon'n'Harrison, Lynda and the Christmas play, Carol and whatever current spookiness, Charlie & Berrow, Charlie & Adam, Brian and Adam, Kate & Phoebe...

I don't think Helen will speak up of her own accord. It might be spotted by an outsider such as a teacher or midwife, or one of his other crimes and misdemeanors catches up with him.
Question is whether she'll defend him & lie for him or grasp the opportunity.

Isn't it Kirsty who now looks likes the one who can get Helen over the threshold of first admitting that something is wrong and then providing the support she needs to do something about it? Surely, despite H's denials, her tears (and some of the things she said about Rob) have given K an inkling that there is a concern to pursue?

After all, why else is Kirsty back in Ambridge? It could hardly be on the strength of her performance in her job interview...

I think TA scriptwriters have tried hard to not call this an EA storyline?

I don't think that's the case. There was one interview at a fairly early stage when SOC went all coy about it and tried to make out listeners were trying to read much into it, but I was at another more recent discussion and he made it entirely clear that an EA storyline is precisely what it is, and they are taking a lot of advice to make it realistic.

I think they might not have realised what it was when they started out, but have started taking advice once they did realise.

I don't understand why people are saying Helen could just walk away from Rob? Surely it's the essence of any type of abuse that the abuser takes away the victim's belief in herself and her ability to cope on her own, and that is precisely why so many women stay for so long with abusive men? And in Helen's case she has the extra factor that she would have to admit she was so wrong for so long, and that she's gone for the wrong man yet again.

Strictly this story ought to go on for months, but I don't see how it can. There is so much evidence piled up against Rob from so many sources, the SWs can't realistically make out for much longer that none of the people who hold bits of the jigsaw are talking to each other. I think it needs to come to a crisis soon: I think the person playing Rob is a brilliant actor, but I'm finding it increasingly uncomfortable whenever he opens his mouth because he is just so nasty and indeed cruel.

Helen, pat , tony and Tom are all highly self centered selfish people who have hurt many people over the years. I propose that rob does a murder suicide of the whole family on a day when Johnny is at college and Henry is at nursery.

Even better if he did Ruth in on the way over.

I dreamt about HellRob last night. Helen told Rob that she didn't want the baby and would be having a termination; Rob took it very calmy and said he was going outside to think. We then heard a gun shot in the distance.

I don't think that's at all likely - if Rob killed himself, or his family, it would be further down the line once Helen had left him.

Can Rob's PR be revoked by anyone but a judge?

I think I've answered my own question. PR can only be revoked by the court - consent of both parties will be one factor in helping court make it's decision.

Helen told Rob that she didn't want the baby and would be having a termination ...

Perhaps all the scripts come to the writers in their dreams!

Two problems with your dream theory; firstly Helen isn't dealing with Rob in such a straightforward fashion, she employs lies, obfuscation and distraction instead. Just look at how she told him the wrong time for the electrician's meeting so she could take Henry for his first day at school on her own. Secondly if she was going to be open about ending her pregnancy she wouldn't need an ally in quite the same way as she would (will) if she's making arrangements in secret. So there'd be no need for Kirsty-to-the-rescue.

Oh! If Kirsty does play the anti-midwife role and the truth comes out (and how likely is that in a soap?) won't it completely explode her previously close relationship with Pat?

So the previous situation where she was at the heart of the family but the wedding didn't come off will be reversed - with Tom probably insisting on marrying her even though his parents swear never to forgive her for depriving them of erm, Henrietta?

I occasionally have hopes of Shula. She must still be a bit bothered by her lying to the police about Rob that time. It was so out of character.........

And I'm not sure what Rob does with Henry when they go hunting- presumably Rob wouldn't be a foot follower, would he? Far too undignified.

I find it dominates because we have loads of other sl that are done induce a superficially level and badly (eg the whole hp saga)

It's true they're not succeeding in giving any of the other SLs the same emotional heft as Helen/Rob.

Bertrand I assume you mean how does he manage to hire horses from Shula when they're secretly enemies?

Which suggests a possible Christmas to me: as the clock is ticking for Helen. If she's going to do it, it will be done before then - and the revelation will come just as Rob is proudly unwrapping Henry's hunt animal - bought with the very last pennies of the dowry.

If she is 12 weeks pg then did she conceive before date night?

I'm sad enough to have looked up when the rape scene happened - it was 27th August. Given that the pregnancy would date from the beginning of the last period, if she conceived fairly late in her cycle, and depending on how long her cycle is, she could be just under 12 weeks' pregnant.

Gruach - I quite agree that Helen would not tell Rob if she is planning a termination, she'd do it in secret and claim a miscarriage. I think Kirsty could help her in that regard - Helen could tell Rob she was planning a "girly weekend" with K - while Rob might not like the idea of H spending time with K he'll relish the chance to have Henry all to himself.

He'll probably want to call any girl Roberta

Or it could be a honeymoon baby.

Poor Helen. Rob is just so utterly chilling. And where is he getting all this money from - that £10k will run out soon.

I've just caught up with that last ep. It's getting fairly gobsmacking now - not that it wasn't before, but Knob surpassed himself there with completely excluding Hellin from every. single. thing. he mentioned.

Agree with DadDadDad that Kirsty is the deus ex machina who will help all this to unravel. There's absolutely zero reason for her to be back otherwise, and she's literally the only person H can talk to. If that doesn't happen at some point, what H really thinks and feels will never be revealed to the listeners. And I'm sure there's going to be a scene where she revisits the horrible events of rape night. Which won't be pleasant to hear.

I wonder if Rob has access to the business accounts?

Kirsty is back to get together with Roy!

I think a lot of people here are not really understanding how EA works and all the factors that contribute.

Some people seem to think it takes arguments and outright hostility on a high and consistent level within the relationship to bring someone to the point of accepting being steamrollered and isolated and sidelined the way Helen is being at the moment. This isn't always the case. You're forgetting that Helen loves Rob and is still in the rose tinted spectacles phase (although they are starting to crack) and she is just not trusting her instincts or listening to her doubts. That's what love does.

Love and her commitment to Rob are her undoing. Some women (and men) just commit to someone and can't admit it to themselves, especially as they regard themselves as failures in other relationships. It makes them vulnerable as they strive to make a success in an impossible situation. This creates confusion, self doubt and self isolating, which is precisely what an abuser will capitalise on. You can see Helens confusion very clearly.

I think that his abuse will increase once Helens opportunity to terminate the pregnancy has passed. Abuse almost always starts or escalates during pregnancy.

Been there and done the fucking lot which is why it's very uncomfortable to listen to.

I agree poorhelen.

It is so subtle yet relentless.

Yet there is nothing that Helen can really put her finger on that she could possible articulate in a way that would make anyone else understand. She has convinced her family of Rob's wonderfulness. Pat is hugely relieved that unstable, difficult Helen now has someone strong and dependable to look after her - thus absolving Pat of that responsibility.

Pat has already been through so much. Losing an adult child is recognised as the very worst kind of bereavement - yet this is hardly ever mentioned. Pat and Tony will never have a day go by without it being overshadowed by the loss of their older son. Part of that grief is a need to know that their other children have a safe and secure future.