Follow the subtle trail towards the Christmas storyline climaxes in Ambridge - discuss The Archers here

[PseudoBadger]

So many possibilities.... A visit from the Titcheners Snr? Baby of the wrong gender? A ruined wedding? Re-housed Grundys? RuthRex?

Surely it would have to be Celia Imrie cast as Ursula, given SOK's penchant for keeping casting in the family.

I really wish they'd send the Grundies round to the CAB or Usha the all-purpose lawyer. All then need to do for immediate purposes is go back home and wait for the court order, which could take quite a long time. I hate it when SWs try to work up the tension by making people think that landlords can just dictate what day their tenants go and send the bailiffs in that day to evict them without further notice.

Actually, I strongly doubt that we'll ever hear Rob's parents, he'll find some way to put them off and then tell Helen it's another example of how beastly they are. Unless of course it's all going to be part of the big dénouement. Could it be that the prospect of losing his job drives Charlie to doing something proactive about finding Stefan?

The bit that really annoyed me from Pat was her suggesting Helen "work from home" during Pregnancy, it's not exactly a long commute from home to Bridge Farm is it? She also is being so blind, not realising that Helen so obviously wanted to stay out of home for a while.

Gruntled, I agree. I would be staggered if Rob's parents actually appear in response to an invite. Unless of course they suddenly turn up on the doorstep totally unexpected, which they very well might if Rob has form for constantly putting them off.

Sorry to hear that Pseudo.

I don't think the Knobils' visit will happen. Have they ever spoken? Perhaps Knob will put them off and they will get in touch with Pat and Pat will begin to smell the rat.

The baby will be a girl. They will find out at the 20 week scan. Knob will get v. nasty. "Didn't we agree, darling, that we would have a boy?"

The solution to the Grundy housing problem lies in the Grange Farm break in (Oliver and Caroline to rent Keepers because they want to spend more time abroad, leaving the Grundies to "manage" Grange Farm or something like that). Ed's cattle will return and there will be room for all at the inn round about Christmas.

They can't have another doomed wedding. Ian's gone very quiet these days, almost like his predecessor, Jean-Paul. Loved Jean-Paul. Mime a v. French thing to do.

Perhaps the dog isn't scamp and scamp will come lolloping back and take a curtain call during calendar girls.

I want to hear Susan enjoying Lower Loxley.

I also wish we could re-listen to the scenes between Rob and Jess

I really really don't want to listen to Ruth whining any more.

I wonder if Rob's vile enough to want Helen to terminate the pregnancy if it's a girl? If anything might give her the impetus to run, that might.

He's vile enough but everyone knows about the pregancy. He's more likely to throw her down the stairs, "so careless, darling"

Oh Helen. What will we do with you??

Rob's parents are going to fuck it right up for him. I can't wait.

So sorry to hear that Pseudo be kind to yourself .

Laughing hard at 'Mime a v. French thing to do'.

We did hear from Ursula once didn't we, possibly back during the very rushed demise of Jess? She seemed rather jolly hockey sticks in a Head Girl type way. Or maybe that's just how I imagine anyone called Ursula would be... The re-writing of Pat's character to suit the all pervading Rob storyline is really beginning to grate. Fair enough with the trying to see the positive in Rob because she thinks Helen loves him and he's now part of the family but the whole 'you delicate pregnant snowflake' schtick doesn't stack up at all.

I'd like them to ditch Hellen/Rob for a bit and focus on Charlie/Adam/Ian. I'm really conflicted by this story line, I like Ian and don't want him to have his heart broken, Adam has been a bit of a philandering twat (Pawel etc) for a long time but I really like Charlie and I want him to be happy and that would mean being with Adam...

Psuedo
If Robs DF turns up they could cast Nigel Havers, I think he's Simon Williams BIL. feel free to correct me if I'm wrong

The cheese thread went very quickly due to all the cheesey puns. Vix I think your right about the stairs.

Pseudo

So when if the scan shows SOK is a girl, after Knob has raged against Hellin, he's going to try to take Henry from her isn't he?

Oh Bore, I think you might be right.... That absolutely hadn't occurred to me, but yes. It all makes hideous, terrible sense.

Well, I wouldn't be sorry if we never hear Henry's irritating, piping voice again but it would certainly ratchet up the dramatic tension as Knob seeks to have Hellin declared an unfit mother by reason of her mental fragility

Commiserations Pseudo and thank you for the new thread.

Haven't heard last night's so rather lacking in constructive criticism. But I'm excited to hear about Ursula.

I have spent part of today persuading a lapsed listener (who actually writes radio drama) to come back for Rob and explaining just what TA is to a fiction writer who doesn't listen to the radio at all.

Oh Bore that is too terrible to contemplate.

Can the "step-parental responsibility" thing be reversed?

Place marking

I don't know vix

Do we have any family lawyers on the thread?

Someone will surely know.

I'm really really sorry to keep doing this to you regulars (is there an Archers Forum somewhere else where I can catch up and leave you all in peace?) but how come a visit from Knob's parents seems likely/a possibility? And have they appeared before? And what could they reveal about him?

I know its infuriating when people keep missing episodes ...

Thank you

Agree Pat's current attitude Is weird. Given her previous cynicism about Rob and Helen's covering up of the relationship in the early days you'd think she'd be on the look out for any signs of trouble.

We don't mind answering questions Mintyy

Hellin said yesterday that the Knobparents had sent a card and were hoping to meet soon. Knob quickly changed the subject.

Months ago they were supposed to be coming to dinner but then didn't turn up (but we are all pretty sure that Knob never actually invited them)

Knob has outright avoided introducing Hellin to them so we are convinced that They Know Something that K wants kept quiet

www.lowfield.co.uk/archers/ is the place to go to read up on missed episodes - the archives go back years

Pseudo

Regarding Pat- I was thinking that Rob has been feeding her a lot of lies about how delicate Helen is, how mentally fragile at the moment etc and that's why she was trying to send her home. I'd like to hear some of those conversations between Rob and Pat about Helen though, instead of having to guess at them.

3 things I can see building up for Rob:
The Berrow farm, flood, Charlie & Adam storyline
The daughter he doesn't want
His parents

Anything else?

I really really want Richard Wilson to get a part in TA. Knob's dad would be OK I think?

Thank you Bore!