In honour of how The Archers threads began: Why are the SWs allowing this to happen?

[PseudoBadger]

The very first thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/a1740045-Why-is-Lillian-allowing-this-to-happen

40k posts later....

on a salary high enough to entice him to relocate from Canada

I have to quote this as well because it raises all sorts of interesting questions.

Firstly, financial enticements may not have been uppermost in his mind. Was Jess' father ill before they left Canada? (I think he was but may be assuming.) Either way she was obviously very keen to return and may well have driven the upheaval - possibly putting newspaper job adverts in front of him.

Secondly I can just see Rob being happier in a foreign country where his place in the class hierarchy was perhaps less obvious. Once back on British soil he'd feel his lack of status (compared to his more favoured brother?) rather keenly. I've often wondered why Jess put up with him in Canada; it may be that he was slightly less nasty far from home. (Vague recollection of some conversation between them about new starts - we never found out why.)

It's clear that status rather than mere money is iressistibly calling him. No one at Bridge Farm is rich (and Peggy's money, divided, is hardly billions). He could surely earn far more employed in another manager's job than he can embezzle from Bridge Farm. But he wants to be Lord of the Manor, hanging out at the races with Justin and cocking a snook at (the inevitably lovely) Miles.

Another one coming in to say that I like the Adam and Charlie storyline. Adam OF COURSE has grown up thinking that men have affairs (and didn't Jennifer too?). Ian I suspect is thinking "I'm a gay man, working all hours, slightly plump and middle-aged, in a village where the only other gay man (apparently) is my cheating husband. Not exactly surrounded by options here. Plus I love Adam, the bastard, and at least Charlie's about to FTFO."

Also, technical question, why is Adam and Charlie's kissing so much less gross than Pip and - well, anyone. Or Roy and Hayley etc? They sound like they really mean it, and it's a proper full-on, teenage nightclub style snog, much more physical, whereas everyone else just seems to kind....lean towards each other so as not to touch anywhere other than the lips. Blee.

I can just see Rob being happier in a foreign country where his place in the class hierarchy was perhaps less obvious spot Gruach - in fact you've just made me realise that that is one of the things I like about living abroad (not that I am status conscious, but it's just so nice not to have to think about that sort of thing and just take people as you find them) In fact he's probably now realising that Bridge Farm is not the top of the social heap in fact far from it which is why he now appears to be fixing his beady eye on Lower Loxley.

Also Charlie referred to Ambridge residents as yokels and was horrible to Ed.
Generally smug and patronising.

Then suddenly as r4 says, whipped.

Whipped?

Oh yeah sure he is an egotistical git too. All this "Surely you can't bear to let marvellous me go?" stuff to Adam. But Adam is a bit of a tosser too (obviously) so they sort of deserve each other.

Would it be horrible to suggest that what Rob is doing with Helen's ED is setting up a situation where medical staff consider her "unstable" and therefore he can either take more control - or even bump her off and claim suicide?

But what does he stand to gain? There isn't enough money to make it worthwhile and hes stuck with a stepson

The problem with the sl is that robs motivation is very unclear and leads to wild speculation!

(Small legs - I blame my phone and not bothering to review!! And why does the phone replace knob with know and soc with doc?)

He definitely wants her to appear unstable. It's the possible risk to the unborn heir that I can't get my head round. I can see him cotton- woolling her for real but he must know she's not eating - and he's enabling it as well as exacerbating it with the comments about dresses.

Too many loose ends with Charlie and Berrow. Yes. This makes me think he's not being written out.

I like the way Charlie has evolved over the course of his time in Ambridge. (Though it does explain why he was so comedically awful when he first arrived.)

The other person who evolved through Ambridge exposure was Matt. From ruthless gangster blackmailing Alistair, via incarceration, to profoundly wise and reassuring father-out-of-law - he was total radio joy. And the theiving flit was completely, psychologically wrong.

I think Charlie will be back specially when they read this and see how much we enjoy the character

What's for rob to gain? Have a look at this. Narcissistic supply, basically. Struck by this quote: "People are objects who exist for their satisfaction...[They] focus on potential sources of supply (people) and engulf them with charm, concentrated attention, and contrived deep emotions....If a narcissist must be liked to secure a supply, he does all he can to be liked. If he needs to be feared to be admired, he makes sure he is feared."

Charlie just comes across as young and immature. There is potential with him as a character though- unlike the fairbros

And Matthew has to be a steady Eddie type because we can't have another abusive man or skeleton in the closet. But my current prediction is that he has a girl friend back home

I bet if Adam and Ian and Charlie were straight, Charlie would be being pitchforked for making a play for a married man ..............

There does seem to be an underlying 'well what can you do, these gay men just can't do monogamy'. Nothing like trying to reinforce a stereotype

I'd like Charlie to stay too but I can't bear the thought of another off-he-goes-oh-no-he's-staying-after-all story line.

I do think he's a better match for Adam than Ian. And, let's face it, if Ian had had a conversation with Adam about what Rob told him, Adam would never have gone back for more tortured Charlie love.

You reckon BYOS? Well there are three gay men at the moment in the Archers, and only one of them (as far as we know) has been unfaithful.

Brian, Rob, Roy etc have all shagged around too, no doubt others if we think back far enough. And possibly Jenny and Shula too - at least emotional affairs?

It's not that Bert - it's "rare attractive man in a fictional story" syndrome. I definitely wanted Ed to be successful when Emma was an engaged and then married (to his brother) lady.

Would be different if any of them were someone I actually cared about in RL (or even RL strangers on MN.)

I guess it will come down to how Ian reacts

At present Adam seems to have shagged 100% of the gay men who have appeared in the village (except for those whose sexuality is unknown)

Maybe Toby was a drug mule and owes the dealers money after he lost his case on the way back. He will do one more run to get them off his back and end up in a Peruvian jail. Rex will go on a one man crusade to free the ambridge one and no one else will care

asking true re the kissing. Also, I get the impression Adam is quite fit from all the physical stuff he does and therefore can see why Charlie would find him attractive (as well as supporting him etc etc) but Pip supposedly has 3 men all interested in her and I never got the impression she was this great beauty. (I'm not saying the only thing a woman has is her looks to attract people, but 20-something men don't go out with women for their farming knowledge. Except in TA.) Have complained about this before so will shut up about it now.

To counteract the whinging I also give a BOOP for the return of Jazzer.

I'm not whining! I'm enjoying it at the moment.

Particularly in character bit last night or Sunday when David asked Ruth "What do we think about Pip and Matthew then? Is it a good thing?" Just what he would do, when he'd finally been forced to awareness of his daughter actually having a life of her own.

(Obvs meant Roy and Elizabeth, not Roy and Hayley, below. Unfortunately.)

I think Pip is supposed to be all vivacious and fun. Social whirl with the young farmers, often down the pub, "cheeky" comebacks to Toby and Rex etc. Horrible feeling they're trying to make her like the heroine of a screwball comedy but just getting it very, very wrong.

That and she's very flirty, a dab hand with animals and always ready to help out anyone with a penis

Peering into the scrying pale. .
Spawn will be born. Just. An unsettled cryie baby, not settled. H will decline, post natal depression. It will all be her fault, Rob will run, Possible suicide attempt by H. Cue parental wrangle over custody.

At present Adam seems to have shagged 100% of the gay men who have appeared in the village (except for those whose sexuality is unknown)

He missed out on Harry the milkman/barman, but his sexuality was unknown (except on the ambridge extra thingy)

AIBUnnecessarilyPrudish to think that Adam and Charlie haven't necessarily shagged?

Can only think of three times they could have. Once when Charlie nearly drowned (might have fancied it but hardly felt up to it, I would think). Once outside the party on new year last year (outside) and again on Friday (outside). Both those times Ian was waiting at home, and I just can't see them trying to do full sex in a hedge or barn!

Lilian Ref. Berrow Farm, if it can be set up quite quickly it can be removed too. I wondered how many big businesses make vast profits immediately?

asking et al I meant I was whining, I promise!