The Archers. No need to share the thread with anyone else darling, we can have a lovely time just us together. It must be Henry's bedtime.

[PseudoBadger]

New thread for the Omnibus.

Sorry, someone posted yesterday morning - didn't look that far back. But worth another mention.

Just caught up with thread. Ahem - yes 'come tuppence'. Quality predictive texting moment. Saucy undertones, I must agree….

Was anyone else terrified that a receipt from the cafe was going to fall out of Hellin's bag yesterday as she was proudly showing Knob her charity shop purchases?

Loving the next thread title ideas. Tough call, but 'Don't call the midwife' is getting my vote so far.

I want Rob to kill Helen just to get rid of this storyline that has been going on far too long. I'm fed up and bored by it. Having grown up listening to the archers ( I'm now 52) im seriously thinking of giving up. I can't take much more of listening to drippy Helen ( she was wet before Rob showed up). It's a real turn off, which is what I may soon be doing when the archers comes on in the evening as I'm preparing supper.

Maybe the script writers will kill Rob and Helen off at the same time - that would be great. Maybe a car accident, Rob is driving and berating Helen who finally snaps, grabs the wheel ........

Whilst I am full of admiration of the JustGiving page & the work of Refuge I'm worried that SOC will take credit for the fundraising and decide to have other educational storylines. Society has changed so much over the last 10 years with the invention of sites such as JustGiving & GoFundMe/Kickstarter.

I'm counting on you all to tell me when it's safe to take my fingers out of my ears and stop singing la-lal-la.. I clearly can't do it yet

Couldn't agree more Saffy.

The problem with this storyline is that it requires an abused woman who listeners actually care about. I just don't care about Helen because she has always been a slightly unsympathetic character and she has become even more annoying as it goes on.

If Rob and Helen died in a car crash tomorrow most of us would just think "thank goodness for that".

That sounds a bit harsh, but I can't stand Helen's character. She always sounded a bit spoilt brat.

I agree, fireside, but if Hellin was more sympathetic then other characters might have got involved by now as they would care more about her too. I think it's a good story and the acting is quite believable.

Perhaps they could fall into a sink hole.

Oh I agree the acting is very good, but I listen to TA because it isn't Eastenders or Coronation Street with wall to wall misery. It's my escape from real life and I hate this story. Really hate it.

If Rob and Helen died in a car crash tomorrow most of us would just think "thank goodness for that".

Gosh. I know it's fiction - but I would be as devastated as it's possible to be over a fictional death. For Pat and Tony to lose another child ...

I really hope no such thing is in the editor's mind.

I can hardly stand to listen is so horrible but in a way I think it is a great drama line.

also my 16yr old DD , who I hope has a strong enough sense of her self worth not to stand for abuse ( but I know you can never say never, I've been on MN long enough)has heard me shouting at the radio " that's frankly abusive" and " he's cutting her off from her friends and family, that should never happen in a health relationship" and " my goodness he's stopped her driving and taken her independence" etc etc

I shall I think have a proper " what do you think" head to head with her at some point, but she's passively absorbed the words etc

If it could be condensed into a 30 min drama of clips it would make powerful SRE educational material even if you aren't invested in te polt and characters as a whole.

Gruach that would be the worst possible outcome. Not only for he awfulness of the ( fictional I know) event but the lack of real conclusion.

No murder of either party by the other, no dramatic rescue by kirsty and lifting of scales from Pats eyes. Nothing.

Just bloody Rob dying a sainted hero for " taking such care of her"

Sorry Gruach, I'm a cold hearted bitch, I know.

Ok maybe not the best outcome, but compared with the thought that this might drag on for months or even years, I'm going for the quick option.

I've been known to read the end of a book to find out whether it has a bad or good ending.

If I had some inside knowledge that guaranteed Rob a suitable punishment and in a specified time frame, I would be much happier.

Justice for Helen!
I've always loathed her but there really has to be just punishment for Rob at the end of this story.

I know abusers get away with it all too often but Rob being banged up in gaol will be the best signal the programme could send out.

The worst thing that can happen with this sl is that people stop listening so they need to draw it to a conclusion soon. I'm getting fed up of it taking up so much of the time

It's very good acting but the suspension of disbelief has gone for me

I would like it to fade into the background for a bit to be replaced with the hall curtains, Jazzer and Jim, a dash of Maurice (entertaining misery), some Susan and a bit of long suffering Neil and lots of Bartleby please. (Basically no Archers)

And No Fairbrethren.

Only thing is it would have to be replaced with another emotionally excruciating story - a proper one, not moving a farm to Northumberland.

Who's looking vulnerable?

On second thoughts - if it's done properly the resolution of Helen/Rob would have immediate and long term repercussions for all the BF clan which might be rather gripping in themselves.

I think the next big sl will be the pip/Matthew/Toby/Rex love square

Can you really make money from eggs alone?

Helen has always been a most irritating character - but life hasn't been a breeze for her. Her beloved brother died, her partner shot himself, she despaired of meeting anyone else and was desperate not to miss out on motherhood. She set her cap at Knob even though he was married, refused to listen to any of the naysayers, stubbornly and pigheadedly went ahead and did what she wanted anyway (being pretty nasty to her parents along the way), but she doesn't deserve this. I hope that she finds a way out of this in a way that will be helpful and give help and encouragement to people who are in this situation in real life. Worse than listening to Helen's story for me has been hearing the stories of real women who have lived with real Knobs (on this thread and in the media). I hope she finds a way of facing up to what is happening and admitting there is a problem in a way that helps other women to do the same (and helps friends and family of those women to see more clearly what is happening and try to intervene) and I hope that Knob gets a proper comeuppance - in law - to help and encourage those who are thinking of breaking the silence to see that there could be light at the end of the tunnel.

I think "Don't call the midwife" has to be saved as a thread title till nearer the actual birth.

I don't want any form of sudden death for Rob. I need him to suffer, preferably by something that involves him being completely exposed for the knob he is and being totally deprived of control over his life.

Did anyone see last week's "Vera"? Similar storyline but involving a violent husband. It was really satisfying seeing a woman tell him that he was going to be locked up for ever and would never be able to control anything about his life ever again.

For a good storyline, I need Lynda being Lynda, and Lillian enjoying herself - ideally with Matt reappearing, but I don't mind if it's Justin giving back her joie de vivre.

If Rob dies while not everyone knows the full story, Helen will have a very awkward time with mourning. Though from the way she spoke yesterday, I suspect on one level she'd be feeling it was her fault for not appreciating him enough or accepting his loving care etc etc.

Haven't posted for ages. But oh my word - Knob in the delivery room. my worse bloody nightmare. I will not be able to stand that. I imagine he will start writing birth plans before hand so we can get all the controlling vibes but then hopefully will be out of the picture before labour.

I am also loving that DDD knows the GADD. Never lets us down!