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Game of Farms: The 4 Houses of Ambridge. Bleak House, Boring House, Sitcom House and About to Breach the Terms of Their Tenancy House.

975 replies

PseudoBadger · 13/02/2016 13:42

Never mind the yoghurt - who is making the Sterling Gold?!

OP posts:
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MeolsCop · 15/02/2016 23:52

BYOS Grin

I am beyond frustrated with Tom standing by and letting Knob talk to him the way he does. How on earth could he see it as reasonable in any way? And he NEVER goes back to his parents, or any of his village friends if he has any and says 'bloody hell, Rob's an awkward git, we've got a problem here, what can we do?'. Like, you know, anyone would do in RL. Knob is an utter arse to him, vile and contemptuous at all times, but apparently Tom hasn't noticed. Is he thick or is it just appallingly bad scripting? (No need to answer that)

enochroot · 16/02/2016 00:18

Is he thick or is it just appallingly bad scripting?

Could it be they're spinning out all strands of the Knob story out as long as possible because they haven't decided if, when or how he's going to hit the buffers?

I feel they have no idea where they're going with this and are merely thrashing about, bending hither and thither for the publicity it's getting.

enochroot · 16/02/2016 00:21

Usha should increase the rent on that cottage now it's got three bedrooms.

Gruach · 16/02/2016 00:25

GrinGrinGrin

spiker · 16/02/2016 07:14

Enochroot - thrashing around yes that's the impression I get.

How far in advance do they write and record?

Eastpoint · 16/02/2016 07:53

I think it's 6 weeks ahead - they do a big block of episodes at once.

spiker · 16/02/2016 08:09

Ebearhug - thank you.

So Knob is younger brother so is identifying with SOK and henwee is cast as evil myles.

6 weeks ahead eh? Presumably they can edit and add on right up to the wire though (if anybody spots magically growing houses for instance). I'm constantly surprised that the cast and crew don't flag up inconsistencies - are they not listened to ? or maybe they are not so over-infested as us and couldn't care less about SOC fantasy TA

AnnieNoMouse · 16/02/2016 08:38

2 bedrooms at Blossom Cottage is more than adequate when they have visitors - Henwee's place is in the cupboard under the stairs.

MeolsCop · 16/02/2016 09:03

I looked at the Archers site only the other day, trying to find a map that would show how close Pat'n'Tone's farm was to Blossom Hill Cottage. It clearly states there that the cottage has 2 bedrooms.

If the SWs don't even realise what's on their own site, let alone remembering fairly important details of very recent episodes, that doesn't bode well.

KingscoteStaff · 16/02/2016 09:05

New category in this year's Britain in Bloom - specially for communities affected by flooding. Surely that's one for Lynda!

Gruach · 16/02/2016 09:15

Here's a nice piece of meta-analysis reported in the Guardian on the benefits of organic meat and milk. Old Tom would have been right on top of this kind of thing - he'd probably have put together a whole weekend festival in celebration.

enochroot · 16/02/2016 09:31

'Nonsense, darling. Of course we've got a spare room. You just haven't noticed because you've been overdoing things for so long and really you shouldn't bother your silly little head about it. Now drink your tea like a good girl.'

EBearhug · 16/02/2016 10:06

*enoch, you think the scriptwriters are taking instruction from Rob?
Shock

ppeatfruit · 16/02/2016 10:14

But Meols Tom did stand up to Knob about the 'free range' replacement chicken.

Agree we never hear him complaining behind his back which he would do.

Ref. Ursula's bedroom ;there are continuity problems in lots of programmes. Perhaps we over think things a teeny bit ? Grin

MargieBargie · 16/02/2016 10:15

I have no issue with seeing Ursula as a horrible mother to Rob; it doesn't excuse his behaviour. It might explain it but it doesn't change anything. And we know anyway that abuse is a repeating pattern, so it's not a big surprise.

My guess is that she will keep up the mocking and belittling remarks to Rob throughout the week and he will explode once she's gone, furious at Helen for what he will perceive as colluding to undermine him. The belittling will show him up as an inadequate, pathetic figure, and (as we know already) full of dark rage and obsessed with trying to prove to the world, and presumably to himself, how clever and charming and all-round perfect he actually is.

I also don't think that Rob has a grand, detailed, machiavellian plan to steal the business/inheritance/money, or to have Helen sectioned, or to have Henry taken away, or any of those things. All of it is about an overarching sense of control; he wants to show that he's in charge - he makes the decisions and the people around him tell him how great he is. That's his overriding motive, I think - to feel strong and powerful. As he obviously lacks insight or emotional intelligence, it hasn't occurred to him that manipulating vulnerable woman and small children, and lying to everyone else to get what he wants, are not the hallmarks of a strong and powerful character.

MargieBargie · 16/02/2016 10:17

Tom obviously thinks he's a massive twat, and does confront him on things in the shop - I think we might be supposed to think that he does grumble about him to Pat and she thinks none of it is a big deal. I guess we need him to have a good old moan to Kirsty about him.

Lilymaid · 16/02/2016 10:19

Also delurking - I'm going to presume that Knob takes after Ursula and that she is a devious emotional abuser - and that she was so successful in the past that he hated her (going by previous interactions or lack thereof). She will be spying for Rob, so Tom's and Kirsty's visits will be strictly monitored and reported back? Does Pat ever go and visit her daughter now?
She can't possibly be a sweet li'l old Granny who immediately loves a child who is not her own grandson, surely?

GruntledOne · 16/02/2016 10:23

I suppose the problem for Tom is that he feels constrained in what he can do about Knob because he doesn't want to fall out with his sister. With any luck at some point he'll talk to Kirsty and realise that what he sees is in fact the tip of the iceberg, and actually he could do his sister a big favour by helping her get out. But it will need Helen to see that also, and she doesn't seem to have reached that point yet.

MargieBargie · 16/02/2016 10:30

I don't think Ursula will spy for Rob in an arranged way - she might report back if/when he asks - and I guess he will probably say Helen shouldn't have visitors (although Ursula's already said he's a big fusspot, so she might well ignore that - more undermining), but I don't think they will be like a pair of baddies, agreeing on a plan to keep Helen isolated. I think Ursula being there is more a device to keep Pat out.

ppeatfruit · 16/02/2016 10:32

Spot on about knob Margie. He basically still is a repressed little boy seeking to control his surroundings.

There are a lot of very repressed children where we live. As adults they make terrifying drivers. Grin

Boomingmarvellous · 16/02/2016 10:35

I agree tom tolerates knob and bites his tongue because he doesn't want to cause a rift with Hellin. He still thinks H is head over heels with knob.

But Tom discussing it with Kirsty? Not so sure they are that pally yet.

MeolsCop · 16/02/2016 10:56

ppeat given the forensic level of detail on this site, I think we all over-think things a teeny bit, and a jolly good thing too Grin

redshoeblueshoe · 16/02/2016 10:59

I can't believe that Tom believed Knob about the chickens - surely old Tom would have phoned the other supplier, only to be told that there was no problem at their end and that Knob just cancelled the order out of the blue. If that makes no sense then my defence is I have a headache

AskingForAPal · 16/02/2016 11:03

I don't know if you have experience of not getting on with your relative's husband/wife/partner, but it's not as easy as going up to your relative and saying "Oi X, your husband is a douche. Leave him." and thinking that will result in anything but anger!

Did anyone else notice how, having set the whole thing up, Rob sounded pissed off that Helen and Ursula were actually getting on?!

MargieBargie · 16/02/2016 11:14

If I didn't like my best friend's husband; if he was rude to me, and/or I thought my friend was trapped or scared by him - I wouldn't say "He's a douche, leave him", but I would definitely gently start asking her questions and try to discuss it as much as possible.