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

[PseudoBadger]

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

I like the idea of Ursula being like Knob and that her victim is Knob. I like the idea that she will be belittling him, gaslighting him, winning favour with Helen and ganging up against him (in the same way he does that with Henwee) - I'd like to see him getting a taste of his own medicine (though fully accept that that would go a long way to explaining why he is like he is and don't want him to have any excuse for that). However I can't believe that that being the case he would have invited her to stay (especially when he had the perfect excuse of Blossom Hill on having 2 bedrooms Possibly she could be so manipulative and bullying that she invited herself - but why would he have presented it to Helen in the way he did? He seemed glad she was coming. Maybe he hoped she would join forces with him in controlling Helen in the way that she controls him. Totally over-infested, totally over-thinking - but that's why I spend so much time on here

Can anyone clarify the precise agreement re managing the shop, before Knob elbowed his way in?

IIRC Ambridge Organica was 100% Helen's business and she bought stock from Bridge Farm like any other retailer. That closed (probably thanks to Knob but there were other economic pressures) then after a couple of years Pat and Tony decided to retire and pass the running of all of Brisge Farm to Helen and Tom. So I think Tom is now in charge of vegetable growing and pigs. But Pat seems to still run the dairy rather than Helen I think, and also a bit of payroll, so did she not really retire?
Was the new shop a joint enterprise for Tom and Helen (I.e. does Tom actually have managerial responsibility?) or is it all Helen's thing again?

What I am trying to work out is whether Tom actually has the power or authority to overrule Knob about stuff like the chicken, or at the very least an equal say in stock control? It seems that division of responsibilities was never really set out clearly and has been muddied even more by the unilateral "job share" decision. Tom seems to act as if all he can do is grumble because when it comes down to it he has no authority to overturn his decisions. Makes for frustrating listening.

But if you meet a pompous idiot like Rob - whether he is family or not - don't you subtly try to take him down a peg or two and rib him or is that just me. We've only had one person do a for-goodness-sake and an eyeroll. (Kirsty?)

Why does everyone take Rob as seriously as he takes himself? Nobody ever says 'lighten up'.

Apart from his Mum, it would appear...

I swear that it sounded to me like Henwee said "Grandma Arseula".

Asking that's exactly what I did (and still do) with my sisters boyfriend When she complains about him I'm often heard saying 'well you know he's a massive twat so stop going on and sack him off'. It doesn't make for easy get togethers

Jess I thought H said grandma horseula

Tsk Jess - we all know this is sour grapes because Ursula rejected your satan-spawn.

How are the horn and hoof removal plans going btw?

Unfortunately I can't get him to keep still. His head spins at 360 degrees and pea soup comes out like a fountain.

Thanks for the Jolene clarification. I have been a listener since around the conception of Ruari but didn't know that (although I was suspicious that she had a name like that when she was a C&W singer).

Speaking of Ruari - what do we think has happened to him? Perpetual boarding school? I'd like him to pop up once in a while ( if only to laugh at Jennydarling's pronunciation of "Roo-ah-ree - in Ireland he'd just be called Rory).

I hear Arseula too!

has somebody been watching us?

Whilst we are nit-picking about inconsistencies, can I just bore everyone stupid clarify that there are no jump races for three year olds in February. I was so cross that I turned the epi off, so I don't know if they were meant to be jumping fences or hurdles suspects script writers wouldn't know the difference. Additionally, attending a mid-week National Hunt meeting in said month after the wettest winter on record would be in no way glamorous. Think wellies, thermals and a sensible hat.

Ah, I feel better now

Jean absolutely! Said the same thing to Dd1 when we were listening and could clearly hear a jumping commentary in the background. thought I'd remembered Lillian mentioning Justin's 3yo filly. I thought attention to (rural) detail was their forte. Maybe not any more

Ooh Grumpy! A kindred spirit - how lovely

But why let accuracy get in the way of a good "filly" double entendre eh? God the SWs just get worse and worse don't they?

Grumpy - interesting article. Quote: Analysis of online discussions highlighted their delight in criticising, parodying and satirising the programme, as well as peppering their comments with literary and cultural references. Hmm, what makes you think they've been watching us?

The last time I looked Ruairi didn't even have a photograph - so I assume they are or will be auditioning a new boy.

As for perpetual boarding school I feel intensely cheated of all the pre-test angst Brian and Jenny should have gone through in yr 6/7 and the Common Entrance slog Ruairi should be enduring now. He's 13 and in yr 8 - not a word about which senior school he's got into. When in fact, now that Phoebe has her Oxford place, they should be thinking of nothing but vocab revision. (Even if they feel less inclined to boast about it than most people.)

Though I rather like the way Jenny pronounces his name.

Jenny is also hilarious with "Sipho", not that she or Kate has mentioned him for about 2 years....

Maybe that will change now Jessie, seeing as how Kate is moving back into the family fold. I'm quite looking forward to the coming dynamic between Brahn and his (reluctant) harem. Lord knows, we need the laughs.

Having listened to the repeat today, I'm sure that Henry's drawings are foreshadowing; my guess is that at some point he'll either do a drawing of himself "being a good boy" (shut in room, sadface?) that Helen will see and be shocked by - or of Helen (crying? cowering?), that he'll show to someone else, probably Pat.

In this animalfarmshop it seems some chickens are more equal than others...will Tom expose this lie about the chickens? Does anyone else doubt that they had their order cancelled??

And he will try and cover up the lie by saying that he was covering for Helen's mistake?

I was amazed that Rob didn't blame the chicken on Helen in some way! Tom is remarkably docile about it all, though.

Hope you don't mind me joining in, I'm a long time MN lurker & avid TA listener. I was discussing the HelRob SL with my Mum & we reckoned Knob is going to push Helen into a breakdown once the baby is born & take both children away from her as an 'unfit mother'. I've just spent an hour reading the threads, love the alternative theories & now I think maybe he doesn't have a plan after all.
He's brilliantly acted, but it's stressful listening isn't it?