Discuss The Archers here. There's hut construction, new teen arrivals, pastured eggs, pining Pip and other fun Spring-like stories to choose from.

[PseudoBadger]

Maybe if we don't look directly at the other storyline it will disappear?

redshoeblueshoe

So glad you said ExH.

I think, correct me if I misremember, John Peel occasionally played Eddie Grundy records

I think the abuse escalates in pg because the sense of ownership increases (boak) and also it is doubly hard to leave someone when you are pregnant so the balance of power shifts.

Most abuse relies on an imbalance of power that is ruthlessly exploited.

The fuckers do it because they can. What is more curious is that they don't do it from the off and that is because it is a choice, something they can switch off e.g. at work and on again at home. So the idea that they e.g. cannot help it because of childhood or alcohol is bollocks. Although in Rob's case he isn't the apparently out of control type anyway he is ice cold snakelike. Cries on demand etc. The only time he seemed out of control was the flood.

Helen otoh frequently seems out of control (human) which is why she thinks it is her.

Gasp0 it was a long time ago. But I feel guilty shouting at Hellin.
I wish MN had been around then. I actually burst into tears tonight when Kirsty rang WA.
I think one of the best MN mantra's is When someone tells you who they are - listen
Rob told Helen.

I think in some cases the abuse starts in pregnancy due to jealously, the woman no longer sees their partner as the centre of their universe as they have a new priority to focus on. They get fussed over, more attention from friends and family and so their partners lash out because they feel their position as top dog being threatened.

But completely agree with SmallLegs that in most cases, such as Helen and Knob, the abuse increases simply because they think their pregnant partner is now unable to do anything about it. As Helens due date approaches, she becomes an easier target as it wouldn't occur to him that she would ever try and leave at this point and so he is free to do as he pleases.
Assault. Rape. Public humiliation.
Knobs display of control in the shop and cafe this week was the perfect example. He doesn't care what most of the villagers think of him, only the ones who he can gain from, and as far as he is concerned, Helen is well and truly trapped and so he doesn't have to bother keeping his behaviour in check anymore.

It's still listed on Amazon (for about 3 times more than I paid, if I remember correctly; I think it was from Woolworths or similar, in a "we're going to throw these away" bargain bin.)

The World of Eddie Grundy

Well, you discover something new every day... :-D

Has Rob ever gone into details about why his childhood was difficult? Being a boarder by 5 is pretty crap already but just wondering (not looking for excuses for him, btw!!).

As far as I can remember he's just suggested his parents were shit but never gone into why.
I'm guessing he just wanted to keep them away from H until all the trouble with Jess blew over.

Delurking to say that DS's first question on returning from boarding school yesterday (he's 14 not 5), after "Is there food?" was "What's happening in "The Archers"? Has Rob been arrested yet?" TA usually causes much eye rolling, so they're clearly reaching a new audience

Thanks, ColdTea.

Oh dear. Dreamt about Rob/Hell last night😁. Can't remember what happened thankfully.
vixsatis , very impressed that your son is listening!

From the conversation rob had with Ursula it sounded like his parents weren't getting on very well which was why boarding school was an escape.

Not making excuses for Rob but don't children who witness abuse often grow up to abuse? Maybe Rob's dad hit Ursula?

Ebearhug Sleeping beauty was fab wasn't it. I was struck by how when the princess met the bad lad how everyone turned their faces away and just didn't see how roughly he began to dance with her. It was a very good depiction of how abuse can be happening under our noses.

I wonder if they will escalate it with Rob hitting Helen when she is in labour and yelling that she cannot do it...with the "cannot " meaning a child conceived in rape that she has formed no attachment to rather than cope with labour. I am feeling slightly more hopeful now that WA have been phoned that we might get a more realistic ending although had been mentioned before by our posters who have gone through this, the end can be dragged on for years with CM, access visits , PR etc.

In other news, any hope that Pip might not come back from Cumbria?

I am really looking forward to the end of the Rob/Hellin story wihen all those (still alive) who have been messed up by Rob realise everything he has done - particularly Tom Archer! I think a bit of violence there would be totally justified.

Ooh yes Gypsy with all this talk of boarding schools we've overlooked Pip! I thought she would rush off to ring Matt only to be fobbed off with some lame reason why she can't go to Cumbria. He's on to his next woman, I bet.

Yep, I reckon he's got a map of the counties and he's ticking them one by one. And so it will come to pass that Pip settles for Reliable Rex and his special eggs.

Speaking of Rex, I HATE Toby. I want him to trip into the combine harvester straight after Rob has a close encounter with a wood chipper.

I'm hoping pip is being recast in her absence

If she and Rex are the new David and Ruth it will be an example of another long drawn out and highly predictable sl. Ultimately no one really cares about either character so there's no 'will they won't they' tension either

Pip could go one of two ways - she goes to Cumbria, finds he's with someone else or that the spark's gone and they split up (easy option to wind up what has been a fairly tedious storyline) or with the new herd they find they need someone else to work at Brookfield and he comes back. It is unlikely that Pip will leave Brookfield - she's already done that and lasted about six days. Much more likely to end up with Rex Fairbrother (there have always been Fairbrothers on Cold Comfort Brookfield Farm). I'm sure I'm not alone find Pip singularly uninteresting - I used to think it was the actress now I think it's more fundamental than that which is worrying because as Phil's namesake she is the future of the TA.

She is extremely dull and all the sl they have come up with to make her interesting have done the reverse. And the way they try and make her sparky and funny also falls flat. She is irritating. Which is the worst thing to be - better to be loved or loathed!!

They need to give her some kind of huge personal or moral dilemma, something to make the listeners get interested and root for her. Absent boyfriend isn't it and neither was turning down the overseas job.

Because we only really care about Helen now as a result of what has happened with Rob. Most of us rather disliked her before, I think.

I think it's because she's not flawed (except in the sense of being really, really dull) - think of Tom, Helen, Kate, the Grundy boys - and she doesn't really have a life off the farm. Good point about needing to be loved or loathed.

I suspect the Toby/Brighton storyline is going to be the next big one, once they've wound down KnobHell.