Will it be porridge or curtains for Knob? Await a sensible and sensitive ending to That Storyline on The Archers thread.

[PseudoBadger]

Threads are moving so fast! Will this thread be here to welcome SOK?

I do hope Pat will talk to Tom. I would hope it would at least ring major alarm bells with him.

Aren't staff, particularly the HT, usually resident at boarding school. In our LEA admin staff are in during school holidays too. Still, even if its a week or two down the line, I would like Helen to personally unearth the evidence.

What irks me about this immensely is that in the 80s Pat was a dungaree-wearing, Guardian-reading feminist who either went to Greenham Common or supported them. She would have been helping out at a women's refuge, or talking to others who were. She would have been far more clued up about domestic abuse than the average person. So where has all that knowledge gone?

I hope Pat speaks to Kirsty. I think that Kirsty could make her question her trust in Rob and Ursula without betraying Helen's confidence.

I think he's going to hit her proper next. Then perhaps the penny will drop. He will lose his temper and hopefully H will realise that she is not wrong. Her anger was utterly appropriate. I quite like spoilers But this is a soap opera. It will go on and on and on, one way or another.

Iorek that is so convincing, are you a sw ?

these are for all who listened tonight

Helen doesn't know the name of the school.

2 things
Rob really is brilliantly acted. bastard

Abd the real glimmer of hope is that Helen deliberately went to that appointment by herself.

There was a point when Rob was telling Helen off when I thought he might well hit her again to punish her. I suspect he wasn't far off it.

Speaking as someone who can't even tell a little white lie without getting all tongue tied and flustered, I find the way the lies just trip off the tongues of Rob and Ursula really shocking. They don't even have to think for a second - it all comes out with the ease of years of practice (shudder).

Ha! red I wish!

If i was a sw Rob would be a knob - just because he is
Not because he has mummy issues.

I'll take that

True, SmallLegs. Given that Knob is telling her she's endangering the baby, maybe she'll work up the courage to point out that the obstetrician has said that a home birth will endanger him a hell of a lot more.

DadDadDad what is the record for a number of posts in one evening? Or the number of glasses of wine currently being necked by those of us posting?

Contrary to the majority view, I don't find Ursula's involvement at all implausible. My XH was passive-aggressive, and he learn this behaviour from his mother who was masterful at it. Ursula presumably finds Rob's behaviour entirely praiseworthy.

I should be going to play tennis now. Part of me wants to stick photo of Rob's face on a ball and pound it, but is winning as it's cold & wet outside & I'm stressed inside.

Gas - I agree. Pat as a character who would naturally think badly of a man until he proves otherwise. Her acceptance of rob was damascan and her 'la la la, let's make tea' also weird.

It must be a very well sound proofed house as he didn't even bother to lower his voice

I'm just catching up now. Who is the medical appt with? Is it the midwife?

No, answered my own question by listening more!

< hands to Gypsy >

You'll need it.

I think Pat could equally be in denial - too happy that Helen seems to have found a good, dependable bloke. It must be hard as a parent to confront the reality that your child is in an abusive relationship.

Mostly, though, I don't think Pat and Tony understand or know Helen very well. So I'm thinking Tom will be the one joining the dots first.

SmallLegs Henry might have told Helen that he's going to Daddy's school so she could figure it out that way.

Time for TASWAMA.

Thought the medical appointment was interesting. Clear that Helen was informed by obstetrician she is high risk and home birth idea is bonkers.

Very interesting that Helen had wanted to go without Rob - and of course Rob had turned up outside anyway. But at least she got to see the obstetrician.

I came home and there are 140+ posts after one episode!
Should I listen?

Rob's dismantling of Helen's character and self-esteem - could it trigger postpartum psychosis and suicide?
Helen's reaction tonight will only serve to make Pat believe Rob even more when he says she's irrational.