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?

Regarding the Rob/Arsula team up, this is entirely plausible. My own stepbrother and his mother treated his son appallingly, so much so that he (the son) has cut all ties with them both. And yes, I blame my dad for allowing her to abuse us as kids. He could, and should, have protected us but he chose not to. So I expect Bruce, should we ever meet him, will be her enabler.

I don't know if my stepbrother abused his ex wife, but as she's his ex I presume he did. His son has MH issues which are being treated with ADs and counselling, and I hope he recovers fully.

You know what occurred to me when he was being horrible to Helen after she'd broken down and said sorry lots and everyone else had left the room?

When the new baby arrives and he does that, they'll have a baby-monitor and that's one way other people will realise what he's like. Like that scene in Ab Fab where Edina shags Miranda Richardson's husband.

I liked this quote in the Guardian article:

"The novelist Linda Grant even conducted a Twitter poll into the best way to tackle Rob’s nastiness (137 votes were cast, with 66% opting for castration by scythe)."

I must say, castration by scythe seems entirely reasonable to me.

Could Kirsty install a nanny-cam?

I think John died at a really difficult age for Helen.

Had she been younger, then she would have received far more support as she would have been a child.

At 20 you're treated as an adult and just expected to get on with things, and your grief probably has to take second place to your parents'.

However you're not emotionally strong enough to cope with everything.

A very blunt and rusty scythe please

I hadn't realised my title suggestion had already been used (although my subconscious obviously did remember

Helen was only 18 when John died - coming up to 19 - I just checked the BBC pages.

It was Tommy's 17th birthday (unless they've mucked about eith the dates retrospectively).

I looked up Hayley too to see if her relative age might have had anything to do with the appalling way Helen treated her but she doesn't get a birthday

I suppose Helen blamed her for John's death? I can't remember if anything like that was ever said.

I just tried to listen but I can't bear it

I think Greg's depression and then suicide had a big effect on Helen too. She may have got together with him as partly as a bit of a father figure. His daughters weren't that much younger than her really. Then he got very depressed, quite a drawn out downward spiral, she moved out I think and then he killed himself. And she felt guilty.

And just as some posters in relationships she might well say: this can't be abusive because it got a bit abusive towards the end with Greg but this is nothing like that.

I am finding it more difficult to listen to TA as this storyline ramps up. Last night I was listening to it on the bus home and I had tears in my eyes. I really hope that bastard Knob gets sent to jail

Listening with finger poised over the OFF button.

Cramps in forearm already...

Come on Helen

Oh bless him

Hellin knows!

Well she has just acknowledged (silently) life without Knob.

"Your mother"!

These are good signs, no?

Bloody hell, Henry has broken out of all the non-stock phrases.

Go Helen, fight your corner. In fact get in the car and leg it...please.

Serious gas lighting there. She's getting a bit too uppity for him though. Worried about what he will do.

gross, gross, gaslighting

At last the penny has dropped. Now she will use subterfuge if she has any sense!

Has she heard the bits about being at most risk when the abuser realises they're losing control?

Hasn't she been drinking her 'tea'?

Doesn't seem quite herself!

She's going to be left alone if Henry is with Pat & Rob's at the shop. Time to get planning an escape route, Helen.