50 ways to leave your lover. Get on the bus Gus, give a knife to your wife, Rob. How not to write helpful storylines masterclass from The Archers.

[PseudoBadger]

Poor poor Henry

In real life - when someone commits a murder of this kind (I'm going to assume he is dead but likely he will make a Tony like recovery) are they more likely to
A) cover it up and try and hide the body
B) call the police/ambulance?

Most likely they panic, run away leaving everything in disarray or they very calmly phone the police and tell us what they have done.

I can think of cases I have been involved with which have been different but that's the usual two options.

Most murders aren't complicated . they are very simple and we know who the offender is immediately

Phew! Can't keep up with this thread. Last night someone said they heard a thunderclap in RL at the moment the episode ended. It's like strange portents signalling the end of time: ten times the normal posting rate, delurkers rise, the 50,000th post comes to pass...

I was reminded of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: (gist - there's normal drama then there's THIS)
I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds
Have rived the knotty oaks, and I have seen
The ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam,
To be exalted with the threatening clouds:
But never till to-night, never till now,
Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.
Either there is a civil strife in heaven,
Or else the world, too saucy with the gods,
Incenses them to send destruction.

Was there "civil strife in heaven"? (the SW's arguing over where to take the story), or were we considered "too saucy" and the SW gods said "you want a speedy resolution - try this!"?

Gaaad - I saw she dun 'im in on BBC website last night, not having heard it for a week, and I started liste ning to yesterday's episode just now and then couldn't bear the suspense even tho' I knew what would happen! Might be an unlikely and problematic development but I'm so glad the fucker is dead.

Ian will believe her and will be mortified that he turned his back on her, knowing what Knob was like.

Bloodybridget, I wouldn't necessarily get your hopes up about him being dead.

The murders I've been professionally concerned with were a) not in the UK and b) almost all committed by men, not usually in a domestic context. (Look how helpful I'm being.)

Almost invariably they immediately attempted to put themselves as far away as possible from the crime scene. Often forcing friends or associates to hide them or help them escape. Once apprehended they first denied all knowledge then conceded that they may have been there but "it didn't happen like that".

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3qWN441jvHKkDFjs0YPssGT/archers-fans-mobilise-in-defence-of-helen-early-reactions-to-sunday-nights-dramatic-episode

No, agree Augusta. I think he is alive and will 'up' his campaign.

My mind is boggling at the presumption that you are rational enough to realise you can only strike once when you are acting in self defence. Right

I'm way too invested in Helen's wellbeing now.

Augusta My hopes are too high that he's not.

She's dropped the decision of what to do next right in Kirsty's lap by phoning her first.
My guess is that they will go to check he's dead and his eyes will open. Then they'll bludgeon him to death with a skillet and prise up the patio paving........
OTOH K will phone the police and Helen will spend years festering with resentment that Kirsty shopped her.

I have been listening since the 70s.
My eldest DC is the same age as Alice. Jenny and I went through pregnancy together.
I have followed all the story lines through thick and thin.
Baulked a bit at Sid and Jolene, was very unimpressed with the demise of poor old Nigel.
I am so disappointed with this development I feel like giving up.
I have been irritated by the complete lack of consistency with the characters and the many and varied ridiculous sub plots, but have put up with it because this story seemed to be well written and observed.
I never watch EE because I can't stand such drivel - but now TA has sunk to the same level.

My mind is boggling at the presumption that you are rational enough to realise you can only strike once when you are acting in self defence.

Exactly, and the law does recognise that. Helen would get quite a lot of leeway also by virtue of being very pregnant and vulnerable, and having a child to protect.

Hello Gruach such a lovely welcome!

I was doing well leading an Archers-free life but it intruded into Monday morning's Today programme and my first thought was to track down this thread for a rant. I'll be following this thread for a couple of days to see what nonsense they come up with next but will shortly depart in exasperation back to being Archers-free.

Delurking to say that after Friday's (mostly) excellent episode I switched on this morning (I live in Australia) totally unsuspecting. I had made an error by not checking in here first.

I listened whilst getting ready for the school run with my 10 year old daughter who occasionally listens with me. I can tell you it made for a very interesting drive to school.

It was not the resolution I wanted to happen but it's done what it needed too. People are talking about DV and the emotional abuse that people can be subjected too.

It also let me explain abuse within a relationship to my daughter which otherwise may have been difficult to explain. Rob was the ultimate controlling arse. Even my DD could pick up on it.

We were both shaken and genuinely frightened for Helen and Henry. to all those whose lives have been touched by this.

Some great tweets happening:

Eddie Grundy ‏@eddie_grundy 3h3 hours ago
If you need a new patio give me a call. #TheArchers #Brookside

#Thearchers Ok Archer Fans let's get our alibi straight: We were ALL at The Bull & saw Rob stand up shout "I'm off to Peru forever!" & leave

@BBCTheArchers @AmbridgeCricket Well that is going to create a hole in the middle order for the coming season. I hope Alistair has a plan.

My ideal #thearchers plot line is now: Rob, barely alive, crawls down the lane, falls into a culvert and drowns #DoublePoeticJustice

If the worst comes to the worst, perhaps Susan could give Helen some tips on how to survive in prison. #thearchers @ambridgeview

thinks were there any television channels launching tonight...? #thearchers

According to the BBC News website, last night was the conclusion of the abuse story. So it's all over. No need to listen tonight.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35958356

By the way, I wonder if Bernadette Hawkes (quoted in that article) is a poster here?

Sorry if cross posting but not able to keep up with thread, will read back later!

Anyway, remember the floods when one night was played out over the whole weeks episodes? I am wondering if they will use that kind of format again and the events of last night night be a two-parter and tonight's episode will continue straight on from that phone call to Kirsty.

The murders I've been professionally concerned with ...

DadDadDad - 'climax' not necessarily conclusion?

I can't believe Helen would bloody put Henry to bed right before she planned to leave rob! Why didn't she send him to pat's for a sleepover? Kirsty could have taken him with her! It makes no sense. No safety planning at all.

Borsetshire Police ‎@borsetpolice
Another quiet beat tonight. Some anti social behavior to deal with in Felpersham but that's it.

DadDadDad Ignore me!! I've been thinking about this for too many hours. This sort of thing is exactly why I weaned myself off TV soaps many, many years ago.

if we had known Gruach was possibly a professional murderer we could have petitioned to get some of the save helen funds to hire her to take out Rob and all would have been well again in ambridge

Kirsty will go straight there. Kirsty is going to embroider the truth and say she saw Rob attacking Helen through the window as she came running to help her after That Phone Call.

Kirsty is going to tell Helen what to do. And then they are going to call 999

and all the lies that Nob told about helen being mad will finally be of use to her