Rob - dead? No, no, he's, er, resting. He's just pining for the Canadian plains. As Helen is taken into custardy, discuss the Archers here.

[PseudoBadger]

24 hours for 1 thread!!

JUst had another thought - how likely is it that KIrsty's phone could have gone to voicemail when Helen called and she did not pick up - thus recording Knob's provocative rant?

Thanks, words, I'm glad we are keeping it friendly here - the spikiness can stay on the AIBU board.

I'm trying to forget your comment last night that numbers are pointless.

marking thread. And hoping Stefan pops up.

In Sunday's episode, before Kirsty runs out the back door, Helen tells her that she's put the secret mobile phone behind the cereal boxes. I'm really hoping that means she recorded the whole thing.

Someone asked upthread why the BBC board nickname for Jennifer was "JennyDarling" or "JD" - simply because that is what Brian (Brine) always called her, in that slightly patronising/wheedling but actually genuinely affectionate way.

Of course "Darling" has taken on a much much more sinister turn with the Helen/Rob storyline.

I must say I do rather enjoy the wholesale way in which the whole of this thread embraces "Knob" -some people I imagine would never dream of calling or describing anyone as a knob in real life happily using it with abandon.

Excellent stats 3D. Reading through what's been posted since breakfast, I'm wondering whether the aftermath of the stabbing will see some characters thinking back over their interactions with Knob in a different light. Perhaps some of these loose ends could be tied up - like Stephan, the culvert, Charlie's departure, etc - as people actually start talking to each other.

Levity alert. I was trying to remember the hunt incident and remembered instead the time Neil and Susan won the lottery. And Lynda (?) wound up Jenny telling her that they would be putting in an offer for Netherfield Hall (?) and putting George's name down for Eton. Jenny was nearly hyperventilating. Her relief when she found out that it was only 4.5k, not the 4.5 million she'd feared! I wonder where those writers are now? The Fairbros just aren't doing it for me yet.

Lillian and Sausages Helen used the phone to try to call Kirsty while Rob was upstairs after Henry had first been disturbed. He caught her at it when he raced back down and Helenn hung up. Kirsty then phoned back and Helen had a 'normal' conversation with her. Rob was standing over her the whole time so I'm fairly sure she hung up. Here's hoping though!

Now that would be very EE Sausages.

For anyone not exhausted with Archers reading here's The Ambridge Observer from last Sunday.

Wonder how she'll handle the coming week.

Vango, do you remember when the late Susan Grundy won the premium bonds? They hadn't been cancelled when she died. Joe tried to get Clarrie to pretend her name was Susan and claim the prize. She didn't. Another Grundy tale of woe

The lottery thing was hilarious Vango but it has reminded me of yet another education thing that the SWs probably failed to take sufficient care over. Jenny has a - what would she call Ruairi - ward (?) at prep school; she would totally know that names can't be put down for that particular senior school. It would have been a neat point of differentiation with her interlocutor (though I don't remember the details).

We did talk about the angry letter from a Boarding Schools Association accusing the BBC of misleading TA storylines didn't we?

Crikey Marchate I don't know if I do or if I'm now just imagining that I do! Poor Grundys. So many scams over the years. I did wonder to myself recently how they are going to manage in the coming years, scraping a living without a penny in reserve. Thank goodness they don't need to worry so much about Will and Ed any more.

I don't think Miles or Bruce will either leap to Rob's defence or castigate him because he's probably completely irrlevant to them as they feature much higher up the pecking order in that family. They probably barely know he's alive and from what they do know of him they think he's weak and overcompensates for his failings - as a child he would have been a really sore loser. I imagine they feel a sort of casual disdain for him when they think of him at all.

I see Rob as having a huge inferiority complex with an extra helping of misogyny that manifests itself in aggressive behaviour to compensate. He targets this behaviour at anyone he feels irrational hatred for: woman and gay people (Helen and Jess; Adam and Ian plus he called Kirsty a dyke because it's the worst insult he can think of).

Ursula has fed the misogyny with her sexist and outdated views and worshipping of the males but there is a very clear pecking order of husband, heir... then spare which directly contributes to the inadequacy Rob feels.

Rob is no doubt very bitter (we used to hear some of this in earlier episodes when taking about his family) and blames everyone else for his misfortunes, even those of his own making (quitting his job at Berrow before the investigation into his conduct) and refuses to acknowledge how he is complicit in them at all. Although he must be aware of them because he takes great care to cover them up (deleting photo at the cricket/forging records at Berrow) and has a real need to be seen as a saviour and someone people look up to and aspire to be like - so he makes himself look better by sabotage to either "prove" his opinions or give unfair advantage and the expense of others (the culvert/Ambridge Organics/new lines at the Bridge Farm shop).

Because of this inferiority complex he compensates by being a bully and has invented himself as the hero to boost his own ego and to be a hero there has to be victims (Jess and Helen plus who knows who else from his murky past). He has these women in his life who he seeks to belittle and control because it makes him feel powerful.

Gruach I think she and Brian were interrupted over dinner and the information was coming at her so thick and fast that she was just speechless! All over and done with in a matter of minutes but a nice little comedy interlude (which we are woefully short of in recent years and Ruth's fake and prolonged cackling last week DOESN'T COUNT )

Moving, Miles & Bruce might even mock him for being stabbed by a woman - a pregnant woman too!

I have found myself looking up Article 8 with regard to Henry's right to an established family life. But I don't really have any idea how / if it works in this context ...

Actually that new emoticon should have been something indicating "overinfested".

In RL Henry would stay with his GP until things with his parents are clearer . There's no reason to think he will not be well cared for .

Not bridle. It was a problem with Shula's 'harness'

The interesting thing will be what happens with the baby. I can just see Ursula saying that Helen is far too dangerous to look after her grandchild and s/he must come to Granny Ursula.

Gherkins harness, yes. I remember the oddness of keen horsewoman Shula not being able to sort it out for herself

Augusta But will Granny Ursula/Rob want to look after the baby GIRL?

He lost a lot of blood from a laceration to the wrist, is what the medical doctor said.

I reckon Rob did this. Defensive injuries tend to be shallow stabs as the person defending themselves move their arms and hands in response to the pain and attack.

Just listened again. I'm not a lawyer but isn't the problem with Helen's defence, as others have said, that she has denied abuse and there are no witnesses to anything more than Rob being a bit controlling, which Helen seemed happy to go along with. Rob's previous behaviour to Jess, and possibly others, doesn't justify Helen stabbing him.

The whole shoving a handcuffed Helen into the van in front of Henry was ridiculous. They had radios, they could have waited s minute or two.

Kirsty bleating that Helen, bring her friend, couldn't hurt anyone was pretty lame considering Helen's husband was bleeding out on the kitchen floor.

Apologies for typos! Fat fingers

I don't think Ursula will have a look in, not after the interview in the Station with Kirsty.

Let's not forget Rob charmed Pat and Tony. He knew Kirsty was trouble which is why he isolated Helen from her. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Rob knew he was in trouble, hence the slashing of his wrist. Given a longer storyline, he could well become a family annihilater.