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!!

I'm still wondering about the suitcase and why Knob jumped to the conclusion that it was there because Helen was leaving. Yes, that was the reason, but it's not the first thought that would occur in a secure marriage - if I unexpectedly saw a suitcase that dh had half packed I would conclude that he had to go away for work purposes, or maybe that he was off on something to do with his hobby and I hadn't been listening when he told me about it (which is distinctly possible ).

He must therefore have been worried consciously or subconsciously that she was planning to leave, because of recent signs of independent thinking on her part and her meeting with Kirsty. Hence the fact that she was in major danger, because he would find it utterly intolerable to lose control and to lose face in the village. It would have been so much better if the script had made that absolutely clear, so that it would have been equally clear that whatever she did was by way of defence of herself and Henry.

A title without Helrob would be good!!

BYOS I also hate this SL and I hate it a little bit more every day that goes by, because I can't see how this is going to end ok for Helen or Henry or the baby. I'm pinning my hopes on SW bending the laws of, erm, the law to give us a not entirely fucking depressing ending.

I am already too stressed IRL for this shit...!

For the new thread: "Fuck you, SOC. Discuss TA here."

Sorry for being sweary, am v tired. And I can't swear around my kids so you lot get it

It was a very OTT reaction on Rob's part about the suitcase "I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING" was Kirsty still there then? No way would I have left in that circumstance.

How on earth could a psychiastrist say Hellin was fit for questioning?

Must have been. How do you feel? Fine. she's clearly not

She's ok

I don't think knobs reaction to the suitcase was extreme. Men like him are chronically insecure, hence the accusations and phone checking and the house arrest. They constantly feel their partner is about to leave.

I must say I'm finding the police procedure and the trial possibilities the least interesting part of this story. (I admit to Happy Valley and Line of Duty but not possessing a TV means I can avoid the rest.)

What will be more interesting (less frustrating?) is how this story affects the rest of the village. Whether there will be year long disharmony and shifting loyalties within households; how power will be redistributed at Bridge Farm and who'll take over the vacant shifts in the shop; whether the SWs will remember/bother to provide Pat and Tony with supportive friends or not ...

I'll put in another bid for The Archers. No Comment. (After all the millions of words.)

New title - Rob and Helen are stitched up

That's funnier!

I agree with whoever it was upthread who said last night's episode was essentially a filler - as we weren't allowed to hear what she told the solicitor and she no commented in the interview, the only element that took the story forward at all was the relatively short conversation at Bridge Farm. I hope they will now move away to her family's reactions and responses from the likes of Ian and Adam.

Nice Gruach but it still references HellRob. What about (hopes Pseudo doesn't follow D3's rules on assertiveness) The Archers. Words fail me.^

Gruach suggested yesterday "The Archers - No Comment" which I like

Sorry, R4, don't know what "rules on assertiveness" is referring to. Not being arsey, just curious, maybe I've forgotten something I said earlier.

But your thread suggestion is good. And I like the idea of not referencing HelRob as a sign of protest.

The problem with that one Pseudo is that 'comment' is precisely what we're all going to do. All over again. Which will please SOC no end. An Archers thread titled 'No comment' followed by a lot of blank spaces until he departs would be good though!

But I don't suppose SOC takes any note of a thread on MN. And if he has been he will already know the strong views here.

It strikes me that the best line of protest to the wider world is petitioning the women's support charities that were all in favour of this story to say if they still feel it's giving women in these situations a helpful message.

I don't really want to repeat Custardy though...

I think No Comment suggests we have little of merit to say about the storyline, and mirrors Helen.

Rob got stabbed and stitched up Helen.

I think that ship's sailed DDD. I think all the 'awareness raising' discussions are yesterday's news, today's chip wrapper. From now on the focus is going to be soapy drama, EE style.

And ratings are ratings. Comments are comments. All that matters is that people are listening and commenting. Not at all what they're saying. Now if we stop commenting and listening that'd definitely raise an eyebrow. But as we're not likely to stop either I, for one, will no longer be talking about the believability or otherwise of current or future events. And I won't in future be tricked by any storyline that pretends to be carrying any kind of public service message.

Then we could see if we could fill a whole thread with us just posting:

or

Ah, Margie Bargie got there first.

Can't we go backwards to a Tale of cuntery folk: Part 2

TheDudesMummy I never suggested (a) that insanity was a likely defence for H if Rob had died. I am well aware it is a rare defence, precisely because there is little practical difference between indefinite detention in a psychiatric institution and life imprisonment. In fact the former is probably worse.

I was challenging LilianGishs statement that medical detention was the ONLY possible sentence in the event of a successful plea of diminished responsibility. It may be available but that outcome is not inevitable while with insanity it is.

Personally I hate titles with "cunt" in them. Probably only me, though..............

Just a thought but if knob recovers quite quickly, Henry is at Pat and Tony's and may be a witness or party to things knob would rather not be disclosed, there could be nastier turns ahead. This has struck me as Bamberesque on mire than one occasion. Tales of ordinary albeit slightly odd farming folk with a bit of MH thrown in.