The Archers - It's so much more than just a soap. It's a bloody drama!

[PseudoBadger]

Will it still be Sunday tonight?

Excellent, Gherkins.

I also agree it's not the boarding school but the lying.

Rob and Ursula both lied to Pat about it and used it to claim that Helen was unhinged - had just got the wrong end of the stick.

Ursula specifically told Pat it was a casual conversation.

This will also shed doubt on the bath.

Oh, LOVE that Gherkins

Thank you so much

"Bloody Hell Cottage"

I don't disagree that a Rob is a monster glowfrog I just think Helen may have leant very heavily on Jess's assessment, when turning around her perspective in two days from 'mostly does his best' to 'I'm leaving'.

Also agree she's in shock and acted without thinking. Yet, I just wonder if there was some prior thinking that allowed that to happen, in which she switched decisively to 'he is a monster and needs to be gone from Henry's life' partly because that's exactly what Jess said.

Not saying the conclusion is wrong, just that Helen has arrived at it in a characteristically black and white, wholehearted, all or nothing way (though, she did say she wanted time away to think). She may expect others to agree with her and just get stroppy and cold shoulder them if they don't, as per usual with Helen. But in this case 'because he was, because I've decided' and 'because Jess said so' are not going to be enough.

Helen is not accustomed to having to explain herself. She is accustomed to being right.

Oh that was superb!

Thank you Gherkin.

I think I must get my knowledge of the legal system from much tougher detective stories than most others! I just don't see how any revalation can make any difference to the fact that she stabbed him 3 times when he was unarmed.

I've been giving this far too much thought.

Actually, I think Women's Aid & Refuge have played a blinder with their script consultation.

Polly Neate's latest article talks about how difficult coercive control is to spot and what a terrible job Borsetshire police are doing.

She talks about how expert training needs to be given to be able to spot the signs as well as education etc.

DV budgets have been slashed and refuges are closing down up and down the country. The helpline is overloaded. Government doesn't give a shit.

There is likely to be very little change if the storyline involves all public services working perfectly together to rescue Helen into the arms of a loving family.

I don't think they were writing it for all the Helen's out there - I think they were writing it for David Cameron & Theresa May.

I realise Refuge weren't writing the actual scripts or deciding on the storyline.

Perhaps when Rob becomes a Silent Witness the autopsy will show that all the stab wounds must have been inflicted by his own hand?

I agree Bertrand. It's all second hand as well. The prosecution would rip Jess' 'evidence' to shreds - did she report Rob? No. They'd present her as the rejected bitter ex sullying the name of a respectable man. And even if Rob did murder Stefan it has nothing to do with Helen's defence. Even if he'd murdered the whole village, Helen would still not be justified in stabbing an unarmed man.

I'm a listener of 19 years (and an inveterate name changer on here) and I have to say I have always considered TA as a soap not a drama - and I never feel emotionally involved, it's just entertainment to me. (Just an opinion - and one presumably shared by many who listen but aren't so involved they want post on here?)
I do enjoy reading your threads though.

I think they were writing it for David Cameron ...

I always felt that about the HWMNBN story. (Carpenter, handyman formerly employed by Matt and Lil. Not to be named on these threads!)

That video was genius, Gherkins - did you create it?

"Sniffing around like Roy of the Rotas"

I wish! It came up in my Facebook feed. Must have been done by a mustardlander

I've been listening to TA on & off for around 25 years now- & before that actually because my mum used to listen. I remember hearing it when I was around 9-10 & I'm 50 now

I decided not to listen last night & I'm not going to again until this story dies down. I can't imagine when that will be. Months or years? I really don't want to hear a court case. I don't want to hear Rob anymore, and I have a feeling he's going to be around for a while. He's too valuable for the SWs now. I certainly don't want to hear from Ursula or Bruce.

So I gather last night's offering didn't improve the Helen/ Rob story. I was brought up with an abusive father, (he didn't have pantomime parents though). I know it's not good for me to listen to this; if I'd known the way the SL was going to go ( sensationalist criminalisation of the victim, Helen potentially losing custody of Henry & baby, Rob still reigning supreme) I would have stopped listening last December.

SOC said he would treat the DA SL in a way that was helpful to those in a similar position to Helen. As we know on here, that's not the case. He really has gone for sensationalism in place of a dramatic but also responsible SL.

I'll lurk on here to see how Helen is faring, but tbh, I'm not sure I'll enjoy TA in the way I used to for a while. ( ie not having tense feeling before, sick feeling after and a need to shout at radio or switch off!).

I am going to complain to the BBC, though. Don't think I've ever felt so pissed off about a programme & I listen to fair amount of R4 drama.

Gherkins

Gherkin like D^3 I loved the expression 'Roy of the Rotas'. Brilliant.

Putthetulips

What I've hated about the sl so far is that it has dominated too much. With this stabbing that's just going to get worse

Gherkin that's great!!! Thank you 😬😬😬

Thanks red shoes. I'm fine now, have been for a while, but I really think criticism of this SL should be acknowledged by SOC and the BBC.

Wouldn't it be interesting to have him as guest on mumsnet? Do you think Olivia could arrange it ???

We don't know if Jess reported any of the violence from Rob to the police at the time it happened.

delurking to post The Times take on the legal position.

This may be a clearer version.

Maybe Ursula will have a sudden awakening and think "Bloody hell, if Helen and Jess can escape, so can I". Then she'll give evidence about how Bruce constantly threatened her that if she ever left he would stab himself and make out it was her, and how Knob was saying "Great idea, Dad, I'll remember that if any woman ever threatens to leave me."