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

[PseudoBadger]

Will it still be Sunday tonight?

will take a while, surely, before we see any change in editorial policy. I can't imagine that SOC would not have sewn up the next six months at least

Keri tweated a while back to say they had a meeting to.plan the next 40 years.

One part of me hopes the EE scriptwriters piss off and TA returns to its saner, comfortable self.

However I've listened much more to the programme than I ever did in the past since the H&R saga started.

Bit of a dilemma there

Well yes, they've always planned for the far future - but SOC's influence on the actual writing can only last so long once he's gone.

There won't be here in 40 years' time if they carry on with twaddle like this.

blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/domestic-abuse-in-the-archers-putting-the-storyline-into-a-policy-context/?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_the_archers&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=radio_and_music

Another blog linked to be TA.
Some nice stats there for you D3 if you are interested (sorry forgotten the nn of our other statistician).

Although with my more or less hat on they have quoted women killed by partners as 84 (might have been 85) and men at 23. Without mentioning that about a third of those men will have been killed by male partners.
the proportion of women murdered by a male partner is a high precentage of total number of women killed and the proportion of men killed by female partners is a very low proportion of total men killed.
(Does not in any way make it right but it does make it a bloody unlikely conclusion to the story. )

The family annihilation / were wounds self inflicted has to be a red herring. As Helen clearly said to Kirsty I have killed him.

I've known times when TA was frankly boring for months on end and one just held on out of loyalty and habit.

But some of the best things have been slow and quiet. Perhaps relying more on the story a listener continues and develops in their own head than on what happens during the 13 minutes.

Sadly R4 the approval ratings are massively up. And they think that those of us who don't like the sl are complaining becauae we are too pearl clutching about the drama. Preferring jam to gaol.
But I would have liked drama just not implausible misogynistic victim turned aggressor drama.

I had no issue with the domestic abuse storyline. I thought it was great. The end of it has been farcical and to be honest, requires no subtlety or skill from the SW.

What are they going to do when this SL fades though ? I doubt the new sensationalist listeners will want to listen to Freda Fry's memorial rose or Linda's Christmas Panto
Will this become a revolving door of ridiculous plots to keep the new listeners happy ?

Helen has killed him - for herself. Her perfect Rob portrait is slashed to pieces.

But the family annihilation point is even more interesting than it was now that we know Helen administered only two of the three stab wounds. (If I've understood correctly.)

Yyy careers. I was fully behind the DA sl. It was very plausible. I hate the ending.

dud no one notice my trifle gag (blatant attention seeking) i will confess I shoe horned it into verse from a reference on r4.

gruach what makes you think that? I didn't think she had said anything.
And family annihilators (as an FP ahould know) kill the family first then themselves. He wouldn't have risked dying and leaving her for anyone else until he had done his damndest to take her with him.

In fact I believe the difference betwee make and female family annihilators (its not a straight cut male crime and is roughly half the time perpetrated by women (twice locally to me in last 5 years) is that the women kill the children and (attempt to kill) themselves and the men kill the children and their partner. Sometimes but not always going on to kill themselves.

*male and female

To Helen

I'm sorry to hear you're in prison
But really, it could be worse,
You're far away from your husband
And now I've run out of verse

Roses are red
Rob's not dead
You should have stabbed him
In the head.

Violets are blue
So are you
Cos Rob did not llove you
And was very untrue

I understood the magistrates had already sent it to the Crown Court. I think they said the May hearing would be a Plea and Directions hearing? So I would have thought it would take a little time, particularly if they decide to make a bail application.

ROFL at not to be trifled with.

On a much lighter note (I've temporarily given up trying to keep up with this thread, so sorry if it's mentioned above) R4 Today have done a Star Wars/Emma Grundy tribute broadcast about 20 mins in this morning to celebrate Felicity Jones.

Hmmm... May 5th is a Thursday. Thus paving the way for Friday cliffhanger.

Going into labour? full-blown eclampsia because no one noticed her swollen ankles?

Under soc we have been exposed to a lot more 'more than one episode day' which I find irritating

And a lot more drama llama stories (selling Brookfield, flood, Adam and Charlie, Kate returning) that don't really have a start or an end that is plausible or explained. Just plot devices

My week by PC Burns

A busy week it sure has been
with all that cleaning for the Queen.
I'm still trying to find who stole the bunting
and cut Shula's bridle to stop her hunting.
I think something else happened, but I don't recall what -
my skills as a policeman have never been hot

On Tuesday I do recall Susan Carter,
the embodiment of the snoopers' charter,tell me about someone's eating disorder,
but I'd lost my notebook so didn't record her.
I think something else happened but I can't remember -
burning Justin's effigy? No that was November.

We're still trying to find who stole the church dosh
Usha suspects Shula, but I think that is tosh
as Shula doesn't have the balls to steal from fellow
churchgoers, even though her towels are yellow.
My mind's blank about Monday - it’s rather mysterious,
but probably means it was nothing serious.

Fallon tells me the news is all over the papers.
I assume she's referring to the Fairbrothers' capers.

She's been trying to get my uniform clean
so the custard stains cannot be seen.
Custard rings a bell, but I don't know why.
Must be something related to Fallon's apple pie.

Everyone's talking about "poor Rob",
but it's almost a year since he lost his job.
He and Helen must have gone on a secret escape,
After decorating their cottage with police tape.
Like the scriptwriters, my memory’s selective,
so that's why I am the Ambridge detective.

And such a good detective you are too, Plod.

I think I may have the answer to the mention of only 2 stab wounds in court

Helen Titchener, given a knife,
With 2 strokes, near took Rob's life,
Tommy Bunny crept from the bin,
Into Rob's wrist, his teeth sunk in.

Thomas Rabbit

Ah I see they did mention 2 stabs in court.
It probably works the same way as bedrooms in BHC.