Come in to The Archers thread - we've redecorated! Take a seat in that distinctive yellow chair and discuss events in Ambridge.

[PseudoBadger]

New thread for tonight's episode.

Do you like the decor then? My 'personal' assistant did it.

"Loving the idea of Knob in North Korea. All that discipline and grassing each other up. Perfect."

Sounding more and more like an English public school! Oh, wait.........

I think the CC conviction is good just because ot says clearly, yes, this is wrong. Something an awful lot of abusive men just wouldn't believe most of whom will say "but it's not as if I hit her/I only hit her once/I'd never hit a woman...unless" or some other variation. They think being a massive bully is ok. It's not. It's illegal.

the 9 best Archers condpiracy theories although they have nothing on this thread for wild speculation

Conspiracy. Sigh. Not condpiracy nor even codpiracy.

I do like the Hampshire Hussy theory!! And sending Knob to N K an excellent idea.

I like Codpiracy Small! It could be used for those laughably ridiculous conspiracy ideas...the ones where you think " don't be daft, that could never have happened".

They could have had the battle over Henry without the stabbing. R and U could have kidnapped him in just the same way, after Helen had left and gone to live at Bridge Farm

This. And it would actually have been a better storyline - Rob claiming Helinn is mentally unstable vs Helinn trying to prove his CC.

Pat 'n Tone seem to have suffered inordinately over the years. Any brick in the air seems to come through their windows. They lost one son, another son jilted his fiancee at the altar, their daughter suffers from an eating disorder and goes on to marry a psychopath who she tries to kill. Hmmm. Tone gets gored by a bull.
Meanwhile, to lighten things up in this relentless gloom, Lynda frets about curtains and everthing else, there are a few errant pigs running around and Kate has spent all her dad's money not buying yurts. I am tired, tired tired of the relentless bad things that happen at Bridge Farm and it looks as though it is set to carry on for the foreseeable future.

Jill's about to be on Broadcasting House - though I don't recall her being particularly good value last time.

Actually, until the latest outrage, while Bridge Farm did have a lot of bad things happen, they were so spread out in time that it didn't seem soapy - just misfortune. Now, you're right Tiger, it's become a little ridiculous - given that nothing major ever befalls Brookfield, Home Farm's troubles are resolutely Tory, and even the Grundys have managed to keep all their members married and breathing.

Easy, Pat also had a breakdown after John's death and went to a retreat with the nuns in Prestatyn to recover. More recently there was the E. coli (?) incident at the dairy. And of course some years ago Hellin got drunk, insisted on driving, and hit Mike. Then got Tom to take the blame, in her typically 'feisty', 'doggedly independent' style.

It does start to look as though they're as doomed as poor Ed Grundy.

I heard bit of BH. So, at one time there was talk of an Archers theme park? Anyone got some good suggestions of what rides that would have?

DDD Definitely a ghost train ride during which HWMNBM would loom out of the darkness and start gibbering 'sorry Shula, sorry, sorry, Shula, I'm sorry' in his inimitable tones.

I am listening to omnibus. The penny has just dropped, it's all about future ownership of Bridge farm. Ultimately Rob wants Bridge Farm, Henry is the future heir. Helen is to be disposed of.

I think it is actually that they just don't like the BF Archers (much as with Peggoi they are not favourites).

Don't forget there was also the Tom and Brenda dumping and then the Tomand kirsty non wedding. And although the Johnny story worked out in the end it was not without strife.

Johnny is as much the heir as Henwee. And more likely to take over as he is years ahead and farming minded.

Yes, I agree but in Robs world they will owe him, I am sure Rob will think he can sweet talk his way in,

'Sweet talk' bully more like. PA megatwat

I want to talk about Bridge Farm - having finally listened to Friday's episode - but I find the thought of Helen and Henry's plight, with Rob looming over everything, so stressful that my heart is thumping.

In a sense (assuming that no court would ever prevent Pat and Tony from seeing Henry) it may be a good thing that there is an order for contact. It takes some power away from Rob.

Mini I'm sure when Rob looks in the mirror he sees a Bridge Farm partner - but surely, without Helen, the connection is now too tenuous? He can threaten to take Henry far away - but that would sever his own link to BF. He can't murder both Tom and Johnny - neither of whom will want him anywhere near the farm and neither of whom would put Henry + Rob ahead of their own prospective offspring. And only a SW on drugs could make Peggy change her mind again and leave the Lodge to Rob divorced from Helen. So I can't see that Henry is still the key to BF for Rob.

i dont think it works like that with the farm division. Hellin needs to divorce knob asap and he won't have a claim on the farm. Even henwee doesn't have an automatic right unless Hellin dies.

Is that why he asked her to commit suicide???

Maybe you're right!!

Those last lines from Helen were heartbreaking. I wonder if Jess is going to show tonight or Henry is going to say something to Pat and Toe.

Anyway I think some light relief is needed. This from Billy Connolly.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=i9nnnM-__JQ

Certainly Rob has always been after Bridge Farm. Was looking good until Tom came back and Johnny appeared.

Henry and SOK could still be Rob's way in, as the power behind the throne, if Helen dies or is deemed mad. He just needs to find a way back, to carry on discrediting Tom's business sense and Johnny's capacity for leadership.

I did wonder whether the knife incident, though spontaneously enacted, had been thought through by knob in advance. The idea of winding Helen up and getting her to attack him made sense as the coup de grace in a story of her being mad and incapable. He may just have been seizing the opportunity - because of course as a man, he could easily overpower her after a first minor blow, couldn't he. Bit of blood, lots or drama, straightjacket for Hel.

She could have acted as wet nurse to SOK under supervision, then sent off to recuperate somewhere, near some high cliffs.

Also casting so much suspicion on Kirsty could be an attempt to prevent her from getting back with Tom and producing heirs.

I don't believe the knife threat thing was deliberate on Knob's part. He was so nearly deaded, so why would that have helped him gain BF by nefarious means? In fact knowing Knob as we do, I think he'll be pretty gutted (ha ha!) that Helen managed to almost do him in. He's always tried to have one over everyone he deals with. His reaction over Henry fits with him trying to get one over Helen still, via Henry and his custody si the best way he can manage it at present.

I refuse to listen to the film now, as long as I got it in the week, as that would only increase Soc's listening ratings. And ,lo and behold, have discovered there are other radio stations on a Sunday morning! I still want to know what happens even if it upsets me and the carp writing pisses me off. i agree Helen's words this week were so heart-rending. I think the worm will turn, though Knob won't go without a fight and lots an lots of manipulative lies. I have hope.

Knob is mad but surely not that mad? He was trying to force Hell to kill herself which , if he had succeeded would immediately have reflected on him and put him away for a long time.

Johnny was around a time before he arrived.

I think he was surprised by her determination. He'll have thought he could disarm her. Knob will be firmly in sneering at people who 'throw like girls' camp. Probably thinks they can't stab either.

Part of that idea is an attempt to explain putting a knife in her hands. Plainly, as a mum and mum to be, she was not going to stab herself. But goading her until she flw at him with a knife? Top tactic for portraying her as unhinged. I think he was surprised by Henry's appearance.