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.

And kicked out by your wife for chasing other women

I reckon the fairy grotto in the woods was built by Lynda to show her grandchildren ( or allow them to find, you know like a sort of 'fairy' story come true) She's definitely dopey enough

Helen and Pat are jibbering idiots. Even the shit-hot female lawyer can't get through to Helen. But - thank god - the men are here. Tony and Tom to the rescue with their masculine rationality and faith in Helen as a wronged woman.

Anna is a barrister specialising in DV situations. Perhaps she sees the kind of PTSD Hellin is displaying in other victims?

A plea can always be changed at a later date anyway.

Anna and Tom were convinced that H should plead not guilty on the grounds of self defence when she hasn't said anything at all about what happened, other than a few vague words about Henry not being safe. How can Anna be so sure that she will get enough evidence to argue self-defence?

Indeed. Something has to have happened that they don't know about, Helen hasn't described and that we never heard on the radio to make a case for self defence.

I wonder how much extra detail over and above what we heard SOC plans to insert into the night at BHC with a smug tah daah.

Based on what it sounded like she should plead to wounding but I bet there turns out to be whole masses of detail shoved in there. Rob probably had dynamite strapped to his chest and was shouting I am going blow us all to kingdom come.

Or maybe SOC really is going to surprise us and Hel confesses she has been putting the deranged thing on in a failed bid for not fit to plead and in fact she stabbed him in cold blood with malice of forethought. So ha ha.

Oh and she stole the bunting, burnt the shed, dressed as knob and blocked the culvert, shoved Stefan in the silage. In fact she has been trying to frame him for months but no one has been following it up so in the end she had to stab him.

Half those scenes never even happened it was just her putting on Rob's voice talking to herself.

Smalllegs But did I imagine her doing it to defend Henry? Someone said that equals 'self' defence.

Smalleggs so perhaps SOC has been channelling Psycho rather than Tess, with Hellin as Norman Bates?

I am somewhat concerned that both Anna and Tom were convinced that H should plead not guilty on the grounds of self defence when she hasn't said anything at all about what happened, other than a few vague words about Henry not being safe. How can Anna be so sure that she will get enough evidence to argue self-defence? How do either of them KNOW she didn't pre-plan the whole thing?

Tom is allowed to be convinced Helen should plead not guilty on the basis that she's his sister and he believes she wouldn't go in for random violence.

For Anna, at this stage she doesn't have to know anything at all. One of the main tenets for barristers is that, unless they were present when the alleged crime was committed or unless the client tells them they did, it they have to believe the client is not guilty if they say so, no matter how shifty they may be. Anna doesn't have to arrive in court for the plea hearing with her entire defence strategy mapped out. Essentially what she is saying to Helen is that if she isn't guilty then she shouldn't plead guilty, which is fair enough. There probably is a strong element where, as a result of her experience with DV and EA, she believes that Helen has had her ability to think rationally taken away from her and that it is highly likely that the only thing that would have driven her to lash out like that would be defence of herself or Henry - and, again, fair enough.

If as time goes on Helen confesses she did actually pre-plan it, she can change her plea. If no evidence comes to light Anna may have to revisit her advice. But for the moment all she has to know is which way Helen wants to plead.

D'you think SOC had anything to do with Melvyn Brag's choice of subject this morning?

I haven't been posting much recently, just listening and lurking.

The obvious twist to me is Jess. She's the only one who can corroborate anything about Rob first hand, and as yet, despite national news coverage, hasn't turned up.

The longer it goes on, the more likely she is to turn up halfway through trial to magically spring Hellin.

I thought it was really weird that Tom and Tone didn't explain why Pat wasn't there. Yes, they won't want to distress Helen even more, but surely worse when Pat turns up in court as a prosecution witness with no warning. Plus, unbelievably hurtful for Helen to imagine that her mother was too busy with something else to bother to visit. Is there some legal thing whereby they aren't allowed to say?

They were scared of Helen, BOING.

BOING its because Helen is a special snowflake.
I'm also annoyed that Pat went to the Police Station to give Helen's side, when she hasn't got a bloody clue what happened

This is much worse to listen to than BC
They are all being twats stupid

Can't comment on the programme details because I'm not listening, just following this thread and Lowfield, but wanted to say that I absolutely loath Thomas Hardy and the worst of his books is Tess......

There, I've said it and it feels good. Now breathe!

Anyone else have a terrible confession to make?

Me! I hated Nigel. Ludicrous character and camp as Christmas - no way would he have married and fathered two children. Glad he's off the air.

Me! Never did like Matt; I HATED his voice.

At least Tom told Helen he didn't always like her! Join the queue, Tom.

D'you think SOC had anything to do with Melvyn Brag's choice of subject this morning?

Why does anyone need or want to discuss Tess of the D'Urbervilles? Even if you like Hardy , which I do (a bit) it's not remotely his best or most interesting. Can we not strike it off all syllabuses now? Those of us have read it know how awful it is - those of you who haven't, take our word for it. Life is too short.

Re. TotD. Thank goodness. I thought I was somekind of irrideemable philestine as I hated it. It made me grind my teeth much as current sl does.

My confession is that I haven't listened for days and days.

I might catch up during the dog walk later

Not guilty - yes!

Oh STFU Pat.

For those not listening and just watching the thread, she was refused bail, trial begins September 5th

Wow. It really is going to drag. Yawn.