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.

Yes I really get peeed off about the way so many characters have just disappeared into the ether because it suits SOC, the sooner he goes and they let US edit it the better

But he doesn't have to lie. Rob's already twisted everything - the sleepwalking, things like that. Henry won't give as much detail, but then he's five, he'll have forgotten some, not have understood it all. But he'll probably say enough to back up Rob's version. Most of what Rob will have said will have had a basis in truth in that there was the sleepwalking incidence - no one else will remember her looking like ... can't remember the details, but there weren't any other witnesses anyway - but it will also be in the psychiatric report.

This sl does remind me how often I've thought about our legal system and how unjust it can be in RL. The adversarial system could be better IMO

Should it not be that they talk to rob and then Helen before they talk to Henry bother wise they are prejudicing his evidence if they are approaching it from what rob says?

Henry is too young too appear in court isn't he? How will his evidence be presented? I think Knob's urging him to tell the truth is going to lead to him telling the truth and not Knob's version of it. What is frustrating me is that I still don't feel that we the listeners actually know what happened - even though we were witnesses. This is one of my chief criticisms of SOC - we were there so we should know, that should be part of the dramatic tension (just as we know exactly what went on in the marriage before). We are all speculating that Hellin was acting to protect Henwee (and Knob's emphasising to Henwee that none of this is his fault seems to point to that too) but we don't know that and by making everything so vague I feel less invested in it. I end up thinking oh what the hell - she's an idiot, she should have just left while she could instead of hanging around and stabbing him was completely OTT. Completely agree with previous posters (Vango?) who said SOCs big storylines are all as tedious as each other in the end (the bypass, moving north, HP's move to Brookfield) the conclusion seems so inevitable and the twists and turns along the way so random .

Yes exactly BYOS Surely EVERYONE involved in custard gate should be properly interviewed (note that in his statement ,which of course we never heard, knob must've said that the attack was 'unprovoked") which they believed????

I'm catching up very late and have just got round to the Saturday papers, but can I just say I heartily agree that SOC comes across as revoltingly and overweeningly pleased with himself, smugly lobbing around his references to Conrad, Ibsen, and 'the later Roman Empire'?

He deserves a . In fact, a whole packet of them.

I would have thought a child would be interviewed pretty early on and by professionals who will let Henry lead. Rather than - daddy says you burnt your feet in the bath - can you tell me what happened?

But soc doesn't really like reality so I'm going to assume there are going to be a lot of highly irritated lawyers listening

BYOS and a lot of lawyers sick of us asking random hypothetical questions well I know my legal eagle is

I tried to buttonhole a lawyer friend at the weekend but she said "You do know I only do Patents, don't you?"

By the way, one reason why we've heard so little from Usha recently might be that she has been very busy in Essos mastering the complex Dothraki tongue and bossing Khaleesis around at Vaes Dothrak. (This will mean nothing to anyone who doesn't watch Game of Thrones.)

My legal eagle friends are not criminal lawyers either.

Dear new Editor.

Please could I hear occasionally from Alice, Chris, Jamie, Kathy, Hayley, Ian, Alistair, Debbie, Kate, Will, Nic, Usha, Caroline, Oliver, Vicky, Amy, Brenda, Coriander, James, Freddie, Lily, Ben, Lewis, Anthea and Matt.

Just the day to day stuff is fine. No major dramas required.

Thank you.

Henry would possibly be videoed (in a room within the courts) if he was required to be at the trial. DD2 was at age 13. It was horrible but not so upsetting for her as being in the actual court.

Ugh I listened to last night's episode on iplayer on the way to work. Never mind all the upsetting HellRob business what about Jim ACTING WITH HIS MOUTH FULL????

arrgghhh.

The director may have told him to. trevor I didn't notice particularly. He was supposed to be eating Jazzer'a amazing fry up wasn't he?

Yes he was enjoying it, evidently with a mouthful of mushed up egg or something .. I've no doubt you're right that it was in the script directions though.

I love Jim, I do, but this was most upsetting

Let's hope Jim can get stupid Jazzer to apologise to Tom who reinstates him and lessens the Bridge Farm misery memoirs a bit.

Last night when Rob was being a bastard I didn't bother shouting at the radio to tell him so. That is how little I care now

And, as I have said before, if I wanted to listen to Crown Court I'd time travel to the 70's and listen on a TV with a broken screen. Or I'd watch Broadchurch 2

The mention of Crown Court brought back happy memories of watching it whilst I played truant from school

I really don't think Jim would talk with food in his mouth. I imagine he has impeccable table manners. Unlike David.

YY BYOS.
Was Crown Court a drama or was it actual court cases?

BYOS The best way to explain away the inconsistencies is to remind yourself, repeatedly, that Sean doesn't really know who the characters are, despite his claims that he's a lifelong listener! I suspect that's why so many regulars are no longer on the scene - saves him having to research their personalities and back stories. He doesn't appear to have the imagination to come up with any plots that haven't already been done to death on his spiritual TV home.

Dear Vango,
that is exactly what we are looking for in a new Editor,
I am pleased to confirm you have made the short-list.
Yours sincerely The BBC

Crown court was the highlight of being sick from school in the 70s and early 80s. It was on in the afternoons, and was a fictional court case sometimes over more than one day. That and the Cedar Tree and the original Emmerdale Farm, and the boring painting guy. That was afternoon TV back in the day.

I hate to think what SOC watched instead.