As doors slam shut in Rob's face and behind SOC, a new door opens for the next Archers editor. Are we expecting some New Tricks, or just Archenders?

[PseudoBadger]

Welcome one and all. No spoilers please!

Adam did not call Ian's bluff since until he had packed his bags, Ian hadn't asked him to go. It was Ian who called Adam's bluff.

I agree Adam was hoping Ian would ask him to stay but I still think "confronting" Ian in that way was the right thing to do because they were caught in a cycle of Ian bashing Adam. Adam deserves it but it's not healthy or helpful. Frankly I don't know why Ian hasn't kicked Adam out earlier.

Re Dorothy - aha! I remember when she first appeared and said that she had been named for Dorothy Dandridge some people thought this was a signal that she was black. It was a very subtle signal as I had no idea what Dorothy Dandridge looked like (I think I could have said she was a film actress from the 40s/50s and that's about it) , and I would think not many other TA listeners did either. Now you've pointed out that the actor is black I'm sure you're all right, that Dorothy in TA is supposed to be black but nobody is going to mention it. Not very realistic, surely? IRL wouldn't we expect somebody in an English village to comment on this?

I think Jasper is probably correct that I think it's another case of the Max(ine)s in which SOC assumed that all Archers listeners were middle-aged, middle class white heterosexuals who couldn't possibly imagine that anyone in Ambridge might be from any sort of oppressed or minority group.

I loved Usha calling Alan "Vicar" in the middle of the conversation, (just to remind us who these characters are.) Also clever how she said she couldn't do anything before because she worked with the prosecuting solicitor(?).
Clever of the new Ed to try to sort out some of the blatant inconsistencies left by the departing SOC.
One thing I don't quite get; Ian knew about Pavel and Charlie from Rob, and had his suspicions before, but went ahead with the wedding because he loves Adam. But now, just because other people know, he is all for Adam moving out.
I think his pride is hurt, but that they will get back together. Maybe something dramatic will happen that proves how much Adam loves him.

choccy or maybe when no one else knew, it was easier to be in denial?

Dominic was the defence solicitor (Helens) not prosecution, wasn't he? Rob has someone called Steve I think. Does the Crown (ie prosecution) have a solicitor or just the barrister?

Glow, yes, I got my bluff logic wrong but I still don't think Adam expected to be leaving.

Isn't Dorothy supposed to be in the army? If so, as a black woman, there will surely be something that happens bullying wise either directly to her or to Dan for dating a black woman. Or has the army become a bastion of tolerance in the last ten years?

With respect to usha - I can't take the actress seriously anymore which is very irritating. Although perhaps not as irritating as being married to Alan

No, she's not in the army. Wasn't there something about a brother in the army? I've forgotten.

But glowfrog, Rob told Ian that it was common knowledge all over the village.

Dorothy is a nurse. Her brother is in the army and that's why the brother and she were at Dan's 21st, which is where they met.

Has any male character, apart from Helen's immediate family, the Judge and Ian been anything but equivocal about Rob? It's all "Oh, he hadn't been convicted of anything....."

I'm sure you're all right, that Dorothy in TA is supposed to be black but nobody is going to mention it. Not very realistic, surely? IRL wouldn't we expect somebody in an English village to comment on this?

No one commented on Kate's Lucas.

I think that Alan sounded clunky yesterday because he seemed to be arguing from theory, not from the heart. Is Rob one of his congregation? Is the church (like the hunt, cricket, etc) part of Rob's People-Like-Us persona?

Oh I see. I didn't really switch on as I find them a bit dull.

A nurse and a soldier are a dream couple for ambridge I guess. He can be all heroic and she can stem bleeding from deadly wounds. Although why she would want to settle in ambridge is beyond me.

I'm not convinced Shula would have been so happy about Dan dating a non-White person. Surprised we haven't heard her hand wringing about how hard they will find it being a mixed couple blah blah. Or maybe she did and is gone off to my happy place in my mind... my old cleaning lady was horrified that my parents had 'let me' marry someone of a different nationality. She would have self combusted if we had been different race as well! That's kind of how I think Shula would behave but she would dress it up in Christian concern!!

I liked Alan and Usha and I thought it was realistic - for a HIndu married to a vicar. You would expect them to have that conversation - she wanted and respects his opinion, I felt he was going through the motions for her so she could knock down all his arguments like the good lawyer she is. Eventually he came up with Love thy neighbour which ticked the box - not that she needs a reason to evict Knob, she can just give him notice.
I love the Adam and Ian story (not that they are breaking up but the way it is being covered). It is interesting Ian went through with the wedding knowing Adam had been unfaithful - I always thought it was strange that they didn't have that conversation there and then. I think if they had and they'd both been honest and upfront at the time it would have been easier to deal with. Why didn't Ian say anything - was he saving up the knowledge for a special occasion or did he just think if no one knew he could pretend it hadn't happened? I think the lid being blown in such a public way is rather like Jennifer taking on Ruari - I'm expecting Brian to be giving Adam advice next because there are strong parallels.

Ian didn't say anything because soc didn't want another big sl going on...

Neil or JIm, Bertrand?

Wasn't Rob awful to Jim once, or was it Robert Snell?

We haven't heard from Neil or Jim since the trial.

I listened again on the school run.
I like the Alan and Usha conversation, and it was obvious we missed a huge part of it. And Alan has to be careful as a Vicar he is a very public figure in the village and if he spoke against anyone it could do a lot of harm in the village. And having to professionally sit on the fence can carry over to private life.
Adam and Ian were very believable, but probably should get independent counselling.
And Brookfield was very realistic too! (Sounded a bit like my house at times.)

Shula was welcoming to Dorothy because she is a Christian. She was quite welcoming to Usha when Usha first moved to the area. I was very confused when I started listening again after a couple of years break (so missed the affair) to find her and Usha were no longer friends. So thinking Shula would just be racist is over simplifying.

Actually Shula is the person who is most qualified for Rob's job, even if she is very rusty. If I was the Editor I would have Lilian suggest it (after some crisis so Shula would be willing to do it).

I don't think the new Editor is in place yet. There's a caretaker at the moment. Though maybe she's been silently gnashing her teeth at the consistencies and was dying to get her hands on it and sort at least some of them out.

Ian didn't say anything because he couldn't face life without Adam. Hoped he could push past the infidelities and build a happy future even with that knowledge - provided it was kept under wraps. He chose to push Helen away rather than confront Adam. But the trial brought it all out into the open ('standing there with all his clothes blown off', as Nancy Banks-Smith has it) so now he has no choice but to confront it. And he's decided he's better off without wheedling, not-really-sorry-except-for-myself, tosser Adam. Hope he sticks to his guns and finds someone much nicer, but suspect as they are the only gays in the village (apart from passing fruit pickers) they will get back together, Adam much chastened, Ian with the upper hand. Although working in the hospitality industry, Ian really should be able to meet other gay men fairly readily. According to the Archers website, Brian does attempt a bit of marriage guidance in the next few days. Snorfle.

Cor Errol and ibrowze and others I am loving the philosophical discussion of forgiveness, especially

atheists can have the concept of forgiveness. But it has to be granted by those who have been wronged. Theres no god to magically bestow it, no priest to absolve you

it cuts to the whole fundamental difference between humanism and religion doesn't it?

On another note I shall download last night's ep to listen to at lunchtime. I am very eager to hear Adam get his marching orders from lovely Ian.

PS I reckon Ian was using the time between marriage and now getting copies of all financial documents, a free 30 min consultation from Usha, making an exit plan as per MN relationships board advice .

Hi Cromwell. Can I refer you to pseudo's opening post. We only discuss on the main thread what has already been broadcast.
There is a separate thread for spoliers.

Not really a spoiler, no inside knowledge.

Actually, if Dorothy is black the people who would mention it would be Susan (in an unpleasant way) and Joe (who would say something in public about Dan and his nice counted girlfriend, causing an awkward silence which Emma, feeling mortified, tries to fill with a change of topic).

Nice coloured girlfriend. My phone won't let me put racist phrases in the mouths of fictional characters.