Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat, please put a penny in Joe Grundy's hat. Discuss The Archers here.

[PseudoBadger]

Ho ho ho! Will this thread last until Christmas?

Can anyone explain to me why the Grundys live in such penury? They have 3-4 at least NMW incomes coming in which, even if they're not all working full time plus Joe's pension and tax credits and child benefit for Ed n Emma.

Because the SWs have never heard of tax credits.

I don't understand why, if Toebee has some dark secret in Brighton, Rex doesn't just spill the beans about it now they've fallen out.

A long time ago I seem to remember the Grundies applying for Family Credit but getting turned down. Being the pedant I still am, (and the CAB worker I was then), I worked out the minimum they could have had coming in, and it didn't seem low enough to justify the angsty money thing that was going on for them back then.

Some things we have to accept as dramatic licence, I suppose.

I know I have said it before but I quite like Toby. He is one of those irresponsible rugby playing posh boys that usually rolled up to young farmers in the 1980's. I agree with glowfrog - he is way too lazy to be controlling. He is just an opportunist. A very different character to Rob.

I don't think Rex knows what Toby is up to

I don't suppose Rex cares what Toby is up to. The gin thing was probably yet another in a long line of harebrained schemes.
Has Brighton been mentioned since SOC left? Are the SW trying to quietly drop the idea?

Has Brighton been mentioned since SOC left? Are the SW trying to quietly drop the idea?

Yes, it's where he got the still.

I don't think anyone is saying he is another rob. But the way he treats women isn't great and I can see pip on the relationship board! Is a narcissist?

Cute thing retweeted by KD:

#felicityjones just confirmed on @BBCBreakfast that #thearchers fans are more hardcore than #starwars fans

You're right Ebear; I'd forgotten that.

Nice tweet. Of course we're more hardcore cos TA is real.

I don't think Toby is an abuser and his personality is nothing like Rob's.
I just think that the effect is similar. There was an element of manipulation when he semi- reluctantly told Pip what her gran had said to him and deliberately drove the wedge deeper.

Rex might not know exactly what Toebeeeeeee is up to, but he does know about 'Brighton' (taps nose meaningfully) because they had several angsty but heavily coded because the SWs hadn't yet decided what the secret was conversations about it in the past.

Whatever the big drama is, Rex is surely fully aware of its existence. Given that he's so soppy over the ghastly Pip, I too have wondered why he hasn't just told her about Rex's love-child/wife/harem/all of the above, leading her to send the pathetic man child packing and putting us all out of our misery.

Harrumph. Can't take much more of the Piptoe SL.

The problem with Pip and Toby is that there is zero chemistry between them. And if Toby is to be labelled, then I would say immature at worst.

Tony doesn't come across as very charming to me. And pip is so badly acted it's difficult to really listen to. And difficult to care. I hope they get to the end of this sl soon. Can't bear the kazoo and swanny whistle of Jill and pip arguing all the time

Helen was never likeable but her acting is so good you believe in her. With pip, it's just like a really poor drama school audition tape. I guess Tobys acting isn't so bad but it's difficult to tell when he is up against pip all the time.

Can't agree that Pip and Toby are like Helen and Knob. Knob was an entirely unknown quantity in Ambridge whereas Toby's background is all too clear. We know his dad and we know his brother (we have yet to meet the mysterious Miles) and Toby's brother is quite clear about what Toby is like and has not minced his words. Pip has hardly been lured into his web with a mesh of lies - Brighton aside, she knows exactly what she's getting herself into and seems to be doing it as part of teenage (I know she's older than that) strop in reaction to Jill. That Toby is a womaniser is old news, that he's got little regard for the law is also clear, that he's a shirker and a sponger is plain to see - whatever he is doing in Brighton will not tell Pip anything new about him (unless it turns out he has a huge charitable foundation down there and he has poured all his money and efforts into that). Pip can see all this, indeed she appears to have accepted all this, but wants to be with Toby anyway.

tha kazoo and swanny whistle of Pip and Jill

Not only has she accepted it all Lillian but she's also driven the whole relationship so far. She's the one who instigated the first kiss, she suggested the fwb set up, she changed her mind and decided she wanted them to be boyfriend/girlfriend, then more or less told Toby that he had to move in with her following the spat with Jill. It'll all get a bit too hot and heavy for Toby soon. He clearly likes an easy life and doesn't seem to commit to anything for too long. Fingers crossed Pip won't go the whole hog and find herself pregnant in the New Year (to spite her parents and her Gran).

women are wiser than men except when it comes to men

Think that suits pip

Countdown to Academic Archers:
countdown

I thought it was Toby who suggested going beyond FWB?

Sorry, yes, you're right Deepan! I think I want to subconsciously blame Pip entirely for whatever mess she is bound to end up in. Interestingly, that's the point at which she should probably have said 'no' (hadn't they ended their arrangement because of Toby's reaction to Pip taking a call from Matthew?). I'm sure I've said it before, but I don't think they're properly interested in each other.

It'll all get a bit too hot and heavy for Toby soon It already sounded like that when Pip was outlining their Christmas arrangements - he was probably counting on her having Christmas at Brookfield so he could pop down to Brighton (to serve up dinner to the homeless or whatever he does down there).

I love your alternative Toby Lillian. 😁 It would be brilliant if you were right! I'm off to think up loads of worthy reasons why he has to disappear every now and then.

Well when Toby mentioned he used to do juggling for money...I wondered if what he did "in the City" was busk for the rich bankers...

Am I the only one get a double buggy instead of big grins?