Quelle surprise! Rob hasn't FOTTFSOF and is in fact hiding in the bushes at Henwee's school. Discuss the latest unlikely Archers events here.

[PseudoBadger]

What do we want?
Realistic storylines!
When do we want them?
As soon as the writers see this!

Well if he gets caught in a traffic jam it will make the chase a bit less dramatic

Please tell me they didn't throw the nappy out the window!

Apart from obviously wanting us to find Jack safe and sound, I sincerely hope that tonight is Friday in Ambridge and not Thursday night. It really messes with my head when they have things on the wrong days and have several episodes as a continuation of one day. This time if Peggy gets involved I do hope somebody will give her a chair or make sure she's not stood out in the cold… btw, does anyone think that Rob messed with pats car so that it wouldn't start? Definitely more EastEnders than Ambridge…

I was out last night and just caught up now. I feel sick, poor Helen. I think I'll need a stiff drink ready for 7.02pm. I am one of those terrible mothers mumsnet condemns for leaving a child in the car outside a shop for a minute, but I live rurally and haven't got a dangerous sociopath chasing my heels. I can't see Helen doing it though.

No he didn't. The nappy certainly stayed in the car while we were behind him. Our journey took 11 hours instead of three.....

I have twins, when they were small, leaving one in the car was a daily occurrence! Though I'm pretty sure anyone foolish enough to steal one would have brought them back pretty quick smart.

I always listen on iplayer last thing at night but not sure I'll be able to wait this evening. How quickly can I get three children bathed and bedded...

I live rurally down a private lane and I always leave my children strapped in the car if they are asleep or I have to rush back in to get something.

Henry was just awful in that scene. Why can't they find one that can act?

Otherwise arghhhhhhhh Poor Helen

What I'm hoping for is that Rob will speed off in his car with Jack securely strapped into his car seat in the back, a long way from the airbag. He will reach a never-before-mentioned junction of several roads. Speeding towards the same junction at the same time, along each road, will be:

Helen with Henry (also securely in the back)
Tony on his way to get Pat
Kirsty with Pat following up on a frenzied call from Helen
Lily out for driving practice with David
Freddie out for driving practice with Kenton
Toby dashing back to Brighton in an old banger whose airbag doesn't work, ideally with Pip in the front passenger seat

Then we will hear the Special Effects team having the time of their lives.

KABOOM! CRASH! LOTS AND LOTS OF SCREAMING AND SHOUTING

Dum di dum di dum di dum....

CA: Goodness me! Tune in on Sunday, when Jill will be counting the jars of marmalade in the Brookfield pantry and fretting that they might run out before Christmas.

Poor actor who plays Henry, he has a young voice , but he IS young (their voices are all different, I speak as an ex EYs teacher, nanny,CM).He also doesn't ACT with the other actors , he is recorded on his own. It would be terrible to have him actually 'acting'. Those emotional scenes.

Also he wsn't 'frightened' because Knob had groomed him.

I really don't want to be treated to Helen's screams when she finds out what happened. :-(

Hopefully she will remain calm, ask Henry what happened - she will either run after Rob with Henry in her arms somehow or call the police straightaway - even if she doesn't catch up with Rob she might be able to see the car he's driving and then she can tell the Police.

Chase ensues or Rob drives fast - meets a tree - maybe ends up in a culvert, hahaha!

The Q&A after shoes suggest a sticky end for Rob.

my 7yo sounds like henry over the relephone/on videos.

Shoes?!

I think it would be better not to have an actor at all and have him silent tbh! I know he was needed last night so that we knew what knob was doing but it was a bit crap

He wasn't frightened because he thinks rob loves him. But he did get very stroppy with rob quite a lot and that's what I was imagining 'it's not fair' trying to follow etc

And 6 is old enough to know that mummy may not like the surprise of Knob having taken Jack

But he was told NOT to say anything to mummy and he is subconsciously very frightened of knob, so he does what he is told.

To change the subject I am listening to R4extra and hearing the dulcets of a younger Simon Williams , Justin, (yum yum) as Hastings in Poirot.

The safest place for Henry would probably be in the house even if on his own rather than running across dark fields in the middle of a storm

Harrison will catch him. And all that bunting will be in the boot.

I predict lots of shouting in strong wind and not being able to figure out what's happening. It will end with an aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh

Under SOC this would have been a certainty. Huw Canuw (or rather, the director) will hopefully do a better job.

I must admit I struggle to understand why some listeners have a problem with single events running over consecutive nights. It's neater if Thursday is Thursday and Friday is Friday, but it's fine if not

Does anyone else want to constantly clear their throat when Justin is talking?

Ambridge I also listen last thing at night when I'm in bed, but might have to make an exception tonight...

I won't be listening tonight, just in case Rob's car gets stuck on a level crossing, due to a falling tree, just as the Marylebone to Hollerton Junction express is approaching at 100 mph, at the same time that Jill's marmalade explodes and Neville Booth, who in fact is a retired top-secret agent, reports it as an terrorist attack and the SAS gets send in?
Sounds far fetched..... ?

Not surprised at rob kidnapping Jack. At least he called him jack not Gideon!

I thought he might just do a daily annihilation thing but this seems better because he will get banged up eventually, which is where he belongs

gets send in!

Ppeatfruit- YY to your comment re country village schools surrounded by fields being a vulnerable at lunchtime! I posted about this in previous thread. DS's school is surrounded by farmland and it just isn't possible to watch every child all the time. Also if Loxley Barrett is a small primary, like DS's which has very small year groups ( there are only 6 of them in his year), it's not unusual to play on your own for a while. There are 80 in the school in total and one teacher on duty.

One teacher on duty at play time that is!

Marking

Todays epi could be friday if Rob made his getaway, we miss the screaming etc and open with him holed up in hampshire, surrounded by police called by Miles the sibling rival. Unlikely they'll do that though.

I've listened twice now and found yesterday's episode very unengaging - and I have been very engaged in the whole HelRob SL, and still feel sad about Thomas the Wabbit lying in a refuse tip.