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!

Ppeatfruit I remember that conversation too - Pip sounding a bit awkward and clearly just wanting to turn the talk round to her cattle as soon as she could.

Tbf just because that how it sounded doesn't mean that's how it was supposed to be!!

Well it's a good long way to 'run' Anti They did tie it up quickly.

I wonder if the wood cabin on the Canadian woods where Tom became a new man is available

At least someone has finally acknowledged that Henry might be sad, poor little boy needs therapy

The bad news is when I LA this morning the thought struck me that the SWs could be setting up to do a realistic slow burn abuse story - with Pip and Toby. Which unfortunately means we won't get rid of Toby.
There would be lots of "He's not all bad". "Even Gran came round to liking him." "This can't be abuse its nothing like Helen/Aunt Elizabeth/ Caroline went through." Etc.

Did Helen ever have a think, pre-Rob, about what she would tell Henry about his bio father? And when Rob came along did she think at the time that she would let Henry think he was the bio-dad? Does Henry believe Rob is his bio-dad?
I think the law allowing children conceived by sperm donation to find their fathers was passed before he was born - so there's another SL in store for 2029.

Mummytime I've been thinking that about Toby for a long time. He's such a cocklodger and clearly emotionally/financially abusive of Pip.

I disagree about Pip and Tobes , they're quite equally matched , she lets him know exactly what she wants and how she feels, he seems, if anything nicer natured since he's been living with her. Considerate of her family etc. He is not good with his brother.

He's immature . She shouldn't have 'given' him the money but he is seriously getting the Gin still sorted. Not too bad at all.

Pip's so irredeemably awful. You can't cry on your mum one day about your hopeless boyfriend and then get cross with her for asking about the things you were upset about a few days later. What a horrible woman she is.

Pat and Helen are irritatingly dense as well. Ok, in normal circs, one would try not to badmouth the absent parent, even if you knew they had done it about you. But this isn't normal - I suspect it is quite important for Henwee not to go on thinking Rob is his father, or is a nice, good, or safe person. They need to sort this out!

I love Gaspode's Archers/Fargo idea. Rob would meet his match in Lorne Malvo ....

Ooh yeah, you betcha!

' ignoring the fact that both TA and Fargo are fiction and the two worlds will never intersect'

I'm sure we could posit some sort of F-Space analagous to L-space, where all fictional worlds can interact, Gaspode.

Forgot isn't in Minnesota, it's in North Dakota.

Not Forgot!! Fargo!!

I'd love Archers/Fargo too.

"I disagree about Pip and Tobes , they're quite equally matched , she lets him know exactly what she wants and how she feels, he seems, if anything nicer natured since he's been living with her. Considerate of her family etc.."
Which is why a realistic abuse story would work. She is annoying. He has always had good moments eg. Lilian getting him to help with her horse.
But Pip isn't complaining so much eg. over the fact he's constantly sponging off her. And he has been quite manipulative at times.

But the series (and film?) are set in Minnesota, the baddies come from Fargo.

But it's not an EA plot fgs. He also is self aware sometimes "I'm a pratt" etc. Maybe HE is being abused by HER, that can happen too. He owes her a lot, including money. She has power over him

IF the story with Stella is true at least he cares about her. Some men wouldn't give a shit.

Don't see any EA undertones in the Pip/Toby relationship. Yes he has taken advantage but even then I don't think it's done in a conscious way. He's just an idiot who always gets it wrong.

I think his story about Stella is 100% (bound to be wrong now I've said that ). Toby is someone who is so used to getting himself in trouble, particularly with women, by doing/saying the wrong thing that his default is to be creative with the truth. He felt Pip didn't need to know about Stella the first time he went to help her and also was probably scared that telling her about Stella would mean Pip would ditch him. Then Stella gets in more and more trouble and Toby gets himself in a more awkward situation by not telling the truth in the first place. Plus telling Pip would mean admitting his not so disirable past with drugs, yet another reason she might ditch him. I think overall he genuinely cared about Stella but was scared of losing Pip and dealt with it all wrong, just as he does with everything!

I don't think Toby is EA personally. He's an immature knob but EA? Nah.

That was meant to say 100% true

If pip was a better actress it could be quite a realistic portrayal of two slightly fun people getting together and trying to work it out. He's financially and emotionally irresponsible but nit abusive and she'll keep accepting his excuses... Because it's just tobes. Till they have a kid and he can't fake the responsibility...

Years ago there was a Dead Ringers episode in which The Archers and Front Row were to be blended. Clarrie, as continuity announcer, provided a teaser along the lines that 'Tonight, I will be asking whether Pirandello still has political resonance today, and whether Edday will be coming in for 'is tea." All R4 humour is self-referential, it seems.

I think Pip is doing that thing (someone else said it also) that I discovered a lot of my contemporaries did in their twenties - the first try out of the big adult relationship, where you live together in the manner of playing house. In most of the cases I know, the woman drove it, and the guy was more along for the ride (panicked at the thought of marriage, or kids, but quite enjoyed the regular company, sex and shared bills). Then the relationship foundered and the 'properly' grown-up one came along afterwards.

Idk I think the lies and stringing her along and messing with her head is a touch EA. Perhaps not deliberately maliciously, but through his immaturity and thoughtlessness and pathetic dependence.

Thanks for not so new thread *Pseudo. I enjoyed Thurs and Fridays episode but Sundays was pathetic. Oh dear he's escaped to America, never mind we'll keep an eye on him if he comes back..