Male or female, young or old - Bad Stuff can happen to you in The Archers. Discuss the perils of Ambridge life here.

[PseudoBadger]

Not exactly upbeat at the moment is it

That's really interesting. I wonder how Freddie and Lilly will be viewed in a decade or so? I think we can already guess about Pip and Josh, sadly

Well, it's true R4 - the Snell /Bellamy (aka Archer) axis is a mighty thing for the future. IMVHO.

Did tonight's episode go on for about three hours - or have I just had a very long day?

I find Miranda's snobbery about shops, food & restaurants very unbelievable

I don't know anyone like that IRL - even the the most hard core London ladies I know appreciate that things are different in the country, a nice cosy pub, etc. And Miranda has horses so she must have some experience of country life. Even Hampshire women aren't as bad as her

I agree.

Ref Miranda's manners; there are people in all walks of life and all ages (but mainly teenagers) who cultivate a disdain for everything that they find unfamiliar. It's insecurity and extremely unappealing. I have met one or two adults like it but they re not our friends.

I suspect Miranda will mellow in the way that many initially disagreeable characters in TA do. She's already not vicious and nasty in the way Hazel Woolley is. She showed at least polite concern over Tom, for example, and I felt a bit sorry for her when she was talking to Justin - who was making ludicrous excuses for having to stay in Ambridge. I already like her more than I like Justin (admittedly, not a very high threshold).

I'm trying to remember the name of the petite, auburn, high energy actress who bounced around variety shows in the late seventies and eighties. High pitched voice, belted out showstoppers.
Bonnie Langford is now in Eastenders.

Did tonight's episode go on for about three hours - or have I just had a very long day?

Yes, but that's because I was listening to the end of it in motorway services while really quite desperate for the loo, so needing it to finish quickly. That sort of situation does tend to warp time in unhelpful ways.

And nothing actually happened did it? I might have nodded off.

I suppose the only interesting bits were

Carol putting Ruth in her place a bit
Alastair admitting anisha is giving him a new lease of life
Ben is allowed out of the cupboard and has a friend to watch films with. He won't for much longer though as his granny and carol are going to make him sit and watch films with them.

And then loads of Jenny and Lillian dross which I can't remember

For those complaining about all this quotidian stuff, isn't that what so many wanted after the Eastender-ish shenanigans of the the last few years? Isn't this what The Archers is made of and was pined for?

OTOH, I find Ruth's solicitude about Jill sticks in my craw.

I'm happy with a not-much-happening episode each week.

I'm not keen on how they are playing Jenny at the moment.

But it is much better listening as I don't have to be on edge the whole time!!

Every time I hear Elizabeth's voice I recall the disappointment I felt when she didn't die.

Phil trying to explain the Brookfield inheritance shares thingy & her wailing he didn't love her or her unborn children. Cue wham heart attack, sadly she survived.

I'd have pushed her off the roof instead of Nigel.

They are being incredibly clunky in the Ben being gay semaphore.

Can you have clunky semaphore?

Pleased to see Carol splitting Ruth, though.

Splatting, not splitting.

Flamboyant semaphore, perhaps, performed YMCA dance style?

I made what I thought was quite a clever friend of Dorothy joke on one of these threads once and nobody noticed. I was sad.

I noticed it Bertrand but the thread had moved on too much to comment at the time. But I did think "aha! she's right"

I'm wondering if they will go for a transgender s/l for Ben? The Mystic Bore™ crystal ball is unclear on this point atm.

I bet they are thinking about it Bore, but maybe like the 'coercive control' topic, they won't quite know how to see it through.

TheAnti I rather like Jenny's competitive streak, she reminds me of Hyacinth Bucket upping the ante with her "candlelit suppers". Good ole Brian bringing her down to earth. Fallon and Emma with their "mini yorkshire's" canapés will be just right to put Miranda in her place.

Yes I like all that too. It's not what she's doing its the way she's saying it that doesn't feel right. A bit like the kitchen sl was a bit off

in fact none of the characters are ever nasty, well except for you know who

Hazel? Also I think Ruth and Pip have some pretty nasty moments, especially in relation to Jill.

I'm just waiting for Carol and Jill to start talking about Ben watching Judy Garland films ...

Jill's horrible too