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The Archers: The Crook, the Vet, His Wife & Her Lodger - discussion #80

985 replies

DadDadDad · 16/08/2017 13:14

In full acknowledgement of PseudoBadger's great achievement in providing the previous 79 threads over the past 4 years (and credit to R4 for this thread's title)...

Discuss TA (The Archers). New posters encouraged - it's not (too) cliquey here and plenty of regulars are happy to answer questions. Archers

One rule: no spoilers (ie no mentioning future plot teasers from Radio Times listings etc) - there's a separate thread for that.

So, is Phoebe pregnant? will Anisha dob in (dobbin - geddit?) Alistair?

PS I don't presume to take on PB's role permanently - hopefully the job of starting new threads will rotate among regulars until she returns

OP posts:
Gruach · 29/08/2017 07:30

I'm sure it's not a year since good old chippy Emma was referring to Caroline as 'Lady Muck'

Indeed! Pity the poor SWs desperately trying to pretend SOC never happened.

It's awfully hard to marry the impression of Caroline I had pre-SOC, all glamour and generosity, with the sour, humourless person she was latterly turned into. Now the SWs are rather overcompensating by turning her into an angel of sweetness - which is also rather inaccurate.

BertrandRussell · 29/08/2017 07:55

That picnic was one of the most unbelievable things I have ever heard.

Imbroglio · 29/08/2017 08:12

Oliver is going to leave Grange Farm to EdMa...

EBearhug · 29/08/2017 08:42

Oliver is going to leave Grange Farm to EdMa...

That's what I think, too.

Cromwell1536 · 29/08/2017 08:55

Oh that would be good. Since fairy godparents seem to be a standard plot device in TA, why not have some magic dust sprinkled in Ed/Em's direction? Does Oliver have any children/living relatives who might be disappointed? Would that make Ed and Emma o'erleap Will and Chris in the land and property stakes? Mwa-hah-hah!

LillianGish · 29/08/2017 09:33

Oliver is going to leave Grange Farm to EdMa...! Not so sure. I always thought Mrs A would leave Nightingale Farm to Hailey - and look what happened with Jack Woolley leaving everything to Hazel (whatever happened to that storyline?) I think Ed and Em will probably be left to struggle along being poor, but generally happy as a contrast to those better off but not necessarily happier for it (Will - better off financially than his brother, but no happier for it, Chris - likewise with regard to Emma, Oliver at the moment - on his own, no family closer than New York, Elizabeth - loaded but tragic, Freddie - born with a silver spoon, but envying Johnny etc) I agree with everything Gruach said about Caroline - spot on (as ever).

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 29/08/2017 09:34

Oliver has two or three children. He lost touch with them a bit after his divorce but seems to be on good terms now with the daughter who lives in NY, who's suggested he could go and live with/near her. Even if they are all very well off, it would be quite a big thing for a father to leave his main dwelling to anyone other than his children and grandchildren.

As for when this might happen, I'm not sure how old Oliver is and my books are inaccessible while we have building work done but he could easily live for 20 more years.

BoreOfWhabylon · 29/08/2017 09:38

Hmmm... I suspect Ollie is not long for this world.

Gruach · 29/08/2017 10:18

Oddly enough I too worried for Oliver's health yesterday. Can't remember - something about not being as fit as he was?

'Cos he's a loose thread now. No blood connection to Ambridge - and without the historic line back to forever that Caroline provided.

I still think he should move in with Grundys. But the SWs and Shula don't seem to agree with me. America? Giving Ed n Emma (love "EdMa"!) possession of Grange Farm for their lifetimes. (Which would push the Grundy housing insecurity forwards into the next generation.) Or dying ...

Surely, given that we've heard so much about the writing of Sterling wills, if he were actually planning to leave the farm to Ed etc he could let them know in advance of his demise? I'd like that to happen - but as pp have pointed out, realistically his daughters might turn up with lawyers. And we know how fabulous TA is with litigation ...Hmm

Ceto · 29/08/2017 10:20

I want a storyline where Ed or Emma go into business with something that really takes off in a big way due to the hard work they put into it. It's about time TA showed hard work paying off and that it's not essential to success to be born with a silver spoon in the mouth, or even a family farm ready to inherit.

BertrandRussell · 29/08/2017 10:20

I think Oliver's going to kill himself.

BoreOfWhabylon · 29/08/2017 10:26

Me too Bertrand

Gruach · 29/08/2017 10:31

They did show that with Jack Woolley, Ceto. Poor Matt can't be held up as an example - he had to be punished for being self-made. And I thought it would happen with the upcycling - but that seems to have fallen away.

And, I don't have statistics, but from what I read the TA story - possession of land/money in the generation before you being crucial - is once again becoming the most likely route to real life material success. (Think the argument is generally couched in terms of fewer people from lower income families gaining any advantage through education?)

ppeatfruit · 29/08/2017 10:47

Ceto There is long history between Ed and Will, they've always been at one anothers' throats . I remember many many moons ago Clarrie mentioning that Eddie was the same with his brother Alf.

To reiterate the kefir story; Susans's volte face may be connected to her hoping for promotion. Oh and Pat is the only person who has actually criticised her to her face about her gossipy ways. I reckon that Tom will give the promotion to Clarrie (if there's any to be going).

C8H10N4O2 · 29/08/2017 11:35

My recollection is that Will has been behaving like a git towards Ed'n'Emmur for years; there was a temporary ceasefire recently but Will is now essentially reverting to form.

Prior to which Ed had been a git to Will (and everyone else) for years. I find the continuation of a Cain'n'Abel model simply swapping the two roles really irritating.

On going character development would be more interesting if both had been rounded out over the years showing Ed maturing and Will moving on. Instead of which we simply have caricatures.

I've never been a particular fan of Emma's but I do like the fact that she has always had good and bad in her and is a more three dimensional character.

C8H10N4O2 · 29/08/2017 11:47

Since fairy godparents seem to be a standard plot device in TA, why not have some magic dust sprinkled in Ed/Em's direction?

Oliver has already been a fairly substantial fairy godfather to Ed (backing the cattle enterprise with both land and substantial cash input) and in providing a home for the Grundys.

TBH I'm not convinced Ed could run Grange Farm as a business in current climate any more than Eddie did. He made a massive mess of the finances around the cattle and Ruth bailed him out, giving him a lot of business coaching. I'm pretty sure I remember her suggesting he do some business evening classes or something and he poo poo'd it.

I remember being surprised Oliver was not providing the business input and assumed we were being set up for a 'small business fails due to lack of understanding the business side' story. That might have been quite interesting as it is a common issue in small businesses.

ppeatfruit · 29/08/2017 11:55

He didn't poo poo it C8H He took it up enthusiastically.

C8H10N4O2 · 29/08/2017 12:18

He didn't poo poo it C8H He took it up enthusiastically.

He accepted Ruth's help and she sorted out all his paperwork, but he did not take up her recommendation of getting some classes/training in business. He did the classic thing of assuming expertise in the skill/craft was primary which is why I thought we were about to see a 'small business fails due to lack of business acumen' story.

C8H10N4O2 · 29/08/2017 12:19

Thinking about it a story where Ed farms with Emma running the business would be more credible and quite interesting

Ceto · 29/08/2017 12:29

Ceto There is long history between Ed and Will, they've always been at one anothers' throats . I remember many many moons ago Clarrie mentioning that Eddie was the same with his brother Alf.

That's what I meant - my post was in reply to one suggesting there had been a recent personality change in Will.

LillianGish · 29/08/2017 12:54

I think I'm repeating myself here, but I can't help think Susan's kefir efforts are going to come unstuck through her use of coconut milk - it might taste better, but it would have to be bought in and isn't the point of the enterprise that it will use Bridge Farm organic products?

ppeatfruit · 29/08/2017 13:09

Yes I thought that too Lilian . But as they aren't a dairy farm any more I don't suppose that buying in coconut milk would be any different to buying in the dairy milk.

Though personally I'm fed up with coconut being in everything supposed to be healthy.

MapleLeafRag · 29/08/2017 14:13

Didn't Grange Farm lose a fair bit of its acreage when the Estate took it back after evicting the Grundys - and I've never worked out where Grange Spinney is in relation to it.

I missed the bit about Joe and a new pony - where did the dosh for that come from?

Vango · 29/08/2017 14:17

Who are these people who allegedly "look down on" Emma and Ed? I never hear it. Emma, on the other hand, always seems to be whining, unchallenged, about Alice's 'stuck up' mates for example.

Vango · 29/08/2017 14:29

Maple Joe's new pony is the pony that had been abandoned and was discovered to have a serious leg injury a few months ago.