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

[DadDadDad]

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.

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

So we are supposed to think more highly of her because she behaved the way most normal people would? She didn't initiate a conversation with Rob - she reacted to him. Would she ever have said anything if he hadn't provoked her? Comparing her to more idiotic residents doesn't make her more likeable to me.

I wouldn't want Emma's life for one second so I think to ask her to count her blessings is to ask an awful lot.

So we are supposed to think more highly of her because she behaved the way most normal people would?

Having witnessed many, many abusive relationships myself I can tell you most normal people absolutely do NOT behave the way she did. They ignore it and hope it goes away because it makes them uncomfortable.

what difference does it make that it was after the stabbing?

A massive difference actually. Helen could have lost her children or been killed if Kirsty hadn't come back.

Thanks for the welcome. I like Emma so far but I think she is running the risk of becoming a bit annoyingly 'woe is me'. I also wish Clarrie was my mother in law! She seems lovely. I am enjoying getting I know all the characters, I feel like I live there with them!!

"So we are supposed to think more highly of her because she behaved the way most normal people would?"

Nobody else did. Are Justin, Kenton, Susan for example "not normal people" They all carried on interacting as if nothing had happened. David? Ed? Everyone else in the pub?

I think you just think Emma should know her place. There's a lot of that in The Archers. And, sadly, in real life.

Well, yes, in the context of the Archers, where 'normal people' presumably including members of Helen's own family (Adam, Ian, Brian, Lillian, Kenton, David, etc) absolutely did not stand up to Rob, Emma's courageous response to his abuse of her is supposed to make us like her more. You couldn't get a plainer cue from the writing. Alongside that she can also be critical of Ed, and yes, express envy of others' good fortune. The point is, she doesn't give up.

I think you just think Emma should know her place.

Dear me. Is that you Emma?

I don't like her and I don't care if she ever catches a break. I hate jealousy. I hate the green-eyed monster. I dislike people who spend their whole lives whinging about how 'life's not fair'. That's all.

Life ISN'T fair though. I don't think it's fair some people have everything and others have nothing.

I'm speaking here as someone who has a lot now but when I was growing up I watched my mum struggle every day of her life despite working her fingers to the bone all hours of the day and night. She wasn't bitter but I wouldn't have blamed her at all if she were.

I totally see Emma's POV.

!!!!

Yes good point in particular about Lillian. Lillian often behaves terribly but I can't help being fond of her. Lillians behaviour is much worse than Emma having a bit of a moan. We forgive their bad points because we remember their strengths. In Lillians case she is often kind and quite suppotive of the young.

I think there's a bit too much generalising going on here for me to tackle!

I'm allowed not to like Emma you know!

And "life's not fair".....who knew?!

i think it's fair enough in turn to question why exactly that is

To be honest I don't think I've ever forgiven her behaviour regarding George. Being unfaithful to Will before the wedding. Allowing him to imagine a future that we all knew would never become a reality. Practically taking George away from him when she went off with Ed (that was the worst - I remember wondering if Will would actually survive the loss). If anyone's entitled to be bitter it's Will.

And there's no point listing all the different characters alongside their faults. Why we like or dislike people isn't often obvious to everyone. That's what makes the world go round. Emma's financial circumstances have absolutely no bearing on my feelings towards her! Even if she'd stayed married to Will and therefore co-owned No. 1 The Green I'd still dislike her.

I'm with you vango. Emma handled the leaving will thing horribly - I don't care if it was 'true love'. She had an affair and made the leaving really nasty.

But she is a good character as she is at least rounded

Gosh! I totally understood Emma through all the Ed Will situation. She was engaged to Will but realis d she loved Ed, then got pregnant not knowing whose it was. Tried to go through with the marriage to Will, dumping him for Ed would have caused heartache. The realising she couldn't "live the lie", and so causing the heartache anyway.

Now if Will can forgive Ed and Emma, I think its a bit much for the rest of us to hold it against her.

Now if Will can forgive Ed and Emma, I think its a bit much for the rest of us to hold it against her.

I'm not holding anything against her. I just don't like the way she behaves. Will has no choice but to have some sort of a relationship with her, for the sake of his son. I, on the other hand, can choose to find her character deeply unpleasant and to say so out loud .