The Archers: Tally-Ho for the Hunt Ball! Will Justin return from Scotland with the Gay Gordons? Will Adam feel a right Charlie? Discussion #81

[DadDadDad]

Thanks, R4, for the title (again!).

I'm your temporary host while PseudoBadger is on her sabbatical / prison term / secret mission.

Old hands and complete newbies all welcome.

Spoilers (eg Radio Times descriptions of future programmes) not welcome.

When will Matt reappear? Before / during / after the wedding?

The floor is yours...

Having just listened to tonight's episode as I crawl into bed, I was succumbing to the mellifluous tones of Neil Nunes when he made the dreaded announcement "and tomorrow, Deavid and Ruth are whiningworrying about Pip".

Will be saving that one for fast forward on the podcast.

Emma has only one selfish reason for wanting to be on the Parish Council. She's never shown the slightest interest before.

Why the heck do you think people do stand for Parish Councils?
In my experience:

1. They have a special interest in a local issue - including planning
2. it's a first step to trying out politics - maybe considering being a borough or county councillor
3. they are a local busy body with too much time on their hands

It is very unusual to be contested, and most Parish councils would be enthusiastic about getting someone of Emma's age who isn't using it as a stepping stone to a bigger political ambition (and even if they were most of the time).

And why should't Emma stand? Her father is a stalwart on the parish council. When did Emma get disenfranchised?

Lynda's attitude stank - believing that Robert can speak for Emma better than Emma can speak for herself.

I hate the snobbishness about Emma. On here and on the show. But it is depressingly true to life. If the lower orders don't tug their fore locks and show themselves to be properly grateful they need to be slapped down. If they start getting ideas above their station the whole structure of society will collapse.

I hate the snobbishness about Emma. On here and on the show.

On here??

Emma's character, to me, is rude, unpleasant and miserable. I believe she'd be exactly the same person regardless of her financial circumstances.

I hate the assumption that anyone on here ascribes to the view that there are 'lower orders'.

Emma > the Parish Council is one of the most interesting stories of the past few years, afaic.

Who was it who said - here, decades ago - that Emma had the makings of a future Ambridge matriarch? Becoming a parish councillor is entirely part of that.

I can't help loving her. She has had to be so brave in turning around her youthful mistakes.

Well, to be fair, I think it is The Archers that ascribes to the view that there are lower orders. Witness, if you please, Lynda's condescension about Emma's wish to stand and her ability to do the job. Or Jennifer's little riff on riff-raff moving into the area should affordable housing become available. Or Jennifer's dismay about Alice's marriage to a skilled manual worker. And Susan's delight at her family moving up in the village hierarchy by virtue of same marriage.

Emma is an intriguing character, you can never quite fathom her. Sometimes she's a mardy brat, sometimes she's sensible and pragmatic, she's usually a good wife/mother/daughter and, yes, sometimes she's moany. You never know which way she is going to jump.
She does over-egg her downtroddenness at times. The village don't look down on her and I don't know why she has come up with this 'outsider' nonsense. She is probably comparing her situation to Harrison&Fallon or Will&Nic but - typical Emma - not Jazzer nor Helen.

Living with the grundy's must be a nightmare. Watching them always going after the quick win, the slightly dodgy deal, lamenting their misfortune.

And mostly-silent Nic feels like far more of an outsider than Emma who is generally to be found in the centre of village life through her family or work. But although she's at the centre of village life, she's on the sidelines when it comes to village society, especially when she compares herself to her brother. She's the casual zero-hours contract waitress while he's a family guest.

I think Vango must have been scared by a cleaner in early childhood......

Lynda was vile. Emma has to get in for that alone.
'May the best man win' - FFS. No wonder Emma has a chip on her shoulder.

It was the on here that I queried Cromwell.

Lynda was awful last night. Jim was good.
Emma moans but she has a lot to moan about - the Ambridge fairy doesn't visit the Grundies or even less the Horobins much, and Emma knows which side of the village she comes from.

I wonder if your idea of me matches the reality Bertrand?

But the Ambridge fairy has visited at least one of the Grundys Beka?

The. Grundys get a lot of good luck as well as the bad. The real problem they have is Eddie!!

Emma is horrible. It's her personality that makes me think she would be terrible for the parish council!

I think when she was younger she had a lot of potential and drive but for some reason the sw seem to want to turn her into her mother

Lynda is a terrible snob so no surprise there! Who else is on the parish council?

I think Emma has both good and bad points (although the criticism she is getting here almost makes me want a "Team Emma" T-shirt).
She moans, but then what is wrong with wanting your own house?
The Tea Room and Up cycling was supposed to be a joint Fallon and Emma enterprise but Emma doesn't seem to be getting much out of it.
Yes she was a bit nasty to Kirsty, but that comes from her insecurity in her own position in the business and relationship with Fallon.
She is good to her kids, and sacrifices a lot for them. She does a lot for the family - and I fully understand her not wanting to be another Clarrie.

I think on the Parish council she would learn and develop a lot, and is exactly the kind of person who should be encouraged to join. She has opinions and is from a very unrepresented group (young and working class).

The snobbishness is one of the reasons l don’t much like Lynda - that and the annual sniff-fest. I know she can be kind and warm too, for instance to Kate. Though l presume there are some amongst us who don’t think Kate should receive any kindness.

Lynda and Susan are good characters because they can show truly horrible behaviour but at other times can show a fundamental kindness (although Susan tends to need Neil's help!).

Whereas there are few male characters like that (maybe Brian) and tend to just be bastards or saints

I like Emma because she is a rounded character she's not perfect but she has some good qualities. And wanting to escape from a life like clarries is utterly understandable. I want her to grow and I think the parish council would help her to do that. Although I hope she is prepared to be bored. Dh is a parish councillor and it doesn't sound the most fascinating way to spend your time.

Your Parish Council is only as interesting as the people on it !
Ours is great ! We have achieved all kinds of things.
Most people are on it because they want to make the village a better place for everyone to live !

If Emma didn't know Jim was the Parish Clerk she obviously doesn't know much about the very organisation she is putting herself forward for.

Goodness! Never thought of Matt as a reader ...

Cheltenham again. At least it wasn't Brief Encounter this time.

Yeah ... That was silly.