The Archers: Will Pip grow or Jill blow? Lil make her vow or Justin take his bow? Discussion #83

[DadDadDad]

TA (The Archers) annoys me intensely but I still have to listen
I think there is a possibility that we obsess about TA in a way that most listeners don't

If this is you (genuine quotes from earlier threads), or you're new and want to ask anything about The Archers, then this is the right place.

PseudoBadger started it, but we're going to finish it (er, will TA ever finish?)

The panto is meant to be Sleeping Beauty, but are you expecting farce (Mother Goose Pip) or tragedy (Puss Cat in Wedding Dress Boots )?

This should see us through to Christmas.

At the end of the last thread we were remembering recent successful marriages in Ambridge. How long ago was Ed & Emma?

It's just not realistic that anyone outside her family would be that interested in Pip's pregnancy

Of course other people would be interested

Pip may have passed her driving test first time, but she has crashed it at least once hasn't she? (I may be a little chippy about the fact that I passed third time. But I've never crashed).

And she is exceptional in some ways. The way she pronounces words is certainly exceptional, although not in a positive way.

The only reason I still listen is to be able to follow what you lot are talking about.

Really???? Have you ever lived in a village?
No, have never lived outside a big city. Is that really what it's like? I honestly can't imagine it, I think I'd find it very claustrophobic

I liked Soosan force feeding kefir to the coffee shop customers, and nearly making Pip have some (she'll be pissed off that she didn't know the upfduffed gossip!) Great that Emma was yelling at her who DID know!.

It's just not realistic that anyone outside her family would be that interested in Pip's pregnancy.

Everybody in a village would be interested. But so far, the people who have been gossiping are part of her family. Alice is her second cousin. Ed is her second cousin's brother-in-law. Fallon is her uncle's step-daughter. Jolene (not gossiping) is her aunt by marriage.

I think what’s lacking is that we never see Pip where she is being a friend or a sister or niece or daughter or whatever and genuinely showing concern for that person. It is always transactional or trying to make herself feel better.

If we saw her being supportive to her brothers or talking to Alice about her drinking or mentoring Johnny or genuinely talking to her grandmother about something other than Pip, it would help.

That's true about pip. It is always about her and she is never the secondary character in a sl. Poor sw and characterisation again.

They are really failing the character

I can remember her having a quite a normal conversation with Josh, there is obviously sibling rivalry between them (how likely are we to hear EVERYTHING that goes on fgs?) The SWs have other families to consider. Pip and Lilly have a sweet sisterly relationship.

I thought that she managed her relationship with Toby well too. Oh and the irony of a poster calling out Pat and Ruth about favouritising their daughters. Are you sure it's not their sons then? What with the apparent mysogyny of the SWs.

I like the idea of a storyline where Alice realises her drinking is a problem. However I worry that the actress won’t be up to it. She’s not really good at subtle or low key. Hoping to be proven wrong though.

Could be interesting given how important wine is to Brian, and gin to her aunt Lilian. I think we also had Jenny getting squiffy at a party when she revealed something about Rob to someone (minds is a bit hazy) and when Kate first came back she was knocking it back a lot too eg when she shagged Toby and got raucous on champagne with Lilian, though they seem to have dropped the drinking storylines with her.

Alice and Pip can hang out soberly together for all of 2018.

The irony is that there is a consensus on here (not one I agree with btw) that TA is generally mysogynistic , haven't you noticed?

It just makes a difference that THAT particular criticism isn't applied to Pat and Ruth. If it was the boys there'd be an outcry.

Best Archers quote ever ..” that decides it. Perhaps Ambridge just isn’t ready for kefir yet!”

Yes I noticed Helen's burst of common sense lonelyplanet I wonder what Tom's reaction will be?

I don't understand the kefir business. Why would Tom be looking to ambridge for his market? Why would his market research consist of Susan accosting people with a spoon? What do Nuffield think of all this or do they not really care?

In pip/Brookfield heavy weeks I don't listen/consider giving it up. I wish we could have more pip free time as they re so much better

That's true about pip. It is always about her and she is never the secondary character in a sl. Poor sw and characterisation again.

There's a possible scenario where they fully intend her to be seen as a self-centred, selfish woman and therefore the way they write her is totally consistent. Though it's difficult to work out whether that really is their intention when most of the other characters seem to get on OK with her.

Talking of the sisterhood with Lily being parachuted in from nowhere - it seems to have parachuted out again (if that's possible) since Pip moved back home. I guess it's no longer convenient because they'd have to think up scenarios where Pip and Lily get together, whereas it was a no-brainer while they were under the same roof.

Perhaps Ambridge just isn’t ready for kefir yet!

Next thread title?

Jenny got squiffy at a party and told Rob that Adam had been unfaithful. Rob then used it to goad Adam and Ian.

I love Alice, or I did before she became a drunk. I also love Helen - she's so fragile and useless - and I used to love Tom before he became a cardboard cutout. The 'old' Tom was boring but had a distinctive voice and personality. The best I can say about 'new' Tom is that he does sound like he is related to Tony.

Pip's predicament means we are going to hear Ruth's concerned hushed tones. If we bother to listen.

I don't know if the kefir marketing board has been lobbying the Archers' scriptwriters, but I now buy & consume it regularly mainly as a result of exposure to it via the programme!

Good for you extinct I eat tofu yoghurt but just the smell of kefir YEUCH!! It's not for me.

Surely you've come across the oft-repeated TASWAMA, FrancisCrawford? Though I don't know how many people on here actually subscribe to that view in reality.