The Archers: Discussion #84. New Year and some of us are still listening even if we don't know why.

[DadDadDad]

New posters welcome - with your fresh views and burning questions.

Old posters welcome - with your jaded views and knowledgeable answers.

But new posters feel free to be jaded, and old posters feel free to ask questions!

How is the Pip storyline going to play out and do you care?

As usual, if you want to mention the advertised storylines for future episodes, there's a separate thread for that - no spoilers here, please.

Just imagine we're all sitting round a table at The Bull -->

Well I enjoyed that episode. I was actually impressed that Ruth worked it out for herself, and hearing her tell David to shut up was very satisfying. And Pip didn't sound as though she was enunciating her lines for once.

I do feel uncomfortable about the surrogate SL - feels like Lexi is being viewed as a commodity to satisfy Ian's sense of entitlement.

And I'm the token man

Is DoctorTwo not also a man? Don't know why that popped into my head.

So Pip's pregnancy is obviously having some positive effect on the listening/contributing figures then 😁.

And hello to new comers. I'm an oldie with a fresh new name.

That went well. Hard to see how the effects of Pip's pregnancy will be minimised when they'll need all hands to the pump when calving and lambing start.

Hang on......Ben got a mention this ep. How old is he? Old enough to be let out of the cereal cupboard apparently, so fit for lambing. Sorted. :o

Be interesting to see what will be the effect on David when it becomes apparent that the whole of Ambridge knew before him. Audible for miles, I would imagine.

Ruth knows that Jennifer knows! What did Jenny say about gossip?

Isn’t there a risk with pregnant women going near sheep? Is there a chance she could have already risked the baby/pregnancy?

Who will be the first to congratulate Jill the moment she steps off the coach?

My money's on Susan.

The risk is from birthing ewes/placenta - so no risk so far.
The notion that she would just hand her baby over to her cousin (I think) and his husband and watch them from over the road bringing up her baby is so wrong. I know the situation is less than ideal but she's decided to continue, good luck to her, she'll just have to get stuck in through all the sleepless nights, achey boobs and wobbly bits, just like the rest of us.

I am really uncomfortable with the lexi storyline. I think Ian is an arse.

I wonder if Pip and Helen will have a heart-to-heart at any point about embarking on a pregnancy knowing that you’ll be doing it alone (without acknowledging the family housing, help and employment all thrown in).

Helen probably has a lot on her plate though 🙄

Do they still farm sheep at Brookfield? No lambing for Pip this year.

I wanted a new name for the new year. Cant' find the energy to think of one.

Thanks for new thread D3

'Hello young PseudoPargetter ' (Joe's voice.) 'Whole village bin looking for you'...

Imagine Pip of all people bringing so many very welcome new posters. I did actually spit out my gin-free tonic water at David. Neatly contrasted with Roy. Impressed with Tim Stimpson's (?) recognition of how men assume ownership of women, in any relationship. Definite BOOP.

I did laugh and roll my eyes at David's comment "but your Mum was married to mee" or whatever it was.

I am not sure that you can have a baby in England and just hand it over to someone else for adoption. I think that private adoptions are illegal? They are not close relatives- there are a lot closer relatives who if the baby was up for adoption could ask to be considered (Ruth, Tobys parents etc)

Anyway Toby would have a big say and so maybe Rex will bring up the baby!

Thank you for your kind welcome, after a bit of an absence. Nice to see familiar names along with the new ones.

Yes, I'm embarrassed that not only have I returned because of Pip, but also due to cheering on Ruth. Which wasn't a sentence I ever thought I'd be typing.

Looking forward to Jill's reaction to her favourite Grandaughter mixing Archer and Fairbrother Genes.

Ruth was brilliant. How she doesn't yell that on a daily basis, I'll never know.

It does seem inherently unlikely that someone in the early stages of a serious relationship would seriously contemplate getting pregnant by another man, even on a surrogacy basis.

Hello you tw-

Er, you lot.

Love that book, RubyLennox.

So glad Ruth caught on and also yelled at David. I just wish I thought the freak out would have them reassess whether Pip really is so much better than all other humans.

Ian holding immigration over Lexi (essentially) in the hopes she'll have a baby she doesn't want to please him - grim. Is that like him? He usually seems pretty kind!

I'm another who was cheering Ruth.

Helen probably has a lot on her plate though 🙄

She herself has told us that there's yoghurt, cheese, and her son's birthday ... She must be some sort of superwoman to handle all that. Luckily Susan would be well able to sympathise, with her daughter also working multiple jobs.

Should have said I'm an on off listener for 20 years but a bit more regular since Helen and Rob and discovering catch up on my phone.

There's something just not quite realistic about Ian and Adam's baby plans. It's a good SL in theory but to make it more realistic they should be more united about their approach and maybe looking into an overseas surrogacy in the US or a U.K. formal adoption or something? They could have months of social worker interviews, finding a match etc.
I thought to increase the unrealistic approach they'd offer to have Pip's baby, combined with something like Toby then showing an interest and being difficult!

David's reaction will be nothing to Jill's. I think that this baby will be a permanent Brookfield feature (in the cereal cupboard or wherever) because of its connection with the FB/Archer history.

lonely planetis right- surrogacy story wildly unrealistic, not to mention boring

That was bloody brilliant - I've listened again to the last few minutes several times now - chuckling at David and Ruth. So much for my New Year's resolution to be a nicer person ...