The Archers - What’s your poison? Alice is legless, the fish are lifeless and Pip is clueless (Discussion #85)

[DadDadDad]

Even if you don't have a leg(?), a life or a clue, Welcome to the first ever 85th Archers thread!

Wild speculation and sensible questions always welcome - especially any newcomers.

A little game for the weekend, inspired by Timetogetup0630 and Gruach on the last thread:

Invent an explanation for how your username was the inspiration for an Archers storyline, character, etc - be creative!

My username is telling the story of Toby, Adam and Ian, although it probably needs some punctuation: Dad! Dad/Dad?

dairyfarmerswife - bit too easy for you, but as professional country folk maybe you could judge the winner?

Credit to MrsGrindah for the clever thread title

Had to pop in for once to see what you lot thought was going on with Nic. And to say that the dancing thing suggests if she loses anything it's going to be a leg? Is this going to be The Redemption of Will Grundy who will prove to be a solid gold carer for N in her recovery?

Nic is a dull, limp lettuce, mug who appears to be nice until the simmering resentment and passive aggression boils over every now and then. Will is a knob.

I don't like Will but when he gets a proper story he is interesting if a knob. I do quite like both Emma and Nic, and they provide a good contrast in more working class characters, a bit like Clarrie and Susan in the older generation.
But I do want interesting characters more than likeable ones. I would definitely stop listening if all the characters were nice. But actually most of them are a mix of good and bad points - which I do sometimes find the vitriol poured on them here a bit annoying to be honest - they're just people.

I did like Brian's confession - because I have a memory of worrying about those barrels. So it seems like the SW or Hugh have found the archives/old tapes (aren't they at the British Library at present).

I was wondering if Nic's symptoms were more like tetanus or sepsis (having also read numerous go/don't go to A&E because it might be sepsis/unless you're taking you're last breath and about to cark it threads on here)? Someone above mentioned septicemia, I imagine that is the same as sepsis?
I too am exceedingly pleased by Brian's confession. I wonder how Jenny will react? Will she stand by him as usual or is this one step too far even for her?
I can't stand Emma, nasty piece of work, she and Will are as bad as each other and should have ended up together, they deserve each other.
Here endeth the contribution from the sand-pit.

.....who appears to be nice until the simmering resentment and passive aggression boils over every now and then

If I had to guess which of the two characters you’re describing here (Emma or Nic), I wouldn’t have guessed Nic!

BikingBeatrice!!... Thank goodness! Yes! Your reading of Emma and Nic is just what I think! Thought I was the only one then!!

I’ve assumed septicaemia (leading to sepsis?) simply because it’s been in the news lately. From my vast research (Prof. Siri) I’d say her symptoms sound more like those than tetanus. (Which apparently generally takes longer to show itself.)

Must say, I woke up and immediately thought of her suffering in hospital. And the poor, poor Grundys.

*YOUR, I can't believe I typed a second you're - aaagghhh!

I'm with Vango and TheAntiBoop on Emma. Her attack on Brine a couple of weeks ago, entirely improper for an elected official, showed how unfitted she was for the role.

While it's the SWs' fault, I found her seeking a rapprochement with Nic unconvincing, and it's a plainly a prelude to much pearl-clutching drama later. When Nic's arm/leg falls off.

Now I think of it, a disability such as an amputated limb isn't...er, good for radio. They have enough on their hands with having characters who know each other very well constantly using their first names. Even when they're married, e.g Shula and Alistair a few eps ago. Jesus.

If think if Nic loses a limb it will be like Mike’s eye - referred to initially and then never mentioned again.

When was the last time they wrote a character into long-term, on air disability? (Other than naturally occurring in very old age.)

Mike’s loss of an eye?

Jazzer’s drug addled brain.

Elizabeth’s heart has been used about twice in my memory.

Erm ...

We never hear anything of Tony’s Otto-inflicted injuries. Rob was bundled off. Who else?

Sorry Lil’G, crossed you. Slow typing.

The whole falling out between Nic and Emma has seemed very contrived to me - clearly it was being overplayed for dramatic effect (along with Nic being sacked etc) now she’s at death’s door.

Not slow typing Gruach - more typing. Some good examples there. In fact I’d say it’s much easier to write a long-term disability into radio than tv where you need to include a constant visual reminder (Cormoran Strike anyone?)

Anti You're so funny, I remember thinking at the time that Will mentioning to Clarrie that the older children were staying with their friends that night, the SWs were clearing the decks of the kids so that the emergency dash to hospital wouldn't be compromised!

Vango, my dear, you are obsessed with Emma's bad points. She seems to bring out the angry teenager in you. Just as Ian seems to bring out a passionate defence. It's kind of cool, really, having that much partisan passion. For fictional characters on a radio soap.

Anyway, I'll bet Nic recovers, after a touch and go night. Can sepsis/tetanus affect the heart valve? perhaps she will have a lasting vulnerability which might make Will even more controlling. Or he might ease up, with her and his wider family, stop giving everyone quite such a hard time having had a NDE open wider perspectives. Could go either way!

In the meantime, I am excited about Brian's confession and wondering how Jenny is going to react. Is she going to collude in an attempt to cover up? Is it going to come out and is Jenny, like Bulstrode's wife in Middlemarch, going to get her moment of tragic greatness and 'espouse his sorrow'? it would be nice if we got some other dimension to Jenny than the fussy spender of money who prefers to look the other way.

Bethany being born with Down Syndrome was probably the last character with a disability, but of course they bottled out of developing that as a long-term storyline and packed Mike, Vicky and Bethany off to Brum.

To add to the list above: Daniel grew out of his juvenile arthritis. Brian made a full recovery from the epilepsy he suffered from after a kick in the head from a Grundy cow. Ed recovered from his addiction problems. Helen's ED has taken a back seat. Pat's depression hasn't been mentioned for a long time. (Mike suffered from depression badly too.) Chris's cleft palate miraculously repaired itself with nary a mention of any corrective surgery in childhood (did he have an op as a baby?). Jill and Kenton both have some sort of thyroid problem which is never, ever mentioned. Emma has permanent scarring on her leg from the time Ed crashed Will's car with Emma in the front seat, but I can't remember if there was worse damage which has also been forgotten.

Lynda's hayfever is just about the only ailment that the SWs remember to mention at some point every year.

Joe's farmer's lung has also had a lot of mentions but I think we're supposed to assume that's largely invented for sympathy.

Bekabeech At last some common sense !!!!

I do sometimes find the vitriol poured on them here a bit annoying to be honest they're just people!!

Does anyone on here have a long enough memory to remember the waste disposal when it happened? Does this mean Stefan’s body might turn up 30 years hence along with the stolen bunting?

Lynda's hayfever is just about the only ailment that the SWs remember to mention at some point every year. Nevermind the first cuckoo I’m waiting for Lynda’s first sneeze to herald the arrival of spring.

lilian Stefan certainly disappeared much more recently than 30 years ago . Berrow farm employed him maybe 5 years ago ?Or less ?

Oh do you mean it could have been buried in or near the same place?

What I meant is that Brian is referring to the disposal of illegal waste on the farm 40 years ago which he is now admitting he knew about. I wondered if any long-standing listeners (Gaspode often seems to have encyclopaedic knowledge for instance) remembered this as an ancient plotline which was never resolved or if it is something fabricated for dramatic effect. By extension I was then wondering if Stefan’s disappearance (also never resolved) might be being stored up to be resolved in 30 years time.

De-lurking to say that as I was driving past the Mailbox in Bham yesterday there is a huge electric billboard advertising ‘National Sepsis Week’. Inspiration for the SW on their daily commute?

(TA is recorded at the Mailbox, for anyone who wasn’t aware)