We never thought we’d feel sorry for Will. Although of course it should have been Pip! Discuss The Archers here (Titled edited by MNHQ)

[PseudoBadger]

Welcome all! I was really touched by the potential for Ed and Will to reconcile. But wonder if Will can accept Ed’s support.

As ever, no spoilers here (there’s a thread for that) - discussion permitted as soon as the pm episode is broadcast.

I do know it’s called acting, but she could ham it up less to better effect imo.

she could ham it up less to better effect imo compared to the actress who played her mother it's a positively understated performance.

The Aldridges and offspring have the benefit of better qualifications and networks, on the whole, apart from Kate, who does seem to be really throwing herself into her business. Even if they lost everything the younger ones could probably start again.

Brian probably has a decent pension if he lost other assets. Probably also insurance policies, etc.

And if he can stop Kate and Alice helping themselves he could always sell his wine cellar contents.

Grundy or Aldridge - which one would you rather be?

False dichotomy. Surely the answer is "Archer".

Grundy or Aldridge - which one would you rather be?

I know it’s shallow but I heart Jennifer’s kitchen.

And the poor-but-happy-and-pulling-together doesn’t bear much scrutiny. Will and Ed have too much previous.

If, and it’s a big if, Brian ends up in the clink , the Aldridge children will support each other and JD.

The reason I posed the question is because its usually a no-brainer, but there are some episodes (like last night) when the warmth and closeness of the Grundies feels very appealing. That's why having the two stories running side by side works dramatically for me (though I agree with birdsdestiny that the contamination story will fizzle out in the end just like the IBR and the ecoli before it).

I suppose I find it hard to believe the warmth as I think the majority of the time Eddie treats clarrie appallingly. I believe clarrie cares for her sons and Joe.

Hmmmm.

I'd rather have a cuppa with Clarrie than Jenny.
I'd rather have a pint with Brian than Eddie.
When they die, I will miss Joe more than Peggy. (Feel quite tasteless writing that, must remember it's n* r**)
I'd rather not have to choose between Kate and Emma, or Adam and Will.

I know that wasn't the question asked. I guess the solvency (at present...) of the Aldridges compensates for a lot of the disagreeableness. It usually does for Jenny, anyway.

I wonder if Eddie will ever have a crushing moment of self awareness where he realises that he has been an utterly crap provider for his family? I don't know if he'd recover.

Has Jenny ever cheated on Brian? She must feel like she's owed a free pass by now, surely.

Has Jenny ever cheated on Brian?

Yes, years ago with her ex-husband (unless I’ve mis-remembered.)

I don’t think I’d like to be Jenny. It’s not poor Ruairi’s fault - but no amount of money whatsoever could make up for his existence in her marriage. At least Clarrie doesn’t have such constant humiliation to live through.

Does anyone else think Will would have one of those cold clammy handshakes?

I suppose following on from Lillian's post, it's a contrast between one family brought low by fate and one by their own actions. Or maybe one undone by poverty (as if Will hadn't had to go to work on his day off, Nic might have been saved) and one by wealth (or the greed that leads to wealth).

Talking of contrasts, I wonder if there will be a dramatic contrast between Alice and Pip and how they both react to unwanted babies, with men who they're not in a relationship with (if she does turn out to be pregnant with annoying guy at work's baby)?

As to whether it would be better to be an Aldridge or a Grundy, the main difference is surely Clarrie. She is lovely and the Grundy's rock. Jennifer is loyal to her clan, but her silence in the face of having found out what Brian's been up to suggests one wouldn't want to rely on her.

Brian and Eddie are both selfish and rude, the younger generation are fallible in their own ways, and I rather like both Peggy and Joe.

But I'd love the Aldridge's money!

I'd rather not have to choose between Kate and Emma, or Adam and Will

Kate by a long way.

I know this is nothing to do with the subject in hand but what on earth has happened to Anisha. She has been off air for what feels like decades. What was the point of going to a lot of effort to establish a new character and then nothing. It's ok for the more established characters to disappear for a while because we have a sense of who they are.

I don't know about Brine being such a great provider. I'd say he'd easy sell out Kate and Spiritual Home/Adam/Alice to save his wine cellar. He's more concerned with his own comfort. I like him as a character to listen to but irl I'd have no time for him.

You see I don’t understand Jenny’s logic. I know she wants to punish Brian but there’s nothing to be gained from coming clean with the kids.Its bound to get out and they’d lose everything.....why would she do that?!

Did Jenny ever actually have an affair with John Tregorran? And what about Eddie and Jolene? I am slightly too young to remember the details, though I'm sure I would have heard them.

(I have come to realise I didn't understand everything that was broadcast by R4. I heard a rerun of Radioactive, and was shocked by "let's have a mass debate," because I realise now as I didn't when it originally came out, that it could have a meaning besides a big chat, and my mother let me listen to it. So I could have missed what was going on with relationships in the Archers when I was younger, too.)

Sorry no - I meant Emma getting close to Will not Nic

I much prefer Emma to Kate. I find K utterly intolerable!

There was a talk at last years Academic Archers about how in the "lower class" families the children tend to be born to married couples, and are brought up in stable relationships. Whereas: Bridge farm the only "grand children" were born outside marriage or in an abusive relationship, Brookfield was no grand children but will conform to outside marriage, and Home farm has Kate (has children in various places and then bolts).
Which if you compare even to George Grundy is a lot less stable parenting.

My prediction is: Brian will be forced out of Home Farm - if the "brand" is being destroyed, the logical thing is to get rid of the person "responsible" and rebrand (especially as Adam seems to have a reputation for environmental stewardship).

Does anyone else think Will would have one of those cold clammy handshakes?

Yes Minimammoth!

From a boring, logistics point of view, there are an awful lot of Home Farm Aldridges who, in a programme called The Archers, could do with a bit of culling. If JD and Brine have their circumstances reduced and their DC have to disappear go out into the world to make their own way then that would fit the bill nicely. No need to have TVsoap-style crashing aeroplanes or whatever, a little bit of genteel poverty will do the trick.
It would also leave the way clear for fresh blood and new storylines.

Beka Far me it for me to take issue with The Academic Archers, but if you just look at the Archer family ; they're all married and have had children within 'stable' relationships. The majority of families in Ambridge have; the Carters etc.. (I don't hold with the opinion that children can only be happy in a married relationship any way but still ..)

Ah, but R4 only Kate (and perhaps Ruairi) faces any prospect of genteel poverty. Debbie is sorted, Adam has transferable skills (as does Alice if she doesn’t destroy herself). They could all wander off, of course.

In a programme called The Archers ... Ruairi is a bit vulnerable. As he is not Of The Blood. May be forced to slink into hiding with his non-Archer Pa.