The dog days of summer are approaching Ambridge. Freddy’s being hounded and Brian is in the dog house - can Jenny take the ruff with the smooth?

[PseudoBadger]

Thanks to all for the dog ideas, and special mention to Ppeatfruit.

Discuss the Archers here!

Abraide That was Pip though not her own children, notice Pip didn't confide in Ruth about her pregnancy.

I was thinking about Lizzie's insensitivity with Freddie's maths problem. Also Jill saying to her that she had been a pain when she was a adolescent. She is not self aware.

Methinks that if Squire Aldridge wasn't funding Jenni's account at Underwoods then he'd be easily able to cover most of the cost of the Home Farm clean-up.

Or he could flog the land that Kate's pathetic Yurt's are occupying to some well-minted Oligarch. Finances sorted Brian!

Ebearshug unfortunately there are no really sound parenting models in TA. I could try channelling Clarrie but would come out more Ruth I fear.

could try channelling Clarrie

I love Clarrie, I think she is far too good for the self centred and feckless men around her. However somehow she has raised two young men whose attitudes to women belong in the 1950s.

Thinking about it Susan has raised two hard working children who make their own way. Emma may have chosen money initially but she was never a slacker. I'm not in Susan's fan club but like Clarrie she is a grafter and both her children follow suit.

I'd also say Jenny. She may be a bit snobby and silly at times but Kate aside, her children have all worked and made their own careers (Adam had a career before he returned to home farm).

I don't think TA parents are better or worse than the rest of us really. Well possibly except at Brookfield

I'm afraid that my heart has hardened to Clarrie over the years. I started thinking "she's far too good for the self-centred and feckless men around her" but have realised that the men are feckless because she has enabled them that way. She is not 'good', she is a doormat.
The recent business with Will has shown how her good intentions may help in the short term but made life worse in the long term.

I like the description of Lavinia - looks good in leggings & drives a white Range Rover Evoque.

I know exactly what sort of woman she is.

She is not 'good', she is a doormat

Yes I agree with you to a large extent but I think it comes from having been raised a particular way and being a fundamentally nice person. She has brought up the boys with weirdly outdated attitudes but its just as much the responsibility of the men in the family.

Emma also goes alone with the assumption that she/Clarrie pick up Will's wifework but in her case I suspect its the misplaced guilt Will made her feel about Nic.

Clarrie has been quite horrible to Emma recently and I think she manipulates Emma into going along with being a door mat.

I'm so loving Shula's discomfort. I expect this is leading to a reconciliation but I would love for Alastair to stick to the line of, no Shula, you were right.

And boop for Fallon re the plastic use. Harrison was being very dim and annoying- and tbh it is more important than Fallon's dress.

Just done a mega catch up.
Go Alistair. Shula is so annoying. The scene from tonight's episode with them made me think that they might reconcile...

I agree. I'd like Alistair to give her the runaround first. Then a lovely. long holiday.

The scene from tonight's episode with them made me think that they might reconcile...

Remember that scene with Susan in the shop when Alistair had to replace his ready-meal. "All sauce, no meat." "Make sure you replace like with like."
That was the clincher for me.

she manipulates Emma into going along with being a door mat

Yes but I think the whole Grundy family does that and not just over Nick. The B&B scam created a ton of work for Emma and Clarrie, the men just all assumed Emma and Clarrie would do the work, Clarrie takes it for granted and whilst Emma lives with them she ends up doing the work.

I'm so loving Shula's discomfort.

Susan 'being supportive' was very funny. Alastair telling Susan where to go was also long overdue.
Every time I get to the point of thinking Susan has her good points her malicious gossip side appears.

Every time I get to the point of thinking Susan has her good points her malicious gossip side appears.

That's what makes her so great. She is very fallible, very human, very believable. She has a combination of light and dark that few of the other characters manage.

I agree, R4, and your decoding of the ready meal scene was masterly!

Oh yes R4, the ready meal scene...

I'm more it's been a year since the single wicket.

Brine and Jenny seemed to get back on it rather quickly too.

Oh I don't know R4 I reckon that TA is good at rounded characters. The cardboard ones are in the minority, and they tend to be the ones with less to say.

She has a combination of light and dark that few of the other characters manage

I agree, I don't like her but she is one of the stronger characters. I wouldn't say "few" of the others manage it but the hit rate seems a bit low at the moment.

Or possibly we have just been hearing way too much from the cardboards, especially those at Brookfield (I'm sure Ruth used to be more 3d but is now flattened by GoldenPips).

I really don't want Shula and Alistair to reconcile, their marriage had run its course and they will both be more interesting characters if they are separated.

I can cope with it so long as there are no shower scenes

I want Shula to end up magnanimously telling Alastair she's had second thoughts and married life can resume, only for him to say No thanks, he's realised how great life after marriage is and has no intention whatsoever of going back to living with Shula and her cardie collection.

Even if they do reconcile I don't think it will last - the damage has been done. I think Shula has probably done Alistair a favour - he's still rather eligible (especially in a pond as small as Ambridge). She will be the one who will live to regret it. Anyone notice Alistair being supported by Philip - I thought Shula might be hoping he'd be her shoulder to cry on (though even she should know he's better suited to Kirsty for their names alone).

Has Will forgotten about George? [confused}

I’m not impressed with Tom’s chat up lines ...

I’m not impressed with Tom’s chat up lines ...

Yeah- I'd like to see how the kefir is made- said no - one ever.

That was an awful episode for Helen and Tom but good for the Grundys.


This Tom is so dull. I loved the old Tom.