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!

I suppose if there we heard more from the unconnected characters it would have to be called Ambridge rather than The Archers. I believe, although I was never a fan, that Emmerdale changed from Emmerdale Farm to widen the scope.

I remember some speculation a couple of months ago (or whenever Freddie finally started to get his finger out re working) that it would be extremely irritating, not to mention unrealistic, should he miraculously achieve brilliant A level results in record time - and it appears we are still not clear exactly what he is studying. Another storyline (like Will’s custody battle) that doesn’t ring quite true.

Yes, absolutely. It took me decades of listening to realise that the whole point of the story is degrees of connectedness to the First Family. And land.

It creates a breathtaking tension in every single interaction between characters, as they’re pulled further in or pushed further out. (I know there was a talk on this at the second Academic Archers con - but I’d been thinking the same for a long time ...) Mungo f’rinstance is a stroke of utter genius.

(Sorry. Replying to glamorousg!)

History and geog and presumably something else. Maybe only two?

Must admit it would be quite draaaaaama for him to come out on top in the A’ level stakes. And actually - I can’t see any other reason for the abomination that is Russ. (Phone insists on calling him ‘studs’ ) They surely (please God) won’t make Lily pregnant by this monster. So I hope he exists purely to mess up her grades. She can always cram for a year and then move on smoothly.

I imagine the editor wants Freddie to get enough UCAS points to go somewhere after his......

GAP YAH!

I quite like the idea of The Heir of Lower Loxley naturally maturing into his Hist and Geog studies. I'm sure that he can find something to do at The Royal Agricultural University eg Environmental Conservation and Heritage Management has an entry tariff of 56 UCAS points.

Oh but yah. After the GAP YAH!

In fact, I suspect that’s the reason why they have Lily apparently going straight to university (with random subjects and no indication whatsoever of anywhere in particular). Kinda like they’re (SWs) not really committed to this year. Whereas if she mucks up, crams, applies again - she and Freddie will be starting undergraduate life at the same time. Which is more symmetrical, story-wise.

(I have things I should be doing ... )

I’m increasingly wondering if either of them will be going anywhere (apart from Felpersham obviously). Changing the subject entirely - anyone else wondering what Christine is going to find in that box?

Oooh Lil’G - haven’t we guessed?

Though, yes - entirely likely that ‘travelling’ might keep Freddie unavoidably occupied for a good few years ...

And when did we last hear Kathy?
Hospitality maybe - pub, tea room and Grey Gables.
Catering - Fallon, Emma, Wayne Tucson, Ian.

A village would have all sorts of people. There are several housing estates.

I liked Christine's reference to women having to stay in unhappy marriages- Ann i right in thinking she had a no-good husband before George, or maybe she was thinking of Peggy and her first Jack.

I thought it was highlighting that Shula was walking away from a good man.

entirely likely that ‘travelling’ might keep Freddie unavoidably occupied for a good few years ...

Is 'occupied' a euphemism for 'detained in a Thai jail'?

anyone else wondering what Christine is going to find in that box?

Yes, me! Apart from 'something that will indicate a forgotten fortune' I haven't come up with anything, however.

AdarkandstormyKnight that’s interesting I didn’t take it like that at all. I thought that the point was to show that although Jill has been very critical of what she sees as Shula not working at her marriage, not all women of her generation think the same, especially those who, unlike Jill, were not blessed with a happy union. So,for Christine, women’s ability to leave by choice is a positive development whereas for Jill it is a symptom of society’s increasing lack of support for the institution of marriage.

I think that's what Christine meant. I also think that Jill knows her daughter and thinks she's making a mistake.

MrsAS - if it isn’t some miraculous ancient record that absolves Brian of all blame - I’ll eat my laptop. (Although I’m wondering, now, why she might have anything like this. Maybe I’m wrong. )

A replacement fortune of her own would obvs be good. (I haven’t enjoyed the callous way the SWs have treated her.)

No - it will be the real Dan Archer's will leaving Brookfield to Phil and Grace. Trex will inherit Grace's share.

Please, no more implausabollikcle storylines !

I can't even spell my own made-up word

I thought it was a great word!

Well Freddy sat the same exam as my DD yesterday (I think it was the only Geography exam that day) - he probably did better than her but we're applying for special consideration.
What I am surprised is that we had no discussion of coursework of which both Geography and History have huge projects now. The Geography one in particular was very tricky and had extremely strict rules on how much help teachers were allowed to give - they could only "guide" Question choice (eg. thats too broad you won't be able to do it well) and couldn't give any feedback. History's one seemed a bit more forgiving - but both were notable and moaned about by all parents in another thread I'm on.

Somewhere else did mention that Freddy could have ADHD, and as the smart drugs he's taking could well be Ritalin, then he could be very successfully self medicating.