As Frilly stress Lizzy out, did the SWs forget her heart defect? Will there be long term llama drama karma in The Archers?

[PseudoBadger]

They’ve definitely gone wrong with Hannah! It’s inconceivable that she would say those things to Tom when it must be clear to her that he is closely connected to the people she’s being so disparaging about. (And she would have known all that from the last time she worked in Ambridge.)

Perhaps they thought she would sound radical and upstanding? Rather than being an embodiment of poor judgement and childish spite ...

Where to start?

I found the concerns over horses in the Freddie plot line very unconvincing, too. Absolutely no sign of him going out riding for years.

Hannah? What a thoroughly unpleasant person she is, and wonder how her house mates aren't bit at her unabashed nastiness.

Now Russ. Bloody hell, he's an educated man in a high position so the very idea that he behaves like an slack-jawed tourist in a posh houses unbelievable. Likewise his embarrassment at bringing the wrong wine and as for asking permission to call Elizabeth by her first name???? What are the SWs thinking?

Also, who the hell makes comments about the decor and house during a meal? And talking about Lily in that quasi-teacherish way?

I've come over all U/non-U, I realise, but it's thoroughly unrealistic for him to behave this way, to be so gauche.

echt - the Russ scenes were cringe- making. I know what you mean about coming over all U/ non U. That describes it perfectly.

I cannot help thinking there may be a possible play for Lizzie by Russ at some point. The greasiness was vile not envy. I had to turn it off.
Oh! Apologies for not introducing myself. My name is Tent and I am a lurker

I cannot help thinking there may be a possible play for Lizzie by Russ at some point.
Especially now he knows Lily is not the path to get the estate.

Tom seems to have been a bit feeble with Henwee. Even before I had children, any 7 year old turning up at my house with an announcement that he wasn't going to bed that night would have firmly been told to think again.

You would think that Freddie, could be a help at Aunty Shula’s stables, with his fondness for horses, he must be getting bored.
I had the same thought about Ross making a play for Lizzie. It’s getting a bit Forsyte Saga.

Freddie isn’t very contrite, is he?

I wonder how Lizzie will feel when she realises Freddie knew about Russ and that her kids have effectively been holding each other to ransom?

I think Lizzie would be quite justified in disinheriting both of them.
But she won't......

Not sure that she can. Isn’t it Nigel’s will that counts here? And there was a reason the estate was left to Freddie which I have never understood. Entailed or summat.

Hope you’re all listening to this right now! Farming Today on succession ...

(I assume the SWs and new editor are paying attention )

At the moment they’re on ‘persuading Mum and Dad to change things ...

I don’t remember old Hannah, despite remembering several of the other storylines from that year, but I think new Hannah is being drawn as someone who believes speaking her mind is a virtue. I thought Tom sounded quite shocked! She also seems completely unable to read social cues; the one-sided flirting with Tom is excruciating. But there are people out there like that - who either can’t tell that the other party isn’t interested, or consider winning their interest to be part of the process.

Given his concerns with getting the ‘right’ wine, it was unrealistic that Russ didn’t ask Lily what she was cooking. The rest sounded realistic to me - the worry over what to wear, overdoing it with flowers and chocolates, the desperation to flatter Elizabeth. He’s mastered Received Pronunciation and got a degree - neither means he had the kind of upbringing that would have conveyed the tacit knowledge and confidence about how to behave in that situation.

I’m probably on my own, but I think at this stage Russ believes in his shared fantasy of life with Lily about as much as she does and hasn’t acknowledged to himself that he might not leave. I can’t imagine a play for Elizabeth - she’s a grown up and wouldn’t be so adoring - and I don’t think the family wealth has anything to do with it. Russ and Lily experienced some kind of connection during their conversation about the picture and have unfortunately taken it to mean they are destined for each other. They are both getting intense doses of something from the other that they were missing. That’s typically why these things are so compelling for the people involved, not because one party has made a calculated judgement about what can be extracted from the relationship.

Given his concerns with getting the ‘right’ wine, it was unrealistic that Russ didn’t ask Lily what she was cooking. The rest sounded realistic to me - the worry over what to wear,

The worrying about what to wear was absurd. No one can surely be so dim to think that the upper classes still dress for dinner? It made him sound idiotic. As did the ridiculous faffing about the "wrong" wine.

And what was the big deal about the fact he had brought wine, flowers and chocolate? It's hardly OTT. I've brought all 3 many times- as do my friends to me.

What was seriously weird was bringing a shop bought dessert. Bringing a dessert is what one does when it's old friends ("I'll do the main course- you bring the pud, she'll do starters")- not for the first time you meet.
It was dreadful writing.

@ witch....tacit knowledge and confidence about how to behave in that situation...

I wonder just what the etiquette is on 40 year old predatory teacher having supper with mother of teen target in their stately home and letting on he is still living with his wife.

I suspect he will make a play for Elizabeth. And she of course will be unable to do anything as she will be dependent on him for Freddies character reference...

...Or maybe it can all come out in the appeal?

Echt Everyone's diffferent, Russ may well not have been to dinner at a stately home how many of us have? And not know how to behave, he is not necesarily after Lily's inheritance.

The problem with stepping up and being a mum to Lily who has become rebellious quite late, is that she won't listen. Lizzie's tears were very well done. I almost felt sorry for Shula having to listen.

The main thing that doesn't ring true is him being a Deputy Head AND being so gauch/naïve. I thing the scriptwriters needed him to be senior for the Freddie storyline to work but it really doesn't work for the Lily storyline.

Russ may well not have been to dinner at a stately home how many of us have? And not know how to behave

Why would he think it is any different from a week day supper at any one else's house? Even if anyone thought the upper classes are still dressing for dinner a la Downtown surely David Cameron's kitchen suppers comments put paid to that?

The main thing that doesn't ring true is him being a Deputy Head AND being so gauche/naïve

I agree.

I don’t find the Russ/Lily relationship realistic at all. If he’s so much older than her and deputy head surely part of the attraction is that he is grown up and in control, unlike boys of her own age. If she’s supposed to be looking for a father figure he needs to be much more commanding and a bit of a charmer. In last night’s episode Lily sounded (as she so often does) to be about 40 herself with Russ like a gauche teenager - not knowing what wine to buy, what to wear, sucking up to Elizabeth as if he needed her permission instead of being in control of the situation as charmers usually are (or appear to be). Judging by the way he was behaving last night I would have expected Elizabeth to further take the wind out of his sails by calling him on the fact he is still living with his wife rather than running off to the loo in tears.

Wot everyone else said about Russ. I'm also surprised that Russ had never been to LL before: surely an art teacher would have visited (in a personal or professional capacity) all the local stately homes, museums, art galleries, etc. That reminds me - Lewis did that art gallery thing. Did Russ not visit that either?

I liked the backdrop of "Take a Chance" playing whilst Shula poured scorn on the concept of having any fun.

Gersemi - the music has been brilliant recently.

Goatyoga Well, it is pretty much the only brilliant thing about TA at the moment. I stopped listening after 40 ish years when they gave Alice a personality transplant. Tuned in again this week and all I can say is what a load of tosh! The programme has lost its way, needs to bring back the archivist and draft in some decent SWs.

thanks for the new thread Pseudo

"Didn't enjoy the actual lama drama but loved the resolution. True friendship, scheming followed by helpless giggling. Rang very true to me.'

yes to this. I like when they do just nice character moments, like when jazzer gave Alistair his room recently, or how nice ed and Emma were to will after Nic died. sometimes you just want to hear people being nice to each other or having a laugh.

poor Elizabeth. I did feel sorry for her. she doesn't always get parenting bang on (but who does) but out of the main archer clan she seems to be the most self aware and reflective parent - David's being an arse to josh and blatantly favouring pip while ben remains missing in action, Shula just sighs and is a martyr about literally everything, Kenton's always fine and kind and supportive to everyone, but he did leave his dd on the other side of the world and hardly ever mentions her. I really hope this crisis ends with her finding some spectacular way to rain down fire and blood on greasy russ, I am desperate for him to get his comeuppance. Freddie has been so well characterised as generally nice but thoughtless and feckless and entitled, I hope this is the making of him rather than his ruin, but he has a way to go yet judging by how he keeps moaning and kicking off at things like Johnny's real talk.

Alleycat1 - I often wonder why I carry on listening, but I never manage more than a few days without. It’s my escape from the general stress that seems to follow me around and the 12 minutes that the children know not to disturb me - Maybe I need a hobby!

@goatyoga my 5yo asks whether it's the Archers before interrupting (further) if the radio is on !