The Archers No. 94: Freddie’s doing porridge, Tom gets his oats, but will Home Farm be toast? We’ll have to wheat and see ... Serial production is in full swing in Ambridge

[witchmountain]

Thanks to LilG for the title, and DDD for starting the last thread and the tradition of the thread starter nominating the next thread starter

Lurkers are always welcome to unlurk and join in, including asking questions of the many very knowledgeable posters with a long Archers-listening history.

Don't post spoilers based on forthcoming plot synopses that you've read, there's another thread for that (and we'd love to see you over there). Once an episode has aired then it's fair game.

I think Johnny's accent is convincing but they give him words and phrases to say that I don't think a lad of his age would say.

Wow, busy here for a Saturday. We need to start a national campaign: where is Lily Pargetter?

Is it possible that there's some unconscious bias going on? We're not used to young northern characters in dramas saying sensitive, emotionally literate things?

Should that be young northern MALE characters, Bert ?

Quite possibly @BertrandRussell !

It annoys me so much that in Radio 4 comedies a regional accent seems to be used as shorthand for stupidity! I have tweeted them about it a few times!

Yes it should, Cheminotte-consider "male" added!

Presumably it’s not Geraldine’s job to empty the bins though so unless the Freddie situation has led to other staff leaving I’m not sure what the link is.

I think the point was that Lizzie doesn't know which staff are where, or if they're meant to be (day off, walked out, etc) and she's usually much more on the ball about the business.

On the 'grande dame' thing - Elizabeth cannot possibly look down on JohnnyÜ. They're related and he's as much Ambridge aristocracy as she is (whatever his accent!). He possesses that wonderful, god-given thing - Archer blood; he can never be lowly.

Well Johnny is in the Jack branch of the Archers whereas Elizabeth is from the Phil branch so you could even argue he’s higher up the hierarchy (line of succession) as Jack was the elder brother!

Thinking about it, it's very odd that Peggy has in the past been so dismissive of Tony - when her daughters only married their land - and Lilian appears to have squandered all her advantages. (Takes after her dad ...)

Is Pat usually that slow on the uptake?
Yes, she has all the emotional literacy of mince. Given an opportunity to bond with her grandson over the loss of John, she used it to weeble on about her sleepless nights when Helen was inside, and to pressure Jonneh into breaking his promise to Freddie, with absolutely no good result conceivable. And she's always so bloody pleased with herself, "I'm sure that was right". What possible evidence does she have for that?

Also, she never, ever seems to learn.

We're not used to young northern characters in dramas saying sensitive, emotionally literate things?

I think we're not used to anyone in the Archers saying sensitive, emotionally literate things, A bit of an exaggeration but on the whole they are they are good a pretty self- centred bunch.

Actually JÜ deserves a bit of a breakdown ... In the space of a few days he's provided emotional aid and succour to his aunt, his grandmother and his ... cousin two generations older (what's that?). As well as Freddie. And probably some livestock. Poor boy must be wrung out.

Is Pat usually that slow on the uptake?

Witness her recent behaviour when she tracked down Olwen and tried to force largesse upon her, because Pat knew she was right. That didn't end well. Peartree is correct, she simply doesn't learn.

I heart Johnny. He's well acted.

I wonder if the scriptwriters have a long term plan for Johnny?

Someone mentioned his "rightful inheritance". I don't know about English inheritance law but under Scots law Johnny has a limited "rightful inheritance" claim (that would be the same even if John and Sharon had married) and at present only to moveable estate not land. What can he claim as John's representative under English law?

However I am really surprised that Pat 'n' Tone don't treat him the same way as they do Helen and Tom when the future of the farm is being discussed.

I suppose this story is a long haul given Pat 'n' Tone are only in their early 60s so an inheritance dispute is not likely in the immediate future.

I would be highly surprised if they don't have a long term plan for him. And (even as a lapsed lawyer!) I was referring to mythical rather than legal inheritance - his role in the story of the Archer family. They can't have brought him to Ambridge for any other reason - surely?

I have thankfully forgotten pretty much everything SOC said during his reign - but there was some intimation that they do occasionally sit down to discuss the long view and lay down storylines for the distant future.

I don't think Pat and Tony are being unfair at all - Johnny was still a child when he arrived, and they had no idea he'd be a farming natural. As they discover his talents they're giving him more responsibility and more of a stake in the farm.

Lily will have to come back and run the business. Because women are not allowed to have inappropriate sex or leave the Ambridge force field unpunished.

So far, it's only Johnny who's suggested that Lily should come back, and that's clearly on the basis that she needs to know that her mother is in a bad way rather than to run the business. I think it's more likely that people like Kenton, Pat and Geraldine will rally round in that respect.

don't think Pat and Tony are being unfair at all - Johnny was still a child when he arrived, and they had no idea he'd be a farming natural. As they discover his talents they're giving him more responsibility and more of a stake in the farm

He wasn't involved in any of the discussions about Tom's tree planting scheme or re- introducing dairy. Whilst I don't think he should have had a casting vote it might have been nice to include him before it became a fait accompli.

As it was, he was righly sceptical about the trees.

Thanks DadDadDad for the welcome, though I think you'll have to re-think the bit about this being the friendliest board on MN! Off to Google Lynda and Robert Snell ...

Hah! Oneforsorrow - it must have been you I looked up Lynda and Robert on the BBC Archers character list for. Then forgot all about it ...

though I think you'll have to re-think the bit about this being the friendliest board on MN! Off to Google Lynda and Robert Snell ...

As I recall, you asked for "background information" but never actually asked a question. Were we supposed to recount the complete life history of a couple in their seventies?

Anyway. Hello Joyce and welcome to the board.

Were we supposed to recount the complete life history of a couple in their seventies?

Not quite but many of you are usually quite happy to share your extensive knowledge of the Archers ...

I love Jonny's accent - it's a nice contrast to the excessively posh voices of Jenny and Kate and the - to my ears - comedy Borchester accents.

Not quite but many of you are usually quite happy to share your extensive knowledge of the Archers ...
... in response to specific queries or reminiscences.

Robert & Lynda synopsis: they're not from round here. The end.

Lynda
Robert