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.

Roy: 'want to have a little nap now?'....

Champoo dry heaves

ok, she is definitely leaving him/met someone else back home. But I think she is still up for the surrogacy? that could be wishful thinking as for some reason I really want that story line to happen

Even Roy can't be so dense that he doesn't realise which way the wind is blowing.

Lexi was pretty blatant - doling out polite rebuffs and excuses like that.

Its obvious her feelings have altered.

I’ve just caught up on the week’s episodes.

Stuff whether or not Geraldine was likely to have known Emma, my biggest 😱 of the week so far is the revelation that Emma is brunette!! In my head she is dyed platinum blonde.

Oh no, Emma's always had dark hair in my head!

Emma?

My mental picture is a chestnut Sandi Toksvig.

Surely you misheard! Emma is blonde. Home-dye kit. Surely.

Actually, I've just looked at the rogue's gallery. She's brunette. Not even a hint of balayage.

Well ... Emerald O'Hanrahan (current Emma) is very pretty but Emma to me looks like this particular, slightly stroppy and annoyed looking, photo of Felicity Jones (previous Emma). There's a hint of my mental image of Susan. I've imagined that Emma would be 'blonde' in good times but mousey haired when she and Ed are struggling.

It's all Geraldine's fault! What the actual?!

Well whoever predicted Elizabeth would blame the whole shitshow on Geraldine was right. I will give the SW credit for being consistent with her character. Every now and then I feel quite fond of Lizxy and then I'm reminded she's absolutely foul

Love it when the SWs read the thread!

The scriptwriting and acting this week has been much better than usual; people finishing each other's sentences and sounding as though they are actually talking to each other.
I thought the link from Susan reading out the newspaper to Emma telling Neil what she had said was brilliant.

Duncan's exit from Berrow after Hannah's unreasonable dressing down will be compared to Geraldine's........?

God, Elizabeth is a pain.

And yes - staggeringly good segue from Susan to her daughter. Following last Sunday's "they're probably hunched over their computer games now" transition to Ben and Ruairi joyriding - it really looks as if the new Editor actually cares about making radio witty and entertaining.

A rare and enthusiastic BOOP.

Was Neil’s phone really in the tea towel drawer all that time? It almost felt like something was going on and Emma has been hiding his phone so was looking for a clever way to return it, but I think it was just a plot device for Neil being out of touch with Berrow etc.

Surely, Susan’s someone who would have a fresh tea towel out everyday, and gossip about those who change them once a week like me .

I think it’s highly likely Lexi is back as the token EU national who will run into post-Brexit bother with the bloody UK government‘s immigration rules. They could have the people who care and those who don’t in the community and there’s scope for the snobs to crawl out over Lexi not doing a qualified role etc. Have we ever been told what Lexi did I Bulgaria before she came to the disUK?

It was Susan who had hidden Neil's phone - so he would rest properly. She confessed to Emma.

I think Lexi has said what her previous occupation was - but I've forgotten ...

Shudder at Roy trying to wet weekend Lexi into sex. So unattractive.

Elizabeth is an absolute disaster zone. Presumably the siblings will start planning an intervention.

Quater - thanks, I'd missed that. Although I feel obtuse because on reflection it's the obvious explanation.

Hannah is bang out of order with docking wages. I hope she gets a huge constructive dismissal claim against her- handled by a solicitor who actually knows what they are doing (ie not Usha)

I'm not surprised Elizabeth is blaming Geraldine and to a lesser extent Roy. It's what she does.

Any other mother would be wringing their hands and wondering where they went wrong, all her siblings would be reassuring her that it wasn't her fault Freddie went off the rails.

But not Elizabeth. It's all the fault of Freddie losing his dad, the police being unfair, the lawyers not doing a good enough job, the courts not realising that Freddie is a special snowflake....

I think Lexi has said what her previous occupation was - but I've forgotten ...

She was in the hospitality industry, I think the equivalent of Roy. That's why it was taking a big step down for her to do the more menial stuff at Grey Gables.

I hope she gets a huge constructive dismissal claim against her

So do I, not least because on TV soaps, they appear to sack people with no formal disciplinary process or notice, i.e. paying no attention to what should actually happen. I realise that going through a full disciplinary process migh

...might not make for exciting drama, but I do think it irresponsible that so often what is portrayed is so far from what ought to happen.

(Stupid phone.)

To be fair the world of work is always weird in soaps, no one commutes and recruitment usually involves someone suggesting their friend and bingo they are instantly employed.