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'm definitely too much of a lurker to do it... I didn't even make the list in the last thread (which made me realise I've been listening less as well, on maternity and used to listen on the way to work!)

Caught up on last night.... hurrah for Geraldine! She sounds like quite a good character, we’re surely keeping her?

Thing is, I had a list on the last thread of who had posted the most, and those at the top all started ruling themselves out - although I think witch was the top in the end.

I'm not too keen on making that the rule, because it will discourage posting and also require doing the count every thread which will become a burden - I do some stats from time to time for the lolz (as they say), but these threads are about discussing The Archers!

I will leave it to witch to nominate Quater someone, and if that doesn't work, I'll alternate with witch until our saviour PseudoBadger returns.

I'm trying to think of a new title suggestion and possibly volunteer to start a new thread maybe if we have one and I'm awake but struggling tonight

Fancying themes of races the Jalistair marathon and Ben & Ruari Rory. Or vacancies? At LL, the pig unit, the bull, the cereal cupboard, script supervisor for the panto looking likely. Or hellos and goodbyes? Hello Lexi, Ben, R bye bye Geraldine, probably LL and the last shreds of Elizabeth's sanity. Sorry so tired. Is it thinking out loud if you're typing?

Ooh DDD I deployed the mother's kiss method of unblocking this week to great effect. It's marvellous and oddly satisfying. Apparently inkling #1 didn't learn her lesson after all.

Let’s see how birds feels after the hangover has worn off. There’s no reason why the thread can’t suatain itself by someone popping up and volunteering towards the end of each one. I agree with DDD that counting discourages posting and is a waste of his time.

It’s a shame about all the excuses on the last thread. I didn’t mind taking a share of thread starting duties as part of a collective effort but I don’t feel inclined to do so when so many of the most frequent posters apparently think it’s beneath them. Because that’s what it comes down to really, if you’re on a forum almost daily and you can’t be bothered to take the few minutes it would take to start the thread, even if you’ve never started one before.

We don’t have to have a thread title full of puns. I assume the originators enjoy making them up but it’s not a prerequisite for the thread.

A rollercoaster of possibilities:" Lizzie plumbs the depths; Hannah scrapes the barrel of unpleasantness; Peggy offers the handrail of hospitality; Lynda does a scripted flounce; while Jazzer jogs on".

Ooh I like that, here my efforts tnot punny though

It's panto season. Elizabeth's lost all reason. She's moping, Freddie's coping. He's incarcerated, Ben is liberated. Welcome to the cereal cupboard Rosie.

Not entirely topical though

I've figured out how a new thread starts so won't shy away from duty

I’m happy to start a thread when necessary. I’m not great at writing witty titles though.

Do we need to think about how long the next thread will last? Canterbury Tales, lead up to Christmas, Freddie missing stir up Sunday? Rosie’s first Christmas? What else is going on?

The next thread will end before the middle of December, so the one after that will cover Christmas itself.

I've lost track of how many genuine, sober volunteers there have been, but I'd be happy to do it. Would need a title, though. Racking my brains here to think of anything witty enough.

Thank you to all the volunteers! Maybe the punsters among us can come up with a witty title.

Also welcome back ppeat, I meant to say that a while back.

Did I miss anything last night. Echts thread title is perfect I think.

I don't mind taking my turn either, if I'm around at the time. Not good at witty titles though but I'm sure there will be something current to combine with "Best Christmas Ever!"

Might be able to persuade the 🔮 to come up with a suitable title

I'm a bit at all these posters falling over each other to start the next thread. Obviously, my shaming approach last thread didn't work, but witch's stern words have done the trick.

Oh I'll do it (it will be borrowed from some of the splendid ones just posted) I bowed out when the subject arose last time ,because i have genuinely been off line at the specific time for quite a few months. But unusually I'm back in time for this one .

It's not a big deal just that i feel it may judged by all of you very literate posters !

Sorry "it may be judged".

I'm not going to do it till we reach 995 though!

The attraction of starting a thread is you don't have to think of a witty title, just pick from others' suggestions.

Anyway, how about discussing TA. I assume the omnibus was bumped this morning. What's happening with some characters we've not heard for a while: Kirsty (a long time), the Grundies... ?

So do I get the gig dadx3 ? Yes I'm enjoying it at the moment. Dave took parenting advice from Ruth to be understanding to Ben, which seemed to work. Though it's very true to life, he's the age where kids can go off the rails (or on the road!). Was there a compare and contrast between his and Ruarhi's treatment?

I like Lynda's swansong panto , with her trying to 'educate' the rednecks!

Great ppeat, why don’t you do it since you’re here this time and you really do disappear for weeks at a time? (I hope it’s for something nice). Thank you!

(Just pick a title suggested by one of the resident title writers, I did!)

ppeat - despite my dubious mantle as the Threadfather , it's an ancient tradition since thread 93 that the starter of the thread chooses the next starter, so it looks like witch has made that call.

The 🔮 says it knew ppeat would start the next thread

I enjoyed Geraldine's resignation - at last, someone tells Elizabeth, "Enough!" - and I shall be gutted and annoyed if she wavers. Elizabeth is going to have to pull herself together - get a locum manager or something. Recruitment agencies for event managers/PR folk should be her next call.

Lynda was fantastically rude to Jim, who was admittedly, rather condescending. I'm amazed he hasn't told her to manage script supervision (what is that, anyway?) herself.

so many of the most frequent posters apparently think it’s beneath them - I think the responses above have showed that it's the witty titles that are putting people off, plenty of people willing to do it if someone else gives them a title.

My own feelings are that it's a huge responsibility, and as a new arrival here I'm scared of making a mess of it. It's not just the title (and the thread-starter never just picks a title, they adapt and polish) it's also finding a new and friendly way of saying "everyone welcome but no spoilers".

DDD - TA omnibus came on about 9.15.