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.

Ohhhhhhh, Canterbury Tales, how could I have missed that?

Someone earlier mentioned David having a funny line. He had a few undercutting replies to Lynda, but the best was when Lynda mentioned that in the village hall she couldn't get over the stale whiff of familiarity, and David dryly said "is this after the Scouts had been in?"

Some sitcoms get (canned) laughter out of weaker material.

Yup, managed to completely miss that you were joking! That will teach me to post when I should be asleep!

I wonder if Anna could have better served Elizabeth if she had been less hedging in her advice. I know from my own work that when you are being asked your professional view, you prefer to avoid absolutes because there is always the possibility of someone having a different interpretation. ("Not unreasonable" is well-used by actuaries).

But if she had been bold and said "You are wasting your money, there is nothing here that would lead a judge to give leave to appeal. You cannot change this" - would this have been terribly unprofessional? Then Elizabeth could focus on practically supporting Freddie.

I thought the waste of time and money wasn’t of interest to Elizabeth. She needs to be told that he could end up with a longer sentence!

However ... They keep telling us the deadline for appeals is Friday.

And what are Fridays for???

And what are Fridays for???

Prizes!!
ooops, sorry, wrong programme.

Anna started out bold, but then got a bit pompous about firms with less integrity that might take on such a case for a fee. Which gave Elizabeth an opening. You'd expect as a person who gives advice and advocates for a living, she'd know when to shut up.

Crunchies?

Massive sighs of relief?

Cliffhangers?

Crackerjack?

Fish and chips!

Big glass of wine and Gardeners' World in this household. Charlie Bingham fish pie if I'm lucky. Preceded by an hour long gym class so I can occupy that place on the sofa with a clear conscience.

So, looks like I'm the only one here raised on the 'Friday is a day of fasting and penance' school of thought then.

I think Gardeners' World's off air at the moment, isn't it? So that wine will be have to go unaccompanied!

Alas, yes, it finished last week. Monty Don has written a book about Nigel, his dog! Plainly, plans to ride the wave of popularity while he can. (Mind you, I did see the book in a charity shop, so might not be his best.)
The session in the gym is sort of penitential...burpies and mountain climbers (shudder).

I saw two dogs last week, I wondered if he'd been using a stunt double until then!

Burpies plus a fish pie is going a long way towards the penitential lifestyle, I'm sure my ancestors would approve.

Charlie Bingham's fish pie is mostly butter and bechamel! not very penitential really.

I think there's some succession planning going on in Monty's household - Nigel's sidekick is there to step in when Nigel finally goes to the freshly-dug border in the sky.

Lillian must be the Wife of Bath, surely? But who will play the minxy Alyson?

That was one of the most enjoyable and positive episodes for ages! Just ordinary people getting along amicably. No one being angry or snarky or disingenuous. That is actually how life is most of the time!

I loved my mental picture of Lynda and Robert by the stove in the shepherd's hut. And I must admit I welled up a bit to hear Jill and Josh in the orchard. Just a grandson doing something genuinely kind to make his grandmother happy. I reckon you all have misjudged Josh in this instance. Alright, he might have a devious, selfish side, but I reckon he's 100% sincere where Jill is concerned.

Aha! I was right and the Miiler's Tale. Whose job will it be to say "and prively he caught hire by the queynte"? Or act it? Or be the recipient?

Lordy, lots of "what's my motivation here?" :o

I think Josh was genuinely remorseful - not a popular thought on here I know but I like him getting on with his business despite his terrible parents. Wouldn't he have an automatic opening/closing door for his hens as it's a commercial outfit? - and they're not that expensive. His hens definitely are free range as they roam in a field. Silkes and pekins lay cream/white eggs respectively so would be a bit risky of him to use their photos in his publicity - though no doubt he will!

Whose job will it be to say "and prively he caught hire by the queynte"? Or act it?

We could be about to find out who Ambridge's equivalent to Donald Trump is. Or at least in Lynda's mind.

She needs to be told that he could end up with a longer sentence! Strictly, not a longer sentence (which can arise from an appeal by the prosecution", but "loss of time", ie starting your sentence all over again from scratch from the date of appeal. I really hope they don't go down that route.

I was in a staff meeting earlier discussing our upcoming Christmas play (I’m a primary teacher) and I just got a fit of the giggles because the lead teacher was talking about using the space differently, possibly having a different venue, having displays in the foyer to get people in the spirit before they enter the hall etc. I did say it was all getting a bit Lynda Snell!

Just caught up after a few days away in a chateau with a three-temperature kettle Belated condolences to DDD for the death of his hamster - we recently laid ours to rest round the corner in Père Lachaise cemetery. Had to come on and give a massive BOOP for finding a non-speaking role for Neville Booth in Lynda's extravaganza. I love the fact that thanks to the wonders of radio Lynda can pull off the most ambitious production with any number of special effects. I was secretly hoping she'd be attempting something like Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or even possibly a stage version of Gravity - all perfectly achievable in Ambridge thanks to the magic of radio

DoctorTwo :o

Can the appeal process even proceed if Freddie is unwilling to participate? Isn’t Lizzie just going to widen the rift between them by pursuing an appeal?