Movin' on up (Ed and Emmur), Movin' on out (Brian and Jenny), Time to break free (Lily from Russ, we hope), Nothing can stop *The Archers* in 2019 - Thread 97 (Joe Grundy’s age!)

[Bittermints]

Many thanks to @LilianGish for the title and to @NotdeadyetBOING for being the last threadstarter. Further thanks due to @PseudoBadger for kicking of this long, long series of Archers threads and to @DadDadDad for being our resident statistician and keeping the ball rolling when Pseudo stepped back a bit.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please. We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3439443-keep-it-to-yourself-the-archers-spoilers-thread-4, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

I wonder where Brian and Jennifer will end up. I was very taken with the idea on the last thread that the mysterious Gills won't last very long and the house will be sold back to the Aldridges at a knockdown price.

I think we are primed to distrust Lee, because of Rob. There was a moment in the party episode where Helen was going to show a child out and I thought that Lee and Henry were going to be alone, I was sure he was going to say something awful to Henry. Instead Helen returned and it was in fact obviously a device for Helen and Lee to be alone so they could arrange their date at the laurels. Admittedly I am out of the dating loop but wasn't aware care homes were the best place to hold romantic engagements.

Probably a combination of Helen's track record, the paucity of men who would want to date a nearly forty year old control freak who lives with her parents, and the way Lee was so eager to slag off his ex wife.

My feeling with Lee was, that as soon as he started saying his ex wouldn't let him see his children, Helen should have wondered why. Instead she leapt straight into sympathetic mode.

I hope she's right, and think she may well be this time, that he is a really nice bloke. But, that persistent alarm bell needs to be switched off, with a bit more info about the ex and their history, before I warm to him.

I do think Helen's lack of desparation, determination, or anything much of her hitherto usual 'attitude' bodes well for her. She's moved into 'protective of the dcs but otherwise doesn't really give a monkeys' mode, with no expectations of relationships, or the old pressure on herself. She's not going to rush into anything, feel she has to prove herself, or let him get under her skin too fast (famous last words!).

I'm really hoping Lee is just a nice guy who really likes kids and misses his own because (it does happen) his ex is unreasonable/possessive/jealous of his talent for getting on with kids.

Agree Errol. He sounds fine to me.

Nice for Helen and the boys to settle down (get their own house) with a pleasant person. Even if he's not a Proust reading intellectual .

Lee is a bit see-saw. He comes across with adults as not quite right (eg the situation with the ex) but he is great with children (Keira and Henry at judo; the party). I don't know which side he will come down on.

I'm surprised no-one has been round to introduce themselves to the Gills, that's what would happen in my village. Possibly with a bottle of homemade wine or basket of courgettes or apples (in season).

(Motivated more by nosiness than neighbourliness, but still.)

Well some exes are unreasonable. Notice that Helen hasn't mentioned her ex. Lee obviously doesn't know about R. why wouldn't he mention his?

Yes, I hope (and think) that Lee got together with his ex when younger and a bit naive, they both grew up, difficult behaviours emerged in her, more maturity in him, they separated and, there we are.

Anyone kept from seeing their dcs would be upset about it and be likely to mention it, especially with another parent whose trust they've already gained to some extent. It's not as if he's talking about the ex to all and sundry, he comes across as professional otherwise.

I do think though, that anyone with an awareness of situations like Helen's, nevermind Hel herself, would just subtly dig a bit to reassure themselves.

Fingers crossed he's lovely and they move very, very slowly.

Oooh happy new year all. This new thread came around rather quickly.
Thanks bitter and dad for activating the text. Another fab title from lil'G

That whole Ed scene was too ominous for words. At the start I thought he was going to have a workplace accident and be rendered unable to pay his mortgage. He should get contractors insurance asap. Agree it all sounded other sorts of suspect too.

Lottie asked how Kate will react to loud drunken parties near her yurts.
If she's around I should think she'll gatecrash them

I've lost track of the Great Clean-Up Operation now, but doesn't Kate have to suspend all woo in Spiritual Home while the clean-up is completed? It's not simply that she has lost interest (or that, perish the thought, the script writers CBA to write these bits of plot) but that the business, which was suffering from association, will need to be relaunched when the land gets a clean bill of health. Or have I misremembered a vital bit?

Ooh, 35 minutes to go before the will-she, won't-she return to Manchester episode...Unless it's going to happen disappointingly off-stage?

Thanks for the shiny new thread @bittermints. I tend to not trust men who slag off the mothers of their children.

Thanks for the new thread Bittermints
I thought Helen and Lee were going to meet at the care home and go for a coffee afterwards? Unless the care home has an in-house Costa?

Was that some kind of Brexit reference by Susan? I'm not sure, it was very subtle...

Susan's not known for her subtlety.

Oooh - excellent!

Russ will have to take to Street Art now ...

Yeah but no but. I cheered when she didn't go. But then realised the SW have arranged a storyline that makes us happy when an intelligent woman doesn't go to university.

I was being sarcastic. It was really a case of the SWs not being subtle, placing that line in her mouth. Don't tell the Express - they were up in arms about a supposed Brexit dig in Doctor Who this week.

Yes. That's true. (I did hesitate to cheer.)

However. One hopes that Lily will be gaining more (freedom from Ross?) than she loses (an unsuccessful university placing) and there is every possibility that she can start again at some stage. It's not like Brenda (f'rinstance) who really gained nothing.

Checking in before the thread romps away.
Looking forward to Lily having her eyes opened. Listen to Phoebe......

I thought it was quite a subtle Brexit reference, certainly subtle enough that I didn't pick up on it until I saw someone up in arms about it on Facebook*. Then I had to listen again to find out what it was because I couldn't remember her having said anything untoward.

• I am not known for my great subtlety or ability to read any kind of subtext at all.

Hello, I'm delighted to find this thread, which I had no idea about but am avid archers fan.

Russ is making my skin crawl, but I don't think the SWs are done with him by a long shot yet. Threads I've followed previously on Facebook etc speculate he's after Lily's painting, or perhaps Elizabeth's wealth in a different way.

Hannah is annoying me too, not sure how that dynamic is going to come to a head.