100 Archers threads! We are truly overinfested. Whether you need some help from a therapist in a tabard, or want to move your wife in with your FWB, there’s something in Ambridge for you!

[PseudoBadger]

Well hasn’t it been a fun few years! Thank you all for supporting the threads and sharing in love and critique of The Archers.

Very much enjoyed Peggy's putdown. But...she was falling over herself for Rob, and she decided to damage Tony by bypassing him in her will. So I'm sceptical about her all-seeing astuteness although she has her moments. I think the difference is that she is prepared to say no to Kate, but it takes others a longer time to get there. Perhaps Kate only truly takes notice of the thoroughly entitled confidence of the very old and very rich. And where did all Peggy's money come from? She wasn't minted in her first marriage, and Hazel got most of Jack W's assets. How is it that Peggy seems to be able to offer a perpetual line of credit to her grandchildren for their schemes (I may have exaggerated her financial support of Tom over the years)?

A begrudged Boop for CMR who for once sounded like an actual grown-up.

Yes, and it just occurred to me, maybe it won't be Lily who gets tired of being with an older man. It might be CMR who gets fed up with hanging round with someone who behaves like a child.

Peggy's bottomless money pit is slightly puzzling but she did sell The Bull to Sid and Kathy for a very good price and she must have made a reasonable return on being freeholder there over the many years when she was working in the Estate Office and Grey Gables. Lilian let her live in Blossom Hill Cottage, and I doubt whether she charged her mother rent. She must have been saving most of her income. I bet she's a very shrewd investor. She owns The Lodge outright and she did get something from Jack's estate. Handy plot device, anyway!

As far as I can recall, Kate has always been like this.

Short, cynical answer is that the SWs like having awful characters as they're easy to write for.

Longer answer follows. She grew up in a dysfunctional family comprising:

• Brian: selfish, workaholic, womaniser, took her mother for granted, had one clear favourite amongst his children (Debbie), desperate for a son of his own blood and not taking much trouble to hide his disappointment that he didn't have one

• Jennifer: devoted mother but not always a sensible one, snob, capable but a doormat, aware of Brian's womanising but choosing to ignore it for the sake of a quiet and extremely comfortable life (materially)

• Adam: away much of the time (school, university, Africa), never entirely at ease at Home Farm because of Brian's obvious preference for Debbie, also struggling with his sexuality for decades before finally coming out on his return from Africa

• Debbie: tension and rivalry with Adam but also a very close bond from their early years (big age gap before Kate came along), train crash of a love life, unhealthily close tie to Brian, world came crashing down when she found out about Siobhan and Ruairi, fled to Hungary

• Alice: everything Kate wasn't - hardworking, clever, driven (actually, that applies to all of Kate's adult siblings), able to twist Brian round her little finger, displaced Kate as the baby of the family and didn't get sent to boarding school unlike all the older children

No great surprise, then, that Kate is utterly selfish, irresponsible, hedonistic, desperate for attention of any kind; has very little common sense, rather low self-esteem, short attention span, no filter, poor boundaries, strong sense of entitlement; lacks empathy and reflective capacity.

Fabulous character but I'd run a mile from someone like that IRL.

Liliy means well but she IS young, she's fed up being a thoughtful daug hter and a caring partner to CMR who is showing some empathy to them both. (surprise emoji).

The scene with Kirsty and Helen was a good one, if Helen needs to 'let go' of all her fears to someone then Kirsty is the right person.

Massive BOOP for Peggy.

I have a horrible feeling Helen is going to pluck up the courage to spill the beans to Lee - only to have him run a mile.

If Lee runs a mile then he's not the right man for Helen.
They aren't compatible, Lee is rather childish and too eager to please. But Helen finds him safe and easy company which would then turn to irritation and boredom perhaps not knowing why.
I hope Natasha charms Peggy and they get on well.

I don't get why the SW's give Helen such a low self esteem. If she explains her problems to Lee in the way she talked to Kirsty, he WILL run a mile. She was defending Henry FGS.

Great analysis Gabrielle

It would be great if they made the lovely, well grounded Phoebe a vegan as well as Kate. Lazy writing to just have flaky, entitled Kate as one.

You should know, Kate!

Peggy was great and I particularly enjoyed the mental image of Kate trying to get her to sit in a mobility scooter to go round the supermarket!

One of my clearest memories of listening to TA with my Mum and Dad was when Kate went missing as a teenager and Brian and Jenny has to go and identify a body of a young girl, which of course turned out not to be her. I am more or less Kate’s age and I remember my parents being ashen-faced as they listened. I don’t know if Kate has ever apologised for the trauma that she put Brian and Jenny through.

I have a horrible feeling Helen is going to pluck up the courage to spill the beans to Lee - only to have him run a mile.
In total contrast to what happened when Tom fessed up to Natasha, which will only make the situation more painful. She should have told him ages ago; the longer she delays it, the worse and more monumental it will get.

Helen was enjoying the 'bubble' of Lee not knowing when everyone else in her world did - such a relief to put it out of mind and enjoy herself but, of course, it came crashing back with that song.

It might be CMR who gets fed up with hanging round with someone who behaves like a child.

I think he is the type of man who likes to have a younger, weaker partner because it makes him feel all strong & powerful.

I know a few like that ...

Congratulations to everyone on 100 threads!

I thought Tom sounded ever so slightly slightly sheepish when he was telling Helen about the outrageous bungalow plan. He's such a wazzock. Natasha reminds me of his supermarket buyer one.

I can imagine CallMeRuss and Elizabeth getting together, marrying, and then it being a good set up thereafter for lots of tension between them and the kids...

That would be horrible for Lily! You don't want your partner moving on to your mum I hope that doesn't happen and that Freddie's return causes Lily to see Russ in his true light.

Hello, you must be the best tagine!

It would. I reckon Lily is getting a bit fed up with Russ and their relationship will end anyway, maybe. Although that wouldn't stop it being extremely awks. And I think Freddie would find it intolerable.

Sorry, I hadn't realised there was already a tagine name in use

I wonder when Lizzie will get her act together enough to ask Russ why he's still at LL and hasn't returned to their flat to continue with his painting ? !!

I thought they don't have the flat anymore due to a midnight flit after not paying rent?

I don't think Elizabeth, even in her zonked-out state, would fall for Russ!

Russ might, however, try to move on her, and then Elizabeth will be in a horrible dilemma where she can't tell Lily, or she will try, and Russ will dismiss it as a symptom of Elizabeth's disturbed state. Ugh.

Maybe she can become his life model on the crumpled bed... lawks.

Lizzie seems a very long way from getting her act together, and if things continue to go wrong that'll compound things.

Helen could go to the therapist Lizzie's seeing and we could get a spin of show.

It could be like 'in the psychiatrist's chair' but with Archer's characters, exploring their dilemmas in depth.