#102: Fatted calf is off the menu - will the Easter Bunny save Lower Loxley's bacon, or will there be egg on Russ's face? Will Tom's sausage business get the chop? Join us here to discuss The Archers!

[GabrielleNelson]

Thanks due to @PseudoBadger for kicking off 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. Thanks also to all those who contributed to the thread title, principally Dumdedumdedum and MikeUniformMike on this occasion.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed. We don't all agree on all points and most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd like to be Susan's best friend or other odd unusual views.

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 this thread, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

So, to business: will Helen's new cheese be a success? Will Kate succeed in keeping her visiting Brummies under control? Will Pip, Toby, Tom and Natasha fall into the slurry pit, leaving Rosie to be brought up by Anthony Head Robin Fairbrother? Will we ever hear Lee again, and will he casually drop in a mention of his fine collection of framed Bruce Lee posters?

A few days ago Elizabeth asked Johnny to take over some more hay for the rare breeds. Johnny would, it seems, normally have delivered the stuff to Reg - but he wasn’t available and none of the other staff or any Pargetter was around. So it was Russ who received the hay and opened the barn for it to be stored. He was sorting this out with Johnny when Freddie appeared.

Tbh I can completely understand why Freddie doesn’t want Russ sliming all over the LL business.

But I suspect he was also thoroughly upset to see Russ getting on so well with Johnny. Between Russ and Bella and the Montbeliards (?) Johnny’s attention is rather stretched at the moment - leaving Freddie on the outside.

Thank you George Oh and who is Xanthe and why was she one of Rosie's godparents? Maybe I can answer that Is she one of Pip's friends?

I think she was one of Pip's friends from uni.

Great Motoko. Thank you.

Interesting that Freddie had a go at Fallon, for employing her Dad when ,of course, it was down to J'lene; who is on a tour. I wonder if she would 've employed him? At least Kenton is being forgiving. Note that Freddie didn't ask him.

Also I noticed that Ruarhi didn't want to talk to Fred,, would a teenager really obey his parents in that way?

Ruarie would have been upset by the incident with Noluthandu, his neice?

As an op has said Noli snatched whatever it was from Fred who told her to take half. I don't think he held her down and MADE her take it did he?

TBH one bottle of vodka can kill someone but there's not much fuss about that is there? It all annoys me and I don't do any of it, it's just the hypocrisy (which I have mentioned before sorry ). Noli is his half niece, a bit confusing isn't it?

But that's not how Brian and Jenny presented it to Ruarie, who was at school when it happened (I think).

I don't remember how they told him. I do remember them going round to have a go at Lizzie and the hypocrsiy of it, esp considering Kate's image and the mushrooms that Noli got into with Fred.

Where’s the emoticon for ‘TA dragging their feet and having to catch up with a story we’ve already written for them’?

Lewis!

I'm going to give up on the Compare&Contrast game. There's no subtlety fun in it any more.

I know Natasha's annoying, but I think she has a point when she says Tom doesn't really stand up for her.

I thought the scene when Jakob delivered some home truths about Susan to Chris was very funny, and I don't know why Jakob felt the need to give her flowers. Perhaps Chris could do his mother a favour and convey, kindly, how she is perceived by others.

Russ' feet thoroughly under the table now. He's never leaving. Will Lily be pleased or irritated that while she sweats it out at the call centre, Russ has an art gallery land in his lap?

I thought the flowers thing was very odd. Wonder what Jakob said as he handed them over to Susan - "Sorry for not answering all your nosy questions the other day"?

I missed what Jakob said, as my husband was talking over it! I just heard the bit where Chris said it was his mum, so guessed Jakob had put his foot in it. I'll have to listen to it tomorrow afternoon.

Arf at Natasha calling Susan "snippy". I've never come across a snippier person.

Lewis !!! They remembered about him.

But surely Lizzies not going to kick him out of his flat (?) to give to Russ?

I know Natasha's annoying, but I think she has a point when she says Tom doesn't really stand up for her

But she is always either in the wrong or taking umbrage at some imagined slight.

Listening to Jakob dig right down to Australia was pretty hilarious.

R4 you can compare and not contrast with Eastenders tonight. Far as I recall there was always a market stall job miraculously available in Albert Sq, no advertising necessary, as long as you were as close as faaaaaaaaaamly. Just the same as at LL.

And Tom will remember to get the right rice next time, won’t he?

And Tom will remember to get the right rice next time, won’t he?

Won't he just ! Natasha is horrible but that was brilliantly written and acted.

By heck, Natasha's hard work. What normal person, doesn't get it that moving house is a gigantic pain.

Agree that Russ is well in there. I wonder had he "discussed" moving out with Lily in much the same way she didn't "discuss" taking on the call centre job. Freddie is going to be so pissed off.

Why can’t Elizabeth advertise for a decent gallery manager? Russ says he can paint and he’s an art teacher but that doesn’t mean he can run a gallery. And he’ll be shackled to LoLo when Lily is ready to go back to University. Elizabeth hasn’t even thought to mention her brilliant idea to her daughter, who has already run off to the call centre in desperation.

What is she thinking of?

And he’ll be shackled to LoLo when Lily is ready to go back to University. Elizabeth hasn’t even thought to mention her brilliant idea to her daughter

I'm guessing we are heading towards the shackles being voluntary and mutually beneficial in more ways than one?