#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?

She wasn’t actually calm R4 - but by the time Lily told her the truth Freddie was already in dire trouble. IIRC Elizabeth tried to question Lily’s judgment - and Lily stormed off in the car and went to stay in a house belonging to some friend of Mr Jones’.

It has been cunningly written. Poor Elizabeth is so utterly dependent on Lily’s support and cooperation that she isn’t being any sort of parent to her.

I don't think we're looking at a character change for CMR. It was noticeable that he stayed schtum when Lizzie said it was all down to her that they'd given up Manchester, and the producers know we know, IYSWIM.

Even worse than Peggy inexplicably sacking Emma. And the whole business of Toby and Brighton. And the utterly ridiculous Jolene on tour thing. And the insane business practices at Bridge Farm. And the vet practice nonsense

Thanks for the depressing list, Bertrand. It really brought home the ineptitude of the SWs. ☁︎

It was noticeable that he stayed schtum when Lizzie said it was all down to her that they'd given up Manchester, and the producers know we know, IYSWIM

Yes, but do they care? They blithely overlook anything and assume we'll fall in:

R4 Lily is 18 and an adult if she wants to mess up her life then it's up to her, (she doesn't seem to be doing too badly anyway), I liked the way she dealt with Freddie yesterday, if Lizzie had gone apeshit she would've driven Lily away completely, IMO Russ is a bit childish, but not a bad person.

The snowglobe has been shaken and the flakes are swirling around before coming to rest again in new permutations. Couldn't help but see the similarities between a snowglobe and a 🔮

If lizzie had gone apeshit they would have gone to Manchester, failed to manage finances and the relationship would have collapsed.
Sorry but I know of no one who works with young people who would think CMR is ok.

My point was, echt, that the bit where Lizzie said they'd left Manchester because of her didn't get into the script by accident, it was put in very deliberately to show that she's deluded about CMR, and that CMR isn't in any hurry to put her right about the facts. If they wanted to overlook that it wouldn't have been in the script. It suggests that they're not aiming at a character transplant, and that in fact they're making him quite a complex character as has been the case all along: witness, for instance, the way he rallied round when Lizzie had the panic attack when out shopping.

MereDint

“IMO Russ is a bit childish, but not a bad person.”
Even after the way he behaved towards Freddy and Lily when he had a professional duty of care?

They are making CMR a more complex character.

CMR and golden Lily colluded in the lie about why they left Manchester. There is clearly an empathy building up between CMR and Lizzie. It strikes me that CMR enjoys taking to another grownup.
I don't like Lily. For me lot of the time (most of the time) she comes across as a silly, vain, bossy child. I'm assuming she is beautiful but it would be wearing spending all your time talking to a teenager.

If Russ had shopped Freddie when he was at college, it may not have gone well. He would have to have shopped Ellis too who is violent, he was threatening Fred, it could all have all gone horribly wrong.

Of course it could have gone well if the police had picked up both of them (have they got him anyway?) Yes I see that CMR is\was an immature fool over Lily but maybe he was blinded by luuurve?

Something I cannot get to grips with is that Lily may be an adult in law, but a child till only recently who’s effectively been groomed by a teacher (yes, I know not her own teacher, but still in a position of power). How come that this is presented to us as acceptable to nearly all the supposedly sane people in Ambridge?

And I don’t buy it as love. He comes across as a slimy child molester, looking to feel superior to someone for once. Ugh.

It doesn’t matter what the consequences would have been of Russ telling the police about Freddie and Ellis. He had a professional responsibility to do it. He also had a professional responsibility not to sleep with Lily.

Presumably sooner or later he’s going to need a DBS check?

I'm not sure that the Lily/Russ relationship is being presented as generally acceptable; Kenton for one wasn't impressed, Lizzie was fairly horrified when she first heard about it, many of Lily's contemporaries have demonstrated their contempt, and I think there's been a bit of murmuring elsewhere. It's more that people generally aren't making an issue of it out of consideration for Lily and Lizzie.

Good thought about the DBS check. If CMR is going to be interacting with children in Easter Bunny mode, should someone have looked into that?

Erm she's 18 not a child. By law she could've been married for 2 years.

.

Exactly Bertrand. He had a professional responsibility. But what will a DBS check reveal? He hasn’t a criminal record as far as we know, does he? We don’t know what the reason for sacking him was / presumably he can’t get a decent reference to teach, but he’s not on anyone’s radar otherwise is he?

Who said it up-thread that the scriptwriters need an employment law advisor ?

The fact that a school or college student is over 16 doesn't excuse those in a position of responsibility in relation to her from disciplinary action or, potentially, criminal prosecution if they get into a sexual relationship with her, ppeatfruit.

He was sacked because his relationship with lily was contrary to college policy . He doesn't have a criminal conviction. It would be references not dbs that would be the problem.
In real life no one would think Russ as Easter bunny would be a good business/ publicity move.

The twins are 19, 20 in December. Still doesn't make it acceptable but Lily was 18 when the affair started. Didn't he resign? He was called back for a hearing after Kenton made an anonymous allegation of inappropriate behaviour.

Whatever the legal situation, CMR used his senior position atr the school to manipulate both Freddie and Lily to start, and maintain, an affair with Lily.

I wonder what is interfering with his 'creativity'? Is he another Leonard?

Sorry I can't remember if Russ was sacked or resigned before he was sacked. Whether Lily was 18 or not wouldn't be relevant in terms of his employment.

He may not be a Leonard, but I doubt he has enough talent to make it. Professional artists don’t hang about for inspiration from the primroses or whatever grows at LL, but sit down and get on with producing. Which makes me think... The sponging parasite could have done all sorts of commercial stuff by now. Even produced illustrated cards for the LL shop, rather than smarming over his putative mother in law.

Is it very obvious I don’t like him very much ?

Well, I still think that Russ is stealthily inching his way ever closer to the Gwen John.

I reckon he will have arranged for an imposter to take his place inside the bunny outfit on Sunday, while he disappears with Lily's inheritance, never to be seen again.

Just a theory.....