Fast falls the eventide for Joe Grundy, the darkness deepens for Ed - will he be fenced in or is there still time for acts of pennants? Abide with us and discuss The Archers, thread #104!

[GabrielleNelson]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads and @DadDadDad for being our resident statistician and keeping the ball rolling when Pseudo stepped back a bit and more recently when someone forgot they had promised to start the next thread, ahem.

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 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!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Thanks also to LillianGish for the splendid thread title. As actor Edward Kelsey died last month, we have probably heard Joe Grundy for the last time, or will do very shortly. RIP Mr Kelsey; many thanks for creating a wonderfully vivid character, gnarly toenails and all.

As pointed out on the last thread, we're getting very close now to the 100th birthday of June Spencer, who plays Peggy Woolley. What an achievement! I hope the team manage to squeeze Peggy into that day's episode, come what may.

Maybe the new Editor has found David as insufferably dull as I do and has determined on a drastic character reformation.

I wouldn’t mind at all if David’s heart can’t take the strain. Though I doubt if even sudden loss of parent and consequent premature inheritance would make Pip more interesting.

Oh no, more Pip would be awful. We haven’t heard from her for a while and it’s been lovely.

I’m very surprised Jill took Kenton’s side. She’s usually first in the queue to badmouth him. Having the temerity to leave Ambridge for an extended period (the ultimate crime) has left him with the Archers equivalent of the scarlet letter branded on him forevermore.

I also didn't really understand what 'I have no brother' is supposed to mean in the context of those two. So he's going to stop popping into the Bull and having Kenton over for Christmas dinner? He can't exactly go NC with anyone else, given their proximity and in-and-out of each other's houses-ness. He clearly wouldn't refuse to help if Kenton were genuinely in severe need (because that's not dependent on being a brother, you'd hope he'd help anyone if really necessary).

Much as people on here dislike Adam, I wouldn't mind an update on that side of the family. How's Lexi's pregnancy going, are Brian and Jennifer moving anytime soon, do the Gills actually live there anymore, how's Kate getting on with Peggy, is Christine still alive, has Roy moved to Birmingham???

As David was deeply upset by Elizabeth refusing to speak to him after Nigel’s death you’d think he’d remember that in speaking to Kenton (although Kenton is incredibly irritating).

Considering that Kenton has spent the last few years hiding every time the debt collector David was in the vicinity, he will be delighted at "I have no brother". A bit of an own goal there.
Didn't Shula lend money, too? Not sure about Lizzie. I know that David's was the lion's share but does Kenton also owe Shula - or has he paid it back / she's forgone the debt?

how's Kate getting on with Peggy
I'm surprised the novelty hasn't worn off after about 2 days.

I had completely forgotten about Roy, not a good sign for a character I would have thought.

How much does Kenton actually owe David? And has David forgotten that it was him changing his mind about moving at the last minute that caused Kenton to need to borrow the money in the first place?

Thank you Gabrielle.

Have been away trying to do some actual work for a while, but am back now.

Totally agree with Birds about the bunting story line being boring and very much having run its course.

Pulls up a chair....

has David forgotten that it was him changing his mind about moving at the last minute that caused Kenton to need to borrow the money in the first place?
That's slightly unfair. The main problem was Kenton spending the money before it had actually hit his bank account. Shula and Lizzie weren't so foolhardy. David's main culpability lay in not telling Kenton, mid spree, to rein in the spending because he (David) didn't want to spoil the holiday-of-a-lifetime.

Oh - and was anyone else waiting for David to shout 'stop bloody calling me DAVE' at Kenton during the rant?

“Oh my ducats, oh my brother”....

How long had the bunting been missing? It really does feel like an eternity.

I am also puzzled why David is so cross about the burgers - "Brookfield Burgers" would be a great little enterprise for Toby should he ever tire of gin-making. Alternatively maybe they could outsource to Tom who will presumably have quite a bit of time on his hands if/when the pigs go.

On the plus side, I am looking forward to hearing Camilla.

No. Really. Why is the octogenarian matriarch of Brookfield washing up by hand when they have a dishwasher? And many, many people in the household who are younger than her?

Though her habitual martyrdom nicely contrasted with Elizabeth’s instrumental visiting domesticity.

I enjoyed David's outburst. Kenton is one of many who needs a kick in the seat, I thin

So agree, I've often though that I must be listening to a different programme. so many people sneer at David but he's the one who is working to safe-guard their inheritance and Kenton is a nasty chancer who has never been able to manage his life.

Hello hello, I haven't posted for nearly two months because I've been binge listening intermittently, but I'm all caught up and am jumping back in. I laughed out loud at 'I have no brother' - fantastically awful!

Fink I wonder if they're keeping quiet about Lexi because they had a Brexit-baby storyline planned for her which is having to be reimagined. But yes, what's happening with Brian and Jenny? Kirsty and booooooring Philip and Roy? Where's Lilian??? When did we last hear her?

I'm so pissed off about Ed. FFS why can't he and Emma just be happy? I'm hoping he'll fess up to Harrison - maybe it can be his first big case as a sergeant!

Why is Jill washing up by hand?

Because Jill is the sort of person who cannot sit still, likes to be useful, and probably considers her washing up skills to be far superior to those of the dishwasher.

I know people who can’t bear to put just a couple of things in the dishwasher, it’s somehow untidy or dirty (this is not me by the way!). They’d rather wash up a mug, dry it and put it away (note Jill just left it to drain) and feel pleased with themselves.

My parents are like that. I'll have my eye on their breakfast things, thinking smugly 'That will just complete my load and then I can set the dishwasher off full', I turn my back and lo and behold, everything has been washed up and dried, and then left on the worktop as 'We don't know where you keep things'. Sigh.

In their own home, they have no dishwasher, never saw the need, and they wash everything up the instant it's used.

I think the episode marked a change for Lizzie - recognising that she had bottled up her own bereavement, and using her long silence to open the conversation with Will about grieving taking time.

It did seem to represent a bit of a step forward, but I fear she will instantly regress due to the imminent departure of the prodigal criminal.

Wasn't David making a fuss about the burgers because they were made with Bridge Farm beef rather than Brookfield's?

You could hear David's eyes bulging, couldn't you

Best episode for ages. Will and Lizzie, Jazzer and Fallon, David gone rogue, oh, and Jill completely missing the point about David and Kenton's feud - how many MN threads have we seen on that very theme? I'm team David btw, as any right thinking listener would be. I'm not entirely sure what a BOOP is but I'm fairly sure one is due here.😁

I'm definitely team David, he's annoying but in the right!

Oh bore off Lily you pompous, self- righteous twerp.

And why can't Freddy tell the silly little girl LL is at risk of going broke.