Thread #106: Jim’s in a jam, Peggy’s made a pickle and Lexi is blooming - sounds like the entries are lining up for this year’s flower and produce show, but who will be on the organising committee?

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Thanks to LillianGish for the title of this thread.

Holding episode tonight, I thought - not much progress on any current storyline. I was a touch surprised Natasha wasn't offended by the postnup idea but I suspect she's biding her time.

Who has a birthday party on a Monday night?

Especially when it was only last she was saying she wanted a party. At least we didn't have to live through weeks of planning, but it was implausible.

*only last week

A lot of the writing has been rather dire just lately. I'm getting heartily sick of the LSWs forgetting their own backstory for Gnasher.

The only reason Tom met her was because she had built a successful business in fruit growing and merchandising. It was her advising Tony/Tom about tree planting and how it affected the microclimate and soil as well as getting stuck in planting the trees. Its her idea about the village orchard which as a model to roll out more widely is an interesting idea and ticks quite a few environmental boxes.

An interesting story would be how they managed two businesses as a couple. Instead of which she has been reduced to a "makeover girl" too stupid to see through Eddie Grundy and apparently available full time to Bridge Farm.

LSWs come and go but TASWAMA is always. with us.

Oh and I also want to know how they are going to reconcile a glorified inheritance tax avoidance scheme with the status of a "charitable" trust. I'm entirely with Emma on this - if the environment was really what Peggy cared about the money wouldn't be reserved for close family members, only one of which has any track record in that space.

Particularly considering Brian's track record at Home Farm.

Thinking longer term I assume now Lilian has been 'snookered' into chairing the thing, we can look forward to her being pressurised, bribed and bullied by Tom etc to swing the win their way.

Or, given Peggy has blathered to latif etc they will now swoop in with a grand plan and nab the prize

Or, alternatively, it was just a shambles of an episode. It's saving grace was not having to hear Jim and Alistair for once.

C8H yes yes about Gnasha who has gone from super-business woman to manipulative wifey

Tbh I also think that Peggy's grandiose intention to 'change the world' is risible and self-deluding. I mean, it'd be GREAT, obviously. But....an awful lot of people around the world have spent an awful lot of time and money thus far desperately trying to find the magic solution to climate change.

Half a mill in Ambridge is not going to cut it. Half a mill is pocket change in this context. Though I applaud the impulse behind her offer.

Also, yes - dreadful episode. Lilian at her worst, daaaaaaahling

Half a mill in Ambridge is not going to cut it. Half a mill is pocket change in this context. Though I applaud the impulse behind her offer

No it won't, especially when its a glorified "keep it in the family scheme".

That said, small sustainable schemes creating models which can be replicated fully or partially by other towns and villages could be done on that budget. The village orchard scheme fits into that model, grand schemes about being an international training centre really don't.

C8H yes yes about Gnasha who has gone from super-business woman to manipulative wifey

I'm not sure why the Gnasha storyline is annoying me so much - TASWAMA is pretty much BAU. However its both badly written and annoying - with the Peggy Memorial Foundation bollocks I'm losing my desire to listen at the moment.

The whole Ambridge Conservation Trust storyline is in danger of bringing the charitable sector into disrepute.

Have we been told who the trustees are?

The whole Ambridge Conservation Trust storyline is in danger of bringing the charitable sector into disrepute.

Elements of the charitable sector are already doing that, unfortunately.

I'm not sure why the Gnasha storyline is annoying me so much - Gnasha was introduced as a hotshot businesswoman with orchards of fruit trees and a fruit juice business who knows where (almost certainly Wales if the tattoo is anything to go by). But having met and married Tom in record time she appears to have all but abandoned this business (even when she disappeared there was no suggestion that she was beavering away with her juices) to spend her time wafting about Ambridge doing makeovers, running up debts and organising extravagant parties. She has persuaded Tom to ditch his pigs (though he still seems to be ordering new ones for comedy purposes), but is happy to stay holed up in the expanding one-bed over the shop planning an orchard village with no thought of her own existing orchards goodness knows where. The SW have given her half a back story - with the orchards and debts and mysterious ex-flatmate, but none of it really hangs together. All of this annoys me - I can't be bothered to try and work her out as I don't think the SWs have worked her out themselves.

Well Captain Lilian and Toby DO work together at the Bull why was it so crappy? One can have a party any day if the participants don't have to get up the next day!

It’s true - high society Lilian would never have put on a party at such short notice, on a Monday! All her friends would have done this face.

Hard enough to believe she’d hold it at the Bull. There wouldn’t even be any profit in it since she was presumably paying for all the drink.

I'd like Lilian to panic and speak to Annabelle/Usha any blooming lawyer or accountant...

Even a quick google would give them an inkling that this fake charity/tax dodge will be a bit of a pricey idea.

No way would Lilian have a Monday party in the pub.

I think Keri D's scripts aren't due to be aired until September. I think it is going to be a long summer!

I missed the first few minutes and didn't realise the party was in the Bull. That makes much more sense now - the chatting with Toby. Otherwise, I didn't think they moved in the same social circles.

Me too, Captain.

I hope Sonny Ormonde was paid double overtime rates for that episode.

Having to singlehandedly pretend to be in a large roomful of several dozen people, having a jolly party, with only Toby and Peggy for backup, must be a big ask for any actress!

Or actor - if we're being PC

Took me ages to work out who she was talking to. At first I heard Tom but thought it couldn’t be him due to her no family rule.
Presumably at 70-something her friends don’t have to get up for work the next day in most cases. She was rather a parody of herself though.

Oh Lord, is Jazzer about to lose his job already?

Oh Jazzer! I think he needs some counselling himself. I did agree with what he said, although I do understand why Alice was apprehensive.

Don't know why Ian was more of a priority to Adam, over Alice. So one chef slagged off Ian's food? He's not going to lose anything by Adam not ringing him until 10 minutes later. Yet Alice could lose the company a lucrative contract, if she doesn't get those numbers in time, which could affect her job.

Would Lillian be able to be a trustee, being the daughter of the person who set up the trust, and being closely related to the potential beneficiaries?

Would Lillian be able to be a trustee, being the daughter of the person who set up the trust, and being closely related to the potential beneficiaries?

Quite. But sets up lots of potential for wounded egos and boringenduring conflicts to fuel slack narratives for the future.

Don't know why Ian was more of a priority to Adam, over Alice

I agree, that was odd. Usually Adam has no problem putting Ian's concerns on the back-burner and focussing on what is in front of him. He's successfully avoided many a profound issue within their relationship until strongly pressed by Ian but today prioritised a deflated soufflé! And there's no way Adam would ever ask Jazzer if he minded him reading a text.

she appears to have all but abandoned this business

Agreed. I'm sure they've never mentioned her employing anyone to do the work she used to do. It's utterly improbable given how driven and ambitious she has been portrayed.