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?

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

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.

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 www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3439443-keep-it-to-yourself-the-archers-spoilers-thread-4, 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 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.

I'm with you on the Shula front, Beardie.

Also, why the hell can't Alistair just say it's confidential, end of? Why have him wallowing in his own feelings and dropping hints like mad? Why mention Jazzer knows, that's a breach of confidence in itself.

When this gets back to Jim, as is likely, he will throw strop of epic proportions, and with good reason.

Shula absolutely did not want to nurse Jim when he had his broken leg, was very glad when he went off back to Scotland, and when he moved to Ambridge she was horrified and angry.

She is not entitled to interfere in the lives of two people she discarded for no particular reason except that she was bored!

The wretched woman is an emotion-vampire.

Sorry - I know its the "thing" to hate Shula but I don't! She is a complex character. Nope she didn't want to nurse Jim - who had always been a critical and annoying FIL (especially compared with Bunty and whatever his name was). But she did it - just like a lot of people on MN do.
Also lots of people do seem to lay on her the faults of others - I've heard a lot of people say they think she stopped going to St Stephen's when Janet became Vicar - when that was Peggy!
Even with the Hunt Sab incident - if you have a long enough view, you would see that she was conflicted from aspects way before Rob. There were constant incidents with Hunt Sabs in her youth, and she might genuinely of worried that the Sab was going to do more. And it clearly showed her being eaten up by guilt after she lied.
No she isn't a saint - but then neither are most people. She's a good Aunt to Freddie and even Jim is somewhat reconciled to her.
Nope she didn't go the right way to end her marriage with Alistair - but Alistair has forgiven her and now sees it as for the best (and certainly it makes him more interesting).
And I don't think she is interfering - just being concerned. And she is the only person outside the situation that Alistair can talk to at all. (Although Fiona does need to be involved too.).

But whatever Shula does some people will complain. If she saved a drowing kitten she would be accused of trying for sainthood and doing it for her own self-aggrandisement.

I agree Molly, I always find it interesting to compare how Shula and Brian are talked about.

I agree about Shula Molly I like her a lot more than I did, and I never DISliked her. She's much more sympatico now. Jim was saying how much he likes her now too.

I've heard a lot of people say they think she stopped going to St Stephen's when Janet became Vicar - when that was Peggy!

Yes, Shula chose a different thing to be tiresome about. She stopped going to St Stephen's when Alan married Usha

I don't agree that it's "a thing" to not like Shula, it diminishes posters' objections to the way the character is featured and developed in TA. She's just in it way too much. I thinks the SWs no longer know what to do with her.

"Yes, Shula chose a different thing to be tiresome about. She stopped going to St Stephen's when Alan married Usha "

Which is something I think I said at the time I would have had a problem with too. Not on race grounds but religion. I do live in a town though, so going to a different Church is pretty straightforward, and doesn't have to be a public declaration (I have issues with the Church I used to go to over its stance on gay marriage - it shared the petition against it...)

Bunty and whatever his name was

Bunty and Reg.

(Or But and Region as autoincorrect would have it.)

Lol But and Region I HATE damn autocorrect they think that English spelling is wrong fgs!!

Why on earth has she been in almost every single episode in recent months? The existential crises, guilt, interfering and god-bothering, can she just piss off now?

They seem to be lining her up as the older sage/wise woman/universal granny to whom everyone turns for wonderful advice, maybe to take ever from Piggoi and Jill in due course. Or maybe they're just paving the way for her to become curate and ultimately vicar.

Another episode where Adam gets all stressed and on-track minded and can't possibly be expected to think about anything except the current crisis. Ian is the same when he has a work crisis. Yet again, how on earth is a baby going to fit into their lives? Both of them would go into meltdown if they had to juggle a work problem with the baby getting ill or the childminder letting them down.

I dread to think, Isatis. Maybe they'll realise that whatever "terrible problem" comes up, regarding their work, it's really not that important in the grand scheme of things.

I've always liked Shula. She is so well acted.

I too would not be comfortable with the vicar marrying someone of a completely different religion.

Sorry - I know its the "thing" to hate Shula but I don't!

Oh its not a thing for me - I've. always disliked her sanctimony and in terms of 'wise counsel' Lynda has quietly provided genuine disinterested support to more difficult characters than Shula. Shula's focus is always on her immediate circle.

I'm astonished that posters would refuse to attend a church where the vicar married a non Christian. I'm not CoE but I thought these days it was the vicar who was employed by the parish, not their partner?

Shula's issue with Usha was more about possessiveness. Her lies on oath over Rob's assault on the man photographing the hunt was by her own statement entirely because "he was family". So the devout Christian swore on oath to help Rob evade the law and deny his victim redress.

I'm with Asking - she is an emotional vampire.

I didn't say I'd refuse to go, but being a vicar is a vocation not a job, and I would find it hard to accept that someone who had a strong faith could be married to someone who didn't share that faith.

I like Shulas relationship with Freddie. I like her quietly remembering Caroline.
To be fair to Adam and Ian I pretty much lived at work before I had dc, and was able to behave much more sensibly once ds arrived. I suspect they will not get the chance to see if they can adjust their life for a baby.

I thought Shula lied re the saboteur to protect the reputation of the Hunt.

BOOP for the gracious way Lynda accepted Jim's apology and their friendly conversation over coffee. A real contrast to the way William responded to Ed's apology.

And the relationship between Alistair and Fiona seems lovely too.

TheSilveryPussycat
I thought Shula lied re the saboteur to protect the reputation of the Hunt.

So did I. And that was what she said at the time, too, nothing about Rob being family.

And she didn't swear anything on oath as far as I know, because it never came to court; the hunt observer (who was no more a "sab" than is any hunt follower) was repeatedly hit with no redress. I am very glad that he hit back, and harder, after the unprovoked attack by Rob.

nothing about Rob being family

Are you sure? Because I remember Rob being family as a factor in one of her discussions on the subject. I just can't remember who that discussion was with - possibly Oliver? It was to protect the hunt as well but both were factors that I recall.

Agree he wasn't a hunt saboteur (which isn't automatically illegal anyway) - he was there as an observer.

I would find it hard to accept that someone who had a strong faith could be married to someone who didn't share that faith

I've known quite a few couples over the years in this category with each respecting the other's faith. One who was a second time marriage reckond to find it. easier being married to someone else who took a faith seriously than to her ex who was agnostic.

I can see where problems might arise if there were differing views on the raising of children but that didn't apply in Alan and Usha's case.

Or maybe they're just paving the way for her to become curate and ultimately vicar. This is what I think and was coming on here to say just that when I saw your post. It's already been suggested and then ruled out after Jim's outburst when he accused her of being a hypocrite and Shula had a chat with Alan, but ever since then Shula has scarcely been off air counselling and offering sage advice and a listening ear to someone or other. She also been practicing keeping quiet about all the confidences she's been privy to. I think Shula will get Jim whatever help he needs, he will then apologise for the hypocrisy comments and say he misjudged her thus paving the way for her route into the church.

Eddie has just called Peppa Pig a sheep!

But yes, I also interpreted the Jim story as paving the way towards higher levels of official saintliness for Shula.

She told Alan, the other day, that she's not going for it now. But of course, she can, and probably will, change her mind.