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.

It would be better to have Jim thinking for all these decades that A isn’t his and that his late wife and Howard had an affair, then find out it never happened. DNA tests could prove paternity That would explain why Howard came because he’s innocent and has been all along. Then again (I see several flaws in this argument so will save you all the bovver) wheelchair man has to be in a wheelchair for a reason cos this is a story. Also Jim’s level of distress is due to something more than his wife shagged another in 1960. So I’m back to thinking Howard was an abusive piano teacher (or was he an abusive Sunday school teacher/church organist? It has to be something churchy to explain Jim’s dislike of religion). I just don’t know any more. Thanks for reading. I’ve probably said nothing new after all.

But then, surely, Jim would hate pianos/keyboards too, as they would be joined by association?

Pardon the rubbish editing - why Howard came all that way to the party.

The religion thing is relevant because Jim isn’t just a guy that lost interest in the religion he grew up with; he absolutely abhors it. He reminds me a bit of my dad actually in that.

Motoko, I’m not sure. Maybe he likes music in spite of whatever happened in the past. He waited decades to resume piano lessons, found a female teacher he liked - though wasn’t he a bit ambivalent to start? I can’t remember the detail but wasn’t there a problem with Kiki to start with? Maybe just that he fancied her? Maybe he felt safe in Ambridge after decades of looking for that safety elsewhere. Now it’s all be destroyed because Howard came to Ambridge and it’s all sullied now too.

Emotional safety, I mean, the kind you look for after a major trauma.

Just hopping on the nice new thread.

Pint of Shires please Gaspode.

Sorry if I'm stating to the totally bleeding obvious but what puzzles me (probably all mentioned before by others) is that Harold is either callous, innocent or there has been what I'll delicately call a 'misunderstanding.' Misconstrued consent (or therein lack of) possibly?

Jim's reaction to his touch to the keyboard, the tainting of it. Like his thing (wife, family himself, his work or whatever it actually is) have been ruined again just by his presence indicates something of great importance. Coupled with the fact that the neighbours who he came with didn't know anything makes it likely there was no obvious incident that was public ally observed - work scandal, accident involving Alistair's mother.

I want to believe that as Harold was chatting and playing piano with thoughtful memories of Jim that he is ignorant if not innocent of any wrongdoing, but it seems at odds with Jim's extreme reaction.

Bit of a waffle tonight. Hope that makes sense.

Checking in. Intrigued by Jim/wheelchair man plotline.

De-lurking.

It seems that Jim and Harold are a similar age - similar enough to be brothers or schoolmates.

I wonder if it could be one of the cross-generational things but where Jim and Harold are the younger ones? Like when someone's brother turns out to be their uncle.

Or it was an incident from their schooldays that left Jim with bitter memories? A sort of Lord of the Flies ganging up on someone?

I thought Harold was a friend of Jim’s parents? That would indicate the same generation.
Of course it would be easier (and less fun) if this was on TV!

I thought Harold was a friend of Jim’s parents?

Son of their friends, I think.

Thanks Gaspode - I am always impressed by the creativity in the thread titles.

Here's hoping that we get some clarity on the Jim/wheelchair man mystery tonight, it being Friday when the most dramatic episodes tend to be aired....

I did wonder whether they might make tonight a Jim/Alastair two-hander.

Totally agree with Inky about the 'tainted' keyboard. Jim has painstakingly built a wall of safety around himself over the years, for whatever reason, and this man's reappearance breached all his defences and reduced him to absolute terror at a basic level - he didn't really even think about it, he just fled.

I'm afraid it could well be an abuse story

In other news did Gnasher really have to tell Tom to shut up like that. Or at all?

Yes, definitely. He was being an idiot (nothing new there), talking over her and refusing to let her give her point of view. Left to himself he was just going to carry on ranting.

She did sound like his (other) mother though!

She did try to say something a few times, but he just carried on talking over her, so yes, she did have to. If he's going to behave like a child, he'll get treated like one.

Natasha's "shut up" seems to be a rare case on TA of someone actually getting the other person to pause and realise that they are not listening. As I think someone mentioned on the previous thread, the SW seem to overuse the scenario where we clearly hear that one person has something pertinent to say but they get cut off by the other person who then has to dash off.

A: "But, what I need to tell you is-"
B: "Oh, you're probably too busy to talk now. I'll catch you later."
A: "No, actually - "
B: "Bye!"

Maybe more characters should do an Emily Maitlis to Boris Johnson: "hello, can you actually hear me?"

I keep wondering about Fiona.

Surely she didn't just blithely toddle off home, without being the slightest bit curious/worried as to why her father was so upset

Jim was pleased to see her at the 'party', so that suggests to me that she has a better relationship with him than Alistair does.

Surely she would have enough emotional intelligence to be asking "what the hell just happened?", after Jim took flight.

That's what I wondered too. I remember Alistair spoke to her a couple of days later, but that's it, which is why I mentioned it earlier (in the last thread I think). I know I would have been ringing my sibling regularly for updates, and by now, would have come back to try to speak to my father to get to the bottom of it.

Hello everyone! I am an avid Archers fan of several decades standing and have been on MN for years, so am not quite sure why I have never gotten into these threads. I intend to correct that...

Have got to do my homework now and read DadDadDad's guide. Thanks to all for providing me with a cosy new niche

Can I just go off topic and ask if anyone else is worriedly anticipating some disaster that prevents Ed and Emma finally getting their lovely new home? Will it be to do with Ed's dodgy driving jobs for Tim? I really want the SW's to give them a break and let them move in!

if anyone else is worriedly anticipating some disaster that prevents Ed and Emma finally getting their lovely new home?

Everyone LauderSyme! You’ll need to have a look at the previous few threads. I think ‘resigned to the impending disaster’ is the prevailing mood as regards Mianed.

Welcome, btw - to you and all other new posters / lurkers.

Hello, LauderSyme - I'm sure you'll enjoy participating in these threads! I too have been an avid listener to the Archers for many decades, though not so much of a fan in recent years, I'm afraid (really since Nigel fell off the roof. (Was bunting involved then, as well? I can't quite remember if it was called that.))
There has indeed been much discussion of and apprehension about what will happen to Ed and Emma and the dodgy driving jobs for slimy Tim on here. I think most of us feel the same way as you do about the SWs!
Personally, I am like a pp in hoping there might be a double hander with Al and Jim this evening - I think that would work well.

Motoko The SWs of TA have to be irrational because they need to up the DRAMA . Just calling Fiona would be too easy and not dramatic enough!

Thank you QuaterMiss and Tuktuktaker. It looks like I have more homework than I thought

Oooh I'm so excited, no one IRL will discuss TA with me!