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.

Welcome on board to all new posters and de-lurkers. Inkysplatter your post reiterates all my own concerns. Harold went to the party without being invited, spoke well of Jim and happily entertained everyone on the piano after Jim fled. This indicates to me one of two things a) he hasn't got a clue that he's done anything wrong or b)he is a psychopath who has come to stick the knife in further. Whatever it is between him and Jim no-one else has the slightest inkling so it's clearly not a public matter (which I think an affair with Jim's wife, some hand in her death etc might be). I thought there were subtle hints last night that Alistair's paternity might be brought into question (which would tie in with their difficult relationship which has always been spelled out) however I struggle to believe anyone would use the word "evil" in this context. I also thought Fiona was supposed to have had a better relationship with Jim so I'm slightly surprised she disappeared back into the woodwork.

Praying that the resolution won’t be as disappointing as that for the running-down of Tiger. Remember the heavy suitcase that we puzzled over? Nothing. And Brian’s (?) car going in for servicing shortly afterwards? Nothing. And all the people suspiciously absent or leaving early from the Hunt Ball?

Hmmph ...

A pox on the Harold/Howard thing! I'm visualising Howard from Last of the Summer Wine sat in a wheelchair now . . .

I thought it was pretty shocking when it was revealed that Nic ran over Matt, but you're right that it was a bit of a cul-de-sac story-wise, and wasn't remotely signposted in the script.

I'm not sure that Jim's issue will turn out to be historic abuse, that doesn't seem to fit with his hitherto self-possessed, self-assured character. That said, I have no idea what his problem might be - although his vitriolic hatred of religion must surely come into it somewhere. And I wonder whether packing Fiona and Alistair off to boarding school the moment they were bereaved is relevant.

Praying that the resolution won’t be as disappointing as that for the running-down of Tiger. Or the disappearance of Stefan (in fact was that ever even resolved) or indeed anything culvert-related. Not to mention the sinkhole.

Just checking in (thanks for the new thread and title) and catching up.

Things that have occurred to be while reading, in no particular order:

1. Wheelchair Howrald has to be in a wheelchair for a plot related reason

1. It could be a massively bullying power play to go all that way and just show up at the party

1. Or he could be oblivious to the “evil”

1. Smashing up the keyboard in such disgust points more towards some kind of horrible bullying/abuse, I think... leading back to (2

1. Can’t understand why Shula doesn’t appear to have grasped the Howrald/upset connection

1. Shula pushing Jim to talk to Al us going to encourage him to reveal something which will distress Al no end and Shula will be back to saying “it’s all myyyyy fauuuuulllltttt!!”

1. Batgnasher actually made me lol.

Here endeth the lesson.
Thanks be to SOC.

Here endeth the lesson.
Thanks be to SOC.
Whereas I never thought things could be worse than they had been when The Beetle (VW) was in charge, but have been proved to be so, so, wrong in recent years! I blame the person who lost the Continuity Rolodex. It's probably somewhere with the bunting.

I also think wheelchair is a plot device - something along the lines of he looks so small and harmless in now his wheelchair (along the lines of my Nazi war criminal analogy), but he hasn't always been like that so could be a bullying thing. He could be slightly older than Jim - an age difference that means nothing now, but would have been more much more marked when they were kids. Son of Jim's parents friends - could have been in a babysitting role or an older boy at school. Al and Fiona don't know him so maybe an "evil thing" over and done with by the time they came along. Just realised I can't listen at 8 tonight - damnation.

I still want to know where Jim actually went when he fled from Ambridge.

I can't believe he went on the planned jaunt! I just can't!

It's akin to someone who has been jilted at the altar going on the honeymoon

I wonder if he went to see Fiona at her home (wherever that may be) to lick his wounds, and he's asked her not to tell Alistair.

Re: Tim and Ed n' Emmur.

What about the threat that 'something nasty' would happen to Emmur on her way home from the chicken factory late at night?

It's all gone quiet about that, hasn't it?

LillianGish
the disappearance of Stefan (in fact was that ever even resolved)

It was indeed. For a wonder, and against all expectation!

Not long after Justin had employed Rob in spite of the accusations of rape and of Lilian asking Justin please please not to, Stefan came back and stayed with some friends in a flat belonging to Lilian, and tried to blackmail Rob about the blocking of the culvert. When Rob claimed to have no money, Stefan went to his new employer and spilled the beans, and Justin paid him off so he could go and start his business (in his own country) and then sacked Rob.

or was he an abusive Sunday school teacher/church organist?

Let's go for broke and say Jim's wife was involved in the church, was abused/assaulted by Harold (church organist and professional piano teacher). Jim's wife subsequently committed suicide rather than dying of $FOO. Harold got away with it as the vast majority of abusers do. Jim packed the children off to boarding school to be far away from Evil Harold. Children know nothing of this.

This doesn't preclude Alastair as the younger child being the possible spawn of Evil Harold but it doesn't require it.

It has to be something churchy to explain Jim’s dislike of religion

Possibly but I know plenty of people who have an even more visceral hatred of religion without any particular bad experience personally. Jim thinks religion is ridiculous and possibly malign but he doesn't proactive goad people and talk about "sky fairies".

Half an hour til we find out!

alf an hour til we find out!

I'm on a train just departing from work

My eyes are leaking.

Gosh. I had hoped it wouldn’t be that. SUCH good acting. So sad and well done.

Poor Jim.

I only heard the last 3 minutes and the anguish was heart wrenching. Please can someone outline?

Yep, the wheelchair is/was a plot device.

Harold must be in his nineties (I still reckon that Jim is more likely to be 85, rather than 80).

I feel fairly certain that Jazzer and Al aren't on Mumsnet, I wonder how 'they' are going to help Jim through this trauma.

Bring back the Flower & Produce prep, I say! I need the Archers to calm down before the school hols.

Oh no, I was with ds and missed all but the last 30 seconds of tonight's episode. I was wrong earlier, wasn't I? Hurry up BBC iplayer and let me listen on catch up!

Harold was the next door neighbour's son and he 'groomed Jim age 8 ; horseplay to start then in his bedroom, he threatened him God would punish him if he told. It went on and he never told anyone. So sad and so well acted.

Try to listen to the whole thing if you can hanahsaunt - it’s already on iPlayer.

I couldn't listen! So I don't know what has happened.

I must wait until Sunday morning.

No spoilers please!

Oh my word- I cried about Emma being so worried about Joe- then that. Weren’t the actors good?

Sorry Where's You hadn't posted when hannah's had posted.