Discuss The Archers #107: Beware of the Dragon! Peggy's in her den awaiting bids - who gets the hoard and who gets flamed?

[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 @MrsGrindah for inspiration for the title of this thread. I was hoping to find a way to combine it with @C8H10N4O2's inspired suggestion of '"The Assumption of the Ambridge Angel' and @chemenger's comment 'I hope she gets kicked in the head by a horse and wakes up an atheist', but it all got a bit too lengthy.

Odds on Joe shuffling off this mortal coil before this thread ends? We've been marking/anticipating his passing for a while now.

I don't think Philip has just hurt his neck - I reckon he's had a minor stroke, but doesn't realise it yet.

And, I get the feeling Kirsty is pregnant, but doesn't realise it yet.

Just two things that jumped out at me from tonight's episode.

Been away for a couple of months. Are Kirsty and Phillip married already?

I doubt that Kirsty could face a big white wedding.

They've never explained the Philip and Kirsty arrangement re the house. Has he bought it solely in his name with Kirsty just moving in to cover bills? Or it a shared ownership where Philip has covered the bulk of the costs? Hope Kirsty doesn't find herself out on her ear when he pegs it. Alternatively, can you imagine Emma's face (I know, radio, yadda yadda) if Kirsty ends up with a whole new house all to herself in the immediate future without having paid a penny?

I wonder if she will get the house though, or whether there'll be some sort of drama with his kids. I hope she does, I like Kirsty.

If you really liked Kirsty Fink you would not be wishing for her DP to die!!

I’m sorry but I find it all a bit ridiculous that everyone thinks it inevitable that a man in his mid to late fifties is going to kick the bucket. My father died at 53 and believe me that did not feel like it was a timely death. Stop it.

Oh dear - I fear it’s all gone a bit Carry On Ambridge again with Jakob and Kate. All the references to Sleazy Steve and extra services must surely be leading inevitably to one hilarious conclusion - I can hardly wait.

It is inevitable that Kirsty gets let down by a man.
Sleazy Steve and the extra services are veru nudge nudge wink wink.
Might be why they introduced Jakult.
A single man in Ambridge must be paired off.

very

Can they not just let someone buy a new house or have a significant birthday without all this drama?

IIRC Tony's 65th passed without any fuss.

Sleazy Steve and the extra services are veru nudge nudge wink wink.

Yes, they were almost implying Kate's running a brothel on the side.

But ArgumentativeAardvaark I don’t think anyone is suggesting Philip’s demise because of his age. (Least of all me, as I’m in my mid fifties.) People think it’s a potential storyline because Kirstie’s relationship with him feels dramatically unsatisfactory - so we’re sure it must be leading to something other than long years of domestic bliss. I assume the SWs have given us that impression deliberately.

Do strokes manifest themselves as neck pain and stiffness ever? It sounds unlikely to me.

they were almost implying Kate's running a brothel on the side which I think is exactly what Jakob is going to conclude - that’s what I meant when I said it would lead to a hilarious misunderstanding.

It's more likely that he has sustained an injury that might affect his ability to work. I'd hate to see Kirsty having to give up her career to care for him. What woud happen to the new house?

I hated that stuff about sleazy Steve and the sniggery stuff about Jakob being naked. Urgh

They do seem to have a ridiculous 'thing" at the moment about bottoms and genitalia. If it's down to the current producer, someone needs to point out that most people get past thinking willies and bottoms are excruciatingly funny by the age of 10.

My brain switched off during the Jakob/Kate scene. I don't think it could cope.

But I was confused by the gratuity. I thought the rule was that you tip employees but not the owner of the business.

Poor Phil he's trying to do an (admittedly old fashioned) romantic gesture, and gets a cricked neck, he's not dead fgs.

Hmm, I still think that there is an unfortunate connection being made between the fact that Philip is a good bit older than Kirsty, and the idea that the only way for their relationship to end is for him to die!

But changing the subject, people have commented on the lack of mention of Phoebe’s results. It’s not just that though, what about her Graduation? Surely it would be a huge deal her graduating from Oxford and there would be talk of Jenny getting a new outfit, issues around whether both Hayley and Kate could attend, possible sneering from Kate about “the Establishment”, maybe mooting the idea of Peggy going? Pretty pathetic if they are just going to have her flit around talking about wildflowers with Rex and never mention her degree again.

If you really liked Kirsty Fink you would not be wishing for her DP to die!!

I'm not wishing him dead, but as has been mentioned upthread and on previous threads:
a) his relationship with Kirsty is portrayed unconvincingly. There doesn't appear to be any actual attraction between them, they act like just friends.

b) he's a minor character and therefore fairly expendable.

It's not that I want him dead, I just think that the SWs might be planning his demise in the near future. Nothing to do with his age.

Three words, ArgumentativeAardvaark - Caroline and Guy ...

They seem to prefer killing major characters as far as I can tell. I think that Nic was a wrong move. Philip could have been the sepsis awareness sacrificial lamb instead.

But there would have been no repercussions at that stage if he’d died instead. Kirsty would have been sad - but it would have made zero difference to anyone’s life.

Look how many people have been affected by Nic’s death - it’s changed the shape of Grundy life, affected Will’s relationship with his employers, lost him his step-children ...

But now, if Philip dies, he leaves having placed Kirsty in (one assumes) a secure position in the village and the story.

(Dog / bone ... )