The Archers #110: Game(keeping)'s up for Will. Game on for Lillian & Vince, Tracy & Oliver? Game over for Joe? Stay ahead of the game with all things Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

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 idea. Very tempted to go with MrsGrindah's suggestion of It’s all a bit crap and boring at the moment but let's be positive, maybe things will look up in the coming days ... Also very taken with Lexi's Midnight Runners - Burpers, maybe? - from Madcats.

Not at all happy about Lily not going to university. Yet another bright Ambridge woman not fulfilling her potential. Why do they do this?

Ooh, LilianGish! Is the Downton film good?

I'm thinking of persuading my partner to take me to see it!

I've only known the current Pip, and in my mind's eye, she's got straight, fair hair, and doesn't look anything like the actress who plays her.

And Lil, is brunette.

Glad it's not just me with the new app. Thanks for the support sign posting. I'll be right over.

Struggling with the Justin storyline because I don't believe he'd do his business on his own doorstep, if you catch my drift.

One of the many things that irritates me about Pip is the way she pronounces names that have an "e" sound at the end - Phoebee, Tobee etc. Not sure I can stand the thought of, potentially, decades of "Roseee".

@WheresThatCatGoneNow I would say if you liked the TV show and you miss it then the Downton film is like stepping into a warm bath - a stroll down memory lane on the big screen. I really needed to see a feel-good film and it certainly ticked that box. Anyone who was not a fan in the first place would probably find much to criticise. I loved it.

Thankyou so much, LillianGish.

It's definitely on my 'to do' list.

I've always thought, judging by how she sounds, that Pip should be very sporty, and mad about horses.

You know, galloping over Lakey Hill (on a horse called something like Nutkin) one minute, and winning a lacrosse match the next.

David and Ruth didn't send her to Malory Towers, by any chance, did they?

Seriously, could they not have found a ‘Vince’ who prefers not to make it obvious he is reading from a script?

QuaterMiss, that's why he grates! Thank you! I was trying to work out why Matt was simply so much better as a slightly sinister villain, and that's what it is.

Pip's enunciation is so annoying. Toe B, Row Zee...
I imagine Pip as having dark hair and Lillian as a tallish slim blonde.
I don't understand why they needed to introduce Vince Casey.

I don't understand why they needed to introduce Vince Casey.

Easier than finishing off the loose ends of plot lines that are hanging around.

Quite.
Are Tomtasha back from Cuba?
Is Shula a vicar yet?
Has Jim had anything done about the extension?
Has Phoebe had her results?
Has anyonne seen Kathy? Ben?
...

Is Ben’s sheepdog fully trained?
Does Jazzer have a new job?
What is happening about Tom’s pigs (I think I must have missed something here because Rex was definitely still talking as if he was supplying weaners to Tom, but I thought Tom was buying in pork for his sausages hence getting rid of Jazzer. Or was that a dream?).

Re Justin listening to the deputy manager instead of the manager - that's Rob and Charlie all over again.

Shula becoming a Vicar will take years.... O r lots of people would be very cross, as it does take forever in RL - and she hasn't even been accepted yet.
Tom hadn't managed to find an alternative supplier for his sausages - despite wanting to get rid of the pigs.

Yes, Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g Rob and Charlie all over again, including overlooking the appalling behaviour of Rob/Hannah at the expense of accepting the sensible manager's judgement.

Her appearances are so frustrating: you just want her to be told she's out of order (or ideally, slung out on her ear forthwith). Is this another case of the scriptwriters not being able to make up their minds about a character? She's been vaguely sympathetic in fleeting moments since she was (re)introduced, but mostly just ghastly.

Well I actually have grudging agreement with Hannah over the gutter (and probably the pot hole). Neil just said he'd get onto it, but has known it for as like it for months. I am surprised he didn't get it done over the summer, and actually would expect him to have someone regularity come out after the leaves have fallen, and just got them to do a quick extra trip for that gutter.
Hannah has been the one dealing with the consequences of Neil's inaction, and he hasn't.
He hasn't been coping with the figures either. And Hannah could probably do a lot of the job as well if not better than he could. Of course her feud with him and his has not helped.

On the other hand Vince said some very astute things about Justin being more of a property developer.

I find the whole surrogacy thing ridiculous. I know it's officially because she's such a good friend of Ian's, whom she only worked with for a brief time. But why would anyone put themselves through all that and hand the baby straight over? No colostrum, no comforting the baby with skin to skin contact and familiarity with his mother's smell and heartbeat.

It seems really unconvincing and badly researched. All about Adam and Ian buying themselves baby, rather than what is best for the child. I spent the episode liistening to Lexi and Jenny thinking "this is insane."

Yes, but health and safety at work: you just do not go up twenty-foot ladders all on your own. It's illegal; and if she had hurt herself there would be all hell to pay at the tribunal. Thought the way she carries on, you'd think she might feel that breaking her neck was worth it just to get Neil into trouble.

Ian and Adam aren't exactly the most passionate couple, are they?

Given a whole morning free from a new baby, I wouldn't be wasting time cleaning.

And, strangely, Adam sounds livelier than he has for years - at least to my ears.

Give them a break, the baby's only a few weeks old. Giving birth takes it's toll on the body.

Goodness Ian is a bore.

And re Toby's pig -has nobody in Ambridge heard of artificial insemination?

It's implausible that such a small scale operation would keep its own boar in the first place.

Listening this morning, yet again I found myself wondering how on earth anyone could be expected to take Justin seriously as a hot-shot businessman. He just comes across as a peevish idiot with no clue.

Yeap I agree Hannah was reckless and breaking every rule in the book - but I can understand how frustrating she is that Neil doesn't act quickly enough.