Call #111 for Archers advice: Is Hilda breathing? Should Joy be breathing? Could Nelson Gabriel be in cryogenic suspension? Discuss The 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 Joy'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 for all the input on title suggestions. I'd missed the significance of 111, but @R4 and DDD, our resident numerologist, were right on to it. Strongly tempted by Bore's suggestion but couldn't resist the chance to mention my favourite ever Archers character, Nelson Gabriel. Have not managed to incorporate a cricket reference, so you'll have to read up on that for yourselves. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_(cricket)

I wonder if this thread will last till Joe's funeral.

SW - Oh hello young person! What brings you here?
NI - This is the script review meeting, Isn’t it? I’m meant to come to this.
SW2 - well, yes, but that’s a very formal way to describe what we think of more as a coffee break.
SW1 - let me take this opportunity to welcome back SW8, after her sabbatical.
SW8 (muttering) - or as we call it, maternity leave.
SW1 - how are you settling back into to fold?
SW8 - to be honest I’m a little disappointed that most of my plot lines have just been left dangling. I’ve done my best to tie up some loose ends but it would be easier if I got more air time, sometimes it feels like I’m ending substantial stories with a one liner.
SW1 (to SW2) - do you think this milk seems off? My coffee definitely tastes funny. Glad to hear you’re settling back SW2. So young person how is Mumsnet doing these days.
NI - to be honest they have noticed this sudden ending of long running threads. They also are not fond of the a Carmen story and some of the other lighter stuff that’s going on.
SW2 - you mean the “ take your mind of crashing out of the EU and not having enough to eat stories”?
NI - possibly...
SW1 - they probably don’t work as well when there is no actual national crisis going on, admittedly.
NI - and failing actual story lines they’d like to hear more about the kittens.
SW3 - we could make the kittens die lingering deaths to an unknown disease, causing Kate and Jacob to dramatically split up again.
NI - I was afraid you’d come up with that.

MereDint - well at least your non-existent buses are running on time.

What is the deal with Jakob. Are we meant to guess that he is autistic? I know (rightly) MNetters get irritated if rude behaviour / lack of empathy etc is always attributed to autism, but I'm trying to work out what the SWs are up to. Chris told him not to talk about the chemicals, and yet he went fully for it and surely is intelligent enough to know it's hardly something that Brian would want to talk about...

Are we meant to guess ...? I’ve been wondering about this, too.

Btw, there’s a strong TA cast effort in this Radio 4 drama this afternoon - Emma, Ruairi and Ben.

The big Morrison's off Shields Road @birdsdestiny. Come to think of it though that might be more Heaton than Shieldfield.

When Jakob first appeared someone on Twitter (I think) asked Keri Davies if it was a coincidence that he had appeared in Autism Awareness Week, and I think the reply was meant to be the teasing "I couldn't possibly comment" sort that means "yes, he is supposed to be relevant to Mental Health Week". But I can't find it; someone else can go through Keri's Twitter feed looking!

Actually I can, by going to the date (2nd April 2019). The exchange went:
Q: Is it a coincidence that Jakob was introduced this week?
KD: With…?
Q: Autism awareness
KD: No
Q: No, not a coincidence?
KD: Yes

It seems clear to me. Along with "Because I wrote him that way"

Thanks painting, I think that possibly is Heaton, a friend of mine lives in a street behind the Morrison's and her address is Heaton. Byker is a possibility as well.
If Jacob is autistic, I take it we can look forward to Kate becoming a world expert on the issue.

I was struck (for the very first time) that Jenny and Kate are similar in the way they are OTT when they do things. All that prep of Swedish food! I wouldn't have risked that at Jakob's first Aldridge dinner party.

I thought Jakob sounded as if he had Aspergers, though he has learned to adjust his behaviour somewhat.

I once had to explain to my Asperger-ish DF that it was rude to make jokes to women about weight

Finally caught up. Ugh Helen. Who throws a party and then leaves? Hating all the Beechwood snobbery, and the absolute arse about substandard costumes.

Another ugh. Kate. Can there really be anyone in RL who's so utterly self-absorbed and just....well, vile on every level?

There most certainly can! I used to work with someone who would give Kate a run for her money.

I love kate in a 'happy she's not my own kate' kind of way.

there certainly are many kates about, just look at half of the aibu threads!

My deepest sympathies, Gaspode - glad the experience is in the past for you!

Actually, as I was writing that post I was realising that I too know someone who's equally convinced of their own superiority as a human being to literally everyone else on the planet, so yes, maybe Kate isn't that unbelievable.

I still hate her, though.

One example of my ex-colleague's total inability to grasp other people had a life - we'd just finished a massive exercise that had to be done every few years, which she was supposed to lead on (in practice, I did most of the work). She made a throwaway remark about how the four years would pass very quickly and then we'd have to get started on it again. Foolishly, I said 'Yes, but I might not be here by then'. She looked as if one of the chairs had spoken. Slowly, hesitantly, she said 'So what would ... someone like you... do if you left this job?'

Oh, I do hope you answered equally slowly: "Well, that depends .... whether the diagnosis is right or not."

Hello, I'm jumping back in after another massive catchup. As soon as I miss one episode, my listening goes to pot and I have to forego the delights of these threads.

So... Mrs CMR, what do we reckon there?

Can't believe Johnny wouldn't have the sense to steer well clear of Eddies Emetic Elixir - hoping its no worse than that. Though I suppose a really thorough emetic might be the one realistic way to avoid a hangover?

I'm curious about CMR's wife too.

I think he’s got kids. Or at least a kid. I think she was pregnant when he left her.

Why do people in Ambridge have parties mid-week?

Is the hangover cure being set up to poison someone? It's an utterly ridiculous story.

We have never heard of Russ having children but I suppose Mrs CMR being pregnant might be possible.

Round here Halloween took place during half term. We know it was mostly littlies at the party, but who exactly? Rosie I think, but who else? I suppose any day would be ok for farmers, as all days are workdays.

Yeah, I thought CMR had kids. I'm sure I heard him mention them a long time ago, back at, or near, the start.

It's the age old excuse of adulterers isn't it, "My wife's mental", being a handy excuse for all sorts of reasons.

If he had kids, surely they'd have cropped up since eg in the context of his finances if nothing else?

There were mid week kids parties round here for Halloween. A lot of trick or treaters too. With excellent costumes.

It doesn’t make sense ... Given how long he’s been living with Lily it’s likely his wife might have guessed their marriage is over - so what is all this “finding the right moment”?

And one would think he’d be in a hurry to secure marital rights to feet under the LL table.

Really hope they’ll produce some compelling reason and not just be lurching towards another Brighton.

There were mid week kids parties round here for Halloween. A lot of trick or treaters too. With excellent costumes

I was referring to Freddy's party which is midweek

This is just yet another unrealistic twist of the CMR story. The unsuitable way in which they got together has never been properly explored, their hopeless sojourn in Manchester merely skated over - he and Lily were effectively written out for months in the hope we would forget all the details never satisfactorily resolved. Now he has his feet firmly under the table at LL - only Tracey has dared to call him out. There are any number of reason why Lily be getting cold feet about him - the idea that it’s because he won’t divorce his wife seem the least likely and most feeble of them. He’d effectively moved to Manchester this time last year - are we supposed to believe that she hadn’t noticed? Would Lily even care? I see no sign that she’s the least besotted with him any more - the scales have surely completely fallen from her eyes. Now she, Lizzie and Freddie are are safely ensconced at LL again isn’t she just sick of him hanging around? Why can’t the SWs explore this properly instead of trying to add another superfluous strand to this straining storyline? Before we know it, CMR’s wife will be given a voice (no doubt with an over-blown regional accent). I know there have been predictions on here that he will get together with Lizzie, but it just feels so .... unnecessary. There are so many potential storylines to explore at LL with regard to keeping the estate running, the fact that Lily feels like a more capable heir than her twin, Freddie gradually morphing into his father, the calendar of events and all their minutiae that used to be the bread and butter of TA of old (those were the days). I could go on, but I have and so I’ll stop...