Archers thread #112: Quelle beau de lollox! And yet we stick with it. 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 Alf to stay around, 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 @DoctorTwo for the thread title! I was strongly tempted by R4's suggestion of Wildlife on Four: Jonneh is wild at Lily, Phoebe rewilds by Occam, Joy is in the wilderness and David is bewildered by a marriage proposal.

So we did make it past Joe's funeral at last. Are we heading for a Christmas octogenarian wedding now?

He was spot on that CMR isn't an academic. CMR is a former art teacher who had to resign, Jim was a professor.

Prognosticate this-

We have been assuming that at some point the scales will fall from Lily's eyes and CMR would be given his marching orders. I'm now coming to the view that he's a long term fixture.

What was the point of having Lee come back for 2 minutes, the other day? Is Kirsty going to persuade Helen to give him a ring and have another go?

Jim was right about Russ, that he's not academic, and he's pretentious. Curl up in the foetal position and wave a child's windmill?

All Jim needs to do is sit in his chair, like in Jackanory, and read the tale. The attic will provide will provide the atmosphere. Gawd knows what CMR is going to come up with as set dressing.

What was the point of having Lee come back for 2 minutes, the other day? Is Kirsty going to persuade Helen to give him a ring and have another go?

Either that, or he'll turn up unannounced at the tea rooms or Bridge Farm shop. I will be surprised if it's just a 2 minute visit, end of story.

Jim was right about CMR, and recognised the emotional blackmail for what it was (we've already heard too much of Russ going on about how he have up his career for Lily, so I imagine he is planning to take half of LL in recompense when he finally gets booted out.) I think Jim also recognised the grain of truth about Elizabeth and depression (which should have been down to her to tell, if she wanted, not Russ.) I don't think Russ has any idea just how transparent he has been to Jim, though obviously his view is that he's sorting out the curmudgeonly, difficult old man. My money is on Jim all the way.

Rex to be their spokesperson/figurehead. He needs to find his meaning in life.
Apart from being made of meat, he doesn't have one. The needy foxes will get him eventually. Or possibly badgers. Although Badgers is a bit urgh, imagine him being eaten by Pip.

Helen will bump into Lee again. They will get together to demonstrate that she is over her trauma. Perhaps cheese making is the answer to all our counselling needs.
The last time I was so irritated with a soap was Eastenders 20 years ago, I haven't seen an episode since.

we've already heard too much of Russ going on about how he have up his career for Lily, so I imagine he is planning to take half of LL in recompense when he finally gets booted out. But they're not married and Lily doesn't own LL anyway. Isn't it actually Freddy's? Or at least held in trust.

Been catching up (almost). Very glad that others also thought Rosie was prodigiously prodigious... I was panicking about my 4 yo’s (lack of) ability for a while...

we've already heard too much of Russ going on about how he have up his career for Lily, so I imagine he is planning to take half of LL in recompense when he finally gets booted out

But they're not married and Lily doesn't own LL anyway. Isn't it actually Freddy's? Or at least held in trust

I think EBearhug was using hyperbole but if and when they boot CMR out I put money on him playing the
I gave up everything for Lily, my career, my marriage, my reputation, my home, my life. I've done so much for you here. I can't go back to teaching and there is no future for me. I don't have a legal claim, but morally you owe me something to compensate me for my ruined life card.

And because Elizabeth is hopeless and wet she will pay up. I reckon he could get £10,000 - £20,000 out of her.

I would donate 10,000 if it means he leaves. We could crowdfund.

I’m in ...

I really cringed when he was manipulating Jim. The childhood theme and foetal position, combined with asking for compliance so as not to upset Elizabeth was a bit much for an abuse survivor I thought.

Yes- it’s almost as if the script writer had forgotten that Jim was abused as a child.....

There are no words for last night’s farce. My only hope is that as rehearsals are taking place in the attic, CMR might somehow find a way out onto the roof and fall off.

Abysmal. The only saving grace was that nobody was in the room with me when I was listening.

One of the stupidest bits is that Elizabeth's original idea was a winner precisely because John Rowe (and I do mean John Rowe, not Jim) is absolutely brilliant at reading stories. I think I've heard him do it on Radio 4 and he is spellbinding. If R4 isn't doing an Archers spinoff this Christmas where he reads ghost stories, they're missing a trick. This idiotic messing about with Russ adds absolutely nothing to that.

I think EBearhug was using hyperbole
Fair enough, I had just woken up when I posted and may have missed that. I only heard half of last night's episode as I had a phone call (grrrr), it sounds dire but I'll probably hear it again at 2 today.

The childhood theme and foetal position, combined with asking for compliance so as not to upset Elizabeth was a bit much for an abuse survivor I thought.

It was disturbing, wasn’t it? I wonder if Nick Warburton thought he was doing something awfully clever - putting an image in our minds that CMR wouldn’t have been aware of?

I daresay we will get the Ghost Stories as a Radio 4 drama over Christmas. Thankfully CMR’s stage setting should be invisible on the radio!

So Russ thinks Jim should express ghost stories through the medium of modern dance. Because he is a pretentious idiot. Elizabeth was magnificent but I dread to think what Russ’ set Weill look like. I thought the point was that the attic was the perfect setting as it is.

Why my phone changed will to Weill there is anyone’s guess, especially since it now refuses to accept it as a word. Is my phone haunted? By a dead German composer?

Elizabeth was magnificent

No she was not. Elizabeth is a complete twerp for even thinking about foisting CMR on Jim in the first place.

Why was Elizabeth magnificent? She created the bloody situation in the first place because she is somehow in thrall to Russ (academic,indeed!) then didn’t listen to either of them, told Jim off like a naughty schoolboy, then gave Russ free rein to crate some ridiculous am dram set...

Why is CMR even still there? I don’t understand the point of him. I thought this was a story about a teenage schoolgirl running off with a teacher old enough to be her father (how old is CMR?) and that we would explore the ramifications of that. Instead the pair of them have moved into the family home where he is morphing into some faithful retainer. Why does Freddie - the heir to LL - having nothing at all to say on the matter? He is out there doing an honest day’s work (as is Lily with her kitchen sales) while CMR wafts about like the Lord of the Manor. Lizzy waffles on to Jim about the man being an academic, but he has no proper job. It’s just nonsense - and no one says anything. I was hoping Jim might have piped up yesterday about the inappropriateness of CMR’s and Lily’s relationship when mention was made that he used to be a teacher, but no - that’s all been swept under the carpet in favour of that utter drivel about CMR as artistic director. Jim’s ghost stories in the attic = excellent idea - completely undermined by the unnecessary involvement of CMR. Just why?????

Perhaps we just need to be patient. Perhaps Jim will be CMR s downfall. There isn't a hopeful emoji.

Elizabeth was magnificent because she sorted out two grown men who were squabbling and running to tell tales on each other with two quick and decisive sentences. Yes, she caused the problem in the first place by creating yet another non-job for Russ, but seeing that it could never work she sorted it with some actual management. She will, no doubt, not live up to my expectations by listening attentively to Russ whining about Jim, however. We’re it not for the fact that this is obviously going to be the Christmas special I would put money on Jim walking and leaving it to Russ to stumble through reading ghost stories on the day.