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?

Bit disappointed 😞

I hoped Sean Connery might be turning up to do a cameo, having a Christmas break at GG.

I’ve just realised that, of course, when Oliver and Tracy get married they’ll live at Grange Farm. So there’ll be no need for it to be sold.

Never mind using 'bake' as a noun!

What about saying "on the weekend"?

It sets my teeth on edge when I hear anyone English use that expression

Have I mentioned that I don't like Pip?

why is Robert such a wimp?

Well. Now we know.

Ambridge Hall is mostly a chilli-free zone

Magic. Time. 😐

Aww, poor Robert. Scared of an owl and not allowed any magic time.

But magic time, bleurgh.

Who’ll find some Magic Time this Christmas time in Ambridge? Oliver and Tracy? Helen and Lee? Leonard and Jill? Come share the glad tidings (and bad writing) in The Archers!

Getting in early ...

Magic time?? Bleurgh.

Though it did remind me of this:

More personality transplants. “Magic time” is just Ick.

And Robert would have heard a fucking owl before!

Not only no magic time (the least said about that the better), but not even allowed to push the beds together and have the comfort of Lynda's presence. Poor old Robert.

Why was Jill talking to somebody who wasn't replying but was clearly there in her soundscape??

I've a nasty feeling that Hannah has told Neil the wrong time for the meeting at Berrow tomorrow morning

I bet it's actually at 9:00, but she wants to tell Justin her version of events first without interruption - and make Neil look bad by being late.

I think Wheresthatcat is right about Hannah lying about the meeting time but hasn’t thought about the fact that Neil has a witness that she said 9am. She is ridiculously loathsome, and the idea that Justin is so involved in a small pig farm is silly (it can’t be that big if Neil and Hannah feel personally responsible rather than quizzing other employees).

Yep, certainly wouldn't put it past her. I just hope Rex's pep talk gets through to Neil, and he stands up for himself. We've seen him get a backbone when he had a go at Susan about her antics, so he can do it. Hannah's bad enough as it is, but she'll be even more awful if she gets him sacked, and gets his job.

She's a vile, despicable woman, and it's about time she got her comeuppance.

Great title suggestion @SurpriseSparDay - will need one soon.

Love that title suggestion SurpriseSpar. I can’t decide what I think about the Neil/Hannah story. Events at Berrow seem to be contriving to get Neil the sack, but I don’t understand why Justin would always take Hannah’s side in these matters. Neil is well known for being the Ambridge pig expert, but on the other hand is very much a hands-on pigman rather than a manager (despite Susan’s ambitions). Hannah (whose personality has been reinvented since her return to Ambridge) is ruthlessly ambitious, so entirely in character that she would have called up Justin independently and tried to stitch up Neil. But having appointed Neil as manager, why does Justin always defer to Hannah - why does he even get involved at all? It’s a weak plot to try and force another cataclysmic change (putting Neil out of a job or forcing his resignation around Christmas). There’s too much drama and not enough following up on the aftermath - the old chemical spill and the sale of Home Farm, Timotei and the poisonous chemicals followed by the break-up of EdnEmmur, Willyum’s suicide attempt followed by the less of his job and home, Natasha’s debts and extravagance followed by her complete disappearance - I haven’t listened to Jill making mince pies, but I enjoyed Clarrie and Emmur doing the same (bakes notwithstanding). Personally I like the little set pieces that mark the turning of the year - rearing the turkeys (or geese) and selling them, putting up the tree at Bridge Farm on Christmas Eve, Shula bringing the donkey for the nativity service. Joe’s death and its ripples and ramifications would have been enough drama for me instead I feel that has almost been skated over and shoe-horned in the midst of a load of fabricated nonsense that the SWs and editors get bored off once the bomb has gone off.

I wonder if we are seeing the influence of the new editor. (does he still count as 'new', when did his reign effectively start?) First Helen seemed to show some maturity, then Pip. It will be a nice little trio of editorial inputs this week* if Hannah gets a slap-down. Neil already suspects that tail-biting occurred on her shift and she didn't spot it. I think he will also realise that the unrest was caused by her feeding regime (against Neil's advice) which was trying to force up the live-weight of the pigs.

• I have bleached 'magic time' from my brain.

Oh, cross-post with Lil. Are we flailing or turning the ship around? Time will tell.

but not even allowed to push the beds together and have the comfort of Lynda's presence. That's out of character for Lynda. She's kind, and she loves Robert. Bad enough to get character transplants to support "drama", now we're getting it to support comedy too.

Has anyone tried to book tickets for TA tour in Birmingham recently? I can not seem to make the online booking system work. It does not ask me to select a date, but then says that there is no availability for the dates selected.

All advice and tips gratefully received.

Is it me or is Elizabeth not going to be thrilled to hear David's barn plans as a competitor to LL? Why does David think she'll be a cheerleader for them - unless he's going to ask her to put some money in.

Is it me or is Elizabeth not going to be thrilled to hear David's barn plans as a competitor to LL? Why does David think she'll be a cheerleader for them?

No it's not just you- it's every other sentient being apart from the Dopeys.