Archers thread #113: Who’ll find some Magic Time this Christmas in Ambridge? Share the glad tidings (and bad writing) in The Archers! Election-free zone so far ...

[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 Hannah 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 @SurpriseSparDay for the title. I haven't heard 12/12 yet so must catch up now, seeking relief from the outside world.

R4, Yes! At the time David was entirely reasonably being annoyed about Justin Elliott's behaviour, Pip had not yet confessed to having done the remarkably stupid thing of agreeing to Justin's proposition without and checking. After she confessed later in the episode all David said was "congratulations". She knew very well what he must think of their imbecility in having anything to do with Elliott, but chose to ignore it.

any checking, not and

Ah, so it wasn't credit cards, but Joy and his dad that has Tom worried.

Susan was unbearable again.

I'm kind of thinking now that Philip is going to dig up something nasty in the playground.

Ooh what could that be?

Susan is just awful. It's not in the least bit amusing

We just need@DadDadDadto see the light

I agree DadDadDad. Lee's posters are framed.

I'm working my way through Call The Midwife on iPlayer and am seriously concerned for Jill after spotting Leonard's voice. Handsome, cultured chap, seemingly the perfect widowed gentleman turns Phyllis' head - only for her to discover she is nursing his ailing wife! I hope the actor hasn't been typecast.

Susan has been written as a caricature of herself. A shame.

I'm kind of thinking now that Philip is going to dig up something nasty in the playground.

A 14th Century mass grave full of corpses that died of the Black Death.

Plague comes to Ambridge

dun dun DUNNNNN!!!

Plague comes to Ambridge

most of them are quite safe. Wooden planks don't get plague.

@DadDadDad yes but despite being a martial arts instructor he isn't meticulous is he? He hasn't taken the martial artists' core value of integrity that seriously (the invention of the nurse to prove he has moved on, and/or then letting Helen kiss him when he already has a girlfriend). He's abandoned fresh farm free range higher welfare meat for a sodding Iceland £1 TV dinner.

I think he's been visited by the personality transplant fairy actually, and that she took his pictures out of their plastic black frames into clip frames and then out of clip frames and just getting tatty.

A skip at the Gills - what's the betting Jenny's kitchen will be in there before the holidays are out.

I thought Jenny’s kitchen had already gone?

I have a theory*.

Susan revealed that the Gills were going to be away for Christmas. 'Roman' immediately excused himself to make a phone call. I think he has criminal contacts and the Gills will be burgled over Christmas, or the empty house will be used for some kind of nefarious activity.

Just possibly, this will lead the Gills to conclude that Ambridge is not for them and sell up at a huge Brexit discount, giving the Aldridges the change to get their home back.

*of the 2+2=22 variety

Ruari's dog statue was smashed in some kind of garden desecration, but I'm not sure about the kitchen - we've have been anticipating it since the house was sold, but I'm not sure it's actually happened yet. Someone will be along in a minute to confirm or correct.

I think that the JCB thieves will target the Gills next. The Gills have made the double error of (a) advertising that they are away and (b) not making friends with the village, so nobody is keeping an eye out for them. (Having said that, Shula got done over a few years ago, didn't she. Thieves stole stuff off the back of her removals lorry and none of the neighbours twigged what was going on.)

Oh, X-post. I see that Gasp and I are thinking along the same lines ...

I also thought Jenny’s kitchen had already gone. But perhaps we talked about it happening so much here that I’ve conflated thread speculation with what was actually broadcast?

Yes, it was talked about, but was merely speculation.

Hang on, did Lee reveal that the other girlfriend was an invention? I have missed a few episodes, so he may have done, or is that just speculation?

The 🔮 approves of the Roman/Gills theory

The fact that the Gills and the skip were so prominently mentioned means something must happen, surely.

Was that the point of the whole SL? The manufactured row with Kate over the land for Spiritual Home has been forgotten - like all the other ghosts of SLs past - so what purpose did it serve, really?

The manufactured row with Kate over the land for Spiritual Home has been forgotten - indeed - Brian and Jenny's home sacrificed to protect a business that is now rarely mentioned. QBL.

did Lee reveal that the other girlfriend was an invention?
No. Last we heard (the anniversary night/shopping expedition), he told Helen that he had dumped Leanne because he loved Helen (always had done etc). The dumping was done after the clearing-the-air (man in her life=Rob) meeting.
Says Lee. We don't know if he is a reliable narrator or not but he appears to have done the honourable thing i.e. dumped Leanne even before he knew that Helen would take up with him.