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.

Thanks very much for the new thread!
Another Boop from me for Justin taking Hannah down a peg. I also enjoyed David being offended by Elizabeth’s comments.
Felt rather sorry for Pat with her - at least we can be honest with each other after 45 years - comment.

I will be happy without a topical insert tonight tbh.

I will be happy without a topical insert tonight tbh.
I'm looking forward to Dead Ringers.

Does Lee know about Rob yet?

Yes. I don't think Helen went into detail when she was trying to explain but he said he remembered reading about her trial and didn't click that Helen was 'Mrs Titchenor'.

Didn't Pip say it was contract signing day today - what could possibly go wrong on Friday 13th (it is close to a full moon too)!

The absolutely full moon was as 12:12 (a.m. so that is cheating just a little) on the twelfth day of the twelfth month, this year -- well, it was if you were in the EST zone. All Terribly Significant of something-or-other, I expect.

Noooooo!

Topical insert clearly pre-recorded. Doesn’t say anything specific.

No!

Justin is awful!

Topical insert clearly pre-recorded. Doesn’t say anything specific.
But I think we can guess which way Justin would have voted.

And those unspeakably piffling little twerps seem to have signed a contract they saw for the first time at some sort of signing ceremony this evening, without asking to have it looked over by a solicitor or even as far as we could tell bothering to read it themselves.

They deserve whatever BL (ie Justin) now does to them, they really do!

unspeakably piffling little twerps

Apt

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime ha! Yes to this too. I mean it is all a little far fetched isn't it!

So, essentially it’s half a million pounds of Peggy’s money now in Justin’s hands?

Cometh the hour, cometh the Lilian ...

I rather enjoyed this episode. Justin in fine moustachio-twirling villain form.

Not often I've ever felt sorry for Brine, but no good deed goes unpunished..

Wouldn’t Peggy’s lawyers have had to look over a binding contract? Surely the contract isn’t with the ‘piffling trio’ as three individuals?

I am now on your side, Justin. Do your worst, Twirl your moustache to your heart’s content.

Thank you for the new thread. I shall listen after I’ve turned out the lights.

The one line summary of the episode says 'Tony makes a mistake' What was his 'mistake'?

I assumed it was forgetting the anniversary.

They are going into a share farming arrangement. This is quite a complex arrangement and operates on a different basis from a straight forward landlord/tenant relationship or an equally straightforward contract farming arrangement.

There were so many flaws in tonight's episode, from the point of view of the agricultural operations, tax, running a business and legal process I don't know where to begin but trust me - that was a pile of pants.

Indeed @MissBarbary, at this point I might type a 3 word spoonerised phrase but I fear that is now passe (with an acute accent on the e).

Thanks Gasp0

And I'm so pleased to see that The Intern is back

I'm still hoping the Lee storyline will also resolve the great blu-tack / frames debate

I know some of you don't like Lee's voice and I think it's the contrast between his and Helen's. She sounds like a grown up, he sounds like a lad - a lad who blu tacks his posters to the wall.

I'm looking forward to Dead Ringers

It was outstanding wasn't it? My Saturday morning treat is listening to the Archers as soon as it's online (6.30) followed by whatever Friday night comedy is on.

It'll never be passe, Doctor - I think we should adopt it as the thread motto. I might put it into the next OP, actually. Remiss this time.

Just caught up with last night's episode. Utter twaddle from start to finish. Manufactured to set Phoebe, Rex and Pip at each other's throats, to get Brian pushed out of BL and to continue the David/Justin feud and give Lilian something to do trying to get Justin to something or other. If the project had ever been plausible, I might care a little more, but it wasn't. This whole storyline is disastrously bad.

Also, Phoebe graduated from Oxford this summer with a degree in PPE. No comment from her about the election at all, just childish glee at free champagne and canapes? Really?

Harrumph.

Phoebe is a dull character in need of a good story line, getting a job in London and leaving Ambridge for ever, for example.

Oliphant you’re right, Rob was truly awful but he very much sounded like a man compared to Lee.

I utterly despair at what they have done to Phoebe. Also I could not understand why David thought it was any of his business to leap in and “save” Pip from a terrible mistake and talk directly to Justin about what she would or would not do (ditto why Brian encouraged this). Pip is a grown woman with a degree in agriculture -which probably involved a bit of contract law- and Rewilding Ambridge is absolutely nothing to do with David or Brookfield. If Pip was working for an employer David would hardly storm into her office and tell her how to do her job. It was beyond ludicrous.