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.

I honk Brian was trying to protect Phoebe, his granddaughter, from her own stupidity and in the process has landed himself in hot water, because of Phoebe’s and David’s joint stupidity. Phoebe is a vacuous airhead who’s heard about environmentalism but has no skills to apply to it.

Honk = think.

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?

The beginning of last night's episode was ludicrous - Phoebe and Rex being overawed by a posh pub and canapes.

A tiny detail, yet it annoys me: a) Pat telling Tony to wash before dinner b) doing this by saying "Go and wash up." No-one says that this side of the Atlantic, do they? (Or maybe it's a Welsh pattern of speech?)

Now, that is definitely something to be laid at the Editor’s door. There is an element of carelessness there. Another is the way they always seem to have Pat talking about ‘Tony’ to her children. Instead of saying ‘dad’ (or even ‘your father’ which might be a little formal for Bridge Farm). It irks me every time.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g (and everyone else) - we should surely start using QBL as a shorthand for storylines that are pure bollocks (if not bullocks ). I'll add it to my meta-thread on abbreviations.

Just checking in.

And as for the whole eleventh-hour-don't-appear-to-have-taken-any-advice-doesn't-David-have-Pip's-phone-number drama...

QBL!

I know there are several Oxbridge law graduates on this thread but I do consider myself something of a legal expert having watched every episode of LA Law back in the 80s ...

If - when! - there is a dispute about the contract, will it actually be valid if both sides didn't take independent legal advice?

Won't the Trustees be obliged to have taken legal advice too?

Not that I care if it means trouble for Pip.

No need for legal advice to make a contract valid - apart from a few exceptions concerning vulnerable people that wouldn't apply here.

Given this is all meant to be a bit of a present to Peggy actress, I wonder if the idea is that she will intervene and save the day? If the contract is for 75% of the profits, she could just refuse to hand over some or all of the money and, bingo, no profits, or at least not for a very long time. That wouldn't invalidate the contract but would make it very unattractive to BL, even with the greenwashing benefit, and they might be able to negotiate its cancellation.

That would still leave the rewilding scheme with no land, but frankly if that brings the entire ludicrous storyline to an end that could only be a major relief all round.

We loved LA Law!
My dp still refuses that he wanted to call out dd Grace because of the character.

Phoeeble sounded like a child with ADHD "Ooh canapés!"

I'm glad that Pip and Rex now know that she didn't tell them what Brian had said.

But I can't believe they didn't get the contract checked out by a lawyer before signing. Or that nobody advised them to. Although, I suppose most people would assume it's such a basic common sense thing to do, they wouldn't need to mention it?

Yes- the “ooh, canapés!” line was particularly ridiculous. It is absurd that Phoebe wouldn’t have understood that Brian was putting his position on the line for the and at least pause to think.

Thanks for the Dead Ringers recommendation. Very good, although I did have to explain some terms (‘go swivel’) to 12 year old DS!

And then to collapse weeping into the convenient arms of the waiting Peggy, who luckily is faaaaaaaaaamly and will no doubt be full of indignation on Phoeble's behalf.

Whereas of course she ought to go straight into her severe, clipped mode and give the wretched 'rewilders' a damn good dressing-down for being a bunch of incompetent tosspots.

Phoeeble sounded like a child with ADHD "Ooh canapés!"
Why on earth was the grand-daughter of Jennifer Aldridge behaving as if she had never before in her life seen nibbles at a posh drinks party?

The whole episode was definite QBL.

Is it possible the three idiots’ contract with Peggy’s trust (which they obviously won’t have read) has a clause requiring them to take legal advice before entering into other contracts?

Why on earth was the grand-daughter of Jennifer Aldridge behaving as if she had never before in her life seen nibbles at a posh drinks party?

Particularly when she only left Oxford a few months ago. It's not like she'd never have seen snacks on a tray there.

My dd was reading a magazine recipe in the supermarket checkout queue the other day and commented 'canape [rhymes with fake] sausages?! Canape sausages?! They're just pigs in blankets on a tray!' [She sounded reminiscent of Del Boy]

Me: it's pronounced canapé, it's French for sofa. I think because you eat them in the living room rather than at the table.'

DD: I don't care where you eat them, they're still pigs in blankets, no need for a silly name. Canapé sausages, huh.

She would not have been overawed by Justin.

Maybe Phoebe used to snaffle as much as she could while a student, at any event providing food. (I may or may not have done this years ago.) Or maybe with no income this is her food intake for the week.
.

I meant to put Old habits die hard.

I can't imagine Roy not feeding her.

Sorry, I do drop in and out of this thread but always read :) regarding Friday’s episode:

1. What an absolute parade of clichés. I swear I have never in my life heard someone say “I’m sorry, I...” and then trail off after being interrupted, it appears to be a pattern of speech solely occurring in scripts.

2. Even if they were desperate, why didn’t they negotiate at all? In my experience of contract negotiation (Oxbridge law degree, now working in the City) copies of the contract are passed between the sides with suggested changes in black line. They could at least have tried to have the wording altered a little bit, as they have the bargaining power that comes with having something BL want (the greenwashing opportunity) and the possibility of £500,000.

3. Why did Rex and Pip round on Phoebe, haven’t they read or thought about the contract at all? I understand Brian has said something to Phoebe but surely anyone with half a brain might have had suspicions beyond “it’s Justin, he’s untrustworthy” and no more nuance.

4. I think the moustache-twirling is unrealistic. Unscrupulous fund managers have a multitude of faults and unsavoury motivations but they aren’t in it just to be evil.

Sorry, I should have said I did like the topical insert, that was very in character and vaguely clever...

I’m joining the chorus of criticisms about this episode. But another thought occurs to me: how would the suppose it green-washing be obvious from reading the contract? And if not, how was Brian hoping to keep his information confidential? Surely a simple storyline with a 75% exploitation of the three dimwit would have been sufficient?

I’m cynically wondering if the green-washing is something the screenwriter just heard and thought would make this sound very topical, with considering its relevance to the storyline.