Archers thread #114: Bull banished, Bali beaches beckon, bickering bullshitters burgeon

[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 Gavin 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 for all thread title suggestions! I've gone with a B theme which with a bit of luck will seem odd and irrelevant by the end of this thread. Here's hoping, anyway.

Haven't caught up with tonight's episode yet, so off to do that shortly.

I was out with DD earlier and she said , 'Oh look, it's like in the Archers.'

I was driving and it was dark so, having not noticed anything Archers-esque, I began looking round cluelessly for some unnamed country thing hanging around Zone 2 London (was there a cow in the road? a sheep caught in a garden hedge? - and even then I thought it was surprising she specifically referenced TA since we have extended family who are farmers, surely she would have said it was like them). When I asked what it was, it turned out to be a pub called The Bull.

I told her about the renaming plans (she half listens, about half the time) and she was very unimpressed. 'Young people won't like that', she said, 'Only toddlers would think that was a good name. It's ridiculous.'

Oh yes, silly me.

I had completely forgotten about the Mungo connection.

I had completely forgotten about the Mungo connection.
Mungo was born Sep 2014 (I had to look it up). It's about time he had a few more mentions or, even, actual visits to the village. When did the grandparents last see him?

I was pretty sure everyone except me, including the SWs, had forgotten Mungo (aka The King Over the Water - I’m certain his parents live south of the river).

Things are so rubbish atm it’s only anticipation of Johnny, Freddie, Lily, Ben, Ruairi, George, Henry, Jack, Keira, Mungo, Poppy and poor Rosie taking over that makes it bearable.

It is rubbish right now, I gave up on the omnibus.

I think Mungo and his parents live in Deptford

Deptford? No, no, Sparkly, you mean West Greenwich, as it's now known by nobody at all except a few ridiculous estate agents and property developers.

Actually, I don't think we know that they live there. James at one point was trying to get money to invest in a block of flats there, wasn't he? I was amused by that, and slightly impressed that the SWs got it right, as it was at a time when Deptford was indeed being transformed by property developers. It's full of blocks of flats and warehouse conversions now.

Matt found out all about James's "warehouse investment" and pointed out that it was complete rubbish, so Lilian was restrained from sinking a lot of money into her useless son's sure-to-fail get-rich-quick scheme. It all happened back in 2005 when James was also busy seducing Brenda and promising to take her to London so that she packed in her job.

Lowfield 12th May 2005
"Matt rings to tell Lilian he's had a very successful business trip, and she heats up the hot tub and chills the champagne. But Matt seems anxious to avoid James. The reason soon becomes clear. He's been to have a look at James' warehouse. It's not in Greenwich at all, but in a dodgy area of Deptford, and as a former dye works, will need professional - and very expensive - decontamination. Lilian valiantly tries to put a good gloss on the venture, but Matt is triumphant; he's exposed James for what he is. "

Not that it did much good: James then blackmailed Lilian by convincing her that if she didn't subsidise him he would get the money out of Peggy instead, got the money he wanted out of Lilian, and went off back to London leaving Brenda behind with her heart broken for the umpteenth time.

Ah yes, Mungo.

He'd be starting proper school around now.

Surely the choice his parents make is going to not meet with Lynda's approval?

The Skewer is ok. Just a bit strange to have it on late at night.
TA was its usual Sunday night dull.

I’d forgotten there was Skewer talk here. Oddly enough I was at a workshop yesterday given by someone who works on it.

I hope we're not going to get too much of Ian being silly about Hugh. Not a bad episode otherwise, though, I thought (by current standards). I believe Keri Davies is this week's SW which usually marks a good patch.

I wonder what madcap scheme Eddie has come up with regarding the name change?

Surely it can't be anything as straightforward as boycotting The Bull, can it

This is The Archers after all....

Eddie is obviously going to have an alternative "Burns Night" at the Cider club. He can even tempt Jazzer away with food and alcohol.

This will mean that the Burns themed weekend instead of adding to the profits of the Bull will be a damp squib.

When a certain pub near me changed its name it struggled, but when it reverted to its old name (and traditional Sunday lunches) it got a lot of them back.

Eddie needs to start calling the cider club The Bull. Then when everyone migrates there and deserts the B @ Ambridge, sanity will return.

I must say, listening to Ian whinge on about steak pie was the radio equivalent of watching paint dry.

Yes, the Ian bit was boring/ridiculous. Even Adam was fed up with him.

Ian is obviously feeling very insecure during his parental leave (although unlike a lot of women I've known, I'm sure Oliver isn't just trying to get rid of him).

The B@Ambridge would be an OK name for a bistro in The Bull. But very strange for an actual pub.

Anyone remember some pubs being renamed "The Scream" with matching pub sign? Now there's a strange idea.

I don't at all understand why Freddie needed to take Ian a hard-copy menu from Grey Gables. Do they not have it on their website?

Oh not ANOTHER non-wedding!

OMG. Did anyone else hear that weird "Van Gogh painting red haired man" voice when Lilian was talking???

Yes, what was that all about?

Thank God, Choccy. I thought it was a ghost or aural hallucination.

I heard it too & i had literally just turned on the car engine so i thought the voice might have been inside the car. Very freaky...

I heard that and wondered if I'd missed a storyline somewhere!

Why doesn't Kirsty just tell Phillip that Gavins been vile? It seems so unlike her yo keep it quiet.

Listened on catchup. Disappointed at not hearing creepy voice. Perhaps the intern accidentally pressed a wrong button...