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.

Oh that's interesting, I never feel as if I am listening to events that happened in ambridge earlier that day. Is that how everyone feels, am I weird?

I thought Friday's episode was meant to be Saturday. Isn't that what the CA said beforehand?

I thought Friday's episode was meant to be Saturday.
They mentioned what a flop yesterday's (Friday's) Burns Bop was. We then experienced live the compare&contrast between the pub Burns Night and the Grange Farm BN.
Burns Night is 25th January i.e. tonight. Still hasn't happened yet!

I never feel as if I am listening to events that happened in ambridge earlier that day. Is that how everyone feels, am I weird?
TA is supposed to be the Everyday Tale of Country Folk. Told every day (except Saturday). To my mind, half the point is the minutiae, the nothingness that unfolds. It's what makes made it vaguely believable and hence interesting.
Also, I live in Borsetshire so it feels more relevant, in a way that EE or Corrie doesn't.

I think the alternative Burns Night at Grange Farm was a spectacularly shitty thing to do to Jolene and Kenton. I hope they all get food poisoning from Clarrie's haggis.

I think the alternative Burns Night at Grange Farm was a spectacularly shitty thing to do to Jolene and Kenton

I don't think it was shitty. Its what happens when a business ignores its customers.

I liked the trip to Scotland and thought it was well done. A pleasant change from some of the godawful episodes recently.

Nicely done and with the better actors performing.

Usually I would agree, Angelina but for once I'm happy to see Lilian and Justine being taught a lesson. Lilian values her 'cider club' friendship with people like Eddie but has completely failed to take people like Eddie's opinion into consideration in her mad quest to interfere with the Bull. I'm not sure about Jolene because her behaviour here seems wildly out of character.

I'm not sure about Jolene because her behaviour here seems wildly out of character

True - she is normally closer to her customers. That said the whole storyline is rubbish and I can't see Lilian and Justin seriously thinking that name makes sense in a village pub. If they were expanding the base I'd have thought they would target more affluent diners/drinkers from the surrounding areas rather than a fairly risible attempt at the Yoof market.

And I loved the contrast with Philip saying that sorting out the playground had been a really good business decision.

Paul Copley is from Yorkshire, isn't he?

BTW, I love Clarrie - she would be a really nice friend to have 😍

BTW, I love Clarrie - she would be a really nice friend to have

Clarrie doesn't have any friends though- she has no social life at all other than family as her life is all work and family. She is close to Susan through work but do they ever socialise together as just 2 friends?

I think that's why I like her so much, BLF!

Reminds me of me

Paul Copley sounds as if he comes from Yorkshire and he plays a Sheffield man when he's being Tom Wrigglesworth's dad (which I love).

Didn't Jayston live in Northumberland, or somewhere in the North-East? That would account for Housesteads being so close to the B&B. Paul Stonehouse, who played Michael, appears to live in North Yorkshire.

I used to like Tom Wrigglesworth's Hang Ups too, Gasp0de, but since the twins came along it seems to have lost much of its humour, IMO.

The Michael actor is from North Yorkshire and does different accents.
I only detected a Northern/Scottish accent, it didn't particularly sound like Northumbrian Borders to me. Good actor.

Is Burns night such a massive thing outside Scotland? I've only ever celebrated it with Scottish friends who have put on events in their own homes when outside Scotland. I realise Ambridge conveniently has an expert bagpiper in the shape of Jazzer - I'm surprised he doesn't capitalise on that more - but it seems fairly ambitious for what is essentially a Midlands pub to be putting on a whole weekend of events. Big boop for Phil and Kirsty eloping - that seems like a sensible and realistic solution.

I'm going out for a Burns night do tonight in Derbyshire. I'm not Scottish, it just looks like a good night out with friends.

CanYouSmellMyCharlie, I don't think I've heard it for a while. That's disappointing.

I'm Scottish (albeit in London) and I must admit I had totally forgotten about Burns Night, not that we really celebrate it anyway, as my husband has the misfortune to be English. I don't think I can even have a wee dram, as my mouth is a bit raw from recent dental work. The meal would have been good tonight, as I can only eat soft food. I might have a delayed celebration on my own in a week or two if I can get some haggis.

Weirdly, since I stopped eating meat years ago, the only things I miss are haggis and black pudding. (And game around Christmas time.) There used to be an all day restaurant in Oxford that did the most brilliant black pudding fry-ups which were a particular treat on a Saturday morning. Every time I walk past the building now I feel waves of longing.

Cant comment on Ambridge events yet - haven’t heard it this week.

Especially as it's such a pale, passionless relationship

I like Kirsty and Philip as a couple. Their relationship seems to be based on respect, genuine affection, shared interests and having a good laugh together. They might not be Cathy and Heathcliff but they do seem to love each other and are making a good life together. Hope he's not deaded soon.

Well done on Phil and Kirsty finally coming to the obvious solution to their dilemma!

I remember the Great Flood lasted several days where it was still dee are day/ night 1 in Ambridge but I also don’t remember any time travel forwards previously!

I think it has happened once or twice just as it did this time: something set on Saturday being broadcast on Friday evening. But I can't name specific occasions; I just noticed them the same way I've noticed times one day's broadcast carried straight on from the day before's so that two episodes happened in the same day as far as Ambridge was concerned.

Didn't New Years Eve last for two (possibly three?) episodes, several years ago?

The one when Charlie and Adam had their kiss, if I remember rightly.

New Year's Eve started in the episode of 31st December, 2014, and finally dragged to a close at the end of the episode on 2nd January, 2015.

The Am flooded on the evening of Sunday 1st March, 2015, in that day's episode; it then remained in full flood until the episode of Friday 6th March, 2015, when it was revealed that the flood had actually lasted for a single night in Ambridge.

Rather a lot of what he called "pick-up episodes" happened while Sean O'Connor was editor.