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.

but the affluent middle classes of Ambridge couldn't even give her the time of day.

Because it's bloody cheeky running to them at the 11th hour asking for a big unsecured loan in panicked circumstances.

I don't blame her for doing it, ok I do a little bit but I know she was despeate but they'd have been morons for agreeing to lend her money in the circumstances and I don't think they were unreasonable to be hacked off with the request, it was a cheeky one.

What's a char?

What's a char?
Would you believe that wiki's second definition is .... type of fish.

An alternative suggestion:
Chars, Zanders, Gills and other fishy omens - they can't all be red herrings can they? Catch up with The Archers. Thread #115

A char is me avoiding char-woman (which offends some in that business) or char-lady (which offends some of the others). Char-person just sounds silly.

It is someone who is paid to do the household char for others who have either no time or no inclination to do it for themselves.

I like your gym, jam, riled, child suggestion, Lil’G.

I thought it was disgusting of so many people to treat the obviously desperate Emma as they did. Whether they thought she deserved to be in such a mess or not, it made me sick.

Well that was my first preference, but as I didn’t get a bite... I suppose you could say I’m just fishing for compliments

but as I didn’t get a bite... I suppose you could say I’m just fishing for compliments

Oh I love your first suggestion, LilianGish. It is excellent

I like your gym, jam, riled, child suggestion, Lil’G. Yes, agreed

but the affluent middle classes of Ambridge couldn't even give her the time of day

Because it's bloody cheeky running to them at the 11th hour asking for a big unsecured loan in panicked circumstances

It was cheeky and she became quite aggressive when they wouldn't give her the money.

I'm thinking baby with Downs Syndrome perhaps?

Nah, they've done that, they're highly unlikely to repeat it. They might cook up twins, that would test Kate a bit.

non-sleeping velcro baby(ies)...

I like your Bert Fry tribute title too, Lillian! I see we've reached #965 with this post, so I'll start a new thread later today.

Lynda and Robert - lovely. I see Storm Ciara passed Ambridge by, though. Round here yesterday afternoon was not weather for standing around checking the condition of llama coats. Checking the llamas hadn't been blown away, more like.

My main thought about Emma trying to borrow money at the last minute was impatience with the SWs. After years and years of having Oliver as the Grundy Money Fairy, the one and only time he was needed they deliberately kept him away. Suspension of disbelief suspended for me.

I agree they wouldn't repeat the storyline of older mother having Down Syndrome baby. They made a dismal failure of it before, bottling out of keeping it going by sending Vicky, Mike and Bethany to Birmingham.

Oh the shame of it ... I had no idea there had been a child with Downs' Syndrome before, it was clearly before I saw the light and became a regular listener

It was quite a few years ago now, @BuckingFrolics, no shame involved! Except for the SWs. I think poor little Bethany was the casualty of one of the many changes in Editor in recent years.

The Bethany story was quite a long time ago now. Maybe attitudes have changed or maybe Kate goes to ante-natal and discovers the baby might have Downs and is thrown into a dilemma. I don't think she would want a termination but could she cope with the reality?

Bethany is 7 now, she was born in early 2013. They were there a couple of years before moving to Birmingham, I think in late 2014.

Given Kate's unbearable smugness about having 'known for a while' and being so supremely self-satisfied about the whole thing, and given - as others have pointed out - that she's highly unlikely to have taken an actual test, isn't it feasible that she'll tell Jakob, there'll be an almighty falling-out, with him feeling (quite rightly) used by the vile madam on an epic scale, and then she'll turn out to be not upduffed at all?

As someone said a long way upthread now, it's weird that Kate and Jakob are suddenly being seen as an established/exclusive couple. It seems like about two minutes since they were first trading deadly insults. All at once they're seen as bonded. How/when did that happen? To me they're just casually seeing each other; it doesn't come across as much more serious than that. Other than Kate deciding to use him as a sperm-donor without telling him, of course.

jakob will find out from susan after alice told chris...

Jakob will find out from susan after alice told chris..

I am rubbing my hands with glee at that (well metaphorically as I am typing really). I would listen to that episode with a glass of champagne in hand though!

Good point. And he'll be even more furious then.

Excellent.

I don’t think they are an established couple.

I think Kate thinks they are and Jakob is non plussed by the whole thing.

I think Kate thinks they are

I think Kates wants them to be so is acting as if they are, thus railroading it into happening.

If anything, won't the baby most likely turn out to have ASD?

If Jacob has been having unprotected sex, kate hasn't railroaded him into anything.