Archers thread #115: Johnny's in the gym, Josh is in a jam, Rex is riled, Kate's with child - discuss The Archers here

[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 to share a camomile tea with Kate, 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 @LillianGish for the excellent Bert Fry tribute title!

I don't think this thread will get us to Easter, but we should be well into Lent before we need a new title. I wonder if St Stephen's will have a new oh-so-interesting Lent initiative this year. When did we last hear from Alan?

But if we are forced to attend her funeral I’d vote for Raera’s eau de Nil in the next thread title ...

Remember a few threads ago we were all wondering why the SW, always claiming to be budget-constrained, had plonked Joy Horville in Ambridge? Opposite Kirsty and Philip!

Presumably the plan is for Lynda to languish in intensive care for long enough for everybody to say nice things about her. I really hope she remains on the cast, though. If she's going, maybe Robert is too.
[I can understand the urge to leave if they have caring responsibilities or don't really agree with the direction of the show].

Freddy will become a hero, but be left with a limp/scar so we will never forget his courage.

I also have a bad feeling that Gavin was sat at home, in his pants with his Xbox, when all this happened.

Whatever happens I think it is fair to assume that I'll be cross about it.
The best I can hope for is that the Bull reverts to its proper name and Lillian goes back to riding horses and managing Amside.

The insurance implications

Remember a few threads ago we were all wondering why the SW, always claiming to be budget-constrained, had plonked Joy Horville in Ambridge? Opposite Kirsty and Philip!

It's to keep a house available for EmNEd. As the 🔮 has predicted, Ed will gain steady employment (probably with Philip). They will reconcile as Joy decides to move back closer to Rochelle (or is felled by Coronavirus).

Joy's house. Of course, yes.

She is very much an Ilona / Lexi / Charlie character isn't she. A medium-term blow-in, serving her purpose in catalysing others' stories.

Roy actor was good, wasn't he. His initial shock and confusion came across, before he went into standard Roy mode and got into low-key organising.

'Whatever happens I think it is fair to assume that I'll be cross about it'

@Madcats has called it

I fear that Joyless is the replacement for Lynda.

I also have a bad feeling that Gavin was sat at home, in his pants with his Xbox, when all this happened.

Yes.

But ... eurrrghh!

I've always thought of Lynda as something of a Mrs Antrobus replacement. A bit exotic and interesting, interacts with everyone on an equal footing (classless in the 'ancient families of the village' sense) and fixated on her pets! Though Lynda's become more central over time.

Joy Horville ain't no Mrs Antrobus and she ain't no Lynda Snell neither.

Ed and EM wouldn't be able to afford either Pillip's or Joy's house, so that's not going to happen. They were trying for one of the "affordable" houses on the estate, and had to apply for it. Joy's house is not one of those, as she had no previous connection with Ambridge.

Ambridge has a Housing Fairy, though, so nothing can be ruled out. The Grundy clan still have Grange Farm, against all sense and logic, so I wouldn't put it past the SWs to find a home for Ed and Em, if they do decide to put them back together again.

A detail we won't see resolved for months to come, no doubt - what is Will doing with himself? It's been months now since he left his job. What's he living on? The rent from No.1 The Green may be covering his share of the Grange Farm rent, I suppose, but surely he needs to be looking for a permanent job.

Don't worry, @MikeUniformMike - I don't like Pip either

In my dreams, Ambridge is a smoking wasteland where the only signs of life are Peggy, gently rocking in her rocking chair and smiling enigmatically, and Hilda, majestically stalking the desolate landscape.

Is that why you continue to listen, Three? Quite an investment of time when you seem to hate almost all the characters! Is it cathartic?

what is Will doing with himself?

I have been intermittently wondering about this all morning! (Ambridge providing relief from coming zombie apocalypse ...)

I recall he said he had been picking up some work - of some sort. But yes, he’s nicely cushioned by his ill-gotten rental income.

Well I've sought you all out because I just had to share the trauma with others!

I was driving in the fast lane of the motorway at the time of the 💥. Bloody hell!!! I'm not one for excessive punctuation but it frightened the life out of me.

They should have given a warning pre-programme to get into the equivalent of the slow lane and keep calm, deep breaths, in preparation. Surely. Public health!

Blimey, that must have been quite an experience!

Linda has been one of the kindest people in the village in the past.

Terrifying!

More support please

Thank you for the daffs, D0g, very apt 👍

Another delurker here.

Dedding Lynda serves no purpose other than short-term drahma - every community has its annoying do-gooder.

I remember when the Snells arrived in Ambridge . . . don't die, Lynda!

Lynda and Robert have one of few non-dysfunctional marriages in the village. Much as he SWs might like the dramatic possibilities, it is unrealistic to cull the population until only the dysfunctional are left.

They must have done something right Sunday and last night - I found I didn't want to read this thread to see what happened, I needed to hear the episode. And now I need to hear tonight's episode.

I hope they don't go for a long period in an induced coma followed by death as coronavirus sweeps the hospital.

Yes, I like Lynda and Robert's relationship. I realise that they remind me a bit of Edwina Curry and her husband, as seen on some 'celebrity wife swap' programme a few years ago. (They swapped with John McCrirrick and wife and she, who did everything in their house, was quite sweetly / sadly overcome, when Mr Curry (not his name) cooked her dinner one night. Something he considered completely normal. It was quite emotional).

I hope not exactly like Edwina Curry and her husband, given her affair with John Major!

Not that husband The subsequent one. He was calm, lovely and happy to keep things going in the background.

In the interests of realism, even if today is yesterday (yesterday having been Sunday still) the firemen and saftey officers would still be on site sifting through the rubble to establish the cause and make sure it was secured.

And some time in the next couple of weeks Oliver and Philip will both be the subject of a really through and hostile investigation, Oliver for employing someone incompetent and Philip for subcontracting to someone not qualified to do the job (Gavin is an electrician, and we have no idea what his dogsbody was up to). There will be fines on a par with the one that bankrupted Brian, if there is any realism. If Lynda is in fact dead (I am unsure that "She's not breathing" means "She's dead" in this day and age and in a melodrama) there will also be an inquest at which a lot of very awkward questions will be asked.

There would have been no point to her being dragged out by Freddie if she’s dead - it’s hardly a glorious ending.

Sadly, they might feel they want to drag the whole thing out, with at least three episodes with her on the brink of death whilst the nation is on tenterhooks (or would be if C19 hadn't cruelly diverted attention), followed by several more episodes covering everyone's grief/feelings of guilt etc.

But I do hope not.