Archers thread #116: Pandemic fears, markets crash but it's BOOM 💥 time for Ambridge. 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 employ Philip Moss & Son to fix your soil pipe, 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! (New thread likely to be replacing that one very soon, in the current circumstances.)

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 thread title idea, which I tweaked, and @springydaff for the 💥 emoticon, which I hope is in the title! (Can't preview the title). Welcome, lurkers and lapsed listeners, drawn out of the shadows by the current crisis in Ambridge. In the OP of the last thread I said I didn't think we'd get to Easter on that thread. We certainly didn't!

I am very worried indeed about Lynda and concerned about Oliver too. Don't care about Gavin unless it means Kirsty is cheated out of yet another wedding. Freddie's redemption is now assured, though, surely? Roll on the return of the Lower Loxley crew.

Can’t believe the scriptwriters have done that to Lyndy...heartbreaking. Really well done episode.

Elizabeth was driving me mad and I don’t have to live with her.

Although, not quite a miraculous recovery for Lynda (yet), but she is still alive ...

7 - 10 days is when the sepsis and multi-organ failure kicks in

I can't believe they havent pulled this story line!

Here we are facing a pandemic and what soothing reassuring topic do the BBC choose?

More sensational stress inducing histrionic scripts are the last thing I feel like listening to.

V unboop. Fire that bloody intern.

I had primed DH to stay out of the room & then DD1 came in all chatty & I didn’t have the heart to kick her out. I’m going to have to listen again.

Robert and Jim were acted very well. It’s rather lovely having them, after all the ornithology squabbling, together in a situation albeit an extremely grim situation. Poor Lynda and Robert but poor everyone really.

Another lurker de- lurking . I can’t bear to listen. I love Lynda. I just can’t take it

I’m a brighter note, thank you all for these threads. I think I have read and enjoyed most of them.

Sorry, I forgot to acknowledge the new thread. Great title, just right in the circs.

I agree @madroid it’s awful to have this SL just now when so much else that’s grim is happening IRL.

I have wet eyes and am overly infested
Lyndie must survive.

I presume Blake is still alive as Shula is praying for him.

The Robert and Jim actors were really good this evening.
Shame that Freddie wasn't given better lines.
Maybe he should have gone to see Robert instead of Aunty Shula, Jim would have allowed Freddie to stay and see Robert.

Oh goodness! I had no idea this was coming. It's been so long since they have done a shocker of a storyline like this I'd forgotten how good it can be

Freddie definitely had a tone when he said Blake. No idea what’s going on there. Poor Lynda, poor Robert.

Please could someone give me a 4 line summary?
I know there's been an explosion at grey Gables and Lynda has got burned and is critical and some bloke is missing. I caught the last 2 mins of yesterday and some of todays.

• Do we know why/how it happened?
• Was there any foreshadowing?
• Was Freddie heroic?

I am really unclear if Blake is alive or dead. Robert and Jim were excellent.

I think Blake must be still alive, the way they spoke of him. But he must be at least as bad as Lynda. Maybe the Sepsis will get him and miss Lynda.

- Do we know why/how it happened?
No. All to do with unknown work on floor in kitchen. Can't recall why they needed work. Philip had left Gav to oversee, workman turns out to be Blake who no-one seems to know or care about. Strange clanging noises coming from kitchen before explosion, Lynda went to get them to turn it down.

• Was there any foreshadowing? A careful clearing of the decks so no-one knew who was in the building at the time, but otherwise no.

• Was Freddie heroic? So-so. He was panicky and wimpy; on the other hand he did drag Lynda out, but it would take quite a selfish person to leave her there or, indeed, as suggested on the last thread, stuff her nose with some more brick dust and "accidentally" stand on her throat while struggling to get out.

🕯

Thank you. I don't seem to have got back into regular listening since Hel'n'Rob, and my Sundays keep going AWOL with DD2's homework.

I hope they're not just using this as a way to spin out her death and extract maximum dramatic effect from it.

I don't advise googling ""full thickness burns" face survival elderly" - interesting stuff on treatment and reconstruction, but I now feel faintly queasy.

Can't recall why they needed work.
I think a puddle appeared on the kitchen floor.

Can't recall why they needed work.

Broken soil pipe under the kitchen floor causing minor flood in kitchen (presumably of sewage.)

Altogether too much drama for my constitution at the moment. !

I hope they're not just using this as a way to spin out her death and extract maximum dramatic effect from it
Well, it wouldn't do if we were all the same, MereDint. But would you really want her to survive hideously disfigured and disabled? Best for everyone, particularly Robert, if she were to die, and sooner rather than later.

I want the Ambridge Health Fairy to ensure she survives without being hideously disfigured and disabled! It's happened before and I hope it happens again.