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.

Oh wow.

Crikey, so Philip isn't boring after all.

bwahahahaha!
Since it appears that Lynda is not going to die, which is very annoying of her, at least there is some guaranteed misery for Kirsty in the pipeline.

Meanwhile I [heart] Gav for the 'old bag' comment.

Poor old Kirsty though: has she ever had a boyfriend/significant other/partner who didn't let her down badly?

Slave labour repaired the children’s playground...!

That sounds a bit weird. I dont mean modern day slavery is a fun thing.
I hope that it's more convincing than you lot are making it, as it sounds a bit pants.

@Chemenger This week I have had to get to grips with Zoom, Microsoft Teams and all sorts of new-fangled tech wizardry.

My greatest fear is that I will accidentally fail to disconnect & people will hear what they are not supposed to. Although in my case it is probably just swearing at the dog or talking to myself.

The 🔮 is furiously recalibrating says it's been trying to tell us but we misinterpreted.

Sorry but I don't buy it. Feels like a plot twist for the sake of it. Philip has been around for a long time without being dodgy.

Well, didn't see that coming.

It wasn't pants. I was astounded, hadn't seen it coming at all, but it rang true. Now I see that Eddie and Ed were right when they had suspicions about why Philip's quotes were so low. I wonder whether Blake has a learning disability.

I was particularly pleased they picked up on what somebody here astutely mentioned the other day - that medical staff would not have given updates to Philip just because he was Blake's employer. We now know that Philip has lied to them and said he was Blake's uncle.

Poor Kirsty. Another wrong'un. I think she'll end up with Roy in the end, if he survives.

Gang masters. I never liked Phillip.

Philip has been around for a long time without being dodgy.
Ed was complaining (only yesterday, admittedly) about Eddie's work drying up because Philip is undercutting him.
Remember how desperate he was to get Jm's extension? Offering to beat the existing contractor without even knowing what price he was going up against.

Oh wow! I didn't twig on that they were actually talking about keeping Blake in slave conditions, I thought the feeding him bit was not getting him a bacon butty when Gavin got himself one or something.

On another tack - and sorry if this has been discussed already - but re the coronavirus situation, I've just heard from a friend that they're not currently recording any more episodes, just broadcasting the ones they've already made. Is that true? Has anyone else heard this? She could be wrong.

These threads have always been so good-natured (even if we moan a lot). I’m finding your glee in all misfortune really jarring, @theThreeofWeevils. I guess that’s the reaction you’re looking for?

She's right five foot, I mentioned it recently. They have enough episodes for a few weeks apparently.

Oh thanks Langsdestiny. I've just seen it on the Archers facebook page (didn't realise there was one!). Guess they might reduce the number of episodes per week, like TV soaps are doing.

Do we know that Blake is British? Or are we in for an Eastern European slavery storyline?

Also, you'd think that the GG kitchen would have a toaster, wouldn't you? I haven't made toast under the grill for years!

Well said, SparklingLime! I've been thinking exactly the same for weeks.

Hold on did philip know the dodgy bloke who got Ed into trouble, I have a vague memory of something. Did his wife know, is that why she left him?

In the midst of this surprising turn a BOOP for Brian tonight in his scene with Roy.

Brian is consistently believeable.

I don't really understand why they need to stop recording. There is enough technology around that parts could be recorded by individual actors wherever they are, sent in and spliced together.

There’s definitely a story to come about why Gavin got dumped.

I’m finding your glee in all misfortune really jarring

Just comfort yourself with the thought of how often I am disappointed, then.
Realistically, Lynda should NOT be sitting up and talking. And, frankly, I have put in the hard years hating her guts, and it feels a little harsh to be so narrowly baulked of her demise.

My ideal Ambridge - as I may have mentioned before - is a smoking ruin with just Peggy, smiling in silent satisfaction as Hilda stalks the ravaged landscape.

In the midst of this surprising turn a BOOP for Brian tonight in his scene with Roy.

Absolutely.

It made for a rather packed 13 minutes, but as we assume Roy’s trouble is a direct result of Philip and Gavin’s doings I guess they do belong together.

Who would have thunk it?? Here I was /we were thinking that dull Philip consistently undercut other builders purely out of the goodness of his heart ...

Fantastic episode.