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.

And it came over him so suddenly, too! It must have been someone who bit him, or something.

He is, and Gavin is properly stupid.

I’m very sad about the Philip storyline. There just wasn’t any build up to it at all - I find it hard to believe.

Also couldn’t understand why he reacted so vehemently to Gavin calling Lynda an old bag...do they want us to think he’s decent or what?

I think they want us to think he's got shades of grey...

Also couldn’t understand why he reacted so vehemently to Gavin calling Lynda an old bag
I suppose that if you start doing it in private then one day it will slip out in public. Best not to get into bad habits.

Talking of people being nasty: why was Kenton being so mean last week, he didn't have a good word for anyone.

I think it may be to keep his calm, boring but decent facade. He can't be heard being rude or listening to rude things being said about an Ambridge treasure such as Lynda. Especially as he was essentially to blame for the explosion 💥

I may have misheard, but did Philip say something like "Have you fed the other horses"?

Omitted to say, Philip was asking the question of Gavin, not Kirsty.

Yes I heard that too?

It was definitely horses that he called them. I suppose that was another "get into the habit in private as well" thing.

Yes, I heard horses too.

Is it perhaps something to do with old lags and a play on old nags.

He definitely said Have you fed the other horses?

I hope they don't drag out the revelation to Kirsty and the Ambridgers.

Presumably in real life the police investigators and the civilian insurance investigators will spot the whole situation reeks.

Presumably also HMRC, for VAT and PAYE, is going to look at Philip's business.

Ooh "horse" is also slang for heroin.

Just been listening to R4's dramatisation of Your Blue Eyed Boy. An actor sounded familiar despite having an American accent. It's Adonis Anthony - aka Call Me Russ!

I heard that too LaureBerthaud. I have never read the book but it was chilling. There are parallels with Russ. At one point I felt quite shaky listening to Michael so good acting there.

Oh I do hope the insurers and police are onto Phillip quickly.

I’m very sad about the Philip storyline. There just wasn’t any build up to it at all - I find it hard to believe

Yes I've never found Philip especially interesting but he has been in the show a longish time now with no sign of this. I was wondering if this storyline was either just conjured up in a drunken LSW party or if it was originally outlined for Vince Casey who was introduced as dodgy from the outset

Ooh, I’ve just remembered: I thought Philip was dodgy right at the beginning when he was doing Lil’s bathroom. He just seemed shifty... 🧐

Otherwise what was the point of mentioning the tea refusal twice?

To demonstrate Roy's memory problems.

WTF was Blake doing turning a grill on when there is nothing to cook under it???

@SpaceDinosaur. I asked the same question a few pages ago, but nobody ever responds to anything I say on this thread!

There just wasn’t any build up to it at all

Yes and no ... His constant readiness to undertake any building job for less than the competition does look highly suspicious, in retrospect.

I’m not sure all the rest is a conscious facade. It seems he genuinely believes himself to be a good person.

Why, why, why did Kirsty not insist on seeing every scrap of admin for his business, before jumping into the promise of eternity with him?

On another note - I fear I may soon entirely lose the thread of the Conservation Trust story. I was right beside the radio this evening, with the volume up - and I have no recollection of anything exchanged between Pip, Phoebe and Justin. My ears just switch off when they appear.

And yes, in retrospect the Vince Casey thing was wonderfully clever!

I thought he said houses, but that doesn’t sound right either.

They also mentioned "workers at Berrow" and "everywhere ." Sounds like quite an operation they have going.

I think he said horses, makes sense for them to use a code word rather than slaves we have living in an old caravan.