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.

Mind you, they haven't explained quite why she couldn't have got herself to the shops or spent a few minutes ordering something online

When I heard that, I thought "aha, the Archers are catching up with the rest of the world", but no, they are all carrying on drinking champagne in the Bull as usual.

I assume they're ignoring the pandemic because it would have meant close to complete rewrites and re-recording which just isn't feasible. This isn't the sort of thing they can deal with by writing in one scene, they'd have to junk anything involving people visiting Lynda and Blake in hospital and every scene where people talk to each other in the Bull, at church, at the café and virtually any other public venue.

But I wonder how they're going to deal with it later on - will the Ambridge inhabitants have collective total amnesia, or will they pretend that they were locked down with the rest of us even though we can hear that they're not?

Yes, it's an interesting conundrum, @JudyCoolibar.

Haha @ADarkandStormyKnight , I was thinking HWMNBN was prime material for Phils gang but didn’t want to incur the wrath of the thread police!

If the episodes stop in say 6 weeks and restart in 6 months (being pessimistic) then the period when we don’t hear from them could easily be the period of lockdown. I think our way of life will change due to this - I’m hoping working from home becomes more standard for example - but I hope the Archers, Grundies, Carter’s et al, survive intact.

mentioned Lynda ‘recovering’. Ha, I thought, that’s what you think!

That did make me feel a little more optimistic. My 'optimism' may not exactly match that of other posters, though

Does anyone else feel that Moss is this |-| far away from losing his temper and belting Kirsty one?

I have a feeling that he will come a whisker's breadth away from it. He toned down his snappiness. She's a bit of a doer though and if she interferes, he'll strike. Poor Kirsty.

Oliver’s in the afternoon drama on R4 atm! Standard fare - playing the Home Secretary. Rather cool to have such a distinctive voice listeners don’t even need to check a cast list to know you.

HW*N should not even be typed in jest as it might be enough to summon him from the mere where he lies moaning to bring us all down.

In a Scooby Doo universe Archers, Phillip would rip off his mask to reveal that he's actually Rob Titchener.

I may or may not be having some strange fever dreams at the moment!

Kirsty was being really annoying though. She was needlessly interfering under the guise of helping.

In a Scooby Doo universe Archers, Phillip would rip off his mask to reveal that he's actually Rob Titchener.

What are you trying to do to us!

Y’know, it crossed my mind this afternoon that Kirsty does go on a bit. Last thing a person wants if they’re feeling a bit stressed.

Oh Kirsty is incredibly annoying.

To be fair I think it's ok to be annoying towards a slave ring master.

Except that she has no idea that he is, so she is simply being annoying because that is what she does.

Kirsty was being really annoying though. She was needlessly interfering under the guise of helping.

Yes, I thought the way she kept faffing around with the invoices after Philip had asked her to stop would annoy me fairly intensely.

That's Mr Moss to you, weevils

I know but we know he is a slave master so we can forgive her. 😁

I really hope they ignore the pandemic, at least for now. I need one little corner of the day where I dont have to think about it.

Aww, I'm pleased Joy has Anita to go out and have fun with.

Another Aww for Robert and Freddy

I have a feeling that he will come a whisker's breadth away from it. He toned down his snappiness. She's a bit of a doer though and if she interferes, he'll strike. Poor Kirsty

It will bring things to a head and they could set it up that Roy just happens to drop in and save her.

Roy just happens to drop in and save her

Please. Spare us from the Crimplene Crusader, ffs. Of course, it ought to be Helen who rides to the rescue. I cannot express in mere words how unlikely that is. And that is a state of affairs I can live with.

I mean, I don't really want Kirsty to get lamped, because Moss; but my sadness/sisterly outrage if it does happen will be containable, because Kirsty. Dear me, how complicated it all is.

I'd quite like Kirsty to kick Philip in the balls and rescue herself.

It's their employer who is liable.

Thanks Miss Barbary. Justin is rather slippery and has done a few unethical things, like dropping the number of affordable houses, getting Phoebe (who is as business aware and employable as a sea urchin) to sign the contract, and letting David think he was buying up the old abattoir to keep it going so I would be happy if he was liable for something. It would be an extra treat if Hannah was criticised too for something (anything).

However, as SurpriseSparDay says, Justin is very publicity aware

Hope you are feeling better AlexCabot.

Hello, not posted in ages, and have barely kept up.
I hate storylines when we know something that the character doesn’t. It gets me all on edge.
Get the reveal over with quick please.