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.

Will be tremendously interesting listening, though.

Can only applaud the effort they’re making to keep the show going.

It's the longest running soap opera in the world in any medium. They wouldn't want to risk losing that record.

Thank you so much for that link, Gasp0de. Obviously Tim Bentinck's got his shed properly sorted out now! I wonder how they are going to write it to catch up with the Pandemic, when they'll be more than two months out of sync by May 4th, and not mention of it at all, even whilst Lynda was in hospital? Or should I go to the spoilers thread to speculate on that?

It's a long time to Sunday night, isn't it?

It is, Mere! Thing is, one might not have noticed much in normal circumstances ...

Well, Jaichangecentfoisdenom, IMVHO the BBC update posted above must surely be viewed as necessary information rather than a spoiler. So any speculation around it must be perfectly legitimate here. (It’s not as if we have any one line teasers for May!)

I am a terrible lurker but hope you don’t mind me butting in to say this is still up and running www.justgiving.com/fundraising/

Can you imagine if what hay that bastard Rob would have made from the Corona lockdown.

Welcome, Tuesday! Yes, it hardly bears thinking about.

From that Making The Archers during the coronavirus pandemic article, "instead of multiple characters interacting each episode will have fewer characters and you will have an insight into more of their private thoughts".
Please, no private thoughts from Alistair.

Sounds as if characters will actually be exactly reflecting the experience of lockdown (regardless of whether or not they refer to it directly).

Please, no private thoughts from Alistair.

Or even worse - Shula's reflections on her journey to sainthood.

It's a shame not to get more of the lock-down. Pushing characters into a crucible with one another is a good way to ramp up tension. Perhaps they'd all murder one another, though.

Imagine lock-down with Kate. Or Helen...

I think lockdown with Kate and Peggy would be a great source of comedy. I do not want time with Shula’s thoughts unless they reveal what a massive hypocrite she is and they are full of lust and envy (as I suspect). Bryan’s inner thoughts would, I suspect, be very amusing.

Or Pip 😲

I really want them to reflect real life, it’s like they’re not my best mates any more at the moment/ - -or like they might not even be real!!!!- - (Why can’t I do the deleted thingy??)

Don't put spaces between your dashes.

I wonder if they've resolve the whole Pandemic conundrum by nicking an idea from Dallas? It could turn out that, say, Oliver, Robert and Kirsty have all caught CV, and the whole explosion/Philip turning out to be evil villain thing is in fact the product of delirious nightmares. The trouble is, if that's the case we'll still be left with the stupid B@Ambridge.

I wonder if they’ll break the fourth wall ...

I wonder if any Ambridge residents will succumb to the virus?

I don't give much for Derek Fletcher's chances.

I think Auntie Cardboard 's days might be numbered

Who said lock-down with Pip! Are you trying to destroy morale. :))

Brian would be good. At least you'd have some excellent wine. But no Jenny, please. Although she would be good at cooking inventively with tins.

News of the Archers plan made the one o'clock news.

Shula may well be full of lust and envy. IAUI Christians are not free of these thoughts. That doesn't make her a hypocrite.

Oh no is it really called the "B@Ambridge"? I thought it was the Bee! Which I thought was actually a nice name for a pub.

That was me saying lock-down with Pip!

Can you just imagine.....

URGENTLY !!

I'd be in the cereal cupboard.

(Why can’t I do the deleted thingy??)

I can’t either on my ipad StrawberryJam200 because it automatically changes the short dashes to long ones. I can on my android phone though. Strange!

I heard that news item about The Archers too TheSparklyPussycat. It will be interesting to hear how it goes. More phone calls perhaps instead of popping into the village shop or The Bull.