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.

It made a pleasant change to hear Robert not talking with that stupid permanent chuckle in his voice. Let's hope it is gone for good.

Robert's in shock but hopefully he'll soon recall that Oliver lost a much loved wife fairly recently.

Russ was good with Elizabeth''s depression, too.

That's the thing about TA - few characters are all good or all bad, so they are usually quite credible (though their storylines may not be.)

Etinox
AskingQuestionsAllTheTime
How do you know that?!

The Blakes? I noticed them because I am a Servalan fan!

Just throwing it out there. Roy's confusion about the bins with his head injury that hasn't been seen to; I try not to be alarmed but could well be a subdural bleed on the brain. But it could be nothing I suppose?

I'm pottering about making tinctures to avoid my lengthy list of chores and was just musing on who I have always loved, namely Lynda and Tracey. I've always despised Helen (amongst others,) but I realised although I would have said I liked Lillian a lot, I can't stand her anymore. It then occurred to me that the whole drama between her and Lynda was probably engineered so Lillian will feel awful now BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY this is how the Bull will win back it's name.

Is this our silver lining? I wish they hadn't bothered at all and I would take the B@tsh!T name over any harm coming to Snell every time.
(Hands 🔮 back to Bore)

Anyway, amid all the suffering in Ambridge, we have Russ making an appearance and suddenly seeming so wise and compassionate - I feel conflicted

Russ was very good. Elizabeth was irritating and Lily was just plain awful.

There have been other redeeming Russ moments. He was good with Elizabeth's anxiety.

Roy's confusion about the bins with his head injury that hasn't been seen to; I try not to be alarmed but could well be a subdural bleed on the brain. But it could be nothing I suppose?

I wondered what all that was about.

Ah a funeral, *D^3. Thought for one moment you might be in the WI.

Am sad and angry at Lynda's fate

Oh, I thought Roy was showing effects of psychological trauma but yes, it could be a brain injury couldn't it. Maybe he'll be the suprise third casualty. Or just drop down dead.

With his children grown up (except Abby, of and about whom we never hear a peep), family moved away and Lexi gone, who would really notice though? He'd just gradually fade from memory. (kIrsty would be sad). How maudlin.

Thought for one moment you might be in the WI.

With my jam-making skills? not a chance...

It made a pleasant change to hear Robert not talking with that stupid permanent chuckle in his voice. Let's hope it is gone for good.

@theThreeofWeevils - that seems very harsh. Whether one warms to Lynda or not, the way Robert supports her (often in the background without fuss) has been such a positive thing to hear over the years. They clearly love each other and this accident is devastating.

I don't think that we can really complain about Lynda's predicament. For years we have been bemoaning the lack of disabled characters and laughing at the Health Fairy's miracle cures. We may be suffering from a case of 'be careful what you wish for'.

that seems very harsh. Whether one warms to Lynda or not, the way Robert supports her (often in the background without fuss) has been such a positive thing to hear over the years. They clearly love each other and this accident is devastating

Robert has been an enabler to Lynda in her depredations on the community for his own motives - largely getting a bit of peace, I suspect; but also, what we heard tonight was not so much grief or anger as Stockholm Syndrome. In the version of The Archers that I hear, anyway. At the very best, they are co-dependent.

Never could stand the man - do not ever trust anyone who chuckles all the time they are speaking (that's genuine advice, btw).

I am wondering if Gav will be in trouble - perhaps he Ieft Blake working on his own - maybe a trainee or unskilled - Gav wasn't happy about working all weekend .

I take it Gav works for Philip rather than being a partnership ? Ultimately Philip will be blamed ?

Re Lynda - no stepdaughters visiting ?

Re Lynda - no stepdaughters visiting ?

Isn’t there a limit on the number of actors to keep down costs? Academicarchers on Twitter has mentioned this, as well as Keri Davies. Perhaps they can’t afford them this week.

I can’t even remember whether it’s Coriander or Leonie who’s Mungo’s mum. They have both always been fairly low contact, except for the time when whichever one it is came to Ambridge Hall and met James.

Yes, each successive writer has a limited number of actors - but after more than fifty years of this excuse I find it’s wearing a little thin. Characters don’t actually have to appear for their presence to be mentioned / acknowledged / felt. It’s inconceivable that neither Coriander (mother of Oscar iirc) nor Leonie (mother of Mungo - whose father is Lilian’s son, James) would have offered their father any support right now. Particularly as Mungo spent the day with Lynda and Robert very recently. All it needed was for Robert or Jim or whoever to say “Leonie was here all night, and Coriander is on her way.”

It’s poor management and poor writing. Making Robert say he had no one else makes me suspect the SW responsible has a poor grasp of who is related to whom. And the Editor did nothing about it.

I think Robert was just talking about how he felt. He probably still sees his daughters as more depending upon than supporting him. (Generally, switching that around is quite an admission of old age).

I wonder if the long term aim is to set Robert and Jim up as the successors to Joe and Bert? Old man double act. Add in Oliver for a Three Amigos effect. (Once Robert has stopped hating him, which has to be temporary- we had this with Lizzie and David and I’m not convinced that the finger of blame and vitriolic outpouring is very convincing.)

Just catching up since yesterday, and completely agree with you, @LaureBerthaud. It feels as if the latest editor is trying to do an "Emmerdale Farm" on "The Archers" - have an unlikely catastrophe befall the village, get rid of a lot of the older characters, rename the programme ("B@shit Ambridge") and go off at a different tangent with abattoir owners as the main characters and farming taking only a secondary place to whatever the invisible Gills do with their time.

Years of dealing with hormonal teenagers means Russ is good with people in a crisis. It's about his only redeeming feature.

do not ever trust anyone who chuckles all the time they are speaking (that's genuine advice, btw).

I like Robert but this advice definitely holds true for arch-chuckler BoJo.

People like Russ need to have some level of charm and social skills, otherwise he wouldn't be able to draw in young girls.

I thought that Robert was very unfair to poor Oliver. I know he's upset and desperately worried about Lynda, but how is it Oliver's fault that she was where she shouldn't have been?

On a side note, now Blake is awake what's the betting that he'll blame the explosion on being distracted by Lynda coming in to berate him for making noises.

@daddaddad
I've had it a fair while, following a somewhat failed name change. But yes it's finally on topic! Another indication that the SW are watching us ?

Do you think Russ kept that 'portrait' of Lynda he painted for Jim's ghost stories?