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.

Nothing wrong with a bit of a chuckle in Robert's voice.

Better than sounding moany and carping all the time, like some people do....🙄

very true about Russ, no one is awful all the time
still annoying though
poor, poor Lynda
and Freddie may turn out to have PTSD- the ingredients are there

Robert exploding like that to Oliver was TV soap stuff and out of character for him.He's about the mildest of all TA characters. You can be upset and angry without being vicious.

I thought Russ handled Freddie very well. Firm but kind, acknowledging his trauma but encouraging him to get on with life.

If you don't want to sing Happy Birthday twice while washing your hands, the opening music of the Archers takes 20 seconds - I have just checked this on BBC sounds.

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?

Yes, but he is in the middle of a traumatic situation which could easily get worse. He has no control over any of it, and he's just lashing out. I had a couple of horrific arguments with my mother when my father was dying.

If you don't want to sing Happy Birthday twice while washing your hands OT, but I saw the suggestion of reciting Lady macbeth's handwashing speech.

I predicted months ago that Oliver would end up at Grange Farm with the Grundys (to fill the vacancy left by Joe)

I know he's only supposed to be staying there whilst GG is uninhabitable, but I'm willing to bet he will become a fixture.

Better than sounding moany and carping all the time, like some people do....🙄

Indeed!

Has anyone, EVER, heard anyone refer to someone's eighteenth birthday - or any birthday that doesn't end in a zero - as "the big one-eight?"

I took it as sarcasm, a riff on the “big four-oh” phraseology, a “knowing” twenty something kind of belittling the idea of 18 genuinely being a big deal, not a suggestion that everyone says it.

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

Having been the cause of her collapse, by insisting on driving her to a crowded shopping centre she didn't want to go to so that she would have to fill his car with petrol, the very least he could do was look after her when she became hysterical because of the unfamiliar place and the crowds!

There has been some brilliant acting from Freddie, Robert, Jim and Oliver.

I hope Lynda will survive, but I also do not want her to suffer too much. Her kindness and empathy mixed with her bossiness and pretentiousness are fab.

I hope that Lilian is able to demonstrate some of her more positive attributes again soon. She is another one who can be lovely when the feeling takes her.

theThreeof Weevils, which characters in TA do you like? Which aspects do you enjoy?

Yes I like Lillian too, she is being odd at the moment but often she is kind, she is hopeless with men but lots of us have played that game. She was good with Helen at times they seem to have forgotten that part of her character.

good job Lilian

Philip tomorrow, according to the CA. Gav too? About time we heard why he wasn't at GG.

Lilian was good. Can anyone remember what breed Monty is? I hope someone's looking after the llamas.

Excellent scriptwriting and acting, but it just doesn't feel right for 7pm/2pm family radio.

I don't want to spend the week listening to characters realise that the prognosis for Lynda isn't great. Particularly when our PM has just announced "...more families will lose their loved ones before their time".

It is odd that they haven't done some of their "if you are troubled by the storyline....." announcements at the end of the episodes.

good job Lilian

Nope. Just a feeble attempt to salve her conscience. I dislike Lilian more than Pip and her drivelling self- pity did not impress me at all.

but often she is kind

Lilian? When?

Ok, I take back my supposition that this week’s SW was hazy regarding Leonie and Coriander. Though I still think they would just have jumped in their cars rather than waiting for answers to phone calls.

Anyway. I seem to recall one or two delurkers/new listeners on the last thread asked which events they needed to know about to get into TA. Helpfully the BBC website has provided this carefully chosen selection of ‘moments that changed Ambridge forever’. Starting with BOOM💥.

Definite BOOP for Lilian - though one could do without even more to cry about tonight.

I thought Lilian was good tonight. Interestingly, Robert listened to her and did as he was told!

@Cuddleandachat, I didn't realise liking characters was mandatory. I enjoy Peggy and Helen, for instance, but I wouldn't say I like 'em.
Deaths. Deaths are nice.

was really scared Lynda would die while Robert was in the shower

Me too, Still! Was holding my breath for a long beeeeeeep.

Robert listened to her and did as he was told!

He trusts the language of a forceful woman ...

Can anyone remember what breed Monty is?

Doberman, I think, Gasp0de. Definitely big compared with Ruby.