💥 Archers thread #117: Welcome to the only C19-free area in the world! 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 think Phoebe is a genius, 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/3853783--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-5-Cant-wait-for-7-02pm-Join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

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.)

I put the BOOM! emoticon in the title as I thought it could transition into a vague likeness of a virus if we're still going by early May, when we expect some wild contortions from the production team to get Ambridge back in synch with the rest of the world. I think I would have preferred them to ignore it altogether but I suppose they couldn't.

Must say I'm rather looking forward to the coming experimentation with form that they're preparing for us In theory it could be interesting - maybe they could conscript Alan Bennett onto the scriptwriting team - but the idea of an entire episode of Pip fills me with horror. Joy could easily fill an episode with no requirement to change the format, though I'm not sure how enjoyable that would be. Perhaps they could include more telephone interaction - we've often commented that in RL much of the interaction we hear would be conducted over the phone.

Thanks for the new thread Gasp

Regarding how NewTA will pan out, farmers will be extra busy keeping the food-chain going. Which means that Adam will be even more exhausted and bad-tempered than usual. Oh, joy

Must say I'm rather looking forward to the coming experimentation with form that they're preparing for us.
The current editor is quite keen on dropping in primers for new listeners reminiscences so we may get more of the older generation chuntering to themselves.

Wait, now ... Will Kate be spending Lockdown with Peggy, or Jakob?!

George won't be able to spend part of the week with Will.

And Xander! There'll be no passing him between his parents and grandparents (and Kate). Presumably Jenny won't move in with Adam and Ian. But Ian's at home full time anyway atm.

Trying to think who else divides their time between households ...

Trying to think who else divides their time between households ...
Rosie. It may be the catalyst to bring Pip and Toby back together and go for No2. No happy ever after for Rex.

Willyum won't see George, Jake, Mia nor Poppy.

Pip and Toby are back together aren't they?

Isn't Will living at Grange Farm with Poppy?

Rosie is an interesting point. She doesn't actually reside anywhere else with Toby at all does she? (Where on earth does he live now anyway?) But in order to go on seeing her ... He'll need to move in properly with Pip!

I do vaguely recall Gove saying regular contact arrangements should be kept up - but I'd be surprised if many parents (particularly those either doing NHS work or living with vulnerable family) find that practicable or satisfactory.

MUM - far as I recall they were getting on better so he was spending more time 'staying over' at Rickyard to co-parent. But I'm pretty sure they're absolutely not a couple.

Isn't Will living at Grange Farm with Poppy?
Oh, you're right. It's gone so quiet over at Grange Farm that I'd forgotten that they recovered Poppy from Bev.
Are Pip and Tobes officially A Thing or just co-parenting FWB?

In real life I think shared children are continuing to be shared.

(Sorry! Thread hoggining.)

It's now that one notices the lacuna of there being no active NHS staff resident in Ambridge. Wonder if the SWs will suddenly remember Doc Locke. Or if Chloe will be the only medical link. Presumably Amy has moved to the Highlands ...

I was thinking exactly the same PPE and was wondering in Ben and Chloe’s relationship might be moved forward for exactly this reason (although of course they wouldn’t actually be able to have a relationship if they were in lockdown).

Josh will hoover her up ...

With the help of his “pulling” shirt (an expression a housemate of mine used to use many moons ago).

Josh will hoover her up ...
Not another one woman / two brothers storyline!

In the light of previous posts, let me clarify. Over 70s do not need to sheild unless they have had the NHS letter, but they are advised to be very careful about following the social distancing rules. So no Ambridge pen. No Harrison patrolling the over 70s to enforce a rule that doesn't exist.

But where does Toby sleep when he isn't staying over at Rickyard?

Thanks for the new thread Gasp0de

Why is it that Phoebe still sounds like a 17 year old. Just starting lower sixth. As if the whole A levels/ Oxford thing was only in my imagination. She's even started to take on Pip's weird intonation and pause before saying someone's name.
They're all irritating me at the moment

Thanks for the explanatory link about future recordings PPE. There will be quite a few households affected by social distancing. Rickyard Cottage is separate from the farmhouse and aren’t Tom and Natasha living in the flat above the shop? I think Johnny and Freddie are more at risk of picking up a nasty 🐷 disease from Hannah but presumably they will have to decide to stay in 1 The Green or move back to Bridge Farm or Shula’s respectively. Fallon will have to close down the cafe. The Bull finances aren’t great either. Will be interesting listening!

Will Pip no longer be able to see her gran because she and Rosie are a different household?

I have just caught up with listening and thread reading and am rather ashamed to say that my overwhelming response to the episode with Lynda’s outburst was to ponder on how stunningly inappropriate the theme tune felt coming immediately after that! I played the very end of the episode to my boyfriend (who isn’t an Archers listener) and his response was laughter when Berwick Green started, so I’m not alone!
Equally callously, I’m not sure I’m excited about hearing more of the characters’ private thoughts. I liked Eddie’s monologue because it seems natural and very touching to speak to the body of someone who, a little while ago, was alive and responding and you can’t quite believe they are gone. I hate “hearing” what a character is thinking or having them describe their circumstances (including Freddie talking to unconscious Lynda, sorry) when they wouldn’t in real life because it interferes with suspension of disbelief and makes them feel less like people. Sorry.

I think that they could make quite a lot of what people say when their microphone is muted on Skype meetings. I know I have to be very careful to hit the mute button! But then none of them have jobs where they will have to work from home, really. Is it only Lily who has an actual job where you go somewhere to work for someone else, now that Grey Gables is out of action?

I feel the same way as Cecile. Hearing people's thoughts is all wrong.