💥 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.

Wow!

Quite glad I elected to listen to that properly on catch-up rather than half-listen while cooking tea.

Philip said to Blake "You don't have to worry about Roy. I've sorted that", which I took as a flag that it'll be Roy who causes Philip's downfall. Except it's not going to finish before the Pause, so if we get to Philip's come-uppance it's going to be via some other character musing about it. Feel sorry for the SWs for once.

BOOP for Robert explaining to Kirsty so eloquently how he has lost the Lynda that he knows.

And his coming apart at the end was well acted.

Lynda seems to have accepted Philip's version ... but she's got a lot of thinking time.

Did Robert throw a punch at Philip? I presume so. Things fell over, Philip said "I'm so sorry I was just trying to get out of the way", so I think Robert came at him, Philip stepped back and knocked something over.

I don’t understand Philips confidence, it’s his company that will get sued for negligence.

yeah, I think Lynda will suss it
I thought she was quite guarded in what she said about her conv with Philip, something like, i've asked him some questions and he's answered them...not....and I'm quite satisfied with the answers

Yes, it is utter nonsense. In reality he would have had to have notified his insurers immediately to put them on notice of potential claims. They would then be monitoring very closely how he engaged with the HSE, any potential claimants etc. The idea that he would be popping round to Lynda’s house for a chat to her about how the accident happened is preposterous. Olly’s property damage insurers would also be sniffing around looking to recoup their losses from the party liable for the explosion. I’m still listening because it’s the Archers and I always have but it really is pathetic as at the moment.

I don’t know how Annabelle Dowler can stand the ridiculous, relentless misfortune that has been visited upon her character- listening to Philip talking up their wedding day to her in the full knowledge that he was a wrong’un and it would never happen was just awful (I also felt she was the wrong character to pick for an awareness-raising late miscarriage story too). They should have killed Hannah of sepsis, given Nic the miscarriage and done the modern slavery storyline with Philip but had Kirsty in a relationship with someone else.

It’s also laughably clear that when Philip was first introduced he was just a straightforward local builder/nice bloke and they have shoehorned in this backstory of him always having been an evil gangmaster.

I thought Robert's breaking down at the end was spot on, as is Lynda's struggle with her circumstances which make her less than lovely at the moment, thought at least in keeping with her forthright character.

Well deserved if he did!

Yes, everyone was so shocked and thought Robert was over reacting.

I think you have actually corrected me on this misremembering before, but I continue to misremember it incorrectly.

I wilfully try to forget what happened to Stefan LilianGish because I found it quite irritating that he wandered in and out like a big red herring.

I don’t mind a cricket episode - eg the single wicket competition - and I like Ambridge having a mixed team but Tracy the sledger is tedious. Where will it all end? With Tracy being bowled first ball by Darrington and refusing to leave the crease saying, ‘They have come to see me bat, not you bowl’ in Gracian tones?

I’m watching Dinner Ladies on Netflix and Justin Elliott popped up in one of the episodes!

Yes,Aardvark where is the HSE here? They can prosecute for a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act but it’s much more likely that they would prosecute the company or Philip for failing to ensure a safe system of work than a poorly supervised very junior employee. The whole story about Blake getting materials from the builders merchants can make no sense to anyone. If he could do that, presumably charging to Philip’s account why would he not have bought the proper solvent, rather than mysteriously going (how) to a petrol station with a container (which he got where?) to buy petrol. The story is full of not just holes but gaping chasms. Even Harrison must spot some chinks in Philip’s facade. Both Oliver’s and Philip’s insurance companies would be over the whole story like a rash.

I thought Robert's reaction was well written in that episode. We started out with him being rather irritating in terms of being over-protective to Lynda, and moved to being aware that actually he was the one who had it right in terms of responsibility for the accident. His account of the reality of the aftermath of the accident for him and Lynda also injected a much-needed dose of reality.

Robert’s reaction is the right one and his anger is directed at the right person - we know that even if he appears unreasonable to those around him. There are a lot of holes in Philip’s story, but no one wants to see them - no doubt even Robert will be won over when he calms down. I thought it was a pity Kirsty wasn’t with Philip when he spoke to Lynda - then she could have interjected about Philip being Blake’s ‘uncle’ and driving him to Norfolk. It’s not going to be concluded before we break off for classic episodes is it?

@Chemenger I think they gave up all pretence of realism when they had Harrison investigating the incident. Harrison, local bobby and social acquaintance of all involved, who did not even mention the HSE. Soap opera nonsense.

I also thought it was a shame Kirsty didn't hear whatever bullshit Philip gave Lynda: the more she hears him talk about it, the more chance she has of picking up the inconsistencies. But I suppose that is precisely why she didn't - the SWs want her to continue to be in the dark and in denial as long as possible.

Phew, massive catch-up with TA and this thread. Hello you two!

I'm annoyed with the cricket story line because I LOVE Tracey and they're going to go way overboard with her, as we thought they might. I have no words on Lee. Phoebe is giving me the rage, she's so unutterably naive. Roy and Lynda need to get their heads together and figure the Philip stuff out, don't they? My eye has started doing an involuntary twitch every time Robert says 'My Lyndy'.

I'm liking Kayemm's suggestion above:
Also, I've started dh listening. While we are both wfh lunchtime is spent in Ambridge. He's wondering about the fence that was taken down as part of rewilding. A few days later Brian drilled barley in 'an extra field' and then Ed was repairing a fence. My geography is rubbish, could any of these be linked?

I've also got DH to start listening - so nice to have someone IRL to talk to about this nonsense!

Oh goodness, I meant to thank Kayemm (if that's who it was) for the husband intervention. Realised my mind tends to wander when they start talking about fences (guess who failed Land Law ...?) so hadn't taken in all that info. Though I also have a pitiful grasp of Ambridge geography, so no idea if said speculation is viable.

Adam’s going to pitch a fit when he discovers Brian has planted an extra field.

I so want the slave master storyline to be wrapped up fast. You could drain vegetables through the holes in the plot line.

I'm losing patience with Kirsty- she really is extremely dim not to understand Philip does have a responsibility- even if everything else was fine and dandy the lack of supervision is his fault.

And you really would have to be very thick to believe the line that Blake was responsible for buying the solvent.

And anyone who remotely understands workplace health and safety should realise that Philip is still on the hook even if his employee used solvent, because he is responsible for training and supervision?

I thought Robert was very well acted. He is right, Phil is ultimately responsible. Not sure how Kirsty can't see this.

And anyone who remotely understands workplace health and safety should realise that Philip is still on the hook even if his employee used solvent, because he is responsible for training and supervision? Indeed. A relative of mine worked at a place there was a nasty accident through an individual's cutting of safety corners. Management were running round in small circles getting signed statements from all staff that they had had the necessary training. I think it drove home the reason why you do the boring paperwork bit of getting a signature at the time that staff have received the training.

Of course, even if you can prove you delivered all the training, you're still not off the hook if the individual can show that cutting corners was tolerated.

Very hard to believe Lynda was so easily satisfied with Philip's answers

She's obviously not firing on all cylinders yet.

How long have we got left to get this story sorted out? Next Thursday?

Oh I so want to see Robert being proved right. Even without the backstory Robert is in the right at the moment.

There was a bit of a forgiveness theme going on there - Shula’s Bishop thing, Lynda wanting to forgive Philip, Philip forgiving Robert - and then there was Jim making the point that Robert could apologise for hitting Philip (but not for blaming him) and that would be enough to appease Lynda. I think there is another week of episodes before the break. I can’t see the Blake storyline being resolved before then.

Very hard to believe Lynda was so easily satisfied with Philip's answers

Indeed. The first question Roy asked was why the hell the grill was lit, and Lynda's normally a lot quicker than Roy. But maybe Philip left that detail out? Oliver needs to slip a copy of the investigation report to her or Robert ASAP.

I thought Robert's breaking down at the end was spot on, as is Lynda's struggl

I agree. Lynda isn't being vile, both of them are reacting typically for the situation. Robert is refusing to recognise that Lynda still has a functioning brain of her own and Lynda is rightly driven mad by that.

This is exactly what happens regularly when one person has a disability /serious illness and the other struggles to cope. Its the "does he take sugar" scenario and its very common.

However the pair of them have a strong enough relationship that they will work a way around it, many relationships buckle in this scenario.