💥 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.

After the build-up last night, tonight’s episode was monumentally dull! Some of us had expected to find Roy intubated in intensive care, only to witness him simply buying a ham sandwich tonight...

I used to have a slight crush on Adam- it makes me shudder now to remember how misplaced my affections were...

I think the phone will now have tracking or bugging software on it, and now be in Roy's bag.

Any Pip is too much Pip.

I’ve not been paying attention so is the plan for the next while to play only old episodes from the archive or are they also getting new scripts recorded in individual actors’ homes?

Both, Unholy, starting with the archive episodes for a while. There was a photo on Twitter today of Simon Williams (Justin) in his duvet-festooned home 'studio', holding a script and looking a bit apprehensive as he made ready to record. I'd put it on here but probably best not in case people don't want to see cast photos

I think Gav has put something incriminating on Roy's phone - or is there anyway he could have set it up so he can access Roy's emails and texts from his own phone. That would seem a bit pointless though - everyone in Ambridge always goes round to see each other in person (although not during lockdown). Maybe some sort of spyware (I've just been watching a fantastic series about the French secret service - possibly a bit advanced for Gav)?

Oh I thought it was just me had that reaction to Milton Jones. Right down there with Count Arthur bloody Strong

Not quite as far down as CAS, but close.

I'd really like Harrison to come out well from this.

Gav is one of those types who, when in a bad mood looks in the mirror and says "who you lookin' at?" and takes himself outside for a scrap.

Roy's mauve shirt put me in mind of Helen's mauve dress; the modest one that Rob talked her into buying. I'm not misremembering that am I?

Mauve clothing- the SW signalling that Something Is Wrong.

Far too much Pip. As surmised above, could they be excising storylines they can't proceed with pro tem? Frustrating to think we could have been hearing brilliant scenes involving Brian, Jennifer, Jim, Jazzer, Susan, Freddie et al but have instead been left with Pip, Pip and more Pip.

Re Milton Jones: I heard Arthur Smith on the radio years ago saying if he was in a hot bath, perfect temperature, there were some R4 programmes he'd get out to switch OFF (TA being one ) and others he'd get out to switch ON (ISIHAC in his case, and probably mine). For me, MJ used to fall into the intermediate category - if I had a radio in the bathroom (which I don't now) and MJ came on, I'd have left it on unless it became irritating, but I would never get out of the bath to switch the radio on to hear MJ. I haven't heard him for a long time as I've got right out of the habit of listening to R4 at 6.30pm except when John Finnemore is involved. Has MJ deteriorated?

(Fellow JF fans, don't miss Arthur Shappey's Cabin Fever broadcasts on YouTube. There's a thread running with the links in the Radio Addicts section. Also, I believe R4 Extra is repeating a Souvenir Programme at the moment.)

Thanks for the Church Times Carole Boyd article link! Here's one from 15 years ago about her garden in Shepperton. It's on The Times website, so unfortunately behind a paywall but you can see a couple of articles a week for nothing if you sign up with an email address. www.thetimes.co.uk/article/gardening-a-very-private-affair-knd6tmqdxlr

I sort-of like Milton Jones. He is inoffensive in a Morecambe & Wise way; so many modern comics' material seems to consist of sneering at people who aren't as RightOn as them and swearing because they can . He goes off on fantastical flights of fancy. He does silly wordplay.
But he is at his best in one-liners, his childlike naivete doesn't really work when stretched to a 30 minute programme.

I agree with most of that, R4, but M&W were really, really funny (not always - nobody's funny all the time), not just inoffensive. Their timing was masterly and they had great writers.

I always felt a bit torn about The Two Ronnies, on an allied note. I felt they deserved that vicious parody on Not The Nine O'Clock News because they did do a lot of sketches that relied on lazy stereotypes, but they also had terrific timing and wonderful writers. Plenty of diamonds amongst the dross. It's probably middle age speaking but I wonder how many diamonds there will be from any recent TV or radio comedy sketch shows.

M&W were really, really funny, not just inoffensive.
I wasn't really equating MJ with M&W, it was their non-waspishness I was comparing. They are on different planets: MJ raises a wry smile, M&W actually caused someone to die from laughing so much!

I never got on with 2R, not totally sure why. Couldn't stand the shaggy dog stories. For some reason their wordplay grated; too try-hard maybe.

Yes, I'd agree with that too! The Mastermind sketch was incredibly clever though, and so was the fork handles one. Those are the only two I can remember off the top of my head, which may or may not be significant.

Also, my dad knew Ronnie Corbett when they were little boys, so that makes me feel a bit proprietorial about him. I loved Porridge and Sorry! The Two Ronnies, not so much.

I used to like milton jones so I feel confident in stating he has deteriorated or I have become grumpier.

I think Milton Jones is inoffensive. M&W were nowhere near as funny as the Two Ronnies.

CAS gets switched off.

Milton Jones suffers the Radio 4 disease where comedians who were good become boring and cliche on Radio 4. Also programmes are allowed to continue well beyond their sell by date (in which category I put "I'm sorry I haven't a clue").
I didn't find M and W funny. Did laugh at some of the Two Ronnies.
Count Arthur helped destroy my always on Radio 4 habit.

Ed Reardon is the switch-off for me. I feel like the underlying joke of a grumpy has-been has been played out many episodes beyond its sell-by date (to borrow your metaphor, @MollyButton)

Ed Reardon did go on a bit past its best.
Cabin Pressure was the best comedy ever.

M&W were nowhere near as funny as the Two Ronnies.

How can you say that! You only had to look (no words necessary!) at Eric winding up Ernie to burst out laughing. 2R had no chemistry at all.

Yes. When you love a series it's always tempting to think how great it would be if there was more of it, but so many do outstay their welcome. Fawlty Towers and Cabin Pressure got it right. Father Ted would undoubtedly have gone on longer if Dermot Morgan hadn't died so young. And so we return to the longest running soap opera in the world ...

I also think that Gavin did something to Roy's phone prior to returning it to him at the Cricket Club so he could monitor his calls in some way. By the way, is it just me who's fed up with the lazy trope of getting drunk on a night's out. Would people of that age really drink so much, especially mid-week?

I must admit that I'm getting annoyed with a nything that isn't leading to the denouement of the slavery story. I can't really get excited about Susan's wok when we've only got 3 more episodes.

But that wok will be wot did it.
It is significant.

My money is on Professor Plum in the conservatory with a wok.

Or maybe PC Plod in the pavilion with a mobile.