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Discuss your favourite podcast, radio show or The Archers episode.

💥 Archers thread #117: Welcome to the only C19-free area in the world! Discuss The Archers here.

977 replies

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 31/03/2020 21:21

Archers Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

Archers 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. Grin

Archers 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!

Archers 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.

OP posts:
JudyCoolibar · 01/04/2020 16:16

If I was part of the Oxford PPE department, I would be furious at the way Phoeble is being depicted. The notion that they'd give a place to someone so thick, let alone let her graduate with a degree, is ludicrous. If I with my incredibly basic knowledge of economics can see exactly what Justin's up to, how the hell can someone with a degree in the subject manage to miss it?

Chemenger · 01/04/2020 16:16

Intern - can you hear me now?

Intern - it seems not...I’m trying the chat now...typing noises...if you can read that can you reply.....

Intern - I’ve tested my microphone and speakers, I think you should be able to hear me.... any of you? ...I can see you’ve joined the meeting....I can hear someone shuffling papers, can you try speaking?...or typing in the chat...

Intern - yes SW1 I have your email, just click on the symbol that looks like a microphone on the toolbar and everyone will be able to hear you....

Intern - no the red phone symbol hangs up your connection. Just press join again.....oh you can’t hear me now...

Intern- SW2, thanks for your email, no I haven’t set it up so only I can speak....you just have to open your mics. Maybe try video then we can mime at each other?

Intern- thanks for the email, I apologise for being sarcastic....

Intern- and that’s the end of the meeting, thanks for joining, same time tomorrow, all 17 of you...(mutes mic) screaming....

Madcats · 01/04/2020 16:18

I have come to the conclusion that I could just about cope with listening to the inner thoughts of:
Yakult (who probably doesn't have any)
Jim (hopefully something literary)
Bess (they could nick a recording from a round of One Man and His Dog and just add a few shouts from Ben and some sheep noises)
Can you imagine 15 minutes of Shula or Pip!!

I will definitely be looking at the Radio listings in a couple of weeks' time.

Chemenger · 01/04/2020 16:20

I would actually like to hear Brian's inner thoughts as he interacts with Jenny, Kate, Adam and Phoebe. Mostly variations of "for heavens sake" I would think.

TeenPlusTwenties · 01/04/2020 16:31

We could have scenes with Xander's care givers (Ian, Adam, Jenny, whoever he has been palmed off to), monologing away as people do with babies.
And Jill's thoughts while she's cooking. It would be great to hear her views on all her offspring and GC.

CeciledeVolanges · 01/04/2020 16:42

To be fair, you can be Oxbridge-educated and completely lack common sense and people skills (I am an example of this). But she also doesn’t seem to be meticulous or curious about the world around her, which is odd. It also really jarred that BL are only now looking into the implications of Brexit, after it’s happened!

PerditaProvokesEnmity · 01/04/2020 17:11

Poor Intern! Grin

Preferred potential monologuists:

The Bishop of Felpersham

Ex Mrs Former-Watcher (because she must be absolutely cock-a-hoop about her grand-daughter).

Lewis

Carol (really only for her voice).

Maurice❤️

Lucy (née Perks) when she arrives to claim her inheritance

Matt ...

Ruairi's former boarding school housemaster.

Brenda

The ex-Mrs Moss

George

Henry's teacher

Mungo's nanny

Oh, and Rochelle, of course.

Madcats · 01/04/2020 17:35

Yes, I wonder if 'Brenda' is in the UK and has some time on her hands?

It would be fun to hear what she has been up to (and how she reacts when she discovers how her former best mate didn't think to pick up the phone to her when she needed some cash to save her dream home).

MikeUniformMike · 01/04/2020 19:53

It's a good job that Mianed didn't get the house. The tea room shut cos of CV19 and not going out unless essential and they'd be in trouble.

I think that I am one of the few who thought that Ruth, Jim and co did the right thing.

MissBarbary · 01/04/2020 20:32

Elizabeth is as thick as a very short (and annoying) plank.

lottiegarbanzo · 01/04/2020 21:04

Was the whole Josh-in-criminal-investigation-peril plotline created only so as to offer a 'compare and contrast' with people's responses to the Mosses?

A thought experiment in the ethical and social implications (and lack of correlation between the two) of entanglement in criminal activities and investigations?

In fact a three-hander with Ed and the getting sacked for doing bad stuff with Tim - yet never having been investigated for that (I think?).

Hmmm... I'm going with 'nepotism rules' as per usual.

echt · 01/04/2020 21:32

I'm officially bored with yet another talk therapy sub-plot, Elizabeth, Jim and now Freddie.

Chemenger · 02/04/2020 08:12

A good episode I thought. Mostly because that sweet voice of reason, Brian (who is my favourite) was given a chance to show how sensible he is. Emma’s negativity is getting a little dull, but she’s right about the Easter bonnet thing, I’m still annoyed about my DD not getting a prize for one she laboured over which was beaten by the work of a professional florist. Only 18 years ago. I don’t want to spend time with Freddy and a therapist either, I think it’s better to have his angst implied. And please SWs, not a heart to heart with Shula. Better to have a bracing pep talk from ...say...Brian.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 02/04/2020 08:56

I'd be quite happy if The Archers turned into The Brian Aldridge Show for a time, chemenger!

OP posts:
C8H10N4O2 · 02/04/2020 09:34

Hmmm... I'm going with 'nepotism rules' as per usual.

Well Ed did actually commit a crime, and one which was probably too close to Brian's earlier cimes with chemicals to ignore.

Josh didn't actually do anything wrong, he was just stupid.

No shortage of Nepotism in Ambridge (look at Freddie) but there was a material difference in the two cases.

Vixster43 · 02/04/2020 09:42

I read that they are starting a cv19 storyline really hope they dont ! Archers is a bubble of safety for me

R4 · 02/04/2020 09:57

Josh didn't actually do anything wrong, he was just stupid.
I hope that Josh has learned the lesson that ignorance is no defence.

Who is the "Ex Mrs Former-Watcher". I can't work it out.Confused

PerditaProvokesEnmity · 02/04/2020 10:09

Not a Buffy fan, R4? Grin

Anthony Head / Robin Fairbrother was the Watcher. Annoyingly I cannot remember Robin's ex-wife's name, though it has been mentioned. (It was something fancy.)

Abraid2 · 02/04/2020 10:10

MikeUniformMike

I'll be sure to reach out to you.

C8H10N4O2 · 02/04/2020 10:14

I hope that Josh has learned the lesson that ignorance is no defence.

It wouldn't be if he had actually committed a crime but since he committed no actual crime he doesn't need a criminal defence.

His stupidity has cost him most if not all of his business. If he had kept decent paperwork he could have evidenced his own lack of involvement much more quickly and not been under suspicion for so long.

R4 · 02/04/2020 10:29

It wouldn't be if he had actually committed a crime but since he committed no actual crime he doesn't need a criminal defence.
He was dealing in stolen goods although unknowingly, I'll admit. He probably wouldn't have been sucked in if he had had robust anti-money laundering systems in place.

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 02/04/2020 10:58

The real stupidity about Josh is the constant assertion in the programme that he wasn't keeping his paperwork properly.

The only time in years that David has been anything but dismissive and unpleasant to and about Josh was when he was reluctantly forced to admit that Josh was keeping meticulous paperwork.

I assume that has fallen victim to Editorial Amnesia.

Isn't there a bit of a difference between money-laundering and dealing in stolen goods? They seem to me not to be the same at all: if you are money-laundering you are careful not to have anything stolen to be caught by. And I think there is also a difference between "he was sold a stolen trailer and sold it on" and "he was dealing in stolen goods". One item isn't "goods" to me.

MikeUniformMike · 02/04/2020 11:00

@Abraid2, You'll need long arms. Grin

MikeUniformMike · 02/04/2020 11:04

Tin hat on.
" could have evidenced his"

proved.
FFS.

lottiegarbanzo · 02/04/2020 11:25

Josh did do something wrong. He failed to perform due diligence and failed to keep proper records of vehicles in his possession. He's lucky the police aren't going to press charges, he isn't vindicated. Yes, he wasn't deliberately laundering stolen goods but he was actually, through negligence, laundering stolen goods.

Ed, like Josh, was tricked into complicity in selling illegal goods. Like Josh he failed to perform due diligence. Unlike Josh, he recognised the problem and stopped, by himself. He wasn't investigated by the police and there was no publicity.

Whereas Ed was motivated by financial desperation, Josh was motivated by laziness. (You could argue greed in both cases). But Josh had the opportunity to do his paperwork properly, entirely at his leisure, whereas Ed did not have it within his power to discover and rectify the problem with the operation he'd become involved with. His only option was to leave - and that came with penalties - but he braved it and did the right thing. Josh on the other hand buggered off to Thailand and left his mess for Rex to clean up.

So yes, Ed's illegal activity happened to be more directly incompatible with Home Farm but that's chance really.

The nepotism test is to consider what would happen if a Grundy boy had done what Josh did. I don't think he'd be welcomed back onto Home Farm, or anywhere, so fast - because rather than 'one mistake, he's a good lad really and we need his skills', there would be a sense of 'reverting to type, can we really believe he won't do it again, or bring unsvaoury people onto the farm'.