💥 Archers thread #118: Back in time for The Archers - catch up with the catch up until the scriptwriters catch up! 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 Philip Moss is in line for Employer of the Year, or other unusual views.

Spoilers: OK, there aren't likely to be many for the foreseeable future, but when we do have some, 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.)

Thanks to @LillianGish for the title! This thread starts at a very odd time for The Archers, longest-running soap opera in the world. No new episodes expected till late May , and when we do get them they're not going to sound like normal, as the actors are recording separately at home and the BBC is attempting to cobble it all together. Tough times for the sound effects team!

The BBC is filling the gap by repeating key episodes from the last 20 years. Some of us here will have heard them before, but not all, by any means, so if you want background on what you hear this is the place to ask.

Over to you! I must try to catch up with the repeats at some point today.

Yes I agree, that was not great. Think phone calls would have been more interesting. And David was so dull!

It was ok - and filled in a few links with existing storylines. I think the editor said on Broadcasting House that they would not be doing 'big' stories while they are doing the monologues so I don't think we will have any huge excitements. I do get grumpy about the 'Ruth is a rubbish cook' lines. She is a full time farmer. It is just because all Ambridge women are meant to be baking obsessives. I liked the idea of Jill and Leonard on Skype too. They could have moved in together pre lock down and then David really would have had something to complain about on the catering front.

I don't understand what the whitening about lasagne was all about. Isn't Jill still with them? Surely she'd just carry on as normal with the cooking?

It was grim wasnt it. David has nothing interesting to say at the best of times.

Surely they could merge the recordings of each character with a unifying background so it sounds like they're in the same room.

Plus, we know that Tracy Horrobin would be the first to break lockdown rules and get herself out and about and talking to people.

Linda could talk to Scruff I suppose and how about conversations through windows? That would allow them to record separately.

I think David mentioned that Ruth offered to make lasagne and that it was her signature dish, JudyCoolibar.

Intern - good morning everyone. SW2 cat problem resolved, it’s very quiet there?
SW2 - yes, I let her out for a run around and she seems much calmer now.
Intern - I thought I passed on mum’s advice about keeping her in.
SW2 - yes, but I thought if she was hot, like you said the cool night air would help.
Intern - and we are making a farm based drama...
SW1 - anyway, let’s review how episode 1 of New Archers went. How many times was Alan Bennet mentioned in Mummysnet, young person? That’s what we’re aiming for.
Intern - none so far, but someone did mention East Enders.
SW3 - I hardly think that was a radio 4 regular.
SW1 - I’m sure they’ll perk up when we get to Shula’s theological musings, everyone loves her.
Intern - um....

But anyway, the main news was that Poor Kirstie couldn't hold her 'engagement party'. Presumably that was intended to tell us that Poor Poor Kirstie has not yet married her Slave Driver. (Or could Poor Poor Poor Kirstie and Philip have managed the secret marriage ceremony anyway?)

Dull - I preferred listening to the repeats. Agree it was interesting to hear Kirsty’s wedding had not gone ahead, but The Archers has never been about inner musing and reflection (that’s what this thread is for!) Obviously that’s only the first episode so it might yet improve, but based on last night they should have continued with the repeats - which remind us (and possibly explain for the first time to some listeners) how characters have been shaped by history - and then recorded a Tom Forrest like summary of any deaths, closures, job losses and other consequences before getting back to the real story at some point in the future.

Oh dear it's awful

Really awful

Really really awful

Bloody covid

I much preferred the repeats. But maybe they will get in the swing of it.

We all knew, because weddings have been forbidden, that the wedding could not have gone ahead, so that wasn't exactly earth-shattering news. It was about as exciting as if we had been told that someone hadn't gone on holiday to Italy over Easter.

And delivered in David's drearyrant voice it wasn't exciting anyway.

I guess the lasagne bit was a humorous nod to an in-joke....

What will be interesting, though, is to see which actors can sustain a monologue without sounding forced. I think Angus Imrie managed that better than Timothy Bentinck yesterday: Josh sounded more like someone thinking aloud than David did, and more as if he were talking about things that had really happened and were happening.

Oh god, I'm listening to this now and feel like hiding under the table with embarrassment for the scriptwriters. Whose idea was this? David's boring enough without having every single thought he has.

Big mistake to start lockdown episodes at Brookfield...

I enjoyed it, it was nicely paced after recent storylines.

It will be interesting to see how the Philip and Kirsty storyline is dealt with. There should be at least a conversation between Philip and Gavin about the 'horses'.

I thought it was ok except for the increasingly tedious references to Ruth’s lasagne.
Does anyone know where Joshua Matthew came from? Was his name chosen by one parent in a rush because the other parent was ill?

David called him "Junior Me" when he was born (not big-headed at all then) and they chose names to fit those initials.

I didn't mind it. A sort of playing it safe. Fair enough to start it with the Brookfield Archers.

The SWs are still writing ahead, so there is a lead time, during which the lockdown may change. Must be tricky.

Hmm it's all very "safe" isn't it? Yes difficult for them to reflect a situation which alters every few weeks though.

I want drama though!

That was a bit better. Tracy was a million times more interesting than David.
Up your game, Bentinck.

Sh always is!

But I wish they wouldn't make her sound so dim. It's not fair.

I forgot to listen as I have got out of the habit.

Do I gather that I don't need to bother?

Tracey was better than last night's tedium.

I wish they wouldn't make her sound so dim. It's not fair

To whom is it unfair? I regard Tracy as an offence against the listener, but she doesn't exist. And it is not as if a previously established character of intelligence, sophistication and refinement is suddenly being traduced.