💥 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.

Delurker here. I've been a regular listener for about five years, but TA was part of my early life as my DM was an avid listener. I'm the same age as Elizabeth as my mother constantly reminded me. I love these threads, so thank you to all the very knowledgable and regular contributors.

I think the Gills will turn up, from disease ridden London, bringing Covid with them and various non household people. There will be discussion on reporting them to Harrison and much gossip, but no penalties handed out.

They're absolutely insistent that they can't make drama sound natural if all the actors are recording in different places. It is odd, but I suppose they are the experts. Conversation on TV is possibly a bit different as we can see them (clutching at straws here). I don't know about anyone else but I'd have been willing to accept a bit of a dip in the sound quality of recordings during this difficult time. Last night's was OK but I am longing for some proper face to face conversations or two-way phone/Skype/Zoom conversations.

Welcome, @getdownonit! Of course, the Gills - how could I have forgotten them! Good thought about them descending from London. There's a current thread about a family who moved, perfectly legally, from London to the house they'd bought in a village just before lockdown and they've been reported to the police three times by some anonymous village busybody. I thought of Ambridge as soon as I read it. I could see Susan or Lynda in that role (not Lynda at the moment, of course ).

I am longing for Jenny and Brian to be restored to their rightful place - so if it takes wholesale wiping out of the entire Gill family I'm all for it. It feels so strange that the Home Farm house is not currently the subject of inheritance wars, though I can't see which of the offspring is the natural inheritor. They've never given the impression that Adam and family want the big house. Nor Debbie.

Perhaps they'll hang fire until Ruairi ...

Another welcome, getdownonit!

I am surprised at how easily I can tell the difference between pre and post coronavirus recordings on the radio but I agree I would not have minded a dip in recording quality.

I remember how awful everyone was to poor Clarrie (I think I almost always preface her name with poor as she had to cut Joe's toenails among many other thankless tasks) when she contaminated the ice cream with e coli. I think she went back to work too soon after a stomach upset. There's a public health lesson there.

I do hope The Gills arrive after a long drive from London but that might be seen as a bit of a Dom C dig. Alternatively, Lilian went to Cheltenham with Paul, didn't she? I'd like a Justin and Lil visit to the races as another potential entry point for the virus. An episode with Susan going through a list of suspects would be worth a listen.

that might be seen as a bit of a Dom C dig.
Gosh, I'm slow this morning. I thought, "what's this Dom C thing? I haven't heard of it. Is it something to do with domicile, like the tax non-doms?"
Then I googled it and got into algorithms and probability so I thought we might be into patterns of infection.
Then I thought, "oh ... Dominic Cummings!"
D'oh.

to getdownonit

Why couldn't they mimic real life with lots of Zoom meetings? No need to overcome the latency problems in the recording in that case.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g
They're absolutely insistent that they can't make drama sound natural if all the actors are recording in different places. It is odd, but I suppose they are the experts.

Every sound techie I know, plus at least one BBC one on Facebook, seems to reckon that they would be able to make programmes with actors in different houses being made to sound as if they were together, and dialogue instead of monologue (sometimes with great long explanations, and details of exactly how it is done and the minimum equipment they need each actor to have for it to be successful, complete with brand names or specifications and average prices), so I assume their not doing so was a managerial decision.

I find Tracey mildly amusing but find her a bit of a stereotype.

I like David, but he and Jill often to me sound as if they are reading from a script.

Maybe the lasagne was a hint at something significant in future storylines going forward.

I find Tracy annoying as an example of "aren't the working classes too too screamingly funny with their chips on their shoulders and lack of class" writing. Yes; stereotyping.

Might not be the right place to say it, must DomCum strikes me as being completely arrogant and is insulting our intelligence.

I've just thought of something, they could have a guest doing the monologue. I seldom enjoy the guest appearances, but they could have some complete wildcard.

When is the Radio Carter one?

Might not be the right place to say it, must DomCum strikes me as being completely arrogant and is insulting our intelligence.
I'm afraid that I have rather given up on News (and Radio 4 in general ) because Covid etc coverage is so dreadful. I can't bear going into the eleventy billion threads on DC here so could you do me a favour and explain something: why has this come up now, rather than when it happened (like it did for the Scottish Chief Medical Officeer)? Something seems not right. I feel like I am being manipulated by the media, who have an agenda.

I have given up on the Toady programme. I loved it when JH was on it.
Now it's 3 hours of Coronavirus. Before that it was Brexit, and before that, the Referendum.

I welled up at Rory Kinnear today as I caught that bit.

I have no idea why it has come up now, R4. Could it be to Not Get Brexit Done?

The Beeb's reporting of the referendum affected how I voted.

pre the referendum, I meant.

AskingQATT, my thoughts on Tracey too. She is likeable as a character, and her voice is distinctive.

I used to think of Susan like that, although it took me a long time to like her.

It took me years to like Lynda.

David’s self-reflection session was incredibly painful, just a list of criticisms of his family.

I have given up on the Toady programme. I loved it when JH was on it. Now it's 3 hours of Coronavirus. Before that it was Brexit, and before that, the Referendum.
Spot on, although I couldn't stand JH. Back then it was 3 hours of him being a rotweiler. It was all about him trying to best politicians instead of trying to get to the heart of the matter. I think that he forgot that he was the conduit, not the story itself.

I thought the cricket captain storyline was over very quickly
That would normally have brewed for weeks.

The Gills is an excellent idea.

Oh, R4, the opposite IMO.

I used to gauge what sort of day I'd have on who was doing it. Evan D and Sarah M was a bad day. Since then, both are great on different shows.

I haven't listened to any of the new episodes this week.

I'm in a bit of an odd place with my mental health ATM, and have hovered around my radio at 7:02 pm each evening, wondering if I actually wanted to listen.

I decided not to - so I'm asking all of you, are they worth a listen?

If you all say so, I'll make sure I hear the omnibus on Sunday - always assuming there is going to be one!

Everything seems so dislocated just now. I need like routine, and life is just too chaotic for me these days!

I am not sure they are worth it. Although there hasn't been anything to cause people to be more anxious I dont think. They are just ...boring. I am only listening so I can keep track of the story.
It is a tricky time Wheresthatcat,

By the way I can definitely not recommend what I did last night, binge watched the entire series of After Life 2. Dear god.

Thankyou, Langsdestiny.

I really appreciate your reply. Abd the bouquet! 😍

Obviously I meant AND!

Tiny keyboard on phone to blame!

I thought we had a "DomC" reference last night, when Josh mused that "not actually BREAKING the law is not good enough, and not a good look"