💥 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.

Well ... I could ignore you Tech, or I could ask about the apparently short lived anomaly just now where I could see the final post on the TOI page but not at the end of the thread ... Assume you're responsible?

Yes, sorry (slinks off.)

I am confused now. Whatever it was it will have been Ed's fault

It's my fault, while testing out the lovely new features I noticed the oddity in Threads I'm On, so @Tech investigated and fixed it.
I think he should stay to Discuss The Archers with us (and make bespoke smileys)

Robin Fairbrother was born on 6th February 1953, and Elizabeth on 21st April 1967. When she was twenty having a forbidden, married boyfriend fourteen years older than her was desperately transgressive and exciting; now she is fifty-three and and he would not represent rebellion, a rather blimpish man in his late sixties may not hold quite the same allure.

But it's ANTHONY STUART HEAD AQAAT! He could never be blimpish!

The actor is not the character.

The character is a has-been chancer with what is clearly a not-terribly-successful business, who cut off his sons for not marrying money.

I cannot separate the two in my mind

So, who is Lizzie going to date? She can call herself Loxley_Liz on .

The 🔮 is worried that it will be Russ

Oliver?

Nooo.

I do find Elizabeth's ... isolation a little hard to buy. Even with ongoing grief and two troublesome offspring she must have endless invitations and access to a glittering social life way beyond Borchester. I just don't believe she would have refused every advance (except Roy!) for all these years.

Has she even mentioned him this week? All that "I've forgotten what it's like to share a bed" nonsense sounded odd from someone previously aiming for self-knowledge.

She will try online dating. Russ will help her with her profile...

Awww Freddie, 💚🧡💙

That was a good bit with Freddie, agreed.

I've never had any trouble believing it would take Elizabeth years to contemplate moving on from Nigel. Too complicated, with the children, living over the shop, working long hours in the family business, undiagnosed depression etc etc.

We might need a new thread in a week or two. Any ideas for thread titles?

Doesn't @DadDadDad normally put in an appearance at this stage in a thread? Not seen him for a while.

Thanks, for the mention, @LaureBerthaud. I always keep an eye out on my favourite MN community, but I guess I've ended up taking a bit of break from TA recently and feel a bit detached from this thread. Anyway, Gasp0de has clearly got everything under control.

As they say, it's not you, it's me - call it lockdown fatigue. I look forward to joining you on thread 39!

Thread 39? I mean 119 - I think my brain was working off this being page 38 of this thread.

I guess I've ended up taking a bit of break from TA recently

D3 If I may slightly amend the wording of my favourite ever TA thread title "we'll keep on listening so you don't have to ... for now"

- yes, that was a classic.

@LaureBerthaud - I'm going to guess you've name-changed from a name I might recognise from times past. (Of course, I don't expect you to confirm or deny...)

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

That was a good bit with Freddie, agreed.

I've never had any trouble believing it would take Elizabeth years to contemplate moving on from Nigel. Too complicated, with the children, living over the shop, working long hours in the family business, undiagnosed depression etc etc.

We might need a new thread in a week or two. Any ideas for thread titles?

Living over the shop 😄

Anyone else think it’s weird to bring back Ifti only for him to have morphed into a slob so that Lizzie doesn’t fancy him anymore?

It reminded me of my first proper date with DH (a few days after meeting in the student union and taking him home!). I got all (uncomfortably and uncharacteristically) dolled up and when I turned up he was wearing joggers and took me to the local greasy spoon. I was a bit miffed but actually he was just totally unpretentious. We’re incredibly well matched and still laugh about it 21 years later.

D3 oh I've had many a name change but am sticking with my real name from here on in

So do I have to watch Spiral now?... (Not all six series, no way.)

Have already watched more streamed TV in the past three months than in the previous three years. My eyes are tired.