💥 Archers thread #119: Has the Bull reopened? Will Ambridge pull through? We’ve all dozed off and haven't a clue. Moan about the monologues 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 we should have monologues all the time from now on, 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.)

Thanks to PPE on the last thread for the title suggestion, which I tweaked a bit.

As for the current state of affairs: here's how it could have been done. www.youtube.com/channel/UCvRSVdfQWAjNhNu1AtABYjw Nigel Pargetter returns, albeit in spectral form. I loved these.

I don't love the current set up. Very, very hit and miss for me - but I am too much of an addict to give it up. Looking for a silver lining, maybe the rather clunky trot through the Aldridge family tree last night was helpful to newer listeners. It is rather convoluted. In 12.5 minutes they managed to explain that Adam and Debbie are Jennifer's children by different fathers, that Debbie's father Roger Travers-Macy adopted Adam, that after he and Jenny divorced she married Brian and that he (secretly) loves Adam and not nearly so secretly adores Debbie. I don't think they explicitly stated that Kate and Alice are Brian's children with Jenny, but they did manage to squeeze in a mention of Siobhan and Ruairi, and explain that Xander is Adam's son by a surrogate and has no genetic connection to either Brian or Xander's other father Ian. Phew!

I think Robert does have a degree - likely in maths or physics.

Agree the Tracy thing is absurd.

I know TA is crappish atm but somehow I don't really mind.

I'm glad Ed and Emma talked. We'll be spared yet more 'hilarious' misunderstandings

I'm glad Ed and Emma talked. We'll be spared yet more 'hilarious' misunderstandings

Feels like we might be heading for quite a party night to remember if Emma and Ed are on Alice’s guest list for Ian’s 50th. They’re not exactly Ian’s intimates but the party is only an excuse to justify Alice’s Saturday night drinking so I doubt that matters much...

Loving Radio on the radio. Meta.

Tonight was good. Wonder what will happen.

What a complete twerp Emma is. When Alice is there is not the time to talk to Chris about Alice's drinking.

But then, of all the characters in The Archers Emma is the prime example of one who cannot help turning everything into a confrontation, so I expect she would have failed to bad-mouth his wife to Chris even if the wife in question hadn't been in the room.

I mean, sorry, failed to get Chris to realise that she was saying what she said because she cares about him and about his wife's drinking.

Mostly because she doesn't, of course; she's delighted to have a good reason to be unpleasant about Alice rather than the slightly nebulous "she has more money than me so I hate her" class envy that is always there when she thinks of Alice, and really isn't a good look.

If Emma has any sense what will happen is she talks with Susan about it, in a Concerned Voice so Susan doesn't think it is all just malice.

I thought Emma was brave. It would have been a confrontation, rather than a quiet, rational discussion, even if Alice hadn't been there.

But Chris will ponder - and begin to suspect. (If he doesn't already.) And his assertion about their "great relationship" will be coming to bite him on the behind pdq.

Only worry is poor Ed is likely to lose the Home Farm job again.

@Darker

Loving Radio on the radio. Meta.

Were you around for the Archers' silent cinema club a few years ago?

Now, that ...

I thought Emma handled it quite well. Although Chris didn't want to know he will think about it.

Persephone I'd have loved that..

@PersephonePromotesEquanimity

Yeah ... I think it's a joke. Tracy's bored. The prank she played on Susan introduced the theme ...

Ooh that's interesting. It would be very satisfying if Phillip and Gav's exploitation was revealed by something that started out as a joke.

Heartily agree with all the TASWAMA comments. They seem to have got worse during the monologues too.

I thought Emma was quite restrained. Alice behaved appallingly to Ed. And Chris is her brother which can be a 'no holds barred' type of relationship.

I hope that Alice doesn't take it out on Ed, but if she does I forsee SCENES.

If it’s a hoax, I don’t understand why Grey Gables isn’t suing Phillip or why there seem to be no repercussions regarding who pays up for repairs etc.

The usual phrase in Ambridge is "the insurance will pay". And they always do seem to, without any investigation or question, and no rise in premiums either. The only two exceptions I can think of are Pip totalling her car by bad driving, and the insurance not being prepared to pay for Brian having to cleanse his land.

I enjoyed it all tonight, although I don't think she should have said the word "alcoholic." Even Emma would have referred to a "problem with alcohol", or even a "problem with drink," which ever so slightly insulting.

Did anyone get Borsetshire Radio's number?

I thought Chris referring to Emma running around the village asking for money for the house was good scripting. Siblings tend to have memories like elephants and, when convenient, no compunction bringing up things one might prefer to forget...

Thing is, I hadn't thought of Chris as being capable of such venom.

Character change - or has Aldridge rubbed off on him? He sounded exactly like Kate berating Emma for asking Peggy for help.

To be fair on Chris, Emma's revelations must have been a bombshell. He discovered that at the very least Alice had kept information from him, that something has happened betwen his wife and Ed that she didn't care to share, and that someone is lying. I also think Chris is very well aware of his sisters hot character and is instinctively attacking her at her weakest point to disarm her - he doesn't want her running round the village telling people about Alice being drunk at work.

I enjoyed it all tonight, although I don't think she should have said the word "alcoholic." Even Emma would have referred to a "problem with alcohol", or even a "problem with drink," which ever so slightly insulting.

Given that Emma is familiar with Ed’s former drug addiction, I think her using ‘alcoholic’ is believable. She mentioned Alice’s behaviour at Nic’s funeral, which was startling enough, but as her sister in law she must have had many opportunities to see Alice’s addiction on display.

Did anyone get Borsetshire Radio's number?
I did. I didn't recognise it as a RL local code so I idly noted it down so I could google it later.
Just googled it, so here you go ... 01632

Given that Emma is familiar with Ed’s former drug addiction, I think her using ‘alcoholic’ is believable. She mentioned Alice’s behaviour at Nic’s funeral, which was startling enough, but as her sister in law she must have had many opportunities to see Alice’s addiction on display

..which might also explain Alice's increasing hostility to Emma, as she may feel judged.

You only have to see (or hear!) the bottles put out for recycling to realise which households have someone with an alcohol issue.

There are fictional postcodes as well as phone codes, I discovered after checking an address on some TV programme, because I wasn't sure where it was set. I remained unenlightened...

I go through a lot of jars - you know jam and stuff.

Friend and her DP, both alcoholics, moved in with his parents when they were between houses. They stored the empties in the wardrobe then took them to recycling when the coast was clear.

Alice being there was for the SL. IRL Emma would have spoken to Chris alone.