💰 Archers thread #121: Brookfield digs for treasure, Alice & Philip try to bury the truth. Dish the dirt here if you dig The Archers. PS Send nudes.

[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 long to hear Pip again, 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 @LillianGish and @PersephonePromotesEquanimity for the title suggestions.

Current events: as @Bailey0703 has astutely spotted, it's Anti-Slavery Day tomorrow - could this herald the beginning of the end of the horses storyline? I do hope so. Horrible stuff, but what a blow for Kirsty. They're laying on the dramatic irony with trowel at the moment.

What do we think will happen to Alice and Chris? I can't see this pregnancy going to term and ending well. I don't think the marriage will survive either, giving Brian a chance to revisit his classic line about having to treat this as Alice's starter marriage.

Will Elizabeth end up on a date with Vince Casey? That would put the cat among the pigeons at Lower Loxley.

Over to you ...

Surely she's not doomed to a choice between two criminals!

He came very close to coming clean last night. Just do it, Gav! Get it over with. Your Dad doesn't deserve your protection.

Kirsty isn’t good at looking after Kirsty. I think that realising what Philip is doing to Gavin is the wake up call that she’ll heed.

Yes ... Was slightly on the edge of my seat last night. Gavin has sounded rather sweet and put-upon lately.

Ufortunately I can't forget the stand-off in Kirstie's bedroom. I wonder if the SWs are regretting that now.

And I am Not Pleased at the ridiculous, patronising portrayal of Eddie. He's almost old, he's seen tragedy and ongoing family trauma in the past few years, he's done everything he can to put the Grundys on a more secure financial footing - what the hell more does he have to do for the SWs to treat him with some respect? Why on earth do they have him lurking in fields, ducking and diving and enduring the loss of hobby equipment? It's not funny and it's not on.

Yes if TASWAMA they also enjoy being cruel to poorer people. They have a grudging respect for Clarrie and possibly Emma? But other than that they still treat the likes of Tracy etc and Eddie as the comic relief.

The Eddie metal detecting plot was far too Del Boy, even down to Will in the role of Rodders. “This time next year we’ll be millionaires..”

Agree, lazy and disrespectful to the character.

Loved the dramatic irony last night - Gavin telling Kirsty he’s living a lie and he can’t go on like that - I want to be real, I want to me - Kirsty telling him he doesn’t have to and he should be true to himself. He almost told her - you see I don’t have a gambling problem - and then he got cold feet and backed down, but it won’t be long now I predict. Kirsty is being so sympathetic and understanding, telling him noone’s perfect, noone’s asking for that. Very well written and acted. BOOP in fact.

Gavin also knows that Philip is lying to Kirsty and he now likes her enough to care about that.

I can't forget the stand-off in Kirsty’s bedroom. I wonder if the SWs are regretting that now I think that particular incident was crucial to the plot - looking back that was the first hint that all was not right in Philip’s world (up until then he seemed rather dull and inconsequential). It looked as if it was his son who was unpleasant - the money for wedding (presumably Philip’s attempt to keep him sweet), the broken engagement - what did Kelly find out? Or was she just unable to put up with Gavin always having to defer to his dad? Kirsty is too kind, forgiving and understanding for her own good, but ironically I think it is this very quality that will persuade Gavin she is the person he can open up to.

Gavin also knows that Philip is lying to Kirsty and he now likes her enough to care about that I agree - he’s starting to feel they are both trapped in Philip’s web of deceit.

@CheetasOnFajitas

The Eddie metal detecting plot was far too Del Boy, even down to Will in the role of Rodders. “This time next year we’ll be millionaires..”

Agree, lazy and disrespectful to the character.

That's exactly what I said to DH last night, even down to the quote!

Okay, Lil'G, you've convinced me ...

And it seems another apparently random storyline is in fact highly deliberate - Brookfield's umpteenth farming smash and burn is supposed to be Brexit proofing, according to the BBC.

They are Brexit-proofing by becoming solely dairy farmers?

That's an interesting theory.

Macats thanks for your slavery link - very interesting. And a father and son just like Philip and Gavin. I imagine the slaves in the Kent case had the added disadvantage of not being able to speak in English and possible worries about not being entitled to remain in the UK. This is not the case with the Ambridge slaves as far as we know.

I am convinced that Philip was intended to be as originally portrayed, a decent, older man who would cherish Kirstie for everandever. Then his rather nasty son was introduced for who knows what original reason (possibly an inheritance struggle when they finally killed off Philip).

Then someone decided to embark on a Modern Slavery s/l and the Character Transplant Fairy was deployed.

BOW, that really does make sense.

Apart from Philip nosying into everything so much right from the start: where does that fit in? He was very much involved in causing Shula to want to split up with Alistair, or so it seemed at the time.

I think they were just establishing him as a New Man in Ambridge. Solid, reliable, etc.

Obvs StSmugula would set her cap at him.

I just don't find it credible that Kirsty, who has quite high ethical values, would not see through Philip's pretence.

He may be able to keep the 'horses' secret - but it's indicative of a nasty aspect of his personality which surely he can't hide completely.

Or does she just overlook them because she's desperate?

To be honest it's not the first thing anyone would think of is it? None of us had guessed it as a possible storyline and we are listening to it as a drama iyswim. Philip was all bird watching, fixing the children's playground and being a bit middle-aged and dull. Let's face it - we all thought he was going to drop dead. His relationship with his son is not plain sailing, but I think Kirsty (and everyone else in the village) will be astonished when the truth comes out.

I'm pretty sure the plot line was bolted on, but I suppose it's true enough that too often we don't see the darkness below a smooth surface. Charming Rob Titchener was a textbook case, I suppose.

But nauseating hearing Freddie ‘I’m about to inherit a stately home’ Pargetter crying poverty and whining about how he can’t afford the rent for his house-share with Jonny and Hannah. He’ll just have to make do with one of his spare 46 bedrooms. Once a spoilt brat...

Good for Lizzie making Freddie pay his own way, though. It would be very easy for her to wrap him in cotton wool, especially after the Grey Gables episode.

I just hope if Philip is going to die soon, he marries Kirsty first so she can inherit the house. Though I’m also wondering- and I’m sure the legal minds on this thread will help - isn’t there a problem over philip’s property being proceeds of a crime? Once they’re found out anyway. But that could mean nothing much to inherit? Philip dies. Gavin goes to prison. Kirsty stays in Ambridge and remains in the series. Or she goes to a cottage in Wales anyway and lives happily there away from Ambridge?

@Darker

Some of the stairs up that bell tower look well dodgy.

Are we heading for another "Major character falls off high tower" storyline?

Kirsty needs to talk to Kelly (have we ever met her?) At the moment she has no reason to disbelieve the gambling lie - it explains the overheard horses reference, Philip’s offer to pay for the wedding (rather than giving Gavin the cash), the broken engagement, any furtive behaviour and Philip’s unease. Also while she’s focusing on that (and seeing it as the explanation for everything) she’s not even looking for (let alone spotting) any other “clues” - though why anyone would think it a good idea to hand over control of their business to an inveterate gambler is beyond me.

It is almost inevitable that Kirsty will move out of the house, one way or another. Like the Kent slavery case, whether it would be necessary to sell the house would depend on the level of damages (Philip might have enough cash - who knows!).

Who used to look after the horses when Gavin moved in with Philip and Kirsty? I think it is only recently that it seems to have become so time-consuming.