💰 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 ...

Ooof. Shout out to anyone who was on the old ML alcohol thread.

I missed Tuesday's episode. What happened when Alice started bleeding on Monday then?

I used to pop in there, Welsh. Some fantastic people. I learned a lot.

Not a particularly splendid episode, on the whole; unremitting and unpleasant.

On the whole, I don't need to be told about how badly alcohol dependence makes someone behave. I already have the t-shirt, and while I slightly sympathise with Chris in this case, not a lot because abrupt cold turkey is not the answer to Alice's problems.

The actors clearly had fun though; that is a plus, even if only a very slight one.

Bloody hell! I need a drink.

@UntamedWisteria she had a scan, baby fine. On way home she fessed up to Chris, including that she was still drinking.

I really hope she has an abortion. The poor baby must be pickled. Why on earth didn’t Chris drive her straight to the hospital? She needs to be sectioned/go through this under medical supervision and care without access to fucking mouthwash.

Thanks Augustbreeze

I also thought she should just have gone straight to A&E if she couldn't get a doctor's appointment.

I guess that would not have been as dramatic.

Can someone who has personal stakes neither in either a DV storyline or an alcoholism storyline say whether that episode compared to the most upsetting of Helen's?

Chris doesn't know what to do. He didn't know how much she was drinking and hasn't a clue what dependency means for Alice. She was hallucinating and could have had a seizure.

I have to say I think in Chris's situation A&E would not have occurred to me. I'd have rung 111 or an AA helpline or something.

They probably didn't need to do a whole episode of it.

I had an abusive partner (who had for months if not years been trying to persuade me I was an alcoholic when I most certainly wasn't) get me drunk then try to get me sectioned.

Listening to that wasn't comfortable.

Sorry, i needed to share.

I'm sorry @GotBeatenUp. Don't apologise.

Was there any warning before the episode, I turned on to the Dumdeedums.

@Augustbreeze

This is more like horror. Can't imagine what it's like for those who've been affected by alcoholism.

Came on here as soon as I listened to say just this

It was the most disturbing TA episode ever & also mad - why would he decide locking her in the bathroom was a good idea, whatever she suggested? Then giving her the whiskey 🤷🏻‍♀️ he should absolutely have called an ambulance & got help.

Really hard to listen to, I'm sure very upsetting for some.

Delurking after years, need to talk to others about that episode. Single handedly the most disturbing thing I have ever heard on the radio, let alone on TA, and I have no history/direct experience of alcoholism. DH (who doesn't listen to TA) said the same thing. We were just sitting there with our mouths open.

I certainly won't complain but was highly disturbed and probably would have appreciated a warning.

Also - agree with PPs - why didn't Chris drive Alice to hospital?

Also I don't think it's plausible that she was drinking so much that the DTs affected her that awfully, but was able to remain functional (rants at Emma & drunk-in-a-ditch episodes notwithstanding!) for so long?

💐 for those affected.

I wonder why they decided to go with that.

I mean, I know it highlights the issues etc etc, but......

I'm really not sure I want to listen tomorrow. It's a 'Friday' night as well, IYSWIM.

I doubt that Chris had any idea of the severity of Alice's problem.
He should have called someone for help.

I was wondering 'is it Thursday already?'

Mike I also got in a panic about the day of the week.

I have a very important work meeting on Thursday morning, and suddenly thought I must have accidentally missed it.

Totally agree that Chris would have unlocked the door and phoned an ambulance/taken her to A&E hearing her screaming like that. This was the first time he’d experienced it: he’d have had no ability to keep her locked in. Also the second I’d have heard her say “mouthwash” I’d have opened the door!

@Augustbreeze

Can someone who has personal stakes neither in either a DV storyline or an alcoholism storyline say whether that episode compared to the most upsetting of Helen's?

It was more shouty than any of the Helen / Rob stuff. That was posited on Rob's veneer of well bred politeness, so it had a different flavour. This was startlingly raw in comparison. And also, placing the scene in the bathroom suggested the SWs wanted to align themselves with the I May Destroy You / I Hate Susie strand of TV drama.

It made arresting listening - I'm just a bit doubtful regarding the correctness of the situation portrayed. But I have no actual knowledge, so ..

@EarringsandLipstick

Also I don't think it's plausible that she was drinking so much that the DTs affected her that awfully, but was able to remain functional (rants at Emma & drunk-in-a-ditch episodes notwithstanding!) for so long?

💐 for those affected.

I'm no expert, but I think alcoholism tends to mean you need more and more drink just to be able to function reasonably normally, so I don't find anything unbelievable about that. I'm sure they'll have talked to specialists about this.