🍾 Archers thread 123: Goodbye & good riddance to 2020 – to Philip too? The Archers is 70 on New Year’s Day – celebrate or vent about it 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 wish we heard more from Shula, 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.)

So! 2021 beckons. Big anniversary next Friday, 1.1.21 (and to mark that we have episodes Tuesday-Friday next week). What would we like to see happen? I may be in a minority of one, but I'd like a nice gentle character-driven episode. I don't think we'll get that, but I really, really hope they don't kill someone else off, just for the headlines.

[Title edited by MNHQ at OP'S request]

my low opinion of Roman dropped even further though to think all he has ever offered Tracey is a bonk on the pavilion store room floor.

I know ... Had he actually moved into No1 The Green? I'd somehow thought he maintained his own establishment somewhere; Borchester or surroundings - and would have alternated cosy nights in, where he cooked for her, with extravagant meals at some 'new place on the way to Felpersham'.

God, poor Tracy. 45 and nowhere for a shag but a public sports edifice down the road? She may have some boundaries (not doing his washing or agreeing to drag her children to nothing at all in the Maldives) but she really, really needs to raise her standards in men.

If he had lived in Ambridge then I would agree. But Tracy has a lot of other commitments and no time to travel. I hope there was an electric blanket (or perhaps they generated enough heat not to need one...).

@ILoveShula

Mystery solved.

It is mysterious how the first Mrs Moss had the second Mrs Moss' mobile number.

We used to have our mobile numbers on the answering machine message. Nobody uses the landline now and we have disconnected the answering machine but it's possibility (a small one).

Kirsty might have her number as a contact on the Borsetshire Wildlife Trust website of something.

Long shot - but maybe Gav gave her it at ??some time for ??some reason.

I wouldn't think anything of Mrs Moss #1 having the mobile number of Mrs Moss #2. It's not like Kirsty was involved in any way in the break up of Philip's marriage.

There really is no earthly reason for her to have it, though.

I don't have the cellphone number of my ex's bidey-in; I don't know the woman (Rhiannon doesn't know Tracy) and it is vanishingly unlikely I will ever need to get in touch with her. If I did, I might ask my son -- but if what I needed to ask her about was his having done a runner from the police, and I couldn't get an answer from his phone, that wouldn't be possible.

We don't even know that the new-build Beechwood house has a land-line! Many don't these days, or rather only use the land-line for computer connection and Netflixy stuff and don't have an actual handset. I'd think it quite likely that Philip would want not to have one, since he has dodgy contacts and Kirsty might pick up the phone to one of them. There is only a BT handset in this house because sometimes the mobile reception here is ker-rap.

Tracy??? Brainfart! Kirsty.

@Taswama

That's really interesting insight *@Trickyboy*. Are you part of a government body or a charity working against modern slavery?

I work as a a govt investigator on a multi agency modern slavery investigation team that includes police/NCA/LA/HMRC/DWP/Border Force etc.. I am also an Archers Fan of 51 years standing (listened since I was 5 )..

So pleased they didn't go down the lazy route of Romanian fruit pickers at Home farm for this one but actually chose to focus on vulnerable brits who are by far the largest victim group ..

Really, the police put her out?

Oh no - bloody hell! "What would we do without you, Kirsty?"

Were they saving the scream for Friday?

I wonder if, after such a bloody awful year, they've decided on something uplifting to mark their 70th? After all, the scream of the 60th was horrendous and I'm not sure any of us could deal with the equivalent right now. I mean the scene with Alice in the bathroom is still horrifying when I think about it. Perhaps that was meant for the 70th and they decided to bring it forward.

Agree with all of that @cameocat

I've been clogging up the Spoilers thread with speculation, cameocat. Some of it potentially uplifting ...

Maybe Peggy is going to go out with a bang?

Or more realistically, catch COVID at the bonfire.
But it would be mean to not keep Peggy alive so long as the actor wants to carry on.

What would be the most positive thing which could happen?

Would they do a schmaltzy "If this dreadful year has taught us one thing, it's how great our Ambridge community is!"?

What would be the most positive thing which could happen?

Pip falling down the sinkhole.

I hope Vince's arrival spells the end for Russ and a new start for Lily.

Kirsty and Roy would be comfortable together. Perhaps they could have a baby. Boring, perhaps, but I think they would be happy and Roy would thrive.

I think there will be something wonderful and something shocking for the 70th.

@MaryLeeOnHigh

What would be the most positive thing which could happen?

Pip falling down the sinkhole.

Constructive comments only, please!!!

Way out suggestion for the shock episode - Kirsty finds out she's pregnant ? Otherwise in good news she finds out that Philip lied about being divorced so he's a bigamist - sentence for that would probably be rap on knuckles only

I'd love to do the quiz with my mum. We talk about TA in front of my dd as if it's real people- she gets really into it and then says ' Wait. This is the bloody Archers isn't it?'

I can't see mum in person or the garden T4. So how can I do this best. we could both just listen and chat on the phone, but there has to be a better way. We have smart-Ish phones a tablet and/or a laptop each. TIA

I am revising my opinion about Kirsty’s reaction. Last night she sounded like someone who needed cheering up after a minor operation. It was very ill-judged to suggest that having a girlie night with Feeble would go any way towards distracting someone from worrying about being married to a slave master...
Freddie sounded like the spoilt little rich kid he is when he made that quip about LL actually being his real home.

@BeaLola

Way out suggestion for the shock episode - Kirsty finds out she's pregnant ? Otherwise in good news she finds out that Philip lied about being divorced so he's a bigamist - sentence for that would probably be rap on knuckles only

Yes, yes to both of those ideas.

The pregnancy idea would be a good one. She could bring the baby up with Roy and then when Philip comes out of prison, hopefully after a very long sentence, he would reappear in the (now adult) baby's life. Although they might be saving that one up for Jack.

I would have thought that if she believed Philip was divorced and married him in good faith she would not be charged with bigamy.

@Roysnewshirt

I am revising my opinion about Kirsty’s reaction. Last night she sounded like someone who needed cheering up after a minor operation. It was very ill-judged to suggest that having a girlie night with Feeble would go any way towards distracting someone from worrying about being married to a slave master... Freddie sounded like the spoilt little rich kid he is when he made that quip about LL actually being his real home.

Kirsty sounded to me like someone putting on a bright smile, keeping calm and carrying on, only to crash later. I'll reserve judgement on that.

Freddie always sounds like a whiny, entitled brat to me. Very much so in this episode.

we had to have plumbers round yesterday to fix some things - an older one with his apprentice. They were extremely nice & polite and seemed very thorough in their approach to the job, but I caught myself thinking, what if he's really like Philip Moss....