🐴 Archers thread 124: And they're off! Pip on a high horse, Kirsty champing at the bit to find the lost ‘horses’, Alice on the wagon (or is she riding for a fall?). 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 Shula would make a brilliant vicar, 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 @PoulePouletteEternellement for the equine theme to the new thread title. I wanted to work in Rex being a dark horse and lots of others too, but (you may feel fortunately) there's a character limit for the title.

I wonder if this thread will see us through to the end of February. The last one filled up in under a month, which was like old times. All depends on what delights are in store for us in the coming weeks, I suppose. I'm hoping that Gavin has spilled the beans on Victoria, she's also arrested, and the lads are found. Having said that, I'm not confident that in the real world they would get the support and care they need to turn their lives around and get proper jobs. It was good to hear on the last thread from @Trickyboy, who has professional experience of investigating this vile crime. Any comments on how things turn out in the long run for those rescued?

I don’t understand @Roysnewshirt?

Alice has blithely got through Christmas, New Year, Friday after work etc without a twinge?

we don't know, is the answer. remember when she was first pg, and went off the pop, and we never heard her actually going 'oh what a nice refreshing bottle of vodka that was' or whatever, apart from when Lillian enabled her to have 'a' glass of wine that one time, but when it all came out, it turned out that the casual in passing mentions (that pps on here had picked up on because everyone here is like the poirot of ambridge ) of her late nights at work, going for a run/walk/whatever had all been secret drinking moments.

Ah ok @MadameButterface, so the odd reference to the freezer in the office at work is to remind us of its potential as vodka storage? Or "you've been to the shop to buy ice cream?" reminds us that that sentence could end in "to pour over your Bailey's", but Alice has won that tiny struggle.

yes the 'you've been to the shop???' exchange was definitely A Thing wasn't it? I wonder if Chris is going to find a receipt for a tub of ben and Jerrys and a bottle of white lightning.

@nettie434

Neeyull will be leaving Berrow and setting up FairCart Pigs with Rex before too much longer.

Oh I hope so BoreofWhabylon. Has the 🔮 made an official prediction?

The 🔮 is self-isolating so MysticBore™️ is prognosticating solo

Oh I have total faith in MysticBore™. I just hope I can contain my disappointment if it doesn't happen.

I have a vague memory that we heard Peggy tell Chris that she knew Alice had an alcohol problem when the Ambridge lights were being switched on. I can't remember any further references since then. Agree with Floscampi that it would have been logical (and good listening) to hear more about how they managed - even if it was nothing more than Alice saying she was relieved that covid meant they couldn't go to Christmas lunch where Brian would have wanted to display his cellar..

@nettie434 I presumed that was what Chris was remembering when he seemed a bit reluctant to spend the evening at Peggy's yesterday, subsequently cancelled because of his accident.

Yes, Chris was presumably not keen to be cornered in the kitchen and grilled about how Alice was getting on. I can't believe that's the last of the alcohol storyline.

No talk of vaccination in Ambridge, of course. The magical powers of the Am will protect all within the forcefield.

Good point about vaccination. I don't mind Ambridge-ites being rather more relaxed about tiers and lockdowns - because they must have been hard for SWs to predict - but I do think we should hear about the village elders being vaccinated.

This is the problem with no visible GPs' surgery in the village! (Someone will correct me if my memory of Susan working as a receptionist when they did have a surgery is faulty?) There would have been plenty of scope for not particularly socially distanced gossip as the ancient went in and out to bare their arms.

And the lack of reference to The Laurels, in relation to covid, is simply strange.

Can someone explain what was printed in The Echo that has got the online frothers making Susan feel threatened?

I love Tony, by the way. I don’t really want to be married to him but hearing him talk about his model railway was lovely. Such an innocent pastime that brings such pleasure. Justin’s obsession with money and business seemed rather tawdry by comparison.

It did strike me that Justin might be limbering up to having an affair sometime soon. When he got together with Lilian he did create the proverbial vacancy...

Can someone explain what was printed in The Echo that has got the online frothers making Susan feel threatened?

Something to do with Neil saying they're all victims, because of being deceived by Philip, and it sounded like Susan had also been banging on about her radio show. But I wasn't fully paying attention, and the details were a bit vague anyway, I think.

@LastDuchessFerrara

Can someone explain what was printed in The Echo that has got the online frothers making Susan feel threatened?

seemed to me that she has received a threat? with the talk if taking it to the police.

“
I love Tony, by the way. I don’t really want to be married to him but hearing him talk about his model railway was lovely. Such an innocent pastime that brings such pleasure. Justin’s obsession with money and business seemed rather tawdry by comparison.”

Yes, that scene with him and justin was the exact sort of content i listen to the archers for.

@LastDuchessFerrara

Can someone explain what was printed in The Echo that has got the online frothers making Susan feel threatened?

Nothing yet, because it doesn't come out until tomorrow. But the online version is available and apparently misrepresents Neil as having said that he is the victim of the slavery. The headline Brian read out was "Local parish chairman insists he is the victim in modern slavery controversy".

I really enjoyed the scene between Tony and Justin, too. The contrast between Tony's absolute enjoyment in creating something that even Justin recognised as brilliant, Justin's awe at that fact coupled with his inability to understand that anyone would do something like that just for the sheer pleasure of creation and achievement, and his total fear of having to amuse himself if or when he retires. You could just hear that the person getting more out of life was Tony, despite Justin's riches.

Sounds like Lillian needs to take Justin in hand, otherwise if he does retire he's going to be one of those maddening people who spends all day trailing around after his partner and getting in their way because he can't think of anything else to do.

Peggy is sitting outside? Today?

She's a million years old and it's minus uncountable degrees!

❄️

Peggy Marple back on the case

Good grief Shula is SO crap at this.

Neil and Shula in a tree
Kay Eye Ess Ess ...

Thanks for that Neil.... not

god Neil haven't you done enough this week

Argh I was yelling at Tony and thinking of you lot. Shula thinks she’s unsuitable as a vicar because, what, she went to see Philip? When no, she’s unsuitable because she’s blabbing to all and sundry about their private conversation.

And what’s this about Radio Carter working as a doctor’s receptionist? She has no grasp of the notion of things being confidential, whatsoever.

It did strike me that Justin might be limbering up to having an affair sometime soon

With Tony, @Roysnewshirt? Now that really would SATTC

@BeardieWeirdie

Argh I was yelling at Tony and thinking of you lot. Shula thinks she’s unsuitable as a vicar because, what, she went to see Philip? When no, she’s unsuitable because she’s blabbing to all and sundry about their private conversation.

And what’s this about Radio Carter working as a doctor’s receptionist? She has no grasp of the notion of things being confidential, whatsoever.

She really did, for Tim Hathaway. She was not even slightly discreet, especially not after he and Janet-the-Vicar started to see a bit more of each other when his wife was having her affair with Brian.

She started as receptionist on Monday 16th March, 1998 and stopped when Tim left in August 2002.