🐴 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?

And both cringe makingly implausible.

Exactly. I can understand Kirsty desperately wanting to find Blake, Kenzie and co, and doing her initial hunting for them - not thinking of the trial. But once she was told by Harrison that this could could actually pervert the course of justice rather than see it served, (normal) Kirsty would have said “shit, you’re right, that’s not what I want” and stopped.

Harrison told Natasha, but we don't actuually know that Natasha passed it on. Kirsty might have started to look online because she was a bit afraid of going out on her own at night in town once she had got used to having someone with her.

Not that I can see why on earth she would go out at night, when street people would be trying to find somewhere to sleep and not interested in talking to her; it's during the day that they are all out begging, round here at least.

I think there was a very strong implication that kirsty had stopped her street to street search because of Harrison's 'advice'. I am afraid kirsty is only concerned with her own needs not those of the men.

Wow. Tony.

I'm torn about Tom's response. I would have thought asking Jennifer and Lilian to help sort it might have been a better approach.

Typical 'everyone cowers and covers for the nasty person': Tom should have gone back to Peggy and told her to re-record! Poor Tony.

How would Alan washing their feet have made anyone feel better? In February?

How would Alan washing their feet have made anyone feel better?
I didn't understand how Lynda thought she could railroad Alan to engage with the idea. He either does it voluntarily, with humility, or the concept means nothing.
Was it a ploy?: offer a bonkers idea first so that your second offering is gratefully leapt on in relief.
Anyway, something that stops Kirsty being bonkers will definitely be a relief for us all.

something that stops Kirsty being bonkers
I vote for a 12 gauge at close range. Being an idiot and breathing are inextricably linked in her case.

Hasn't it been mentioned a couple of times that some of the village do think she knew of/ was involved in the use of the horses? Good. Maybe she'll leave at long last.

It just occurred to me that Kirsty's slightly deranged plotting reminds me of Emma trying to touch people for money for the house. Both driven by a sort of desperation

People do stupid and embarrassing things when in shock, betrayed or facing what seems like disaster. Its consistent with Kirsty that her madness emanates as badly thought through attempts to help the boys just as Emma's emanated as the excruciating begging for help (and also showed up just how nice some of their supposed friends were not).

I'm torn about Tom's response. I would have thought asking Jennifer and Lilian to help sort it might have been a better approach

Tom was predictably stupid. He could have tested it with Jennifer, Lilian or Pat.

I am however, entirely team Tony on this. Peggy has never had much good to say about Tony, frequently belittling him and rubbishing his success in building up his own business in a pioneering space. Nothing he achieved was ever good enough for her and she was downright nasty "telling it how it was" to Tony and sneering at their ethical appoach whilst endlessly praising Brian's business acumen in inheriting the money to buy a large estate and following the money even when the end result was large scale pollution.

I wasn't surprised when Pat'n'Tony refused to dance to her eco largesse game and I don't see why Tony should have to tolerate it on his birthday just because "old lady".

Agree with The SilveryPussycat about Kirsty's desperation mirroring that of Emma.

Also Lynda's latest grandiose scheme, barking as ever is a welcome distraction.

But poor Tony. I felt Tom was right to tell him, and as other posters have said, his desire to keep up appearances to preserve Peggy's amour proper is entirely, though regrettably predictable. Will be interesting to see the fall-out from all of this.

I think Tom was too scared of Peggy to ask her to revise her recording.
If I were Tom, I think I would have asked Pat's advice (though Lilian and Jenny would have been good alternatives to consult).

Tony's response made me very happy

I felt Tom was right to tell him
Nah, anybody sensible would have invented some white lie along the lines of "oh no. we seemed to have wiped the tape. I really don't know how that happened."

Nah, anybody sensible would have invented some white lie along the lines of "oh no. we seemed to have wiped the tape. I really don't know how that happened."

No in this case I don't agree with glossing over pure nastiness to keep the peace.

Peggy was horrible about Tony (again) and he shouldn't have to feel obligated to her just because "family". Nor should Tom and Natasha be expected to keep it secret. Too much damage is done in families in the name of keeping the peace by minimising pretty nasty long term behaviours.

Boop for Tony! He has no illusions about Peggy so I think Tom did the right thing showing him the video. She’s always presented as being a nice and wise old lady but what a bitch...

Lynda was true to form. So grating hearing her whining on about her latest boring plan. A scene between her and Alan was enough for me to turn to the Farrow and Balll colour chart for excitement...

She’s always presented as being a nice and wise old lady but what a bitch

That was a recent years presentation though. Before she was reinvented as one of the village matriarchs she regularly showed her "hard as nails" side, especially to Tony. She's another one who describes making her own way in the world (generally omitting that it was with the help of family money).

I think Tom and Natasha should have approached Pat or Jenny re Peggy video and not just gone straight to Tony.

I applaud Tony for his comments - when has Peggy ever really said anything remotely proud Mum about him ? I guess the video snippets say it all - he reminds her of Jack - in looks at least

I think the bigger person type parent surely for a 70 th birthday celebration could have just said something like "Happy 70th birthday to my lovely son - many congratulations on reaching this achievement and having such a lovely wife and family" - would have done the job .......

Tom was predictably stupid. He could have tested it with Jennifer, Lilian or Pat.
I am however, entirely team Tony on this. Peggy has never had much good to say about Tony, frequently belittling him and rubbishing his success in building up his own business in a pioneering space. Nothing he achieved was ever good enough for her and she was downright nasty "telling it how it was" to Tony and sneering at their ethical appoach whilst endlessly praising Brian's business acumen in inheriting the money to buy a large estate and following the money even when the end result was large scale pollution.
I wasn't surprised when Pat'n'Tony refused to dance to her eco largesse game and I don't see why Tony should have to tolerate it on his birthday just because "old lady". Perfectly summed up Caffeine - spot on. As Tony said - he's put up with it for 70 years, he doesn't have to put up with it any more. It can be his birthday present to himself.

Bold fail - there. I'm not entirely clear why.

According to Tom, Kate filmed the bloody thing - surely she should have steered Peggy in another direction.

Kate is equally as self-centred as Peggy - any speech she wrote for any of her children would be all about her.

Yes it would. And all about what being a mother means to her.

Kate filmed the bloody thing
She set things up for Peggy to record, I think he said. She wasn't necessarily there when she did.

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