🐴 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?

@Taswama

I enjoyed hearing Elizabeth getting giggly with Vince.

Me too. I'm warming to Vince.

I shall enjoy listening to Phillip's downfall, I hope it is immense.

clutches cream cardigan lapels in horror

Ecru darling! Ecru!

BOOP for Vince, I shall persist in thinking of him as the new Jack, I never much liked Tiger.

Far more likely that she will wail to Alistair and Alan and make it all about her, as per usual

I gather William Hills have already closed betting on that one.

Given that CMR has inveigled himself into LL and is sponging off Elizabeth, I though the way he was talking to her was intolerably rude. One thing to point out that her and Vince's reaction wasn't helpful, quite another to berate her in the way he did. I would not tolerate my DC's partners speaking to me in that way.

Shula's behaviour to Philip was not what I would expect of an aspiring vicar. She's going to find it very difficult to be a non-judgemental listener, isn't she?

Why on earth would anyone want to sponsor a private art gallery in the middle of a pandemic?

I'm glad someone's noticed that there's a bit of a problem with Lily drifting three years after leaving university and that maybe that SL needs to progress.

On the Phil front, it would be interesting to hear him talking to his lawyer. I can't believe he hasn't been advised that the line of defence he's peddling to people like Shula and Jim will get him nowhere in court, either.

Oh. My. Goodness.

As a Christian and an Anglican to boot, if Shula ends up being ordained I will honestly be writing a letter of complaint to the Editor.

She's useless. Does she not know there is a way of showing God's love to someone while also challenging their sinfulness, in all its forms?

CMR was unbelieveably rude to Elizabeth.

@Darker

CMR was unbelieveably rude to Elizabeth.

And they all let him get away with the condescension every time. Grim. Hopefully Vince will cut through the smarm and faux bonhomie.

Yes, go Vince!

At least Moss showed a hint of his true colours today, at the end of his lovely chat with Shula.

Wait until Elizabeth finds out that CMR was trying to get Vince on board as a sponsor.

That was a very weird scene though. I couldn’t believe Russ would be so rude and then try to touch up Vince for some money. And then his self-indulgent whining about his shit life to Vince. I hope this heralds his departure pdq.

Yes ...

Definitely interesting that they're entwining CMR and The Vince - do hope it ends badly for the former.

CMR alluded to the fact he and lily are never spontaneous so hopefully that is sewing the seeds.

I think Shula had a right to not speak as a friend or about the village. She didn't, however, do a very professional job of the vicar side of things.

Can't stand Philip but he was right on the money there. I predict a lot of handwringing from Shula. If she does it out loud to others, who's likely to tell her she is indeed totally unsuited to being a vicar? Jill?

CMR is awful, but the kind of awful I enjoy listening to. I was cheering Vince on when he revealed his knowledge of modern art. Go Vince!

Definitely interesting that they're entwining CMR and The Vince - do hope it ends badly for the former

It’s glorious that their paths have crossed and things started well with the sponsorship discussion and Vince knowing his stuff re art. But then V started to give CMR fatherly advice and being nice to him which wasn’t the direction I had hoped for. Alarmingly it looks like he will end up helping CMR put LL on the artworks map - that’s definitely not the way we’d like things to go...

I would be furious if someone spoke to me in my own home the way CMR spoke to Lizzie. He took advantage of her having a hangover (proving my point re UK wine effectively...) but I bet he often speaks to her like that and it wasn’t a one-off. She has indulged this relationship for far too long...

The ‘what sort of priest is a bad-tempered cow like you going to make?’ line was glorious!

I hope Shula learned something.

Given that CMR has inveigled himself into LL and is sponging off Elizabeth, I though the way he was talking to her was intolerably rude

He was appalling even if he hadn't been sponging off her. Although he is becoming a very cartoon villain.

If she does it out loud to others, who's likely to tell her she is indeed totally unsuited to being a vicar? Jill?

I was wondering about Peggy along the same lines. In reality I think we still have years of her whining. Philip really is manipulative but he was bang on the money about Shula as a do gooder and her inability to manage that conversation doesn't auger well for her priestly future.

The truth always hurts Shula, and the best thing to do is think it over privately. Don’t humiliate yourself by discussing it at length with anyone you can corner and drone at ...please.

@Darker

I hope Shula learned something.

I find that very unlikely, she’s quite devoid of self-knowledge, despite the amount of time she spends talking about herself, no matter what the actual subject is.

I think people may have some sort of weird high opinion of vicars. I dont mind Shula and she is certainly as capable as some vicars I have known.

But then V started to give CMR fatherly advice and being nice to him which wasn’t the direction I had hoped for.
They are portraying Vince as a canny operator. I can imagine him thinking that disarming CMR by flattery will keep him quiet whilst Vince works on what to do with the more difficult prospect of Lily (and Freddie).

I'm not a fan of Shula, but I think there are some rather harsh comments about that prison scene. It was clearly intended to further demonstrate Philip's tendency towards accomplished (and hitherto convincing) lying and as a master manipulator. Shula saw straight through it - I think she was quite brave to go and see him. She - like everyone else in the village - was thoroughly taken in by him in his previous Mr Christmas Jumper and Playground Refurbisher role. He wasn't to know it, but his what have you ever done for the homeless comments were wrongly directed at Shula who I was pleased to see resisted bringing up HWMNBN (possibly out of respect to Pseudo). She'd gone to see him out of a sense of duty in a spiritual capacity, but wasn't prepared to go along with his version of events and give him the benefit of the doubt as she might have done with someone she didn't know from Adam (not Macy obv). I think if he'd expressed a shred of remorse her response would have been different. The encounter neatly demonstrated Philip's psychopathic tendencies to believe his own lies and become furious when challenged (in case anyone was in any doubt and thought he might not have been doing anything wrong). I thought Shula was quite controlled in the circumstances.

Yes, it did show what a manipulator Philip is and Shula did rightly say that he shows no remorse.

However I’m not a fan of Shula and if I had been drinking tea while Philip gave his parting shot I could possibly have spat some out!

If only another character could tell Pip some home truths!

Vince is really good at keeping his enemies close, figuring out what people want to hear and telling them that. He knows exactly what buttons to press. I think the reason we’re all falling for him a bit on this thread is that it’s very rare for an archers character to have this level of insight and good sense. It’s also rare for an archers character to just make their own plans and forge ahead with them successfully, keeping their own counsel until everything’s a done deal, rather than just moaning their arse off to all and sundry while doing little to take hold of their own destiny. Compare Vince’s canny machinations with the way Deeeveeeeed approaches even the most minor inconvenience, how put upon and weary and ‘the universe is out to get me’ he gets.

Self made man vs inherited livelihood? I’m into it.

Does anyone know the artist Vince was referencing?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Michel_Basquiat

He's amazing, my dd introduced me to him.