🎭 Archers thread 125: Ambridge Mysteries! The Case Of The Missing Pandemic. Where Is Pat? What Is Lynda Snell's Kompromat? Follow the clues and 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’d love to be in the Mysteries, 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 for thread title ideas to @Roysnewshirt and @Witchwife. Apologies if I’ve forgotten anyone else.

Do we think the Mysteries replace the usual fun storylines around giving things up for Lent? Light relief while we wait to see if the SWs go for realism and tragedy when Alice’s baby is born, or bottle out (as it were) and go for everything being fine? Will Jazzer and Tracy get back together again? (No bookie in the land would take money for that, of course they will.)

Over to you!

Oh, forgot to say thanks for the new thread Gaspode

From Roy's post on previous thread:

I know Ruth has worked hard on the farm for all these years but isn’t she forgetting that the farm is actually David’s family farm which has belonged to the Archers for generations

Ruth and Pip are David's family though. Ruth has spent her entire working life on that farm, developing some of the new ideas that have bought them income. Plus its not exactly the ancestral home - wasn't Dan the first actual owner and he and then Phil added to the land.

Ruth was right - they have to make chances and David had exactly the same arguments with Phil. It didn't seem odd to me that the Ruth and Pip would look at cow stuff any more than David might go off to look at new ideas in sheep.

What did seem odd was both of them disappearing without saying anything at such a busy time and then starting a conversation on the direction of the business when sleep was lacking due to lambing.

I was trying to remember which of the successful new farm ventures were David's idea and struggling to think of any. We hear a lot about the dairy and beef herds and innovations in those areas but I can't recall equivalent developments with sheep or arable.

My other thought - and I expect you've covered it in previous threads - are they really ignoring the pandemic to the extent of having family events happening on the green etc?

I noticed that last night's episode had a statement that it was recorded before current lockdown - so apparently they are still broadcasting a couple of months out of time.

I believe Dan was the first in the family to own the land (with his son Phil?), but the Archers were tenants at Brookfield for generations before that.

In decades gone by, a lot of the storylines combined farming and family drama by having David and Ruth united against Phil over some proposed new direction on the farm, just as long before that it was Dan v Phil. Now it seems to be David v Ruth and Pip. Same on the other farms (Bridge, Home).

Everything I know about farming comes from The Archers and the odd snippet I hear in the last few minutes of Farming Today, so I am far from knowledgeable, but I like the idea of mixed farming, probably because it's like an old-fashioned toy farm set. They grow most of what they feed the cows (dairy and beef) to supplement the grass right there on the farm. The sheep eat the grass on Lakey Hill, which would be useless for anything else, presumably. Phil was very sad to lose the pigs, and so was I. There are still hens there, thanks to Josh, but Jill always used to look after those, probably a much smaller flock than Josh has. Are the bees still in the orchard? I forget whether it's Ben or Josh who helps Jill with those. They grow potatoes and some arable crops. It all sounds idyllic.

Aah ... Dan v Phil.

Those were the days ...

(Is there a nostalgia emoji?)

The Jade storyline and subsequent casting is weird. She sounds Elizabeth's age (yet is supposed attractive to blokes in their 20's and mid 30's).

What is interesting about the Philip and Kirsty scene is the fact that the police only have the one set of "clean" books and the evidence of a "wronged wife" and Gavin who started sleeping rough over Christmas.

I believe Dan was the first in the family to own the land (with his son Phil?), but the Archers were tenants at Brookfield for generations before that.

It was ownership I was thinking - before that it wasn't the Archer's farm. Tenancies can be ended for the convenience of the owners as the Archers know well.

Now it seems to be David v Ruth and Pip. Same on the other farms

Yes and I thught that was Ruth's point - each generation thinks it knows best and brings in new ideas. Sometimes correctly sometimes not - its the dynamic of running any business. I remember David arguing with Phil but not the minutiae.

In recent years though David seems to have taken a back seat on the ideas front, or underestimating what is involved in setting up a new venture such as the wedding barns. He just seems a bit of a contrast with Brian and Pat'n'Tony who still seem to talk about new ideas moderately regularly.

That whole exchange just seemed a bit weird.

Thank you for the new thread, @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g. Clever title!

What was all that pasta stuff about? I had no idea what was going on in that scene. Didn't Johnny meet Jade at college? In which case, wouldn't she be early twenties? I thought she sounded too idiotic to be the same age as Jolene!

So Gavin will get banged up and Philip won't? If Philip refuses to plead guilty, it's his word against Gavin's that Philip was involved at all? Is that how these things really work?

Oh, and sorry, harking back to Roof and David and Pipsqueak - I was shouting at the radio at Ruth's arrogant behaviour. Did David just fold, or what (I seem to have missed something but I'm not interested enough to try to find out what it was!)?

It was ownership I was thinking - before that it wasn't the Archer's farm. Tenancies can be ended for the convenience of the owners as the Archers know well.

Agricultural tenancies can be very long lasting, though - a neighbour to where I grew up, they had had the tenancy for generations, since the 18th century, I think.

I grew up on a mixed farm - Dad said, if beef is down, dairy is up, or wheat or barley. Plus you have straw for bedding, and manure for spreading and so on, do it all makes sense that way. Spreading your risk. But some areas of agriculture are now difficult to make a profit even in good times. It would be better if we heard more from Brookfield where they're discussing the economics of it, even if they don't go into the details of figures. David has a valid gripe about not being included though.

David has a valid gripe about not being included though

I think this show of strength from Ruth is part of the BBC agenda to depict strong women in traditionally male roles. She is ticking their strong female farmer box. In actual fact I think she would be much more collaborative and after spending so much on the new parlour and barn she would be focusing on making those initiatives work and maximise profits before chasing more new ideas. She also might spend some time working with David on ways to make the sheep more efficient rather than talking about getting rid of them.

The weird Jade/pasta snorting scene....was it maybe a way of getting Covid-drenched snot squirting in the direction of an elderly man?

So Gavin will get banged up and Philip won't? If Philip refuses to plead guilty, it's his word against Gavin's that Philip was involved at all? Is that how these things really work?
But it was Philip's business. Philip chased work, gave quotes. Philip was Blake's 'uncle' at the hospital. Philip was Gavin's boss. Philip employed the workers. Didn't Philip also own the 'stable'? There's no way that Gavin can be guilty without Philip also being guilty.
Not in the normal world, anyway. I can't vouch for the inside of SWs' heads.

I really don't understand what Kirsty was trying to prove. Hasn't she now tipped off Philip as to part of Gavin's testimony, thus giving Philip time to concoct a counter-argument.

David has a valid gripe about not being included though

I don't find it odd that the herd managers go and explore ideas in dairy/beef or that David might follow up ideas for the flock/arable.

What seemed unrealistic to me was the constructed argument where we are expected to believe that Ruth effectively picked a when everyone knackered from lambing instead of simply saying the idea was worth looking at. Also seemed unrealistic for two people to disappear from the farm half a day without saying anything.

There was talk about Ruth's position at Home Farm as Ruari's trustee, which she will be standing down from so she will have a bit more time. How come she didn't say, "hey, I've seen this fantastic system of farm management where they have regular meetings and make considered judgements; why don't we do that?" Instead of which she goes off on a limb about yet another cow project.

Thanks for that dose of sense and sanity about Philip, @R4 I seem to be bewildered after so long in lockdown, and confused by the way nowadays there are true facts and then there are alternative facts, both of which apparently being equally valid despite one set of facts actually being what would have been called lies back in the day.

the pasta scene really confused me. for ages, I was wondering why they were talking about pennies. and also: eww. and also: why? and also: 'buddy"???? it was a full body cringe experience.

@MadameButterface

the pasta scene really confused me. for ages, I was wondering why they were talking about pennies. and also: eww. and also: why? and also: 'buddy"???? it was a full body cringe experience.

I listened to it twice and then gave up as it made even less sense second time around. And then that bit about Jim having to be sure he put his coffee cup in the dishwasher (or wash it up properly, sorry, not listening again for that, either) - revolting, but made me think @NomadNoMore's Covid-catching suggestion might be spot on (not envy).

How come she didn't say,[...]

But Brookfield does have regular meetings don't they? Pip has moaned about needing a sitter for Rosie and Josh has talked about them as well. That was why picking fight in the lambing shed seemed so pointless.

But Brookfield does have regular meetings don't they?
So on the one hand we need babysitters for Pip for scheduled meetings but on the other hand Ruth&Pip can go off site and David doesn't know about it?
It's at times like these (and snotting out pasta, what was that all about) that I stop listening properly and go, "yeah, whatever". Is that the response the SW are aiming for?

I think Ben will say he wants a voice and then come up with a great plan for Brookfield.

if the archers has a 'regular character catches covid' storyline, and it's Jim, and he gets it from jade snotrocketing into his Cicero mug, I swear to god I will call the police. what the balls?

also, has Jim had his jab yet? And Pat must be alive because she was going for hers.

I think Ben will say he wants a voice and then come up with a great plan for Brookfield.
As long as it doesn't involve sex caravans! ?Honeymoon first night for the non-existent weddings?

also, has Jim had his jab yet?

In the shop Jim mentioned that “some of us oldies will be having our second dose before long” so he must have done

@NomadNoMore

The weird Jade/pasta snorting scene....was it maybe a way of getting Covid-drenched snot squirting in the direction of an elderly man?

This thought has restored my will to live. (bet you're thrilled)

That Jade scene was beyond dire; if it turns out to have been the trailer for Fatal Infection, at least there would be some justification for its existence.

@MadameButterface

the pasta scene really confused me. for ages, I was wondering why they were talking about pennies. and also: eww. and also: why? and also: 'buddy"???? it was a full body cringe experience.

I think it was "Jimbo" which made me go "wtf?"

Did I really hear that right? It's a nickname from James that I associate with PG Wodehouse era and the Drones Club, not the twenty-first century; has it come back in and I missed it?