🎭 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!

That can have its downside though, the expectations on you if your parents are very well-known, you will be compared.

There are some TV presenters with famous parents that spring to mind , and at least one TA character.

Imrie.
Troughton.

I was interested to see the reference to nitrous oxide users outside that would-be councillor’s house. A few years ago at a music festival I had the misfortune to camp next to what are called nangers in Australia, and a very annoying habit it is. The taking of it involves loud hissing as the cylinder is used. The effects of the drug are very short-lived so they're constantly at it, every ten minutes. I got very little sleep but I must admit their playlist was excellent.

I once had the misfortune to invigilate a mock gcse exam when some of the students had clearly taken nitrous oxide in their lunch break and couldn't stop laughing. We get a lot of the nitrous oxide capsules in parks and beauty spots round here. It seems to be the drug of choice.

@ILoveShula

I imagine that if you have been brought up by parents in the industry, you will have contacts. Your name will help you get noticed.

Of course. And you will “know the ropes”. There will never be equality of opportunity.

A small Boop for last night for being just a regular episode. No drama, no innuendo, no amateur dramatics and characters acting largely in character (though Jim probably wouldn’t actually care about Jade’s birthday). All very satisfying.

So nice not to have to cope with a bullying Neanderthal constantly eroding the self-esteem and sanity of his nice wife, who is clearly struggling with a major illness and new motherhood...

I like the regular episodes too, and last night was one.

@MereDintofPandiculation, that works in other fields other than the media. I've worked in industry and bosses' children usually had good jobs at the same company.

@CaptainMyCaptain, I see little bulb-like silver bottles or vials on the ground often. Are they empty N2O vials? Isn't taking it dangerous?

There have always been families which specialise in certain careers, e.g. the Bachs. Early training, familiarity with the business all your life, family contacts, and just possibly a genetic element. It's nothing new in acting. John Gielgud was Ellen Terry's great-nephew. The Redgraves are up to five generations in the business now.

In The Archers, as well as the examples mentioned already, there are the Molloys - Mike Tucker and Will Grundy.

Just searched and both are yeses.

I didn't realise it was addictive.

I prefer the ordinary day-to-day episodes, although I'm surprised that the Ambridge Overcome Addiction Fairy hasn't visited The Nest.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g, and Fat Dan was played by a SW's son.

Have we ever heard of Audrey before? Hilary Nokes has been an established silent character for years, mostly because she has a cockatoo. I wonder if Ben is going to be induced to stand for election as the youth candidate. Do you have to be 21 to stand for election these days, or is it 18?

Yes, I think a lot of the child characters have been played by children connected in some way with the production team or cast. There are obvious advantages to that arrangement, although nowadays I think they mostly record the children separately and edit their dialogue in. Decades ago Judy Bennett took time out from being Shula to do child voices all over Radio 4. Not very convincingly, from the archive clips I've heard!

No idea Gasp. I quite like the idea of Ben on the parish council.

Out of devotion to the cause and nothing whatsoever to do with procrastinating before I start on my boring list of jobs for the day, oh no I've checked. 18 is indeed the minimum age, so I'm calling that one. Ben vs the cockatoo! The Archer dynasty must continue its dominance in village affairs, after all. I'm quite suprised Brian isn't on the Parish Council, or that he hasn't pressured another Aldridge to do it.

Just caught up with last night's episode which was as dull as people who wonder why I listen to The Archers imagine the programme to be. The Parish Council story is failing for me me because it's too full of silent characters. While there is some amusement to be had from the silents, a cast of silents scrapping among themselves for the PC just doesn't work. Meanwhile the tedious wait for Jazzer and Tracey to get back together is too predictable to be interesting (unless there's a huge twist and Tracey ends up in the arms of Oliver).

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g
Have we ever heard of Audrey before?

Apart from last week when Jim and Emma dismissed her as a possible chair for the council?

She's been mentioned occasionally during the past few years, not as often as Hilary Noakes or Sabrina Thwaite but as one of the cast of people who sometimes have just left the shop or complained abut litter or the like. I think too that Lynda and Lilian mentioned her when they were competing for a seat on the council about ten years ago.

So nice not to have to cope with a bullying Neanderthal constantly eroding the self-esteem and sanity of his nice wife

Roysnewshirt I think that Chris is a bit out of character here. Apart from that period when Alice was thinking of going to Canada, Chris has generally gone along with what Alice wants and has been been very proud of her.

I do realise that it would be a huge shock to go from 'Alice likes a drink' to 'My wife is an alcoholic' but up until now Chris has always been very positive and quite capable of asking for advice. They have been through something similar before when Chris was kicked by a horse. I think the scriptwriters want the added drama when Alice's alcohol problem is already eventful enough in itself.

Chris has gone from worrying about his wife (pre-baby) to worrying about his child. When Peggy had her talk with him he couldn't countenance the thought of leaving Alice - which is essentially what Peggy told him he should do. Now Martha is here he can't countenance the thought of any harm coming to her - all those feelings of unconditional love he had for Alice have been transferred to his daughter and I think he is beginning to see where Peggy was coming from. Chris really needs to talk some independent (Al Anon?) to help him work through his feelings. Alice would be devastated if she knew what Peggy had said, but much of Chris's reaction to her now springs from this. It's not just dealing with the here and now of his alcoholic wife and how he might help her it's the fact that his wife's grandmother (someone who might have been expected to err of the side of giving Kate the benefit of the doubt) has as good as told him there's no hope.

So nice not to have to cope with a bullying Neanderthal constantly eroding the self-esteem and sanity of his nice wife
Nice? NICE? Seen when has Alice been nice? Alice never thinks about anyone but herself.
How could anyone 'nice' send that foul voicemail to Emmur?

Have I missed a bit of irony or something?

I liked last night's episode. I did wonder if Jim had A Plan to help Jazza realise about Tracey.

New title suggestion: Warm your cockles here with The Archers - cockatoo (Hilary Noakes), cock-a-hoop (Helen moving in with Lee), cocksure (Phoebe and the rewilding), cocktails (not for Alice)

Nice? NICE? Seen when has Alice been nice? Alice never thinks about anyone but herself. How could anyone 'nice' send that foul voicemail to Emmur?

Oh I have a soft spot for Alice and think she will be fine once she has escaped from the Neanderthal. I do agree the voicemail to Emma was a bit of an error but we all make mistakes and generally sisters-in-law are fair game...

My brain keeps telling me it was Fat Paul, not Fat Dan. However, my brain is often not reliable...

The voicemail to Emmur was the drunk Alish. I'm not sure how I'd get on with Emmur as a SIL.

Have they acknowledged good old Ed for being the one to spot Alish's alcoholism? Ed might be a bit dim, but he's much nicer than the neanderthal.