❓ Archers thread #126: It’s a mystery why we’re all still listening.

[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 on the Parish Council, 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/4197199--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-6-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 @LillianGish and @Taswama for thread title ideas, but I felt most in sympathy with @R4's suggestion. Is it me, or is the programme in the doldrums at the moment?

Haven't heard the 31/3 episode yet. Perhaps it's a gem.

She's made no effort to let Emma know Emma was in the right
And you would? Really?

Self-abasement and public humiliation must have therapeutic benefits, since so many recommend them. I mean, it can't just be dislike of Alice or resentment of drinkers, can it?

Alice not succeeding does not mean Alice is not trying, but changing your whole self is not the work of a two week stint in a clinic.

I don't think Alice (or Chris) have the slightest idea of what they're up against. Alice recognises the craving is there all the time, but she hasn't understood she needs to be totally honest with herself and everyone around and to ask for their support.

Anyone else thinking Harrison is going to be adopting Martha?

No. Not if he wants to stay with Fallon. In any case, Martha has many blood relatives who could take her in and I hope social services would prioritise the claims of blood relatives over the local policeman who might at one point have been her godfather.

No. Fallon doesn't want kids and I can't see JD or Radio agreeing to it.

Bloody hell, don’t we think Jenny has done more than her fair share of bringing up someone else’s child already? Why would Martha need to be adopted when she has one perfectly good parent? I can’t for one minute see Chris picking his wife over his child if it’s spelled out to him by SS.

Jennydarling is on her 70s, surely she should not be expected to bring up a child.

I'd like to see the photo of Justin the Daffodil.

I can't see JD or Radio agreeing to it
They would have no rights whatsoever in the matter. Just as well since 50% of JD's biological spawn are basket-cases and at least one of the others is no prize at all.
Don't get me started on the Carter sprogs.

I wasn't thinking of Jennifer. Susan, Neil and Emma are all blood relations of Martha. So is Adam. God forbid any court would ever hand a child over to Kate.

MissBarbary
And she's still lying to her sister-in- law. She's made no effort to let Emma know Emma was in the right.

Given that the last thing said by Emma on the subject was "If I find out you've done anything at all to put Chris's baby at risk, you'll answer to me!" I can't think that telling her, "Well, yes, I carried on drinking after that, and I haven't yet stopped" would be the easiest thing for Alice to say to her!

@ILoveShula

I'd like to see the photo of Justin the Daffodil.

I found it odd, although not impossible, that it was in colour.

I wonder if Chris was the drunk rather than Alice if he'd get as much sympathy as Alice is getting on here- including all the scraping of the barrel to find reasons in his childhood and family dynamics.

I don't like Alice- she is spoilt and snobbish without Kate's saving grace that Kate is at least amusing.

When is the christening? This Sunday? Will Chris just let this go? Fallon and Harrison are being set up as the bad guys but is Chris too dim not to work out something must have happened and whatever it was, it wasn't him?

The christening is in the first week of May, and I think we'll be hearing at least some of it.

It has struck me that Alice now has two vengeful females threatening her with dire consequences if she slips up again: Emma, and Fallon.

I wonder if Chris were the drunk... etc etc

@MissBarbary, probably less sympathy but also less condemnation. Alice is a mother and anything that detracts from that role is looked down on by society extra-specially much. Also, as a man, it's statistically more likely that Chris would be a violent drunk (men are more often violent) and at least Alice hasn't been violent.

Also, I don't generally find Kate amusing unless it's a scene like the famous "whenever it suits you, dear". The way she treats people is much worse than Alice, and the way she treats Phoebe, her daughter, is incredibly unpleasant and damaging for Phoebe. Alcohol dependence/substance misuse is often a sign of mental distress, as well, and although both Kate and Alice have their bad points Kate strikes me as much more of an unpleasant, selfish child, and her bad behaviour is part of her character consistently rather than alcohol bringing it out of her/exacerbating it. Just my view, obviously.

Kate is really quite unpleasant.

What I realise looking back, and it may be just that I've missed odd periods when something happened, is that Alice has always seemed very bland to me, quite undeveloped as a character, compared to Kate. She was a well-behaved, parentally approved of, horsey child, who turned out to be clever. I don't know much about her relationships with anyone outside her immediate family. I don't really know who she is.

What on earth was going on with Lilian and Justin tonight? They both sounded like they’d forgotten their characters’ voices for the whole first half, not to mention (I suspect) being recorded in separate sessions. A retake I wonder? Has the air of a lot of stuff done now where the producer can’t listen in til it’s too late.

I got out of the habit of listening when it stopped in early lockdown. When I started again I found it interminably boring.
I'm glad it's not just me. Also, I really hate the theme tune. I really want the other one back.

BOOP for Fallon actually knowing something about alcoholism and sticking to her guns. If anyone’s TGFA (too good for Ambridge) it’s her.

Can someone remind me, who’s Fallon’s dad?

I despise Justin and Lillian so automatically tune them out when they appear. Lillian’s laugh makes me want to hit things

Fallon's dad is Wayne Rogers, who was arrested for dealing cannabis at Loxfest, and ended up as the chef at the Bull, after Freda was no longer available (because of having died in ye Grate Fludde and not being rescued by Rob,) possibly because he'd learnt to cook in prison, but I might have made that last bit up.

@TheThermalStair

What on earth was going on with Lilian and Justin tonight? They both sounded like they’d forgotten their characters’ voices for the whole first half, not to mention (I suspect) being recorded in separate sessions. A retake I wonder? Has the air of a lot of stuff done now where the producer can’t listen in til it’s too late.

It was tedious and completely pointless.

Wasn’t it just? All I was thinking was “shut up and get back to Alice and Fallon!”.