❓ 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.

Me too, Gasp. DRC Ebola region perhaps.

Joy could head off anywhere, or just choke on her award-winning lamington.

Kirsty: "I'll really miss Joy"
Eh? I don't recall her/Philip/Helen ever having a good word to say about her.

Then there is "disorganised Russ" needing Freddie to come to the rescue.

The editor must be saving a fair bit of money by only having 3 episodes/week. I wish they would spend it on an archivist and/or a few more writers that have made an effort to remember characters.

I'm not sure that I can face the inevitable "hilarious" bank holiday episode.

Seconding the "Good grief" for that excruciating bit of comedy.

They've had plenty of time to construct a rounded character for Joy - but no, let's laugh at the single, middle aged/elderly woman daring to live her own life ...

The editor must be saving a fair bit of money by only having 3 episodes/week.
4, but yeah.

@MayIDestroyYou

Seconding the "Good grief" for that excruciating bit of comedy.

They've had plenty of time to construct a rounded character for Joy - but no, let's laugh at the single, middle aged/elderly woman daring to live her own life ...

What purpose is Joy supposed to serve?

There was no particular reason for the introduction of a new character living in the new housing estate- so why is she there?

The Gills bought the most important house in terms of actual size after Lower Loxley , Grey Gables and Grange Farm and one of the most important in relation to plot yet we've never heard a peep from them.

A life model for a subject? Outside in English weather?
When it was first mentioned I assumed it would be landscape painting. I am embarrassed for Joyce!

What a load of old codswallop we've had to bear recently. Worse than usual

Loved Vince in this episode - being reasonable whereas Freddy is being petulant. Elizabeth’s concerns made more sense but Freddy was pathetically privileged. ‘Wouldn’t want to waste that land and all those acorns’, ‘isn’t it your brother throwing him out’ - quite bloody right.

@MayIDestroyYou

Seconding the "Good grief" for that excruciating bit of comedy.

They've had plenty of time to construct a rounded character for Joy - but no, let's laugh at the single, middle aged/elderly woman daring to live her own life ...

Agree - so awful the mocking of Joy.

I'm pretty sure the Gills fell victim to the 97 editors in the space of three years phenomenon - dunno about Joy, can't remember when she appeared.

It's frustrating - one would imagine the creative team has a long term plan for each new character - but clearly they go haring off after whichever story seems juiciest at any given moment, and everything else is tossed aside.

I know it must be challenging to keep coming up with original, interesting, realistic scenarios - but really, this is just embarrassing. How can they bear to pretend that she would behave in such a ridiculously gauche manner towards a younger man she has a crush on?

so awful the mocking of Joy

Poor thing. She is, after all, so very careful not to be risible...
Dreadful (and unnecessary) character.

Oh my goodness cringe. Make the attempts at lewd humour stop. So, so awful.

She's clearly delusional: the daughter clearly either hates her or does not exist. And her tendency to fawn over any passing male is demeaning and cringe-worthy.

The perpetrators of TA really ought to give up on 'comedy': they are no good at it.

MayIDestroyYou
How can they bear to pretend that she would behave in such a ridiculously gauche manner towards a younger man she has a crush on?

And talk about it to an even younger one?

So who has Mia got her eye on then? My money is on Ruari. Didn't he tutor her at one point (Maths?) and they were getting on really well before Will intervened.

It was quite nice hearing 'uncle' Ed dishing out sensible advice.

When was the last time we said "that was the worst episode ever"?

Because whenever and whatever it was tonight's has exceeded it. What a pile of dross.

Can they not add Lillian to the time capsule and never dig her up? She is truly horrible.

Please kill me now.

It wasn’t great was it? Although it’s a while since we’ve had an Eddie “project”, isn’t it?

What was she cackling about at the end. I missed it.

They could put Lillian's cackle in there but it would come back in 10 years.

I didn't mind that episode although Mere's a bit whiny. It's Ruairi.

@CaptainMyCaptain

What was she cackling about at the end. I missed it.

Either something she had found in the capsule, or a claim that she had the negative of the daffodil picture.

(I don't believe that. I have never come across a single picture being kept with its negative, from over sixty years earlier.)

One from a school, I mean. The prints get sold to the parents, the negatives don't.

Thanks @Asking
His parents might have taken it themselves, I suppose. I still can't understand why it matters, though.

She was cackling about having the negative- which is 100% incredible.

Why is she doing this? It's very nasty. It's clearly upsetting Justin.

Maybe it’s a lead in to a story about Justin’s unhappy childhood....

Maybe Justin is an imposter and is scared a close look at 'his' childhood photo will reveal all...

He's actually the long lost cousin of Jethro Larkin, who has impersonated the real Justin Elliot since an 'unfortunate' accident and mix-up at scout camp. Justin's parents didn't notice, as they'd barely seen him since they packed him off to boarding school at 7. Boys change so much during puberty. This offers an extra explanation for his lack of concern about Rob, until long after everyone else considered him beyond the pale. Ruthlessness rules.