🐷 Archers thread #127: Discuss the boars and sows of Ambridge here - or should that be bores and soused? You decide.

[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 live opposite Joy, 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.)

These threads normally last around a month. When I started the last one, we were bracing ourselves for the Mystery Play, but that storyline, which had never exactly set the airwaves on fire, fizzled out and has (I hope) gone away, never to return.

@LillianGish proposed a new thread title which I'll use instead as a scene-setter for this thread. What a carry on - Nurse (Ben), Sergeant (Harrison), Camping (Kate), Jack (either one of them), Regardless (all of us for continuing to tune tune in)

What a carry on, indeed! Other storylines sputtering away:

• Alice, Chris, Martha - Have they split up, and if so where is Alice living? Will there be a christening and who will be godparents? When will the Aldridges and Carters find out about Alice's drinking? Too much to hope that Alice will get blind drunk at the christening party in full view of the entire village, I suppose. I'm still clinging to my hope that she lamps Alan after a suggestion that they pray together.

• Will Rex find a new home for his pigs? If Elizabeth weakens, will the pigs escape and disrupt the Lower Loxley life drawing event on Monday? Might they stampede, knock Ross out and devour him?

• Will Jazzer go to work for Neil? (This isn't exactly a cliffhanger. Of course he will.)

• Will Justin bury Lilian under the patio? Not a jury in the land would convict him, I feel, if they were played a recording of that appalling cackle and her gloating about the daffodil photograph.

• Will the life drawing event on Monday be a brilliantly amusing interlude, exemplifying how to write character-driven drama, with both comic and more serious moments? Answer: No, obviously. I may have to listen from behind a cushion.

There are more. I find myself struggling to care.

Oh, and one final mention - I've proposed a webchat with the Archers editor. @MayIDestroyYou's idea. You'll find it here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/4231475-Webchat-idea-The-Editor-of-The-Archers-Or-another-Archers-production-team-representative

Over to you!

I wouldn't expect Perdita Avery to have realised. Kate used to be played by Kellie Bright who went to East Enders (and before that by Susie Riddell who is now Tracy Horrobin, I think). Perdita Avery only started playing the role in 2013.

Another lurker here. I listened to the Archers at my mother's knee (literally) and have listened to it on and off ever since. I've recently come back, and am finding it hard to recognise the character's voices. This goes some way to explaining this! I remember being quite upset when they changed Clarrie; couldn't get used to the new voice at all.

There have been three Clarries; the latest one, Heather Bell, was also the first one.

It goes Heather Bell 1979 - 1986; Fiona Mathieson 1986 - 1987; Rosalind Adams 1988 - 2012; Heather Bell 10th February 2013 -

Never thought I’d say this but Joy was fabulous tonight. And Boop! for Lizzie putting down Russ publicly - time for Lily to see the light too.

Anyone's sides need suturing? Thought not.

But that's probably the oldest naked female flesh Russ has encountered to date.

I hadn't imagined Joy as curvy.

Elizabeth was great. CMR is so up himself.

It did feel as if the creative team has undergone a revelation regarding Russ, and that he'll be packing his (probably borrowed) suitcases pdq.

Yippee!

Just hope Lily chooses LL over him.

Never mind the Lower Loxley shenanigans - Adam has gone into overdrive with his petulant whinging and sneering alternating with snarling venom. He's 53 years old, ffs!

Yes Helen stood up to him too.

And Adam whined 💤

Presumably the SWs need Russ out as Rex moves in? Story-wise.

What's the betting they'll engineer some slightly distanced confrontation between the two, requiring mediation from both Elizabeth and Vince? Russ will be territorial and/patronising, Rex will politely stand his ground. Lily will dash her rose-coloured glasses to the ground - and then lend Scumbag the taxi-fare to Elsewhere.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if, after a few weeks, everyone decides the LL piggery would benefit from having Rex living on-site. Fun for all the family ...

and/or patronising ...

@MayIDestroyYou

It did feel as if the creative team has undergone a revelation regarding Russ, and that he'll be packing his (probably borrowed) suitcases pdq.

Yippee!

Just hope Lily chooses LL over him.

I'm happy for Lily to toddle off never to be heard of again. She's extremely dull. I'd honestly prefer Russ stayed and Lily goes. He's a terrible person but like Kate has some amusement value.

YABU ...

But, anyway, with Rex independently sorted out - what is Toby doing with all his Scruff Gin dosh? Surely there's another business proposition waiting to be unveiled?

I don't get why aquaponics has to be junked just because Jazza has a new job? It doesn't sound like it's at all difficult. Surely there's a spare Button who could take it on?

The SWs have gone back to writing the full 6 episodes, but BBC management are refusing to broadcast more than 4. Alish’s new living arrangements were fully dealt with in Friday’s episode, which, sadly, never made it to the airwaves. And I gather the Sunday night episode was rather good - unfortunately my informant didn’t have time to tell me the plot

@Nith

I don't get why aquaponics has to be junked just because Jazza has a new job? It doesn't sound like it's at all difficult. Surely there's a spare Button who could take it on?

What's Will doing these days?

He gave up being a gamekeeper but there's no stain on his character in doing so no bad blood with Home Farm.

@Roysnewshirt

Personality Transplant Fairy on duty again. Jakob is unrecognisable from the border-line autistic gentleman who turned up at Alistair’s surgery and refused to eat a slice of cake two years ago. Even the love of Kate wouldn’t have changed him that much. He handled Alice with such sensitivity.

I thought much the same, he sounds far too good for Kate.

@theThreeofWeevils

Anyone's sides need suturing? Thought not.

But that's probably the oldest naked female flesh Russ has encountered to date.

That's one more grin than that episode provoked. Good grief (again).

Bit of a change going from Lee, who I imagine might have looked a little like Michelangelo's David (in physique terms) to Joy, who I'm thinking of as more like a Lucian Freud model. Also, I note that the Ambridge microclimate has struck again. Most of the UK had gale force winds, rain and hail yesterday, but it was a warm, sunny day at LL.

The Parish Council leaflet/electioneering nonsense annoyed me. Of course LL should remain neutral, as should all local businesses not run by a candidate. Why didn't Elizabeth say that immediately and firmly?

Adam is just beyond belief. What a waste of a character.

Onwards and upwards. Surely it has to be upwards? We can't have further to fall.

Helen sounded like Lee’s mum when they were talking to CMR and Elizabeth.

I thought it was actually quite a funny twist to have Joy stripping off though I’m not sure it made up for her slightly-sleazy lines about getting the best seat and catching the worm. All very #metoo..

Adam’s aquaponic project is dead in the water. I was glad to see Brian treating his outburst with the contempt it deserved and amazed at how quickly Adam refocused the row into a rant about how Alice is the favourite child. I agree with @BoreOfWhabylon that he really needs to grow up...

Does Adam have any track record for moaning about Alice being the favourite child? It feels like something that's been dredged up because Alice is about to have a spectacular fall off the waggon, probably at the christening.

Poor Adam - he puts in by far the greatest amount of work, but remains Brian's least favourite child! It must be galling and frustrating. I still remember all his rants about his status relative to Debbie. And, fond as Brian might be of Xander, he's not an Aldridge by blood; all the other grandchildren will take precedence.

And it's too late for him to cut his losses and move away. He's stuck in this second-rate situation.

I like Lily and Adam.

Will is doing deliveries for Fridge Fresh, I think.

@MayIDestroyYou

Poor Adam - he puts in by far the greatest amount of work, but remains Brian's least favourite child! It must be galling and frustrating. I still remember all his rants about his status relative to Debbie. And, fond as Brian might be of Xander, he's not an Aldridge by blood; all the other grandchildren will take precedence.

And it's too late for him to cut his losses and move away. He's stuck in this second-rate situation.

A whinging git like Adam who attacked me at every turn (and indeed only came home in order to attack me) wouldn't be my favourite anything either.

I don't think any grandchild has been given precedence of Xander apart from Phoebe, which might be because Xander is a child less than a year old with nothing in particular of interest about him if one is not his doting parent, and Phoebe is an adult able to have a conversation. Noluthando and Sipho are on another continent, and get no attention from Brian at all.

Adam chose to be where he is, and until recently wasn't doing badly out of it: he'd blackmailed his stepfather into giving him a salary as manager of a farm AND one-third of all the profits after tax and expenses. Not bad for someone whose only qualification for a job there was an out-of-date degree in agricultural economics, and some experience keeping goats in Kenya.

The thing that's surprising is that when Brian decided to make the farm into a company with thirteen shares so that Adam's take from the place fell from one-third to two-thirteenths, Adam didn't sulk and whinge about it. It was the first thing in eighteen years that he hasn't thrown a hissy fit about whether there was any reason for him to do so or not. It was also the only time he hasn't blamed his self-perceived ill-fortune onto Brian preferring someone else to him even if there was no justification whatever for the accusation.

How old was Adam when Brian and JD got married? Brian seems to have a much closer relationship with Debbie. I don't remember Adam as being around at all until he came back. There would be references to him - JD saying she had received a letter from him.