🧱 Archers thread #128: Alice lobs a brick, Emma hurls brickbats, Neil is a brick. Cement your relationship with 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 collect superhero figures, or other unusual things.

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.)

Apologies for not using any of the suggestions offered for this thread's title. I'll paste them in here instead to get us started.

I like the leeway pun here from @ThePawtriarchy: Bacon, Bores and Booze. Elizabeth needs convincing, Helen needs some leeway and Alice is in crisis.

@nettie434 gets to the nub of what's been happening recently: Beechwood, Batman and Booze: Rex's pigs and Helen and Lee have new homes but will Lee's collection of action figures plant the apple of discord in their sylvan idyll? Alice's alcohol problems continue to cause friction between the Aldridges and Carters. Has anyone warned Borsetshire Children's Services what awaits them?

Great one liner from @PseudoBadger - ‘Nobody puts Captain America in the corner’.

And a timely bit of advice from @JanFebAnyMonth: If this evening’s episode has raised any issues for you, please call the BBC Helpline post on this MN thread for details of organisations which might help you.

So, off we go again! We may get back to five episodes a week before the next thread. Here's hoping that it's Friday we get back, not Sunday.

Morning all and happy Bank Holiday weekend! Shameless placemark by me, I'm afraid...

Thank you.

Place marking!!

Just popping in to express my admiration at your wordplay in the thread title, @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g. Thanks for keeping these threads going.

On this thread, someone will make the 125,000th post - can you believe it's more than 8 years since Pseudo started this?!

Place marking!

Excellent title @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g . I'm not actually sure what a brickbat is, but happy to be educated.

Superb title Gasp0de!

Insults, I think, Taswama.

Excellent title @gasp! Best one in ages!

@Taswama

Excellent title *@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g* . I'm not actually sure what a brickbat is, but happy to be educated.

Like a butter pat, but for making bricks. NB: a butter pat is not the same as a pat of butter. HTHBIIW (...But Imagine It Won't)

Just checking in...

God Lee and Helen are a boring couple aren’t they. All the tedious men of Ambridge make me miss Nigel. At least he had a personality.

I miss Nigel because he was an amiable, easygoing bloke who didn't seem to want to do anyone harm. Such a relief after you'd been listening to the spiteful, bellicose, backbiting people who seem to be a majority in the Archers.

Great title, as always.

I've only caught a few minutes this week, but why did Helen need to redecorate Beechwood?

I am rather encouraged by the news that the Kemps own the Aldridge residence. I just knew that Asking would be keeping tabs on things!

Thank you for the new thread @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g.

I think Lee is decorating to help the boys feel cherished - I think it’s a kind thing for him to do, especially as it is so out of his comfort zone.

I also think that Helen would want the house to feel different from when Kirsty, Philip & Gavin lived in, to help get rid of bad associations.

I think Lee is decorating so he can bond with Adam and Ian as a direct comparison to Knob who never did. And so the boys are settled and happy when he eventually reappears and destroys it all...

Ahem, the Captain America line was mine [LyndaSniff]

That aside, thanks for the new thread, excellent title!

I can't stand Pip.

Great work @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g!

And welcome back @DadDadDad. Hope you'll let us know who hits rhe 125,000 post!

Checking in. Gearing up to maybe listen to the omnibus tomorrow after a few weeks off...or maybe not, I’m not sure I can bear it...

LizziesTwin
I think Lee is decorating to help the boys feel cherished - I think it’s a kind thing for him to do, especially as it is so out of his comfort zone.

It would have been kinder if he hadn't taken them to choose the paint, promised to use the colours they chose, and then quite obviously used other colours instead.

If that had been done to me when I was ten I would have felt absolutely furious and betrayed, and put down the person who had so broken his promise as someone never to trust again; and I am amazed we didn't hear Jack's wails of disappointment all the way from Ambridge with no need for and radio intervention.

I'm guessing that they ended up with a more toned down version of the colours the boys wanted.

Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa, @TherapistInATabard.

Why are they decorating a rental? Why wasn't it seized as a proceed of crime?

Anyone else enjoying Hannah being awol?

So I am really confused as to why the property wasn’t seized as part of proceeds of crime. Unless his other assets were seized and covered it.

Can anyone explain?