🧱 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.

Would sheep shearing work as seasonal student work for George? Does doing a BTEC preclude against him going to uni?

@KirstenBlest

Why would George edge out Adam?

Well Adam is getting older, none of his younger siblings are showing much sign of being able/wanting to take up the reins. They’ll probably need extra help - here comes young George with his total up to date agricultural ideas. I’m not saying it WILL happen, just that I’d like it to!

I wonder how bound to a London drama school ('Can perform local yokel') the George actor will be.

Or which current cast member's relative will be called in.

Apology accepted @Ulelia! I’m actually expecting to be traded in fairly soon for Roy’s [latest] new shirt. I don’t doubt that he’s been enjoying hitting the post-lockdown sales...especially given his online dating drive! Got to make sure he looks his best on zoom...

Ruairi makes Adam and Iain’s house hols a lot nicer and more interesting!

*household, but you knew that

Poor Mia. Where is this going?

When Brine discovers Ruari is bi, for sure he is going to blame Adam and Ian for infecting him with the gay.

@Zzelda

When Brine discovers Ruari is bi, for sure he is going to blame Adam and Ian for infecting him with the gay.

You took the words from my mouth.

@Darker

Poor Mia. Where is this going?

Can't say I much care, but on the way there it would be nice if the tedious little drip's actor worked out which letters Meer can and cannot pronounce and sticks to it. Diction was all over the place tonight. Too much to hope that Brian finds Ruairi reassuringly in flagrante with the underage Grundette and that further fuels the flames of Aldridges vs Local Peasantry/Emmur vs well, pretty much anyone... Meanwhile maybe the lovestruck twerp could investigate the environmental impact of the various methods of contraception.

The thought of a pregnant Mia wailing around Ambridge is pretty depressing.

Though as storytelling goes, pairing Mia Not-Even-A-Grundy with Ruairi Actually-An-Aldridge is actually pretty hilarious.

And I don't suppose the creative team have made Ruairi bisexual in order to have him settle down happily with one partner for the next thirty years. They've essentially given themselves permission to have him break every heart he encounters. Or maybe to foster an unconventional domestic life.

(No, I'm not saying that's the case for bisexual people in real life, obvs - but there must be a reason for this creative decision in a fictional story.)

@Taswama

Would sheep shearing work as seasonal student work for George? Does doing a BTEC preclude against him going to uni?

I know nothing about BTECs and agriculture degrees, but it won't stop me hoping that a good BTEC result would be an excellent foundation for a degree or diploma course at an agricultural college. What a turn up for the books if a Grundy finally got the theoretical grounding and widened horizons that Archer progeny have had for several generations now - for all the good it's done them (at Brookfield, anyway).

There are depressing indications that the SWs are determined to make George another supposedly lovable rogue in the mould of his grandfather and great grandfather. I do hope they change their minds, that sort of "let's laugh at the yokels" supposed humour is incredibly tedious. My heart really sinks every time they start a storyline involving Eddie thinking up some infallible scam.

Lee makes me miss Rob.

Agreed.

Late teens is not too late for a big change in attitude/application. My brother spent most of his school years messing about and left with a handful of CSEs and possibly one or two O levels, plus one A level (bare pass). He went to art college to do a foundation year and he's never looked back. Graduated from another college with a 2.1, got a great job, has had a really successful career. He works very hard and has great talent. My parents are delighted but amazed when they think what he was like earlier on.

That could be George (in my dreams, anyway) - and not necessarily in agriculture. Would be so good to see a Grundy finally do well, with no scams or hilarious get rich quick schemes that always go wrong.

I'd like George to get his BTEC (good on him) and become an apprentice to Vince rather than go down the university route. Vince could see "something of meself in the lad" and promote him to Great Things.

I'd also like him to have some humility but not be a fool.

Trying not to be nerdy here as well as a day late, my excuse is do we have another example of the SWs tenuous grip on reality? When you join a Whatsapp group you don't get flooded with all the previous messages, do you? So Lee & Helen wouldn't see what had been said about them or Joy.

I miss Rob, too.

The downside of having him return is that we might be forced to listen to Henry (or maybe they would get a "new" Henry?). I had imagined that Henry was being set up to the emotionally damaged boy without many friends.

I've no idea how Whatsapp works. Maybe someone could enlighten me.

Mere, or should that be Meeeurrr. Not even a Grundy. She's enough to make me want to by a pile of single use plastic and just bin it and eat a steak, and I'm almost a lifelong vegetarian who recycles almost everything.

George and his BTEC. Now I do like the apprentice to Vince suggestion, but he is destined to be the new Alf Grundy isn't he.

Ruairi and his gender orientation will be blamed on Adam.

@JoeGrundyWasMyRoleModel

Trying not to be nerdy here as well as a day late, my excuse is do we have another example of the SWs tenuous grip on reality? When you join a Whatsapp group you don't get flooded with all the previous messages, do you? So Lee & Helen wouldn't see what had been said about them or Joy.

They might continue to talk about her, though, and be abusive.

More likely give her the cold shoulder, but wouldn't that be happening anyway if it was going to? Presumably many of the residents of Beechwood are customers of the Bridge Farm shop and/or Bridge Fresh.

I do like the apprentice to Vince idea. I just want a Grundy to be bright, hardworking, honest, ambitious and successful.

I've only ever been in one WhatsApp group and can't remember the details of how it worked. But yes, even if Helen doesn't see past messages she might encounter a hostile online environment - though it's more likely they'd just be rather sniffy and not actively welcoming.

A BTEC Extended Diploma is equivalent to 3 A levels and should in no way preclude George from applying to University (I work with admissions)

Does it restrict what you can apply for at degree level to your BTEC subject area, Iamanaubergine? (Bearing in mind my literary ambitions for him.)

Ruairi and his gender orientation will be blamed on Adam.

Undoubtedly. I suspect this is part of a Diversity Drive by the SW's and the Beeb. Mere will declare herself non-binary with They/Them pronouns, Ruaruariii will insouciantly inform Brine that he (R) is pansexual and Lilian will discover Justin wafting about in one of her negligées, whereupon he will declare that he has always been a woman.