🧱 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.

@TheThermalStair

Exactly!

I don't know why but I always picture Lee exactly like Ken (as in Barbie and Ken). Plastic, smiling, doesn't do much, no genitals. So I find it quite funny to discover he has his own army of tiny plastic men - maybe they're his friends.

That is exactly what Lee looks like!

@MayIDestroyYou

Right. Is That A New Tracy?

That's what I was thinking.

@MayIDestroyYou

Right. Is That A New Tracy?

No, still Susie Riddell

Where did Eddy get a limo from? Were we told?

He bought it cheap (it's ancient) so he can drive Clarrie in it to their stupid renewal of vows. Where from? Now there you've got me. Somewhere dodgy, no doubt.

Thanks Weevils. That completely passed me by!

I did scour the BBC website, and saw no change of actor. But, especially in the first scene tonight, she sounded like a completely different person. (A person not full inhabiting the script, either.)

Weirdness.

@theThreeofWeevils

He bought it cheap (it's ancient) so he can drive Clarrie in it to their stupid renewal of vows. Where from? Now there you've got me. Somewhere dodgy, no doubt.

I bet the limo is going to break down on the way to the ceremony... or cause some other unfortunate 'amusing' incident...

Apologies if it’s already been mentioned, but is Lee still seeing his daughters? There’s this big fuss over the rooms for Henry and Jack, and Helen deciding how to damp down the superhero shizz, but nothing about how his girls’ room/s will be decorated or when they’ll be staying over. Have I just completely missed it? Or has a new version of the Brookfield cereal cupboard been invoked?

Maybe his ex doesn't want them staying with someone who stabbed her ex.

Interesting question. I'm sure words similar to "It would be lovely when the girls come over. Plenty of room!" were uttered when Helen first thought of buying the house from K&P.

So I'd assume they're still expected? It is strange no one has mentioned their room(s).

I seem to remember that Helen and the girls didn't exactly hit it off when they met?

On the subject of divorce men and their children, I wonder why Roy never has Abbie to stay? I've just checked and she'll be 13 next month.

Straining my memory - I think she was at Roy's for Chtistmas. He said something about how Kirsty's unexpected (post-new-husband-being-arrested) arrival hadn't put any damper on the joyful day ...

More generally I would hope the SWs are thoroughly ashamed of exiling Roy's entire non-Archer-blood family.

It was Phoebe who was said to be happy for Kirsty to stay with them over Christmas. She lives in Willow Farm. I don't think Abbie was mentioned as being there too.

Ouch ouch ouch. Brian and Jennifer getting it both barrels from Alice.

Poor JD. They are out of their depth.

At least they realise now

Roy hasn't been much of a presence in Abbie's life. She's nearly 13.

Poor Meeeeuuurrrr. Mere. I thought Wiwyum was good with her though, considering what he's normally like.

Enjoyed today's episode.

For some reason, Alice's rant reminded me of weevils posts.

I find Weev's posts rather amusing. I shouldn't but I do.

Brine and JD are barking up the wrong tree with the focusing on saving the marriage and motherhood. Alice needs to want the old Alice back.

@ILoveShula

Meeurrr is so annoying. Oi ave aaurf a moind that oi ait er even more than oi ait Pip Archurr.

She makes Will's arksent sound relaively normal.

realtively

I think that Meeeurr is proburrbly wuhrrse that Pip. And she's not even a proper Grundy.

relatively even. What is wrong with me?

God, Mere is ghastly. No, correction. The Teenage Pip was delightfully ghastly. Mere is a Mere Grundy only by name.

On and I can't stand Pip of course, should anyone have forgotten, but I like Shula a lot.