😱 Archers thread #130: The Fall of the House of Aldridge. Discuss 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 look forward to Shula's first sermon, 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.)

I went for the obvious thread title this time. Poor Ruairi! We've had a good go on the last thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/a4289334--Archers-thread-129-Casey-Macy-Lily-Alice-Decent-types-or-full-of-malice-Discuss-The-Archers-here?msgid=109858475#109858475 at trying to work out where he's going and what he might be studying, as the SWs have not seen fit to tell us.

Whither now for Alice? Will Jennifer talk to Peggy soon? Good hint from Lilian the other day that at Peggy's age it's not wise to leave feuds bubbling on.

It's been a long time since we last heard from a certain Archer whose name I am not going to mention in case it acts as a summoning charm. Long may she remain unheard in the dairy or out in the fields, or better still somewhere near a sinkhole. That was a storyline that looked promising years ago and wasn't exploited as it could have been. Pah.

Over to you!

Hello BurningTheToast. Agree about Matt and Russ (and Helen) Matt was horrible but a great character, as opposed to Russ who is also awful but a dreary character.

I also love your Helen the Cheesemaiden name and Weevil's Widderbeth.

Just listened to the repeat. I have to say I could easily imagine heated AIBU threads from Lily (AIBU to have told my mother there are spare places at wedding but she's not invited), Widderbeth (AIBU to have lost all trust in Slaughterhouse Vince) and Steph (AIBU to tell my dad to butt out of my wedding, although he is paying for event in dodgy barn run by total amateurs).

nettie434, if you like Widderbeth you might have fun browsing in the Nicknames at ambridgereporter.org.uk/nicknames.html

The Cheesemaiden isn't there -- yet. I suspect that it may be soon! That would be a good way for BurningTheToast to be made welcome, I feel.

There’s one thing not inviting someone to a wedding, quite another to rescind their invitation with a week to go.

Do people really do that in real life?

Can see Vince getting the flick over this!

Yes, apparenly they do.
My ex was a Completely Unpleasant Nasty Twat.

I am rather bored with the btb having someone behaving well out of character in order to Surprise The Listeners And Make Them Guess Stuff
This. In spades.
I want character-driven, not plot-driven.

BLEURGH!

So the Scumbag is also a hypocrite? All very well encouraging other people!s education - after he scuppered Lily’s.

This is the beginning of The Rehabilitation of Russ, aka character transplant.

He will remember his vocation and return to teaching. Also upcoming wedding for him and Lily.

Everlasting thanks to Tracy for saving us from further intimacy between lily and Russ

What's happening to Roy?

He's turning into Captain Chaos

I'm beginning to wonder whether my memories of good scripts are just a figment of my wistful imagination...

Anyone else imagining what Tracy’s dinner party fayre would be? I’ll put in an early bid for Findus crispy pancakes followed by a knickerbocker glory

@BoreOfWhabylon

This is the beginning of The Rehabilitation of Russ, aka character transplant.

He will remember his vocation and return to teaching. Also upcoming wedding for him and Lily.

Oh, he changed his tune quite sharply when he realised that a sixteen-year-old girl might be ever-so-grateful for his intervention on her behalf...

He can't go back to teaching: he was sacked for having a relationship with a student at the college of which he was the deputy head, albeit not actually screwing her until after her eighteen birthday.

@BrightYellowDaffodil

Anyone else imagining what Tracy’s dinner party fayre would be? I’ll put in an early bid for Findus crispy pancakes followed by a knickerbocker glory

I’ll be calling you CallMeBrightYellowRuss from now on.

Tracy’s been working at Grey Gables for ages now. I’m willing to bet the new radio on my Christmas list that she has an impressive dinner party menu all ready to roll out for snotty guests. (I don’t suppose it will be self-consciously retro.) Though one can’t guarantee that Jazzer will add much sophistication to the event.

We know that, Asking, but will the SWs remember?

And if he tries anything with Chelsea, he'll have Tracy to reckon with and, unlike Widderbeth, I don't think she'll be welcoming him into the family home. She'll destroy him.

I’ll be calling you CallMeBrightYellowRuss from now on.

Tracy’s been working at Grey Gables for ages now. I’m willing to bet the new radio on my Christmas list that she has an impressive dinner party menu all ready to roll out for snotty guests.

I’m now envisaging a Bridget Jones-style attempt at fine dining resulting in blue soup and marmalade…

Yes what is going on with Roy? Has he proved an unlikely hit on the dating for ‘fun’ circuit?

Two things caught my attention:

Lily's paying for the night out at Grey Gables out of her bonus as "reward for Russ having had such a good idea", i.e going away for the night. Elizabeth's pause, then "Oh" were very telling. I know strong language is generally eschewed on these threads but cocklodger much?

The other is Lily didn't say whether she'd accepted the invite to the wedding.

@BrightYellowDaffodil

Anyone else imagining what Tracy’s dinner party fayre would be? I’ll put in an early bid for Findus crispy pancakes followed by a knickerbocker glory

Yes but how delighted would you be if someone served you a knickerbocker glory?

what is going on with Roy?
Well, he was after 'breath mints' from the shop the other day.

he was sacked for having a relationship with a student at the college
WAS he, though? Thought he'd resigned anyway, planning to go to Manchester and Create Great Art, before Kenton shoved his oar in. And as far as we know, the relationships, not just the shagging, didn't even start until after Lily turned 18 and she approached him with her Gwen John.

Asking, Thanks for that list of Ambridge nicknames. I knew some of the more familiar ones like Fagash Lil and the Dopeys but most were new to me and very funny.

Although Russ trying to meet Chelsea would be a disturbing plot line, if it led to Tracey and Jazzer driving him out of Ambridge, it would be worth it.

I completely agree about wanting character driven, not plot driven, scripts. It is frustrating to have characters change completely. The exceptions to this are Brian and Jim who still seem the same. Joy continues to be a character in search of a plot. There are too many supposedly funny exchanges too. I thought that Lynda was really powerful when she was so upset about the physical effects of the fire on her. It felt strange hearing her not having a plan of her own to stop Hilary Noakes etc.

Soosan is a good cook. I don't think Tracy will ask Soosan for her chili recipe but I could imagine she'll do something to produce condescending praise from Russ. He expected her to choose beer instead of wine so I'm predicting that's the way it'll go.

Hope they take more than one bottle ... Pargetters can surely afford to be generous with (their own) wine.

Did he say something good or something special? In Caroline’s day the SW might possibly have deigned to let us know the exact wine and vintage - but I have no such hopes now.

Yes what is going on with Roy? Has he proved an unlikely hit on the dating for ‘fun’ circuit?

There have always been hints at him being quite good-looking and fit, even though that doesn't match up with my mental image of him at all. And I can imagine him being quite polite on OLD, and I don't think you need to be very far above a total arsehole to come over as really attractive compared with the majority of dickheads on there. So he probably would do all right.

So he probably would do all right
Up until they actually met him

Well, they seem to be keeping him up all night without sleep. I suppose if it's just a hook-up site and they're not expecting it to be an ongoing thing, then use him and lose him.

What is it with the men of Ambridge? Wasn't Jazzer complaining to Neil he wasn't getting enough sleep with Tracy the other day? At least Neil has the excuse of a young baby. If Russ spends tomorrow's episode yawning, I'll be writing to the Borsetshire Water Company to say they need to put something in the water.