😱 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!

Oh no strike that we have of course heard from Clarrie recently with the seated limo saga. Wishful thinking.

*dratted not seated

Yes, we've not heard much of any of the Grundys recently, so that's Eddie, Clarrie, Ed, Emma, Will, Mia, all reduced to occasional cast members. I do miss Joe. I wonder if George will be given a voice soon.

Dan, of course. Although as he's in the army it's plausible he's vanished.

I always forget about Lewis. Clearly the SWs are in the same boat.

@Edmontine

Could the writers be setting up an affair between Brian and Stella?

Yeah, but no, but ... He’ll be 78 this year, already has an extra-marital son on his way to university, and surely doesn’t have either the energy or the foolhardiness to go down that road again. Surely?

She might suit Alistair though! Or Shula.

Your view is the entirely reasonable and rational one @Edmontine - but I worry about how the scriptwriters will view it ,

• bearing in mind that it’s not long since our fevered calculations over Tracy and Jazzer’s dates of birth ...

Shula shagging Stella? She is constantly casting about for some or other meaning in her life so coming to a realisation that she likes women, not men, could be the revelation she has been searching for. Cue much hand-wringing over whether it means her 2 heterosexual marriages were a sham, wondering how deeply she is hurting those closest to her, and whether she can align her relationship with her Christian beliefs (and ignoring that the C of E is pretty relaxed about same sex relationships these days).
Meanwhile the rest of Ambridge is happy for her and wondering what all her fussing and navel gazing is about.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Yes, we've not heard much of any of the Grundys recently, so that's Eddie, Clarrie, Ed, Emma, Will, Mia, all reduced to occasional cast members. I do miss Joe. I wonder if George will be given a voice soon.

Dan, of course. Although as he's in the army it's plausible he's vanished.

I always forget about Lewis. Clearly the SWs are in the same boat.

The Grundys have been around. There was that silly storyline about the limo which had Clarrie and Eddie. And Emma had the set to with Brian. Not sure about Will and Ed.

Yes, I did say 'not much' rather than nothing.

IIRC, Brian is a Rolling Stones fan so is probably raising a glass to Charlie Watts now, as I just have.

Lilian will probably raise an entire distillery.

Maybe there’ll be a special Rolling Stones night at the Bull?

Pat!

Shula calls herself a good Christian woman and then bats her eyes at a man she fancies who she knows is having marital difficulties. Not so saintly after all…

Good old Pat sounded as fit as a fiddle. Amazing what a spell in the cereal cupboard can do for one. Might try it myself!

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g marvellous effort- well done!

Kathy and Jamie have disappeared off the Archers website list of characters, even though people like Carol Gregorian and Clive Horrobin survive and Kathy is surely notionally at least still at Grey Gables. They had Jamie down for years as still doing his tree surgeon course, maybe they couldn't be bothered to think up what they should say about what he is doing now.

Good to hear Pat at last!

Couldn't agree more about Shula. She should be defrocked, which I assume is what she wants Neil to do.

I wonder what they will do about the "House of Horrobins"?

I am sure Asking can 'remind' us if Chelsea, Brad and Gary have ever spoken? I am guessing that ' Bert' would be a similar age to Eddie.

It's going to be a bit of a challenge for the foley artist if Jazzer starts overnighting there on a regular basis too.

So far as I know neither Chelsea, Brad nor Gary has been heard on air: none of them is in the cast-list this century.

I've a feeling Bert Horrobin may be rather older than Eddie; Bert has a child of almost 58, and Eddie was 70 this year. I don't suppose Bert and Ivy had their first child when Bert was twelve.

@Jemand

Kathy and Jamie have disappeared off the Archers website list of characters, even though people like Carol Gregorian and Clive Horrobin survive and Kathy is surely notionally at least still at Grey Gables. They had Jamie down for years as still doing his tree surgeon course, maybe they couldn't be bothered to think up what they should say about what he is doing now.

I just happened across them (warning - "cast" pics): www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/3RFq8GSCWr2XcC2yhmgGbZg/jamie-perks & www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/3DsdwNqRx7FCbHlKpQ2fqn2/kathy-perks

I can't ever remember hearing Jamie but he's in his mid 20s now so you'd think he'd know the likes of Phoebe

Having listened to "Kathy" and "Nigel" on podcast/YouTube last summer I think they had a falling out with the then editorial/writing team(s) by pointing out holes in the storylines and character transformation.......

.....a bit like these threads

Heidi, reveal yourself!

I assume Hedli Niklaus must have had good relations with the production team at one point, as she ran Archers Addicts. I thought she had some health issues which had prevented her from appearing in recent years, but I could easily have imagined that. The endless changes of Editor probably haven't helped matters.

The GG dinner is going to be a disaster, isn’t it? I feel so sad for Susan. Don’t care about Shula ... but I simply cannot believe Neil’s descent into idiocy.

I just want to know when we can expect an episode on Fridays please???!!!

I see from that link that Jamie's still doing his tree surgeon training. It must be around 8 years so far.

Why isn't Chris doing more parenting? Plenty of new parents hold down jobs without grandparents having to do the night feeds. He should take Martha home and let his mum get some kip.

It takes years to qualify as a surgeon

@KateonSkates

Why isn't Chris doing more parenting? Plenty of new parents hold down jobs without grandparents having to do the night feeds. He should take Martha home and let his mum get some kip.

He's a man. Looking after babies is wimminswork, innit.