Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Radio/podcast addicts

Discuss your favourite podcast, radio show or The Archers episode.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

😱 Archers thread #130: The Fall of the House of Aldridge. Discuss The Archers here.

981 replies

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 11/08/2021 21:49

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

Archers 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. Grin

Archers 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!

Archers 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. Hmm

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. Sad

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!

OP posts:
BoreOfWhabylon · 12/08/2021 16:18

The 🔮 and MysticBore™️ know ALL, noodle

and what they don't know they make up

KimikosNightmare · 12/08/2021 17:42

@reprehensibleme

I do like Ruari but he's obviously not quite mature enough to understand what an amazing thing Jennifer has done in not only bringing him into the household but actually really bringing him into the family. She does love him as a son.

Hope he doesn't make a saint of the mother he barely knew.

Also, while acknowledging he isn't a blood relation of Jennifer's, he is a blood relation of Alice and Kate. The Aldridge family tree is a complex one and I think Jennifer deserves credit for holding all the disparate members together.

I didn't think there was any doubt Ruari did understand how amazing JD was. The shock to him was Alice saying it was all a pretence. I hope he'll realise that no- one could have kept up a pretence so well and for so long.

And you're right- regardless of anything else Ruari is a blood brother to her and Kate and every bit as deserving of Brian's love.

Is Alice now going to be a pariah in the village? She didn't want to be known as the village alkie- but Ben and presumably at the very least Ruth and David know just how horrible she is.

EarringsandLipstick · 12/08/2021 17:47

Thanks for doing all the work @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g & adding in the posts from the other thread 🎖

EarringsandLipstick · 12/08/2021 17:48

@Flumpaphone

Oooh think it must be a bit dusty in here [dabs eyes]

Usha waves a sign for help feebly from the cereal cupboard whilst Ruairi shuffles awkwardly past Jamie, Cathy and Brenda to take his place at the back next to Aunty Cardboard and Carol Tregorran. Pat looks on nervously as the SW's gaze falls on her.

😂😂
DoctorTwo · 12/08/2021 18:02

I loved hearing JD and Ruauri together, he's going to be missed.

lomaamina · 12/08/2021 19:27

Two thoughts. Lady Hale would be amazing, but can you imagine her knowing anything about scarecrow law or whatever nonsense the scriptwriters were on about?

When has anyone anywhere referred to attending “London” university?! Egad! Having calmed down now I’d say that, given that the BBC has only heard of the university of Oxbridge, I imagine they aren’t aware of the fact that Kings, Queen Mary etc have been universities in their own rights for eons. And given that they can’t be bothered to do proper research, we end up with unbelievable dialogue.

Oh, and one other thought: I too found the scene yesterday between Jenny and Ruarhi (spelling?) extremely touching but I still felt it was let down by the usual trope of a character not properly explaining themselves, so we had him left with the impression that he was being discussed behind his back even though, as pp explained, it was simply Jenny unburdening her mixed emotions around the resurrection of S.

RandomCatGenerator · 12/08/2021 19:43

What a shame to lose Ruairi now! Excellent episode between him and Jennifer.

RandomCatGenerator · 12/08/2021 19:45

The Alice viciousness was so spot on horrible. I thought Brian giving her short shrift was excellent too.

Bit worried it’s working up to a suicide….? She is cutting off everyone and loathes herself.

ThymeafterThyme · 12/08/2021 19:59

.

theThreeofWeevils · 12/08/2021 20:07

worried it’s working up to a suicide
Dinna fret. Do you really think she'd be competent enough to do it right?

MereDintofPandiculation · 12/08/2021 20:08

@HaveringWavering

Oh and my guess for the ce leb lawyer- only one lawyer could provoke that level of breath less admiration from La Snell- it has to be Lady Hale!
I wonder what brooch she will choose for the occasion?
Welshwabbit · 12/08/2021 20:27

The Alice stuff is so painfully accurate I find it hard to listen to. There was definitely something in my eye listening to Jenny and Ruairi.

ThymeafterThyme · 12/08/2021 20:45

Did R go off to Ireland without speaking to Brian?

KimikosNightmare · 12/08/2021 21:24

When has anyone anywhere referred to attending “London” university?!

But he didn't say that. He said he was going to London. That's a natural way of speaking. Ruari said something like "London here I come". It wouldn't matter which university he was going to- it would be "anywhere that isn't Ambridge" . There's no need to specify the university.

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 12/08/2021 21:24

Place marking!!

Eastie77Returns · 12/08/2021 22:02

Did Alice create the scarecrow of herself with empty wine bottles or were they suggesting it was someone’s idea of a cruel joke? I found that all a bit confusing. I wonder where’s she gone. I don’t think she has any friends outside Ambridge apart from Amy and the (fictional?) friend she pretended to stay with in Bath.

Still unclear why Brian wasn’t at the station waving Ruairi off as well. JD is in bits while he seems detached and completely unconcerned about the circumstances surrounding his departure. I suppose it’s in keeping with his general offhand / poor parenting.

Terhou · 12/08/2021 22:12

@FoxgloveSummers

...made up for the UTTERLY RIDICULOUS Lynda’s fear of scarecrow law plot line. This is the woman who last year picketed the Bull, now she thinks there may be a law governing scarecrows? For realsies? CTFO scriptwriters.
It was quite funny the way they assumed that Usha would have some obscure law about scarecrows that no-one has ever heard of at her fingertips.

My guess for the celeb is that it's someone who knows about scarecrows rather than a lawyer. Maybe someone from Countryfile or similar?

Terhou · 12/08/2021 22:13

But he didn't say that. He said he was going to London. That's a natural way of speaking. Ruari said something like "London here I come". It wouldn't matter which university he was going to- it would be "anywhere that isn't Ambridge" . There's no need to specify the university.

I'm not sure that it is a natural way of speaking in relation to going to a university in London. I think it would be more natural to say "LSE/King's/Queen Mary's etc here I come"

RandomCatGenerator · 12/08/2021 22:31

@KimikosNightmare

When has anyone anywhere referred to attending “London” university?!

But he didn't say that. He said he was going to London. That's a natural way of speaking. Ruari said something like "London here I come". It wouldn't matter which university he was going to- it would be "anywhere that isn't Ambridge" . There's no need to specify the university.

Yeah I agree. I’d say ‘Manchester here I come’ if I was going to any one of the four or so universities based in Manchester.

The Brian thing is weird, I agree with PP!

RandomCatGenerator · 12/08/2021 22:32

That said, it is odd that he hasn’t stated which university - or course! - as presumably he could have applied for several in London and JD would probably want to know which he was actually going to…

KimikosNightmare · 12/08/2021 22:40

@Terhou

But he didn't say that. He said he was going to London. That's a natural way of speaking. Ruari said something like "London here I come". It wouldn't matter which university he was going to- it would be "anywhere that isn't Ambridge" . There's no need to specify the university.

I'm not sure that it is a natural way of speaking in relation to going to a university in London. I think it would be more natural to say "LSE/King's/Queen Mary's etc here I come"

I don't agree. And he was talking about going away.
KimikosNightmare · 12/08/2021 22:45

Yeah I agree. I’d say ‘Manchester here I come’ if I was going to any one of the four or so universities based in Manchester

Same for Edinburgh- I can't imagine a teenager in the Scottish equivalent of Ambridge saying to their friend "ooh QMU, or Heriot Watt here I come"

stilldumdedumming · 12/08/2021 23:01

Ok I have just dropped my ds at work and accidentally listened to yesterday's episode. The sleb is described as an acquaintance not necessarily a lawyer. And Lynda
Says something like how funny and how marvellous. So I'm still on Jackie Weaver who might have once been clerk to the licensing committee. Though I've worked in the public sector since I was 16 and I just can't see her employer letting her...

LizziesTwin · 13/08/2021 05:10

I’m pretty sure it’s Jackie Weaver, see this interview

lotsofdogshere · 13/08/2021 07:59

Great dumdeedum thread - I’m for Jackie Weaver. Lady Hale or e Kennedy would be good