😱 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!

He wasn't blameless though was he, he was spending time away from the chaos at AV, when his wife needed his support

Absolutely @ILoveShula. Neil definitely wasn’t blameless. Selfish may be at best - seeking respite from the chaos of home on a far too regular basis - but I think it was worse than that. He devalued their 37 years by taking her for granted to such an extent that he backed off when times got tough. He may have played the romantic hero last night but he’s going to have to make a bit more effort in my view before he is awarded the Husband of the Year badge. I know there is a lot of love for Neil on this thread but I’m afraid I expect more from a man - I would have been absolutely furious if my husband behaved as Neil has done and consider his behaviour a betrayal.

And incidentally things would have spilled over into the unforgivable category if he had loaned my emerald green lasagne dish to the object of his affections. Why did it take Shula so long to locate it for Susan? I think she is one of those people who absorbs dishes you lend them into their kitchen and doesn’t return them. Not exactly vicar material…

So much ground to cover this morning…

Maybe she’d put it in her I Love Neil Box

he’s going to have to make a bit more effort in my view before he is awarded the Husband of the Year badge I don't think there's any pretence that he's husband of the year though. He and Susan are just an ordinary couple struggling on through difficult circumstances. Trying to do everything and be everything for their son (long indulged ever since he was born with a cleft palate) is taking its toll on their relationship - they have left no time for each other (once again neatly symbolised in food with Neil reduced to making lasagne while Susan has no time to make her chilli). Hopefully now they have realised this and reminded each other how much they love one another they can get back on track (or maybe even just this knowledge will help them struggle on a bit longer until Alice is back and proper decisions and arrangements can be made). Neil will always be a bit dim and oblivious and will need things pointing out to him that should be obvious, he won't be able to rein Susan in when she gets the bit between her teeth whether its about what jobs he should be aspiring to or taking over her son's life in a crisis and, from Susan's point of view, Neil will never be an Aldridge - but hopefully seeing how that worked out with Chris and Alice (something she was once so proud of and seemed like the pinnacle of her social climbing) she is cured of that one once and for all.

They don't need childminders or nurseries in Ambridge. Childcare can be arranged at no notice by dumping sprogs on aged relatives.

Susan has martyred herself with Marthyr. She had two jobs, but still volunteered to provide daytime and night-time care for the baby. How Chris thinks this is acceptable beats me.

When women in Ambridge have found themselves caring for a baby without a partner, can anyone tell me if their parents have worked their fingers to the bone providing 24 hour childcare?

@FoxgloveSummers you only need to look at Helen to find the answer to that question. Famously ‘doggedly independent’ except for when it came to looking after her much-wanted son Henry. The circumstances following Jack’s birth were obviously entirely different, but as someone with two sons of not dissimilar ages to herd my social life/time without children is a long way from what she manages…

And it’s worth saying that Helen didn’t even ‘find herself’ in that position in anything like the way Chris had - she designed it that way!!

@FoxgloveSummers

Maybe she’d put it in her I Love Neil Box

. I want an I Love Neil box.

Neil was clear right at the start that he did not think he and his wife were able to take on full-time care for Martha, and that since they both worked full-time they ought not to try. Susan over-ruled him. He said he would help with the night-time feeds (and we have heard that he has done so). She has chosen to exhaust herself by doing all the night-time feeds that Neil did not do AND all the daytime care too, refusing to let the Aldridges help; I cannot think that Neil's fault. She chose to give up one of her jobs; he did not choose to do so, and that was probably just as well because they do have household expenses to pay, as well as probably a bank-loan for the building of their house, so his wages were necessary. And she has burned him on her altar to Martha, being vile to him on a regular basis for weeks and not having a pleasant thing to say to him, just diatribes of blame heaped on him for things she has got wrong when she was too tired to understand what the times were at which he had to be at work.

The person destroying that marriage has not been Neil. He chose to go away and work in a garden rather than drown his sorrows in the pub, and for that Susan ought to be grateful: at least he hasn't been spending money on booze.

Chris is 33 though, you'd think he was some teenage dad by the way his parents treat him.

God there are a lot of spoilt children in Ambridge aren't there. Thanks for reminding me about Helen (that mostly happened while I was on a well-deserved Archers break) and her leaning on her parents. Did she carry on working full time as well?

I certainly don’t blame Neil for standing his ground and not giving up his day job so he can care for his grandchild. Nor do I expect him to get up in the night to do night feeds. But I do, however, judge him for spending countless hours with an old flame on the pretext of doing her garden, dropping her name into conversations unnecessarily because she is on his mind even though she is the most boring woman in the world and then cooking her a lasagne.

Are we still going to have Shula mooning around after Neil, or can we hope she gets a grip and accepts he's with Susan and that's where he wants to stay? I fear that after her confession to Alastair we're going to be subjected to her spiritual crisis as she tries to find some way to reconcile all this with her supposed calling.

Thou shall not covet thy neighbour's husband

Eddie's mystery car journey and wanting Keerur and Mere to win. Funny? No. Amusing? No.

@WhoppingBigBackside

Thou shall not covet thy neighbour's husband

Ha yes! And yes I expect more mooning - maybe a confession to Alan? (I know they don't technically do confession but she can never resist one.) And then hopefully butt off on her travels to find a foreign toyboy herself.

Here's a game, what character would you like to see come to Ambridge? (I know most people don't want new characters but forget that for a minute.) I'd enjoy a sexy 45 -55 year old French/Spanish/Italian/other man with an abundance of sex appeal, dash and schemes, to cause heartbreak and mayhem wherever he goes.

@WhoppingBigBackside

Eddie's mystery car journey and wanting Keerur and Mere to win. Funny? No. Amusing? No.

is there any accent in the UK that pronounces Keira as "Keerure" like Eddie does? the second R sound seems a bit extrure

The actor's real accent is nice, but as Eddie he adds Rs to many words.

Shoolur, Krismerze, Marthur, Mere, Emmur, Jill Archurr ....

@FoxgloveSummers, a single man in possession of a fortune, perhaps. One who is about 30-35, and is Mr Darcy embodied.

How about Sol turns up on the scene.

No more Fairbrethren unless it's Robin.

I think Neil needs to give some thought as to why he chose to abandon Susan in their hour of need. He may not be in love with Shula again but being with her somehow fulfilled a need.

And remember when she fell off her ‘oss - he was quite traumatised.

@WhoppingBigBackside

Eddie's mystery car journey and wanting Keerur and Mere to win. Funny? No. Amusing? No.

But it showed another splendid side of Joy, her interest and curiosity about everything

Shula was pretty much desperate for Neil to leave her alone after she broke her arm, and his reaction to her falling was dramatic - it’s like the writers have reversed some of it in retrospect.

Can anyone please remember what sort/flavour of Lamingtons won Joy First Prize last year?

I know see said it this afternoon, but I must not have paying attention!

I'd like to have a go at making some.

She, not see!

Bloody autocorrect strikes again!

@JanglyBeads

I think Neil needs to give some thought as to why he chose to abandon Susan in their hour of need. He may not be in love with Shula again but being with her somehow fulfilled a need.

And remember when she fell off her ‘oss - he was quite traumatised.

I don't think Neil needs to think about it all that hard: he wanted to get out of the house because Susan was being so nasty to him so much of the time and it was a horrible place to be in. He said so.