😱 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!

Yippee, it's the village fete "tonight"

@CallMeRisley

De-lurking because no one IRL would appreciate my surprise when reading the start of the description for the 12/8 ep- “Harrison is keen to enjoy a rare joint…” (see screenshot), that’s a departure from character, I thought!

@Madcats

Yippee, it's the village fete "tonight"

I am actually tingling with anticipation!

Gasp0de ... I had been wondering why the thread was so quiet this morning, then I stumbled upon AIBU ...

(Should probably add a for clarity.)

I'm new hi! Wow this is amazing!!! I've started at the Alice row Rory (sp) going to Ireland ! It's really good !!! who knew!!!!

Hello, @nottoday3000! You've hit on a good week. Feel free to ask if you have questions. The Archers has been going since 1951, so the backstories are immense.

@Edmontine, just being public spirited!

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g I shall be googling the characters!!! I've gone back again and Shulas fallen off her horse sorry I think this is fab I've heard of the archers but I've never really took much notice!!!

Step away from your radio now, nottoday; you can still save yourself

Oh the joy of the new discoverer....

Everyone on this thread will be delighted to pontificate at length, on any TA question you care to ask!!!

Blimey, Usha!

The celebrity is rather good.

That was all good.

BOOP for Ms Weaver.

A billion BOOPS for the sublime return of Usha.

(And Amy coming soon!)

[vomit]

That may have been a passable situation comedy; it was not TA

OK, so is Jackie Weaver going to stay the week and sort out a few more problems in Ambridge?

Where could she start? The WhatsApp neighbours gossiping about Helen?

Oh well done, Jackie Weaver!

Clearly, the inane satanic scarecrow competition and protest was a plot device to allow her to deliver her immortal line

Must say, she was considerably less wooden than the guest slebs usually are.

Weevils

If I had to rank every celebrity appearance from 1 to 10 (with 1 being the worst and 10 the best), that wouldn't be a 1. Let's leave it there and hope normal service is resumed tomorrow.

Jackie Weaver did well, but she was out of place. It was like two worlds colliding. Maybe it’s because TA has been so divorced from COVID, it really has seemed to be pert of a different world, one in which there was no Jackie Weaver

It's always two worlds colliding when a real person makes their way through the forcefield and arrives in Ambridge. Best to blink hard and move on. Don't, whatever you do, start wondering what these people find to listen to on Radio 4 at 19.02 and 14.02, and 10am on a Sunday.

It's a BOOP from me. I felt the opposite to MereDint, thought she fitted in ok. Also agree that she sounded very natural, and that it was worth having to endure the Scarecrow plot setup.

Having seen her on The Last Leg shortly after her clip went viral, I can report she is very funny in real life. Her timing is immaculate, as it has to be when dealing with Parish Councils and the like.

As a linguistics/psychology scholar, I don't think Tracey would have misremembered "Leaver" as "Weaver." (Is Leaver even a surname?) Confusing "Wheeler" with "Weaver" would be more likely but I am picky.

'Lever' is certainly a surname - John Lever, the England bowler, springs to mind. But I do agree that it was an unlikely confusion of names (although one has to allow for the Horrobin factor).

Sorry I thought that was awful, mostly lurk these days but had to delurk to express my pain. I am amazed at peoples reticence.

It’s true the SW made Usha sound utterly incompetent and the script was clunky and predictable (for the sake of the headline act) - but it was such a delight to hear her voice.

Usha has always seemed central to village life to me. Not for the set pieces (God knows, the SWs struggle to understand her working life) but just as someone with a role in the community - as a female professional, as a not-white person with a stake in Ambridge property, with a connection to Brookfield through her friendship with Ruth, as probably the most influential resident of the vicarage, as a step-mother ... When it was being properly written (pre-Am-Ex) her relationship with Alan was actually interesting.

I’ve really missed her - and hope the SWs will pull up their socks and write something decent for her.

Lever is definitely a surname. Even if you've never heard of Lever Brothers, you've almost certainly used Lever products.