🌱 Archers thread #131: A time to plant, a time to reap. 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 also have a few millions lying around you're not sure how to invest, or other unusual things.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please. We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the week night 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.)

Thanks to @Roysnewshirt and @Edmontine for title suggestions, and apologies to anyone I’ve missed or forgotten. In the end, inspired by Edmontine's idea and a brief discussion at the end of the last thread, I remembered that it's autumn now and the Ambridge farmers are presumably sowing barley, winter wheat, potatoes etc, so I found myself recollecting Ecclesiastes 3 (King James version) - my Church of Scotland upbringing has a lot to answer for. This led me back to one of my favourite numbers by The Byrds (written by Pete Seeger):

Roysnewshirt suggested Prayer cards, rehab, a glass of scotch, a bowl of chilli or even a dish of lasagne…we offer a range of solutions here to help you solve any Ambridge problem - large or small etc etc, which is as good a point as any to start this thread. Do we think Neil and Susan are solid again? Will Alice relapse? Will Shula confess all to the Bishop?

Reflecting on last night's offering, Edmontine said I’m musing on Baby steps … - but we need the culmination of Alice’s story this week. We have a new nurse in training, a possibly resigning midwife settling in Ambridge, Xander, Martha, Alice somewhere trying to find her feet sans grog, Shula trying to find her saintly feet sans Neil …B(ill)eth & Ben. Lots and lots of newness. Stir in Three’s blood and jam …

The blood and jam made me laugh. A lot. Just as well, as the storyline that line inspired is pants.

Over to you!

It's got to be Blake, hasn't it? But what to do? If he dies then Chelsea will feel terrible, as will Tracy. Will Lynda's letting them off the speeding come out?

Lynda letting Tracy off the speeding is surely irrelevant since Tracy wasn't driving when Blake ran in front of the car.

Not that Lynda actually has the power to get Tracy done for it, nor sent on a speeding course; if she were a repeat offender she might eventually get either a letter or a visit from a nice policeman telling her not to do it again. As far as I know the Speedwatch doesn't have any legal force in particular: their meters aren't well-enough calibrated for their results to stand up in court.

Just listened again. Yes, that sounds like Blake.

Not that Lynda actually has the power to get Tracy done for it, nor sent on a speeding course; That's my understanding too. Nor do community speeding schemes generally last that long.

Kirsty is well out of her depth. There's no way she should have took it on herself to explain to Blake that Philip was in prison. She should have continued to prevaricate and keep him safe until they could get expert help.

Very interesting article on whether a learner or their instructor can be charged with dangerous driving. I think we may be referring to this in the next few days
www.xtdriving.com/2016/11/24/supervising-a-learner-could-you-be-liable/

Poor Lynda. Yet again she's at the heart of a disaster.

Now caught up. Yes, I reckon it was Blake. What a hideous idea that he was caught largely because he wasn't as bad as many other slavemasters.

He being Philip, of course.

Big continuity error when Kirsty asked Blake what he has been doing since he left Ambridge. I don’t think he has ever lived in Ambridge. His closest link was resurfacing the playground, wasn’t it?

Blake is played by another very weak actor. I have no doubt radio drama is poorly paid but there must be some talent out there, surely. So few actors deliver their lines convincingly. We all know the exceptions of course - *waves at Brian and Jenny. Chelsea was poor another example, hamming up the role of being a whiney teenager last night for all she was worth. Interesting she is finding a voice...

IRL, Tracey would just tell Lynda to *k off and report her if she wanted to.

I thought the Blake actor was good

@Tulipomania

Poor Lynda. Yet again she's at the heart of a disaster.

Never mind - anything to keep Weevils happy Poor Tracy - if she hadn't spent the time arguing with Lynda they'd have got safely past before presumed Blake appeared, and she wouldn't be facing a dangerous driving charge (through failure to adequately supervise a learner). Am I right in thinking Ambridge folks are only ever run over by other Ambridge folks? Is this true to life - are most personal injury accidents locals being run over/crashed into by locals?

I'm not quite sure where they're going with this. There's no way Blake as portrayed would cope with having his own money, setting aside stuff for rent, fuel etc. It's almost as if they're saying Philip was doing a service by looking after him. And that sticks in the gullet somewhat.

If it was Blake and he's been deaded (saves SWs having to do some research on what would happen to him, how he'd be looked after) then we're left with no more evidence and Kirsty fired up again into private investigator role looking for the "grey man".

Or are we going to find Chelsea's quick reactions, honed by years of video gaming and demonstrated when she failed to run over the squirrel, mean that Blake will get up, shake himself off, and continue on his pursuit of Harrison? There must have been a reason for the squirrel (or whatever small animal it was).

Roysnewshirt I thought Blake's voice kept slipping into a bit "RSC".

Chelsea sounds like somebody in their 30's trying to be a teen.

I can see why some film directors choose unknowns in preference to theatre school kids.

anything to keep Weevils happy
So thoughtful, Mere, and thank you; but in fact I experienced a twinge of severe disappointment that Blake is unlikely to be fit enough to have a second crack at blowing up/barbecuing the foul Snell-beast. Who the #+@£ does that woman think she is?
Given his dodgy back, can we look forward to 'will he ever walk again' jeopardy and suspense? Oh goody. Frankly, my dears... His slip from 'barely articulate' into 'cheap poetic' with the description of - horrified gasp - The Grey Man was particularly badly written (and performed).
And Kirsty is a dreary fool.

ILoveKirsty

I doubt anyone was dedded on a Monday night!

And the SW did lay the groundwork for a non-fatal bump.

Despite her non-teen voice I do celebrate the arrival of Chelsea as a character. Opens up all sorts of possibilities - particularly with regard to interactions with the gilded youth of Ambridge.

It's almost as if they're saying Philip was doing a service by looking after him.

I think that was to show how vulnerable and prone to brainwashing (for want of a better word) victims of modern slavery are. Not to make Philip look good.

Mmm … If Blake lacks adequate capacity to manage his life then he needs formalised help and support. I doubt anyone could feel Philip’s intervention in his life was in any way benevolent or helpful.

I think that was to show how vulnerable and prone to brainwashing (for want of a better word) victims of modern slavery are. Not to make Philip look good. Yes, that was clearly why they did it, but they made Blake not just brainwashed but with the IQ of a nematode. Realistically, how would he survive otherwise? Well I suppose he has survived, and he got himself back to Ambridge, but I'm not convinced.

If Blake lacks adequate capacity to manage his life then he needs formalised help and support. Is such help available? I know it is however imperfect, for people who have been known to Social Services from childhood, but how easy is it to access such help if you've been under the radar till adulthood?

I suppose you could say TA has done its job if I'm now asking these questions.

Roysnewshirt
Big continuity error when Kirsty asked Blake what he has been doing since he left Ambridge. I don’t think he has ever lived in Ambridge. His closest link was resurfacing the playground, wasn’t it?

Judging by the breastbeating and vicarious guilt that everyone indulged in when Moss was accused (on no actual evidence which would stand up in a court of law that we ever heard) of people trafficking or whatever it was (we were never told that either), and well before he was tried let alone found guilty, I think the three lads built the entire village.

Certainly they worked at Brookfield, the playground and Berrow, and I think there were a couple of other places whose owners laid claim to a slice of the guilt and laid in some sackcloth and ashes.

Did we ever hear anything more about Emma's sudden decision to dob in a nail-bar in town on suspicion of slaving but no evidence whatever except that they were still open?

Is such help available?

Have to say I have no idea. Though I’d have thought the fact of Philip’s conviction would be a prompt for SS - now that Blake has been discovered. He’s clearly a vulnerable adult and should probably be in supported housing, not the local hostel.

I hated that episode. On edge the whole time, because learner driver in car in Ambridge = potential accident. I was so hoping the SWs would swerve this trope. (See what I did there? )

Chelsea seemed far too proficient. Lynda was ridiculous, and as Asking has said had no real power re speeding.

Though I did like Chelsea's voice. Her accent and delivery was believably like her mother's.

Bringing back Blake just to fool us Rob was around, and then deading him? I suppose it would tie up a loose end, but it would be very lazy plotting

Was this the first time Blake was given a voice?

@Tulipomania

Was this the first time Blake was given a voice?

No, he spoke when he was in hospital and later I think.

Yes, there was a horrible scene where Philip went to see him in hospital - got in on pretext of being his uncle - and told him not to say anything about the explosion to the police or he'd go to prison. It was the first time we'd really heard the nasty side of Philip.

There was also a scene set in their flat two days before they were sold, from which we were supposed to guess that the three lads were all vulnerable in some cognitive way, when Blake, Jordan and Kenzie were talking things over together.

(We know we were meant to guess this because there was a piece in the media to tell us that we had all been told this on air; it wasn't particularly clear during the broadcast.)

We know we were meant to guess this because there was a piece in the media to tell us that we had all been told this on air; it wasn't particularly clear during the broadcast