🌱 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!

How long are we giving this invisible Farm Manager job???

(Which doesn’t actually sound like the sort of establishment Adam would have touched with a twenty foot farm thingummy.)

That was very abrupt into the theme tune!
No time for stunned silence or any response from Chris...

Well, that was a surprise. Not.

Thanks for the new thread Gaspode
Will catch up with listening tomorrow while wfh.

Yes, ta Gasp0de (where are my manners?)

Among all the tedious blethering tonight, a couple of things struck me.
'She's quite a weight now' 'She's looking round...' Unfortunately that did not continue with 'because you and your control-freak martyr of a mother are overfeeding it on formula'
And Alice's astonishment that not only does her child have fingers! but that it was moving them! Gosh. Knock me down with a feather.

Ian is a nasty piece of work and come on, I should know

What they should do is recruit Joy. She'd love to look after a baybee and earn a little pin money. She'd be good at it too

What does Joy do all day? I've warmed to Joy but there's still no credible reason for her being in Ambridge other than she's in deep witness protection, having had her whole past erased.

Just hopping on the new thread

having had her whole past erased
Now can they please do the same for her future? TIA

You're on form tonight @theThreeofWeevils

Could they do the same for Pip, please?

'We said we wouldn't do that ...' Why would you not take on proper childcare?

I wonder if Alice means she can't be with Chris any more as in 'I'll moon around Ambridge but we can't live together' or 'I'm buggering off as far as I can to make a new start somewhere else, byeee'.

@BoreOfWhabylon

Thanks Gasp0de

The 🔮 is muttering darkly that "AS YE SOW, SO SHALL YE REAP!"

Doh! I knew there was a reason I was remembering the song line as 'A time to sow, a time to reap'. Never could remember song lyrics. My best ever is when I started belting out around the house 'I can see clearly now the rain has come'.

Turn, Turn, Turn

The Byrds:

It's the plucking up that which is planted that worries me, in an Archers context.

Possibly Hugh Bonneville as Brian, but not Colin Firth. Though I do like the idea of Roger Allam. They could have Robin Fairbrother back, as played by Anthony Head,but then it might be too Douglas and Herc.

Nobody could replace the current Brian

I'd happily have the entire Cabin Pressure crew living at Home Farm.

Whispers...I am bored with the Alice storyline

@ILoveShula

Nobody could replace the current Brian

I agree, all this “who could play whom” has been fun, but don’t mess with Brian. That’s a step too far.

Thanks so much @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g for keeping the show on the road! You really are too generous in your acknowledgments of contributors to the thread title!

Was the Neanderthal not warned about the dangers of too much too soon? I am not surprised Alice found the poignancy of the Memory Box overwhelming. It did little more than highlight her failings as a new mother.

I agree, all this “who could play whom” has been fun, but don’t mess with Brian. That’s a step too far.

Hear, hear.

I don't think any of the core characters could be changed.

Kate has been successfully re-cast, and Tony to some extent. Kenton has but it was a long time ago. Emmur was recast successfully,a long time ago now.

Peggy, Brine, Kirsty, Pat, Helen, Debbie, JD, Lizzie, Jim, Oliver etc are irreplaceable.

Pip is horrible

My hear, hear was directed at @Chemenger, and thanks to all ok, most of the contributors to this and the previous threads esp @Gas**@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g for the new threads, @AskingQuestionsAllTheTime for the encyclopaedic knowledge,
@Chemengr, for the intern and @theThreeofWeevils for the chuckles

Thanks for the new thread @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g. The show has been a bit non-descript lately, I can hardly summon up enthusiasm.

Whispers...I am bored with the Alice storyline

@Madcats yes, me too. Just a bit too public information film at the moment.

But I also find Ian/ Adam dull too

I struggle to understand how Ian and Adam ever thought that shared care was conceivably possible. Surely head chefs normally start work way before 6 pm - quite apart from the prep, there's things like meal and budget planning to do, dealing with health inspections, personnel, staff interviews and all the rest? And they have to have realised that a farm manager's job is never going to allow for a guaranteed 5pm finish.